Sermon Tone Analysis

Acts 17:1-9

Starting a Church In The Face of Insurmountable Odds With Limited Resources In Unlikely Circumstances

 

When [the missionaries] 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.[1]

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here are situations so appallingly difficult that it is unimaginable that a church could ever be started.

It is almost impossible to imagine a church arising out of the situation confronting the missionaries who first arrived in Thessalonica.

The missionaries went to the synagogue, as was their practise, when for three successive Sabbaths Paul reasoned with those in attendance concerning the Scriptures.

He was proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead.

Appended to this rational discussion was the clear declaration that Jesus is the promised Messiah.

The result of this message was the formation of a mob, not unlike the formation of a mob each time Muslim clerics are unable to respond to the challenges of the world.

Some of the new believers were seized and haled before the city authorities.

As an aside, I note that religions that are devoid of logical conviction almost always resort to the courts to protect themselves.

The judicial authorities in Thessalonica took security from the believers that had been hauled before them, and then released them.

The missionaries, Paul and Silas were immediately sent away under cover of darkness.

Jewish worshippers from within the community were opposed to the believers.

They had the sympathy of pagan residents within the community.

Together, they were able to manufacture charges that would hinder the Christians in establishment of a church in that city.

Thus opposed by every strata of society, the odds against seeing a church established in Thessalonica were insurmountable.

Those who resorted to the Faith of Christ the Lord were not wealthy people.

In fact, they appear to have been drawn, as were the earliest believers in almost every city, from the poorer elements of society.

Therefore, the church in Thessalonica had limited resources for building a church.

The Christians of Thessalonica were opposed on every side.

Those joining the believers were not the wealthy members of society, but rather they were impoverished.

Moreover, the Faith of Christ the Lord seemed novel to their neighbours since there were no churches in Europe after which the Christians could model themselves.

The circumstances for seeing a church come to life in that setting was unlikely.

From a human point of view, the Church of the Thessalonians was destined for failure.

Besieged by hate mongering religious bigots, impoverished, untrained and unprepared leadership without a single seminary trained leader within the church, the church could not be expected to make an impact in the real world.

Suspected by civic leaders, slandered by religious leaders, hated for even existing, there was little to recommend that the church could long survive.

Would you attend a church such as the Thessalonian church?

Would you invite others to share in services at such a church?

On the surface, there was not one thing that would recommend the Thessalonian church to us.

But what appears on the surface does not always tell the entire story.

The Setting — [The missionaries] came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews.

The setting was a synagogue of the Jews, and Paul and Silas were Jewish.

It was not ideal, but it provided a place where the message of life and freedom in Christ had an opportunity to be delivered.

Visiting the local synagogue was the customary approach to evangelism for Paul and Silas [e.g.

*Acts 13:14; 14:1; 16:13; 17:1-2, 10, 17; 18:4, 19; 19:8*].

It was customary for guests to be invited to speak to the assembled worshippers, and the missionaries took advantage of this courtesy to tell the assembled worshippers of the freedom offered through the Risen Son of God.

William Barclay writes concerning the first verse of this chapter, “The first verse of this chapter is an extraordinary example of economy of writing.

It sounds like a pleasant stroll; but in point of fact, Philippi was 33 Roman miles from Amphipolis; Amphipolis was 30 miles from Apollonia; and Apollonia was 37 miles from Thessalonica.

A journey of over 100 miles is dismissed in a sentence.”[2]

Why would Paul pass through Amphipolis and Apollonia to go to Thessalonica?

The answer to the question probably lies in the explanatory note Luke provides in the opening verse.

There was a synagogue of the Jews in Thessalonica.

The manner in which Luke presents this information leads us to conclude that there was likely no synagogue in either Amphipolis or Apollonia.

The Apostle certainly would expect the new converts from Philippi to carry the message of Christ to neighbouring communities.

Paul’s policy was to go to the larger cities in order to establish a congregation that would serve as the centre for evangelism for the entire district.

As an aside, if you are a Christian, you are accountable before the Lord to evangelise where you live, and you are responsible to reach beyond your immediate location to evangelise neighbouring communities.

As a Christian, you bear responsibility before the Lord to tell others of the Faith of Christ the Lord.

Christianity is far more than merely attending a service, finding satisfaction in your own worship and enjoying the fellowship of a few dear friends.

Christianity imposes on you the responsibility to bring others to the Faith of Christ Jesus.

This is the message of *Matthew 28:19, 20*.

A free translation of that portion of the Word stated, since you are going, make disciples of all nations, baptising them into the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded.

Thessalonica was important to the work of the Lord in Macedonia.

This city was the capital of Macedonia.

Furthermore, it was a business centre, rivalled only by Corinth.

It boasted an excellent harbour.

In fact, the Aegean fleet was harboured in Thessalonica.

The city straddled the Via Egnatian, and was located on several important trade routes.

Though the city was predominantly Greek, it was a “free city,” which means that it had an elected citizens’ assembly, it could mint its own coins, and it had no Roman garrison within its walls.

This was a most important city for the advance of the Gospel!

It might seem as if Paul was present in Thessalonica for only three weeks, but a review of his Thessalonian letters and of his letter to the Church in Philippi suggests that he was present for a more extended period.

The church in Philippi sent money to Paul at least twice during this visit [see *Philippians 4:15, 16*].

In addition, Paul supported himself through his own labours [*1 Thessalonians 2:9*; *2 Thessalonians 3:7-10*].

This would indicate that he was in Thessalonica for an extended period.

Additionally, most of the converts in Thessalonica were neither Jews nor pious Gentiles associated with the synagogue, but they were Gentiles steeped in idolatry [*1 Thessalonians 1:9*].

Paul laboured at his tent making trade.

In each of his letters to the Christians of Thessalonica He refers to his work [*1 Thessalonians 2:9*; *2 Thessalonians 3:10*].

Though these references do not tell us what his work was, we know that he was a tent maker.

When he came to Corinth, we are informed that his trade was tent making [*Acts 18:3*].

Because he had a trade, we may surmise that he set up shop in the agora, the market place, where he would work throughout the week.

Then, on each of the first three Sabbaths, he would attend the synagogue where he would present Christ as Lord.

Paul knew that at the synagogue he would find devout Jews and Gentile “God-seekers” and proselytes.

His witness in the synagogue was carried on for three weeks, after which he was compelled to minister outside the confines of the synagogue.

Through we cannot say with certainty the length of time Paul ministered in Thessalonica, it was not a long ministry.

Nevertheless, it was an effective ministry.

We are prone to measure the greatness of a ministry by the size of the crowd attracted.

However, God measures the greatness of a ministry by the size of the vision of those who are drawn to Him.  God is not greatly impressed by the numbers we attract, but He is honoured through the commitment we witness.

A small church with a great vision will accomplish more for the cause of Christ than a large assembly that is content with the */status quo/*.

A small congregation with a desire to honour God through obedience to Him will accomplish far more than a large congregation that has no commitment to Christ.

The Thessalonian Christians were beleaguered.

Because of their faith, they suffered [*2 Thessalonians 1:5*].

Paul also speaks of the trials these young Christians faced in his first letter.

We also thank God … that 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.

For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea.

For you suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews, who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out, and displease God and oppose all mankind by hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they might be saved—so as always to fill up the measure of their sins [*1 Thessalonians 2:13-16*].

Later, Paul would write about the impact of the Thessalonian Christians.

We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labour of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction.

You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.

And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for 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.

For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything.

For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come [*1 Thessalonians 1:2-10*].

The Ministry — 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.”