Mars Hill - Week 1 (Acts 17:16-23)

Sermon | Mars Hill — Week 1 (Acts 17:16-23)
Jason Phelps

Good morning Oikos Church! Today is the first week of our new two-week series called, “Mars Hill.” We are continuing in the Book of Acts in chapter 17 as we follow the journey of Paul to the city of Athens where he is invited to Mars Hill, the Areopagus, or literally, “The Rock of Ares,” (the god of War). It is here at Mars Hill where we will dive into Paul’s fruitful dialogue with the Stoic and Epicurean philosophers. What we will find is a Pauline experience that each and every one of us can relate to and perhaps, even imitate within our own contexts.

Before we jump into today’s text, let me set the context of where we are headed. It’s is 49CE. Paul has been on a missionary journey with Timothy and Silas. They were recently imprisoned in Philippi, driven out of Thessolonica, and finally made it to Berea. The Bereans readily received the Word of God, many became believers, however, Judaizers from Thessolonica made it to Berea to attack Paul again. So Paul was sent to Athens for safety, while Timothy and Silas remained in Berea. Paul would then simply wait for Timothy and Silas to come to Athens.

Let’s dive into the text, we will be in Acts 17:16-17, let’s read: “While Paul was waiting for them [Timothy and Silas] in Athens, he was deeply troubled by all the idols he saw everywhere in the city. He went to the synagogue to reason with the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles, and he spoke daily in the public square to all who happened to be there.” There are a few things I’d like to tackle here.

(1) The first thing is that Paul wasn’t in Athens intentionally… he was there to wait. However, because he knew his mission, he could not idly stand by and do nothing. He was passionate about God’s mission and could not set that aside. He did not become lazy in his waiting; he was active. Luke writes that Paul was [deeply troubled] when he saw how the Athenians were wholly given over to idolatry. The original Greek says that his spirit was (par-ox-oo’-no // παροξύνω), his spirit was provoked, he was moved to action. He knew that the Lord brought him to Athens for a reason. He had to represent God in this stoic and epicurean society.

(2) The second thing is that Paul valued relational capital… he was a keen observer of cultural; a cultural anthropologist, if you will. He didn’t shut his eyes and take a nap and ignore the city of Athens. He knew that if he was to lead the Athenians to Jesus, then he would have to meet them where they were and and speak to the things they knew and leverage it for their benefit.

(3) The third thing is that he stuck to his predictable pattern of going to the local synagogue. This isn’t in the text, but chances are that Timothy and Silas were going to meet Paul at the synagogue when they arrived. They knew Paul’s MO. In Antioch, Paul went to the synagogue, in Iconium, Paul went to the synagogue, in Thessolonica, Paul went to the synagogue, in Berea, Paul went first to the synagogue, and now here we are in Athens where Paul goes to the synagogue, and it continues in Corinth and Ephesus.

Let’s talk about Houston.

Imagine you came to Houston for the first time in your life, because you were going to meet up with some friends in due time, so you decided to go to the place where many people would gather. In this area, let’s say you decide to go to a Heights Coffee Shop, or a restaurant with outdoor seating in Montrose, or sat down on a bench in downtown. While you are waiting, you decide to be a good cultural anthropologist and keep your eyes and ears open to learn about our culture. What would you see? What would you hear? Who would you see? How do people dress? What do they talk about? Money? Relationships? Lack of time? Intellectual conversations, the latest technology? What kind of cars are they driving? Ferrari’s? Fords? Are they married? Single? Gay? Healthy? Obese? Are people running? Riding their bikes? What do all these things tell us about what our city values? Do they place value on their relationship with God above all things? Or is God at the bottom of the list?

Before telling the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus was challenged by a teacher of the law about how to inherit eternal life. Jesus asked him what Moses said, so the man answered, "'You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.' And, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.’" Luke 10:27. In others words, the two capitals that we are called to value most are: Spiritual and Relational capital. Spiritual capital… are people following the Lord? Is he the most important? Are we walking with Jesus and relying on the unending resources of heaven to extend the kingdom of God? Relational capital… are we committed to one another? Are we spending time together and getting to know each other? Are we loving and serving one another? Are we taking responsibility for one another?

Is this what we see in our cultural? Are people valuing God and others higher than anything else? Or do they place physical capital at the top? Are they obsessed with their appearance? Their health? Does their schedule revolve around going to the gym? Or around sports? Or do they place financial capital at the top? There life revolves around their career and financial security. Late nights at the office trump investing in their spouse and children. Luke 16:14 "No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” For God, financial capital is at the bottom of the barrel, but for many of us, it’s at the top. And finally, where do Houstonians place intellectual capital? Do we value higher education? Do we place value on citizens based on their level of education? Will Houston employers hire workers without degrees? How much will parents pay for their children to go to a private educational institution?

Capitals are not bad… they have been given to us in order for us to flourish as the people of God. We are told to use and invest all of our worldly resources to build relationships and give glory to God. However, are we allowing God’s created resources to be the objects of our affections and rule over our lives, pulling us away from the Lord. What are you idolizing? What would Paul see if he spent time with you? Would his spirit be (par-ox-oo’-no // παροξύνω)? Would it be provoked? Would you even be willing to hear what he has to say? Are you willing to listen to what God has to say?

Perhaps in Houston, at the southern tip of the Bible belt, we might be quick to say that Houstonians value spiritual capital; however, we can say the same thing about the Athenians. Let’s read what the Apostle Paul said to the Stoic and Epicurean philosophers at Mars Hill.

Acts 17:18-23 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.”

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.)

22 So Paul, standing before the council [at Mars Hill], addressed them as follows: “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 [idols].

The Stoics, Epicureans, and other Athenians, had spiritual capital… Paul recognized this and this is where he found common ground. He was able to find a common language. However grand the spiritual capital of the Athenians was, it was also false hope and a spirituality built on lies. The Greeks had several gods, approximately 20 of them. Gods for the sky (Zeus), war (Ares), love (Aphrodite), arts (Apollo), sea (Poseidon), marriage (Hera), agriculture (Demeter), wisdom (Athena), good luck, and the list goes on.

While Houston doesn’t boast large statues and idols in its city centre that serve as objects of worship, we are a city with people who have spiritual capital invested in pious religiosity and empty spiritualism.

The reality is in the words of Jesus in Matthew 7: “21 “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. 22 On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ 23 But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’ - Matthew 7:21-23"

If we are careful to observe a prevailing spiritual worldview in our culture today, we can see that most people want to do good. We have a sense of responsibility to the world and to others. It’s hard for us to see the world falling apart around us and not do anything about it. We have a sense of moral obligation. On the surface, this doesn’t sound like a bad thing does it? It’s definitely a good thing and can be used as great leverage by God to accomplish his work.

The next characteristic of those in our culture is that in addition to doing good, they also want to be happy. Who doesn’t want to be happy? Yes, the Lord even wants us to be happy and flourish as His people. So far, we are 2 for 2. As Christians, we are called to serve others and be happy [happy, blessed, to be envied. (mak-ar’-ee-os) μακάριος // Beatitudes, Matthew 5].

The last characteristic of today’s generation in America is the concept that God exists… he is loving and kind… but he is also remote and not involved. This last part is both hopeful and sad. Does your spirit break for this? Are you provoked to action like Paul? Or maybe you also feel that God is distant and not involved? Is this true? How would this change your life if God didn’t care enough to be near to you? When we look around at our city, chances are that people search for significance and happiness a part from God, because he’s obviously far away so how can He even use me to do good or make me happy?

This cultural worldview last appeared in the 18th century during the Great Awakening… Christian Smith in his book Soul Searching, he identifies this prevalent worldview as: Moralistic Therapeutic Deism.

Houston culture is more like the Athenian Epicureans than we probably care to admit. This is who Paul addresses at Mars Hill. The Epicureans believed that "pleasure" is the greatest good, but the way to attain such pleasure is to live modestly and to gain knowledge of the workings of the world and the limits of one's desires. This led one to attain a state of tranquility and freedom from fear, as well as absence of bodily pain. We know as God’s children that true purpose, true freedom, true happiness, true pleasure, and endurance in pain is found in the creator…

So what now?

(1) THE FIRST THING I MADE MENTION TO THAT PAUL DID (vs.16) is that Paul was ACTIVE IN HIS WAITING. So do we ignore this false spiritualism or does our heart break for those who think God is absent and uninterested? Are we provoked like Paul? Are we (par-ox-oo’-no // παροξύνω) to be active in our family business of making disciples? Do we keep our eyes and ears open to people? Are we sensitive to the Lord’s direction? Or do we shut our eyes and hope the Lord will handle this? Because of our identity as God’s children we are given the responsibility of representing Him. We are called to extend the kingdom with authority and power. We are the people who bring rest, who bring hope, who bring happiness, who bring purpose and significance. We provide people the opportunity to rub shoulders with the kingdom of God. We bear the news that God is near and desires to be involved in everything we do.

(2) THE SECOND THING THAT PAUL DID WAS BECOME A GOOD ‘CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGIST.’ Do we love God enough to embrace the mission he’s called us to join him in… in drawing people to Himself so that they can be reconciled unto Him. So that they, too, can be truly happy and flourish in God’s oikos. And do we truly love people. Our neighbors. Do we love them enough to learn about them, to meet them where they are at, to find common ground? And then actually take a risk and invest in those the Lord has led to us.

(3) THE THIRD THING THAT PAUL EMBRACED WHEREEVER HE WENT WAS MAINTAINING A PREDICTABLE PATTERN. Remember that whenever he went to a new city, he headed straight for the synagogue and the market square. This was an intentional predictable pattern in Paul’s life and ministry that gave people access to his life. People knew where to find him and he made himself available. After debating with the Stoic and Epicurean philosophers, they extended him an invitation to join them in debate:

Acts 17:19 19 Then they took him to the high council of the city [Mars Hill]. “Come and tell us about this new teaching,” they said.

(Having predictable patterns in our life gives others the opportunity to enter into our own lives so that we can build solid relationships, build relational capital, so that we can begin to invest in others. Had the Apostle Paul not established his predictable patterns, his ministry would more than likely be unstable and unreproducible. Remember that Timothy and Silas were being discipled by Paul and were learning to imitate Paul and do what Paul did.

Do you have predictable patterns? Do people know when you’re available? Are you willing to make sacrifices in order to give people access to your life?

STORY: Tell story of Phelps journey of establishing predictable patterns. Happy Fatz. Relationships that have been built and vision that has become clear. Share also Antidote coffee… meeting Gregory and Chance.

Establishing predictable patterns can be difficult. It requires discipline, commitment, and a vision, and perhaps sacrificing other wants and desires. But the fruit that comes is well worth it. Solidarity, stability, new relationships, investment, trust all occur from predictability. Paul knew where to meet people and had he strayed from his pattern, he would not have been invite to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ at Mars Hill. Let’s read our final verse in Acts.

22 So Paul, standing before the council [Mars Hill], addressed them as follows: “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.

We have this same opportunity that Paul had. The opportunity to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ to our Moralistic Therapeutic Deist friends. They desire to do good, to be happy, and they are searching for who God really is.

They are looking for God:
inside themselves,
in the energy of the universe,
in the inspiration of Oprah,
in the pleasure of this world,
in escaping pain and finding inner peace.
They are looking for security in their finances and careers,
they are looking for worth in their physical appearance and ability,
they are looking for significance and answers in their intellect,
and they are looking for acceptance in relationships,
and they are hoping that God is real and actually interested in who they are and what they do.

WE ARE THE BEARERS OF GOOD NEWS. GOD HAS ADOPTED US TO BE HIS OWN CHILDREN. TO BE INHERITORS OF HIS KINGDOM. REPRESENTATIVES OF ALL THAT HE IS. WHEREVER YOU GO, YOU WILL HAVE AUTHORITY TO DO THE WORK OF JESUS.

BE ACTIVE IN YOUR WAITING.
BE GOOD CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGISTS.
ESTABLISH PREDICTABLE PATTERNS.

'I will give them a heart to know Me, for I am the LORD; and they will be My people, and I will be their God, for they will return to Me with their whole heart. Jeremiah 24:7