1. Come let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the Lord our God, our Maker - - Psalm 95:6

3. Athens (Parthenon atop the Acropolis)

4. The Market Place of Gods and Ideas Acts 17:16-23

6. Asia Mysia Bithynia Antioch Galatia Philippi Thessalonica Corinth Ephesus Jerusalem

7. The Market Place of Gods and Ideas Acts 17:16-23

8. Mercury Zeus Mars

9. Athena

10. “It is easier to find a god than a man in Athens.” Peterronius

11. “…greatly distressed…” vs. 16 “…his spirit was being provoked within him.” (NASB) “agitated” “stirred up” …continuously…

12. Hermeneutics How to draw the meaning out of Scripture Genre – “kind” Context – where and when Use of language – determined by context 66 books, 40 authors, 1500 years How God redeems a people for Himself

13. Five tools to help us A Bible dictionary A good commentary Biblehub.com Gotquestions.org A study Bible A concordance (Strong’s)

17. Epicureans Founder: Epicurus 342-270 B.C. (Athens) Pleasure is the highest good: freedom from pain and trouble. Believed in the “gods”, but the gods were uninterested. Everything made of atoms (neither created nor destroyed). Once the body dies, the soul dies (no afterlife). Don’t fear god, Don’t worry about death; What is good is easy to get, What is terrible is easy to endure.

20. Stoics Founder: Zeno 340- 265 B.C. Use of self-control to overcome destructive emotions. The universe is a material which has “reason” - The universe is "god", and "god" is the universe. Pantheism (Hindu) Must live by reason and nature’s laws to attain peace. No afterlife for the soul. Met at a “porch” in the Agora, known as a “Stoa” = “Stoic”

21. In common…. No Creator No God who relates personally with people No afterlife No final judgment Something is “wrong” with man – how can we fix it?

22. “…babbler…” vs. 18 “seed picker” People who picked and pecked at the latest news and ideas

23. “…resurrection…” vs. 18 “Anastasia” A girl’s name – where we get “Stacy”

24. Areopagus “Mars Hill” Could be a place and/or a council Heard matters of religion

25. Common ground

26. In common between Epicureans and Stoics…. No Creator No God who relates personally with people No afterlife No final judgment Something is “wrong” with man – how can we fix it?

27. To relate to those around us: We need to know our “audience” -

28. To relate to those around us: We need to know our “audience” - Befriending – know others as real people

29. To relate to those around us: We need to know our “audience” - Befriending – know others as real people Listening…

30. To relate to those around us: We need to know our “audience” - Befriending – know others as real people Listening… Do some research…

31. To relate to those around us: We need to know our “audience” - Befriending – know others as real people Listening… Do some research… Average man/woman: Naturalism – No Creator No God who personally relates to us No afterlife No final judgment Something is “wrong” – how can we fix it?

32. To relate to those around us: Find a point of contact: Health… Dying… Raising children… Workplace (Proverbs) Worry… Our testimony…

33. To relate to those around us: Find a point of contact: Health… Dying… Raising children… Workplace (Proverbs) Worry… Our testimony… "There are as many different ways to share our faith as there are people."

35. Lord… …does it truly disturb me that You are not loved and feared as You should? …is there someone I need to be spending more time with? …in what ways can I be a better listener? Lord, give me wisdom, courage, and love to speak up where I can….

36. Come let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the Lord our God, our Maker - - Psalm 95:6