In the days of Christ, Athens was at the pinnacle of supremacy in advancement and culture. Anyone who wanted to be at the top of their game had to put this beautiful city on their list of places to visit.
Athens was known for her statues, temples, and shrines. There were gods for all occasions and everything. There was even a place of worship set up for any gods the Athenians might have missed.
When Paul spent time in Athens, the vast numbers of idols distressed him. The men and the foreigners who lived there struck up a conversation with Paul concerning his beliefs.
This was a pivotal moment for Paul. Religion was very important to the Athenians, and religious diversity was paramount. If he stepped on their toes too roughly, they would dismiss him as a rabble rouser and troublemaker. He might well be banned from the city.
In Acts 17:22, we see Paul’s brilliance and masterful control of what could have become a tricky situation.
“Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious…”
He went on to tell how among all the objects of the Athenians’ worship, he found one altar set up to “The Unknown God.”
Paul had adroitly opened up an opportunity to tell the story of God, Jesus, and the salvation that comes from our Risen Lord. The Word tells us in Verses 32-34 that some mocked, others said they wanted to hear more of Paul’s god, but most importantly, there were those that believed on the name of Christ.
This moment became an Idol Victory for Paul. He used what had been meant for evil and turned it around for service to the gospel of Christ.
What idols do we have in our lives that we can turn around for service to the gospel of Christ? Just like Paul, we need to be distressed at anything in our lives that comes between us and total commitment to our Father God in heaven. Then, we need to look for ways to turn those idols into victory for Christ.
Idol Victory. It’s all about taking what we’ve elevated to a great height, and placing it low, so that it can become a footstool for the saving message of Jesus Christ unto the needy and unsaved of this world.
We can lift our possessions before the world, and they can weigh us down, or we can place them before God, and they can become stepping stools to greater victory in Christ.
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