Rev. David Vandercook, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in North Little Rock, AR and Shepherd of Peace Lutheran Church in Maumelle, AR, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Acts 17:16-34.
The gross idolatry in Athens distressed Paul, yet he was undeterred from preaching the Gospel there both in the synagogue and in the marketplace. His preaching of Jesus and the resurrection caught the attention of the philosophers in Athens, who desired to hear more from Paul. The apostle went to the Areopagus to address the people of Athens there. In his sermon, Paul redirects their religiosity toward idols toward the true God. Paul clearly proclaims the true God as the Creator of all things. The people should have been able to recognize Him from creation, and they had discovered things about Him in part, but their ignorance remained. Paul proclaims that the time of ignorance has come to an end and repentance is needed ahead of the judgment God will bring through Jesus, who has been raised from the dead. The resurrection proves troublesome to many, though others want to hear more and some are brought to faith in Jesus.
“To the End of the Earth” is a mini-series on Sharper Iron that goes through the book of Acts. In his second volume, St. Luke records all the things that Jesus continued to do through the ministry of His Church. By the end of the book, the proclamation of the Lord’s Word that began in Jerusalem grows all the way to Rome. By God’s grace, even now, that same Word is proclaimed to us.
