Acts 17:16-34  As Paul waited for the rest of his team in Athens he noticed all of the idols in the city.  He was "provoked" by all that he saw.  Paul went to the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews and the "God-fearing Gentiles", plus he went into the market place and spoke to anyone who would listen.  Athens was a place where "Epicurean and Stoic philosophers" and others liked to spend their time debating and talking about anything and everything, so they wanted to hear what Paul was talking about. 

Side note: Epicurean philosophy was founded  about 300 years BC.  The main teaching was that the highest good is a life that pursues pleasure ( not excessive, but only as far as absence of pain and anxiety).  The object of one's life is to be untroubled, free from fear, and free from physical discomfort.  Sounds ok until you look at their view of God. They do not believe in a Creator or in One who cares about human beings. Epicurus said, "Death is nothing to us, since when we are, death has not come, and when death has come, we are not."

Stoicism is considered a practical philosophy and is still prevalent today. It also began about 300 years before Christ.  The main idea is that a person can live a good, happy life by cultivating wisdom, courage, justice, and self-discipline. A core principal is to focus on the things that you can control ( your own thoughts, choices.. ) and not obsess over the things you can't control (other people, the weather, the past).  They also teach that virtue is the highest good; defining wisdom as knowing what really matters; courage as doing what is right even when it is hard; justice as treating others fairly; and temperance as using self-restraint.  An early Stoic, Seneca, stated that it is not that we have a short time to live but that we waste a great deal of it. Again, the greatest problem with Stoicism is how they view God. They believe that God is not a separate person but is the universe itself and the natural order of all things.

Paul was invited to the Areopagus to tell more about what he was teaching. Paul's message is well worth reading for yourself. ( verses 23-31)   He begins by pointing out an altar that he had seen inscribed by the words "To An Unknown God".  Paul then begins to teach the Truth about the God of Israel.  He then said, "Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is not declaring to men that all everywhere should repent."  He spoke about the coming judgement that would be administered by Jesus Christ.. the One who was appointed and proven to be worthy by His resurrection from the dead. 

It is the resurrection that stumped these philosophers. Some wanted to hear more. Some turned away. But.. some believed and were saved. Two are named in verse 34, Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris.

Father in heaven, we know that the wisdom of man is far below even the foolishness of God, for it does not take into account the greatness of Who You are.  We want only to live in Your Spirit Who is Wise and who comes to guide us into all Truth.  Help us to rest in You alone, God our Creator, our Savior, and our King forever.  Take our minds and thoughts and bring them into conformity with Your will we pray.  Thank You Jesus for  bringing us to repentance and surrender to the One True God. Be glorified in us this day. Amen, 

 Acts 17 Paul, Silas, and Timothy traveled from Philippi around the coast, through Amphipolis and Apollonia, to Thessalonica.  Paul spent three Sabbaths at the Jewish synagogue there "explaining and giving evidence that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying 'This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the Christ.' "  Some of the Jews, along with some Greek men and women, became believers.  But.. jealous Jews stirred up trouble and started a riot.. dragging Jason, a man who had welcomed Paul into his home, in front of the city authorities.  After this, the "brethren" sent Paul and Silas away by night. 

Paul and Silas end up in Berea.. "now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily, to see whether these things were so. Many of them therefore believed, along with a number of prominent Greek women and men,"  Once again trouble comes and Paul is sent away, leaving Silas and Timothy behind this time. Paul is "conducted" to Athens where he waits for Silas and Timothy to join him. 

Several things come to my attention through this passage.  First, I notice again how Paul is moved from place to place... not by his own will.. but as the Lord uses his circumstances to move him.  In these two cities Paul is moved because of troubles caused by the Jews. This seems to be common to Paul's life and ministry.. and he just goes where he is led.. finding people everywhere who will listen and believe the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  The second thing I notice is how the Lord reaches "leading" and "prominent" women, as well as men,  bringing them into the Church.  God was building a church throughout  Macedonia, the country which we now call Greece, choosing and calling women and men, Jews and Greeks, rich and poor.. revealing His impartiality and grace to all! 

Paul writes 2 letters to Thessalonica, but Berea is not really mentioned again.  A man from Berea does accompany Paul during his third missionary journey, but that is the last that is mentioned. The first letter to Thessalonica is thought to be Paul's first letter ever written to a church.  Paul opens that letter with these encouraging words, "We give thanks to God always for all of you, making mention of you in our prayers; constantly bearing in mind your work of faith and labor of love,  and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father." ( 1st Thessalonians 1:2-3)

Father in heaven, we thank You for the way You move us.. like Paul.. from place to place according to Your plan and purpose.  It's not always comfortable to be moved or conducted.. or led away from where we want to be.. but we know that You are good and You have good plans for us!  Help us to also be willing to go where You send us. We are also thankful for the way You build Your church .. calling men and women of many nations, regardless of status or influence.. regardless of wealth or poverty.. You fit us together into one body where Your Holy Spirit lives. Father, bless Your church around the world today.. deliver us from evil and from the evil one we pray.. Let Your Kingdom come and Your will be done in us! In Jesus' name. Amen,

 Acts 16 Paul and Silas went to Lystra.. the same city that at first wanted to worship Paul, thinking he was the god Hermes.. and then ended up stoning him and leaving him for dead.  In Lystra, Paul found Timothy, a believer, who's mother was Jewish and father was Greek.  Paul wanted Timothy to go with them and he decided it would be good for him to be circumcised "because of the Jews".  

As they went back to the cities where churches had been established they shared the directives of the elders in Jerusalem and encouraged the believers. "So the churches were being strengthened in the faith, and were increasing in number daily."

In verses 6-12 we  learn that Paul was redirected from the path he wanted to take.. north to Bithynia.. and moved west until they came to Troas on the coast of the Aegean Sea. Here is where Paul has the vision of a man from Macedonia saying, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." Paul acted immediately to secure passage to Macedonia, "concluding that God called us to preach the gospel to them." ( v10) 

The team landed in a town called Neapolis. It is this seaport that God chose to use as a gateway for the gospel of Jesus Christ to enter Europe! So thankful that He sent Paul westward! Ten miles from Neopolis was the Roman city of Philippi. Paul and his fellow disciples stayed there "for some days."  It is here at the riverside that Paul meets Lydia.. the very first convert in Europe. 

Philippi is also the place that Paul delivered a slave girl from a "spirit of divination"; where he and Silas were arrested, beaten, and placed in prison; where he and Silas sang hymns at midnight; where an earthquake freed them from their shackles; where the jailer and his family ended up being saved; and where Paul insisted that the magistrates publicly release him and Silas because they were Roman citizens and had been treated illegally. 

Lydia, "a seller of purple fabrics",  and the jailer, who's name we are not told.. were the first members of this church in Philippi.. coming to faith through the message preached by Paul.  We know from Paul's letter to Philippi that Paul continued to have a great love for this church. He wrote, " I have you in my heart..." (Phil. 1:7) 

Father in heaven, Your plan is always perfect and even when problems, persecution, and prison try to stop your servants.. You prevail!  All praise and glory belongs to You, our Great and Loving God.  Thank You for leading Paul to Europe.. for the letters that he wrote for the churches.. for they still are Your words that strengthen our faith and encourage us in our walk with the Lord Jesus.  The church and even the town of Philippi may be no more.. but Your word will never pass away!  Thank You Lord. Give us ears to hear and hearts to obey all that You have taught us.. fill us with Your Spirit we pray, in Jesus' name. Amen. 

 Acts 15 Dissension- strife, controversy, insurrection...  A group of men came from Judea.. not sent from the apostles or elders.. to take a stand on the issue of circumcision for those Gentiles who were claiming to be Christ followers.  This issue was so important that the church sent Paul and Barnabas, along with some others to Jerusalem to bring it before the apostles and elders in the church. 

Both sides were presented.  Much discussion and investigation took place. The debate ended when Peter spoke up, reminding everyone about what God had done.. "Brethren, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. and God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us; and He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith."  

Peter continued with this great statement, "But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they also are." 

God, Himself, affirmed the salvation of uncircumcised Gentiles by giving them the Holy Spirit. Both Jews and Gentiles are saved in the same way.. by faith in the grace of the Lord Jesus!  It was true then and is still the Truth.  So thankful for the grace of Jesus Christ that has brought us into the Kingdom of God!

It is James who has the final word.  "Therefore it is in my judgment that we do not trouble those who are turning to God from among the Gentiles.. "  They only asked that the Gentiles "abstain from things sacrificed to idols, and from things strangled and from blood and from fornication."  These would be moral or ethical issues that would keep the Gentiles free from the cultural idolatry and also  keep them from offending the Jewish believers. 

Dissension, of a more personal level, came when Paul and Barnabas disagreed about taking Mark along on a second missionary journey.  It was resolved by Barnabas taking Mark with him to Cyprus and Paul taking along Silas back to Syria and Cilicia. Both groups went with the same purpose, to strengthen and encourage the churches. God was at work.. and He is still at work today! He leads His servants to the people who need encouragement and strength.. He leads His servants to preach the gospel of the Lord Jesus.. so others will come to have faith in the grace of the Lord Jesus unto salvation! 

Father, when there is dissension.. may we learn to handle it like the church did back in that day.. listening, debating, and looking to what You have made clear by Your Spirit and the Word of God. Bring unity in Your church so that the message of the Gospel is not made a burden, but a great joy in the grace that You have poured out on us all. Our faith is in the Lord Jesus Christ, sent to be our Savior and King forever. We praise and worship You with thankful hearts. Help us to be conformed by Your Spirit and transformed by Your Word to the glory of Your Holy Name.  It is in the name of Jesus we pray. Amen. 

 Acts 13:44-14:28   The second Sabbath day in Antioch (Pisidian)  brought the "whole city" out to hear Paul and Barnabas preach the Word of God. They spoke boldly, but the Jews were jealous and began contradicting the Word.  Paul rebuked them and proclaimed that they would now turn to the Gentiles. "And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the Word of the Lord; and as many as had been appointed to eternal life  believed." 

The Jews stirred up trouble and the Gentiles rejoiced. Paul and Barnabas were driven out of the city, but the believers were "filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit". 

Paul and Barnabas went to Iconium where they spoke again and many believed. Then the Jews stirred up trouble... even while God continued to work in Paul and Barnabas, giving them boldness to speak the Word and "bearing witness to the word of His grace, granting that signs and wonders be done by their hands." 

Again Paul and Barnabas were persecuted and moved on to Lystra. Here, Paul saw a man who was lame from birth.. "when he had fixed his gaze upon him, and had seen that he had faith to be made well, said with a loud voice, 'Stand upright on your feet' '.    The man jumped up and walked! This miracle had unintended consequences as the people proclaimed Paul and Barnabas to be gods. They had to convince the people to not offer sacrifices to them! 

But, then along came the Jews from Antioch and Iconium.. stirring up problems.. so much so that the same people who wanted to worship Paul.. now "dragged him out of the city" and stoned him.  They thought he was dead, but Paul arose and went back into the city..  They then made their way back to Lystra and Iconium.. and back to Antioch.  They continued preaching.. they encouraged the believers.. they set up elders.. they prayed and fasted with them. And finally, they returned back to Antioch and reported to the church all that had happened. 

Paul taught the believers that "Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God."  He lived it before them and encouraged them to "continue in the faith".  Then he "commended them to the Lord."

Father in heaven, thank You for establishing the Church.. thank You for leaders and teachers who boldly preach the Word of God..and for the joy that men and women share when they come to believe in Jesus Christ the Lord.  Fill Your church with Your Spirit and help us to persevere in persecution and trouble.  I thank you for the word "commended" used in this passage. We, as believers, have been placed before You, presented to You, and entrusted into Your charge.. the Lord Jesus has brought us into Your Kingdom and we have become Your children and servants.  Thank You for those who have obeyed You and brought to us the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Thank You for appointing us to eternal life and giving us faith to believe for salvation and for healing.  We seek Your Presence today, Lord God. Lead us nearer and nearer into Your Love we pray, in Jesus' name. Amen. 

 Acts 13:16-42  Paul's sermon was given in Pisidian Antioch on a Sabbath day, in a synagogue, attended by Jews and by God-fearing Gentiles. His message was powerful and clear... 

v17  God chose the Jews, made them a great number in Egypt, and led them out. 

v18 God "put up" with His people for 40 years in the wilderness.

v19 God destroyed the nations in the land of Canaan and gave it to His people "as an inheritance."

v20 God gave Israel judges and prophets to lead them.

V21 Israel asked for a king and God chose Saul.

v22 God removed Saul and "raised up" David.. "I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My heart". 

v23 God promised that the offspring of David would come as a Savior.. and Jesus is the One sent.

v24 John ( the Baptist) came to preach repentance to "all the people of Israel"

v25 John told of the One coming who was greater than he.

v26 " Brethren sons of Abraham's family, and those among you who fear God, to us the word of this salvation is sent out."   

Here comes the heart of Paul's message!

v27 -30. The leaders in Jerusalem rejected and condemned the One sent to save them. They put Him to death. He was laid in a tomb... "But God raised Him from the dead"!

v32 "And we preach to you the good news of the promise made to the fathers, that God has fulfilled this promise to our children in that He raised up Jesus, as it is written in the second Psalm 'Thou art My Son; today I have Begotten Thee.' " 

Paul used scripture to  show that the Messiah would indeed die.. but would not decay.. "therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through Him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you."  (v38) 

The people who heard Paul wanted to hear more.. what wonderful words.. "through Him everyone who believes is freed from all things, from which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses." 

Freedom and forgiveness.. Good News!  God did it all.  The Law could not. Moses could not. Even the Prophets and Judges...could not.  Only Jesus Christ who came, died and rose again could bring what the Father ordained.. salvation through the only Begotten Son of God.  Hallelujah !  What a Savior!

Father in heaven, we rejoice at the message of salvation.. that we have freedom from the rule of sin and the law.. that we have forgiveness through Jesus Christ, the Begotten Son of God.. who came in the flesh and dwelt on earth, who died on the cross as the Lamb of God, and who rose again to reign in the Kingdom forever and ever.  Thank You for such a marvelous salvation!  You planned it.. You promised it.. and You brought it to pass.  All glory and honor and praise to You, our Gracious God and to Jesus Christ our Lord and King.. and to the Holy Spirit Who has opened our eyes to see and our ears to hear this blessed Gospel. Amen. 

 Acts 13:1-12 The church at Antioch had 5 main "prophets and teachers".. Barnabas, Simeon, Lucius, Manaen, and Saul.  The Holy Spirit spoke to these leaders saying "Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." 

With prayer and fasting, they laid their hands on the two men and sent them out.  The first place they went was Cyprus, the island where Barnabas had grown up.  They began preaching in the synagogues through the whole island from one end to the other. When they reached Paphos they met two significant people.. Elymas/ BarJesus who was a magician and false prophet; and Sergius Paulus, the proconsul of Cyprus.  Elymas used fraud and deceit to try to keep the proconsul from hearing or believing the message of the Gospel. Paul rebuked him and stopped him by speaking to him, "and now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and not see the sun for a time."  A "mist and a darkness fell upon him."  

But, the proconsul, listened to the Word, saw what the Lord had done and "believed". 

It was here that John Mark, who had traveled with them to Cyprus, turned back to Jerusalem.  Paul and Barnabas and whoever else was traveling with them sailed from Paphos on to Perga in a region called Pamphylia, which is in modern day Turkey. The group traveled inland to the city of Pisidian Antioch.  This was another important city in Asia Minor. Here Paul and his companions went to the synagogue and Paul preached his first recorded message.  It is also here that Paul "turned to the Gentiles". 

Paul was led by the Holy Spirit everywhere he was sent. He probably never imagined what God had in store for him when he met Jesus on the road to Damascus. God prepared him for this ministry of preaching the good news about Jesus Christ in all the places he was sent.. in places he was received and in places he was rejected and ejected.  No matter what, Paul and the disciples were "continually filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit." 

Father, prepare us also for the work You have for each of us, wherever it is that You send us.  Fill us with Your Spirit and with joy as we walk through the path that You have led us in.. that we might be Your witnesses wherever we might be. Help us to be faithful and bold in proclaiming the good news about Jesus Christ the Lord. Bless those who are even now serving You in other lands.. may the Word of God run rapidly throughout the land and many more come to believe in Jesus Christ the Lord. amen.