Sunday Morning Podcast March 1, 2020. Bro. Dave Goble.
This account in Acts 17, is of Paul and Silas’s missionary work, and how (mentioned in the first verse) they had passed through Amphipolis, and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews. Verse 5, But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain Jews, fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people.
TEXT: ACTS 17:6 And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also;
There was a dispute among the religious Jews in that city and the message that Paul and Silas were bringing, an opposition by the leaders of that community, and they found them here in verse 6, the saints having “turned the world upside down.” The reason was, was that the word and message they believed, was so different from the community they were working in. The people here, had not heard this! It was shaking people! It was hard to accept by some! But the message they preached was faithful to the gospel of Jesus Christ. So it was, “These that have turned the world upside down.” Their message had proceeded them, and their reputation, so when they arrived in northern Greece, you can see how the gospel is moving now according to the will of God, from Palestine more northward, now turning the world upside down. And still today, it is by God, still intended to turn the world upside down more than ever, as the world has grown ever darker. For this to happen, there must be a revolution! 2 Peter 3:18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and for ever. Amen. Growing in grace is to live every day in the will of God with fear and trembling. Grace of spiritual holiness, a gradual grace, a daily growth and increase, from victory to victory, conquering to conquering. Two kinds of change. One is a change that turns the world upside down! And another change which is more gradual, day by day. And we will look at them in terms of our own experience, and our standing with God. A lot of opinion about how God works with people, and how we get what we’re supposed to get. It’s important to consistently read God’s word with study. It’s not optional to be faithful to study God’s Word!
We can look at every dimension in life, and from there two definitions. Our life before Christ, …and our life after Christ. Because of a lot of religion in the world, they have ideas of how that is to happen. “I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh which I will give for the life of the world.” John 6:51 Jesus makes several claims here, “the living bread from heaven,” that will also cause us to live forever. That He was equal to God. In John 8:12 “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. Jesus will come to be the light, when He transforms us. ” As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. John 9:5, “And whosever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? John 11:26 He came to give us eternal life. Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am. John 8:58 Some made the claim, that Jesus only said He was equal to God, but this scripture proves otherwise. That He has the power of life over death! Christ translates people in this life, …from death to life. Before we are spiritually dead, while physically alive. One can have a gradual change, that never had a radical revolutionary change from death to life! So these claims can have a different meaning to you. A supernatural revolutionary change as Lazarus coming out of the tomb! All that are saved, were dead, then had a revolutionary change! Not gradual, by your own intellect. Until you get a revolutionary change, you can only get to the entrance of the tomb. If your religion does not provide this, you don’t have a radical change. When God says, “Come forth,” you have death to life! Revolutionary change! This experience makes and keeps you holy. “Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and began not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able to of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.” Luke 3:8 If it didn’t happen like this, it might be evolutionary …but not revolutionary! From death…to life!
Have You Had A Revolutionary Change?