KEY SCRIPTURE: Acts 17:17 “Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him”.

Athens was given to idolatry, yet Apostle Paul faced the problem squarely. He did not turn away from reality. Many of us see so many wrong things going on, yet we do nothing about them. Success is seeing a need and taking steps to answer that need. Why do people refuse to engage in various issues that need to be corrected? Some feel they would disturb their own peace by getting involved in solving some of these problems. Others also think they may not be able to stand the opposition that may come against them. Others still feel or think these problems are there to stay, and nothing can be done about them. These notions are all fake. God can use very simple efforts of diligent people to achieve a lot. Remember, the Apostle Paul said in Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ, which strengthens me”. There is nothing impossible to the ability of the Spirit of God who lives in us. Please note that the Lord Jesus has commanded us to share the gospel with EVERY PERSON. This should be our understanding as we approach the task.

Please let’s consider the key scripture once again. Within the key scripture, we see the plan Paul devised to attack the issue:

1. He started with the Jews in the synagogue.

2. He was able to get the devout people (Gentiles) who went to the synagogue to learn.

3. He then visited the market daily, where he met the philosophers to discuss the gospel with them.

Apostle Paul is such a wonderful man. He was waiting for his men to arrive, yet went ahead to solve a problem that was at hand, for them to join him when they arrived.

When Paul engaged the Athenians at the marketplace, he encountered the following philosophers

I. Epicureans

II. Stoics

Who were the Epicureans? They were philosophers who believed that the world was not created by God. They also believed the gods did not provide any help to the human soul and did not believe in the immortality of the soul. They also held that pleasure is the chief good. Please consider how different these people are from today’s secular worldly person are? They are the same. Apostle Paul was not frightened about their beliefs but took pains to talk to them about Jesus. Please note that it is not how convincing one may sound that wins the lost, but how much we trust the Holy Spirit to communicate the truth to them.

Please understand that it is not the mind of man that the Spirit of God seeks to win, but the spirit. Be very clear in your presentations, yet communicate the gospel in faith, always trusting the Holy Spirit would speak to the spirit of this individual.

  PRAYER

Father, fill Christians with wisdom and grace to effectively communicate the gospel to the modern-day sophisticated sinner. As your children engage men in presenting the gospel, let them receive rhema words for every enquirer.

FURTHER STUDIES

1 Peter 3:15 “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear”:

Jeremiah 1:8 “Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the Lord.