Session 11: The Worlds

Session Overview

Creedal Statement

We prize the family as a bedrock of faith formation,
we cherish marriage as a most holy and most sacred union,
we value parents as frontline shepherds to disciple their children,
we treasure friends as our own souls,
we engage society as godly citizens with redemptive purpose, and
we embrace our lifework with a God-centered focus.

We confess the church as Christ’s family, a family called to:
treat other members with genuine care,
steward our possessions for the common good,
honor appointed leaders and participate in Christ’s worldwide body,
engage the domains of the world with the truth of the gospel, and
represent Christ to all those who are far and near.

Key Elements

• Key Passage - Acts 16:6–18:17
• Scripture Memory - You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Matthew 5:14
• Catechism - Q: To where has God sent his people to be on mission? A: World.

Introduction

Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine as lights in the world as you hold forth the word of life, in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain.

No man shall ever behold the glory of Christ by sight hereafter, who does not in some measure behold it by faith here in this world … And the pretended desires of many, to behold the glory of Christ in heaven, who have no view of it by faith whilst they are here in this world, are nothing but self-deceiving imaginations.

After saving his people out of the world, Jesus deploys his people on his mission by sending them back into the world. As a community of Christ followers who enjoy and express a relationship with one another as a family of God, the church lives out the intimacy of its fellowship within the context of the world. While Christians must be cautious not to conform to the milieu of surrounding society, the church is called to engage the world as a redemptive community, an alternative society of faithful disciples seeking to make an impact in the world. Christians mature to the extent that they rightly engage the world as Christ’s representatives, ambassadors of God’s kingdom and the gospel message.

Christians should not just think about the world sphere in general. Believers should gain a specific understanding of how the world functions. The ability of the church to engage society is related to its capacity to understand the world’s various domains. As examples, the world is composed of religious, spiritual, economic, legal, family, civic, political, ideological, cultural, and vocational dimensions that make up the society in which people live. Much like an interconnected set of environments, or ecologies, these various spheres shape the condition of the world in which people live. The unique shape of each domain, together with the nuanced interaction between these various spheres, highlights the complex nature of what it means to engage the surrounding world. In this sense, the church is faithful as it engages “the worlds”—the various spheres or domains that make up society.

In Acts 16:6–18:17, we read the record of Paul’s second missionary journey. The apostle’s gospel ministry in Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea, Athens, and Corinth provides a panorama of ministry engagement across various elements of society. Paul’s dynamic missionary work in Philippi highlights the impact of the gospel in the personal, religious, spiritual, family, and legal spheres. As Paul traveled to Thessalonica, his gospel ministry impacted the social and civic domains of the city. The truth of the gospel made an impact within the intellectual domain of Berea as Paul faithfully engaged the surrounding culture and worldview of Athens. In Corinth, Paul’s bivocational ministry engaged the vocational and religious spheres of the city.

Christians are called to embrace relationships with one another as a family of God that engages the surrounding world. Navigating society is a challenging responsibility. To preserve the integrity, unity, and purity of the Christian community, disciples might be tempted to withdraw from society in fearful isolation. In efforts to engage the surrounding world, Christians face the danger of assimilating into the world around them. Both of these extremes must be avoided. The church is called to be a distinct people, an alternative society within the broader context of the world. As the church engages society, it will inevitably encounter its various domains or spheres, and Christ’s disciples are called to represent him faithfully in each of these “worlds.” To this end, may the gospel ministry of Paul’s second missionary journey help us to understand how the church can and should interface with, interact among, and influence the world around us.

Biblical Interpretation: Hearing the Word

Study the Text: The Bible is God’s inspired word to his people. Christian disciples mature in the faith when they are grounded in God’s word. In this movement, you will study the basic details of the biblical text.

Observation Questions

Read (or listen to) the whole passage of Scripture. Discuss the questions below for each section of the story. Pay attention to the details of the text to recall what the passage is saying. Use the focus verses to guide your conversation.

Storycraft

Retell the story in your own words, recounting the overall flow of the narrative, the main segments of the story, and the major developments that take place.

Narrative Elements

Story Retell

Theological Dialogue: Discussing the Plot

Explore the Text: God’s word is his trustworthy and sufficient revelation to his people. We grow as Christ’s disciples by rooting our lives in God’s unchanging truth. In this movement, you will explore vital teachings of this biblical passage.

Discussion Questions

Summarize the biblical story. As a community, discuss the following questions. Be attentive to the truths taught in this text. Use the commentary on the next pages to uncover core principles this passage teaches about the Christian faith.

Biblical Commentary

Use this commentary to help you understand the meaning of the text. Refer to the infographic on the next page to think through how narratives work.

Passage Introduction

Key Idea

The church is called to responsibly engage the world without becoming like the world.

Passage Overview

God forms his church as a community of faith to engage the surrounding world. As Paul’s missionary work impacted various domains of society, so the church is called to influence various domains of society with the gospel. The church community bears witness to the gospel in such a way that individuals are converted, spiritual forces are overcome, economic values are challenged, families are reordered, legal systems are influenced, civic loyalties are exposed, intellects are engaged, worldviews and cultures are addressed, and the religious life of society is confronted with the claims of Christ. While the community of the church holds the hope of the world to come, its faithful presence and ministry can impact the present world. In short, the church is in the world but not of the world. Carefully read through the following exposition of Paul’s second missionary journey in order to consider how the church can faithfully engage the various “worlds” (or spheres) in surrounding society.

Passage Outline

Engaging the Surrounding World

I have given them Your word and the world has hated them; for they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I am not asking that You take them out of the world, but that You keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I have also sent them into the world.

But all the danger is, when the world gets into the heart. Water is useful for the sailing of the ship: all the danger is when the water gets into the ship; so the fear is, when the world gets into the heart.

Introduction

The gospel is powerful enough to impact every domain of society. As a gospel community, the church is called to represent Jesus across the various spheres that make up the world in which we live. Not succumbing to either disengaged separatism or uncritical assimilation, the church bears a vocational responsibility to engage the world in a way that impacts society as a distinct and holy people. Rather than being shaped by the world, the church is called to leave an enduring mark on the world through its faithful presence in society.

In Acts 16:6–18:17, we witness the impact of the gospel in various cities throughout Macedonia and Achaia. As Paul and his team traveled throughout these areas, the gospel made a marked impact on the fabric of society. In the course of their ministry, the gospel transformed individual lives, confronted spiritual forces, impacted economic values, reordered family life, navigated legal systems, exposed civic (social and political) loyalties, appealed to intellectual high society, addressed worldview concerns (of culture), and challenged religious beliefs. As representatives of Christ, the church is called to responsibly engage the world in a gospel ministry across each of these various spheres.

This panorama of Paul’s dynamic ministry offers a helpful grid through which the church can evaluate its interaction with the world. Paul’s missionary work provides a lens through which we can see the impact of the gospel in various domains of society. While this narrative specifically focuses on the gospel ministry of Paul’s missionary team in Macedonia and Achaia, the impact of this missionary work represents the missionary calling of the church. One cannot fully grasp the nature of Christian community without understanding (and embracing) the church’s responsibility to the world. More than a superficial interaction with society, Christians—through the power of the gospel—are called to meaningful engagement with the world.

One Who Heard Us: Valuing the Importance of Each Individual Person

Biblical Narrative (Acts 16:6–15)

At the beginning of this narrative, Paul and his team tried to travel to various locations to preach the gospel, but God kept redirecting them (16:6–8). Eventually, Paul had a vision of a man asking him to come to Macedonia to help (16:9–10). Immediately, Paul and his missionary team traveled to a leading Macedonian city of the Roman Empire called Philippi (16:11–12). Paul and his companions stayed in the city for days (16:12). Thinking they would find a place of prayer, they went to the river on the Sabbath (16:13). While they spoke with a group of women who were gathered there (16:13), one of the women came to believe the gospel. Her name was Lydia. She was a God-fearing businesswoman who accepted the message preached by Paul (16:14). God had done supernatural work to open her heart so she could receive the gospel, and her life was transformed. Lydia and her family were baptized, and she hosted Paul and his companions in her home (16:15).

Biblical Principles

Divine Guidance in the World. Paul and his team sought God’s guidance for their missionary work. Through some unidentified means, the Spirit of God had prevented them from traveling to certain locations (16:6–7), ultimately directing them to Troas, a port city where one could travel to Macedonia. Paul’s miraculous vision (16:9–10) was divine revelation, a clear calling from God (16:9). God guided Paul and his team to Philippi, a “leading city” and a “Roman colony” (16:12). In the city, they had to continue using discernement to find people open to listen to the gospel message (16:13). This apostolic band of missionaries served God in the world by following God’s guidance. Sometimes this guidance was clear and unavoidable; other times, the faithful missionary leaders applied wisdom to fulfill God’s clearly revealed commission. Nevertheless, the church should engage the world with submission to God’s guidance, a clear sense of mission, flexibility to follow God’s lead, and compassion for those far from God.

Individual Transformation. The initial mission encounter recorded in Philippi involves the conversion of Lydia. Although Paul’s vision was of a Macedonian man (16:9–10), the first convert in Philippi was a woman from Asia Minor. Lydia was “a worshiper of God” and “a dealer in purple cloth” (16:14). She had good business prospects and a sincere interest in religious devotion. In a supernatural act, God “opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message” (16:14). Ultimately, Lydia’s conversion to the faith resulted in the conversion and baptism of her family (16:15). The gospel penetrated a leading city in the Roman Empire through the conversion of an individual. This individual conversion led to the conversion of others. Lydia’s individual conversion came about by God’s transformative and regenerative work in her heart. Perhaps others at the riverside gathering came to faith in Christ as well (16:13–14), but we are only told of the conversion of Lydia and her household. This emphasizes the gospel’s impact at an individual level. Christians should seek to impact society one individual at a time, trusting God to transform the human heart. When individual hearts are transformed, families and societies are changed in their wake.

Disturbing the City: Confronting Spiritual Powers and Rewriting Economic Values

Biblical Narrative (Acts 16:16–24)

While Paul and his companions were in Philippi, they encountered “a slave girl with a spirit of divination” (16:16). This slave girl was spiritually oppressed and economically exploited. She belonged to “masters” who “earned a large income … by her fortune-telling” (16:16). This enslaved girl followed Paul and his coworkers and called out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation!” (16:17). After many days of her doing this, Paul was annoyed and commanded the spirit to come out of the slave girl (16:18). The spirit left the girl at that very moment (16:18). The girl was set free from her oppression, but her masters’ business was ruined. Enraged by this loss, the owners grabbed Paul and Silas and brought them to the marketplace, where they accused them before the rulers (16:19–20). Heightened concerns over economic well-being and the welfare of the city collided. The owners lobbied a threefold accusation against Paul and his team: “These men are Jews” (16:20), they “are throwing our city into turmoil” (16:20), and they are “promoting customs that are unlawful for us Romans to adopt or practice” (16:21). Paul and Silas were attacked, stripped, beaten, imprisoned, and fastened to stocks (16:22–24). Missionaries who had gained initial success in Philippi were locked up in prison.

Biblical Principles

Spiritual Power. In this passage, the gospel invaded the spiritual domain. In the name of Christ, Paul drove out an evil spirit from the slave girl (16:18). When Paul commanded the exorcism in “the name of Jesus Christ,” the spirit left the girl “at that very moment” (16:18). This exorcism stopped her loud cries about Paul and the faith. The spirit-possessed girl said out loud things that were partially true, but not exclusively so. Surely Paul and Silas were “servants of the Most High God,” and they knew "the way of salvation (lit. “a way of salvation)” (16:17). Nevertheless, her claims did not emphasize the exclusive claims of Christ and the gospel. Additionally, Paul did not want an evil spirit to represent the gospel message. The spirit that oppressed this girl was powerful enough to make the owners much profit (16:16). Nevertheless, Christ was more powerful than the evil spirit. As the church engages the world, we will face spiritual forces that are powerful and strong. The world of the spirits is usually not visible to the human eye, but it is real. However strong spiritual forces may be (or appear to be), the gospel is powerful enough to overcome them all.

Economic Exposure. Paul’s ministry exposed the economic priorities of these slave owners. The owners used this girl for personal gain (16:16). They exploited the subjugation of this slave girl (who was herself subjected to the power of the spirit) for their own profit. Her sad oppression was used to the advantage of greedy and profiteering business owners. Jesus’ power over the spirit of divination resulted in the collapse of their business. Although the gospel is not opposed to a thriving economy, it does challenge ungodly approaches to wealth and material gain. The gospel confronts exploitation, abuse, and victimization in the business, financial, and economic realms (cf. Luke 6:24; 1 Timothy 6:9, 17–19; James 2:1–7; 5:1–6). The gospel succeeds in disrupting an evil economic “status quo” in society (16:20) for the sake of people discovering true freedom and liberation in Christ. The good news of the gospel can be offensive to the financial sensitivities of a society. Fundamentally, the gospel does not guarantee earthly wealth or temporary gain; it secures eternal life, freedom from evil, and forgiveness of sin. The good news of Christ confronts spiritual powers and misplaced economic values that are sometimes in collusion with each other. In contrast to the business malpractice of the slave owners, Lydia approached her business as a God-fearer and used her resources generously for the good of the gospel (cf. 16:14, 40). Much like Lydia, the church today and its individual members should faithfully steward the possessions God loans us. We should use these “entrusted treasures” to engage the surrounding world and complete the mission we were given. When the gospel takes root in the lives of people and society, it can bring a dynamic change in the economic and monetary landscape of the world.

You and Your Household: Validating the Gospel in Family and Legal Spheres

Biblical Narrative (Acts 16:25–40)

Bound in prison, “Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God” (16:25). Around midnight, a powerful earthquake shook the prison at its foundations (16:25–26). It caused the doors of the prison to open and all the bonds of the prisoners to become unfastened (16:26). Thinking that the prisoners had escaped and fearing for his life, the jailer took out his sword and planned to kill himself (16:27). But Paul cried out loudly and told the jailer to not kill himself because none had left the prison (16:28). The lights were turned on, and the jailer hurried in and fell down in fear (16:29). When he asked what he needed to do to be saved (16:30), Paul told him, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, you and your household” (16:31). His whole family heard the gospel (16:32) and believed (16:34). They washed the wounds of Paul and Silas, and the jailer and his whole family were baptized (16:33). Then, they served Paul and Silas food in their house (16:34).

In the morning, the magistrates told the officers to let Paul and Silas go free (16:35–36). Paul refused to go silently. Because they had publicly beaten them without due process (even though they were innocent), Paul demanded that they be publicly released (16:37). Paul and Silas were Roman citizens and had not been treated with the legal protections guaranteed to Roman citizens (16:37, 38). Consequently, the magistrates “were alarmed to hear that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens” (16:38). As a result, the leaders came to apologize to them and publicly send them out of the city (16:39). After leaving prison, the missionaries visited Lydia and the other believers before they left Philippi (16:40).

Biblical Principles

Household Conversion. Amazingly, Paul used his imprisonment as a means of ministry. Sharing the gospel with the Philippian jailer, Paul engaged his prison supervisor with grace and compassion. Similar to Lydia’s conversion, Paul’s initial conversation with the jailer eventually led to the salvation of the jailer’s whole family (16:34; cf. 16:31, 32). No longer confining Paul and Silas to prison, the jailer invited them into his house for a meal (16:34). No longer wielding a sword as a guard, the jailer washed the wounds of Paul and Silas as a caretaker (16:33). No longer hopeless and fearful for his life (16:27, 29), the jailer and his household rejoiced in their newfound salvation (16:34). Through Paul’s faithful ministry (and God’s saving power), the gospel brought about a dramatic change in the jailer’s entire household. The family became believers, and the home became a place of care and nourishment. The gospel brings dynamic transformation to the family sphere. When this happens, the family can bring about a transformation in the surrounding world. As family is foundational to society, impacting families with the gospel is a means of impacting the world for Christ.

Legal Reform. Paul’s shrewd interaction with the magistrates also reveals his ability to navigate the legal systems of his day. His delay in leaving the city highlights the reality that legal systems (even if they are just in their design) can be unjust in their implementation. As Roman citizens, Paul and Silas deserved a fair trial (16:37, 38) but instead were abused by an unruly crowd (16:19–24). The magistrates tried to secretly dismiss Paul and Silas so as not to impugn themselves (16:35–36), but Paul would not allow it (16:37). While Paul’s ultimate concern was the vindication of the gospel, his commitment to the gospel confronted the unjust (and illegal) treatment by these magistrates. In each society, legal systems exist that are meant to protect citizens and administer justice. As the church lives out its commitment to the gospel, it can hold legal systems accountable or reform unjust systems that mistreat their people.

Turning the World Upside Down: Exposing the Civic and Political Loyalties of Society

Biblical Narrative (Acts 17:1–9)

Paul and his team eventually came to Thessalonica (17:1). For three Sabbaths, Paul went to the synagogue and “reasoned with them from the Scriptures” (17:2). The content of the Scripture reasoning was gospel-centric, “explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead” and declaring “this Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ” (17:3). Some responded to the gospel and became believers (17:4). Some of these new believers were God-fearing Greeks and leading women (17:4). The Jews became jealous, gathered a mob, and disturbed the city (17:5). In fact, they attacked believers in Jason’s house in hopes of getting Paul and Silas out in the crowd (17:5). When they could not find Paul and Silas, they brought some of the believers before the authorities of the city (17:6). They accused Paul and Silas of turning “the world upside down” (17:6) and claiming that Jesus was king instead of Caesar (17:7). The people and the authorities were upset by this (17:8). Eventually, some money was given “from Jason and the others” and they released them (17:9).

Biblical Principles

Civic Responsibility. The ministry of Paul and Silas in Thessalonica challenged the civic domain of society. They were accused of turning “the world upside down” (17:6), like they were earlier accused in Philippi of “throwing [the] city into turmoil” (16:20). Although Paul allowed the gospel to disrupt society’s values, beliefs, and priorities, Paul also wanted to be a good citizen. This was affirmed by his innocence in Philippi (16:21, 37–39). Paul did not want disruptive behavior to obscure the gospel message. Paul wanted to distinguish himself from the troublemakers, mob rule, and lawless men (17:5, 7). At the same time, Paul was willing for the gospel message itself to cause a disturbance in a society opposed to Christ. When the gospel moves in society, it will disrupt popular and conventional sensibilities. In order to maintain a focus on the gospel, Christians should lead a peaceful, undisruptive, and quiet life that embodies godly character, integrity, and innocence of wrongdoing (cf. Romans 12:9–21). When Christians are law-abiding citizens in society, they can draw attention to the good news of the gospel.

Political Challenge. Ironically, part of the accusation leveled against Paul and Silas was accurate. By claiming Jesus as the true king, the apostolic missionaries were turning the world upside down (17:6–7). The jealous Jews sparked the uproar in the city, and this became an acute concern for the government authorities. In contrast to the leading women who had come to embrace faith in Christ (17:4), the crowd and city authorities took issue with the Christian faith (17:6, 8). While Paul’s agenda was not to lead a political revolution, his faithfulness to the gospel exposed the real loyalties in Thessalonica. He was not encouraging lawless behavior, but he was proclaiming the true “king, named Jesus” (17:7). The gospel itself brings offense by its bold and exclusive claims (17:8). In one sense, the church should not get enmeshed in political controversy such that it distracts from the priority of gospel ministry. In another sense, the church’s faithfulness to the gospel will result in political impact and influence. The call to faith in Christ reveals where one’s true loyalties lie and confronts any human government or political figure who seeks to place themselves above Christ.

More Noble: Engaging the Intellect and Social Worlds

Biblical Narrative (Acts 17:10–15)

Due to the tumult of Thessalonica, “the brothers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea” (17:10). Upon arrival, they went to the synagogue, continuing their ministry of the gospel. By preaching in the synagogue, Paul would have an audience with religious-minded people who might be open to hearing the gospel. The Jews in Berea were “noble-minded” (17:11). When they heard Paul preach, “they received the message with great eagerness” (17:11). The Bereans took Paul’s teaching to heart but also did their own investigation. Specifically, they “examined the Scriptures every day to see if these teachings were true” (17:11). As a result, many believed. Among these new believers were “quite a few prominent Greek women and men” (17:12). Eventually, the mob from Thessalonica pursued Paul in Berea and stirred up the crowds (17:13). Paul was sent away to Athens while Silas and Timothy remained back in Berea for a time (17:14–15).

Biblical Principles

Intellectual Discovery. In Berea, Paul engaged an audience willing to examine the Scriptures for themselves. When they listened to Paul, they “received the message with great eagerness” and “examined the Scriptures every day to see if these teachings were true” (17:11). The Bereans were open to considering Paul’s teaching but did not embrace it without affirming its veracity by their own study. Through reflection and research, they were personally invested in discovering claims of truth. They employed intellectual skills, biblical learning, and theological reasoning to verify the message. They did this with a teaching and earnest attitude. Their willingness to learn was balanced by their commitment to the truth. In a world where philosophers influenced the ideas of the day, these Bereans were shaped by biblical and theological inquiry. When the good news about Christ invades the world (and when the church ministers to the world), objective claims of gospel truth challenge the intellectual landscape of people and society.

Social Class. The gospel has power and influence across all social classes. In this passage, the nobility of the Bereans is depicted as superior—“more noble-minded” (17:11)—to the Thessalonians. Some who believed were those who were “prominent” (17:12). In Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea, the gospel took root among those of high social standing. In Philippi, the name of Christ also set free a slave-girl at the bottom rung of society (16:16–18). In Berea, the reception of the gospel among the upper class echoes its earlier reception in Thessalonica among “quite a few leading women” (17:4). The noble-minded Bereans were starkly contrasted with the agitating mob (17:13) and the persecuting elite (17:6, 8) in Thessalonica. The good news of the gospel cuts across all social classes. In Christ, poor and rich alike can find forgiveness, salvation, and eternal life. A church-based, gospel-centered ministry will seek to work in all classes and social groups.

What These Things Mean: Addressing Worldview Concerns of the Surrounding Culture

Biblical Narrative (Acts 17:16–33)

While Paul arrived in Athens and was waiting for his companions (17:16; cf. 17:14–15), “he was deeply disturbed in his spirit to see that the city was full of idols” (17:16). He engaged Jews and religious people in the synagogue (17:17), interacted with people in the marketplace (17:17), and also conversed with philosophers (17:18). Some considered the gospel babble (17:18), foreign (17:18), and strange (17:20). Some wanted to learn more about this new teaching (17:19–21).

Paul stood up in the middle of the Areopagus and delivered a speech to his listeners (17:22). He commented on their religiosity (17:22). They had an idol to an unknown god, and Paul used this as an opportunity to proclaim to them the true God (17:23). In his speech, Paul addressed key worldview questions related to God (17:24–25), humanity (17:25), culture (17:26), generations (17:26), and relationship with God (17:27–28). Paul confronted the Athenian idolatry (17:29) and told them that God was calling all people to repent (17:30). In fact, Paul explained that God fixed a day where he would execute his righteous judgment by a person he raised from the dead (17:31). When Paul mentioned the resurrection of the dead, some mocked, some believed, and some wanted to hear more (17:32–34).

Biblical Principles

Cultural Engagement. In Athens, Paul gave us a helpful example of engaging the surrounding culture. While he was waiting for his mission companions, Paul took the time to interact with the people and environment of Athens. He not only observed the idolatry of the city, but he was also disturbed by it (17:16). Like Paul, the church does well to engage culture when we take the time to observe the things to which a culture has given its affection and devotion. Understanding one’s culture with clarity and genuine concern is an important starting point for cultural engagement. But Paul did not stop with observation. He engaged city dwellers with the truth. His communication involved reasoning (17:17), conversation (17:18), preaching (17:18), and teaching (17:19). Unashamed of the gospel, Paul communicated gospel truth with bold conviction, even when it cut against the sensitivities of the Athenian society. Regardless of whether the gospel appears strange, odd, or foreign, Christians must engage the surrounding culture with its unadulterated and pure truth.

When Paul gave his speech, he addressed specific worldview questions—major concerns for which humans seek to find answers (17:22–28). He even used culturally appropriate poets to orient his listeners to the truth (17:28). Inasmuch as the church must observe culture empathetically and address culture uncompromisingly with the truth of the gospel, the community of faith should seek to communicate to culture in a way that it can understand. The church bears a responsibility to be a student of culture so that it can appropriately speak the truth of the gospel into the lives of its listeners. However specific and situational each cultural context is, all cultures are part of unfolding human history. Regardless of one’s culture or generation, all people face judgment before God (17:31). Responding in faith and repentance (17:30, 31) to the resurrected Christ is the only way that any person can escape God’s judgment. While the church studies, interacts with, and addresses the culture, God’s people are also responsible for confronting each culture and each generation with the unchanging truth.

Transforming Worldviews. Paul’s faithful cultural engagement addressed the specific worldview questions that were pressing on the Athenians of that day: questions related to God, humanity, culture, generations, and relationship with God. In his speech at the Aeropagus, Paul affirmed the Athenian religiosity, treating them with respect (17:22). He then spoke about the nature of God: the one “who made the world and everything in it” (17:24), “the Lord of heaven and earth” (17:24), the one who “does not live in temples made by human hands” (17:24), and the true God who is “served by human hands, as if He needed anything” (17:25; cf. 17:29). Paul affirmed that God made humanity and all things: “He Himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else” (17:25; cf. 17:26, 28–29). He explained that cultures, family lineages, and nations descended from the first created humans (17:26). God stands sovereign over all of human history and is accessible to those who seek him (17:27). God has made a relationship with him possible for those who repent of their sin and place their trust in the gospel (17:30, 34). The gospel has the power to connect with and confront all worldviews. The gospel itself is an all-encompassing way of viewing the world rightly and anticipating the imminent end of human history.

Questions of Words and Names: Interacting With the Immediate Religious Context

Biblical Narrative (Acts 18:1–17)

Eventually, Paul left Athens and traveled to Corinth. When he arrived, he connected with Priscilla and Aquila (18:2). They were all tentmakers, and Paul stayed with them for some time while he worked (18:3). Each Sabbath, Paul went to the synagogue to share the gospel (18:4). Eventually, Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia and joined Paul, who was busy bearing witness to Christ (18:5). When Jews opposed Paul, he shook his garments and said he was going to minister to the Gentiles (18:6). Paul stayed with a man named Titius Justus, whose house was next to the synagogue (18:7). During Paul’s ministry in Corinth, many people came to faith, including the leader of the synagogue, Crispus (18:8). One night, Paul had a vision of Jesus, who told him to keep sharing the word because many were left in the city who belonged to Christ (18:10). Paul ministered in Corinth for one-and-a-half years (18:11).

The Jews accused Paul before the tribunal of breaking Jewish law (18:12–13). Paul was about to speak in his defense when the proconsul, Gallio, spoke up (18:14). He said that since Paul had not broken any law, their complaint was a religious matter that should be adjudicated themselves (18:14–15). Ultimately, he sent them away (18:16). The Jews beat a synagogue ruler named Sosthenes, and Gallio did not pay attention to the act (18:17). Paul stayed in Corinth for nearly eighteen months before he left for another city. By the time he left, a church had been planted. Paul’s ministry in Corinth highlights his vocational work and the impact of his ministry in the religious spheres.

Biblical Principles

Vocational Sphere. Paul’s tentmaking work in Corinth was a means to sustain himself in ministry (18:3–4). It was also a ministry in and of itself. During Paul’s tentmaking work in Corinth, he connected with Priscilla and Aquila, who also worked as tentmakers (18:3). They shared residence and work during this time and eventually became coworkers in the gospel. Vocational work is not antithetical to ministry engagement. Paul, Priscilla, and Aquila are examples of this. When the gospel is prioritized, our approach to work, employment, vocation, and ministry is radically redefined. The gospel is powerful to reshape a person’s work and compelling to invite people from all trades into gospel ministry.

Religious Belief. Certainly, Paul’s ministry in other cities addressed religious belief. Paul’s teaching in synaogues and religious areas (16:12, 16; 17:1, 10, 17; 18:4, 7–8, 17), his exorcism of a spirit that supported a false religion (16:16–19), and his speech in the idol-ridden Aeropagus (17:16, 18, 22–23), all highlight the gospel’s impact in the religious domain. During Paul’s time in Corinth, the gospel made no less of an impact in the religious sphere. Paul’s ministry confronted the religious presuppositions of the Corinthians. In Corinth, Paul ministered in and around the synagogue (18:4, 7–8, 17). While some believed the gospel (18:7, 8, 10, 17), others passionately opposed him (18:6, 12–17). Gallio’s dismissal of the accusation against Paul adds to the religious focus of Paul’s ministry in Corinth. Paul’s ministry work impacted the religious domain (18:15). While the church should seek to engage all domains of society, in the end, the great impact the church can make is to challenge false religious beliefs and call people to a belief in the true God.

Conclusion

Paul and his missionary team faithfully ministered the gospel across Macedonia and Achaia. As the gospel was proclaimed in various cities, it also impacted various domains of society. The gospel ministry of Paul and his companions transformed the lives of individuals like Lydia, confronted oppressive spiritual forces as in the case of the slave girl, challenged underlying economic values in Philippi, changed the life and family dynamics of the Philippian jailer, navigated the complexity of legal systems, exposed the social and civic loyalties in Thessalonica, engaged the intellectuals of Berea, addressed the underlying worldview questions in Athens, and spoke into the religious setting of Corinth. The wide spectrum of society affected by the gospel highlights the broad areas of the world in which the church can make an impact.

As we have seen, it is important to understand the nature of the family in order to understand the essence of the church. Additionally, it is vital that the church cultivate community life within the fellowship of believers. However, the full expression of Christian community cannot be realized unless the church understands its responsibility in the world. The church lives out its faith and bears witness to the gospel in the context of society. As the community of faith lives out its faith in this public way, the impact of the gospel can be experienced across the various domains—the “worlds”—of society.

Session Synopsis

SESSION 11 SYNOPSIS
World Spheres	In this passage, we learn about the various domains of gospel impact. During Paul’s ministry in Philippi, Lydia comes to faith in Christ, a slave-girl is liberated from an evil spirit, Paul and Silas are imprisoned and released, and a jailer comes to faith in Christ with his whole household. Paul’s ministry in Thessalonica resulted in many coming to faith in Christ, but they had to leave because a mob formed against them. His work in Berea was well-received by a group of noble-minded people who searched for the truth for themselves. Paul’s missionary work in Athens led him to engage culture and address worldview questions with a culturally sensitive but uncompromisingly true message. Paul’s eighteen-month stay in Corinth resulted in a collision between the gospel and the religious leaders in the city. This record of Paul’s second missionary journey helps provide a sketch of the gospel’s impact in various spheres of society. A summary of this story’s principles is outlined below.
Divine Guidance in the World	God’s people should seek God’s guidance for how to engage the world (16:6–12).
Individual and Heart Transformation	The gospel transforms individual lives (16:13–15, 18, 30–31). God’s people should minister to individuals, preaching the gospel to the heart.
Spiritual Warfare	The gospel demonstrates the power of Jesus in the spiritual domain (16:16–18). Because of their faith in Christ, God’s people are more powerful than the spiritual forces in the unseen realm.
Economic Change	The gospel exposes and disrupts economic priorities (16:14–19, 40). God’s people should use their resources to serve the church and the gospel. When people believe the gospel and submit to Jesus’ authority, the way we approach wealth and material possessions is radically transformed.
Family Transformation	The gospel transforms whole families (16:15, 31–34, 40; 18:8). God’s people should minister the gospel to whole families, and they should use their families (and homes) for gospel ministry.
Legality, Civics, and Politics	The gospel challenges legal (16:19–24, 35–38; 17:5–7, 9), civic (16:20–21, 37–39; 17:5–7), and political (16:37–39; 17:6–8) domains. God’s people should be peaceful, law-abiding citizens who lead lives above reproach and boldly preach the gospel. The gospel will disrupt society; God’s people should not be disruptive in society.
Intellectual Domain and Social Class	The gospel impacts people of all intellectual (17:11) and social spheres (16:16–18; 17:4, 6, 8, 11–12). God’s people should speak the truth boldly and help people discover the truth for themselves in Scripture.
Cultural Engagement and Worldview	The gospel addresses major worldview questions people are asking (17:22–31). God’s people should engage culture in a way that is truthful and contextual (17:16–19).
Religion and Truth	The gospel challenges religious beliefs (18:4, 7–8, 15, 17). God’s people should see places open for religious dialogue (16:12, 16; 17:1, 10, 17; 18:4, 7–8, 17) and speak truthfully to challenge false religions (16:16–19; 17:16, 18, 22–23).
Vocation and Mission	The gospel reshapes the way people approach vocation (18:3–4). God’s people seek to unite their employment with God’s mission.

Personal Reflection: Entering the Story

Apply the Text: The word of God is binding and authoritative, the only reliable guide for faith and godliness. True disciples submit themselves to God’s word. In this movement, you will apply God’s word to your lives.

Reflection Questions

Encourage one person to share a testimony about how this story has impacted them so far. Use the reflection questions to examine your life in light of this biblical passage.

Spiritual Practice

Impact Society

Reflect on Paul’s missionary work and the impact of the gospel in various spheres of society. Consider what it looks like for the church to minister to the world in a way that does not assimilate into surrounding society. Write a personal prayer for various domains of your society in which you express your hopes for how the gospel will make an impact.

Ministry Practice: Rehearsing the Script

Minister the Text: God’s word is living and active. Through God’s word, the Christian community is edified. In this movement, you will utilize the biblical passage to minister to other believers and build them up in their faith.

Application Questions

Look at the infographic below. Use the questions to think about how to minister this text to other believers.

Missional Outreach: Publicizing the Truth

Witness the Text: The Bible is a message of God’s gracious salvation to the world. In word and deed, God’s people proclaim the good news of the gospel. In this movement, you will use this biblical passage to reach out to unbelievers.

Strategy Questions

Reflect on the infographic below. Consider how you can use this passage to witness to the surrounding world. Use the suggested ideas to prime your imagination. Then, put together a plan to share this passage with unbelievers, Afterward, reflect on this mission experience.