Greece was the first European country to be evangelized. The Apostle Paul went to Lystra (Turkey) where there was a disciple named Timothy, the son of a believing Jewish woman, but his father was a Greek. The brothers at Lystra spoke highly of him. They traveled through the towns, and the churches were strengthened in the faith and increased in number daily. Then one night Paul had a vision. A Macedonian man was standing and pleading with him, “Cross over to Macedonia (Greece) and help us!” After he had seen the vision, they immediately made efforts to set out for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to evangelize them. (Acts 16)
In Acts 17, we have a record of Paul’s famous sermon at the Aereopagus in Athens given to the philosophers of the day. It is still worth reading today and seeing Paul’s boldness in a foreign world that did not yet understand. Truth stands the test of time. If it was true 2000 years ago when Paul spoke, it is still true today.
While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, his spirit was troubled within him when he saw that the city was full of idols. Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers argued with him. Some said, “What is this pseudo-intellectual trying to say?” Others replied, “He seems to be a preacher of foreign deities”—because he was telling the good news about Jesus and the Resurrection. They took him and brought him to the Areopagus, and said, “May we learn about this new teaching you’re speaking of? For what you say sounds strange to us, and we want to know what these ideas mean.” Now all the Athenians and the foreigners residing there spent their time on nothing else but telling or hearing something new.
The Areopagus Address
Then Paul stood in the middle of the Areopagus and said: “Men of Athens! I see that you are extremely religious in every respect. For as I was passing through and observing the objects of your worship, I even found an altar on which was inscribed: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.
Therefore, what you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you. The God who made the world and everything in it—He is Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in shrines made by hands. Neither is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives everyone life and breath and all things. From one man He has made every nationality to live over the whole earth and has determined their appointed times and the boundaries of where they live. He did this so they might seek God, and perhaps they might reach out and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us. For in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring.’ Being God’s offspring then, we shouldn’t think that the divine nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image fashioned by human art and imagination. Therefore, having overlooked the times of ignorance, God now commands all people everywhere to repent, because He has set a day when He is going to judge the world in righteousness by the Man He has appointed. He has provided proof of this to everyone by raising Him from the dead.”
When they heard about resurrection of the dead, some began to ridicule him. But others said, “We’d like to hear from you again about this.” Then Paul left their presence. However, some men joined him and believed.
Current day Greece has many challenges – financial, immigration, social, and spiritual. Pray that Greece will recognize their wonderful Biblical history and choose to follow the truth that Paul once spoke to them. The Macedonian vision is just as true today as well: “God, come help us!”
