2. What would you do if you were alone, in a foreign city, surrounded by Buddhists, Hindus, & Jews

3. Paul in Athens: Our efforts will be frustrated  Isolated & outnumbered  Mocked & ridiculed  Few good hearts

5. Paul faced persecution everywhere  Philippi, Acts 16:22-24  Thessalonica, Acts 17:5  Berea, Acts 17:13-15

6. Athens was filled with idolatry, Acts 17:16  Human wisdom  Advanced in art & poetry  Immoral

7. Paul was provoked in his spirit, Acts 17:16-21  Reasoned with the people In religious assemblies Outside religious assemblies Of different beliefs

8. Paul was provoked in his spirit, Acts 17:16-21  Viewed with contempt & curiosity Proclaimer of foreign gods New doctrine Strange things

9. Lessons to learn  The gospel is distinct from doctrines of men, 1 Cor. 1:20, 21  Some people willing to hear the “new” thing …only for a while, Jn. 6:66

10. Paul addressed the need of the audience, Acts 17:22, 23  Very religious: lost  Worshiped w/o knowing: ignorance  Needed true knowledge

11. Paul addressed the need of the audience, Acts 17:22, 23  Address the needs of the listeners Believers in Jesus ⁃ Plan of salvation, Acts 2:38 ⁃ Church, Eph. 4:4

12. Paul addressed the need of the audience, Acts 17:22, 23  Address the needs of the listeners Atheists, skeptics ⁃ God’s existence, Heb. 3:4 ⁃ Inspiration of the Bible, 1 Cor. 2:10-13

13. Paul preached the one true God, Acts 17:24-29  Made the world, Gen. 1:1  Does not dwell in temples  Does not need us, Ex. 3:14  Controls all nations, Dan. 4:25  Supernatural

14. Men tend to “make” God in their own image  Church of your choice  God accepts homosexuals  God wants me to be happy

15. Paul commands the audience to repent, Acts 17:30, 31  Times of ignorance God overlooked Gentiles rejected God, Rom. 1:18-21 God left them in ignorance, Rom. 1:22-26 Accountable for sins, Jude 6, 7 Now evangelized

16. Paul commands the audience to repent, Acts 17:30, 31  Judgment coming In righteousness By Christ, Jn. 12:48 Resurrection – proof

17. Some mocked Paul’s preaching, Acts 17:31  Resurrection too much  Some will mock us One church Baptism Modesty

18. Others interested to know more, Acts 17:32-34  Hear more lessons  Few converted

19. Were Paul’s efforts a failure or success?  Few converted  Truth taught  Success!