Acts 17
“Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols”
I’ve always loved this chapter, but after visiting Athens and standing on Mars Hill where Paul addressed the people of Athens, I love it even more. It was exhilarating to think of Paul, walking in the city and assessing the spiritual pulse of that place. This is what leads him to reason with the Jews and devout persons in the synagogue, but also with the people in the marketplace.
There is so much to be said here in Acts 17, but I want to focus on this idea that “his spirit was provoked within him.” I’d like to suggest that this wasn’t merely a mental provocation, but a deeply spiritual one that led Paul to intentionally engage the city in a way that we desperately need to copy.
So after a lot of persecution in Acts 16 and the first part of 17, Paul is sent to Athens and sends word that Silas and Timothy are to be sent to join him as quickly as possible. This, by the way, is one of the few times you’ll find Paul alone. He’s usually with a team and in this case, he was sent ahead and in Acts 17:16, Paul is waiting for them at Athens. But for Paul, waiting is not an idle business. He’s active. He’s looking. He’s observing. This leads him to reason in two very distinct places; the sacred space and the marketplace.
I don't want to get into Paul’s mini-sermon, but I will say that it was brilliant. Paul, recognizing his audience, doesn’t start with the Messiah like he does with a Jewish audience, but rather starts with God as creator. It’s quite brilliant, actually. And truth be told, more and more we’re encountering these types of people nowadays. People with no history or context for Jesus. So Paul goes, “no problem” and he backs up and starts from the beginning. But look, by the time he’s wrapping up the talk, he’s back pointing at Jesus in verse 31. So yeah, a little more context to walk people through the big picture, but he ends up right where he needs to be. And frankly, Europeans being Europeans, nothing much has changed since Acts 17. At the end of the speech, some mock, others are vaguely interested and some believed and joined him.
Anyway, I digress. The point of this was this, in our cities, I strongly believe we need to consider two points from Acts 17:
1. We need to have spiritual eyes to see our city for what it is: In Paul’s time certainly there were a lot of idols. As you look down from Mars Hill towards the former marketplace, there is a straightaway that had idols lining the street. I mean, every couple of meters there is a statue of yet another god. And so sure, it was easy for Paul to point out these idols. But the point isn’t that there were physical idols, it was that Paul’s spirit was provoked within him when he saw that the city was full of idols. I really think we need to recapture this. This idea that as we walk around our city we are provoked at the amount of idolatry that is going on. Sure, there are amazing monuments and beautiful buildings. But believe me, there is idolatry happening on every corner. People are offering themselves to drugs and alcohol. People are giving themselves over to work or to pleasure. People are addicted to success or maintaining a certain appearance. To television. To Facebook. To sports or a particular club. The list just goes on and on. Idolatry is worshipping the creation instead of the creator and so just fill in the blank with whatever pops up. Whatever takes our devotion away from God and eats up our time, energy and affections. We desperately need to be provoked by this and not to be complacent or worse, to get used to it and not think it’s a big deal.
2. Having spiritual eyes for our city should move us to REASON with people about the hope that is within us: I love that Paul’s waiting and observing was not inactive, but led him to reason with both the Jews and those in the marketplace. He was compelled to act. To talk. To discuss. Paul wasn’t content to sit back and pray for the “poor lost people of Athens,” but took it upon himself to make sure Jesus was going to be known. I love this! Having spiritual eyes should compel us to have a conversation. And I love what God does. He takes Paul’s concern and his conversations and gives him an opportunity to share with a wider audience. And you know what, one of the most amazing things, despite being a mixed bag of results after Paul’s speech, is that we have two names recorded, Dionysius and Damaris (among others) that believed in Jesus and joined the followers. Pretty incredible if you ask me! Paul’s faithfulness to reason with people and present Jesus led to people coming to faith.
Father God, give us spiritual eyes that we may see our city for what it is. It is consumed with idolatry and with people who do not worship you. Break our hearts for this city. But don’t leave us there, Father. Compel us to act on your behalf. Open our mouths and help us to proclaim the gospel, the only hope for mankind. Give us wisdom, like Paul, to present the gospel in a way that people can grasp its meaning. Not changing it by any means, but finding out where people are and meeting them there with Your truth. And our prayer is that here in Europe, you would still call people to faith in Jesus Christ each and every day. Greek people. Portuguese people. Italian people. Spanish people. Germans. Russians. Polish. Czech. Dutch. Brits. Irish. Romanian. And so many more that I didn’t even mention. In Jesus’ name, Amen.