Paul on Mars’ Hill

Acts 17:22-34

Many are religious, but lost. 

Many people have many religions, at all times in history.  People are the same. 

Verse 22 – Superstitious: religious with many methods, symbols, relics, so forth. 

Note: It is possible to worship the wrong god.  It is possible to have the wrong religion.  These people worshipped the unknown God, not knowing he is the true God. 

Paul presents the creator God because (verse 24-26) these religious people did not know God as creator. 

Verse 27 – This God, who is above all gods, can easily be found by all who feel after him because he is not far from every one of us. 

Verse 28 – God has given physical life to all people, therefore:

Verse 29 – Don’t’ think of God as a physical/material substance.  Because God is a spirit – on a plane much, much higher than any man has ever imagined.  God is first of all our creator, therefore we should worship him.  It is wrong for the created to devise their own means of worship, creating images or other devices which is worshipped.  It is as wrong to trust in baptism, church membership, doing good works, as it is to trust in a piece of precious metal formed into an image.  Are you trusting is the God that created you, or are you trusting in that which you have created? 

Verse 30 – God has previously forgiven many because they were ignorant, but because of the inward witness of every man upon hearing the gospel, now commands every man to repent. 

Verse 31 – There is coming a day of judgment by a man appointed by the creatural God.  Note: A man will judge us: Jesus Christ, the righteous virgin born son of the living, eternal God.  We will not be judged by our religious devices, whatever those religious devices are; baptism, church membership, good works, or an idol build from stone, wood, gold, silver, precious stones, or whatever.  God has revealed Jesus Christ to us, and proved Jesus is his only begotten son through his virgin birth, his marvelous preaching, wonderful miracles, and perfect life.  The most spectaculars thing was the unnatural death and supernatural resurrection of Christ, which no man can deny. 

Verse 32-34 – There will be one of three results to the resurrection of Christ. 

1.       Some mocked – what will you do? 

2.       Some said, “We want to hear more later.”  Is this what you will do? 

3.       Some believed and clave to the gospel and the messengers of the gospel.  Will you be obedient to the pure gospel message?