Turn the World upside down Acts 17:1-9

Introduction

Paul and Silas just released from prison waste no time going to the next city to share the good news of Jesus Christ with a city who needs a Saviour. The Gospel has been accused of doing lots of things here in the book of Acts, but this morning we are going to see the Gospel turn the world upside down.

The message of the Gospel has the power to turn the world upside down, we must just tap into the power source.

The Missionaries Journey to Thessalonica vs. 1

Paul, Silas and Timothy leave Philippi and head towards Thessalonica passing through Amphipolis and Apollonia

Amphipolis and Apollonia were smaller towns where Paul likely stayed the night on the way to Thessalonica

Remember Pauls pattern was to start in the big cities and from those churches they would reach the smaller towns and here it was no different.

Thessalonica was the capital of Macedonia and Paul would have a melting pot of people to reach.

We see in their reach in 1 Thes 1:1-10

1 Thessalonians 1:1–10 KJV 1900

1 Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. 2 We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers; 3 Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father; 4 Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God. 5 For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake. 6 And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost: 7 So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia. 8 For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing. 9 For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; 10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

Another pattern of Pauls ministry was to start at the Synagogue. They didn’t believe in Jesus as the Messiah, but they understood who God is and that was a foundation that Paul could work with.

Every time Paul entered a new city that had a synagogue he would start there and show them Christ through the blood line.

Cities that didn’t have a synagogue such as Lystra where Paul had to establish the God of creation was the only true God after healing a person and the people of the city thought they were gods or Philippi where they had a riverside prayer meeting, Paul had to establish who God was.

The message of Paul vs. 2-3

Notice that this wasn’t a new thing Paul came up with in Thessalonica, Luke as he writes the account here uses language that shows us that this was Paul’s manner as he went into cities

The word manner means custom or habitual practice

Paul went into the Synagogue 3 sabbaths in a row and the Bible tells us he reasoned with them or those who were in attendance at the Synagogue

The word reasoned means to persuade by reasoning or argument. Paul brought logic and used the law and prophets to persuade them that Jesus is the Messiah they foretold of.

1 Peter 3:15 “15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:”

As believers we should be able to reason with those who don’t believe in Jesus. Peter tells us to be ready always to give an answer. Are we ready to give an answer today? Paul was ready and he charge Timothy to be ready anytime the opportunity presented itself

2 Timothy 4:1–2 “1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; 2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.”

It’s fathers day, and today I want to challenge you and challenge myself with this thought. Paul here was a spiritual father to Timothy and in the book of Acts we constantly see Paul reasoning for the faith which equipped Timothy to fulfil the charge Paul gave him at the end of his life. Dad’s does our family see us reasoning for the faith and are we preparing our kids to reason for the faith. There will come a time where their faith will be questioned, are they prepared to give an answer or will they get sucked in to the thought that their is no God?

Look at Pauls message

Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead

The Jews would have known this from Passages like Isaiah 53, Psalm 22, Psalm 69.

Christ had to die for our sins as a man, and had to rise from the dead to defeat death.

Paul preached the Gospel, the death, burial and resurrection of Christ and this is the same message we preach today.

May I remind you today that Jesus died for your sins, was buried and rose again the third day so we could have eternal life.

Look at Pauls statement after that. “And that Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ

Paul finishes up the story of Jesus and the tells them the Jesus I just told you about is the Christ!

This morning if you get nothing else out of the message I want you to get this, if you have never trusted Christ as your Saviour you are living a life separated from God, and if you do not trust Christ before you die that separation will be for all of eternity in a place called hell. Hell wasn’t prepared for us, in fact the Bible tells us that it was created for the devil and his angels, but if we don’t trust Christ it is our eternal destination. But if we trust in Jesus, our eternal destination is heaven and we will spend eternity worship the one who died for our sins!

The Response of the People vs 4-7

Notice first a group of Jews believed and then the Bible tells us they consorted with Paul and Silas.

That word consorted means united in marriage.

These Jews that believed were bonded together with the missionaries around one thing and that is the Gospel of Jesus Christ

Then we see a large number of religious Greeks believed as well

Phillips describes these devout greeks like this “These were people who were attracted to the Synagogue because they were disgusted by the gross polytheism and idolatry of paganism, but who held back from becoming proselytes because they were equally repelled by the Jewish requirement of circumcision.

Then we come to a group of chief woman.

The word chief means highest in office or rank. These woman would have had considerable influence and were from the best families in their city.

There were a lot of people that believed, but like in every other city there were those who didn’t believe.

The problem with these that didn’t believe is they were moved with envy or malice.

They went and hired some wicked people who has lost all principles and set the city in an uproar.

They hired this group who recruited others and mobbed the house of Jason, who was likely a convert who housed Paul and Silas.

They go into Jasons house and don’t find Paul and Silas, so they take Jason and some other converts and bring them to the rulers of the city.

Look what they say about the missionaries to the Rulers of the city

“These that have turned the world upside down”

What a testimony of the Gospels power to change lives.

One commentary said this “ Wherever Paul went, things happened. Souls were saved, people took sides, feelings were stirred, decisions were made, the lines were drawn. Paul did not slip into town, hold a few quiet meetings, enjoy some good home cooking, pick up a generous honorarium, and slip back out of town again without the city knowing or caring that the gospel had been preached to all.

Just like in Pauls day the gospel still has the power to turn the world upside down, but we must have the attitude of Peter when he told the religious leaders that he can’t help but preach the gospel.

Notice the charge Jason recieved

Treason- claiming another King other than Caesar

May I remind you this morning there is no other king besides King Jesus and He is my King, is He yours?

The release of Jason vs. 8-9

The charges were very severe and could have resulted in the death of these new converts, but the Bible says the were troubled by the charges.

That word troubled means Disturbed; Agitated; afflicted

The city leaders were caught between a rock and a hard place

Do they charge Jason with treason?

Do they charge the unbelieving Jews with starting a riot?

Or do they just tell everyone to go home?

They chose the later and released Jason and when he was released with the others everyone went home

Conclusion

Dad’s here this morning, are you leading your family to be able to reason for the faith?

Christian, are you turning the world upside down with the Gospel?

Unbeliever, the Gospel has been presented this morning. If you have never trusted Christ as your saviour, why not today. This is the only moment you are promised.