Daily Lesson for Wednesday 6th of December 2023

Now that Paul had the attention of the thinkers in Athens, he turned his audience to the God of heaven.

For a people who cared enough about spiritual things to build an altar to an unknown god, Paul’s words were intriguing: a Creator God who does not live in a temple needs nothing from humans, but instead supplies human needs. For a culture steeped in Greek mythology—in which the gods were unpredictable, self-centered, and cruel—the idea of a God like the one Paul described was a wonderfully intriguing thought. And the men of the Areopagus took their first baby steps toward a God of love.

The fact is that this God, whom they did not know, could be known! Indeed, He wants to be known, as well.

Paul probably spoke longer at the Areopagus than just the few words Luke shared in this story. It seems reasonable for the sake of space that Luke just summarized Paul’s speech. If that is true, then each of the concepts we have read so far Paul probably fleshed out in more detail. Then we break down Paul’s speech into concepts:

1. Paul first complimented their current spiritual awareness and sincerity.

2. Next he showed that he had studied their belief and that he found some things that he respected from what he had learned.

3. He then told them about one particular thing that he had discovered in his study of their religion that they admitted they did not understand.

4. After that, he shared the aspect of God that he knew they desperately needed, which is the fact that God exists and that He loves them and is not far away.

5. Finally, at the end of his speech, Paul moved to warning them of what it means to reject the knowledge of this God they did not yet know.

Paul took them as far as he could, based on what he knew about what they believed. If he could get them that far, he was making good progress.

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Daily Lesson for Tuesday 5th of December 2023

Notice that Paul did not disparage the false religion or false gods of the Athenians. He gathered whatever points of good he could find, few as they were, and capitalized on them.

“ ‘People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious’ ” (Acts 17:22, NIV). Paul was complimenting pagans! Their religion was misguided in every way, and yet, Paul complimented their devotion.

Paul continued, “ ‘As I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship . . .’ ” (Acts 17:23, NIV). By describing his own study of the Athenian religion, Paul communicated a respectful attitude toward the people. He was not rushing in as a self-proclaimed expert with all the answers for how the people needed to change. In reality, he was, in fact, an expert and did, in fact, have the answers that these people needed! But he did not present himself that way, or else he would have been rejected outright. Instead, he was seen as someone who cared for the people and desired their good.

Commenting on the inscription, “TO THE UNKNOWN GOD” (Acts 17:23, NKJV), Paul took advantage of what could be seen as common ground. They believed in god (many, actually), which was a great start (some people back then didn’t believe) and could open the way to deeper conversation. He did not scoff at the negative idea of an altar to an unknown god. Instead, he appreciated and admired a people who cared enough about spiritual things to go to the effort and expense of worshiping something they didn’t even know, just in case they were missing something.

Were they misguided? Of course, but that could be addressed. What was important in the beginning was that they were devout in what they did understand. That, Paul recognized, was material the Holy Spirit could work with.

Paul had found a talking point that would pique their interest.

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Key Thought: By a tact born of Divine love, Paul drew their minds away from heathen deities by revealing the true God to them, who was to them, unknown. He avoided irritating his listeners.
December 9, 2023

A. Have a volunteer read Acts 17:18-21.

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point is in this passage.
2. What were some of the ways the pagans in the marketplace reacted to Paul’s speaking and questioning?
3. Personal Application: What kind of idols are people worshipping in your society, and how can you open their eyes to how useless it is? Share your thoughts..
4. d. Case Study: One of your relatives states, “Are the things that you are presenting to people centered on Christ? Is Jesus the center of all messages you are giving to your contacts?” How would you respond to your relative?

B. Have a volunteer read Acts 17:22,23.

1. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. What was Paul doing here in his attempt to reach them with the gospel?
3. Personal Application: What points of contact can you think of that would open opportunities for deeper conversation with others with whom you come in contact? Share your thoughts
4. Case Study: One of your friends states, “Don’t you think there are many, not only non-Christians, but also Christians that are too superstitious in many ways?” How would you respond to your friend?

C. Have a volunteer read Acts 17:24-27.

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. What approach did Paul take to attempt to reach these people?
3. Personal Application: Why is it important to find common ground with others in speaking of spiritual things? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of your neighbors states: “Why is it a good idea to point to nature and Creation to reach people about God? How does nature point to the existence and supremacy of God?” How would you respond to your relative?

D. Have a volunteer read Acts 17:24-34.

1. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. How does Paul continue his witness?
3. Personal Application: In prayer, ask for God’s help in knowing how best to witness to someone you know. Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: Think of one person who needs to hear a message from this week’s lesson. Tell the class what you plan to do this week to share with them.

(Truth that is not lived, that is not imparted, loses its life-giving power, its healing virtue. Its blessings can be retained only as it is shared.”Ministry of Healing, p. 148).

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“God’s Mission – My Mission” consistently points us to our Gracious God and how He wishes us to portray what He has done for us. In response we will reach out to others: 
Hymn 573 – I’ll Go Where You Want Me To Go, Dear Lord, hence our theme hymn. This is in response to 
So Send I You – Hymn 573.

With all that Paul had learned, he was on a mission to 
Go, Preach My Gospel – Hymn 378. In Areopagus he really was 
Seeking The Lost – Hymn 373 as in all places he travelled to in his preaching and teaching mission.

The people in Athens (Wednesday) would sing 
We Have Not Known Thee as we ought – Hymn 291.

Thursday and Friday are encouraging as we view the results of 
Faith Is The Victory – Hymn 608

So, dear people, be encouraged to go forward so that we and all our friends and neighbors will be rejoicing 
When We All Get To Heaven – Hymn 633.

To learn unknown hymns, you will find the accompaniment music for each one at: https://sdahymnals.com/Hymnal/

Another great resource is for when there is a hymn you wish to sing but can’t find it in your hymnal. Go to https://www.sdahymnal.org/Search and in the search bar type a special word in that is in the hymn. I am sure you will be amazed at the help you will be given.

 2 Timothy 2:15 KJV – “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

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Daily Lesson for Monday 4th of December 2023

No matter where he was, Paul, given his commission from God, was going to preach the gospel. So, that’s exactly what he sought to do in Athens.

Clearly, with his “foreign gods,” Paul made an impression on these people in the marketplace (Acts 17:18), and so they took him to the Areopagus, a part of the city where legal and religious matters were adjudicated, though it does not seem as if Paul was facing any kind of legal trial. It was just, it seemed, to give him and his “new doctrine” (Acts 17:19) a hearing. It would be hard to ignore someone of Paul’s eloquence, passion, and intelligence, even if he were promoting ideas that seemed very strange to these people.

Acts 17:21 says the Athenians did nothing but talk about and listen to the latest ideas. Was Luke accusing them of laziness? Probably not. More likely he was pointing out that they were experienced thinkers and debaters. After all, the Greeks produced such men as Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, philosophers whose influence has reached down to our day, as well. Athens for centuries had been seen as the center of intellectual and philosophical thought. Though some of these thinkers were not atheists, certainly not in the sense that we think of atheism today, many of their philosophical ideas were radically different from the teachings of Christianity. It’s hard, for example, to find a place in the philosophy of the Epicureans and Stoics for something like a resurrected Messiah.

In Athens, Paul had expected that the Holy Spirit could use his knowledge and oratorical skills, which he had gained in his education under Gamaliel. But in reality it was Paul’s education on the streets of Athens that the Holy Spirit was able to use even more. “The wisest of his hearers were astonished as they listened to his reasoning. He showed himself familiar with their works of art, their literature, and their religion.”—Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 237.

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