Acts 17
Walking Through Acts 17: A Messy, Beautiful Church and a Sovereign God
As we dug into Acts 17 together this week, we found ourselves struck again by how rich every chapter of Scripture is — yes, even the genealogies! But this one, in particular, is full of bold truth, cultural contrast, and the powerful movement of God through ordinary people. We want to take you along with us as we highlight a few of the verses and ideas that stood out, and we invite you to wrestle through them with us. What speaks to your heart? What challenges you?
A Diverse, Messy, Beautiful Church
Right from the start of Acts 17, we’re hit with a powerful picture of the early church. In verse 4, Luke writes:
“Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few prominent women.”
This is not a neatly packaged, homogenous group of believers. It’s a hodgepodge of backgrounds, ethnicities, genders, and social standings. And that’s exactly what the kingdom of God looks like — messy and beautiful. When we gather as the body of Christ, we see it: people from every walk of life, different languages, different cultures, different stories. And yet, unified in Christ. We celebrate that at our own church, and it’s a vivid reminder that we’re part of something much bigger than ourselves. It's a glimpse of heaven on earth.
Examining Everything Through Scripture
Another highlight for us came in verse 11, with the Bereans. They didn’t just take Paul’s word for it. Instead,
“They received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.”
What a model for us today. We’re surrounded by voices — on social media, in the news, even from the pulpit. But we’re called to test everything through God’s Word. Not cynically, but with eagerness and discernment. Just because something sounds Christian doesn’t mean it is. “God helps those who help themselves”? That’s not in the Bible — it’s actually more aligned with self-help than gospel truth.
Let’s keep sharpening one another, holding our teachers (and ourselves) accountable. Let’s be people who examine, test, and grow.
What Does It Mean to Be God-Fearing?
The phrase “God-fearing” comes up multiple times in this chapter. And it led us to ask — do we really fear God? Not in a terrified, hide-in-the-corner kind of way, but in the deep, reverent, awe-struck kind of way. A kind of fear that means His opinion matters more than the world’s. His truth outweighs public approval.
In Acts 17, we see two extremes: Jews who fear breaking the law, and Greeks who worship idols, even an altar to an “unknown god” — just in case. But Paul points to something radically different: a faith rooted in the knowledge of the one true God. A fear of God that leads to love, obedience, and transformation. That’s what we’re called to pursue.
So we ask ourselves: Is God’s Word our filter? Is His heart our motivation? Are we responding to the issues of our world — from injustice to pandemic to politics — with His eyes and His truth at the center?
The Unknown God Is Knowable
Toward the end of the chapter, Paul addresses the Greeks in Athens with this powerful statement (paraphrased from The Message):
“I found one [altar] inscribed, To the God nobody knows. I’m here to introduce you to this God so you can worship intelligently, know who you’re dealing with… He doesn’t play hide-and-seek with us. He’s not remote. He’s near.”
Isn’t that beautiful? God is not distant. He made the world and everything in it, and He made us to seek Him and find Him. He’s not one idol among many. He’s the Creator. The sustainer. The one who holds all things together.
And despite how chaotic our world may feel, He hasn’t stepped back. He’s near. He’s present. And He invites us into relationship, not just ritual.
Questions We’re Asking Ourselves — And You
As we close out this chapter, here are a few questions we’re continuing to sit with. Maybe you want to reflect on them too:
Are we celebrating the beauty and diversity of Christ’s church?
Are we filtering what we hear and believe through Scripture, like the Bereans?
Do we truly fear God — more than we fear people or cultural pressure?
Are we aware of how near God is, even in the chaos, and living in light of His presence?
Let’s keep walking this journey together — humbly, prayerfully, and joyfully. God is moving. His Word is alive. And His Spirit is shaping us, even in the mess. Let’s keep seeking Him — and keep checking our sources while we’re at it.
