Congregational Bible Experience Day #39: Acts 16-18

These chapters are rich in detail regarding the geographical expansion of the Gospel ministry and of Paul's strategies in reaching different types of people groups with that Gospel.  Moving forward as they believe God is sovereignly leading  and directing them (16:6,7,8-10), Paul and those with him (including the author Luke himself, note the "we" in 16:11) spend increasing amounts of time in each new city they visit (16:12; 17:2; 18:11 - see also 19:8,10) possibly because there was less opposition in these places and probably because the new Gentile converts needed more teaching and grounding in their new faith.  Throughout his journeys, Luke notes how Paul communicated with his Jewish and Gentile audiences: "he reasoned from the scriptures, explaining and proving…, proclaiming… persuading" (17:2-4; 18:4-5). For all modern man's objection to 'preaching' as a legitimate and effective means of spreading the Gospel (even from those within the Church), it was to this that Paul "devoted himself exclusively" in his evangelistic outreach (18:5).

In Luke's travelogue, among those we encounter are Lydia, the first convert in continental Europe (16:14), whose heart the Lord had opened to receive Paul's message; the Philippian jailer, whose heart is made receptive to the Gospel by the extraordinary events that took place in the prison that night (16:30); we read of the "noble Bereans" (17:11-12) who, every day, carefully tested what Paul was preaching against the authoritative scriptures; and the gifted Apollos (18:24-28), whose potential usefulness in authentic Gospel ministry was enhanced by the personal instruction and encouragement given by Aquila and Priscilla (see 1 Corinthians 3:1-9 for a sense of the impact Apollos was to have in people's lives for Lord), in much the same way that Paul had been helpful to them (18:2-3).

In Acts 17 Luke records for us Paul's sermon to pagan Gentile culture, perhaps typical of what he said in similar cities during his missionary journeys. The philosophies and ideas that emerged in Athens 2,000 and more years ago, continue to dominate our own Western understanding of democracy, theatre, architecture and philosophy. Having taken time to observe what was going on in Athens (v23) , Paul was able to communicate to them on their terms.  When he was criticising the religious idolatry of Athens, Paul was criticising the best of the West.  Unlike present-day tourists who are still in awe of the magnificence of the buildings, Paul is not at all impressed. His critique is startling:  despite all their religious temples and idols, these intelligent people are ignorant of the one true God who has made all things (v23-24), sustains all things with His loving Fatherly care (v25), who now call everyone to repent and turn to Him, for He has appointed Jesus as the final Judge by raising Him from the dead (v30-31).  It's the message 21st Century pagans still need to hear.