Jesus said, “How I wish that you (Pharisees) of all people would understand the way to peace… you did not recognize it when God visited you.”

Pursue God wholeheartedly, not for what He is able to do for us, but for what He has already done for us.

Romans 1:16-17 (NKJV)

Acts 17:16-18 (NIV)

It all started in Acts 17 as Paul engaged in a debate with the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers.

Epicureans - modern day Existentialism. “The gods are not to be feared; death cannot be felt; the good can be won; all that we dread can be conquered.”

Stoics – Pantheism. “The goal of life is living in agreement with Nature.” ― Zeno of Citium

Epictetus - "Only the educated are free."

Acts 17:24-31 (MSG)

As Paul stood before the intellectual giants of ancient Athens, he faced men who were in precisely that situation:

1) Religiosity vs Spirituality

Acts 17:22-23 (MSG)

Religion denotes "a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature and purpose of the universe, usually involving devotional and ritual observances and a moral code."

Spiritual can be defined as "the quality of being spiritual.”

Ritual Observance versus Being

Healthy spirituality is defined or reflected through our intimacy with God.

Religion is Outside-In; the Gospel is Inside-Out

Without the gospel, we can restrain the human heart but not change the human heart.

2)​God is Unconfined but Here

Space and time were created so that we might seek Him and experience Him.

Acts 17:24-28 (MSG)

i – In Him we live

James 4:14

ii – In Him we move

We move because He first moves in us

iii – We have our being

“The more I study science, the more I believe in God.”- Albert Einstein

True living is found in Jesus reconciling us back to the Father so that we can find our identity, our purpose and our reason for existence.

God is in control - of everything!

3)​Repentance and Not Ignorance.

Acts 17:30-31 (MSG)

God uses broken things. It takes broken soil to produce a crop, broken clouds to give rain, broken grain to give bread, broken bread to give strength. It is the broken alabaster jar that gives forth perfume. It is Peter, weeping bitterly, who returns to greater power than ever. - Vance Havner

Acts 17:32-34