The sixth sermon in the book of Acts: Acts 17:16-34 (specifically Acts 17:22-31)
Setting: In Athens, a meeting at the Areopagus
Speaker: Paul
Audience: The people of Athens (non-Jews)
Preceding Events: The Epicurean and Stoic philosophers, who were debating with Paul about his teaching, took him to a meeting at the Areopagus.
Overall Theme: We are offspring of the creator-God.
Scripture Quoted: Paul did not quote from the Old Testament, but did reference philosophers with whom the audience would be familiar.
Central Teaching: God wants everyone to repent (that is, to turn from their current ways of doing things and follow him).
Subsequent Events: Some sneered at his teaching, while others wanted to hear more, and some believed.
Key Lesson: The message of Jesus can be offensive to some (see Jeremiah 6:10).
A lifelong student of the Bible, Peter DeHaan, PhD, wrote the 1,000-page website ABibleADay.com to encourage people to explore the Bible. His main blog and many books urge Christians to push past the status quo and reconsider how they practice their faith in every area of their lives.
