Paul on Mars Hill

As a missionary Paul has no peers, and the amazing success that he achieved in planting churches is attested to in the Scriptures, particularly in the book of Acts.  His commissioning by the church at Antioch in Acts 13 marks the beginning of an incredible church planting streak.  Over the course of 13 years, Paul embarked on three missionary journeys, during which he traveled more than 7,000 miles and planted at least 14 new churches (probably more).

The Scriptures don’t just record Paul’s successes; however, they also attest to those times and places when Paul’s message was not well received.  One such place is Athens.  Athens is one of the oldest cities in the world, and during the time of the Greek Empire it was one of the strongest Greek city-states.  It has long been famous as a center of learning with significant contributions in philosophy, mathematics, and science.

During the Roman Empire Athens was no longer a political power, but it remained a center of intellectual influence.  Athens was famous for its Areopagus, which was a small hill covered in stone seats. This area served as a gathering place for all sorts of public discourse and debates, from criminal trials to governmental hearings and philosophical debates.  By Paul’s day it was known by its Roman name, Mars Hill.

When Paul came to town, his teaching at the synagogue and in the town square was considered so radical that he was invited to speak at Mars Hill.  Acts 17 records Paul’s sermon on Mars Hill, trying to get the Athenians to see that the “unknown God” that they worship was, in reality, the one true God of the universe.  Unfortunately, his message was not well-received, and when Paul began to teach about Jesus’ resurrection he was sneered and laughed at.  Acts 17:34 records that a few men believed in Jesus as their Savior, and Paul soon moved on to Corinth.

So what can we learn from Paul’s time in Athens?

Some folks have suggested that Paul’s time ministering in Athens was a failure and Luke included it in his Gospel as a lesson of what NOT to do.  I don’t think that is the case at all, for a couple of reasons.

First, we should not be surprised that people who took great pride in how “intellectual” they were did not respond to the Gospel the first time that they heard it!  Many people need to have the Gospel shared with them over and over again until their hearts are open to the truth.  We shouldn’t be disappointed that “only” a few men of Athens believed in Jesus.  Rather, we should be amazed that a few did!

Secondly, Paul’s ministry in Athens is a model for how we should talk to folks about Jesus and engage with others who have widely different beliefs and ideologies…WITHOUT compromising the Word of God.  Paul used the Athenians belief in an “unknown god” as a starting point to build a theological bridge with his audience.  Christians today can learn to identify common ground with people of different faiths or no faith, creating opportunities for meaningful dialogue and proclamation of the Gospel.

Here's what’s happening:

1.                TONIGHT – Youth Group meets at the schoolhouse at 6:30 pm.  If you ordered subs you can pick them up at the church this evening as well.

2.               5/18 – Double Nickels luncheon after the worship service.

3.               If you are interested in being baptized this summer, please let me know soon.

4.               I will be leading a workshop called “What’s Love Got To Do With It?” at Waterway Church in Oxford on Sunday, June8 from 6:30 – 8:30 pm.  We will be discussing what Biblical dating looks like, the common saying that “opposites attract,” and what to consider before getting engaged.  This workshop is for senior high teens and young adults…parents are welcomed and encouraged to attend as well!

5.               The Witness Music Festival is making a return – Saturday, 6/14 at the SECA Park in Quarryville.  There is a huge need for volunteers that day.  Please see me if you are interested.

6.               6/1 is Graduation Sunday.  We will be honoring our graduating seniors during the worship service.

We’ll continue our study of 1 Thessalonians on Sunday by looking at chapter 3, where 3 Paul writes about how difficult it was for him to remain in Corinth and not visit the church. However, even though there was a physical distance between them the church continued to encourage Paul. We’ll see how we can encourage others to thrive even if we are at a distance!

See you on Sunday,

Scott