“The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.” Acts 17:24-25 (ESV)
Understanding context is important. When the apostle Paul spoke these words he was in Athens, Greece. He was standing on the Areopagus (Romans called it Mars Hill). This is where the Athenian supreme tribunal and “court of morals” was held. Paul has been invited to speak to the wise ones. Today we look at a bit of what he said and a couple of promises which Paul was proclaiming to the Athenians. First, God made the world and everything in it. Temples made by human hands were not where God lives. The same is true today. We worship God in buildings and we might call them God’s House but God’s House is all of Creation. We also think of the things we do as a means of providing what God needs. But the promise is that He Himself provides for us and He needs nothing from us. God has no needs. God calls us to worship Him, to give glory to Him and His Name, to Praise Him, to Love Him and His Word, and to Obey His commandments. We need to do those things and others out of obedience and not out of God’s need of them.
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