Sabotage and Sedition

Introduction

In 1798...the 5th United States Congress pass the Alien and Sedition Act...an infamous piece of legislation that made it (among other things) illegal to speak, write, or publish “false, scandalous, and malicious” statements against the U.S. government or its officials. As with all freedom-limiting / government power grabs...this legislation was passed and signed into law at a time of potential war with France. All but one of the four laws in that bill were repealed or expired within 2-4 years (one - two election cycles).

Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines “Sedition” as: “incitement of resistance to or insurrection against lawful authority.”

Depending on one’s personal political affiliation...one sees certain things as sedition...almost exclusively when the other side is in power.

Incitement of resistance to...or insurrection against....lawful authority.

Sabotage is defined as: an act or process tending to hamper or hurt...deliberate subversion.

Whether a nation be at war...or living under perceived enemy control...sedition (resistance) and sabotage (deliberate destruction) increase.

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The first-century Jewish community in the Roman Empire was at times seen as seditious...as they only worshiped one God and refused to conform to Roman rule. But within that Jewish community...Christians were seen as seditious against Judaism as a whole! Christians were proclaiming Jesus to be the fulfillment of anywhere from 40 specific prophesies ...to over 300 scriptures referencing the messiah.

The Jewish community response to this teaching? Sedition...that is resistance. We have seen it all through the bookf o Acts and through every step of the early Church. This continues to this day.

As one scholar titled this Acts 17 section of his commentary...as “You win some; you lose some.” I think an accurate description of the proclomation of the gospel...in the early church...and today.

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Thesolonica

On this...Pauls’ second missionary journey...Paul Silas and Timothy come to Thesolonica...the capital of the Macedonian region...and what was considered in the Roman world as a “free city” Stanley Toussaint says...that meant it was sovereign in its local affairs, and not subject to provincial administration. This meant when issues arose in the city, the city was legally allowed to handle it as it saw fit.

So Paul, Silas, and Timothy make it to this capital...free city...and we read in Acts 17:2-3

Acts 17:2–3 ESV

And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 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.”

If you ever wonder how we as Christians should evangelize and share the good news with other....look at this verse. Paul reasons (literally dialogues with them) from the scripture...for what purpose? to PROVE (literally set beside; or give evidence) that the Christ had to suffer and to rise from the dead.

If you and I want to share the good news of Jesus with others...we must emphasize that the Christ had to “suffer” and...you would think “die” but that was a given in the suffering...Paul proclaims that Jesus (the Christ) had to “suffer” and “rise” from the dead. Christians are “resurrection” people! We preach Christ not just crucified but RISEN! Christ’s resurrection means we will be resurrected like him!

As Peter puts it in 1 Peter 1:3

1 Peter 1:3 ESV

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

We as Christians are resurrection people...and have a “living hope” because of it! This was the early church’s message, and God used it to grow the church from 120 or so after Jesus ascended back to heaven....to a countless number in the Roman Empire...and eventually throughout the entire world...every tribe and tongue.

Resistance

IN our culture, we have groups that protest “No kings”...whcih in ancient Rome would have got you killed. There is always resistance to change of any kind...for the better or worse. In Thesolnica...the gospel of freedom and hope in Christ’s resurrection...was met with...you guessed it… “No kings...but ceasar.” Argument.

Acts 17:5–9 ESV

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. 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, and Jason has received them, and they are all acting against the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.” And the people and the city authorities were disturbed when they heard these things. And when they had taken money as security from Jason and the rest, they let them go.

Jason paid them off...most likely promising that Paul and them... would never return. There was an interesting phrase there in the Jewish protest...v.6 “These men who have turned the world upside down”.

C. Peter Wagner writes this about that phrase: “(it) is not a backdoor commendation for effective evangelism, as many might think. F. F. Bruce suggests that it is much more serious than that. “The words imply subversive or seditious activity.” It was an ominous political charge, implying that the missionaries would advocate dethroning Caesar and installing a rival emperor. It was similar to the false accusation frequently leveled against many American missionaries today, me included, that we are secret CIA agents.

C. Peter Wagner, The Book of Acts: A Commentary (Ventura, CA: Regal, 2008), 387.

The Gospel

The gospel...is subversive. Gospel...literally means “good news”...the good news is God loved the world so much he gave his only begotten son...and whoever believes in him will not die...but have everlasting life. For Christ did not come into the world to condmen it...but in order that it might be saved.”

Why is that message subversive? Well it’s not exactly that message that is subversive...but the fact that there is a God...and if there is a God...one true and living God...then there is accountability for your life and my life...and all our actions...have moral ramifications. The sedition of the first century remains today. The gospel declares Jesus is king.

Paul later writes about what he teaches to Timothy. 1 Timothy 6:13-15

1 Timothy 6:13–15 ESV

I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which he will display at the proper time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords,

That type of teaching...is seditious...it says there exists an authority higher than you and me...and authority higher than governments and earthly authorities. This is what got the early church in trouble. This is what gets the church today in trouble. Authorities don’t like their authority challenged.

The most counter-cultural thing a human being can do in our world...is join the church. Learn it’s teachings...and live it out in your everyday life.

The early church...the church today...is charged with sedition (replacing allegiance to earthly authorities to God above all)...it faces sabotage by false teachers (teaching what’s not in the Bible) and those opposed to God’s rule and power.

But our mission remains the same. 2 Timothy 4:1-2

2 Timothy 4:1–2 NLT

I solemnly urge you in the presence of God and Christ Jesus, who will someday judge the living and the dead when he comes to set up his Kingdom: Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching.

2 Timothy 4:1–2 MSG

I can’t impress this on you too strongly. God is looking over your shoulder. Christ himself is the Judge, with the final say on everyone, living and dead. He is about to break into the open with his rule, so proclaim the Message with intensity; keep on your watch. Challenge, warn, and urge your people. Don’t ever quit. Just keep it simple.

May God encourage and empower us to face resistance head-on and proclaim the gospel and our allegiance first and foremost to God...Father, Son, and Holy Spirit...and the soon return of Jesus Christ to set up his eternal kingdom. Come, Lord Jesus.

Thanks be to God...AMEN.