In this lesson from Acts 17:16–21, Paul arrives in Athens, a city overflowing with idols, philosophy, and intellectual pride. Surrounded by temples and statues, Paul’s spirit is stirred—not only by the people’s religious hunger but also by their emptiness. Instead of shrinking back, he sees this as a divine opportunity to proclaim the gospel. Athens was both intuitively religious—crammed with gods of every kind—and intellectually curious, eager to debate new ideas without necessarily embracing them. Paul engaged Jews in the synagogue and philosophers in the marketplace, boldly presenting Jesus and the resurrection. The Epicureans dismissed life as meaningless pursuit of pleasure, while the Stoics pursued apathetic detachment; both worldviews mirror philosophies still alive today. Yet Paul revealed a radically different message: a God who loves, sacrifices, and raises the dead. This moment, leading him to the Areopagus on Mars Hill, was no accident—it was a divine appointment orchestrated by God. The lesson challenges believers to see their everyday encounters as God-arranged opportunities to introduce others to the living Christ.
Divine Appointments
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