Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1925-10-01
IMPROVED UNIFORM INTERNATIONAL
Sitr1doySclool
' Lesson Y
(Ry REV. r. b. FITZWATER, ID. Dean
Of the Evening School, Moody Bible In
stitute of Chicago,)
o. 1925. Western Newspaper Union)
Lesson for October A
PAUL IN ATHENS

LESSON TEXT-Acts 17:16-34.
GOLDESN TEXT-"F'or Him we live.
and move, and have our being. Acts
1928.
PRIMARY TOPIC-Paul Tells the
People About God
JUNIOR rOPiC-Paul breaches on
Mars Hill
INTERMEDIARY AND SENIOR TOP
IC-God the Father of All Mankind.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOP
IC-True and False Ideas of God.
!. The Idolatry of the Athenlans
". 16).
Athens was the intellectual metropo-
lis of the world at that time, the home
of the worlds greatest eloquence and
philosophy. PauIs spirit was stirred
within him when he saw the city
wholly given to idoatry.
II. Paul Dsputine With the Athe-
mans wv. 17-2D.
/. In the Synagogue ". l7a.
True to his usual custom, he went
into the Jewish synagogue and en-
tered into earnest argument with the
Jews and deyout persons
q In the Market Place wv. 17b-2D.
From the Jews he turned to such
as were found in the market place.
Here he came into touch with the Epi-
j curean and Stole philosophers. The
former were atheistic materiaists.
They denied the doctrine of creation,
and gave themselves up TO sensual in
dulgences since they rejected the idea
of future judgment. The latter were
pantheists. When they heard the
preaching of Paul they desired to
know what new doctrine he preached
so they invited him to the Areopagus
where he might speak to them of his
new doctrine They inquired as to
what this 'sbabbler" might say. Since
the Athenians spent their whole time
either - ceiling or hearing some new
th;ne. they were willing to listen to
Paul The word, "bahber' means, lit
orally, "seed picker They conceived
Paul to be globe-trotter who had
gathered up seeds Of truth here and
there over the world. and that he
was somewhat like themselves inter-
ested in talking about that which he
knew.
III. Paul's Address on Mars Hill
wv. 22-31).
1. The Introduction wv. 2223).
| He did not accuse them of super
! stition, but as in the Revised Version,
/ he introduces his discourse in cour-
4 teous and concliatory manner. stating
that he perceived that they We're very
religious. This he explains by saying
that as he was viewing their city
he beheld an altar with an inscription
| to the unknown god. This was his
point of contact. He proceeded at
once to connect it with the idea of
the living God, implying that this al
! tar had been erected to Him.
2. The Body Of His Discourse wv.
24-3D.
4 60 A Declaration Concerning God
". 24-25).
/ a. He created the material universe
/. ". 24) This was a direct blow at
the philosophy of both the Epicureans
and the Stoics
| b. His Spirituality and immensely
wv. 24-25).
He is not worshiped with mems
, hands as though He needs anything,
neither is He confined by any sort
Of religious temple. Being essen
TALLY spiritual, He demands heart SER
I vice, and being transcendent, above
all, He is not confined to earthly tenn
pies.
c. His Active Providence ". 25).
He gives existenco bestows needed
gifts, and as sovereign, directs all
things.
(2) A Declaration Concerning Man
\ WV 26-3D.
a. This was a blow at the foolish
Athenian pride which supposed that
they were superior to all other people.
This proposition he proved from their
own literature ". 2S).
b. Nations have their place by the
sovereign purpose of God ". 26)
c. Men Should Seek God (v. 2O.
/ His goodness and grace in supply
ing all our needs, and ordering that
even the affairs of the nations should
move men to see and seek God.
d. The Pressing Obligation to Re
pent wv. 30-3D
This was his supreme message.
w. Results of PauI's Preaching
(vv 32-34).
1. Some Mocked ". 32).
This is even the case today Mer
and women will mock the preacher
who breaches Judgment to come.
2. Some Procrastinated ". 32).
Many do not mock but they hesitate
to accept and act upon the urgency
Of the message.
3. Some Believed ". 34).
Wherever the gospel is preached
there are some who believe and are
saved.
AS Men Succeed
Men succeed in proportion TO the fix
I atv of their views and the inVincibility