Troubles in Thessalonica
Witness to the world: Book of Acts • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 53:35
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The Journey Continues!
The Journey Continues!
Out of prison (Act16:40) some words of encouragement and on the road again.
40 They went out of the prison and entered the house of Lydia, and when they saw the brethren, they encouraged them and departed.
Thessalonica is an important stop for the gospel to be shared.
From Paul’s desire to go to Asia was through a vision called to Macedonia (Act16:9-10), first to Philippi (now down to Thessalonica.
The journey to Thessalonica was a longer than what one verse says
1 Now when they had traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews.
Amphipolis is 33 miles from Philippi
Apollonia is 30 miles from Amphipolis
Thessalonica is 37 miles from Apollonia
The times in Thessalonica can be filled in even more in 1The1-3
We will look at some verses in Thessalonians this evening too.
Now we know that Timothy had joined the missionary team (Act16:1-5) but there is no mention of him again until chapter 17, so there is a chance he staying in Philippi.
Thessalonica was a predominantly Greek city, under Roman rule, but Greek residency and it was known as a “free” city, meaning they held their own elections and minted their own coins (little info FYI)
Thessalonica served as the capital of Macedonia as of 146BC, the point is the importance of this city, that along with Corinth were important commercial cities in Greece.
Tonight we are looking at two points:
The arrival and approach (Act17:1-4)
The trouble and the result (Act17:5-10)
The arrival and approach
The arrival and approach
Paul was consistent in his approach, same method, same message and there are things we can glean from our passage.
1 Now when they had traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. 2 And according to Paul’s custom, he went to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures,
3 explaining and giving evidence that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the Christ.” 4 And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with a large number of the God-fearing Greeks and a number of the leading women.
What do you see, what do you notice, what sticks out to you in the scripture?
Gleaning from the scripture:
Question: Upon arrival where did Paul go (vv.1-2)?
He went to the synagogue of the Jews
Question: What was Paul’s custom when entering a city (v.2)?
Go find the synagogue of the Jews and go there.
Yes it was his custom to evangelize to the Jews first you can look at (Act9:20, 13:4, 14:1 and 19:8) for other examples of this pattern
There are four things (key things) that Paul did when he was there found in (vv.2-3)
He reasoned with them, from the scriptures (v.2)
To reason with them meant there was some dialogue that went back and forth, questions, answers you can assume.
Remember we have previously noted that “religious people need saving too.”
The synagogue was the place the Jews went to study the scripture so only natural that Paul was reason with them from the scripture.
He explained to them (v.3)
I would chose the word expose, enlighten the scripture, helping people see with spiritual eyes the truth in context from the scripture
He gave evidence (gave proof) (v.3)
From explaining, to defining that Jesus through His life, suffering, death and resurrection is the Christ.
He preached (proclaimed) Jesus as the Christ (v.3)
Paul preached the gospel everywhere he went and defines the gospel (you can further look in 1Cor15:1-4)
Commentator John Stott said
“Christianity is in its very essence a resurrection religion . . . the concept of resurrection lies at its heart. If you remove it, Christianity is destroyed.”
Question: What was the result of (vv.2-3) we find in (v.4)?
Some were persuaded, large number of Greeks and leading women.
Here is another FYI, out of the number are some you may see their names in the N.T. like Aristarchus and Secundus (Act20:4) who later travelled with Paul.
(transition) We hope that the truth would be accepted by all, but that is not the reality is it? It was not the reality in Thessalonica it brought on a tumult
Tumult: a loud confused noise, confession, disorder
So, now let’s move on and see that comes to be from the Word.
The trouble and the result
The trouble and the result
Jesus spoke that the word (sword) would be divisive and it still is today. We are looking at the trouble and the results of Paul’s preaching 3 Sabbaths (v.2) in Thessalonica.
5 But the Jews, becoming jealous and taking along some wicked men from the market place, formed a mob and set the city in an uproar; and attacking the house of Jason, they were seeking to bring them out to the people.
6 When they did not find them, they began dragging Jason and some brethren before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have upset the world have come here also;
8 They stirred up the crowd and the city authorities who heard these things. 9 And when they had received a pledge from Jason and the others, they released them.
10 The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews.
What do you see, what do you notice, what sticks out to you?
Gleaning from the scripture:
Question: What was the result of the preaching according to (v.5)?
Jews became Jealous, recruited wicked men, formed a mob, set an uproar, attacked Jason’s house with intention of bringing out out Paul and Silas.
Question: what was the unbelieving Jews thoughts about Paul and Silas according to (v.6)?
They have upset the world and are there now.
Question: What was the claim made (v.7)?
They are acting contrary to decrees of Caesar
The claim is they are saying there is another king, but in reality this is a king of a different kind
Thessalonians in Paul’s epistles to them keys in on the kingship of Jesus and the promise of His return.
Question: What was the result of the unbelieving Jews and wicked men according to (vv.8-9)?
They stirred up the crowd, the authorities, and it got a pledge, money from Jason and others, then they were released.
So Jason and others were willing to pay for their very freedom.
Question: What was the final result after they were released that you see in (v.10)?
Paul and Silas were sent away by night to Berea, and right back to a synagogue of the Jews.
The nature of the trouble, of the tumult
So, may we look at some things about the tumult (trouble) and what more we can learn about the church at Thessalonica.
Tumult was because of jealousy, was that not what the problem was with unbelieving Jews and Jesus in the first place?
Tumult recruited wicked men, so can we say some unlikely partners, just like in Jesus days the Pharisees working with the Sadducees and the Herodians.
Tumult caused an uproar, a mob to be formed and that set the city on edge did it not?
Have we not seen in our life times these types of things happen, uproars, tumults?
The accusation that these men, Paul, Silas had turned the world upside down, how did they do it? They did it with the gospel. The gospel changes everything, from man working by some system to save then to surrendering to God’s work, God’s free gift of grace saving them. The gospel today still turns the world upside down.
Paul and Silas reasoned with the Greeks and the leading women, and was Paul’s desire always that it would lead, provoke to jealousy the Jews to turn to the scripture and realize Jesus is the Messiah. (tell them to note down the below scripture it is not on the outline)
13 But I am speaking to you who are Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle of Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, 14 if somehow I might move to jealousy my fellow countrymen and save some of them.
Due to the trouble, the tumult it meant that Paul and Silas left and were banned from returning to Thessalonica but other scripture shows great results of the short time they were there.
Paul’s desire was to be able to return to see them (1The2:17-18)
Paul saw the being banned from returning as a device of Satan, a way to try to hinder the work
17 But we, brethren, having been taken away from you for a short while—in person, not in spirit—were all the more eager with great desire to see your face. 18 For we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, more than once—and yet Satan hindered us.
But it did not hinder the work and we will get there shortly, like the church at Philippi, trouble brought about proclamation (Php1:14-18) even if it were not with the mouth of Paul.
Paul, wanted a report on them and sent Timothy, with a purpose (1The3:1-5)
1 Therefore when we could endure it no longer, we thought it best to be left behind at Athens alone, 2 and we sent Timothy, our brother and God’s fellow worker in the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you as to your faith,
3 so that no one would be disturbed by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we have been destined for this. 4 For indeed when we were with you, we kept telling you in advance that we were going to suffer affliction; and so it came to pass, as you know.
5 For this reason, when I could endure it no longer, I also sent to find out about your faith, for fear that the tempter might have tempted you, and our labor would be in vain.
Paul sends Timothy to encourage them and find out from them how they are doing so he knows his labor was not in vain. He knew the trouble they were facing because of the gospel.
The results of the trouble, the tumult
Paul got a great report back from Timothy (1The3:6-10)
6 But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us good news of your faith and love, and that you always think kindly of us, longing to see us just as we also long to see you, 7 for this reason, brethren, in all our distress and affliction we were comforted about you through your faith;
8 for now we really live, if you stand firm in the Lord. 9 For what thanks can we render to God for you in return for all the joy with which we rejoice before our God on your account,
The church thrived! (1The1:1-10)
1 Paul and Silvanus and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace. 2 We give thanks to God always for all of you, making mention of you in our prayers;
3 constantly bearing in mind your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father, 4 knowing, brethren beloved by God, His choice of you;
They thrived in the work of faith
They thrived in labor of love
They thrived in steadfastness of hope
5 for our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. 6 You also became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit,
They thrived in power and the holy Spirit in full conviction.
They thrived being imitators even though they received the word in much tribulation.
7 so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. 8 For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone forth, so that we have no need to say anything.
They thrived and sounded forth the faith, the word in the entire area!
9 For they themselves report about us what kind of a reception we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, 10 and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come.
They thrived by turning from idols to the living and true God!
Why the Church thrived (1The2:3-16)
(insert for your consideration -1 picture here)
the section in chapter 2 is a little too long for us to read tonight but I want to pull out some points
They thrived due to the nature and deliver of the gospel message (vv.3-6)
They thrived due to the method of life when they were with them (vv.7-8)
They thrived because the example given in laboring in love for them (vv.9-10)
They thrived because they received the gospel, the word as the word of God (V13)
They thrived because they put into action what they heard and what they saw (vv.14-16)
A closing quote from T. R. Glover:
In remarking to a saying of a child who spoke of the N.T. ended with revolutions said this.
“When Christianity really goes into action it must cause a revolution both in the life of the individual and in the life of society.”
(Summarize) Paul and Silas’s time in Thessalonica might have been short but it was effective. May have brought a tumult and trouble but it did not stop the gospel!
Are you a part of the revolution?
(prayer) (Close)