Changing the way we talk about our faith seems scary. Are we changing the gospel if we don’t talk about it in specific ways? Does it really matter if people will misunderstand what we say? Don’t we have to be true to the Scriptures?
Here are Anthony's outlines for the Paul's sermons
The sermon at Pisidian Antioch (Acts 13:16-41).
⦁ Paul begins by steeping his message in Israel’s history (vv.17-22).
⦁ Paul points out God made a promise to David about a Savior (v.23).
⦁ Paul points out that John the Baptist knew he was not the promised one (vv.24-25).
⦁ Paul explains why Jesus was rejected and killed by the rulers and residents of Jerusalem (vv.26-29).
⦁ Paul speaks of God raising Jesus from the dead (v.30).
⦁ Paul points out that Jesus appeared to his disciples for many days and these disciples are now witnesses of his resurrection (v.31).
⦁ Paul quotes from the Psalms and Isaiah to validate his point that Jesus is the promised, resurrected Messiah (vv.33-37).
⦁ Paul explains that God’s purpose in this was to provide forgiveness and release from sins (vv.38-39).
⦁ Paul warns them about rejecting his message with a verse from Habakkuk (v.40-41).
The sermon at the Areopagus in Athens (Acts 17:22-31).
⦁ Paul begins by complimenting the Athenians for being religious (v.22).
⦁ Paul draws everyone’s attention to the altar of the unknown god (v.23).
⦁ Paul introduces them to this unknown god: This god is different. He does not live in shrines because he is the Lord of heaven and earth. In addition, humans are not the ones who care for him; God is the one who cares for all humans (vv.24-25).
⦁ Paul explains that this God made all the peoples of the earth from one ancestor. In addition, God is near to everyone; and he puts people in specific locations on the earth so that they will seek for him and find him (v.27).
⦁ Paul supports his argument by quoting verses from Greek poetry (v.28). The first is from Cretica by Epimenides of Crete and the second is from Phainomena by Aratus.
⦁ Paul explains since God made human beings we ought not to think that humans can make this God out of silver or gold (v.29).
⦁ Paul explains that God now expects humans to turn to him (v.30).
⦁ Paul warns his Athenian listeners that God has fixed a time when a man will judge the world (v.31).
⦁ Paul says that God confirmed his appointment of this man as judge by raising him from the dead (v.31).