Acts 40: How to Turn the World Upside Down

We are in Acts 17 today

So I was struggling with where to go with this text all week. I read old sermons… I read commentaries… I read from the book of Thessalonians… I listened to other pastors preach it… nothing seemed to click… then something happened and a thread that many of those articles and sermons, particularly one by Pastor Chet Lowe, seemed to jump out.

Opening ceremony of Olympics… what is going on

Reality is that things have been this way for quite some time

We just noticed it because they seemed to take a big step.

Like fishing from a kayak… if you don’t do it all the time especially. At first the unsteadiness is a bit troublesome. But after a few minutes you get the rhythm of the water and the unsteadiness isn’t a problem. But then a big boat goes by… it’s the same thing just slightly bigger. And after 3-4 boats go by you stop noticing them again

That’s the situation we find ourselves in today… and the Olympic opening ceremony was one of those boats that comes by and rocks our world… and they are going to keep coming and we are either going to grow accustomed to it and get to where we can handle it without getting upset… or we are going to have to get out of the water.

I’m not a political preacher or a social warrior… But what I have become convinced of over the last few days is that the time of Jesus’s return is closer than ever… and when I heard that in the past I would think - “obviously because it is at least a day later than you thought of it before” But when I see Jesus the Lord of all creation, openly mocked by an unbelieving world I can attribute it only to the boldness of the evil one Satan.

It serves as sort of a wake up call to us the church that maybe we have gotten too accustomed to the ways of the world… this has been seeping in to our lives for too long and we need to start living a bit more peculiar lives.

John 15:19 NIV84

19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.

PRAY

Acts Chapter 17

Acts 17:1–4 ESV

1 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. 2 And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ.” 4 And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a great many of the devout Greeks and not a few of the leading women.

Chapter 17 is believed to have taken place about 17 years into Christianity and look at what God has done… the roman world is being transformed as they continue the work of making disciples

From Stephen’s martyr, to scattering of church, to Gentile church in Antioch… spreading into Asia Minor.... now into the Roman capital of Macedonia (Greece) - Thessalonica.

IF you remember Paul and Silas were unlawfully beaten and jailed in Philippi… released by the magistrates who had to admit they were wrong… then after recovering for a bit, they walked three days… through some smaller towns in order to get to the capital city.

And what is happening there? People hear the truth that God’s plan all along was that the Messiah would suffer and Jesus is the Messiah for us to believe in… many respond in faith. Not just Jews, but locals… Greeks too.

Let this be a reminder to us.... when ever the work of God happening… there is a work of his enemy happening as well.

But also when you begin to see the work of the enemy clearly… trust that he is losing… and he knows he is losing… not to say he is going to give up, but our enemy presses harder - things get harder for the church in the world when Satan sees the church expand.

Acts 17:5–9 ESV

5 But the Jews were jealous, and taking some wicked men of the rabble, they formed a mob, set the city in an uproar, and attacked the house of Jason, seeking to bring them out to the crowd. 6 And when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also, 7 and Jason has received them, and they are all acting against the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.” 8 And the people and the city authorities were disturbed when they heard these things. 9 And when they had taken money as security from Jason and the rest, they let them go.

First I have to point out that the Jews made alies with some bad men. Men they had no business dealing with… in fact their righteous indignation should have stopped them… but anger and jealousy can cloud our judgement. When we aren’t seeing things as they really are, we do things we normally wouldn't do.

“They are turning our world upside down”

Jason attacked for just providing hospitality and telling people about Jesus… Think about that… imagine being drug out of your home and into a crowd then led to the authorities and accused of turning the world upside down… when all you have done is show hospitality and tell people about Jesus… turning the world upside down when all you have done is show love for people and share the Good News.

They are turning the world upside down… and it’s only been 17 years and they are making disciples everywhere they go…

I want to focus today on this accusation that was made about the disciples…that “they are turning our world upside down”

‌what does it mean to turn someone’s world upside down?

Flip them over.

Winning a Million $ would turn your world upside down

If you lost a million $ lottery ticket you would turn the world upside down looking for it

Other thing that would turn your world upside down is a powerful experience, or an amazing trip to a new place… or a new experience - getting married, having a child, losing someone close… can certainly turn your world upside down right?

Other thing that would turn your world upside down is getting clarity on God’s calling for your life.

I know for me, when I felt God calling me into ministry, I felt like my world was turned upside down. April 20th I had gone to work happy to do it… Then April 21st, I had this compulsion to do something… It wasn’t something I could ignore.

I think of Saul, A true pharisee, a student of Gamaliel, wise in the Law of Moses, Full of passion for the purity of the Jewish faith, driven to clean things up by arresting Christians… then knocked off his horse and struck blind

What happened is that Paul saw reality as he had never had before… he was shown a truth that he never known and it totally changed his perspective. And that changed his life. So when he heard Jesus call him to go and preach the Good News to the Gentiles, he didn’t hesitate.

His life wasn’t turned upside down… in fact, Jesus was turning him right side up.

In fact it seems like you are turning something upside down, but in reality it is being put into position to be used… Mustard bottle… Until you turn it upside down, you can’t experience the benefits

So this mob drags Jason before the local rulers and accuse him of destroying everything, but Paul and the others know that in reality they are putting it right.

They know the truth, because they have seen the truth, so when they heard - Go into the world - they took it seriously… 17 years and they were reaching the known world

after Stephen was martyred, the church scattered, but they didn’t quit or give up… instead, in that moment they went to work.

When a team scores do the opponents walk off? no… they get to work.

When our enemy scores, do we quit? walk off the field… or do we get out and go on offense?

These folks… persecuted, but they stay on offense… My dream is to be a church that is known for turning Rock Hall upside down

When Saul was knocked off the horse his world was turned upside down… but in reality it was turned right side up.

Jesus talking about the end of the world said

Jhn 12:31-32 - now is the judgement of this world...

John 12:31–32 NLT

31 The time for judging this world has come, when Satan, the ruler of this world, will be cast out. 32 And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself.”

Satan is ruler of this world and it is upside down…

Adam in Garden… creation was declared GOOD - Satan entered and flipped everything upside down… went from walking with God to hiding from God… God created the Garden for peace, but satan used it for war

Everythign about this world is upside down… God gives life and the world says we can take it away.

Hebrews 2:8–11

8 ... In putting everything under him, God left nothing that is not subject to him. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to him. 9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. 10 In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering.

Satan wants to separate us from God, but Jesus came to set us right side up so we can live in the relationship God created us for.

We weren’t made to figure life out… we were created to live life to the fullest.

When you come into an upside down world and turn it over… you are actually setting it right side up

When Saul was knocked off the horse his world was turned upside down… but in reality it was turned right side up.

Jason’s accusers didn’t realize they were the ones upside down… they had lost perspective…

Like looking at the moon from the south pole. You think it’s right side up, but that’s only because you are upside down.

That’s why Christians are weird, everyone else is looking at us upside down.

Paul, Silas, Timothy, Luke, and Jason had found perspective. Given by the creator… and they were calling others to see rightly for the first time.

They knew how to be a great witness. It’s really a simple formula, one that we can start to use today with those folks around us who are living upside down in an upside down world.

To be a great witness, we need to know

GCGC=GW

The first GC is the great commission.

Matthew 28:19–20 NIV84

19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Go into the world… go make disciples… very specific commands Jesus gave his followers.

The Great Commission isn’t an accident.

This doesn’t happen by accident, we have to be intentional

After Paul was saved, he went on a mission trip to make disciples… then when he finished, a year later he went out again

Paul was on a mission to turn the world right side up… but this is the “great PAUL”

We need to stop seeing Paul as more than he was. He was a man who lived in opposition ot God for a long time, but when he was set right, he became an example… an example of what God can do in and through us. In his letter to the church in Thessalonia he praised them for doing what he had done.

Paul wrote letters to many churches he was a part of starting, he taught, he encouraged

It takes intention to do what Paul did

But I’m not Paul. OK, then don’t plant a church. Don’t go to Greece. Don’t travel around the Mediterranean. Maybe just go next door and tell your neighbor about Jesus.

Go means Go

When Michelle asks me to go to the store… she rarely means next week… she never means just think about going to the store… she never means tell me why going to the store is a bad idea.

Its going to take courage because our world is upside down… we aren’t going to want to do it… the world is going to tell us somethings are more important… that it won’t matter… But we are told to go

It’s going to be inconvenient to this world… it’s going to seem upside down to everythign around you… but don’t grow weary… don’t give up… don’t give in… let’s set our intention toward the great commission.

Our world is broken… and if we want somethings to change, we have to change somethings.

If we want somethings to change, we have to change somethings.

So that’s the first GC… the Great Commission… GO.

But it’s not a matter of just telliing. The Bible calls us to be winsome… to share in a manner that people with ears to hear might hear.

That’s where we raise the Great Commission to the power of the Great Commandment.

Mark 12:28–31 NIV84

28 One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” 29 “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

The Great Commandment is to Love

If you really love someone your really desire to share everything you have with them

John 14-15 .

Love him we will keep his commands… that if we love him we are in him and he is in us… then in Chapter 15, he begins to teach that if he is in us and we are in him… if we are connected… then we will show the same fruit that he did…

Galatians 5:22–23 NIV84

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Love

Joy

Peace

Patience

Kindness

Goodness

Faithfulness

Gentleness

Self Control

Go to the power of love

So maybe you can do what I’m going to ask my wife to do… go for a walk in your neighborhood… maybe see your neighbors… if you see a need, try to help with it… show you love them.. show them compassion in the middle of their upside down world.