Steven A. Bush - September 25, 2022
Mars Hill vs Mt. Calvary
After doing jail time in Philippi, the Apostle Paul eventually makes his way to Thessalonica and Berea. Chased out of those two cities, he finds himself waiting on his colleagues in idol-infested Athens. After sharing about Christ in the synagogue and marketplace, two groups of philosophers invite him to address them at the Areopagus, also known as Mars Hill. In Acts 17:21-23 Luke gives us this picture: "Now all the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there would spend their time in nothing except telling or hearing something new. So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription, ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you." (ESV) Paul continues by tactfully presenting the Gospel. When he gets to the part about Jesus' resurrection from the dead, the philosophers balk, canceling the rest of Paul's message. Other than a handful of folks, Athens rejects the Gospel. The deities once worshiped on Mars Hill have all gone the way of the dinosaur but the Gospel continues to be preached worldwide. Many we know and love have pitched their tents on their own version of Mars Hill. But there's a better hill--it's called Mt. Calvary. There, Jesus bled and died for our sins to make us His own and this forevermore. Upon which hill have you pitched your tent? It truly does mater...
Scripture References: Acts 17:16-34, Acts 18:1, 1 Corinthians 10:20, Hebrews 9:27-28