Pastor Margaret’s Note

“The Unknown God Made Known”

 Acts 17:16-34

When the apostle Paul stood before the people of Athens roughly twenty years after Jesus’ resurrection (A.D. 50-52), Paul saw a city full of idols. The Athenian people were searching for truth in all the wrong places. Yet, Paul did not condemn them but rather, he met them right where they were, pointing to the “unknown god” they worshiped and      revealing Him as the living Creator who made all things and all people.

Paul’s sermon on Mars Hill (Areopagus) still speaks powerfully to us today: the God who made the world and everything in it is not distant or hidden. He is near to each one of us, inviting us to know Him personally through Jesus Christ. As Paul declared, “God now commands all people everywhere to repent (Acts 17:30),” because the time has come for every heart to turn toward the One who gives life, breath, and purpose.

The call of the Gospel is not just to admire Jesus. The call of the Gospel is to completely surrender to Him, placing our whole lives in His hands. When we surrender to Him, we will find what the Athenians were seeking: a personal relationship with the God who loves us, redeems us, and calls us to live for His glory. In Jesus Christ, the “unknown god” has been made known to each of us…glory to God!