A Recap from Sunday’s Sermon 

Preaching Text: Acts 17:16-34

Paul walks alone through the streets of Athens, one of the greatest cultural centers for art, architecture, politics, and philosophy in the ancient world.  Instead of being enamored, he saw the city with missionary eyes, and recognized it was "under" idols (v. 16).  He felt with a missionary heart a great burden for the people who were misled by these idols, as well as a zeal for God's glory for God alone to be worshipped (v. 16).  Then he spoke with a missionary voice by "reasoning" with the Athenians in a culturally appropriate way (v. 17-21), which opened a door to share the Gospel at the Areopagus (the cultural stage of the city; v. 22-34).  How can we have a "missionary encounter" with the people who don't know Jesus where we live (neighbors), work (co-workers), and play (hobbies, etc)?  

Pick one of these places of influence (live/work/play), identify a few people, and ask God to give you:

1. Missionary eyes to see their cultural idols
2. Missionary hearts that break for them and burn for God alone to be glorified
3. Missionary voices to fearlessly share Jesus in culturally appropriate ways

Take It Home:

See this attachment that gets you interacting with Paul's culturally relevant sermon at Mars Hill and gets you praying for those in your life who need Jesus.

Ask at Home:

What are the predominate idols (material or mental) of our culture in our city?  How do the desires of these idols find their ultimate satisfaction in our relationship with God?