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LESSON 1:
He was a "hated" man.
Many of the cities he visited,
preaching the Word of God, expelled him in disgust!
I'm thinking right now of his few
days in Athens, the "idol" capital of the world in Paul's day.
According to Acts 17 Paul was
alone there during his brief ministry!
Why?
He had been run out of Berea (just
like he had been chased away from Thessalonica too)!
What does a man do when he is all
alone?
In a wicked distant city?
With no one to "watch" him?
What an opportunity to "be oneself!"
I have made a list of the things
Paul did after a few brethren from Berea had escorted him to
Athens ... and left him. "But when the
Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was
preached of Paul at Berea, they came thither also, and
stirred up the people. And then immediately the brethren
sent away Paul to go as it were to the sea: but Silas and
Timotheus abode there still. And they that conducted Paul
brought him unto Athens: and receiving a commandment unto
Silas and Timotheus for to come to him with all speed, they
departed." Acts 17:13-15 (He has sent for Silas and
Timothy ... therefore he has a few days all alone!)
What did Paul do?
1. He looked the city over, quite
well ... and was upset about its idolatry!
"Now while Paul waited for them at Athens,
his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly
given to idolatry." Acts 17:16
2. He preached in the local
synagogue ... and in the open public market place! Daily he did
so! (No day off even when alone!)
"Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with
the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met
with him." Acts 17:17
3. Then he got the opportunity to
speak to the "city leaders" at the Aeropagus (their court house,
city hall and business center all combined) ... and told them
about Jesus and His Resurrection! "Then
certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks,
encountered him. And some said, What will this babbler say?
other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods:
because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection. And
they took him, and brought him unto Areopagus, saying, May we
know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is?"
Acts 17:18-19
4. And he even saw a few folks get
saved! He pointed men and women to Jesus ... even when alone!
"And when they heard of the resurrection
of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee
again of this matter. So Paul departed from among them.
Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed: among the
which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris,
and others with them." Acts 17:32-34 (One man, one
lady and some others!)
Here's my point today.
Paul did all this when alone. He
could have conceivably (and properly) been resting! He had been
recently beaten and likely gone hungry and perhaps even slept
outside in the weather ... due to lack of funds! How about a
little "down time?"
But no! He was busy for Jesus!
My Dad used to teach us boys ...
"The best test of a man's character is what he does when he's
alone!" When nobody's watching! Dad was a wise man.
What would you do, friend, if
you had a week in "sin city" somewhere?
I pray that your answer would be:
Live for Jesus!
Let's be the same all the time!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 2:
The verse is short
and to the point.
Paul had been
forced to leave yet another city.
Silas and Timothy
were afraid for him to travel alone.
Therefore some men
went with him, returning home to Berea after Paul was situated
in Athens.
We read about it in Acts 17:15.
"And they that conducted Paul brought him
unto Athens: and receiving a commandment unto Silas and
Timotheus for to come to him with all speed, they departed."
We don't know how many men
accompanied Paul. It just says "they," which obviously is a
plural personal pronoun.
Once they got the Apostle to the
city, HE gave them a command! They were to go back to Berea and
tell Silas and Timothy to come to Paul as soon as possible!
Using a Bible Atlas, I concluded
that it was about 200 miles from Berea to Athens. That can be
as little as a three day journey or as much as two week journey,
depending upon several circumstances.
I began to think about that last
night as I drove to the Revival Meeting. A few folks got to
spend quite some time with the Apostle Paul! They "conducted"
him to his next preaching point! The verb, "kathistemi," means
literally "to stand" ("histemi") + "under" ("kata"). They were
there to support Paul! To undergird him! To protect him. To
give him company and support.
How would you have enjoyed that?
Days and days near that great Man of
God ... when he wasn't in a hurry! When he didn't have a hundred
other people around him! When he wasn't fighting an enemy or a
false doctrine! When he wasn't preaching three or four times a
day! Or writing another Epistle! (Or giving orders! Well, he
gave at least one ... but that's on the low end of the scale for
Paul!)
Here's my point today ... what an
honor to be around a godly man! (For that matter a godly lady
too, a Mother or Grandmother who loves Jesus! This Sunday is
Mothers' Day.)
Wow!
As these men traveled with Paul:
What conversation to hear!
What wisdom to glean!
What praying to savor!
What techniques to observe!
I personally would have loved to
just watch him even "tie his shoes!" Or for that matter ... tie
them for him!
What an opportunity to ask
questions!
Yet ... of course ... Paul is gone.
We'll spend no time with him until
we get to Heaven.
BUT ... there is some godly Man
around you!
Your Pastor or an Evangelist or some
faithful Sunday School Teacher who has sold out to the Lord!
Take him out to lunch!
Ride him to the bookstore!
Go with him on a missions trip!
Pay his way to that preaching
conference or camp meeting!
And the "side effect" of such
generosity?
Spending time with a godly servant
of Christ!
Why, that could be better than a
semester in most any Bible School!
But, you know what?
We all probably spend time around
such godliness and seldom notice it!
Hey, folks, wake up!
Redeem the time!
Honor (and learn from) the man of
God, the one God placed in your life!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 3:
Once Paul got
situated in Athens ... he did something surprising!
"Now while Paul waited for them at Athens,
his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given
to idolatry." Acts 17:16
Really, he did two
things unusual. Unusual for Paul I mean.
He
"waited!" (A present
participle, indicating on-going action! He waited and
waited and waited! He was an impatient little man you
know, especially when it came to the things of God!)
And he
"saw the city!" The verb Luke
uses there is the root of our word "theatre." Paul gazed
and observed and studied things in the city of Athens!
And here's my
point today ... even when "sightseeing," this godly man related
everything to the Lord and His work!
All of life was to
Paul spiritual!
A city of heathen?
Why, they need Jesus!
A bunch of idols?
Tell them of the One true God!
Philosophers?
Give them some real wisdom!
That's amazing!
And Jesus did the
same thing.
He saw some birds
flying overhead and said ... "Are
not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not
fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs
of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye
are of more value than many sparrows." Matthew
10:29-31 (Thank you, little sparrows, for flying that
day!)
He saw a farmer
scattering his seed ... and uttered the great Parable of the
Sower!
A breeze one night
hit His face and he taught Nicodemus ...
"The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound
thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it
goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit." John
3:8
Oh, that we might
learn this technique!
To turn all of
life into a set of spiritual indicators to help us live for God!
Now, that would be
more prudent than anything the Stoics or Epicureans or anyone
else in Athens might suggest!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 4:
Paul cared!
And that's one of
the problems we face today ... nobody seems to do that anymore!
Let me explain.
Once the Apostle
arrived in the Greek city of Athens (Acts 17), he apparently
walked around the city, surveying its spiritual condition.
What he found was tragic!
Statutes and idols and memorials to
thousand and thousands of so-called gods.
And it bothered the great preacher.
"Now while
Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him,
when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry." Acts
17:16
"Wholly given to idolatry" is
spelled like this in Greek: "kateidolos eimi o polis." (I've
placed each term in its most simple form.) It says this: the
city, being in intense idolatry, being full of idols!
And what was the great preacher's
reaction?
Paul's spirit was "stirred!"
That verb, "paroxuno," means
sharpened or stimulated. It fuses two little words: "para"
meaning alongside or with ... and "oxus" meaning sharp or
pointed. Here are the few other times the word is found in
Scripture. I'll capitalize the pertinent expressions:
1 Corinthians 13:5 ---
" Love ... doth not behave itself
unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily
provoked,
thinketh no evil."
Hebrews 10:25 ---
"And let us consider one another
to provoke unto
love and to good works."
And Acts 15:39 ---
"And the
contention was so
sharp between
them, that they departed asunder one from the other: and so
Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus."
The verb means "set on edge!"
Violent excitement! Medically the term was used to describe an
acute disease! Ethically it was used to depict
intense anger! Here it says that Paul was totally involved
emotionally when he saw such false worship! He was angered (in
a righteous sense), surprised, grieved and shamed by what he saw
... and determined to do something about it!
God notices such concern!
Back in Ezekiel 9 God spared the
lives of a group of men who cared that much about the sinful
condition of Jerusalem! "And the LORD
said unto him (an angel), Go through the midst of the city,
through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the
foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the
abominations that be done in the midst thereof."
These men alone were spared! (Ezekiel 9:5) Those who DID NOT
CARE were slain!
We Americans regularly see as much,
if not more, of the wickedness Paul beheld that day!
We don't have to stroll the city
either ... we can just surf the channels!
Does sin "disturb" us?
Do we "care?"
Does it matter that nearly 4,000
babies a day are legally slaughtered in our Country?
Is anyone concerned over the moral
breakdown we are facing? Why, even marriage is no longer
definable in some places!
Has anyone even noticed the sad
state of much of Christianity anymore? Lukewarmness prevails in
too many places!
Is anyone "mourning" over sin?
There's an old English word (but
originally coming from Greek) that we still use, "enthusiasm."
It means God ("theos") being within
("en") a person!
It was believed by people of old
that when a person was excited and vibrant and alive and cared
... it was an indication that God lived within him or her!
Oh, has that changed!
Maybe today we should take some
time, get alone with the Lord, and ask Him to help us feel as He
does about the issues of the day!
To be joyful when He is!
To be grieved when He is!
To oppose what He opposes!
To thrill at what thrills Him!
Again I ask ... does anyone really
care?
Paul did!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 5:
Here's how Paul
operated when all alone in Athens:
"Therefore disputed he in the synagogue
with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market
daily with them that met with him." Acts 17:17
He went directly
to the Jewish synagogue, his usual practice, to preach the Word
of God!
The verb
"disputed" is "dialegomai" and is adopted into English as our
word "dialogue!" It means to speak (through) to someone
... often expecting a response. It can mean to debate or
to converse as well. Of course in the synagogue setting
Paul would have unilaterally taught the Word of God as a Jewish
rabbi.
Two groups were
present that day (in fact every time they assembled) in that
synagogue --- Jews and "devout persons." The Jews
were the natural full-blooded children of Abraham while the
"devout" (reverent God-seeking) folks were Gentiles who wanted
to learn more about the God of Israel. Often in ancient
literature they are simply called "God-fearers." That day
they both heard about Jesus!
But in Athens Paul
immediately went to the public places to preach we well! The
"market" is spelled "agora" and means the city square, the place
where folks congregated to sell and to talk and to interact one
with another. It would be roughly equivalent to today's
open and common areas down at some big shopping mall. Or
better yet ... a flea market!
The verb
describing those who "MET" with him is quite interesting.
It carries the idea ... those who happened by! Those
whom the Lord sent Paul's way! (The root meaning: "to hit
upon or to light upon!) Any person's meeting and hearing
Paul those brief days was not a "chance" event! It was God
appointed! A divine encounter!
And Paul told them
about Jesus!
We have just seen
Paul's Athenian "plan of ministry!"
A whole course in
evangelism could be built around it!
Do you know some
lost person today ... for whom you can develop a "rescue plan?"
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 6:
Paul, while
preaching the Gospel, was often opposed. Or in today's
Scripture verse, "encountered!"
Here's the Bible
description: "Then certain philosophers
of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks,
encountered
him. And some said, What will this babbler say? other some, He
seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he
preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection." Acts
17:18
The verb here, which I have
capitalized above, is "sumballo" in Greek. You may recognize "ballo"
as their word which means "to throw!" One lexicon says it is
used to indicate (more or less) violence and intensity in the
act of throwing! And the prefix, "sun/sum," just intensifies
the verb's contribution to the sentence!
These men threw some things in
Paul's face ... things concerning his preaching!
It also being a verb with an
"imperfect" sense of time, tells us that these men (once they
started questioning and doubting Paul) continued their
harassment!
But Paul, instead of looking at the
situation as a problem ... quickly turned it into an opportunity
... an opportunity to preach the Word of God!
Soon the great Apostle was on Mars'
Hill (a rather exclusive place to the Greek mind) once again
telling the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ!
No matter that this crowd accosted
Paul. No matter that they called him names. Or that they at
first misunderstood his Message. He still will preach unto them
"Jesus and the Resurrection!"
What an example of witnessing!
Peter told each of us to:
"Be ready always to give an answer to
every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you
with meekness and fear: having a good conscience." 1st
Peter 3:15-16a
Well, Paul had an answer to the
philosophers' questions all right!
And his Answer was Jesus!
His answer also was one of the best
sermons he ever preached!
Dear friend, how about us this
Saturday in May?
Do we stay "ready?"
Ready to say a word for Jesus at any
given opportunity?
Paul did!
Peter did!
So should we!
And be sure of this. If we are
living right (in a godly separated holy manner) folks will ask!
The "difference" in our lives will draw attention! Those around
you will "see" your good works!
And we all want them to then "glorify our
Father Who is in Heaven!" Matthew 5:16
Thank you, Paul, for another good
example!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 7:
News about good preaching spreads!
At least that's how I
choose to look at Paul's situation in Athens in Acts 17:18.
"Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and
of the Stoicks, encountered him. And some said, What will this babbler
say? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods:
because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection."
Even the "philosophers"
wanted to know about this Jesus Paul preached!
That noun means "lovers
of wisdom," but their brand of wisdom was sheer heathenism!
The Epicureans were
basically connoisseurs of pleasure! They lived for whatever
brought them fun, usually of the sensual variety! (I'm sure they
would have gone wild over Paul's lifestyle.
"I am ... in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in
prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times
received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with
rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day
I have been in the deep; in journeyings often, in perils
of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own
countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the
city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea,
in perils among false brethren; in weariness and painfulness, in
watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and
nakedness. Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon
me daily, the care of all the churches." 2nd Corinthians
11:23-28)
And the Stoicks were men
who sought to live their lives totally devoid of any emotion at all!
They could take "anything" without whimpering or bragging about it!
Talk about two opposite
world-views!
Yet the Gospel is the
answer to both! Jesus is the only Way of salvation!
By the way, to any
"pleasure seekers" with us today ... Jesus IS the delight of our
existence as Christians! He IS our pleasure! Paul in
Colossians 3:4 even says, "HE IS OUR LIFE!"
We are enjoying eternal life, life abundant!
And to those who are
stoical in attitude, it's all right to weep or shout or feel lonely.
Jesus did! It's even all right to ask questions! You do not
have to rob yourself of your "feelings" to be a Christian! Jesus
our Great High Priest was "touched with the
feeling of our infirmities" according to Hebrews 4:15.
And you know what?
As Paul Preached the
Gospel to this crowd, it actually looks like one of them got saved that
day!
See Acts 17:34 where
Dionysius the Aeropogite believed on Jesus!
The Gospel triumphs over
Epicureanism and Stoicism any day!
In fact, the Gospel
triumphs over anything! It is the POWER of God unto salvation!
Praise the Lord!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 8:
They called Jesus by various names.
I mean derogatory ones.
Jeremiah also was falsely accused.
And maybe even Noah as he built the
ark!
And certainly Paul the Apostle heard
ugly things said about himself!
His speech was
"contemptible" in Second Corinthians 10:10. So was his
"bodily presence weak!"
And when preaching in Athens he was
called a "babbler!"
"Then certain
philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered
him. And some said, What will this
babbler say? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth
of strange gods: because he preached unto them Jesus, and the
resurrection." Acts 17:18
This little noun in Greek is "spermologos"
and means seed ("sperma") gatherer ("logeo")! A seed picker!
It is an expression they first used
to describe useless little birds hopping about gathering bits of
grain here and there!
Then it came to mean beggars who
lived on scraps of filthy food scavenged from one place or
another!
But eventually the word meant any
worthless or low-down character!
However there's not much doubt that
these accusing philosophers were calling Paul a gatherer of
vulgar ideas and cheap platitudes! And they intended to expose
him as an imposter!
What indignities Paul faced as he
proclaimed the Lord Jesus Christ!
But do notice this: such
name-calling did NOT stop the Apostle!
He still
"preached unto them Jesus!"
It well may be that today someone is
studying with us here who is discouraged! You've been "hurt" by
something somebody has said about you! You're about ready to
quit!
Now listen to me. Paul was
belittled and low-rated again and again throughout his whole
ministry ... but that didn't hinder him a bit!
His Jesus was worth more than all
the taunts and lies and false accusations on earth!
"Babbler!" they said.
And Paul responded:
"Jesus and His Resurrection!"
Amen!
May we do the same!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 9:
Sometimes it is surprising how
little people really know about the Gospel of Jesus Christ!
It seems to me that years ago folks
were much more Biblically literate than they are now.
Some theologians are telling us that
we in America have entered into what they're calling a
"post-Christian" era!
A time when we our nation is
slipping into a "pagan" lifestyle!
If so ... we can no longer assume
that everyone is familiar with the Death, Burial and
Resurrection of Jesus, the very heart of the Gospel!
That's the kind of situation Paul
faced in Acts 17!
He was spending a few days in
Athens, which was then the "idol" capital of the world!
He preached unto them Jesus and His
Resurrection!
His strategy was simple. First
proclaim Christ at the synagogue ... "to the Jews first" you
know! Then while there explain the Gospel to the "devout"
persons, the "God fearers." These were Gentiles who wanted to
know more about the Jewish religion!
Then ... on to the marketplace to
declare Jesus to everyone who showed any further interest.
(This was Paul's strategy nearly
everywhere he went.)
"Therefore
disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout
persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him."
Acts 17:17
BUT that day in Athens ... some of
the "big boys" came by!
The philosophers!
These Epicureans and Stoicks took
Paul to the "court house" (the "Areopagus") and demanded that he
share with them his Message. I have read in several places that
at that time it was illegal in Athens to preach any new god!
Paul was being examined for legal purposes!
"Then certain
philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered
him. And some said, What will this babbler say? other some, He
seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he
preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection." Acts
18:18 (That adjective "strange" can carry implications of
something being "new" or foreign!)
Look how little they knew of the
true Gospel!
"Jesus" was a new "doctrine" to
them!
They had never heard!
Paul must have been excited! He had
perhaps already decided ... "Yea,
so have I strived to
preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I
should build upon another man's foundation!" Romans
15:20
In fact, they were so unaccustomed
to the Truth that when Paul preached Jesus' Death, Burial AND
RESURRECTION (the Greek noun "anastasis") ...
they though he was preaching two new
gods! One named Jesus and one named Resurrection or "anastasis!"
Paul sure had his work cut out for
him!
And so ... the "point" of today's
Lesson ... we in America are fast approaching such a day
ourselves!
A day in which the populace is
devoid of any background in the Word of God or the Gospel
account of Jesus' Life and Death!
We will have to ... as did Paul ...
just "preach unto them Jesus, and the
Resurrection" ... carefully explaining every facet of
Truth as we progress along the beautiful story of God's "Good
News" to lost mankind!
That may be why Paul said to the
Corinthians ... "For I determined not to
know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him
crucified." 1st Corinthians 2:2
(Of course after they got saved Paul
wrote them an Epistle explaining everything from marriage rules
to supper table etiquette, the Epistle of 1st Corinthians!)
Get ready folks!
Preaching the Gospel is going to
take on new dimensions very soon!
Some very "basic" dimensions!
Man is a sinner.
The wages of such sin is death in
hell forever!
God sent His Son Jesus to die and
pay that terrible penalty for lost souls!
Because of His vicarious Death and
Resurrection ... Jesus is The Saviour!
If one is "saved" by His Grace ...
Jesus' Death is applied in his or her stead!
Here are Jesus' words ...
"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that
heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath
everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is
passed from death unto life." John 5:24
And Paul added:
"That if thou shalt confess with thy
mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God
hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the
heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth
confession is made unto salvation." Romans 10:9-10
Upon being "born-again," one has
eternal life and will spend "forever" in Heaven with the Lord!
Thank God for the GOSPEL!
Aren't you glad someone told you?
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 10:
Acts 17:19 tells us ...
"And they took him, and brought him unto Areopagus,
saying, May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is?"
Paul was actually
accosted or seized by this crowd! (At least that's the emphasis
the word has in the other 4 places it's used in our New Testament.)
The "Areopagus" is also
known as Mars' Hill.
Ares is the name of the
Greek god of war! (While his Roman name is Mars!)
They had gods and
goddesses for everything! There were over 30,000 idols in Athens
alone during Paul's day!
This place is where the
supreme court of the land met!
Paul is either on the
verge of being "tried" for heresy ... or is being severely "mocked" by
these men!
They are here calling the
Story of Jesus and His Resurrection a "new doctrine!"
The adjective "new" ("kainos")
more nearly means "fresh" rather than "new in time."
I think many today want
to hear something fresh too! They are tired of the old truths!
Well, not me! I'll take the old time Word of God any day!
The amazing thing is
this.
Even in the face of such
skepticism and irreverence ... Paul preaches Jesus ... and souls are
saved!
What is about to occur is
just one more testimony of the POWER of the Gospel of Jesus Christ!
In fact, it seems that
one of these philosophers is just about to get saved!
"Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed: among the which
was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others
with them." Acts 17:34
YOU can testify to the
power of the Gospel, can't you?
One day did you not hear
It?
Were you not (via the
convicting work of the Holy Spirit) apprehended by that lovely Story?
Then you know just how
old Dionysius (who was apparently a member of that venerable body of
"judges") felt!
Thank God for salvation!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 11:
"Strange things!"
That's what those men on Mars' Hill
said about the Gospel of Jesus Christ!
"Strange things!"
The word used here is a participle,
"xenozonta" (from "xenizo," the verb root that gives us its
cognate noun "xenos").
The meaning is things foreign!
Or things alien!
Here are their exact words:
"For thou
bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know
therefore what these things mean." Acts 17:20
The Message of Jesus' coming to
earth to die for sinners ... then His subsequent Resurrection
... was "strange?"
I was nearly insulted as a Christian
when I read those words!
They called "strange" what we call
"dear" and "precious!"
Then I began to think this:
Foreign!
Alien!
Both words in a sense meaning "from
another world," may not be far from the truth when it comes
to the Gospel!
It did come from afar!
From Heaven with all its purity ...
to a sin cursed earth in all its filth!
From the ineffable Throne of God ...
to a manger in a stable!
From the Presence of eternal Deity
... to an old rugged Cross!
Yes, that IS from Another World!
"Behold, what
manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should
be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not,
because it knew him not." 1st John 3:1
Wow!
In fact, we as Believers are going
to yet have another experience with that Darling One (Jesus)
from another world (Heaven)!
He is coming back again!
"Beloved, now
are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall
be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like
him; for we shall see him as he is." 1st John 3:2
This blessed Event is so thrilling
that John has to largely leave it in the realm of the unknown!
Those who have been saved by the
Grace of God, washed in the Blood of the Lamb, are definitely
living a life that's already "out of this world!" (In fact, it
is Eternal Life!)
Those Athenian philosophers means it
for "evil" ("strange things") ...
but God has turned it for "good" ("What
manner of love!" And "He shall
appear!" Plus, "We shall be like
Him!")
Glory to God!
Enjoy your salvation today.
It is imported!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 12:
That crowd of
philosophers in Athens reacted to the Gospel as have millions of others!
They showed some
superficial interest ... but exhibited no saving faith!
They said to Paul about
the Gospel ... "We would know therefore what these
things mean." Acts 17:20
That little verb "would"
(the Greek word "boulomai" means to desire or to wish) shows some
interest anyway.
But as Paul preaches it
soon becomes obvious that their interest has no depth.
Luke tells us:
"For all the Athenians and strangers which
were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to
hear some new thing." Acts 17:21
They looked at the Gospel
like many today look at the "news." It is only as good as the
minute in which you hear it! Five minutes from now it's not "news"
anymore! Something else (something "newer") has taken its place!
That adjective for "new"
is "kainos" and means "fresh." They wanted something flashy and
exciting ... not a story about an execution on a Hill far away!
(Which is initially what the Cross would have meant to their fleshly
minds!)
And soon their interest
waned and disappeared!
Their situation sounds
just like that described by Paul in Hebrews 4:2 ---
"For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as
unto them: but the word
preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that
heard it." Wow!
We believers had sure
better thank the Lord that when we heard ... saving faith was given to
us, faith with which to believe on Jesus. HE did the saving! In
the whole plan of salvation ... we just provided the sinner!
After all, there is such
a thing as saving faith ... and such a thing as "vain" faith!
"Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto
you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; by which also ye
are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you,
unless ye have believed in vain." 1st Corinthians
15:1-2
How thankful we who are
saved should be!
The Lord gave us the
power "to become sons of God!"
"But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons
of God, even to them that believe on His name." John
1:12
Amen!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 13:
There's a little word in Acts 17:21
that captured my attention yesterday.
There Luke tells us ...
"For all the Athenians and strangers which
were there spent their time in nothing
else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing."
The words "spent their time" express
one little Greek verb, "eukaireo."
This is a compound term, being built
from a Greek adjective "eu" (which means "good") and a verb "kaireo"
(which means "to have opportunity or time"). Putting it all
together: "to have a good time!" In the New Testament the word
only appears three times. Once it is even rendered "to have
leisure!"
Look at that!
These folks went to hear Paul preach
... simply desiring to "have a good time!" They just wanted a
leisurely afternoon!
NO WONDER THEY DID NOT GET SAVED!
AND THAT'S WHY THEY MOCKED THE GOSPEL SO VERY MUCH! THAT
ADDITIONALLY EXPLAINS WHY THEY CALLED PAUL NAMES!
You see, when folks go to Church for
"entertainment" ... bad things always follow!
And yet I fear ... in contemporary
American culture ... that's exactly what churches are becoming,
entertainment centers! How very "worldly!"
Surveys of an area ... in order to
discover what kind of services to have! Presenting ALL kinds of
music to satisfy everybody! A multiple number of Bibles
(versions) being available! "Contemporary" or just
"traditional!" Pastors who wear suits or just shorts and tee
shirts! Calling God our "buddy" or the Almighty sinless Lord
and Saviour!
These things have now been put into
the area of "preferences" ... no longer "convictions!"
Do you know WHY?
Because too many folks today, just
like the people of Athens back when Paul was there, want to go
to church to "have a good time!"
To be soothed and pampered and
satisfied!
(We had sure better be glad John the
Baptist is not pastoring anywhere! He would have never fit into
that "entertainment" mode! Neither would Jesus! Nor Paul!)
But, Brother Bagwell, WHY should we
go to church?
To worship God!
To deal with our old rotten sins!
To obey Scripture!
To be built up in our faith!
(All of which will be thrilling to a
true born-again Believer, mind you!)
But "entertainment" ... having a
"good time" ... and "just for fun" are NOT Biblically listed
reasons to hear the preaching of the Bible!
Lord, help us today to evaluate our
motives!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 14:
As Paul began his "Mars'
Hill" Sermon he said: "Ye men of Athens, I
perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious." Acts
17:22
The little noun "men" is
not "anthropos," which can include men or women. Rather it is "aner,"
indicating "males" only! This properly reflects ancient
Greek/Roman attitudes toward women! Of course we need to remember
that Mars' Hill was actually the meeting site of the Greek Supreme
Court! That's another reason why men only were present.
(Even the city name,
"Athens" is taken from their one of their goddesses! Athena was their
source of wisdom.)
When Paul said he
"perceived" certain things about these men and their city, he used the
verb "theoreo," which has become the English word "theatre!" Paul
"saw or beheld or watched or was a spectator" of these Greek folks!
He, from his observations, drew some conclusions!
One of those findings was
that they were "too superstitious." Now that expression is "deisidaimonesteros!"
To break that down ..."deilos" means fearful or dreadful or timid ...
and "daimon" means a demon or spirit! Paul literally accused them
of being VERY ATTENDANT TO THE SPIRIT WORLD! He is saying to them that
they are more spirit fearing that the rest of the world! However, Paul
is wise in his word usage here! That little noun "daimon" is used
60 times in the King James Bible, 59 of them being expressed as "demon
or demons!"
Paul by no means believes
these men are worshipping the True and Living God!
They are actually
"fearful of demons!"
Now I understand that
this may not have been the meaning these Aeropagites derived from Paul's
term here ... but grammatically that's exactly what he said!
Pretty bold preaching
isn't it?
Yet I just today have
read where theologians have said that's NOT what Paul meant!
One quipped, "You would
not want to make a congregation mad just before you started preaching to
them, would you?"
Well, sometimes the truth
hurts!
Thank God for Paul the
Preacher!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 15:
Paul's "tactics" while preaching at
Athens have often been questioned.
Through the years I've read things
implying that: Paul was "backslidden" because he took such a
worldly approach to the Gospel there!
... That Paul so missed God's Will
there that he soon left Athens, never to return!
... That Paul forsook his Bible in
Athens, reverting only to pagan poets and philosophers!
... That Paul was just "passing
time" there anyway and had no real desire to start a church in
Athens!
... And That God did NOT bless
Paul's work in the Greek Capital!
I DO NOT AGREE WITH THE PREVIOUS
FIVE STATEMENTS!
I see no signs of Paul's being
"backslidden" in Athens!
I do not believe Paul "missed God's
Will" there either!
And while it is true that Paul was
waiting in Athens for Silas and Timothy to come, that does not
mean he didn't do his best in preaching the Gospel to those
Greeks!
But to me the most disturbing aspect
of Paul's ministry in Athens is that in his preaching he did
not use His Bible!
He rather used human reasoning ...
and poetry ... and philosophy ... and logic!
But, wait a minute!
Rather than criticizing the great
Apostle for this, note the following facts I've uncovered.
"For as I
passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this
inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly
worship, him declare I unto you." Acts 17:23
The noun "devotions" means "things
worshipped."
The adjective "unknown" is in Greek
"agnostos!" (Our word "agnostic!")
The verb for "worship" means to show
reverence toward!
And the word most descriptive of
Paul's doings in Athens, "declare" is one of those "preaching"
words! ("katanggello" = to proclaim intensively!)
In Paul's "defense" I mention these
facts:
In Athens at that time history says
it was illegal to preach a new god! Paul could
have been arrested for doing so!
And, believe me, Jesus is a new One
to these folks!
Therefore Paul had to "build" upon
some existing element of Athenian life. And he found it! A
statue to the "unknown" god. Paul just said, "Let me tell you
about Him, the real God!"
I think that was brilliant!
And as far as Paul's NOT using
Scripture (the Old Testament) in his preaching. It was his
pattern not to do so with Gentiles!
Now with the Jews he quoted the
Hebrew Bible extensively! His Text with them was the Law and
the Psalms and the Prophets.
But generally his text with the
Gentiles was the fact of God's Creation!
Look at the composite of Paul's
"Gentile" preaching and you will see what I mean!
And, to cap it all off beautifully,
proving God's Hand was on Paul in that heathen city ... souls
were saved! Not many, but some!
God honored Paul's work in Athens!
I'm glad Paul went there.
I'm glad Luke recorded it (under the
inspiration of the Holy Spirit).
And I'm glad we can study it.
I do not believe Paul was perfect!
He did make mistakes.
But preaching the Truth in Athens
was NOT one of them!
Preach it, Paul!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 16:
Paul preached a BIG
God to those folks at Athens!
Let's listen to him:
"God that made the world and all things
therein, seeing that He is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in
temples made with hands; neither is worshipped with men's hands, as
though He needed any thing, seeing He giveth to all life, and breath,
and all things; And hath made of one blood all nations of men for
to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times
before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; That they should
seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after Him, and find Him, though
He be not far from every one of us: For in Him we live, and move,
and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we
are also His offspring." Acts 17:24-28
The God Paul preached,
the true and living God of the universe, is the Maker of the world!
And of everything that's in it too!
He's so big that He
cannot fit into man-made temples!
Not does He need
anything!
He gives life ... breath
... and every other "good and perfect" thing too!
He created mankind and
has limited his living space!
He has also pre-written
history!
And He is knowable!
He actually wants men to
come unto Him!
And if mankind seeks Him
diligently ... He will be found!
He is also omni-present,
not far from every one of us!
These great facts
comprise Paul's "foundation" ... upon which he built, leading up to
Jesus and His Death, Burial and Resurrection!
And in a city that has
30,000 gods ... maybe it's best to tell them about the BIG God, the
single TRUE God, the ONLY living God!
And His Son!
Know what?
That's precisely what
Paul did too!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 17:
Paul did something unusual while
preaching one day! Unusual ... even for him!
He, standing on Mars' Hill in
Athens, the capital of heathen philosophy and idolatry, quoted a
piece of poetry!
The poet, a man named Aratus
according to most sources, was writing about the god Zeus ...
not the Jehovah God of Israel!
The words?
"For we are also his offspring!" Acts 17:28c
The startling thing about this
quotation is that both Aratus and Cleanthes (another poet who
wrote similar words) applied them in such heretical ways! Even
the title of Cleanthes' Poem is "Hymn to Zeus!"
Folks, we are NOT the offspring of
Zeus ... and Paul clearly knew it!
We are the offspring of God! (In
the sense that He is The Creator!)
Other quotes from unsaved writers
found in Paul's Epistles include: "One of
themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The
Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies."
(Titus 1:12) And then ... "Be not
deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners." (1
Corinthians 15:33) The Apostle also alluded to ancient
literature in several other places as well.
How do we explain such writing?
First of all, it's not Paul doing
the writing really! It is the Holy Spirit of God! That fact is
settled when one believes in the inspiration of Scripture!
(This fact alone makes the rest of my Article here unnecessary
in a sense! If God did something ... it is all right!)
Secondly, Truth often gets
associated with grave error when its falls into the devil's
hands! He is a deceiver and liar! He seldom "sells" an entire
lie all by itself! No! He "mixes" it with enough truth to make
it appealing and seductive! (That's exactly what happened with
the line Paul quoted! We are the offspring of God, the
real God of Heaven! We are NOT the offspring of heathen
deities! See it? Truth: We are
the offspring of God! He created mankind!
Lie: Zeus is God!
Erroneous Mixture: We are the
offspring of Zeus!)
What Paul merely did in his
preaching that day in Athens was to take the Truth that heathen
poet had written ...
sever it from its idolatrous background ...
sanctify it unto God ... and then apply it to Jehovah Jesus!
And what do we get?
"That they
should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after Him, and
find Him, though He be not far from every one of us: for in Him
we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your
own poets have said, For we are also His offspring."
Acts 17:27-28
God is the Creator!
And He is the Redeemer too (through
the Blood of Jesus Christ His Son)!
Thirdly, by quoting such poets, Paul
is getting closer to the hearts of his listeners ... for the
express purpose of winning them to Christ Jesus! Remember his
motto: "And unto the Jews I became as a
Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law,
as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;
to the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am
made all things to all men, that I might by all means
save some." 1st Corinthians 9:20 and 22
Now listen to me.
I am NOT advocating compromise with
the world.
I am saying that this lost worldly
system in which we live occasionally does stumble across Truth!
Jesus once commended the lost men of
this world by saying ... "For the children
of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of
light." Wow! Luke 16:8 (Jesus here even implied that we
Believers can learn some things from them!)
So ... when the heathen around us
have Truth ... seize it from them, sanctify it in your life, and
use it to the Glory of God!
Your Doctor may be a lost man (maybe
even ungodly) ... but use the truth he shares with you (and the
medicine) to help improve your health ... knowing all along that
it is really the Lord who heals!
The man who hung that traffic signal
in the intersection ahead may be an atheist ... but obey that
red light anyway. Your life depends upon it!
Why, I've even found "nuggets of
gold" in old commentaries written by questionable men! I would
NEVER mention them by name! Yet when divorced from their
background and cleaned up a bit and dedicated to God ... those
"nuggets" preach well! (I just say, "An old writer once
declared ....")
God is the Author of all real Truth
anyway!
Jesus even said that He was the
Truth! "I am the way, the truth, and the
life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." John
14:6
Yes, Paul quoted from a poem written
by a lost man!
But, by the time the great Apostle
got through with it ... it was praising Jesus!
And friends, that is the only way I
can understand Paul's strategy that day in Greece!
And do remember, God must not have
been too upset with him ... a number of souls got saved!
"Howbeit certain men clave unto him,
and believed:
among the which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman
named Damaris, and others with them." Acts 17:34
Amen!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 18:
Paul, apparently
for several reasons, preached to the Athenians about
"the unknown god!" The Apostle
declared That God unto them, the only true and living God, the
God of the Bible!
It is said that
Athens contained at least 30,000 gods and goddesses in idol
form. They were scattered throughout the city ... but
concentrated in the very area where Paul was preaching!
However, there
came a time in his sermon where he HAD to make some things
clear! And make them clear he did!
Listen:
"Forasmuch then as we are the offspring
of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto
gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device."
Acts 17:29
Did you notice
what Paul did?
He separated the
True God from the idols of the Greeks!
The Godhead (a
word used only 3 times in the whole New Testament ... all by
Paul) is NOT to be likened unto silver or gold or any other
graven image!
Paul takes a
stand here that is not politically correct or socially
acceptable to the majority of his hearers!
Yet he's simply
preaching the Second Commandment! By the way, the only Image of
God we shall ever see is JESUS! God is manifested in Jesus!
"He that hath see Jesus ... hath seen the Father!" See John
14:9. Paul elsewhere called Jesus "the
image of the invisible God!" Colossians 1:15
Now ... the line
is drawn!
Idols ... or the
Lord God Almighty as reveled through His only begotten Son,
Jesus Christ!
It's that simple!
Real preaching
demands a response! A decision! "Choose
you this day whom ye will serve!" Joshua 24:15
I am afraid that
today too much preaching has quit "drawing lines" and expecting
"action!"
Let's be "doers"
... not just "hearers!"
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 19:
In reading Acts 17:29 I saw an
amazing truth.
It should translate into a lesson in
godliness for us all.
"Forasmuch then as
we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the
Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art
and man's device."
Paul is preaching on his second
missionary journey.
He has encountered a city with
30,000 idols! (Athens)
He is proving that God is greater
than them all!
Our God actually refuses to be
identified with any graven images!
He is NOT like gold, silver or stone
icons, honed by man's artistic abilities!
And that's where the verse got so
powerfully instructive to me!
These idols of gold or whatever were
made by man's device. That's the King James Version's
term: "device."
Man's artistic talents fashioning
objects of worship ... by human device!
That little noun "device" is the
Greek word "enthumesis" and is a compound word. It combines "eu"
(meaning good) and "thumos" meaning "passion" or literally
"breathing hard!" (To rush!)
While most lexicons say that the
word means deep thought or deliberation or to ponder ... several
add "to be inspirited!"
By grammatical definition ...
"device" means "passion within!"
The Athenians built these gold and
silver and rock idols passionately!
They put "all their hearts" into
such enterprises!
Isn't that something?
American Christians go to Church and
worship and serve the Lord habitually and often grudgingly and
lifelessly.
While too often the world serves
their gods (in reality, the devil) with fervor and zeal!
Brethren, these things ought not to
be so!
Of all people, we Believers in Jesus
Christ should be the ones who are enthusiastic in our worship!
Paul admonishes us to be
"fervent in spirit; serving the Lord!" Romans 12:11
Jesus taught us to
"love the Lord thy God with all thy
heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind."
Matthew 22:37
What kind of attitude does Psalm 100
require? "Make a joyful noise unto the
LORD, all ye lands. Serve the LORD with gladness: come before
his presence with singing."
And when we are commanded to
"study to shew ourselves approved unto
God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing
the Word of Truth," that lead verb "study" (in Greek =
spoudazo") means to be diligent! To do your very best! To
exert oneself!
It's a shame if the world brings
more dedication and life to their idol making ... than we
Christians do to our worship of THE True and Living God!
Remember this tomorrow ... at
Church!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 20:
Paul in Acts 17:30 said
that God "winked at" some things! This was part of his sermon in
Athens as he neared the end of his stay there.
Here's the full verse:
"And the times of this ignorance God winked at;
but now commandeth all men every where to repent."
The noun ignorance is "agnoia"
in Greek and means no knowledge.
The verb "winked" is "hupereido"
and means to look ("eido") plus over ("huper"
= hyper)!
Get it?
To look over! To
overlook!
Some things God tolerated
in the days of the Old Testament ... until Jesus came and died for the
sin of the world! That Paul is leading up to Jesus is clear from
the next verse: "Because he hath appointed a
day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that
man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance
unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead."
THAT MAN WHOM GOD ORDAINED ... AND RAISED FROM THE DEAD!
In the old days God
allowed animal sacrifices for example.
Now, those animals and
their blood did not forgive any sin! They made "atonement" for sin
... just meaning "to cover" it!
In the days before Jesus
... wrongdoing was (if innocent animal blood was sacrificed according to
God's directions) overlooked (better yet ... "covered" or atoned) UNTIL
JESUS COULD COME AND DIE ON THE CROSS, FULLY MAKING PAYMENT FOR SUCH
SIN!
As it turns out ...
Paul's use of that "winked at" term may be one great way of presenting
the Gospel!
It contrasts Old
Testament sacrifice with New Testament forgiveness in a beautiful way!
And yet even in Paul's
"winked at" verse above ... he leaves no room for "sin!" He clearly says
that NOW God commands "all men every where to repent!"
(And therein is a good
"hint" that repentance is essential to true Bible forgiveness and
salvation!)
And why would one want to
repent?
Because ... a day of
judgment is coming!
Are you ready?
God is "winking" no more!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
Also see how Paul worded Romans 3:25 ---
"Whom God hath set forth to be a
propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness
for the remission of sins that are past, through the
forbearance of God. To declare, I say, at
this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of
him which believeth in Jesus." (God's "winking" ... God's
"forbearance" ... just two ways of expressing the same Truth!)
LESSON 21:
Luke writes, under the inspiration
of the Holy Spirit, an account of Paul preaching the Gospel to a
group of philosophers in ancient Athens. An elite audience was
in attendance that day! Even some of the city rulers were
there!
Here's that account, word for word:
"Because He hath appointed a day, in the
which He (God the Father) will judge the world in righteousness
by that Man (God the Son) Whom He hath ordained;
whereof He hath given assurance unto all men, in that
He hath raised him from the dead." Acts 17:31
Let's notice several "key" facts the
Lord has revealed in this great Verse.
A Day of Judgment has been appointed
by God the Father! The verb "appointed" is "histemi" in Greek
and means God has established that Day, placing it in His
calendar, causing it to stand! It is a determined event! The
verb is also an "aorist" ... telling us that the decision was
made long before Luke wrote those words 2,000 years ago! God is
not still deciding about this Judgment thing! It is set for
sure!
Then notice that the Judge is
identified too! God arranged it all ... but has put the actual
Judgment into the Hands of a Man (Jesus) Whom He has ordained!
The preposition "by" is in Greek "en!" The judgment will be by
("en" = in) Jesus! All God's standards of Righteousness are
found in
Him! (Wow!) No wonder we are told that He (Jesus) IS
Righteousness! See 1 Corinthians 1:30 ---
"Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and
righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption."
Then see with me that God the Father
has "ordained" Jesus! This verb, "horizo," means "to mark out
the boundaries or limits" of something! (The English word
"horizon" is gleaned from it! The horizon marks the limits of
your ability to see the terrain ... or sky ... or whatever!)
God's ultimate goals of Truth and Holiness and Glory are "set"
in Jesus! He IS God manifest! In Romans 1:4 "horizo" is
rendered as "declared" in the King James Bible.
"And declared to be the Son
of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the
resurrection from the dead." (In both "horizo" verses
the Resurrection of Jesus is mentioned!)
Luke also in his great Gospel verse
makes a dash for the empty tomb! He asserts as fact that God
the Father "raised Jesus from the dead!" (The noun for
"resurrection" is "anastasis" which means "to stand" + "up!"
Jesus just "stood up" from the slab where His dead body was
laid!) No doubt about it! Not even any discussion! Jesus IS
alive! Again, we are dealing with an aorist (participle).
Jesus' Resurrection is over, past, done, completed! He lives!
But one more thing ... through that
Resurrection God the Father has also ... "given assurance to all
men!" That noun "assurance" is the well-known little word "pistis,"
meaning faith! The Resurrection brings faith along with it! (I
would have said that one needs faith to believe the
Resurrection! Luke says believing the Resurrection brings to
one faith! To Luke believing that Jesus had been raised from
the grave was no act of faith! It was a fact of history!
Accepting That as from God ... would give a man or woman "faith"
to believe ALL the Father revealed about His only begotten Son!
Folks, ponder these things today.
Take some time before Church or after lunch or as you nap this
afternoon ... and try to internalize all Luke said about our
Lord in these few short words!
He has just presented to us The
Greatest Truth in all the Universe!
"Because He (God the
Father) hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the
world in righteousness by That Man (Jesus, God the Son)
Whom He hath ordained; whereof He hath given assurance
unto all men, in that He hath raised him from the dead."
Therefore ...
"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and
thy house." Acts 16:31
Furthermore ...
"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth
the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath
raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the
heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth
confession is made unto salvation." Romans 10:9-10
Or as Jesus put it ...
"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that
heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath
everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is
passed from death unto life." John 5:24
I can say no more!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 22:
Paul was a preacher of
the Resurrection ... the literal bodily Resurrection of Jesus Christ
God's Son!
He (Jesus) was dead!
He now lives!
But as soon as he
mentioned that great Fact to the men of Athens ... most of them
interrupted his sermon!
"And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and
others said, We will hear thee again of this matter."
Acts 17:32
Why did they so object to
the resurrection?
They, nearly to the last
one, strongly believed in a kind of "dualism" that separated the body
and the soul of a man, equating the body with things evil and the
soul/spirit with things good!
ANYTHING spiritual to
them was good! (Hence ... many gods! The more the better!)
ANYTHING physical to them
was evil! (So if all bodily things were evil ... then any one
physical thing was as bad as another! So a person was left with
two choices. Either abstain from all things material ... which
will soon bring death. You see, food is physical! Or jump into a
physical life of food, fun and pleasure! Indulge! Why fight it?)
This belief is also one
of the basic tenets of Gnosticism, a false religion of late New
Testament days.
But look!
When Paul preached the
Resurrection ... he was teaching that God was going some day to reunite
soul and body for all eternity! Jesus IS in Heaven right now as
God ... with a glorified human body (the One He got at the Virgin
Birth)!
These hearers just could
not handle that!
They mocked!
"Chleuazo" means to jeer or to deride or to belittle!
This kind of "confusion"
(dualism) comes from not believing in a Creator God! This crowd of folks
were (before Darwin by the way) evolutionists!
But if there is a Creator
Who is holy and just ... then His work (including mankind) can be pure
as well! (And Adam and Eve were "right" ... until they fell into
sin!)
Well ... things will
again some day be made "straight!"
Because of Jesus' shed
Blood on the Cross ... soul, spirit and body can be "saved" and
"redeemed" and "glorified" for all eternity!
Praise His Name!
There was a Resurrection
(Jesus') ... and there are plenty more coming too (all the saints')!
Amen!
And that's true whether
the Epicureans and Stoicks like it nor not!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 23:
Jesus, being the eternal Son of God,
did not "marvel" at much!
But I have found one thing that
definitely caused Jesus "wonder!"
"And He
(Jesus) marvelled because of their unbelief. And He went round
about the villages, teaching." Mark 6:6
Apparently Jesus would have thought
that all men would believe, being presented with the "evidence"
and "prospect" of everlasting life!
The rejection of the Message
of the Cross ... not its acceptance by lost mankind, seemed to
"overwhelm" our Lord!
And so it seems to me Luke follows
that same pattern in recording the "results" of Paul's preaching
the Gospel in Acts 17!
Here's how he, in reality here's how
the Holy Spirit, puts it in Acts 17:32. This is written about
the "invitation" given at Athens after that great "Mars' Hill"
Sermon.
"And when they heard
of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said,
We will hear thee again of this matter."
First we are told that some "mocked"
the Word of God! "Chleuzo" means "to throw out the lip" and
probably has the idea of making fun of something! Laughing at
it! These folks obviously rejected the Gospel.
Then we are given this
information: Even more delayed any kind of decision.
"And
others said, We will hear thee again of this matter."
They postponed any commitment ...
and left that Hill in unbelief!
That's what most impressed Luke!
The folks who rejected such preaching!
In fact it is not until 2 verses
later that we lean a few people believed!
Why, to the Lord, to the Holy Spirit
and to the writers of Scripture ... the most sensible thing
in all of life is accepting the Word of God as Truth and
trusting Jesus as ALL He said Himself to be! (Including Saviour!)
And for men NOT to do so ... was an
astounding thing, a cause for marvel!
After all, what MORE can God do to
give lost men the Gospel?
Do any of you know one single
way to improve the Plan of salvation? Of course not!
How astounding that so many reject!
Now ... here's the danger
of unbelief ... and all from the lips of Jesus too!
"He that believeth on him is not
condemned: but he that
believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not
believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."
John 3:18
"He that believeth on the Son hath
everlasting life: and he
that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of
God abideth on him." John 3:36
Warning:
UNBELIEF in Jesus is eternally fatal!
In Athens some
mocked ... others postponed ... and both groups are in hell
today unless they were converted from that spirit of doubt and
unbelief and rejection!
Be careful!
In 2 Corinthians
13:5 Paul writes: "Examine yourselves,
whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not
your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be
reprobates?"
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 24:
Paul had preached!
The Gospel had been clearly
declared.
Some of those present mocked that
Message!
Others wanted to wait until later.
But the Bible
says: "So Paul departed from among them."
Acts 17:33 (The verb here is "exerchomai" and just
means he "went out!" He left! Paul just did NOT have the burden
for Athens that he did for Philippi or Thessalonica or Rome!)
Then only two verses later we are
further told: "After these things Paul
departed from Athens, and came to Corinth." Acts 18:1
(This verb is even stronger! "Chorizo" means to separate! To
divide or put asunder! Literally, "to place space between two
things!" Paul deliberately got out of that town!)
And, by the way,
there is NO record of the great Apostle returning again to the
city of Athens ... ever!
My point?
Simply this: When it comes to the
Gospel ... "Now is the accepted
time; behold, now is the day of salvation." 2
Corinthians 6:2
Those who planned to hear Paul later
... just may have missed their opportunity!
He left town.
The mockery and unbelief of the
Athenians in general and the Mars' Hill crowd in particular had
taken its toll!
Why, this is even said of Jesus:
"And He did not many mighty works there
because of their unbelief."
Matthew 13:58
Mark 6:6
says even more: "And He marvelled because
of their unbelief. And He went round about the villages,
teaching."
Jesus also left
town ... and went elsewhere preaching the Word!
Dear friend who
reads here today, the one who is yet unsaved, be careful! Take
heed! Don't mock! Don't delay!
While the Lord is
speaking ... be saved ... now!
Again, listen to
Jesus:
"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that
heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath
everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is
passed from death unto life." John 5:24
And to those of
you who are already saved ... rejoice in that fact! You are
redeemed by the Blood of the Lamb!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 25:
The "results" of Paul's preaching at
Athens seemed rather meager by New Testament standards!
Yet I believe they form a "pattern"
for us Christians to note.
At the end of the sermon we are
told: "Some mocked!" Next Luke
adds: "Others said, 'We will hear thee
again of this matter.'"
But, thank God, a third group was
created that day by the Holy Spirit:
"Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed: among the
which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named
Damaris, and others with them." Acts 17:34
Look at that!
Some laughed and made fun!
Others delayed any decision!
But ... some believed!
In the Parable of the Sower (Matthew
13) ... three out of four areas where the seed was planted bore
no fruit (75%)! With Paul at Athens two out of three remained
unsaved (66%)! Jesus was right ... "Wide
is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to
destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: because
strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which
leadeth unto life, and
few there be that find it." Matthew 7:13-14
But do observe this with me.
Of those who belittled the Gospel
... we know absolutely nothing else. They left Paul that day
and walked into Biblical oblivion, never to be heard from again!
Of those who postponed knowing Jesus
... they never saw that Preacher named Paul again! He soon left
town and never returned. Their "delay" may have just sent them
to hell! Of course, their saying "Later" to the Truth was
likely just a way of saying "No" anyway!
But ... of those who believed unto
salvation we know some things! Their names are written down in
Scripture! (I know somewhere else they are "written down" too!)
"Dionysius"," the new-born Believer,
was an "Areopagite!" That probably means he was a member of the
body of judges who sat regularly deciding cases at Mars' Hill!
In other words he was a justice of the supreme court of Greece!
That would have made him one of the most prestigious men on
earth! Yet He trusted Jesus! (And we now know his name!) By
the way "Dionysius" means one who is devoted to the god of
wine! He may have changed that one as he grew in the Lord!
And a woman named "Damaris" also was
saved. All kinds of ideas about her exist. Some say she was a
prostitute or something like that ... because no women would
have been around those men otherwise. Some say she was perhaps
the wife of one of the judges in Athens. Others believe she was
a member of high society, being mentioned in such a context as
this. Truthfully, we just don't know!
But we do know this ... both her
name and her commitment to Christ draw Biblical attention!
(That name, "Damaris," means "heifer" according to Strong's
Concordance! Was she a strong woman, like a heifer? Or a
stubborn one? Or just extremely "religious," heifers being used
by the wealthy in sacrifice to heathen gods?
Again, we don't know!
But of the mockers, whom we shall
never see ... and the procrastinators, who are gone forever too
... and these few BELIEVERS, of whom we know nothing but their
names ... there's one crowd we can some day ask more questions!
When you see Damaris in Heaven ... get her story! Hear her
testimony! Why, it will just give you one more cause to glory
in the marvelous grace of God!
"Others" were saved too during
Paul's short days in Athens!
Thank God for the Power of the
Gospel!
Paul was truly right when he shared
with us ... "I am not ashamed of the
gospel of Christ: for it is the Power of God unto salvation to
every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the
Greek." Romans 1:16
Have you "believed unto salvation,"
dear friend?
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 26:
Of all Paul’s
sermons we possess, none is more criticized than his Mars’ Hill
Message found in Acts 17.
In it the Apostle
quotes poetry, refers to the writings of heathen authors, and
even builds his whole opening point on an "idol" ... to the
"unknown god!"
However, before
we criticize too quickly, let’s notice several things. Things
the Scripture Text seems to indicate.
First of all
notice that the entire "Athens Narrative" consumes 17 verses of
the chapter ... a rather large segment! And of those 17 verses,
Paul’s sermon proper is given 11 full verses! That's 65% of the
space ... to the word-for-word reporting of this Message! It
does not sound to me like Luke thought it was an inferior
address! (Nor the Holy Spirit Who inspired Luke!)
Then look at the
beginning of the sermon. It does build upon that "unknown god"
theme, but ... history says at that time in Athens it was
illegal to introduce a new ("unapproved") deity to the populace!
Paul needed a way to preach Jesus and Him crucified ... and he
found it! That silly old statute "to an unknown god" ... is
suddenly used by the Apostle to "spring" into a message about
Jesus, the Son of God! Paul knew their unknown god ... and
preached unto them Jesus! Attack his methods if you please, but
I think it was a stroke of genius!
Also watch where
Paul began telling this crowd about our God! He began ... just
where the Bible does in Genesis 1 ... at creation! Paul is
preaching to a bunch of evolutionists the creative power of God!
That’s not a bad way to start! At least Moses didn’t think so!
(Nor the Lord!)
He then preaches
against idols! The true God is NOT like unto gold or silver or
precious stones, he declares! We humans did not make him ...
rather He made us!
Then after a
touch of preaching about God’s Grace ... His "winking" at
certain things for a time ... Paul launches into a point that
explains God’s coming Judgment upon sin! A Judgment that will
be rendered by the Lord Jesus Christ, God’s Son!
Now he’s
preaching Christ the Lord! Pointedly he declares this to be the
same Jesus Whom God raised from the dead! (He got the
Resurrection into that Sermon ... as he always did!)
No sir! I’ll not
criticize it!
And did God bless
the sermon?
Well, according
to Acts 17:34 some folks got saved!
"Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed: among the
which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named
Damaris, and others with them."
It must have not
been too bad an example of preaching! God sure honored it with
fruit!
Here’s what I
think.
We are all too quick
sometimes to belittle some preacher or his sermon! Too
quick to offer improvements!
Maybe we had best
leave that alone and ... if he is preaching the Word ... just
say "amen" a little more and pray for God to use it all to His
Glory!
Amen!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
OUR PRAYER IS THAT THIS STUDY HAS BEEN A
BLESSING TO YOUR HEART! STAY "IN THE WORD!"
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