The Omaha guide., 1946-11-23
PAUL IN ATHENS AND CORINTl

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PAUL IN ATHENS AND CORINTll
LESSON TEXT-Acts 17:22-28a; 1sj
IA; l Corinthians 1:22-25.
MEMORY SELECTION - For othei
~foundation a 10 mar lay than thai j
iald, which IS Jesus Christi Corinthian.
3:I1.
history repeatsi itself, in spiritual
things as well as in secular events
The experiences of Paul at Athen,
and Corinth r peculiarly applicaI
Die to our day. for here he encoun
tered the very problems which faci
land have apparently stopped) TIL
church today. ,
Inc cities were not far apart il
miles, and they were both pagan, bu.
they differed widely in their cul;
tural and commercial development
Athens was the home of a coolest
culture. Corinth was a prosperout
commercial center known through
out the world for grossly licentiou.
living.
What did the gospel accomplish
In such cities? We shall soon see.
1. Goddess intellectually Meet,
the Gospel Acts 1"7:22-28a).
Paul vas alone in Athens. HI
had been separated from his com,
panions Silas and Timothy CActs III
I'D, and was to await them at Ath,,
ems. While he waited he looked Il |
city over and found it wholly giveI
to idolatry ". 16). This was nd
idle observation of a scientific mind!
for it caused Paul's spirit to still
in him.
1t is a bad sign when a pro,
fessed Christian can live in the pres.
ence of sin and false worship and
not be deeply moved by it.
Paul did something about it! He
went into the great daily gatherings
OF philosophers and gave them some
solid Christian philosophy to work
on. They were curious to know
more, and when the opportunity
arose, Paul preached the sermon or
Mars Hill.
He found them superstitiously re
hgious, but religion does not save,
They even feared lest they had for!
gotten some god, so one altar was
Ito the unknown God" ". 23). This
gave Paul his opportunity, for he
declared the one true God-unknown
to them-as the answer to their
question.
The intellectual felt superior and
had an idea that God needed him,
a kind of snobbery which is as cur.
rent in 1916 as it was in Paul's day.
How effectively he disposed Of that
attitude appears in verses "a and Is.
They needed God. and without hin
they could not draw a BREATH
Moreover, the pagan intellectual
then as now would swell with pride
as he thought Of the race and people
to whom he belonged. They were
superior = a master race. Pau
declares Gods truth that all mer
are Of one blood, and that the ma
tons are in his hands ". 26).
What they had to do, and wha'
the goddess fntellectuals of our day
need to do. is to seek God in humble
repentance and faith: then lives car
become fine and noble and usefu
wv. n, 32-34).
III. Sophisticated Immoralit,
Meets the Gospel (Acts 1910.
! To Corinth Paul came (evidentl,
still alone) without friends or funds
Like all wen-bred Jewish boys, b,
knew a trade. He was a sail max
er and tent maker. Rather thar
have the ungodly men of Corinti
hinder his preaching by the crit
cism Mat he was doing it for mon
ey, he supported himself.
The minister who Is eager for ricf
financial return, and who is willing
to accept the gifts of the ungodiy
that his work may prosper, ha!
closed the door for his testimony Il
many who do not believe. In fact
one wonders whether he has any
real testimony to give.
In this wicked city, given over K
vice and Aeshly pleasure, Pau
made his way to the synagogue anC
began to preach Christ. He rea
soned and persuaded and won some
for the Lord as he continued will
them for a year and a half CActI
IBID.
Paul's letter to the Corinthian.
reveals the struggle Of the believer
at Corinfh to maintain moral stand
ards and spiritual warmth in such
city. but it also clearly indicate!
that the gospel of Christ is 9Th,
power Of God unto salvation to ev
eryone that believeth" (Rom. 1:16)
even III the midst Of sin and cor
raption.
III. The Gospel Meets Sin-and L
Victorious Il. Cor. 1:22-26.
The wisdom of this world-fo.
which Athens stood in a special wa,
becomes foolish in the eyes Q
men, as it is already in the sigh
Of God. when it stands up agains
he gospel read Wv. 18-21).
The preaching of the cross, which
iooks foolish to the wording ". 81
5 the wisdom and the power Of GOD
md by it men are saved.
Whether Jew or Gentle, whethe.
seeking signs or wisdom, whette.
'up-and-out' by way of pagan
ltellectualism or ''down-aad-ou:'
y way Of immorality-no matte.
hat mans race, or his problem
le answer is in the gospel whici
2 are privileged to seaca ant
reach, for it is ne gospel O
hrist The power of God and til.
.-dom Of God" % all who arr
I'd b. hin.