The Truth Behind Two Hills

In Acts 17:21, there’s a fairly interesting lesson I want to highlight from this verse.

For all the Athenians and the foreigners who were there spent their time in nothing else but either to tell or to hear some new thing.

(Acts 17:21)

This verse is talking about how the citizens and tourists of Athens would hang out at a place called Mars Hill and talk about “what’s new.”
Of course, Paul took advantage of this situation as an opportunity to preach the gospel (see verses 22-34).

But I couldn’t help but wonder if, in our current day and age, we also have what the people of Athens had here in Acts 17:21!

For all the Athenians and the foreigners who were there [to Mars Hill] spent their time in nothing else but either to tell or to hear some new thing.

(Acts 17:21)

Does our 21st century world have its very own version of “Mars Hill?”

The Modern Mars Hill

Ever since the breaking dawn of technological media usage throughout our time, the concept of Mars Hill has become GLOBAL!

Especially when it comes to social media.

Think about it. The basic purpose of social media is to–just like what happened at the Mars Hill of ancient Athens–“tell or hear [see] something new” (Acts 17:21).

Truly there’s “nothing new under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9).

But pushing aside how “interesting” this all may sound, I wanna direct your attention to something startling.

“Nothing Else”

Let’s go back to the verse we’re studying today. In Acts 17:21, I wanna highlight one important part of this verse:

For all the Athenians and the foreigners who were there spent their time in nothing else but either to tell or to hear some new thing.

(Acts 17:21 emphasis added)

Just like the people of Athens spent their time doing NOTHING ELSE but talking and listening at Mars Hill, we too in our 21st century world also do the same thing in doing NOTHING ELSE but texting, posting, and scrolling through the Mars Hills of social media.
Doing NOTHING ELSE but watching, liking, and playing away precious time on the Mars Hill of apps on our phones.

Studies have shown that the average teenager spends NINE HOURS consuming media EVERY DAY. Did you know that the very same teenager needs THAT EXACT SAME AMOUNT of sleep every night?!

So imagine this with me, okay? I have an info graphic of it below:

Before I move on with this blog post, I just wanna make it clear that I’m NOT trying to put down anyone. I’m not trying to sound anti-tech or anti-media or anything like that. I’m just trying to tell you, dear reader, the truth behind these modern devices that we have, and how it’s choking us and ruining us spiritually. It’s my desire to “sound the alarm” and warn you about the spiritual dangers that lurk beneath all this media we have in our world. Why? So we can LEARN TO LIVE a life that’s BETTER CONNECTED to God than ever before! And so we can BE READY for His soon return! Amen! Maranatha!

Another Hill

With all these deep, raw information in mind, I wanna direct our attention to another hill. My favorite writer, Ellen White, talks about what happened on this other hill.

Not Mars Hill, however.

But Calvary Hill.

. “Let the cross of Christ be made………the center of all teaching and all study. Let it be brought into the daily experience in practical life. So will the Saviour become to the youth a daily companion and friend.”

–Testimonies to the church vol. 8 page 320–

“We must gather about the cross. Christ and Him crucified must be the theme of contemplation, of conversation, and of our most joyful emotion.”

–Testimony treasures vol. 1 page 278–

In the above quote, Ellen White states that the cross must be the “center” of all that we teach and study. I’m sure that the cross should also be the “center” of how we live our lives. In the second quote, she says that we must “gather about the cross.” We must come to the cross and lay all our burdens down before it.

But, dear reader, is there any Mars Hill in your life that’s BLOCKING you from coming to Calvary Hill? Is there any type of media that’s taking away all the time you need to go to Calvary Hill and spend time with the One who died for you at that hill?

If you’re wondering whether or not a certain media platform has become an idol in your life, I have a special resource you may download that’ll help you find out–through 3 simple signs–if some type of media is TRULY blocking you from going to Calvary Hill.

Check it out HERE on my new resource page under “3 Signs That Show If Something Is An Idol In Your Life”!

An Appeal & Prayer

Dear reader, I set before you today two hills.

The Mars Hill of worldly media and entertainment addiction

The Calvary Hill where Christ died for you so you can be FREE from these media addictions

I wanna ask you, which will you choose today? If you desire to choose Calvary Hill, and to have the cross of Christ be the center of your life instead of the Mars Hills of worldly media and entertainment, then just pray:

Amen! Maranatha!