2 Kings 5:8-18 (NIV)
8 When Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his robes, he sent him this message: “Why have you torn your robes? Have the man come to me and he will know that there is a prophet in Israel.” 9 So Naaman went with his horses and chariots and stopped at the door of Elisha’s house. 10 Elisha sent a messenger to say to him, “Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed.”
11 But Naaman went away angry and said, “I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy. 12 Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Couldn’t I wash in them and be cleansed?” So he turned and went off in a rage.
13 Naaman’s servants went to him and said, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, ‘Wash and be cleansed’!” 14 So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy.
15 Then Naaman and all his attendants went back to the man of God. He stood before him and said, “Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel. Please accept now a gift from your servant.”
16 The prophet answered, “As surely as the Lord lives, whom I serve, I will not accept a thing.” And even though Naaman urged him, he refused.
17 “If you will not,” said Naaman, “please let me, your servant, be given as much earth as a pair of mules can carry, for your servant will never again make burnt offerings and sacrifices to any other god but the Lord. 18 But may the Lord forgive your servant for this one thing: When my master enters the temple of Rimmon to bow down and he is leaning on my arm and I bow there also—when I bow down in the temple of Rimmon, may the Lord forgive your servant for this.”

Acts 17:16-21 (NIV)
16 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. 17 So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there. 18 A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to dispute with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others remarked, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection. 19 Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to him, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? 20 You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we want to know what they mean.” 21 (All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.)

When someone gets touched by God, everything seems to change. Becoming a follower of Jesus is complete revamping of one’s worldview.

Christianity changes a person from the inside as well as the outside. Being touched by Jesus is intensely personal and is not private.

Paul goes each day to the market area of Athens. The three best marketplaces in the world at that time, in Rome, Alexandria and Athens.

The center marketplace was where everything important for life in Athens. Athens was the intellectual and cultural center. Everything happened in the marketplace; temples courts, state offices, public archives, libraries, shops, concert/dance halls, gyms, theaters, and galleries. All forms of business, daily chore of buying goods and services. People wanted to know and understand the news, philosophies, teachings, intellectual thoughts, interacting with all the different people of that time.

Paul wanted to be in the heart of activity, to spread the Gospel.

Proverbs 1:20-21 “Wisdom cries aloud in the streets; in the market she raises her voice. At the head of the noisy streets she cries out; at the entrance to the city gates she makes her speech.”

Mindless Christianity is no Christianity at all. You can’t love what you don’t know. ~R. C. Sproul

Paul was talking about one God for all, the Greeks have many gods for each city or territory and for each activity.

This challenged the Athenians because the God was for all and He is not confined or limited.

Paul is preaching to individuals as well as the marketplace.

Paul is talking about Yaweh, the God who knows you, loves you, died for you, but you don’t know Him yet.

Paul’s letter talks about the God who created the universe from the beginning into eternity.

Paul assures the Athenians this belief is eternal and will not pass away. We should be seeking a permanent faith. This belief will become part of all aspects of our life. The way we work, relate to others, view literature, movies, books, etc. will demonstrate a changed life following Jesus.

In the Old Testament, Naaman demonstrates he becomes a changed man in all areas of his life. The dirt Naaman worships on is a witness in public to honor the God of Israel. He is doing the same job, but is honoring God.

We should follow Naaman’s lead as an example of honoring God in all areas of his life.

We all need to learn how to take our faith into the public areas of public life.

The Bible does not tell us how to get God’s guidance. However, God tells us what kind of person who discerns the will of God.

The heart and soul of the Christian life is learning to hear God’s voice and then developing the courage to do what he asks us to do. ~Bill Hybels

We should be preparing, developing the sort of heart that can hear and respond to God’s leading.

Paul’s enthusiasm for the Athenians is that he is distressed with the idol worship. The Greek word (paronxyno) is the unhealthy word describing a person who is jealous when a person who you love is making poor decisions. A combination of compassion and frustration.

If Paul had no compassion, he would leave them to make their own decisions.

We need to have a sensitivity in how we pull people back to a focus on Christ.

Paul communicates to the Athenians about Jesus.

“When I first came to you I was filled with fear and trembling and resolve to know nothing but Christ and Him crucified when I was among you.”

The cross is the heart of who we are as followers of Jesus. Without the cross we are either following rules to justify ourselves, relativism, and nothing matters.

The cross can transform people, create new hearts in people. The Gospel changes people. The message that someone had to die for our sins because God is holy. And because of God’s love for us, it was Him on the Cross, not us.

The goal of the gospel is to produce a type of people consumed with passion for God an love for others. ~J. D. Greear

Paul’s message is pulling people to Christ, to holiness, with a gentle spirit of life for the Athenians.

Paul points to a real person, a real event in history. The truth in Jesus, the holiness of God, His love and the Cross that goes hand in hand, pulling towards a heart change that will transform their life. God bless, allow the Christ to change your heart.