They're Not Strangers. You Just Haven't Met Them Yet. Acts 17:24-28

Two thousand years before anyone talked about “common humanity,” Paul stood on a hill named for the god of war and told a room full of skeptics something they weren’t expecting: we’re actually related. In this message on Acts 17:24–28, we walk through Paul’s opening move at Mars Hill — not condemnation, but a shared origin every person in that room could recognize. Then we turn the question on ourselves: when we scroll the news or stand in a checkout line, what’s our first thought about the stranger nearby? Difference, or family? We explore three ways this mindset shift reshapes us and close with a simple challenge for the week ahead. They’re not strangers. We just haven’t met them yet. Sign up for our free daily devotional -- six days of reflection based on the message, sent out once a week -- at https://www.clh.church/contact. Watch related messages: Living Water: A River Too Strong to Stand In (Aug 16, 2026):    • Living Water: A River Too Strong to Stand In   The Gift of Hope (Aug 9, 2026):    • Living in the In-Between Time | The Gift o...   Timestamps 0:43 — Introduction 2:26 — Scripture Reading: Acts 17:24–28 4:04 — The Scene at Mars Hill 4:48 — Paul’s Argument, Unpacked 13:38 — The Turn: What Do We Actually See? 17:43 — Living It Out: Three Ways This Changes Us 23:47 — Conclusion: They’re Not Strangers Acts 17:24–28 | Supporting: Acts 14:15–17, Romans 3:29–30, Romans 10:12, Ephesians 2:14–18, Colossians 3:11 August 23, 2026. Church of the Living Hope (ECO), Chesapeake, VA. | ©Beth M. Doriani, CLP, PhD, 2026. All rights reserved. #ActsChapter17 #ApostlePaul #MarsHill #sermon #Christianliving #commonhumanity #Areopagus #Christianity #Bible #faith