Note: Select one of the audio-only options if you need to download, rather than stream, the chapel.
Paul in Athens - Acts 17:16-34 — 2/14/2025 10:00 AM
Today's speaker is Dr. J.R. Gilhooly, Associate Professor of Philosophy and Theology at Cedarville University. Dr. Gilhooly walks through Acts 17:16-34, teaching how Paul shared the Gospel in Athens at the Areopagus.
Notes
In today’s chapel, Dr. J.R. Gilhooly, Director of the Honors Program and Associate Professor of Philosophy and Theology, preached on Acts 17, focusing on the need to clearly understand and communicate the true nature of God. Dr. Gilhooly began by discussing Paul’s interaction with the philosophers in Athens, where Paul was confronted with their misunderstanding of who God truly is. He emphasized that there are two categories for our reality: God and everything else. Paul’s message was clear: God is not like the idols the Athenians worshiped, nor is He something created by human hands. God is separate from all that we know and is the Creator of heaven and Earth.
Dr. Gilhooly pointed out that Paul needed to clarify the meaning of the word "God" because the Athenians, much like many people today, had a distorted view of divinity. They had fashioned gods in their image, constructing idols out of material things. Paul corrected their error, saying, “The God who made the world and everything in it…does not live in temples made by man” (Acts 17:24). God is not something we can confine to a temple or a statue. He is the Lord of all creation, and we should not attempt to reduce Him to something we can grasp or understand.
The professor emphasized that Paul’s argument reflects the truth that God has created man in His image, not the other way around. Humans are made in the likeness of God, and we should not try to shape God in our own image. This misunderstanding of God's nature, Dr. Gilhooly noted, is a problem that has existed throughout history and still persists today. We are called to correct these misconceptions by presenting the true God: the Creator and sustainer of all things.
Dr. Gilhooly also highlighted Paul’s message that God has set a day for judgment and that judgment will be executed by the man He has appointed, Jesus Christ. This truth, Paul says, was confirmed by Jesus’ resurrection (Acts 17:31). The Gospel call is urgent, and the response to it will vary. Some will mock, others will be intrigued, and some will believe. Yet, the Gospel must be shared clearly so everyone has the chance to respond.
The professor concluded by urging us to ensure that we speak with clarity when communicating the Gospel. We must understand the true nature of God and the Gospel message so that we don’t confuse others with inaccurate representations. As Romans 10:13 reminds us, “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Dr. Gilhooly’s message called us to be diligent in spreading the Gospel so all who hear it might respond and be saved.