An Upside Down World

Acts 17
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.  Acts 17:6


Background:
Paul's next stop on his second missionary journey to establish churches, was
the city of Thessalonica, the capital and largest city of Macedonia. Romans
made  it a free city with its own government and local laws because of its
loyalty to Rome.


LET IT GLOW

I have baked a cake in which you put the topping in the pan first- butter,
brown sugar, pineapples, and cherries. Then the cake mix is added. It is
called a pineapple upside down cake. After it is baked, the cake is turn
upside down on the server and a beautiful, delicious cake appears.
Something beautiful was happening in Europe, as the four missionaries
told people about Jesus.

Jerry Falwell says in  Liberty Bible Commentary:

These missionaries had turned the world upside down (verse 6) referring to
the impact of their ministry in the previous places. They were literally shaking
the communities with the gospel!

As multitudes were believing in Jesus as The Christ and Savior, churches were
being established. I believe the Lord wants and can do it again, in our
generation. Will we be a part of it?


LET IT GROW

Envious Jews stirred up a mob of wicked men in Thessalonica.  Paul and Silas
went to the city of Berea by night to escape them. (50-60 miles) These noble
people of Berea received the word with readiness of mind, and searched the
scriptures daily. Those Jews from Thessalonica sent agitators to Berea to stir
up more trouble for the group of missionaries. Believers there sent Paul toward
Athens because of this.

Athens was the philosophical center filled with idols. There was even an altar
to the "unknown God.", which Paul preached about. He calls the people to
repent of their sins.
While there, Paul encounters two groups of philosphers, the Epicureans and
the Stoics.
The Epicureans were pleasure-seekers. The lived for the here and now;
believed there is nothing after death; whatever pleased him, he was free to do.
The Stoics, who were rationalists, believed in Pantheism (god exists in
everything and in everyone) and Fatalism (whatever happened ocurred
because  it was supposed to happen; and brotherhood of all men).
Paul explained that God is not like an  idol made of gold, silver, or stone,
made by man. (verse 29) He also taught that Jesus resurrected from the dead.

Do you remember studying Greek mythology in school? Paul came face to
face with it. Some mocked and others believed in Jesus. A church does
appear in Athens later, but not now in scriptures.

Can I defend my faith? Do I know how to share scriptures with unbelievers
so they see who Jesus is?
Certainly our world is just as crazy as it was back in Biblical days. Our God
is a Spirit to be worshiped not as an idol of wood or concrete. He gives us the
Bible so we can learn about His love and ways for our life.


LET IT GO

Am I willing to turn my world upside down for Jesus?

Can I stand against cults and false religions with the Truth?