00:00 Introduction

01:06 Small Group Friendsgiving

02:59 Paul's Journey and Evangelism

05:11 Persecution and Impact in Thessalonica

07:58 Noble Bereans and Their Reception

10:50 Paul in Athens and the Unknown God

14:20 Call to Repentance and Conclusion

Hey everybody.

2

Welcome back to another edition

of the daily Bible podcast.

3

Uh, happy national cake day to you and to

everyone who celebrates national cake day.

4

That's right.

5

November 20th.

6

Did you not know this?

7

I didn't know.

8

This November 26th is national cake day.

9

I feel unprepared.

10

I don't think I have a cake ready.

11

Well, there's not too late to.

12

To leave and go get one.

13

That's true.

14

Maybe we should bring one in for the

office and just go and celebrate together.

15

We should do that.

16

That would be great.

17

Yeah.

18

I mean, that's bold that

close to Thanksgiving.

19

Okay.

20

Gig doesn't kick doesn't care.

21

It's going to be just going to show up.

22

And I think people are okay with that.

23

Your favorite cake?

24

Pesaro.

25

Ah, Uh, cheesecake, maybe carrot

cake, cheesecake chocolate cake.

26

I like a lot of cake.

27

It's hard to, it's hard

to narrow that down.

28

Yeah.

29

I like the nothing Bundt cakes.

30

Oh, those are good.

31

Those are super good beans.

32

We know what we have.

33

Oh, that's not a Bundt cake place.

34

That's the, uh, the crumble.

35

That's not the cake place.

36

Nevermind.

37

There isn't nothing Bundt cakes though.

38

Over here in prosper.

39

Not far from, from where

we're at and that's true.

40

Yep.

41

And we might need to celebrate.

42

We might need to honor the

Lord and honor the holidays.

43

The more and more I'm hearing

us talk about this the more and

44

more, I think that's a good idea.

45

Yeah.

46

Yeah.

47

We can eat cake for the glory of God.

48

That's right.

49

Yeah.

50

Yeah.

51

Wow.

52

That's a national cake day.

53

There it is.

54

We have our small group.

55

Uh, friends giving tonight.

56

I'm speaking a pork shoulder for that.

57

I'm glad you finished

that sentence quickly.

58

The pork shoulder I'm smoking.

59

Yep.

60

Yeah.

61

Yeah.

62

Yeah, good.

63

That's except we had ours

a couple of weeks ago.

64

Yeah, we got it.

65

We got an early start overachievers, ours.

66

This is delicious.

67

Oh, we want to just make sure

that beat everyone's schedule.

68

So that's fair.

69

Yeah.

70

And it worked.

71

It was great.

72

Yeah.

73

Yeah.

74

Well, just like the pilgrims of

old I'm firing up the trigger and

75

throwing a pork shoulder on there.

76

How did the pork shoulder get to names?

77

I don't know cause it's pork butt too.

78

Right.

79

It's parked, but, and it shows how

can you have a butt and a shoulder?

80

The same thing.

81

I don't know, I don't get that.

82

And I don't know who the first

one was like, you know what?

83

I know it's the shoulder, but

we should call it the button.

84

Yeah, Texas man, probably

someone here pro.

85

My guess.

86

Yeah, by the way it tender.

87

I mean, I feel like, so here's the

thing I'm learning more and more.

88

If it's brisket, I'm going to Hutchins.

89

Well, if it's, if it's brisket in somebody

else's paying, I'm going to Hutchins.

90

That's right.

91

If it's pork, I feel like

tenders got the edge tenders.

92

Good with their pork.

93

Yeah.

94

Uh, they, they are they're really good.

95

I can't recall comparing, I don't think

I've ever had the pork from, I don't think

96

I've ever had the port from Hutchins.

97

Yeah, I think I always get the

brisket, so I'm not sure I've tried it.

98

I used.

99

I'd have to do a taste

test and compare the two.

100

Yeah, I just know tenders

ribs are super good.

101

They are excellent.

102

They do a good job, man, but

Hutchins a beef rib is who.

103

It is to die for.

104

Yeah.

105

Yeah.

106

I haven't experienced that.

107

The brisket I have.

108

Yeah, no, I've heard good

things about the beef though.

109

Well, thanks to Dan.

110

I've had two ribs from Hutchins

and each time was magical.

111

Yeah.

112

And, and did you know that

Steven Liddell lives next door

113

to the, the owner of tender?

114

I did not know that.

115

Yeah.

116

What have we received any benefit

from that relationship at all?

117

He tells me he's working on

trying to get him to our church.

118

C'mon Steven.

119

Yeah.

120

Come on man.

121

A little bit harder, man.

122

Try on.

123

Yeah, do better.

124

That'd be great because we

would love to have him there.

125

Um, For fellowship purposes, that's it.

126

That's all we want is fellowship.

127

Just fellowship with him.

128

That's it.

129

Yeah.

130

Anyways, happy cake to everybody.

131

I'm glad pastor, rod, that you

brought that to our attention.

132

And, uh, if you celebrate,

celebrate, well, eat a lot

133

of cake for it to the Gloria.

134

Yeah.

135

Acts 17 one chapter today.

136

One chapter.

137

Now, pastor, rod, I heard you

practicing the names of these cities.

138

Um, before we, we started this.

139

Confident.

140

So and Apollonia.

141

Okay.

142

The Apollonia I felt better about

and if they didn't feel right.

143

Yeah.

144

The Polis also didn't feel right.

145

I was going to have it play

the voice again for me, so it

146

can read it cause I'm sure.

147

The guy says it differently

than, than we do, right.

148

There it is.

149

I hear it.

150

Throughout the bliss Apollonia.

151

Oh yeah, he does it that way in Fidelis.

152

Okay.

153

So we're going to go with that

and Fidelis city of Macedonia.

154

Okay.

155

So remember the Macedonian

vision of acts chapter 16.

156

We left off there that

they were in Philippines.

157

So they're still in that area.

158

Um, and so they're, they're

passing through this town.

159

There's nothing much more

remarkable about that.

160

Other than to note that it's,

it's still part of that same

161

region where we find Philippi.

162

Uh, so they're leaving Philippi in there.

163

They're jurying to another city

that we know from the Bible, because

164

we know the letter from that bears

his name, and that is Desola Nika.

165

Um, Which today I believe

is desolate Niki in Greece.

166

I think it's still there.

167

I think you can go and visit, visit

even some of the ruins and things.

168

Uh, but this is the next step.

169

And Paul shows up and he

goes to the synagogue.

170

And I just think this is really

informative and helpful for us as we

171

think about our role as evangelists,

because that's all of us, whether or

172

not you have the gift of evangelism.

173

That's a different conversation, but all

of us are called to be evangelists in the

174

sense of sharing the gospel because all

of us are part of the great commission.

175

And I love what Paul does here.

176

He goes into the synagogue and he reasons

with them, from the scriptures explaining

177

and proving that it was necessary for the

Christ to suffer and Raj from the dead.

178

And as a result, some people from

this area believe they repent and they

179

believe in that they're persuaded.

180

It says in the text

there by Paul to believe.

181

And I love that because it's

just that reminder to us.

182

I was talking with somebody recently about

this, that though we would say, yeah.

183

Second Corinthians five

would agree with this though.

184

We would say that God is the one that,

that is sovereign over, you know, who is,

185

and who is not going to respond in faith.

186

We don't know.

187

And so Paul's going to try to persuade.

188

He's going to reason with them.

189

He's going to try to prove to them.

190

The hate Jesus is worth following.

191

And I think that's beneficial for

us as, as evangelists to think

192

about with our neighbors and our

family, that, that we have a call

193

to, to do the same thing with them.

194

Verses five through nine then.

195

Um, We find a pattern kind of emerging

here and it's, it's not a good pattern.

196

Uh, that, that after Paul hangs out in

a place for a period of time and begins

197

to persuade some and see some come to

faith in Christ, a persecution comes.

198

And so persecution seems to come like

clockwork, following Paul, wherever he is.

199

And so here.

200

Uh, they, they find out where they

were staying the, the, the Jews that

201

is find out where Paul was staying

and, uh, they ended up seizing the

202

host, whose name is Jason, we learned.

203

And.

204

Basically, they force him to pay them.

205

And, and this is an

interesting interchange here.

206

It seems like this is bond money

that they're taking from Jason

207

and saying, Hey, you need to make

sure that he gets out of our area.

208

And if he doesn't, then you're going to

forfeit the money that was taken from you.

209

At least that's, that's the

understanding that I came across on this.

210

Uh, and so they, they see him, they say,

Hey look, you, you need to kick them out

211

and we're going to take money from you.

212

And if you don't kick them out,

then we're going to have a problem.

213

And you're not going to get your

money back here and notice it's the

214

reason why they want them gone is

they described them as the men who

215

have turned the world upside down.

216

What a cool idea that is pastor, rod, some

thoughts on, on that level of impact that

217

they're having there with with the gospel.

218

I think we should aim for that.

219

I think that's such a cool description.

220

I would love for people to

say that about our church.

221

Man this church ever since they came here,

they're turning the world upside down.

222

And certainly part of the reason

is that their, their values were.

223

Or, uh, or very different we're

so contrasted to the world at the

224

time that for them to influence

their culture would have radically

225

undermined what they previously knew.

226

And that would have been exactly

what the gospel is supposed to do.

227

And I think that's really the point.

228

If we're going to do what Jesus says that

we're supposed to do, if we're going to

229

live the way he says that we're supposed

to live, then we're going to have a really

230

interesting impact on the world, around

us, such that people would be able to say,

231

man, you're turning the world upside down.

232

Jesus and other places

calls us salt light.

233

Which is impossible not to detect, right?

234

You, you can't salt a food and

not notice the flavor enhancement.

235

You can't have light in a dark place

and not notice the light in that place.

236

And so I hope that our

church aims for this.

237

I want this, I yearn

for something like this.

238

Uh, that's what we should be aspiring for.

239

And we should not quit until

people start to say, man, that

240

church they're on the move, they're

turning the world upside down.

241

What a cool thing that would

be love that love that.

242

Absolutely.

243

Uh, good, good element there in,

in part of our vision, we want to

244

be a, a church that exalts Christ

equips the church and engages the

245

culture, engages the world that we

want to take the gospel and we want.

246

Our world around us, the culture around

us to, to be different because we're here.

247

Uh, and, and to take note

of the fact that, Hey, we're

248

here and we've got the gospel.

249

Well, the people here in

decile and I could the Jews.

250

They didn't like this.

251

And it's interesting to know in the

text here, and this is going to factor

252

into where we're going to go from

here, which is Berea, which is next.

253

Um, that initially here, it says that a

great many of the devout Greeks and not

254

a few of the leading women believed it

says, and some of the Jews were persuaded.

255

So the great many are the Gentiles,

uh, in, in, through the ones that

256

are really responding here in Desola.

257

And I get to Paul's message

in Silas's message here.

258

Um, but, but not as many of the Jews are.

259

So Paul is forced to leave there and

he's going to go down to now Berea.

260

And so they send them away and

they come to this new region.

261

That's, that's known as Berea here

and again, they arrive there and they

262

go first to the Jewish synagogue.

263

So Paul is still pursuing his kinsmen.

264

I think when we get to Romans, we're

going to see Paul say, Hey, you know what?

265

I love my brothers in the flesh.

266

So much the Jews so much that I wish

that I were a cursed, that all of

267

them could come to faith in Christ.

268

I wish that I could give my salvation

for the salvation of every June.

269

And so he goes to the synagogues

because these are his people.

270

He still loves them.

271

And he's going to do the same thing.

272

He's going to try to persuade

them just like he was doing.

273

Earlier intestinal, Annika.

274

Well, here in Berea.

275

It says that they were more noble than

those that were in decile, Annika.

276

And they're described

as, as those that are.

277

Receiving the word with eagerness and

examining the scriptures to see if

278

these things were, so it seems like

that's their mark of nobility that

279

they had an eagerness, they were more

receptive to the preaching of the word.

280

And they were going to test it by

going to the scriptures to see if

281

this is so as a result, it says

many of them came to believe.

282

And so that's a contrast between

Tesla and I get and Berea it's.

283

Many of the Jews in Berea are going to

believe versus in Thessaloniki, it was.

284

Some of them did.

285

And so there's a difference there

that Paul seems to be, or Luke

286

seems to be drawing out in his

description here after this, though.

287

What comes after success for Paul?

288

Every time persecution

here, come the Jews from.

289

Vessel Annika.

290

And man, these guys, I found

myself frustrated with them.

291

I'm like, well, you just

look, you, you got rid of him.

292

Thessalonica, we just leave them alone.

293

But instead that there.

294

The hatred for the gospel is so

strong that they're going to come

295

after and they come down to Berea

and they stir up opposition there.

296

And so bad is it that they just

send us, decide to send Paul away?

297

We've heard about being noble Bereans,

it's kind of a catchphrase in the church.

298

Some Christianese here that we

should strive to be Bereans with

299

our approach to the scriptures.

300

Is that a helpful thought for us is,

is, are we understanding that correctly?

301

I've heard that there's

maybe some other views here.

302

That's always been my

understanding is, is, yeah.

303

We want to hear what we hear preached

and take it to the word to examine it.

304

Yeah.

305

I think that those who it's adjusting

an alternative understanding

306

of this passage, I get it.

307

I can understand some of it.

308

I appreciate the way that

we're seeing it here.

309

And I think Luke intends

us to read it that way.

310

Luke's writing this, this is Luke's

second volume to Theopolis or at

311

least in the awfulness is honor.

312

And he comments about the,

the Jews and vessel Anika.

313

They received the word without eagerness.

314

That's a positive descriptor there.

315

They received the word, the fact that

they received as evidence of grace

316

already, because they're willing to.

317

To take and, and listen to it.

318

And they didn't just take it in a

passive way or in an apathetic way.

319

They took it with eagerness.

320

And then once they had it,

once they received it with

321

eagerness, they then examined it.

322

How often did they examine it

daily and what are they doing?

323

They're trying to see if the things were

so, so they're doing the right thing.

324

I can't see this as anything other than

a positive description and something

325

that he intends for Christians to emulate

and say, be like this, do what they did.

326

And don't be a silly.

327

A silly unbeliever for no apparent reason.

328

Don't exercise.

329

Uh, this, this strange form of

aggression that is uniquely geared toward

330

Christianity and Christians in particular.

331

Uh, but examine the scriptures and

see what the spirit does with that.

332

So I think this is a uniquely

positive descriptor and

333

something we should emulate.

334

Yeah, I would agree.

335

I would agree.

336

Well, Paul moves on to Athens and

he sent ahead of Silas and Timothy.

337

And when he gets there, he's going

to be the opportunistic evangelist.

338

And that's what I'm noticing more and

more about Paul's I'm reading this time

339

through the scriptures is verse 17.

340

He finds himself in the

marketplace every day.

341

With those who happened to be there.

342

And so he's, he's saying, Hey,

whoever got brings, I'm going

343

to share the gospel with them.

344

Um, if I have an opportunity

I'm gonna, I'm gonna.

345

Tell them about Jesus.

346

This is somebody clearly

with the gift of evangelism.

347

And you might say, well, does

Paul have the gift of evangelism?

348

But this is what it looks like.

349

And there are people today.

350

There are people in our church

who we can think of that.

351

I have that zeal to say, you know

what, I'm getting my haircut.

352

I'm going to share the gospel

with the person cutting my hair.

353

I'm at the grocery store, waiting in line.

354

I'm going to go through the checkout

line because I want to pass out an

355

invitation to church, to a person and not

sit there with a computer and have the

356

convenience of just getting in and out.

357

People with the gift of evangelism

or those that are opportunistic,

358

just like Paul is here in Athens.

359

And that leads to this great oration

that he has in verses 22 through

360

34 on the areola Magus, the areola.

361

I guess probably was connected to

the marketplace they're in affluent

362

Athens, and it was a place where

people would gather together.

363

Where some of the leading philosophers

would gather together as well.

364

And Paul's opportunistic because he

sees the statue to the unknown God.

365

And he grabs that and uses that as

a springboard to get to the gospel.

366

And man that's such a challenge.

367

In my own life and heart to say,

man, I got to be looking for

368

opportunities to get to the gospel.

369

I got to get creative.

370

About using opportunities to

get to the gospel and pass rod.

371

And I have talked about this and

he helps me with this so much.

372

Creativity is not my strong point.

373

Um, I I'm, I'm not that.

374

Bye bye nature, that type of person.

375

But I love that Paul is a so zealous

for Christ that he's creative to the

376

point of being able to say, Hey, let

me tell you about this unknown God

377

that you've got a statute to over here.

378

And then he goes off and he just

shares the gospel with them.

379

Um, He says in acts 16, 27, he says that.

380

That God has basically verse 26,

that he's created all things that

381

men should seek God and perhaps feel

their way towards him and find him.

382

And yet in Romans three 11, Paul's

going to say, you know what, no

383

one understands or seeks for God.

384

And so I read that.

385

Uh, the other day is in

preparation for today.

386

And I thought to myself, man, that.

387

How do we, how do we square those things?

388

Um, acts 1727.

389

He created the world that.

390

They should seek God and perhaps feel

their way towards him and find him.

391

But Romans three 11 says

no one seeks for God.

392

And so.

393

I'd love to get your thoughts on this.

394

I was kind of at a loss.

395

And Todd wants to some commentaries

and said, well, what's going on

396

here, but any, any thoughts on,

on reconciling those two concepts?

397

I don't think they say

they say different things.

398

And so I would say that they're,

they're not contradictory.

399

Um, they, they compliment one another.

400

Uh, so, and, and acts 17, he says here

that, so the purpose statement that

401

they should seek God, that was the

intention for which he created all things.

402

And yet Romans three reminds

us that people will not.

403

Uh, the fact that our hearts are so

dark and in our, our, our spiritual

404

lives are so dead that we won't do that.

405

So it's the, it's that whole sense of

sovereignty and responsibility yet?

406

Again, we are, we're confronted with it.

407

God designed the world,

such that we, we could.

408

Responsibly.

409

Re seek after God.

410

Um, he, he, that's what he made it for.

411

He made the world to testify to

himself, which is what we would

412

call general revelation spec

specific or special revelation we

413

have here in the text of scripture.

414

But.

415

Revelation, Romans chapter three tells us

that even though we have both specific and

416

general revelation, Um, we will not seek

after God because we would choose our own

417

rebellion, our own wickedness instead.

418

So I don't think that

they're mutually exclusive.

419

I think they just talk about

slightly different things or

420

having a similar theme perhaps.

421

Yeah, I would agree.

422

And that's, that's kinda where I ended up

landing too, is this was the intention,

423

but it wasn't the actual reality.

424

The actual reality was

our sinful nature led to.

425

No one actually doing

that seeking after him.

426

Yeah.

427

Versus 33 31.

428

Then as he's giving this,

he calls for a response.

429

And that's so important

for us to verses 30 and 31.

430

He says the times of ignorance.

431

Got overlooked.

432

But now today here, he commands

all people everywhere to repent.

433

And so that settles it is repentance

and necessary part of the gout.

434

Gospel presentation.

435

Uh, yes, God commands all

people everywhere to repent.

436

Because why, because judgment is

coming and it's going to come by Jesus.

437

It's going to come by that the man

whom he has appointed that's Jesus.

438

And of this has given us guidance

to all by raising him from the dead.

439

So the opportunity exists now

basically as with Paul saying.

440

It turned to Christ.

441

Now as your savior before, you're going

to have to submit to him as your Lord

442

and your judge eventually in the future.

443

So turn to him now.

444

As Lord and savior today, rather

than the future as the Lord in judge.

445

Uh, and so that's his call here in

the book of acts and some hear the

446

resurrection and they mock and others

say, Hey, you know what, we're going to

447

hear you out on this again in others.

448

Join him and believe.

449

And then we get a couple of people named

here, which I think is pretty cool because

450

we don't find out much more about them

in the book of, of, of acts are in the

451

Bible, but Dionysius the Areopagite and a

woman named Amyris and others with them.

452

And so interesting that we get a

couple of specific names that Luke

453

records for us here in acts chapter 17.

454

Well, there you go.

455

That's another chapter tucked

away, only one chapter today.

456

So let's pray and then we'll be done.

457

God, we are grateful.

458

Just for that, that call that if we're

in Christ, we've have heard and responded

459

to you by your grace, that is that

we should repent and that we should

460

put our faith in Christ as our Lord.

461

And save your, rather than the future,

having to submit to him as our Lord

462

and judge and pray that that message

would go out further, that we would be

463

opportunistic evangelists, even like Paul.

464

Even as we think about

this holiday season and.

465

And Thanksgiving tables and being around

family, God, give us opportunities to

466

share the gospel with people that need

to hear it and to be bold with it.

467

Uh, as Paul was here, um, And I pray that

you'd soften hearts in advance and that

468

we would hear good reports from people

in our church in that this would be part

469

of the, the world around us here in north

Texas saying they're turning the world.

470

Or our world at least upside down.

471

We want to be that and be that

faithful lampstand for you.

472

So we pray this in Jesus name.

473

Amen.

474

Amen.

475

Hey, keep, bring your Bibles church

and tune in again tomorrow for another

476

edition of the daily Bible podcast,

tomorrow's going to be a marathon.

477

So buckle up by.