The Upside Down Kingdom (Acts 17:1-15)

Acts 17:1–15 ESV

Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. 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.” 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. 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. The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. Many of them therefore believed, with not a few Greek women of high standing as well as men. But when the Jews from Thessalonica learned that the word of God was proclaimed by Paul at Berea also, they came there too, agitating and stirring up the crowds. Then the brothers immediately sent Paul off on his way to the sea, but Silas and Timothy remained there. Those who conducted Paul brought him as far as Athens, and after receiving a command for Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible, they departed.

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INTRO:

Good morning church!

That is where we will be all day today Acts 17:1-15. So if you would make your way there. And while you are, I want to do a quick poll.

By a show of hands—I want to know have you ever doubted God in such a way that it made you question Him?

Now show of hands—have you ever doubted God in such a way that made you run away from or reject Him?

Now, I know the difference between those two questions sounds small—but it’s not.

And it’s the same difference between two words that we confuse quite a bit in the church: deconstruction and destruction.

Deconstruction is the careful process of disassembling a structure so that what was used in the original construction can be examined, tested, and—if it’s sound—repurposed and given new life. It assumes there is something worth saving.

Destruction, on the other hand, is tearing something down entirely to replace it with something else.

So when people talk about deconstructing their faith, there’s often fear—especially among Christians—because sometimes what’s actually happening isn’t deconstruction at all. It’s destruction.

It’s not always intentional, but people often tear down their faith without any commitment to rebuild it on a tried and tested source of truth. Instead, they attempt to rebuild their beliefs on personal preference, emotion, or experience—which are all incredibly dangerous.

So the fear surrounding deconstruction isn’t unfounded. But it is worth examining.

Because throughout church history, some of the most faithful Christians we know didn’t run away from God—but they did question Him. They wrestled honestly in vulnerable seasons of life. And that questioning didn’t lead them away from Scripture—it drove them back to it, with fresh eyes and deeper humility.

Consider Martin Luther. He wasn’t rejecting God—he was wrestling with a religious system that had buried grace under performance. And when he examined the Scriptures, Romans 1:17 cracked his world open: “The righteous shall live by faith.” What looked like deconstruction became gospel recovery.

Or Francis Schaeffer, who openly questioned whether Christianity could withstand honest intellectual scrutiny. He didn’t suppress those doubts—he submitted them to Scripture and emerged convinced that Christianity is the source of the way, and the truth and the life.

The pattern is the same, they questioned God, but they did not run away from Him or His Word, but instead, they ran toward it.

And that’s what we’ll see today.

Two cities, will be shown the same gospel. But they will have very different responses.

One reacts as if what is being said is destructive to their faith. And one examines what is being said in light of God’s revealed Word.

Examining the Scriptures matters—especially when we’re making decisions about truth, identity, and allegiance.

So with that, let’s read.

I. PRESENTING SCRIPTURE BOLDLY

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Acts 17:1–2 ESV

Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures,

So Paul, Silas and Timothy travel from Philippi to Thessalonica, the capital of the Roman province of Macedonia, along the Via Egnatia—the interstate of the ancient world. We lost Luke in chapter 16 when Paul and Silas were beaten and arrested. We know that because the language changes from “we” to “they.”

And the first thing Paul does when he enters Thessalonica…is enter the synagogue as was his custom. Where he preached the gospel over three Sabbath days to the Jew first and then the Gentile. He did this for three weeks. I love his patience and pursuit of this people, by not making a quick presentation and then leaving. He’s showing them the redemptive history of God at work, and that takes time.

And he’s not doing it from memory, or with a Jesus pamphlet, but he’s reasoning with them from the Scriptures. This is the Greek word dialegomai, which is where we get our English word dialogue. And that matters because it means Paul isn’t shouting opinions, or manipulating emotions. He’s speaking and listening. He’s opening the Scriptures and explaining the story.

Luke tells us Paul:

Reasoned

Explained

Proved

Proclaimed

And what was his message?

We see that in verse 3.

That it was necessary for the Messiah to suffer and rise from the dead—and that Jesus is that Messiah.

Paul is reading the Bible Christocentrically—which simply means he understands that all of Scripture points somewhere. It has a center. And that center is Jesus.

This is not Paul’s idea. This is Jesus’ idea.

This is how Jesus himself tells us to read Scripture, put up John 5:39

John 5:39 ESV

You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me,

And put up Luke 24:27

Luke 24:27 ESV

And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

Jesus tells us the entire Bible points to Him, just like Paul is doing and just like we are to do as we examine the Scriptures. The Bible is not a science book or a history book, and if we approach it in that way, it will frustrate us. The Bible is God’s great story of redemptive history that all points to Jesus as the hero.

So Paul doesn’t soften the truth that he’s sharing in Thessalonica, but he does ground it in Scripture.

And that’s what Scripture does for us.

It grounds us in a greater reality than we currently inhabit. And when it does that, It gives us the courage to speak the truth even when it feels costly, for ourselves or for others.

And this allows us to be a non-anxious presence, in an anxious culture.

We don’t need louder opinions. We need deeper trust of, and connection to God’s Word.

And verse 4 tells us that some Greeks and women were persuaded.

Again, the ones on the margins are the first to respond. While those who assume they already know God struggle to see Him standing right in front of them.

And that tension sets the stage for what comes next. Let’s keep reading.

II. OPPOSITION AND MISUNDERSTANDING

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.

So some outsiders believe and come to faith. A recurring theme in the book of Acts by the way.

But the Jews, the ones responsible for authoring and sharing the Hebrew Scriptures, become jealous and reject Paul’s teaching of God’s Word.

Which causes them to resort to mob violence, attacking the house of Jason. A man whose identity we are uncertain of, other than he gave Paul and Silas refuge in his home, and he paid for it.

And then they speak false accusations.

This has been humanity’s relationship since they sinned in the garden of Eden.

When God confronts Adam in his sin, and instead of confessing his need for God, he begins accusing his wife.

This is what sin has done to the world. Instead of prayerfully and patiently reading God’s Word so it can shape our sinful hearts, and transform our broken lives, we read it and say “Aha, I’m right, and you’re wrong.” We use it to defend our position, regardless of how broken it might be.

And even if we know we’re not 100% right and whoever we’re arguing with is not 100% wrong, we will refuse to admit that for fear that our vulnerability might be used against us. And when we do that it is not God we are honoring it is ourself.

That is Satan’s aim and it is described in the Bible as sin. Elevating the kingdom of self over the kingdom of God.

And Paul isn’t calling for rebellion against Rome or organizing a revolt.

But he is announcing a new kingdom that does not operate the way this world does.

A kingdom that is upside down.

Where power is revealed through weakness. Where greatness looks like servanthood. Where the King lays down His life instead of taking lives.

And that kind of kingdom always feels threatening to people who are clinging tightly to control.

Because the gospel doesn’t just challenge bad behavior—it challenges false allegiances.

It asks a dangerous question: Who are you really living for? Who gets your ultimate loyalty? Who defines truth, identity, and authority in your life?

So when Paul proclaims, “There is another King—Jesus,” the accusation against him isn’t wrong.

These accusers just misunderstand the nature of His reign.

The upside-down kingdom doesn’t overthrow Rome with violence. It overthrows hatred with love, and fear with rest, and self-reliance with Holy Spirit reliance.

And now everything we do is a response, not a reaction.

We love because He first loved us.

We rest because He said “It is finished.”

And we pray, give and worship in response to His Word.

The gospel boiled down to one sentence is:

Because He is, I am. This kingdom doesn’t seize power—it transforms people. And that kind of revolution is far harder to stop.

III. EAGER EXAMINATION OF TRUTH

Acts 17:10–12

Luke tells us that Paul is sent away at night to Berea. A trip that took about three days on foot.

And when he arrived, once again, Paul does what he always does. He steps into the synagogue and opens the Scriptures.

But Luke wants us to notice something—not about Paul this time, but about the people.

“Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica…”

That’s a strong word—noble.

Not smarter, or morally superior, but noble.

And Verse 11 tells us why.

They received the word with eagerness, and they examined the Scriptures daily to see if what Paul was saying was true.

They were open, eager, and diligent.

Receiving the Word, but asking questions and wrestling where they needed to.

Which is an important combination, because think of the strange moment we live in culturally.

On one hand, we’re skeptical of everyone. We question institutions. We question leaders. We question motives.

But on the other hand, we live in a terrifying age of misinformation—that we’ll believe immediately. If someone we know or trust shared it.

If you’ve got a grandparent or conspiracy theory cousin on Facebook, you know exactly what I’m talking about.

Sharing AI posts of celebrities dying, or supporting outrageous causes, usually from a website or page that no one’s ever heard of before.

This is why it’s so important in this day and age to check and double check your sources.

Something I tell my kids all the time. If they’re giving me some kind of information, I will ask them what are your sources, and if they tell me AI or google…you better get outta my face with that and bring me three reputable sources that all say the same thing and then I’ll believe you.

That’s not skepticism. That’s discernment.

And that’s exactly what the Bereans are practicing.

They don’t blindly accept Paul just because he’s persuasive. But they don’t immediately reject him just because his message challenges them.

They go to a reputable source.

Something tested. Something enduring. Something that has never been debunked—and has, in fact, converted many who tried.

They open the Word of God.

And church, this is what mature faith looks like.

Not fragile, or reactionary, or defensive.

But grounded in something greater than emotion, opinion, or personality.

The Bereans show us the same thing Martin Luther showed us. The same thing Francis Schaeffer showed us.

Faith is not the absence of questions. It’s knowing where to take them.

Gandhi said…who was not a believer btw, “You Christians look after a document containing enough dynamite to blow all civilisation to pieces, turn the world upside down and bring peace to a battle-torn planet. But you treat it as though it is nothing more than a piece of literature.”

Scripture is incredibly powerful. It is alive and active and is a worthy source of truth.

And when Scripture becomes your source of truth— when your heart genuinely desires to honor God over self— you will not be led astray.

That doesn’t mean the path will always be easy. But it does mean it will always bear fruit.

So when the Bereans hear Paul proclaim Jesus, they don’t panic, or protect their traditions.

They open the Scriptures.

And as they examine the Word of God, belief begins to make more sense than unbelief.

Oh, church— that more of us would wrestle with God’s Word through prayer and community before drawing our conclusions.

Because when truth is examined humbly, faith doesn’t shrink.

It grows.

And that leads us to the final movement of the story— what happens when opposition continues, but the Word has already taken root.

IV. PERSEVERANCE THROUGH SCRIPTURE

So in Acts 17:13–15

Luke tells us that opposition doesn’t stop in Thessalonica.

The Jews from Thessalonica actually travel to Berea once they hear that Paul is there proclaiming the Word of God.

Think about that for a moment.

This wasn’t a quick reaction. This wasn’t accidental.

They traveled three days—on foot—just to stir up trouble.

That tells us something sobering about the power of unchecked tradition.

If we don’t examine why we believe what we believe— if we don’t submit our traditions to the authority of God’s Word— then the moment someone comes along and challenges them, even biblically, we will feel threatened.

And when tradition feels threatened, people don’t examine. They react. That’s exactly what we see happening here.

But contrast that with the Bereans who had already learned how to test teaching against Scripture. So when opposition comes, they’re not shaken.

They can identify false teaching quickly. And they’re also willing to be challenged when their own thinking doesn’t fully align with God’s Word.

That’s spiritual maturity.

So they don’t just believe the passionate fears of the Thessalonians, they trust God’s Word.

And through their faith, they send Paul on to Athens—where we’ll meet back up with him next week.

But don’t miss this.

The church remains.

Silas and Timothy stay—leading these believers deeper into faith, community, and study. Even when a great leader moves on the Word remains.

This is why we still gather every week.

Not to hear someone’s opinion, or to maintain tradition for tradition’s sake.

But so that the Word of God would strengthen us— as individuals and as a community.

Scripture is the foundation that sustains our perseverance.

Because when trials come—and they will— what you’ve built your faith on will be revealed.

Emotion won’t hold. Crowds won’t hold. Trends won’t hold.

But the Word will.

And when the Word takes root, even when the messenger leaves, His truth remains, as King David says, “Hidden in your heart so we will not sin against Him.”

Gospel Invitation — There Is Another King

And at the heart of Acts 17 is one confession:

There is another King—and His name is Jesus.

That confession turned the world upside down then. And it still does today.

Because the kingdom He is building is so counterintuitive.

It’s the kind of kingdom that uses failures for triumphs.

And what looked like a failure for Paul in Thessalonica was not at all how heaven saw it.

Listen to Paul’s own words to this young church:

1 Thessalonians 2:13 ESV

When you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.

And again:

1 Thessalonians 1:6–8 ESV

You received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. Your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything.

Church, what looked like failure on the surface was actually God bearing fruit beneath the soil.

Some of you are questioning right now. You’re wrestling, and examining, and struggling.

And I want to say this as clearly—and as gently—as I can.

If you’ve doubted God… If you’ve wrestled with questions… If there have been seasons where faith felt fragile, confusing, or even painful— you are not alone, and you are not disqualified.

Questioning God is not the same as rejecting Him. Struggling to understand is not the same as running away.

For some of you, doubt wasn’t something you chose. It found you.

It found you through loss. Through disappointment. Through unanswered prayers. Through wounds inflicted by the church—or by people who were supposed to represent Jesus.

And if that’s part of your story, hear this clearly:

God is not offended by your honesty.

What matters is not whether you have questions. What matters is where you take them.

If you’ve been running, this is an invitation to return. If you’ve been doubting, this is an invitation to examine. If you’ve never surrendered your life to King Jesus, this is an invitation to trust Him for the first time.

Because His Kingdom is not like the kingdoms of this world.

It is not built on power or prestige. It is built with the marginalized in view.

In His Kingdom:

The first are last, and the last are first

The humble are exalted, and the exalted are humbled

And the great irony of His upside-down Kingdom is that it is actually setting everything right side up.

Do you see it?

If you don’t know Him, the invitation today is simple:

Come and see that the Lord is good.

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You’re invited to respond by surrendering your life to Him a new today. Or by beginning—maybe again—to wrestle honestly with His Word.

In just a moment, I’m going to pray for us. And then Toby is going to lead us into a time of response—

Worship through communion. Worship through singing. Worship through giving. Worship through surrender.

Because all of life, laid before King Jesus, is worship.

Let’s pray.

SCRIPTURAL BENEDICTION

“Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.” — 1 Thessalonians 5:23–24