What Is Your God Like? Acts 17: 24-28

Devotional

Day 1: God Beyond Marble Columns

Paul stood on Mars Hill, fists clenched at the sea of idols. Marble columns stretched skyward—Athena’s temple gleaming, Zeus’s shrine sprawling. His spirit burned at their smallness. These gods demanded service but couldn’t breathe life. Then he pointed past the Parthenon to the Maker of galaxies, the One who needs no stone hands to hold Him. [28:19]

The true God isn’t contained by human effort. He shaped mountains with a finger, yet the Athenians traded His grandeur for manageable substitutes. Paul’s anger wasn’t judgment—it was grief. They’d settled for gods who couldn’t save.

Where have you built altars to manageable gods? Comfort, control, or achievement often shrink God to our size. This week, notice what you run to when stress hits. Do your default “temples” reflect the God of galaxies or a safer, smaller version?

“The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man.”
(Acts 17:24, ESV)

Prayer: Ask God to reveal one idol you’ve quietly served this month.

Challenge: Write down three moments this week when you felt anxious. Note what you reached for first.

Day 2: The Altar of Unknown Longing

Paul knelt beside a weathered stone inscribed TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. The Athenians feared missing a deity, so they hedged bets. But their altar confessed hunger—a ache for the unnamed One who knit their bones. Paul declared, “What you worship as unknown, I proclaim!” [37:38]

God planted that restless hunger. Idols promise to fill it but shrink our capacity for Him. The “unknown god” was their closest brush with truth—a placeholder for the Father who needs no placeholders.

You’ve built altars too. Maybe to vague spirituality or the “universe’s energy.” But generic gods demand nothing and give less. What if your deepest longing points to Someone specific? Where have you settled for spiritual guesswork instead of crying, “Daddy, make a noise”?

“For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you.”
(Acts 17:23, ESV)

Prayer: Confess one vague spiritual habit that avoids Jesus’ specific claims.

Challenge: Tell one person today, “I’m learning to trust a God who has a name.”

Day 3: Sung Into Being

Aslan’s song thundered—stars burst, grass unfurled, giraffes galloped into being. Paul echoed this: the God who “gives all men life and breath” didn’t evolve but sang creation into existence. Your lungs expand by His melody. [39:00]

Idols can’t create. They recycle human ideas. But Yahweh crafts red-butt monkeys and supernovas with the same delight. Every heartbeat is His riff, every sunset His encore.

You’re part of His song. Yet stress silences your awe. When did you last stand dumbstruck at dandelions or a child’s laugh? What if your daily grind is a stanza in His symphony?

“In him we live and move and have our being; as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are indeed his offspring.’”
(Acts 17:28, ESV)

Prayer: Thank God for three “ordinary” things He sang into existence today.

Challenge: Take a 5-minute walk outside. Name each created thing you see aloud.

Day 4: Groping in Divine Darkness

Paul said we “grope” for God like toddlers in a pitch-black room. But the Father isn’t hiding—He’s inches away, whispering, “I’m here!” Our idols are flashlights we clutch instead of reaching for His hand. [46:51]

We fear the dark, so we worship control. But true seeking means dropping our tools, letting His voice guide. Those who grope in humility always find Him.

What flashlight have you been clicking? A budget spreadsheet? A therapist’s mantra? A strict routine? When did you last sit in silence, hands empty, whispering, “Make a noise”?

“That they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us.”
(Acts 17:27, ESV)

Prayer: Ask God to silence every false comfort for five minutes today. Just listen.

Challenge: Set a timer for 90 seconds. Sit eyes closed, palms up, breathing slowly.

Day 5: Breathing in His Atmosphere

Paul gripped a fistful of air. “In Him we live and move!” You swim in God like a fish in the ocean. Idols are plastic tanks—they limit your swim. But the true God is the sea, your every breath His gift. [51:08]

We panic, thrashing for smaller gods when storms hit. But the waves belong to Him. Even your doubt floats in His mercy.

What storm has you gasping? Unemployment? A sick child? Notice your frantic strokes. What if you stopped and let His currents hold you?

“For ‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are indeed his offspring.’”
(Acts 17:28, ESV)

Prayer: Whisper “You are here” three times when fear rises today.

Challenge: Text someone: “Remember—we’re swimming in grace. Breathe deep.”

Sermon Summary

Athens becomes the backdrop for a raw theological diagnosis of a shrunken God and the human tendency to erect substitutes. The city’s temples and statues embody a polytheistic imagination that reduces the divine to many approachable, controllable powers. Each idol promises meaning, comfort, or control, but the idols prove incapable of meeting deep human needs. The text exposes modern forms of idolatry by naming comfort, safety, success, and cleverness as contemporary altars that people worship when fear, vulnerability, or uncertainty press in.

The narrative moves to a bold declaration about the one true God. This God created everything out of nothing, sustains life, and rules history with sovereign wisdom. Creation itself testifies to divine grandeur and intentionality, and human life bears the imprint of the Creator in its origin and purpose. The divine rule does not shrink to temples, ideologies, or human hands; nothing in creation contains or confines God.

The account reframes cosmic disorder as the context of a real spiritual struggle. Evil and brokenness do not surprise the sovereign God. Rather, history unfolds inside a larger tapestry that the divine weaves with patient oversight, even using human folly and failure toward an ultimate good. That sovereignty invites a searching response: people should seek God as one grops in the dark, listening for a sign, longing for proximity.

The conclusion presses a practical summons. Because God is both vast and near, people should stop trusting lesser powers and actively reach for the God who gives life, breath, and being. The summons emphasizes humble seeking, expectant faith, and the willingness to abandon idols that promise security but deliver emptiness. The final prayer frames this pursuit as wholehearted devotion to the Creator who stoops to meet human vulnerability in Christ.

Key Takeaways

1. Idols shrink God into comforts Idols reduce the vast God to whatever soothes fear or secures comfort, turning necessary goods into final ends. When comfort becomes ultimate, spiritual hunger redirects toward safety instead of holiness, and the soul trades divine intimacy for short-term peace. Recognizing this distortion frees honest repentance and a reorientation toward God as ultimate. [33:37]
2. The true God transcends all idols God does not merely outmatch other powers; God belongs to a wholly different category of being. That transcendence means no human structure, idea, or success can contain divine reality or substitute for it. Worship that grasps this truth resists domestication and bows to a God beyond comprehension. [32:55]
3. Creation reveals the Creator's power The natural world and human life display intentional design and creative might, pointing beyond chance to a sustaining mind. Seeing creation as testimony fosters awe and trust, and it corrects any tendency to reduce God to a human-sized patron. Responding to this testimony calls for worship shaped by humility and wonder. [38:39]
4. God is near; seek him now The divine nearness means seeking God looks like groaning, listening, and asking God to make a noise in the dark. This proximity invites persistent, expectant pursuit rather than resignation or curiosity alone. Reaching toward God changes daily decisions and uproots misplaced loyalties. [46:51]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[26:16] - Opening prayer and expectation
[26:36] - The danger of a small God
[29:08] - Temples, idols, and Athens
[30:09] - Polytheism and modern parallels
[33:37] - Modern idols and idolatry defined
[38:39] - God as Creator and Sustainer
[45:11] - Sovereignty and the tapestry of history
[46:51] - Seeking God; he is near
[53:06] - Closing prayer and call

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Acts 17:22-28 (ESV)
22 So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. 23 For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. 24 The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, 25 nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. 26 And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, 27 that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, 28 for ‘In him we live and move and have our being.’”

Psalm 19:1-4 (ESV)
1 The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. 2 Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. 3 There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. 4 Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.

Romans 11:33-36 (ESV)
33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! 34 “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?” 35 “Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?” 36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

Observation Questions

In Acts 17:24-25, how does Paul contrast the true God with the idols of Athens? What specific attributes of God does he emphasize?
The sermon mentions that idols like comfort, safety, and success are “false promises of power and control” [33:37]. What examples of modern idols were highlighted, and how do they fail to meet human needs?
According to Psalm 19:1-4, how does creation point to God’s nature and character? How does this connect to Paul’s argument in Acts 17?

Interpretation Questions

Why does Paul emphasize God’s role as Creator and Sustainer (Acts 17:24-28) when addressing the Athenians’ idolatry? How does this challenge their worldview?
The sermon states, “God’s sovereignty invites a searching response: people should seek God as one gropes in the dark, listening for a sign” [46:51]. What does it mean to “grope” for God, and how does this imagery reflect our spiritual journey?
Romans 11:33-36 declares God’s wisdom and sovereignty as “unsearchable.” How does this truth reshape our understanding of suffering, evil, or unanswered prayers in a broken world?

Application Questions

The sermon warns that idols “promise security but deliver emptiness” [33:37]. What “idols” (e.g., comfort, success, control) do you turn to when facing fear or uncertainty? How can you actively replace reliance on these with trust in God?
Paul urges the Athenians to “seek God” because He is near (Acts 17:27). What practical steps could you take this week to “grope” for God in prayer, Scripture, or daily decisions?
Creation reveals God’s grandeur [38:39]. How could intentionally observing nature (e.g., a sunset, a child’s laughter, the stars) deepen your awe and worship of God?
The sermon challenges the idea that “God is too small” to handle life’s chaos [28:00]. Where do you struggle to believe God’s sovereignty over your circumstances? How might surrendering this area to Him change your perspective?
The phrase “in Him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28) suggests God’s constant presence. How could you cultivate greater awareness of His nearness in mundane moments (e.g., work, chores, waiting)?

Sermon Clips

31s

#GodBeyondIdols

“God is not just bigger and better. He's in a totally different category. Totally different category. He is huge. So in Paul's world, each of these false gods, these idols are represented by a statue or stone carving or image or a temple. Right? And these are the ways you approach these gods. You go after them. Now in our world, we don't have statues typically or temples to these other gods. Are we still practicing idolatry? Yeah. I think so.”

37s

#JesusCameDown

“There's all these different mountains you can climb. They will all lead to something, probably a demon that has set himself up as one of these mountains you can climb to. K? Now, you know, Judaism, I don't know if we'd call that a demon. But some of these other ones, the gods of the world have set themselves up, and you can climb to those gods. You can find them. You can't climb to the god of gods because none of us can reach him. In fact, notice that the triangle's pointing the way. He came down the person of Jesus. He came to us so that we could connect with him.”

40s

#GodBeyondTemples

“I could see Paul pointing to Parthenon. This god does not live in temples built by human hands. He can't. No temple can contain him. No cathedral in the world can put him up. No March temple can do it. He is off the charts. Romans 11 says this, how great are his riches, wisdom, and knowledge. It's way over our heads. We'll never figure it out. Is there anyone around who can explain God? Anyone smart enough to tell him what to do? Everything comes from him. Everything happens through him. Everything ends up in him. Woah.”

23s

#GodMakeNoise

“You ever think about that? Maybe maybe your prayer to God should be, daddy, would you please make a noise? Would you make a noise? Just make a noise. I need to I need to know you're here. I'm groping around trying to find you. I just can't seem to get a hold of you. Could you just make a noise?”

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What Is Your God Like? Acts 17: 24-28

Devotional

Day 1: God Beyond Marble Columns

Day 2: The Altar of Unknown Longing

Day 3: Sung Into Being

Day 4: Groping in Divine Darkness

Day 5: Breathing in His Atmosphere

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

What Is Your God Like? Acts 17: 24-28

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