How To Change the World

Acts: To The End of The Earth  •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented   •  41:06
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How To Change the World

In 2015 Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Masterpiece Hamilton: An American Musical debuted,
In case you haven’t seen or heard it the story takes place during the birth of our nation.
The turning point of the show takes place right after the British Surrender to the American Army.
The song they sing is titled “The World Turned Upside Down”
The Paradigm has shifted.
The Colonies are now a country.
Our founding fathers are now put in a place that would inevitably change the world.
Our country truly would turn the world upside down.
For better or for worse. Things are gonna change.
Each of us, I’m sure, at times wishes that we could change the world.
College graduates today are entering into the work force wanting to be a part of a greater story.
There is an idealism in the youthful that tells them they can change the world.
Their choices can impact the future.
Whether through elections, social upheaval, or economic instability they want to change the world.
We can all agree that the world is a messy place.
There are wars going on.
Violence in the street.
An intense hate between political parties.
What is sinful is now called good.
Injustice abounding in all arenas social, economical, personal.
But where do we look for change?
Do we look for the government to institute change?
Do we look to humanism to enact change?
Do we look to the good of humanity to push change?
Rules, Laws, punishment, conformity, regulations, and obedience are all ways that we try to make the world a better place
Let me let you in on a little secret…none of those things are gonna establish lasting change.
If you want to be a part of a bigger story that is going to radically change the world you have to be a part of the gospel story.
The World will never be turned upside down apart from the gospel.
Apart from the good news of Jesus, we will continue to live in our wretched state.
We will continue to be dead in our trespasses and sin.
We will continue to rebel against the giver of life.
We will continue to be enemies of God and his righteousness.
But responding to the gospel in humility.
Responding to the gospel and receiving God’s grace, we will be made alive.
We will no longer be enemies, but sons and daughters.
We will no longer be rebellious but live under his guidance empowered by the Holy Spirit.
You have to know and tell the story of Christ, his sacrifice, resurrection, and redemption.
The gospel of Jesus Christ is the only thing that will every change people.
He takes from us our stony heart of rebellion, sinfulness, and hatred and replaces it with a heart of flesh.
A heart attune to his. A heart of love, compassion, justice, forgiveness.
In today’s text, Paul and Silas are continuing on their mission. They leave Philippi and head to Thessalonica and Berea.
Paul and Silas are doing what they do.
They are going around and confessing Jesus as Lord.
They are preaching the gospel that transforms lives.
They are telling people that Jesus is the Lord of all and wants a relationship with his creation.
Let’s Take a look at their interaction in Thessalonica.
Acts 17:1–9 ESV
1 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. 2 And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 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.” 4 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. 5 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. 6 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, 7 and Jason has received them, and they are all acting against the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.” 8 And the people and the city authorities were disturbed when they heard these things. 9 And when they had taken money as security from Jason and the rest, they let them go.
Preaching and Teaching
Paul and Silas make their way from Philippi to Thessalonica.
Thessalonica was a Major Port city, the capital of Macedonia, and had a population of about 200,000 people.
This is important b/c one of the things that we see Paul doing during his ministry was going to bigger cities to teach and preach about Jesus with the foresight and expectation that they would reach the smaller and more remote communities surrounding them.
It was easier to get the word out to more people at one time in larger cities than in smaller ones.
In Fact, Paul writes this about believers in Thessalonica in
1 Thessalonians 1:8 ESV
8 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.
The believers in Thessalonica were sounding forth the message to all parts of Macedonia.
This isn’t to say that small towns aren’t important.
Of course they are, but when it comes to resources, population, and reach Paul was strategic with the limited time that he had.
So he tended to spend most of his time in larger cities with greater reach.
Now when he came to those cities what did he do and where did he go?
He went to the Synagogue. He went where he would have a captive audience.
He went where the people gathered.
He went on the Sabbath to make sure that the optimal amount of ears were listening to the message.
This is important b/c if we want to reach our community then we have to go where the people are.
We can’t expect to grow and push the gospel forth if we don’t go to the people.
Contrary to our desire, people don’t usually show up to church and wait to hear a 40 min long sermon.
People come if they are invited. People come if they have relationships with members.
People come if we reach out to them, but they typically won’t just show up.
So when we go about our day to day life we need to be observant. We need to be aware that there are people all around us.
Some, if not most, of them need to hear the gospel message.
They need to know the love of God and the best way to ensure that they hear it is to tell them yourself as your living your life.
Develop relationships in the local coffee shop.
At your grocery store.
Nail and Hair Salon.
With your clients, with your neighbors, with those around you.
Some of us may have to make extra efforts to be out and around people.
We should make the effort b/c God cares about people.
We should care about people, b/c God cares about people.
They spend 3 weeks teaching and preaching the gospel in the Synagogue.
How did Paul teach and preach?
There are three things Luke records.
He Reasoned with them.
He Explained.
He Proved.
When he reasoned with them how did he do it?
He reasoned from the Scriptures.
These people at the Synagogue knew the scriptures. They knew the bible, but they still needed to be reasoned with.
Here’s the thing Christianity isn’t about blind faith.
We have Reasons to believe.
We have evidence that what is recorded in the bible actually happened.
Unfortunately, too often we tend to check out brains at the door of the Sanctuary.
We tend to use thought and reason when it comes to many aspects about our life but when it comes to our belief we simply stop thinking.
This can be detrimental, especially when it comes to the younger generations.
Because if we don’t teach them to think about and think through their faith the first time it is challenged outside of these walls they will most likely falter or abandon the teaching.
My desire and vision for our church is that we would be a church that asks the tough questions.
We would be open to people when they have genuine doubts about their faith.
That we would be open to and receptive of the skeptics.
But at the same time we would never abandon our conviction to the primacy of Scripture.
Scripture is our final authority.
Now for these particular folks Paul had to reason, explain, and prove that Jesus Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead.
This would have been offensive to the Jewish people.
They would have believed that their Messiah, their Christ was a mighty and glorious king that was coming to restore their kingdom on earth.
They would have believed that he was going to come and overthrow the government and cure all their woes and hardships.
So Paul had to take them past their preconceived notions about who the Christ would be and prove to them that he actually had to suffer and die.
It doesn’t tell us what passages Paul took them to to make his point, but there are plenty he could choose from.
Genesis 3:15 ESV
15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”
Isaiah 53:3–5 ESV
3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 4 Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.
Isaiah 53:10–12 ESV
10 Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. 11 Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.
Paul is demonstrating that the hero of the bible is Jesus.
That from the very beginning he began his work of reconciliation.
Jesus, not man, not Israel, is the hero of the Bible.
All things point to him.
All things come from him.
All things are made by him, through him, and for him.
As followers of Jesus we are called to declare and proclaim the same message to a dying world.
It is important for us to know the story and message of the Bible.
We may know stories in the bible, but do we know The Story of the Bible.
The story of redemption.
The story of reconciliation.
The story of God becoming man to suffer, die, and be resurrected and how all of that was foretold from the beginning.
In order to proclaim the message of Jesus, it is important that we know the message.
So if you don’t know the story of the bible. It is your responsibility to learn it.
We were talking a couple of weeks ago in Sunday School about this very thing.
It can seem overwhelming and daunting to look at the bible and think about telling people about what you believe.
Don’t let it overwhelm you.
Instead take it piece by piece.
How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.
Start with the basics. IE Romans Road
We are all sinners
Romans 3:23 ESV
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Death is the consequence for sin.
Romans 6:23 ESV
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
God has provided a way for us to be saved from that penalty
Romans 5:8 ESV
8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Confess and believe Jesus is Lord
Romans 10:13 ESV
13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
If you believe and trust in Jesus you are made right with God
Romans 5:1 ESV
1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
This is one simple and easy way to learn how to tell people about their great need for Jesus.
There is only so much I can do for you, you need to do some work on your own so you can to grow in your relationship with Jesus.
We also need to proclaim the truth of Jesus Christ.
It’s interesting that false religions and false teachings are way more evangelistic than us.
It’s not that we are afraid to evangelize.
We evangelize all the time.
We proclaim the good news of this awesome TV show we started watching.
We proclaim the good news of the new restaurant that is just to die for.
We proclaim the good news of our child that just graduated, got a job, or joined the military.
We proclaim these good things, yet we neglect to proclaim the best thing.
We don’t tell people their need for a savior.
We don’t want to offend them.
We don’t want to exclude them.
We don’t want to be viewed as bigots or bible thumpers.
We avoid proclaiming the truth b/c we don’t want to endure persecution, isolation, or ostricision.
But we have to be willing and able to suffer for the sake of the gospel.
We have to be ready to suffer for the truth.
The truth will offend.
The truth exposes our need for a good and gracious savior.
Some will be angry. But some will respond with saving faith.
That’s exactly what we see here.
Paul and Silas see many come to know Jesus Christ.
Both Jews and Greeks were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas.
Both men and leading Women.
The gospel is for all people.
Yet there were some that “were jealous” v.5
Why were they jealous, b/c Paul and Silas were taking away from their congregation.
There were stealing those that could have become Jewish.
So the Jealous Jews took some “wicked men of the rabble, formed a mob,” and began to riot.
This was an act of desperation. They wanted to create the sense that Paul and Silas were causing harm to the city through their preaching and teaching.
So they created an appeal to the wicked men.
Meaning that these men didn’t acknowledge or even believe in God, but they could be persuaded to act on behalf of the influencers in the city.
They went to the home of Jason where Paul and Silas was staying but they couldn’t find them.
So they attacked Jason and brought him before the city authorities.
They were accused of 3 things
Paul and Silas turned the World upside down
Jason Harbored these troublemakers
They were defying Caesar and his decrees.
The first of these charges was about the impact that the message of Jesus has on the lives of people.
The charge was that gospel was turning the world upside down.
The status quo was being challenged.
But here’s the thing, the gospel doesn’t turn the world upside down, the gospel flips the world right side up.
It restores people to their designed state of relationship and fellowship with the creator.
It asks you to abandon sin and hold fast to holiness.
It reminds you that you and your religion are not the center of the universe, but that you are to worship the creator and the actual center of the universe.
The gospel takes all “traditional and earthly wisdom” and demands that you abandon it for the truth of God.
Don’t be served rather serve.
Don’t be first rather be last.
Don’t build your kingdom rather build God’s eternal kingdom.
Don’t be self-focused rather be kingdom minded.
Focus on eternal things.
And now Paul and Silas had come to Thessalonica to do the same thing they had done in Philippi, Iconium, Lystra, Antioch Syria.
This had to be stopped or power and influence over the town would be overturned.
People in power don’t like it when they are challenged.
So they want to stop the movement before it takes too much ground in their city.
Second, Peter and Silas did stay with Jason, but this charge was really a non-starter.
It was really just a trap to keep Jason in line with the leaders.
The final charge was the most serious charge presented.
They accused Paul and his group of defy the decrees of Caesar.
They were declaring the true king to be Jesus.
This was an act of treason.
An act punishable by death.
How do we know that this is an act of treason punishable by death, because this was similar to the charge against Jesus
Luke 23:2–3 ESV
2 And they began to accuse him, saying, “We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king.” 3 And Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” And he answered him, “You have said so.”
Acts (1) Acceptance and Rejection in Thessalonica (17:1–9)

Jesus claimed a kingdom not of this world, and Paul and Silas spoke of the same. But to a Roman, the charge sounded very much like a breach of the oath of loyalty that every person in the empire was required to render to Caesar.

So what did the city leaders do with this information, they charged Jason a fine and sent them away.
God’s hand of protection and providence were on the missionaries and they left Thessalonica under the cover of night and made their way to Berea
Acts 17:10–15 ESV
10 The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. 11 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. 12 Many of them therefore believed, with not a few Greek women of high standing as well as men. 13 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. 14 Then the brothers immediately sent Paul off on his way to the sea, but Silas and Timothy remained there. 15 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.
Students of Scripture
Paul and Silas make it to Berea and they enter into the Synagogue and start proclaiming the message of Scripture. The message of Jesus.
Berea was again a city of great importance and influence in the region.
It had a sizeable population meaning that Paul knew there were going to be people to hear the message of Jesus.
The group they are preaching to are called the Bereans.
Luke tells us that these men and women were more noble than the Jews in Thessalonica.
The World Noble originally meant HIGH BORN, but it had come to be used for those that were open, tolerant, and generous.
The Bereans were willing to listen to what Paul was preaching.
They were excited and eager to hear what was being preached.
They were hungry for the truth.
They wanted to feast on the truth.
Not a truth, not personal truth, but the true truth.
They were taking it in and then they did what all Christians should do
THEY SEARCHED THE SCRIPTURES.
As believers, our grounding for all reality is the Scriptures.
The Bereans were open minded and willing to listen to what Paul said, but they weren’t so open minded their brains fell out.
They were grounded on and in the Word of God
They knew the scriptures. They studied the Scriptures. They loved the Scriptures.
And they didn’t wait until their weekly gathering to examine the Scriptures.
They examined them DAILY.
They didn’t relegate their beliefs to Sunday or Wednesday.
They wanted to know the truth and expended energy to search for that truth.
Just because Paul was intelligent, authoritative, and persuasive they didn’t check their brains at the door.
They took what he was saying and aligned it with the Word of God.
That’s what you should be doing every time you listen to a preacher, teacher, or someone who claims to be speaking from/for God.
You have examine what they say and make sure it aligns with what God says.
Don’t take for granted that I am always right, test what I say.
Line it up to Scripture and see if what is preached is what God said.
Here’s the thing there is low hanging fruit that we can look at and say “Yeah, that doesn’t align with Scripture.” i.e, the prosperity gospel
But what if its the phrases we say or the thoughts we think that are not in line with the bible.
Example: “God never gives us more than we can handle.”
This is wrong, wrong, wrong.
God will never give us more than HE can handle.
So when in a difficult situation or overwhelmed with life you don’t need to think that you got it.
That you can overcome it.
You run to the one that can.
You lean on his promises that he is in control, that he won’t leave you or forsake, that his grace is sufficient.
There are going to be times in your life, your family’s life, your friends life where they can’t handle it.
But as followers of Jesus we don’t have to handle, because Christ already has.
Another example after someone dies, “Heaven gained another angel.”
I am not sure where this idea comes from, but the reality is that humanity and angels are different.
We are both created. We are both called to serve God, but when we die we don’t become angels.
People and angels are distinctly different.
It may sound comforting to someone who has lost a loved one.
But when you say this you are not right.
So like the Bereans we need to examine what is being said, taught, and preached everyday.
I want you to know that I will not be offended if I said something that is wrong and you come to correct me.
In fact, I will be excited, b/c you didn’t take what I said and just believed it. You actually took the time to study, learn, and grow.
While I was working on this sermon, I toyed with the idea of sneaking some heresy or wrong teaching into it intentionally.
Why would I think about do that?
To see if you are paying attention.
To see if anyone would catch it and track me down.
Here’s the thing, you need to have a hunger for the Word of God.
You should be as interested in learning about the creator of the universe as you are about your favorite sports team.
I know that the bible can be intimidating.
I know that it can be overwhelming.
I know that you look at it and think “where do i even start”
It doesn’t really matter where you start…Just Start.
Listen to it be read to you.
Read it yourself.
Be comfortable in the discomfort.
Be comfortable knowing that you won’t know it all.
But you need to know some of it.
In order to protect yourself from false teaching.
People get duped all the time.
And they get duped because they don’t know any better.
Search the Scriptures. Love the Scriptures. Examine the Scriptures.
Hold all teachings to the light of the scriptures to see if they stand up to the truth revealed.
Do it with your friends and family.
Join a Sunday School class.
Come to growth group.
This is how we are to live our lives as followers of Christ.
Here’s the reality:
YOU CAN’T GET ALL THAT YOU NEED TO LIVE A LIFE OF GODLINESS FROM COMING AND LISTENING TO ME ON SUNDAY MORNING.
YOU HAVE TO DO SOME WORK ON YOUR OWN. ONE TO TWO HOURS A WEEK IS NOT ENOUGH.
I DON’T WANT YOU TO FEEL LIKE THIS IS A BURDEN OR WEIGHT RATHER YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO KNOW DEEPLY YOUR CREATOR, SUSTAINER, AND SAVIOR.
It won’t be easy, but it will be worth it.
After the Bereans search the scriptures to know what Paul is preaching many believe.
But the rabble rousers in Thessalonica hear that Paul is preaching in Berea and they come to stir up some trouble.
So the believers there send Paul on his way to Athens.
And in Athens we will be next week.
As followers of Christ we should always be proclaiming the truth that we believe like Paul and Silas, and in order to proclaim the truth we have to know the truth. We need to be like the Bereans.
We have to take the time, spend the energy, and delight in knowing our savior.
We get to know him so that we can proclaim him.
We proclaim him so others can get to know him.
We teach him to those that are just getting to know him. That’s discipleship.
and we continue the process.
This is how we turn the world right side up.
This is how we leave our imprint on society.
This is how we can improve our community.
One person at a time. Preach the gospel.
Brother and sister, I beg of you to fall in love with God.
Fall in love with his word.
Have his word written on your hearts.
So that when someone asks you about the joy and peace that you have you can tell them.
If you don’t know this God we proclaim.
If you haven’t given yourself to him.
I pray that you would submit to his lordship.
I pray that you would confess your sinfulness and ask for his forgiveness.
I pray that you would come to know the lord of all creation.
He is calling out to you, how are you going to respond?
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