Acts Of The Apostles # 23 Of 39

There are problems of housing, the homeless, drugs, alcohol, teen rebellion, divorce, abuse, racial unrest, etc. This list, in no way includes all the problems, but these exist in all of our major cities and they are tearing towns and cities apart while churches sit back feeling like their hands are tied and there is not a thing they can do.

In Matthew 16:18, God made this promise, "...I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Many professing Christians have the concept that God's church is on the defensive and it is all we can do to keep Satan from stomping all over us. Notice, the Lord did not speak of the church's being on the defensive, but rather the church is to be the offensive party, charging every barricade Satan raises.

Since all scripture is written that we might know how we are supposed to conduct ourselves in this lost world, Acts is no exception. In this history of the early church, NOTICE: It was not the devil's crowd turning the world upside down with their deeds, it was the Christians. Verse 6 tells us they were accused of just that: "...These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also." God wanted us to see that the early church was not on the defensive, but was on the offensive. Our text reveals what was done then, and is done now, when the church is on the offensive against Satan.

I. THE SAVIOR REVEALED

Acts 17:1-2, "Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews: And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them…." Paul and his crew passed by two towns, Amphipolis and Apollonia, and went on to the large seaport town of Thessalonica.

Illus: Paul recognized something every fisherman knows, if you are going to catch a lot of fish, you have to go where a lot of fish are located.

Once Paul was at Thessalonica, notice these words, "...as his manner was went in...(the synagogue)" Paul was accustomed to attending church on the Sabbath, and his being in a different town made no difference. Going was not an option, it was something he did. I know some people, who have to make a decision every week about whether or not to go to worship with God's people at church. Generally, people like this miss church more than they attend. The fact that they have to decide each week, makes it obvious they have never committed their lives to Christ, and made church worship of the living God a part of their lives.

Illus: Someone has said, "Blessed is the man who can hear his alarm clock on Sunday, as well as on Monday."

Paul was hungry for the things of God. He knew one could not learn the things God wanted him to learn from nature, as some would claim they are trying to do, but the place to learn was at God's house where His Word was taught.

Illus: Mary and Joseph were on their way home from Jerusalem, when they discovered their child, Jesus, was not with their crowd. After searching, they found Him at the temple. Millions more have, since then, also found Him there!

When Paul and Silas arrived at Thessalonica, they located the place of worship and upon the Sabbath they were there.

Illus: A lot of folks not only take their vacation from work, but also from the worship of God. What a shame that one who professes to be a Christian, would not want to be in God's house at the appointed time for worship, just because he is not in his home town.

II. THE SCRIPTURES REVEALED

Acts 17:2b. "...and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures."

Paul, in his efforts to reveal Christ, did not rely on philosophies, literature and science. Christianity was not something he himself had invented. The scriptures were his authority. The Jews believed that the Messiah was coming, but their idea was that the Messiah would come, put Rome down, and set up His kingdom on earth.

This is why our Lord's disciples, until they knew better, would fuss about who would be on the right hand and on the left, when Jesus set up His kingdom. They could not comprehend that He would come, die, be buried, and be resurrected from the dead.

Notice, the Bible says that for three Sabbath days, Paul, "...reasoned with them out of the scriptures."

Christianity is not a blind teaching; it has its roots in our INTELLECT, and in our HEARTS. He took the Scriptures and showed them that it was reasonable to conclude that Jesus was Who He claimed He was. He had to do this because many did not believe. And today, we must continue what Paul was doing, for there are many who do not even believe in God, and that He created them, much less believe in Jesus.