Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Evening Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/ev/ev19980524.htm

ACTS: THE LOCAL CHURCH AS GOD'S AGENCY FOR DISCIPLING MEN
Part XLI: Witnessing To Educated, Secular Humanistic Unbelievers
(Acts 17:13-31)
  1. Introduction
    1. A challenge in the witnessing arena is seeking to convince one educated in the secular humanist viewpoint to believe that Christ died for his sins, was buried, and rose again as an object of his faith for salvation.
    2. Paul witnessed before the Areopagus, an elite group of very highly educated Stoics and Epicureans who were the forerunners of modern secular humanism. His effort is very instructive for us as follows:
  2. Witnessing To Educated, Secular Humanistic Unbelievers, Acts 17:13-31.
    1. Step One - Wait for God to set us up for a witnessing encounter, Acts 17:13-16.
      1. Due events going back to his work in Thessalonica, Paul was pushed to enter Athens, Acts 17:13-15a.
      2. In the process, he was led by the Holy Spirit's promptings to be upset at the idolatry of the city, 17:16.
      3. Also, Paul had been trained at the cosmopolitan city of Tarsus, so he was conversant with Jews as well as with the most elite of Grecian secular humanists, cf. Acts 22:3. He was qualified to talk to them.
    2. Step Two - Wait for God to set up our hearers for a witnessing encounter as well, Acts 17:17-21.
      1. When Paul began to witness, the every-curious philosophers picked up on his new ideas, 17:18, 21.
      2. Accordingly, they brought him to the Areopagus, the central forum for academic discussion in Athens, a perfect setting for Paul to witness to this attentive and important audience, Acts 17:19-20.
    3. Step Three - Starting by affirming what the hearers believe is true that is true, Acts 17:22-28
      1. Paul noted the existence of a monument dedicated "To The Unknown God" on Mars Hill where he spoke, and knew that it was placed there out of concern that the Greeks didn't want to anger a god that existed in case he existed and they sti ll didn't know of it, Acts 17:22-23a,b. So, he began his witness by alluding to that monument, to tell them that he was sharing news of the God they didn't know.
      2. Since his hearers were mainly Epicurean and Stoic in heritage, Paul picked up on ideas in both philosophies that happened to be accurate and mentioned them in his witness, Acts 17:24-28:
        1. Both the Epicureans and Stoics believed that their pantheon of Greek gods and goddesses dwelt in earthly temples that they had built. Contrary to this, Paul revealed that the "Unknown God" he preached did not dwell in such temples, fo r He is Lord of heaven and earth, being infinite, 17:24, cf. Bible Knowledge Commentary, New Testament, p. 403.
        2. The Epicureans believed that the gods were self-sufficient, so Paul's reference to God not needing anything of men's hands in Acts 17:25 would have carried the Epicurean listeners with him.
        3. The Stoics believed that God providentially provided for all men, and that all men were of a brotherhood regardless of racial distinctions, Ibid. Note how Paul picked up on this theme to carry the Stoic listeners in his Acts 17:26-27 remarks!
        4. Then, Paul quoted from two respected Greek authors in Acts 17:28 to back up more points: He quoted Epimenides, a Cretian poet by the verse's first phrase and then finished with a quote from the work, "Phainomena" by the Cilician poet, Aratus, Ibid
    4. Step Four - Having gained a connection, hit the heart of their greatest fear and defeat with Christ's victory!
      1. The Epicureans dreaded fear of accountability to a supernatural god, Burns, West. Civ., p. 196, and both Epicurean and Stoic philosophies implied that the best efforts of man for bliss were futile, and that happiness came by finding a forced state of mind in spite of life's experiences, Ibid., Burns, p. 194.
      2. Thus, Paul shocked them with the feared news that they were all to give an account to God, 17:31a.
      3. However, he followed with a great hope, saying God had provided resurrection over the worst of pain that man could experience in life caused by divine judgment, solving what Epicureanism and Stoicism could not address, but were fatalistically resigned to accept, Acts 17:31b. If they believed on Christ, they would enter His blessed victory over the worst this life had to offer, Acts 17:31b, 30-31.
Lesson: Witnessing to educated, secular humanists takes God's preparing both the witnesser and the hearer BEFORE a witness occurs. WHEN it happens, the witnesser must affirm what the hearer correctly believes, starting with the known and moving to the unknown to address his deepest fears and defeats with the blessed ANSWER of the Lord Jesus Christ! (Note how a few BELIEVED Paul!)