Paul’s sermon on Mars Hill stands as one of the greatest sermons of all time! It’s very clear and direct. It’s concise. It’s powerful!
Wow! “Paul was such an amazing hero,” we think.
I’ve seen lovely magazine articles discussing, at length, Paul’s sermon on Mars Hill. I’ve heard sermons over Paul’s sermon on Mars Hill.
But I’ve never, not once, heard anything about how terribly discouraged Paul was during his time in Athens. Or how Paul was struggling with fear! … and struggling to have courage.
Paul had not planned to be in Athens. The only reason he was there was because he had to flee Thessalonica (leaving behind the brand-new “baby” church he had just started there) … then he had to flee Berea as well (due to protestors & rioters intentionally following him from Thessalonica and stirring up chaos!).
Paul had fled to Athens … where he waited for Silas and Timothy to meet up with him. Paul was very concerned about the brand-new Christians he had left back in Thessalonica. Would their faith stand strong in the face of suffering and persecution??
Everything about life at this point was very discouraging for Paul!
Just before arriving in Thessalonica, Paul had been severely beaten in Phillipi. We often overlook the ramifications of this, being rather distracted by the amazingness of God shaking the prison at midnight, throwing open the prison doors, loosing the chains, and bringing revival to the entire household of the jailer.
But Paul had been beaten … severely!
Perhaps he had suffered cracked ribs. Perhaps he had suffered blows to the head resulting in vision problems. Perhaps he had suffered some broken bones. For sure he had multiple large painful bruises! It might have been painful for Paul to even walk.
Paul, no doubt, was in pain during the month or two he spent in Thessalonica … and most likely he still was suffering pain while in Athens. Pain can be very discouraging!
Paul was lonely during his time in Athens. Up until now, as one reads of Paul’s journeys in Acts, we’ve always seen Paul working together with a ministry team. But in Athens it seems that Paul is utterly alone. He knows no one. He has no friends. To be utterly alone is very discouraging!
“For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession like men condemned to die in the arena. We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to men. We are fools for Christ … we are weak … we are dishonored! To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless.
“We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we answer kindly. Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world.” – 1 Corinthians 4:9-13
Shortly after leaving Athens, Paul wrote a letter to the brand-new Christians he had left behind in Thessalonica. He tells them:
“You know, brothers, that our visit to you was not a failure.” – 1 Thessalonians 2:1
Paul obviously had been struggling with: “Is all this effort in vain?? Is all this effort that I’m doing making any difference at all??”
Have you ever struggled with fears that all your efforts are in vain?? That all your labor might wind up in failure? Is it really worth it?? Does what I’m doing matter … at all?? Is anything going to come from this at all??
This was Paul … in Athens … and shortly thereafter, upon arriving in Corinth.
“You know, brothers, that our visit to you was not a failure. We had previously suffered and been insulted in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in spite of strong opposition.” – 1 Thessalonians 2:1-2
Paul obviously was struggling with a lot of fear when he first came to Thessalonica.
After having just been severely beaten, here was the very real threat of being beaten again!
He states” … but with the help of God.”
It was the power of God which helped Paul stand strong in the face of his fears. It was the power of God which gave Paul the courage to keep going.
Paul’s sermon on Mars Hill is one of the greatest sermons of all time! It’s very clear and direct. It’s concise. It’s powerful!
But even then … Paul was struggling to have courage!
Paul recounts:
“When I came to you, brothers, [referring to his arrival in Corinth, just after leaving Athens] I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. … I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling.” – 1 Corinthians 2:1, 3
There will be times in our own life when we too will struggle with fear. We will face seasons when everything in our life is very discouraging!
Perhaps we might be suffering physical pain.
Perhaps we might be lonely.
Perhaps we might be questioning ourselves. “Is all this effort just a waste? Is what I’m doing making any difference at all??”
This is what Paul was feeling as he was leaving Athens … heading to Corinth.
And this is where faith comes in.
Paul’s faith in God kept him going in the face of discouragement and fear! Faith that God would show up in power!
And God did show up in power!
“My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power.” – 1 Corinthians 2:4
The power of God helped Paul to keep going when he was discouraged.
The power of God gave Paul the strength to keep “pressing on” in spite of the pain. The power of God helped Paul when he was lonely.
The power of God gave Paul the courage to stand up in front of the greatest minds of the day and to speak boldly!
This same power is available for you today too!
If you are discouraged … ask God for His power to help you keep going! If you are suffering physical pain … ask God for his power & strength to help you keep “pressing on” in spite of the pain. If you are lonely … ask God for his power to help you through the loneliness!
If you are wondering: “Is all my effort just a waste??” … trust God’s power to work through your effort to bring about something great. We might not be able to see the results right away, just like Paul couldn’t see the results of his sermon on Mars Hill … or the results of his efforts in Philippi … or the results of his efforts in Thessalonica. But when God’s power is in it, we can be assured that no effort is a waste!
(This would have been what Paul would have seen as he left Athens, heading to Corinth)
