Sermons on Acts 17:22-23
The various sermons below interpret Acts 17:22-23 by focusing on Paul's strategic engagement with the cultural and religious context of Athens. Both sermons highlight Paul's use of the altar to the unknown God as a pivotal point for initiating dialogue with the Athenians. This approach underscores the importance of contextualizing the Christian message to resonate with the audience's existing beliefs and experiences. The sermons suggest that Paul was not only aware of the cultural landscape but also skilled in using it as a bridge to introduce the gospel. This shared interpretation emphasizes the need for Christians to meet people where they are, recognizing that God may already be at work in their lives, even if they cannot yet articulate it.
While both sermons agree on the importance of contextual engagement, they diverge in their emphasis on certain theological themes. One sermon focuses on the theme of contextual evangelism, urging the church to adapt its message to the cultural and spiritual needs of the community rather than expecting people to conform to established religious norms. It suggests that the church should actively engage with the community to offer relevant spiritual guidance. In contrast, the other sermon emphasizes the idea that God is already present in everyone's life, even if they cannot name or recognize Him. This perspective encourages Christians to approach others with the assumption that God is at work within them, and their role is to help individuals identify and articulate this divine presence. Additionally, it warns against labeling people, advocating instead for seeing each person as an individual in whom Christ is at work.
Acts 17:22-23 Interpretation:
Connecting Faith with Context: A Call to Action (Dominion-Chalmers United) interprets Acts 17:22-23 by emphasizing Paul's approach to understanding and engaging with the cultural context of Athens. The sermon highlights how Paul uses the altar to the unknown God as a starting point for dialogue, suggesting that Paul was adept at interpreting the cultural and religious landscape to communicate the gospel effectively. This interpretation underscores the importance of contextualizing faith to meet people where they are, rather than expecting them to conform to pre-existing religious norms.
Living Out Resurrection: Authentic Faith in Action (Inspire Church New Zealand) interprets Acts 17:22-23 by emphasizing the idea that people often know God but cannot name Him. The sermon uses the analogy of Sean Penn's humanitarian work and Cornelius's story from the Bible to illustrate that people may have an internal sense of God without being able to articulate it. The sermon also highlights Paul's approach in Athens, where he identifies the altar to an unknown god as a way to connect with the Athenians' existing beliefs and introduce them to the Christian God. This interpretation suggests that God is already at work in people's lives, and the role of Christians is to help them name and recognize this divine presence.
Acts 17:22-23 Theological Themes:
Connecting Faith with Context: A Call to Action (Dominion-Chalmers United) presents the theme of contextual evangelism, emphasizing that the church must adapt its message to the cultural and spiritual needs of the community. The sermon suggests that the church should not merely open its doors and expect people to come but should actively engage with the community's context to offer relevant spiritual guidance and connection.
Living Out Resurrection: Authentic Faith in Action (Inspire Church New Zealand) presents the theme that God is at work in everyone, even if they cannot name or recognize Him. This theme emphasizes the idea that Christians should approach others with the assumption that God is already present in their lives, and their role is to help them identify and articulate this presence. The sermon also suggests that labeling people can lead to mistreatment, and instead, Christians should see everyone as individuals in whom Christ is at work.
Acts 17:22-23 Historical and Contextual Insights:
Sharing Faith with Courage and Conviction (Horizon Church Canberra) provides historical context about Athens, describing it as a city filled with idols and altars, with up to 30,000 idols and altars present. The sermon explains that Athens was once a center of ancient civilization, known for its philosophy, architecture, and culture, but had become a city of faded glory by Paul's time. This context helps to understand why Paul was deeply troubled by the idolatry he witnessed and why he chose to engage with the Athenians in the way he did.
Connecting Faith with Context: A Call to Action (Dominion-Chalmers United) offers insights into the cultural context of Athens, noting that it was not a Jewish hotbed and that Paul had to interpret the context to communicate effectively. The sermon highlights Paul's use of the altar to the unknown God as a means to connect with the Athenians' spiritual curiosity and to offer them a new understanding of God.
Living Out Resurrection: Authentic Faith in Action (Inspire Church New Zealand) provides a detailed historical context of the Areopagus and the altar to an unknown god. The sermon explains that the Areopagus was a place where new philosophies were presented and evaluated based on whether they would improve the world. It also recounts the historical events leading to the creation of the altar to an unknown god, including the Cylonic Rebellion and the subsequent plague in Athens. The sermon describes how the Athenians consulted the Pythian Oracle and the Cretan prophet Epimenides, who advised them to build altars to an unknown god to appease the divine being they had offended. This historical background helps to illuminate why Paul chose to reference the altar to an unknown god in his speech.
Acts 17:22-23 Cross-References in the Bible:
Sharing Faith with Courage and Conviction (Horizon Church Canberra) references Paul's approach in other cities, such as Thessalonica and Berea, where he first went to the synagogue to speak to the Jews. This cross-reference is used to illustrate Paul's consistent strategy of engaging with both Jews and Gentiles, adapting his message to the audience's context.
Ambassadors of Hope: Sharing Christ Beyond the Walls (Coastal Church) references 2 Corinthians 5:19-20, which speaks about being Christ's ambassadors and carrying the message of reconciliation. This passage is used to emphasize the responsibility of Christians to represent Jesus and share the message of hope, even in challenging contexts.
Living Out Resurrection: Authentic Faith in Action (Inspire Church New Zealand) references the story of Cornelius from Acts 10, where Cornelius, a Roman centurion, is described as righteous because of his generosity to the poor, even before he knew about Jesus. This cross-reference is used to support the idea that people can have a relationship with God without fully understanding or naming it. The sermon also mentions Jesus' teachings about turning the other cheek and going the extra mile, emphasizing the importance of demonstrating love and compassion rather than merely professing belief.
Acts 17:22-23 Christian References outside the Bible:
Ambassadors of Hope: Sharing Christ Beyond the Walls (Coastal Church) references John Harper, a preacher on the Titanic, as an example of someone who shared the gospel until his dying breath. This story is used to illustrate the urgency and importance of sharing faith, even in dire circumstances.
Living Out Resurrection: Authentic Faith in Action (Inspire Church New Zealand) references Epimenides, a Cretan prophet quoted by Paul in the Bible, to illustrate the idea that truth can be found outside of traditional Christian sources. The sermon highlights that Epimenides, who lived 600 years before Jesus, was quoted by Paul because his insights aligned with Christian teachings, demonstrating that truth is universal and not confined to specific religious texts.
Acts 17:22-23 Illustrations from Secular Sources:
Ambassadors of Hope: Sharing Christ Beyond the Walls (Coastal Church) uses the story of John Harper on the Titanic as a secular illustration to emphasize the importance of sharing the gospel. Harper's actions during the Titanic disaster serve as a metaphor for the urgency of sharing faith with those who are spiritually "drowning."
Living Out Resurrection: Authentic Faith in Action (Inspire Church New Zealand) uses the story of Sean Penn, who sold everything he owned and moved to Haiti to help the poor, as an illustration of someone who knows God internally but cannot name it. The sermon also references modern conveniences like cars, refrigerators, and plumbing to highlight how much better the world is today compared to ancient times, emphasizing the positive impact of the Spirit of Christ in the world. Additionally, the sermon humorously describes the evolution of toilet technology, from ancient Roman sponges on sticks to modern Japanese toilets, to illustrate the progress humanity has made.