The World Turned Upside Down

Have you ever noticed how people react when their world gets shaken up? When something challenges the way things have always been—people don’t just shrug it off. They either get excited… or they get angry.

Think about it—new inventions, political movements, or even social changes. When the iPhone came out, it flipped the way we communicate. Some people loved it, others mocked it, but nobody could ignore it. Or when a political movement rises, some rally behind it while others protest against it. Why? Because it disrupts the way life has always worked.

In Acts 17, Paul and Silas come into Thessalonica with a message that did just that. They preached that Jesus is the Messiah, risen from the dead, the fulfillment of God’s promises. And the people’s response? Some believed with joy. Others rioted in rage. The enemies of the gospel shouted: “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also!”

And here’s the truth: The gospel always flips things upside down. When God is revealed in Jesus, when we see Him as the fulfillment of everything God promised, we can’t stay the same. Our world has to be turned upside down before it can ever be right side up.

The world is turned upside down when people see God revealed in Jesus and that He is fulfilling what He promised.

About Thessalonica

Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible Thessalonica

Thessalonica. Chief city of Macedonia and the seat of Roman administration in the century before Christ. In addition to a magnificent harbor Thessalonica had the good fortune of being located on the overland route from Italy to the East. This famous highway, called the Egnatian Way, ran directly through the city. Two Roman arches, the Vardar Gate and the Arch of Galerius, marked the western and eastern boundaries.

According to Strabo, a famous Greek geographer, Thessalonica was founded in 315 BC. by the Macedonian general Cassander, who named it after his wife, the daughter of Philip and stepsister of Alexander the Great. It was settled by refugees from a large number of towns in the same region which had been destroyed in war. When Macedonia was divided into four districts (167 BC), Thessalonica was made the capital of the second division. Its influence continued to expand when the area became a Roman province. In the second civil war between Caesar and Pompey (42 BC) Thessalonica remained loyal to Anthony and Octavian and was rewarded by receiving the status of a free city. This gift of autonomy allowed the city to appoint its own magistrates, who were given the unusual title of politarchs. The historical accuracy of Luke is seen in the fact that while the term politarch does not appear in earlier Greek literature it is used in

1. God Revealed

God has revealed Himself in many ways throughout history and each time it has pointed to something greater to come in Jesus the Christ.

Trace the ways God has revealed Himself (creation, covenants, prophets, promises).

1. God Revealed in Creation

Psalm 19:1 — “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the expanse proclaims the work of his hands.”

Romans 1:20 — “For his invisible attributes, that is, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen since the creation of the world, being understood through what he has made.”

2. God Revealed in Covenants

Genesis 9:12–13 — “God said, ‘This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all future generations: I have placed my bow in the clouds, and it will be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth.’”

Genesis 15:5–6 — “He took him outside and said, ‘Look at the sky and count the stars, if you are able to count them.’ Then he said to him, ‘Your offspring will be that numerous.’ Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.”

Exodus 19:5 — “Now if you will carefully listen to me and keep my covenant, you will be my own possession out of all the peoples, although the whole earth is mine.”

2 Samuel 7:12–13 — “When your time comes and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up after you your descendant, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.”

3. God Revealed through the Prophets

Amos 3:7 — “Indeed, the Lord God does nothing without revealing his counsel to his servants the prophets.”

Jeremiah 1:4–5 — “The word of the Lord came to me: I chose you before I formed you in the womb; I set you apart before you were born. I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”

Isaiah 6:8–9 — “Then I heard the voice of the Lord asking: Who will I send? Who will go for us? I said: Here I am. Send me. And he replied: Go! Say to these people: Keep listening, but do not understand; keep looking, but do not perceive.”

4. God Revealed in Promises

Deuteronomy 18:18 — “I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him.”

Isaiah 9:6–7 — “For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us… He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from now on and forever.”

Jeremiah 31:31–33 — “Look, the days are coming—this is the Lord’s declaration—when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah… I will put my teaching within them and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.”

Ezekiel 36:26–27 — “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. I will place my Spirit within you and cause you to follow my statutes and carefully observe my ordinances.”

Each revelation pointed forward to Christ!

Pivotal Revelations of God in the Old Testament

Abraham – God calls him out

Revelation: Genesis 12:1–3 — God calls Abram, promises to make him a great nation.

Change: Abram leaves his home and begins the journey of faith, becoming the father of Israel.

Jacob – Wrestling with God

Revelation: Genesis 32:24–30 — Jacob wrestles with God, receives a new name: Israel.

Change: From deceiver to the patriarch of God’s covenant people, marked by humility and dependence.

Moses – The Burning Bush

Revelation: Exodus 3:1–6 — God reveals Himself as “I AM WHO I AM.”

Change: Moses goes from a shepherd in hiding to God’s chosen deliverer of Israel.

Israel at Sinai – God’s Covenant

Revelation: Exodus 19:16–20; 20:1–21 — God reveals Himself in thunder, fire, and His law.

Change: Israel becomes God’s covenant nation, set apart by His commandments.

Joshua – Commander of the Lord’s Army

Revelation: Joshua 5:13–15 — Joshua meets the Commander of the Lord’s army (a Christophany).

Change: Joshua is strengthened to lead Israel into conquest with confidence in God’s presence.

Samuel – God Speaks

Revelation:  1Samuel 3:1–10 — God calls Samuel by name in the night.

Change: Samuel begins his prophetic ministry, ushering Israel from judges to kings.

Elijah – God in the Whisper

Revelation: 1Kings 19:9–13 — God reveals Himself not in the fire or earthquake but in a gentle whisper.

Change: Elijah is renewed for ministry after despair, strengthened to continue God’s mission.

Isaiah – Vision of the Lord

Revelation: Isaiah 6:1–8 — Isaiah sees the Lord on His throne, holy and exalted.

Change: Isaiah confesses his sin, is cleansed, and commissioned as God’s prophet.

Ezekiel – Vision of God’s Glory

Revelation: Ezekiel 1:26–28 — Ezekiel sees the glory of the Lord.

Change: He falls facedown and is commissioned as a prophet to a rebellious people.

Daniel – Vision of the Son of Man

Revelation: Daniel 7:13–14 — Daniel sees “one like a son of man” given everlasting dominion.

Change: Strengthened to endure exile with hope in God’s eternal kingdom.

Hebrews 1:1–2 “1 Long ago God spoke to our ancestors by the prophets at different times and in different ways. 2 In these last days, he has spoken to us by his Son. God has appointed him heir of all things and made the universe through him.”

2. Christ Fulfilled

Examine the scriptures and see that Jesus fulfilling the scriptures is proof that He is the promised Messiah

Walk through how Paul “reasoned from the Scriptures” (v.2–3).

1. Born of a virgin

Promise: Isaiah 7:14 – “The virgin will conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”

Fulfillment: Matthew 1:22–23

2. Born in Bethlehem

Promise: Micah 5:2 – “From Bethlehem shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel.”

Fulfillment: Matthew 2:1–6

3. From the line of David

Promise: Jeremiah 23:5 – “I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king.”

Fulfillment: Luke 1:32–33; Romans 1:3

4. Ministry of light to the Gentiles

Promise: Isaiah 9:1–2 – “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.”

Fulfillment: Matthew 4:13–16

5. Healing and miracles

Promise: Isaiah 35:5–6 – “The eyes of the blind shall be opened… the lame man leap like a deer.”

Fulfillment: Matthew 11:4–5

6. Betrayed by a friend

Promise: Psalm 41:9 – “Even my close friend in whom I trusted… has lifted his heel against me.”

Fulfillment: John 13:18; Luke 22:47–48

7. Sold for 30 pieces of silver

Promise: Zechariah 11:12–13

Fulfillment: Matthew 26:14–16; 27:9–10

8. Silent before His accusers

Promise: Isaiah 53:7 – “Like a lamb before its shearers is silent.”

Fulfillment: Matthew 27:12–14

9. Pierced for our transgressions

Promise: Isaiah 53:5; Zechariah 12:10

Fulfillment: John 19:34–37

10. Crucified with transgressors

Promise: Isaiah 53:12

Fulfillment: Mark 15:27–28

11. Buried with the rich

Promise: Isaiah 53:9 – “They made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death.”

Fulfillment: Matthew 27:57–60

12. Raised from the dead

Promise: Psalm 16:10 – “You will not abandon my soul to Sheol.”

Fulfillment: Acts 2:25–32; Luke 24:6–7

13. Ascended into heaven

Promise: Psalm 68:18 – “You ascended on high, leading a host of captives.”

Fulfillment: Acts 1:9; Ephesians 4:8

14. Poured out the Spirit

Promise: Joel 2:28–32

Fulfillment: Acts 2:16–21

Show Jesus’ death and resurrection as fulfillment, not accident.

Drive home: Fulfillment is proof He is the Messiah.

🔹 Peter Stoner calculated the odds of one man fulfilling just 8 specific Messianic prophecies as being 1 in 10¹⁷ (that’s 1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000).

To make that picture vivid, he used this illustration:

“Suppose you take 10¹⁷ silver dollars and lay them on the face of Texas. They will cover all of the state two feet deep. Now mark one of these silver dollars and stir the whole mass thoroughly, all over the state. Blindfold a man and tell him he can travel as far as he wishes, but he must pick up one silver dollar and say that this is the right one. What chance would he have of getting the right one? Just the same chance that the prophets would have had of writing eight prophecies and having them all come true in any one man.”

And Stoner actually went further:

For 48 prophecies fulfilled, the probability was 1 in 10¹⁵⁷ — so large it’s basically beyond comprehension.

3. Flip Your World

Your World will never be right-side up unless it is turned upside down.

Acts 17:6: the accusation is that these men “turned the world upside down.”

Really, the world was already upside down—sin flipped it.

When Christ rules in our lives, He makes things “right side up.”

Call for personal response: submission to Christ turns your world right.

Sin has turned the world upside down; the earth has become quite a different thing to man from what it was when God made it to be his habitation.

Matthew Henry (Nonconformist Biblical Exegete)

12047 The world is wrong side up. It needs to be turned upside down in order to be right side up.

William Ashley Sunday

Caesar’s Decrees

When the decrees of the civil magistrate conflict with the commandments of God, then, say Christians, ‘we must obey God rather than men’ (Acts 5:29); when Caesar claims divine honours, Christians must answer ‘No’

Frederick Fyvie Bruce (Professor)

The church belongs to God, therefore it ought not to be assigned to Caesar. The temple of God cannot be Caesar’s by right. No one can deny that I say this with respectful feeling for the emperor. For what is more respectful than to call the emperor the son of the church?… For the emperor is within the church, not above it.

Ambrose of Milan

King Jesus

You have never truly found Jesus if you do not tell others about Him! The Baptist’s Message, Volume 45, Sermon #2646 - John 1:29

Charles Spurgeon

Not until we have become humble and teachable, standing in awe of God’s holiness and sovereignty … acknowledging our own littleness, distrusting our own thoughts, and willing to have our minds turned upside down, can divine wisdom become ours.

J. I. Packer

The great workers of the church, the men who have led forlorn hopes in the mission–field, and turned the world upside down, have all been eminently lovers of Christ.

J. C. Ryle

No

Conclusion

Let’s circle back to our theme: When Jesus is revealed as God’s promised fulfillment, the world is turned upside down—so our world has to be, too.

1. The Gospel Flips Worlds In Acts 17, the message that Jesus fulfilled God’s promises didn’t whisper—it crashed in like an earthquake. Some hearts were captivated, others rebelled. As the antagonists of the day shouted, “These men who have turned the world upside down...”, the gospel itself stood as the force that truly disrupts and reorders everything.

2. Even for Cracker Barrel And speaking of things upside down—did you catch the controversy around Cracker Barrel this week? They unveiled a new, minimalist logo—no more Uncle Herschel leaning on a barrel—and folks went wild, calling it everything from “brand suicide” to a crime against heritage. Supporters see it as modernizing; critics say it’s erasing nostalgia New York PostReuters.

Think about it: people don’t react that strongly to something unless it matters deeply. Cracker Barrel isn’t about theology—it’s breakfast and memories. But when what matters to us changes—even in branding—we push back or lean in.

And the gospel? It’s the ultimate brand-flipper. It redefines what matters, who we trust, how we live.

3. Your World—Are You Ready for the Flip? Maybe you’ve built your life—or your logo—around comfort, tradition, familiarity. But when Jesus shows up, He doesn’t refine; He reboots. He doesn’t just change the logo—He changes the landscape.

So here's the invitation today:

HasJesus reveal Himself to you as the fulfillment of every promise?

If so, is He still the center—or have you relegated Him to decoration, like a forgotten logo?

If you haven’t, could today be the day your world finally flips upside down—for the right reasons?