You Need To Hear This

Introduction

Why preach Jesus?

Man’s singular most disastrous problem is the problem of SIN

Man’s only hope to escape sin and it’s penalty is located in Jesus, and Him only

Man’s only way to be victorious over the troubles of the world and darts of the enemy is to put his trust in Jesus

When it comes to talking about Jesus, “You Need To Hear This”

Paul finds himself in Thessalonica a “free city”

But he was about to make some folks uncomfortable

Acts 17:2 “And according to Paul’s custom, he went to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures,”

He uses a rehtorical syllogism to establish that Jesus fits the character of the Christ therefore Jesus is the Christ.

Whatever Paul taught it was from the Scriptures

Scriptures = Torah, Prophets, the Writings [our OT]

Something in the Scriptures told them about the Christ

Jn 5:39 ““You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me;”

Luke 24:44 “Now He said to them, “These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.””

Acts 17:3 “explaining [opening up, making plain] and giving evidence [placing before or besides] that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the Christ.””

This is something to help your faith - There were things Christ had to do!

The Suffering

The suffering of Christ was not an option, it was a NECESSITY

We have turned service, worship, into options APPL.

The MESSIAH - A future deliverer and savior who would rescue his people and usher in a time of prosperity and blessing

This is why Paul appeals to Scriptures, to show that this was not something made up as time went along but was in the mind of God and later revealed to His prophets.

Isa 53:4-6 “Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed. All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him.”

Ps 22:16 “For dogs have surrounded me; A band of evildoers has encompassed me; They pierced my hands and my feet.”

Isa 50:6 “I gave My back to those who strike Me, And My cheeks to those who pluck out the beard; I did not cover My face from humiliation and spitting.”

Isa 53:10 “But the Lord was pleased To crush Him, putting Him to grief; If He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, And the good pleasure of the Lord will prosper in His hand.”

His death appeased the wrath of God. His death finally atoned for all sin. Through his death all men can have life. Matt. 26:53-54 ““Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels? “How then will the Scriptures be fulfilled, which say that it must happen this way?””

The Christ had to do this, and He did. And He did for me. . .and you! That’s why you need to hear this.

The Resurrection

Jesus had to die, but if He stayed dead. . .we’d be in the same position

Listen to scripture

Mt 12:39-40 “But He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation craves for a sign; and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet; for just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea monster, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”

Ps 16:10 “For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol; Nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.” Acts 2:31 “he looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ,

The Christ had to do this because everything depended on this.

There was no plan B, no contingency, no back-up. THIS WAS IT!!!

Acts 17:4–5 NASB95

And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with a large number of the God-fearing Greeks and a number of the leading women. But the Jews, becoming jealous and taking along some wicked men from the market place, formed a mob and set the city in an uproar; and attacking the house of Jason, they were seeking to bring them out to the people.

We see the two responses.

When the Jews heard the explanation from Scripture they made an important connection “there is another king, Jesus”

Interestingly this too is mention in the Scripture:

PS 110:1 “The Lord says to my Lord: “Sit at My right hand Until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.”” Peter preaches this ont he back of Jesus’ ascension

Zech 9:9 “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; He is just and endowed with salvation, Humble, and mounted on a donkey, Even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”

When they said, “there is another king” they were right. There was another king, Jesus! 1 Tim 6:15 “which He will bring about at the proper time—He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords,”

Two Responses to the one who suffered, died, and now reigns as King.

Some were persuaded. Some said He’s done too much for me to ignore. I can no longer respond with indifference, stubborness, pride, ego.

But some, went on the attack

Here’s why they attacked, Paul was causing them discomfort Acts 17:6 “When they did not find them, they began dragging Jason and some brethren before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have upset the world have come here also;”

Takeaways

When the word makes you uncomfortable, GROW don’t get angry!

Instead shouting with the mob, they sound forth the word

Instead of following the crowd they followed the apostles’ example

What have you given up for the king?

The reason why we need to ask this is because of Paul’s letter to the Thess. they “turned” from idolatry to God/But you had Jews who thought that holding on to their tradition was better than Jesus.

What happens when the church and it’s message starts to become so uncomfortable that society becomes violent?

What an awesome picture of the cost it takes to be a kingdom citizen.

Acts 14:22 “strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God [Lystra, Iconium, Derbe].”” This was true for the Thess. on many levels

In a kingdom we are subject to the king!

This is tough to hear but. . .you need to hear this!

The crowd came with power but Paul preached true power

We are reminded that the cross has power, the gospel has power, the blood has power, the King has Power. . .this is good news someone needs to hear this!

The kingom citizens don’t act to maintain their will but sacrifice to perform God’s will

Sometimes doing God’s will means I’ll have to give mine up (easier said than done).

Sometimes I’m like the Jews [I like what I have too much to move]. God is saying come but I like where I am. God is grow, but I like where I am.

At the end of it all, I look to Christ. I need to hear Him. I live for Him.

If God saw the work of the Messiah as NECESSARY , do I see my service to God in the same way.

Someone needs to hear this