GracePoint
Sunday, June 19, 2022 - Pastor Steve Webster
Welcome to YouVersion Events @ GracePoint! Using this helpful free resource you can follow along with this morning's study, engage with Scripture, take your own notes, and even save them for future reference.
Thanks for joining us this morning and for using Events.
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.” Acts 17:1-3, ESV
As was his practice, upon their arrival in Thessalonica Paul attended the worship of the local Jewish synagogue. He did so on three Saturdays during which time our text says, “he reasoned with them from the Scriptures”, presenting to them rationale arguments for his understanding of Christ based on the teachings of the Old Testament.
Today when sharing with others about Christ there is a need for a reasoned argument for Jesus being the Saviour of the world, and that’s what we see Paul offering here in our text this morning.
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. Acts 17:4-5, ESV
Apparently some of the Jews recognized the validity of Paul’s arguments and responded accordingly by embracing Jesus through faith.
If someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it. But do this in a gentle and respectful way. 1 Peter 3:15b-16a, NLT
While some people welcomed Paul’s message concerning Jesus others were hostile to it.
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. Acts 17:6-9, ESV
The charge in our text is that Paul and Silas have turned the world upside down. In other words that they’re troublemakers and that wherever they go they upset the stability of things.
The second charge is none less than treason, for Caesar alone was to be recognized as king throughout the Roman empire and the very suggestion of such disloyalty often proved fatal to the accused.
In certain ways there is a degree of truth to both of these accusations. For instance, the gospel life does turn upside down many of the norms of society and in that sense does threaten the status quo.
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. 1 John 2:15-17, ESV
Are you living that upside down life Jesus has called you to?
Likewise, as those in Christ we do recognize Jesus as our ultimate Lord and King, and as his loyal subjects we must refuse to give to any ruler or ideology the supreme honour and total obedience which are due to him alone. Is our ultimate loyalty to King Jesus or have we so emphasized Jesus as our Saviour that we’ve neglected the reality that Jesus is also our Lord?