Step 3 Complete Outline: Acts 17:16-34
Big Idea, Supporting Idea, Defining Idea
How Do We Become Part of People's Salvation Decisions?
Some joined him and became believers. Vs. 34
Some joined him and became believers. Vs. 34
- We become greatly disturbed at the things that distract people from God.
16 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply troubled by all the idols he saw everywhere in the city.
Explain: The term for the phrase deeply troubled communicates intensity. It means passionate distaste; righteous anger. To be infuriated; irritated. It is not wild and uncontrolled; it’s measured emotions, powerful but restrained. The right attitude triggers the right actions. We must be unnerved at the visible signs of Satan’s strategy to deceive and distract people from God. And all the more as it’s done with the use of hollow religion, useless ritual and dead tradition.
Illustrate: Psalm 119:136, 158
Apply: Are you sick at heart at how distracted people are from God?
- We engage in conversations with those people.
17 He went...
Note the three words (reason, spoke, debate) used to indicate the style of communication for each setting. The Greek uses one word, where we get our word dialogue. It implies back and forth conversation. But the recipients contextualize the dialogue. Therefore, we have the words: reason, spoke and debate. Knowing how to converse is the key to effective communication. Using the right style of conversation is important.
Additionally, it’s one thing to feel strongly about something, it’s another take action. In fact, feelings that don’t lead to action are useless, even if the feelings are right.- Who we are comfortable talking with about the Bible.
to the synagogue to reason with the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles,
Explain: Some people possess such knowledge of the Bible that they can use it to communicate the truths about Jesus in a rational, and logical manner.
Illustrate: Acts 17:2-3
Apply: Do you share your knowledge of Scripture with those who are not a knowledgeable as you? - Who we encounter in the course of every-day activities.
and he spoke daily in the public square to all who happened to be there.
Explain: Everyone can and should do this. We all come in contact with people on a daily basis who need to hear about the hope, joy and love of God.
Illustrate: Tell about meeting Luis at the athletic club.
Apply: Do you communicate about the hope and love of God with those you meet in unplanned and unexpected ways? - Who we can easily participate in spirited, spiritual dialogue.
18 He also had a debate with some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers. When he told them about Jesus and his resurrection, they said, “What’s this babbler trying to say with these strange ideas he’s picked up?” Others said, “He seems to be preaching about some foreign gods.
Explain: Some people are wired to engage in lively theoretical conversation. They function easily in the arena of talking about the ideas of life and concepts of God. When these debates take place in a public setting, like a university auditorium, it serves to both display the rigorous logic of the gospel and give attenders the opportunity to rationally engage the truths of the Bible. The goal is not to win the argument, but to display the love and truth of God in a winsome manner.
Illustrate: Josh McDowell, William Craig Lane, Lee Strobel, Ray Comfort.
Apply: Do you engage in loving but truth filled conversations about God with people who are passionate about their firmly held, but wrong beliefs?
- Who we are comfortable talking with about the Bible.
- We let God lead us.
19 Then they took him to the high council of the city. “Come and tell us about this new teaching,” they said.20 “You are saying some rather strange things, and we want to know what it’s all about.” 21 (It should be explained that all the Athenians as well as the foreigners in Athens seemed to spend all their time discussing the latest ideas.)
Explain: Dialogue leads to discovery. God directs us as we engage in conversation with others. There is nothing scientific or complicated about this process. The more we talk about God, sooner or later we’ll be invited to do so with the acquaintances of those we are speaking with. This is called the providential leading of God. It’s referred to as finding people of peace in the gospels.
Illustrate: Luke 10:1-9
Apply: Do you allow for God to use your conversations about Him to lead you to deeper relationships? - We invite people to discover the truth about God in the Bible.
22 So Paul, standing before the council, addressed them as follows:
Note: the key thing to know here is that we invite people to discover these truths for themselves by reading/studying the Bible with them. This is not a list of what we must tell everyone. It’s what God wants people to discover as they read and study the Scriptures.- He is the One unbelievers missing in their lives.
“Men of Athens, I notice that you are very religious in every way, 23 for as I was walking along I saw your many shrines. And one of your altars had this inscription on it: ‘To an Unknown God.’ This God, whom you worship without knowing, is the one I’m telling you about.
Explain: Everyone, everywhere worships. All human beings display affection for what they call god. All people are groping for God. But because of our sin nature, everyone does so in his/her own manner. Some worship through spiritism, some through millions of gods, some through atheism, some through monotheism (Islam) and some through false gods (Buddhism). In our culture people worship through hedonism, materialism, politicism, etc.
Illustrate: Ecclesiastes 3:11 - He is our Sovereign Creator.
- 24 “He is the God who made the world and everything in it. Since he is Lord of heaven and earth, he doesn’t live in man-made temples, 25 and human hands can’t serve his needs—for he has no needs. He himself gives life and breath to everything, and he satisfies every need. 26 From one man he created all the nations throughout the whole earth. He decided beforehand when they should rise and fall, and he determined their boundaries.
Explain: Understanding God as creator is foundational to embracing him as Redeemer. The very first thing God reveals about himself is that he is our creator. The main reason is so we can see ourselves as accountable to Him. He created us and therefore has some level of authority over us. He owns us. We owe our existence to Him.
Illustrate: Psalm 24:1 - He orchestrates everything in our lives so He can be known.
27 “His purpose was for the nations to seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him—though he is not far from any one of us. 28 For in him we live and move and exist. As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’ 29 And since this is true, we shouldn’t think of God as an idol designed by craftsmen from gold or silver or stone.
Explain: God sovereignly authors or allows all the events in our life so we can discover that we are broken guilty sinners in desperate need of his healing love, gracious forgiveness. He longs for us to experience the eager expectation of spending eternity with Him. His purpose in our lives is that we would know, love and obey and worship Him. God’s supreme aim for us is that we would increasingly enjoy Him.
Illustrate: Psalm 119:67,71; James 1:17 God is fully in the bad and the good. - He rightfully expects us to leave our immoral life and live for Him.
30 “God overlooked people’s ignorance about these things in earlier times, but now he commands everyone, everywhere to repent of their sins and turn to him.
Explain: God allows us to wallow in our sin just long enough for us to get sick of it. He wants us to make a clean break from it. He wants us to repent.
Tone Benedict defines repentance this way: Repentance is letting go of something that will ultimately destroy you and embracing someone who can completely save you.
Franklin Graham: It’s being sick and tired of being sick and tired because of our sin.
Illustrate: Matthew 3:2 Repentance has been at the heart of what the gospel is all about. - He explains that the consequence of unbelief is eternal separation from Him.
31 For he has set a day for judging the world with justice by the man he has appointed
Question/Answer: Jesus is the reason believers will be saved and unbelievers judged. Divine judgment is not a popular topic of conversation but is an issue God wants people to know about. Why is God so interested in communicating the concept of judgment?- Because God is both gracious and righteous. Psalm 116:5 NIV
- Because hell is real, horrific, and everlasting. Luke 16:19-31 Jesus spoke about hell more than any other topic.
- Because all mankind is destined for judgment apart from belief in Jesus Christ. Jude 1:14-15
- He verified the truth of all of this through the resurrection of Jesus Christ’s.
“…and he proved to everyone who this is by raising him from the dead.” Vs. 31b
Question/Answer: The resurrection is the centerpiece of the gospel presentation throughout the book of Acts. It’s referenced more than 30x. More than one time per chapter. Why is the resurrection so important?https://www.greatcommission.com/resurrection.html
- He is the One unbelievers missing in their lives.
- We leave the results to God.
32 When they heard Paul speak about the resurrection of the dead,- Because some people are complacent; they don't want to know more.
some laughed in contempt,
Explain: To some, the gospel message is foolishness. Their sin has blocked the simple and amazing truth of the gospel.
Illustrate: 1 Corinthians 1:18; 2 Corinthians 4:4 - Because some are curious; they do want to know more.
but others said, “We want to hear more about this later.” 33 That ended Paul’s discussion with them,
Explain: To some the gospel is winsome. It’s the love, hope and joy they have been searching for.
Illustrate: John 4:35 - Because some will be convinced; they will believe.
34 but some joined him and became believers. Among them were Dionysius, a member of the council, a woman named Damaris, and others with them.
Note the mention of the council. Who would have thought that Paul being invited to the council would have resulted in the salvation of anyone, let alone such high profile people?
Explain: To some, the gospel is what they are searching for and predestined to believe. Upon reading and studying the Bible, they will respond with belief. Regardless of their position of influence, or authority. They realize their need for salvation.
Illustrate: Galatians 1:21-24
Summary: the point is, that we don’t know how people will respond until we inform them about God and invite them to know more. The question is, are we willing to risk rejection to discover people who were just waiting for us to show up? Acts 13:48
- Because some people are complacent; they don't want to know more.
- Examine the culture for idols and allow it to provoke us.
- Engage in spiritual conversations with people.
- Experience the joy of being part of people's salvation.