Sunday, September 23, 2012

From Acts to Revelation Part 45 – Thessalonica



From Acts to Revelation
Part 45 – Thessalonica
Pastor Bruce A. Shields
House of Faith Church | www.PS127.org | www.TruthDigest.org

INTRODUCTION
Last week, we looked at the scriptures, and saw how God worked through Paul and Silas, and even though they were in prison, God used them and their example, to save the souls of the guards.

We see repeatedly through the second mission trip of Paul's, how he gives and gives to the people, and time and time again, some will receive, and others will reject.

Paul, however, like Jesus, does not chase people down, nor force the Gospel on anyone.

One must, as Jesus says, “Come to me...”

One must simply, “Call on the name of the Lord...”

It is our duty as a believer, to share this Gospel of Jesus, so that they know on whoms name they must call for salvation!

We will see from today's scripture, how Paul continues to preach the same message, and in doing so, a lot of the times gets the same response.

Some will listen, some will get saved, but in the end, someone will be angry, and because of “religion”, plot against the message of the Cross.

Last week we saw how important it is for us to remain faithful, regardless of our outward situation, so in those times, we may be a greater witness than when everything is going perfect in our lives.

This week, we will see how we are to stay steadfast on the path that Christ has laid before us, following the Holy Spirit and continuing in the work of sharing the gospel.

This is to take place, whether one person receives, 2,000 receives, or NONE receives.

The truth is the truth, and must be shared, regardless of the response.


SCRIPTURE REFERENCE

Acts 17:1-9
17 When Paul and his companions had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead. “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah,” he said. Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few prominent women.
But other Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city. They rushed to Jason’s house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd. But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some other believers before the city officials, shouting: “These men who have caused trouble all over the world have now come here, and Jason has welcomed them into his house. They are all defying Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus.” When they heard this, the crowd and the city officials were thrown into turmoil. Then they made Jason and the others post bond and let them go.


I.       FIRST PRIORITY OF A FOLLOWER OF CHRIST
a.      Paul and his companions immediately begin sharing the gospel in the local synagogue.
i.       For three Sabbaths in a row, Paul shows scriptures about Jesus

ii.    Paul has been directed by the Holy Spirit, following the path from city to city, being led to the Synagogue to bring the truth of the Gospel to God's people.

iii. We see that Paul takes the Gospel, first to the Jews.


b.     Paul, using what we call the Old Testament, proves Jesus is the Messiah


c.      Everything needed to prove this is in the Old Testament, nothing more is needed!
i.       Verse 3 says that Paul explained, and proved that Christ the Messiah had to suffer. He probably used scriptures, such as;

ii.    Genesis 3:15And I will put enmity between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”

iii. Exodus 12:13 The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are, and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.”

iv.   Isaiah 53

v.      Paul also said that he had to rise from the dead!

vi.   Leviticus 14:1-7 which is symbolic of resurrection

vii.   Psalm 16:10 because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay.”


d.     Christ, the Messiah, the one that the Old Testament points to, is, and can only be Jesus.
i.       Remember, Jesus fulfilled over 400 prophecies from the Old Testament. Many of which were fulfilled by others actions!



II.    WHAT TO EXPECT AS A FOLLOWER WHO TESTIFIES CHRIST
a.      SOME Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas


b.     So did a LARGE number of God-fearing Greeks (Gentiles)


c.      and QUITE A FEW prominent women
i.       Which could have referred to the wives of some of the Civil Rulers of the city, or other influential men.


d.     BUT, other JEWS were jealous
i.       not God-fearing Greeks
ii.    NOT prominent women
iii. NOT Gentiles or Romans...but JEWS


e.      This is the perfect example of “religious” people;
i.       Refusing the light of the Gospel
ii.    Then, setting out to put a stop to the spreading of the light


f.       It is not just customary for Paul to preach in every synagogue when he gets to a town...
i.       but it also seems to be a running theme, that there are some Jews, or Sadducee, or Pharisee who become jealous at the teaching that Jesus is the Messiah.



III. HOW THOSE WHO RESIST GOD WILL TREAT YOU
a.      So these Jealous Jews formed a mob
i.       They recruited bad characters from town


b.     They proceeded to start a riot
i.       Blaming the mob they had created with bad characters, and the riot itself on what Paul and his company were preaching.

ii.    Sound familiar? Doesn't this still happen today?


c.      What this shows us, is that these men could NOT Scripturally counter Paul's message, so they resort to other measures.


d.     The mob could not find Paul and Silas, so they rounded up Jason and other believers and took them before the magistrate
i.       At this point, their anger was going to be taken out on someone, whether Paul or another believer.

ii.    This happens today, and was told to us in scripture. The Book of John tells us that Christ is the light, and darkness do not accept Him, and we have the light in us, who believe, and the world will not receive us either.

iii. What else does the scriptures say? “The world first hated me...”


e.      The Jews, once again as we have seen previously in the Book of Acts, did not charge the believer's with the real issue, which was teaching Jesus was the Messiah.
i.       Because they knew that this would make it a civil matter, a religious issue that had nothing to do with the power and authority of Rome.

ii.    So, they twisted the issue, and charged that they were breaking Roman laws.

iii. These men, because of their “religion”, had so much hate, that they lied, and knew they were lying, to put a stop to that which they did not want to accept. Jesus is the Messiah!


f.       They were imprisoned and had to pay bond to be released.

CONCLUSION

We need to remember that sharing the Gospel that Jesus is the Messiah, the Christ, on who’s name we MUST call to be saved, is not something we “should” do, rather, something that ALL followers of Christ MUST do.

We have a priority as a follower of Jesus Christ, ad that is to teach the Gospel, so that those who are still out of communion with the Lord, those who are at odds with our Heavenly Father, may restore that relationship, in the only way possible.

By having our sins, and their debt, paid.

This was done at the Cross, for those who will call on the name of Jesus, and be saved.

If you have never called on the name of Jesus to be saved, then your debt for sin is still owed, and payment will be collected when you die, for the wages owed for sin is death...not physical death, because you will already be dead when the payment is collected. No, this is referring to Spiritual death, where you will be cast into eternal hell.

Call on the name of Jesus, and receive the free gift, which is the payment for your sins, so that when you die, you will be with the Lord in Glory, forever, AMEN!





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