No doubt, Paul was a master Preacher. One of the best ever, apart from our Lord Himself! Paul KNEW the Old Testament Scripture … much of it by heart.

And he nearly always began his sermons with some TEXT from the Word of God. That’s why he so strongly urged young Timothy to … “preach the WORD; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.” 2 Timothy 4:2, a practice Paul modeled week after week. God’s Word was always central!

But suddenly, in Athens, Paul drastically changed his approach. He did NOT go to some Old Testament Passage and preach from it … rather he reasoned with them via their own philosophical systems. (Do bear in mind, he still preached unto them Jesus!) It’s just that his approach, his foundation is different in this intellectual city!

Luke, the author of Acts, records: “Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars’ hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. 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 17:22-23, not some verse in Deuteronomy, but a nearby statue to an “unknown god!”

Then, from that launching pad (rather than from an Old Testament Text) Paul continued, introducing the Real God, our God … “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.” Acts 17:24

Paul’s “method” here has been the subject of endless inspection and often downright criticism! (Paul in Athens even quoted a heathen poet, who was talking about the filthy god Zeus! “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 17:28, highly unusual!)

In like manner, many contemporary Sermons nowadays use current events, lines from popular movies, even lyrics of the “Beatles” or some other singing group … rather than centering on some specific Paragraph or Verse of Scripture!

Maybe I am being too critical. Should I just rejoice that (to some degree, at times anyway) Jesus is being preached?

But for me, as a Preacher, “Bring the Book!” (Quoting Nehemiah 8:1) Focus everything on the Word of God!

But back to Paul, good news, soon as he left Athens (with minimal success) Paul reverted to his old hermeneutic! He journeyed to the city of Corinth, where Luke says: “And he continued there a year and six months, TEACHING THE WORD OF GOD among them.” Acts 18:11

Back on track!

But sill, I personally can not/ will not criticize Paul. His Athenian homiletic is not to my taste, but God did honor it!

How so?

Acts 17:33-34 … at the end of his Athens stay: “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.”

Yes, a few souls were saved!

One man, Dionysius.

One lady, Damaris.

And some “others!”

His philosophical approach (or apologetic) actually bore fruit to the glory of God! Lost souls were born-again!

And all I can say is “Hallelujah!”

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

This always happens when God’s powerful, incisive Word is preached … “And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not.” Acts 28:24

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Paul, in Acts 17, went to Athens, the capital of the intellectual world in its day. There the Apostle, of course, preached the Gospel to any who would listen.

And, unsurprisingly, he encountered some of the philosophers who were so rife in that historical city. They too wanted to hear his Message!

Maybe out of curiosity more than anything else! But still … encountering the Word of God! I am saying they at least listened to a point. (Luke informs 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)

Anyway, Paul is taken to the Aeropagus (Mars Hill) and allowed to speak with some liberty.

But his Sermon was rejected, ridiculed even. Luke again, in Acts 17: this time: “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.”

Look what they called Paul, a “babbler!”

The Greek term is “spermologos,” literally “seed picker!”

What disparagement!

The “seed pickers” of that city were the most abject of the poor, who crawled around on the dirt at the marketplace (agora) seeking to salvage any “seed” that fell from some passing cart!

In other words, Paul was merely scattering/dispensing worthtless “crumbs!”

They en masse rejected the Lord Jesus that day.

And most of them likely died and went into a Christless eternity! Went to a devil’s Hell!

I can think of another “crumb” situation in the New Testament. Where a Gentile lady was thrilled to “get” a few crumbs from Jesus’ table! And that glorious day she not only got the Truth, the Gospel, the Lord … but also her daughter healed of a grievous demon infestation! (Mark 7:26 calls this lady a “Syrophenician.”)

It all depends on what you are willing to do about those crumbs, I guess!

Hallelujah!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

Jesus’ crumbs are better than the devil’s whole loaf!

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Paul the Apostle, in his First Epistle to the Corinthians wrote: “For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise.” God saves, it seems, a lot of “common people.”

Maybe us “average as vanilla” folks more easily realize we are a bunch of “nobodies,” needing Jesus as Saviour! I’ve never had trouble accepting: “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23

And yet, when Luke described one group of people, a nucleus of whom had been born-again … he told us in his divinely inspired Travelogue: “The brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto BEREA: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.” (Acts 17:10) Berea being a city, composed mostly gentiles, but with a small Jewish population as well.

And for some Spirit Appointed Reason … Luke continues: “These were MORE NOBLE than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” (Acts 17:11)

Here are some extremely “noble” souls who were saved, who submitted to the Grace and Truth of God! Luke reports: “Many of them believed.” That’s atypical! Unusual!

And that adjective “noble” translates the Greek word “eugenes.” A blend meaning “good” (in Greek “eu”) and “genes” (from “ginomai” a verb meaning “to come into being”) … thus “well born,” in a sense anyway. Frankly, they had “good genes!”

Not God hating rebels, as many had been on this second journey. Yes, the Lord can (and does) save some decent folks!

And here He has done so!

But look at what made them so noble, how they proved that quality in Luke’s eyes. “They searched the Scriptures daily!”

The verb is “anakrino,” meaning “examined! They loved God’s Word, studied it diligently! And with “anakrino” here being framed as a “present tense” verb, they examined God’s Word habitually, Luke even adds “daily!”

Is anyone reading here who desires that kind of nobility! Who is that spiritually well-born? Who hungers for God’s Writings (that noun “Scripture”) like that, to that degree?

Remember, “All SCRIPTURE is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” 2 Timothy 3:16

To all you of the nobility (in Christ Jesus) … invest some time today (as you hopefully do every day) in the precious Word of God!

Amen!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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In Acts 16 two Preachers (namely Paul and Silas) have been arrested, yet falsely so. In the process they were beaten (with “many stripes”), their clothes having been ripped off their bodies!

Then the men were “cast” (in Greek “ballo,” meaning thrown, flung, thrust) into the jail, “maximum security.” (Into the “inner prison,” our beautiful King James Version says).

What pain and suffering!

What humiliation!

Their jailor even went further, “making their feet fast in the stocks.” Locked into one position, therefore cramping (for hours) now as well as bleeding!

And they stayed that way until the “earthquake,” another story indeed, not germane to today’s Lesson.

But the devilish persecution and hatred of Paul’s party had reached such a feverish pitch, the missionaries had to depart from their beloved Philippi. Yet plenty of brethren (and some sisters in Christ as well) remained behind in that city, and continued worshipping God in that little (but now well-known) Church.

In fact, these Preachers were officially commanded to leave town! The city fathers insistently “desired them to depart out of the city.”

Now comes today’s verse: “And they (Paul and Silas) went out of the prison, and entered into the house of Lydia: and when they had seen the brethren, they COMFORTED them, and departed.” Acts 16:40

Watch one verb here, “comforted.”

It’s not that the Christians (that new-to-the-faith core of believers) in Lydia’s house “comforted” Paul and his team. It’s the reverse, the very opposite! Paul (and at least Silas, but maybe Timothy too) comforted them!

We might have thought that the Church would have comforted the suffering missionaries at that point!

“Comforted” … the Greek here is “parakaleo,” and clearly carries the idea of exhorting, encouraging, and certainly strengthening!

These men with sore (maybe even still oozing blood) stripes on their backs, with torn clothes, with humiliated egos … COMFORTING a whole Church family!

In English that verb, “to comfort,” derives from the Latin, meaning “with courage, with fortitude, with stamina.” (Simply spelled con or com + fortis … I wish Miss Smith, my High School Latin teacher were still alive and could read this Lesson!)

What should have been the weaker group is here comforting what should probably have been the stronger group!

And so it goes in much of Christian life, of Christian service!

Folks, you seasoned believers, even when you are “down” … you will often need to look around, find some weaker Christian and go “strengthen, edify, uplift” him or her!

Paul often did!

In fact, he’s the one who later wrote: “Exhort (parakaleo) one another daily,” framing the sentence not as a suggestion, but a stark command, an imperative mood verb! (Hebrews 3:13)

Oh yes! There may be some times when you as a Christian feel you need some comfort … but instead you in reality will need to “give some comfort!”

May we become so mature in Christ, that such a ministry will be no problem! Be sensitive today … you may come across a fellow believer who needs a few words of comfort, encouragement, help. Please GIVE SUCH GLADLY … no matter how you feel!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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To use our old-fashioned Bible terminology, Acts chapter 16 presents us with the stories of two people being “saved.”

Let me show you want I mean.

First, as Paul and Silas and Timothy and even Luke minister (preaching the Word) unto the Lord in the City of Philippi … “A certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: WHOSE HEART THE LORD OPENED, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul. And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us.” Acts 16:14-15

Watch the wording, “whose heart the Lord opened.” That means, in my estimation, she was born-again!

The other salvation story involved a Philippian jailor. In Luke’s divinely inspired terminology: “And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed. And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, BELIEVE ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, AND THOU SHALT BE SAVED, and thy house. And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.” Acts 16:25-32

Two undoubtedly true accounts of people trusting our Lord Jesus Christ! Their very names being written down in Heaven! (As per Luke 10:20.)

Now … watch the interesting differences in the Holy Spirit’s “operation” in these two souls.

Here’s a profound Lesson in soul-winning …

The first story involved a woman, the second a man!

The first story emphasizes God’s Part in salvation … “the Lord opening her heart!” The second story focuses on man’s part, “believing unto salvation!” It takes both!

The first story is of someone wealthy, a seller of purple, a top dollar commodity! The second story is of a common, poor man who was merely a “pawn” for the Roman government!

The first salvation depiction was a rather quiet scene! Down by the riverside, peaceful communication, the Holy Spirit working in His often subdued manner, with “a still quiet voice.” The second … loud and boisterous (an earthquake, prison bars dislodged), even with a man threatening suicide!

In Lydia’s case, the soul-winners went to her. In the jailor’s case, he came running to the soul sinners!

Yet, with all these differences, and there may be more than I’ve noticed …

The same God!

The same Holy Spirit!

The same plan of salvation!

The same preachers, in fact!

I’d even say the same level of conviction!

And of course, the same Saviour! (There is no other Way!)

Wow!

Yes indeed … “He that winneth souls is wise.” Proverbs 11:30, yet with our great God … He cannot be limited, restricted … concerning HOW He brings a man (or woman) to Christ!

Hallelujah!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

When YOU were saved, was it a quiet experience or a loud one? Either answer can be proper … but do be sure you have an answer!

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