Acts chapter 17. If you're new to Cornerstone, if you're new to the Bible in general,

we go straight through the Bible, and so we're in the book of Acts presently. And here in Acts

17, it is a continuation of the Apostle Paul's second missionary journey through Asia Minor and now into Europe.

Paul is a Jew, and he had a personal encounter with Jesus Christ and came to accept him and

believe him as Messiah, as Messiah, putting his faith and trust in him.

And then Paul was obsessed in a good way of wanting the rest

of the known world at that time to also understand a personal relationship with with Jesus,

with Yeshua. And so he would travel the world explaining and expressing faith in Jesus Christ.

And chapter 17 of Acts tells us that along his

travels, he comes to the city of Athens, Greece. It is a pagan city at this time in the first century.

It is full of idols. Remember, this is the Greco-Roman period, and so they are a polytheistic

culture, embracing and worshiping numerous

gods. In fact, it is said that at this particular time in the first century, that Athens

boasts of more than 3,000 statues and temples devoted to these mythological gods. And there

is a primary goddess that Athens is known to worship.

In fact, the city of Athens is named after her, the goddess Athena. She is the goddess of war.

She's the goddess of wisdom. She's the goddess of protection. And there is a temple that is built to her in Athens, known as the Parthenon. And so this is the city

into which Paul comes, steeped in idolatry. He's got his work cut out for him. It's not like the

people of Athens are sitting around in their togas, eating baklava, hoping somebody will

share the good news of Jesus with them.

These people are lost as lost can be, worshipping various gods, full of polytheism.

That's the culture at this particular time.

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