When Your Spirit Is Stirred
Acts 17:16 Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.
Intro: Look at Jeremiah 48:11 and 2 Peter 1:13
I. The Waiting will be Productive
No time to waste!
Paul was in limbo, but he didn’t take a vacation.
He was busy WHILE HE WAITED.
II. The Wickedness will be Provocative
His spirit was stirred in him – WHEN HE SAW THE CITY WHOLLY GIVEN TO IDOLATRY.
When your spirit is stirred, you can’t see the wickedness and it not bother you.
If you can, your spirit needs revival!!
III. The Word will be Preeminent
Paul disputed with them – vs. 17
How do I know he used the Bible?
Look at verse 1, 2
- 1 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews:
- 2 And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,
- 3 Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.
Look at verse 10-13
- Vs. 11 They received the word with all readiness of mind…
- Vs. 11 They searched the scriptures daily…
- Vs. 13 That the word of God was preached of Paul…
Paul was in Athens because he had been preaching the word in Berea – vs. 13
He didn’t let him stop.
He had to flee a group of people that were STIRRED UP – vs. 13
He went to Athens and then he got stirred up!
IV. The World will be Perturbed
Vs. 18 says they encountered him.
They found him and confronted him.
They were bothered by his message.
They had never heard it before.
They took him and brought him to Areopagus (Mars Hill).
They tried to put him out of his comfort zone.
They took him from the synagogue and marketplace and surrounded him.
They questioned his doctrines.
V. The Worship will be Passionate
This entire conversation was provoked by false worship.
Ignorant worship. – see verse 23
SEE also verse 29
Preached repentance over false worship and idolatry.