Misc. - "Simple Obedience, Radical Impact" - Acts 17:1-10

Misc. - “Simple Obedience, Radical Impact” - Acts 17

“When I was a boy, my father, a baker, introduced me to the wonders of song,” tenor Luciano Pavarotti relates. “He urged me to work very hard to develop my voice. Arrigo Pola, a professional tenor in my hometown of Modena, Italy, took me as a pupil. I also enrolled in a teachers college. On graduating, I asked my father, ‘Shall I be a teacher or a singer?’ “‘Luciano,’ my father replied, ‘if you try to sit on two chairs, you will fall between them. For life, you must choose one chair.’ “I chose one. It took seven years of study and frustration before I made my first professional appearance. It took another seven to reach the Metropolitan Opera. And now I think whether it’s laying bricks, writing a book—whatever we choose—we should give ourselves to it. Commitment, that’s the key. Choose one chair.”

Paul’s ministry in Thessalonica included him preaching and teaching deep things to these believers. You’re never too immature to learn about doctrines.

1. The Strategy of the Missionary

I love watching

Getting back to the basics...

a. The Specific Region

Remember Paul and Silas left Philippi at the end of Acts 16.

The believers in Philippi comforted Paul and Silas but they realized that it was time to move on.

So,

Acts 17:1 KJV 1900

1 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews:

Paul passed through Apollonia and Amphipolis.

the principal and most populous city in Macedonia

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset, and David Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, vol. 2 (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997), 200.

He also w

B. The Simple Routine

fundamentals...

As his custom was: Paul first went to the synagogue, and preached Jesus crucified and risen again to the Jews and God-fearing Gentiles there. There were several notable aspects to his presentation of Jesus.

Acts 17:2–3 KJV 1900

2 And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures, 3 Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.

Reason - this is where we get our word, “dialgoue”

Paul just asked questions, and opened ended questions to be exact.

Paul reasoned with them from the Scriptures; “The Greek word translated ‘reasoned’ is the root for our English word dialogue. There was exchange, questions and answers. He dialogued with them ‘from the Scriptures.’” )

Explain - “opening” the Scriptures

Then he took them to the word.

The word here means to explain by opening the Scriptures.

Prove - “alleging” also means demonstrating

Also, you could say, “giving evidence.”

Evidence of what??

That the Messiah had to suffer and risen again from the dead.

iii. Paul did the work of demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead; “’Giving evidence’ (NASB; ‘proving,’ NIV), which means ‘to place beside’ or ‘to set before.’” (Hughes) The idea is of presenting persuasive evidence to listeners.

Luke 24, the road to Emmaus.

Proclaim - preaching

So go here to this synagogue with me… Paul speaks up after the rabbi finished reading the scroll and says, “the Messiah has already come, and He is Jesus of Nazareth!”

Genesis 3:21 KJV 1900

21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them.

Leviticus 17:11 KJV 1900

11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.

Psalm 22:16–18 KJV 1900

16 For dogs have compassed me: The assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: They pierced my hands and my feet. 17 I may tell all my bones: They look and stare upon me. 18 They part my garments among them, And cast lots upon my vesture.

Isaiah 53:3–5 KJV 1900

3 He is despised and rejected of men; A man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: And we hid as it were our faces from him; He was despised, and we esteemed him not. 4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, And carried our sorrows: Yet we did esteem him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: The chastisement of our peace was upon him; And with his stripes we are healed.

iv. Paul emphasized in all this who Jesus is (This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ) and what He did for them (suffer and rise again from the dead).

preaching always demands a decision.

C. The Spiritual Results

Acts 17:4 KJV 1900

4 And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few.

Some of them were persuaded: Among the hearers, there was a good response from some. Most of those — actually, a great multitude — were devout Greeks, but also many prominent Jewish women (not a few of the leading women). By all accounts, the work was a success: a great multitude believed… not a few.

i. When Paul was in Thessalonica, he received financial support from the Christians in Philippi (Philippians 4:15-16). They helped with this successful work among the Thessalonians.

2. The Style of the Mob

Scheme...

Richard Mayhue...Satan's four objective attacks against people:

"attempt to distort or deny the truth of God's Word (pg. 23)

Second, "Satan will try to discredit the testimony of God's people. Acts 5 (pg. 23)

Third, He tries to depress or destroy the believer's enthusiasm for God's work (pg. 24)

Last, Satan can dilute the effectiveness of God's church, he will be moving toward his goals.

a. The Companions in the Mob

Acts 17:5 KJV 1900

5 But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people.

Look who these Jews associated themselves with here:

“lewd fellows of the baser sort...”

The Jews who were not persuaded, becoming envious, took some of the evil men from the marketplace, and gathering a mob, set all the city in an uproar: As happened at Pisidian Antioch (Acts 13:45, 50), at Iconium (Acts 14:2, 5), and at Lystra (Acts 14:19) on the first missionary journey, here also Paul was opposed by a mob incited by envious people among the Jewish people.

b. The Conduct of the Mob

This Conduct of the Enemy is something that is Repeated.

This is a pattern that seemed to have repeated itself with Paul in:

Pisidian Antioch:

Acts 13:45 KJV 1900

45 But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming.

Acts 13:50 KJV 1900

50 But the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts.

Iconium

Acts 14:2 KJV 1900

2 But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles, and made their minds evil affected against the brethren.

Acts 14:5 KJV 1900

5 And when there was an assault made both of the Gentiles, and also of the Jews with their rulers, to use them despitefully, and to stone them,

Lystra

Acts 14:19 KJV 1900

19 And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead.

The Jews wanted to demonstrate that these two outsiders were disturbing the Pax Romana, the one thing Rome could not tolerate. If the Jews could have demonstrated that Paul and Silas ultimately caused the riot, they could have made their case stick.

Apparently Jason had hidden the missionaries, so they dragged him and a few other Christians before the magistrates (politarches). Remember, we are beyond a.d. 50 here so the officials at Thessalonica would surely know of the Edict of Claudius, dated about that time, expelling all Christians from Rome because of constant riots.

c. The Compliment from the Mob

Acts 17:6 KJV 1900

6 And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also;

Their complaint? These men who have caused trouble all over the world have now come here. Here we have more Lucan hyperbole, though of course he may be recording exactly what they said in their wild exaggeration of the truth. Not only have these troublemakers come, but Jason has shown them hospitality. Look out. Here comes the coup de grace—they defy Caesar’s decrees and claim that Jesus is their king. What a familiar sound. We can see Jesus in Pilate’s hall (Luke 23:2, 4; John 19:12, 15). We can hear the frantic multitudes in Jerusalem screaming, “We have no king but Caesar!”

When accusing these Christians before the rulers of the city, the evil men from the marketplace gave an unintended compliment to the effectiveness of God’s work through Paul and Silas. To complain that the Christians were these who have turned the world upside-down have come here too was to say,

“They have turned the world upside down!”

“these men have radically impacted our world and nothing seems the same.”

3. The Significance of this Ministry

Oh I almost forgot...

Oh, I forgot to mention...

They left but Paul wrote back to them… what did he write?

a. He wrote about his Desire

I want to remind you that we spoke to you to simply be obedient to Jesus:

1 Thessalonians 2:2–4 KJV 1900

2 But even after that we had suffered before, and were shamefully entreated, as ye know, at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention. 3 For our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile: 4 But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.

I also want to remind you that we want to come back but Satan hindered us:

1 Thessalonians 2:17–18 KJV 1900

17 But we, brethren, being taken from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavoured the more abundantly to see your face with great desire. 18 Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us.

I also desire that you would:

Walk worthy - 1 Thessalonians 2:12

1 Thessalonians 2:12 KJV 1900

12 That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.

2. You would be established - 1 Thessalonians 3:2, 3, 8.

3. You would be comforted by the promise of the Rapture - 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.

4.

b. He Wrote about Doctrine

What happened in these few days… a church was planted!

It didn’t take long!

1. The Second Coming of Jesus.

The Gospel

1 Thessalonians 5:9–10 KJV 1900

9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.

The Armor of God

1. Thessalonians 5:8

Prayer

Not Quenching the Spirit

c. He Wrote about Direction

1 Thessalonians 4:11–12 KJV 1900

11 And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; 12 That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.