Go Forth And Trouble The World (Acts 17:1-9)
When a majority of society is living in rebellion, it is the Christian that is causing trouble for everyone. If a brothel is running strong and a small group of Christians walk in and start speaking about sin, righteousness, judgment, and forgiveness in Jesus Christ, who raised a fuss? Who do you think will be accused of starting that riot? Who troubled the brothel?
That is just the situation that I believe Christians find their selves in today.
We are a handful of people in a sinful world telling others about their own unrighteousness, God’s Law, and forgiveness of sins in Jesus Christ.
It’s not hard to see why people don’t like to hear from us.
It’s not difficult to see why teachers with gay pride flags hanging behind them will gripe about Christians wanting to tell people about their Christianity. They see Christianity as the troublers of the world.
In a world where society says that you can do whatever you want sexually, it is Christians who are standing there saying, “Not really! God still exists and what you’re doing is still wrong!”
In a society that says that you are perfectly good and pure just as you are, it is Christians that are standing up and saying, “You have broken God’s Law! He created you good and righteous, but now you are a rebel sinner deserving of God’s wrath and justice!”
In a society that says that you can even choose whatever gender you want to be, it is Christians who are standing up and saying, “You do not have the right to call yourself anything other than what God, who created you, made you to be. Your pretending to be another gender is an affront to God and a sin worthy of punishment.”
When it is put in these terms, I think we can see why people get so angry with Christians today. But it does not mean that we need to back down. Christians do not live their lives for the applause of men. We live for the glory and honor of God. And we live to spread the fame of His great name. And so, there will be times when you feel as if you’ve troubled the world.
Good.
“An unjust man is an abomination to the righteous, but one whose way is straight is an abomination to the wicked.” (Proverbs 29:27 ESV)
If you are in this world, standing for righteousness, there will be times when people are displeased with you. If you are in this world proclaiming the gospel to others, there will be times when people are displeased with you.
Declare the gospel, go forth and trouble the world.
Last week we saw the beginning of the Church at Philippi. Today we see the beginning of the Church at Thessalonica. Like last week, we get to see the beginning of a local congregation that we have Paul writing to later. But this time we have two letters instead of one, 1st and 2nd Thessalonians.
Declare the gospel, go forth and trouble the world.
Be Bold And Declare The Gospel (Acts 17:1-4)
As was the case in other towns that Paul stopped in, if there was a synagogue they went there. And that is what happened in Thessalonica. They stopped there and declared the gospel to them from the Scriptures.
This went on for three sabbaths. If we look at the Book of 1 Thessalonians, we understand that Paul stayed for longer than three sabbaths, but he likely taught for his first three sabbaths and then worked among the Gentile God-fearers for the rest of the time. We don’t know how long he was there, but while he was there he spent time as a tentmaker (1 Thessalonians 2:9, 2 Thessalonians 3:8).
So, for these three sabbaths Paul was explaining to the Jewish people that worshipped in the synagogue that Jesus was the Christ, He died and rose from the grave, and that all this was done according to the Old Testament Scriptures. The Scriptures they listened to weekly, revered, and knew was God’s Word testified to the life, death, and resurrection of Christ. And Paul was telling them about it.
Beginning in Genesis 3:15 the gospel is testified to in the Scriptures.
“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.”” (Genesis 3:15 ESV)
At the very moment that God handed down curses for the Fall, He also delivered to mankind the message of their deliverance. One would come that would crush the head of the serpent. One would come that would deliver the death blow upon His Head. This person is testified to time and time again in the Old Testament. And Paul is testifying to the fact that this person is Jesus Christ.
God created the world and everything in it good. The Earth was perfect and humans were perfect. But when Adam rebelled against God all of that changed. Sin entered the world, and sin breaks things. So, now we live in a world filled with corruption, and we ourselves have been corrupted. We are now stained with the taint of sin and rebel against God by nature. And we have earned for ourselves God’s wrath and judgment.
But the Old Testament Scriptures pointed to one that would come. They pointed to one that would crush the work of Satan. They pointed to one that would take upon Himself the sin of God’s people and give to them forgiveness of sins. They also testified to that person rising from the grave. And Paul is telling them that this person is Jesus Christ.
That is the truth that we proclaim. We proclaim forgiveness of sins in Jesus Christ. Remember what Jesus said,
“44 Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 46 and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, 47 and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things.” (Luke 24:44-48 ESV)
I keep repeating the commission given to the disciples and to us. We are to go declare the forgiveness of sins found in Jesus Christ.
He lived, died, and rose from the grave according to the Scriptures. This means that He did these things exactly as the Old Testament said that He would. And we get a fuller explanation of what Jesus accomplished through his life, death, and resurrection.
Now, it’s not a question of whether you should be telling people about Jesus. It’s a question of whether you are following His command to do so.
We live in a day in which everybody wants to talk about cultural issues and politics. If you’re knowledgeable on presidential candidates and a few social issues, you could converse with most people today. And the reason is that it’s all that they are thinking and hearing about. But that is not what is to be filling our conversations all day every day.
There are times when we must speak on social issues. There are times when we would benefit from a discussion on politics. Every year around the 4th of July I spend time talking about the Christian’s relationship to the State. Almost every year we have had a pro-life message in January. But what is it that we have been commanded to discuss with the lost and dying world all around us?
We have been commanded to declare the gospel, the good news of what Christ has accomplished for us in His life, death, and resurrection.
Who are you telling?
Who are you talking with?
Who are you praying for?
Are you obeying the commission that we have been given?
Paul is an example to us, time and time again, of a man that understood what he was supposed to be doing. As we often say today, he understood the assignment. And he went and spoke boldly with the people of Thessalonica. As he describes it to them,
“2 But though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict.” (1 Thessalonians 2:2 ESV)
In the midst of much conflict they declared the gospel.
We get scared to open our mouths when there is very little cost.
Be bold and declare the gospel to others.
That will have a cost. And it will trouble people as we will see as we continue in our text.
Go Forth And Trouble The World (Acts 17:4-9)
Some people believed that is what we read about first. But I felt that it would be good for us to talk about them last. Right now I want to talk about the people that did not believe.
The Jews were jealous and caused a stir (Acts 17:5). And they knew exactly how to stir up trouble. They formed a mob of the wicked in town and attacked the house of Jason who was thought to be keeping Paul and Silas in his home (Acts 17:5). But the Jews had stirred up so much emotion in this people that someone had to be dragged out of this house.
If we read through this text quickly then we miss what was going on. The Jews in town had caused a riot. And this was a tough situation.
I imagine this being similar to the riots in the streets that we had a few years ago in different cities in America. A whole lot of people were worked up with rage by politicians and other influential people. It worked like the Two Minutes of Hate in the book 1984, to bring a large mass of people into a rage that led to looting, destroying businesses, harming people, and burning down cities. It was as if these folks were shaken up, filled with rage, and something was going to happen.
I think something similar happened here because the text indicates that the Jews formed the mob and got this ball rolling. The Jewish people in Thessalonica took “wicked men of the rabble, they formed a mob, set the city in an uproar, and attacked the house of Jason.” (Acts 17:5 ESV) And when it was found out that Paul and Silas were not there, they dragged Jason and other Christians out before the authorities (Acts 17:6).
What was the accusation against the Christians in the town?
“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.” (Acts 17:7 ESV)
What are they saying about these Christians? Well, these Christians have “turned the world upside down” everywhere they’ve gone.
Was it true? Of course it was true.
They walked into the synagogue and told all the Hebrew people that would listen that Jesus was the Christ they’d all been waiting for and most of the people rejected Him. They told these people that Jesus was their rightful king and they didn’t want to worship or obey Him.
The Christians riled up the wicked everywhere they went. These people did not like the message that was delivered. I’m sure they didn’t want to be told who they were allowed to sleep with among other things that rubbed them the wrong way.
I mention this and use this illustration because Roman society was filled with that sort of sin and it really did rub Roman citizens the wrong way historically. Women were expected to be faithful to their spouse in Roman society, but men were permitted to go and do whatever they wanted. This was especially true for powerful men. Adultery, fornication, and homosexuality were rampant in Rome at the time and what Christians preached and lived was considered offensive to the rest of society.
You can make some connections to modern times here. The Roman citizens were embracing many of the things that march down the street in parades every June and the Christians opposed these things. And many people despised the Christians for it.
It is also the case that people might have been a little confused by the discussion of the Kingdom of Christ. It did come up in this trial. But then again, there may have been no confusion at all.
Jesus said that His Kingdom was not of this world (John 18:36). That much is plain. But there was an understanding from Christians that Jesus was Himself the King of kings and Lord of lords. And they put this into practice in Rome and their relationship with the government and with Caesar.
Everyone was expected to offer a pinch of incense on the altar to Caesar and ay “Kaiser ho Kyrios”. The phrase means Caesar is Lord. But Christians would not do these things. In most people’s minds, to do this was an act of patriotism to Rome. But the Christians understood this to be an act of worship. And no one is to be worshipped but God alone. They were oftentimes persecuted for not worshipping Caesar because “Jesus ho Kyrios”, which means Jesus is Lord.
Whatever the case is. The news disturbed the crowd and money was taken from Jason and the rest and they were allowed to leave (Acts 17:9). We aren’t given a lot of details concerning their leaving. It is likely that Jason and the others were allowed to leave if they promised they wouldn’t harbor Paul and Silas. We simply do not know. But what we do know is that Paul and Silas were sent on their way (Acts 17:10).
I hope that you are seeing a similarity between their day and ours. As is often the case, times change but the hearts of people do not. Mankind has not advanced to some spectacular height these many years later. We’ve built upon the knowledge of previous generations, but we’re still sinners in rebellion against God. And the proclamation that Jesus is Lord still angers many people today.
This message is itself offensive.
It is offensive for people to hear that they have offended God, who is Holy and righteous.
It is offensive for people to hear that their lifestyle is a lifestyle in rebellion against God.
It is offensive for people to hear that they cannot earn a right standing with God on their own.
And it is offensive for people to hear that they must trust in the finished work of another in order to be in God’s family.
And when you interrupt people’s good time, as you will probably do at some point, you are seen as the enemy.
In 1 Kings, the wicked King Ahab called Elijah “troubler of Israel” (1 Kings 18:7). And it was the prophetic courage of Elijah that made King Ahab called him that. Everyone else just went along with all of Ahab’s wickedness, but not Elijah. He declared the truth with boldness. And because he was not willing to just go along to get along, he was called “troubler of Israel”.
And it will be that way with you and I as we preach Christ and stand against wickedness in our day. You will turn the world upside down and become a troubler. But it is worth it because we are obeying God as we do so and delivering the message of forgiveness to a lost world.
Some Will Be Blessed And Become Fellow Troublers (Acts 17:4, 9, 1 Thessalonians 1)
I skipped the people that believed earlier so that we could talk about them now.
“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.” (Acts 17:4 ESV)
Many people heard the message of Christ. They heard about the forgiveness of sins found in Him alone and were brought from death to life.
You know this person that is lost. You are about to go and share the gospel with them and all you can think about is the possibility that they will reject everything you have to say. But some will believe.
This is what we often don’t think about. Yes, people are going to hate the message we declare. We know that because of the message we proclaim, we will be a pleasant aroma to some and a stench in the nostrils of others. As Paul said,
“For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things?” (2 Corinthians 2:15-16 ESV)
Yes, we will cause trouble when we open our mouths. Of course, we will anger some people. And if our little church is known for declaring the gospel it will find itself a good share of enemies in Conway, Arkansas.
But do you know what else will happen?
People will hear the gospel and believe.
Is this not what happened to the people in this room? It was this same message that you heard and believed. This same message that has angered many, delivered the message of hope and salvation that you know hold so very dear.
And you’ve heard the gospel today. You have heard how Christ lived, died, and rose from the grave so that you could have forgiveness of sins.
There are two groups of people in our text. There are those that rejected this message and those that received it.
And you’ve heard the gospel today. Have you trusted in Christ? Have you turned to Him? Have you been brought out of death to life?
Conclusion
It is true that we will lose friends and even family over what we believe. If you trust in Christ, that will take place. And sometimes it will take place in ways that you don’t expect.
In my own life, I have lost friendships over my relationship with Christ. People that I enjoyed spending time with decided that they’d rather not associate with a person that believes Christ is King over all and will share that truth on occasion. I have had interrupted relationships with family over Jesus. And we never know what the future will hold. We never know what conditions in this country will be like, even just a few years from now. It could be the case that naming the name of Christ could cost you even more.
To those people, you are a troubler.
At the same time, I have been blessed to see God work in the lives of people in a powerful way. I have gotten to see people be called out of darkness and into the light and become part of God’s people. And that is just incredible.
And I want to close with this word to you. If you are faithful to Christ, there will be some sense in which you trouble the people of this world. But that’s okay. As long as you are doing it by being faithful to Christ and not just being a jerk, it is a good thing. And when we trouble the world because of faithfulness to Christ, we are doing the right thing.
R. Dwain Minor