SUNDAY September 3, 2023
A Place of Idolatry
Therefore many of them believed, and also not a few of the Greeks, prominent women as well as men. But when the Jews from Thessalonica learned that the word of God was preached by Paul at Berea, they came there also and stirred up the crowds. Then immediately the brethren sent Paul away, to go to the sea; but both Silas and Timothy remained there. So those who conducted Paul brought him to Athens; and receiving a command for Silas and Timothy to come to him with all speed, they departed.
Acts 17:12-15
After hearing Paul, many men and women in Berea accepted Christ. They searched for the truth and found Him! However, it was not long before word came to the Jews in Thessalonica that Paul and Silas were preaching the Gospel in Berea. Once again, persecution came. Irritate Jews made the journey to the city to stir up crowds. They hated the Gospel and abhorred Jesus, so they set out to cause trouble.
Then the brethren had to, once more, send Paul away. He went alone across the beautiful Aegean Sea, an elongated embayment of the Mediterranean to Athens. While he waited for Silas and Timothy to join him, he became stirred in his spirit by the things he saw and heard.
Have you ever been to a place where you have observed so much sin that your heart was grieved? As the Lord begins to speak to you by His Holy Spirit, you find yourself saying, “The Gospel really needs to be preached in this place.” This was what Paul felt, and he decided to do something about it.
Paul knew there was a lot of prostitution, idolatry and philosophy. The entire city was covered in idols. In Athens, the people worshiped every kind of god you could ever imagine. They had gods of gold, silver, marble, stone and wood. The people were so religious and philosophical.
Every one of us should be deeply grieved in our spirit when we see people trapped in vain idolatry in our world today. People are perishing without God. May the Lord speak to our hearts to reach them for Christ.
We make a god out of whatever we find most joy in. So find your joy in God and be done with all idolatry.
~John Piper~
For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!
