Turning the World Upside Down
Acts 17:1-10
It’s safe to assume that almost everybody here has heard or read about the great revivals of old. We constantly hear preachers talk about old time revivals. But notice what I said, we have heard about, we have read about, and we talk about. We have revivals, as all good Baptists do. But we don’t see revival anymore. The greatest revival of all time was right after the day of Pentecost. Look at verse 6….
Their world was turned upside down. Paul turned the world upside down, and here we are in 2001 and we see all the wickedness and the immorality of this world. We see so many people who need Jesus. Never before has this world needed to be turned upside down…maybe even shaken a little, amen? But we don’t see it. Why? Is God partial? Is there something that God gave to Paul that he didn’t give you and me?
I’d like to show you some things that I found as I read this passage. Tonight I’d like to preach on how we as Born-again, bible believing, Christians can “Turn the World Upside Down”.
1. By Preaching the Scriptures (vs. 2-3)
Have you ever noticed that churches are getting away from preaching the Word of God these days?
Have you ever noticed that churches have taken the focus off preaching Jesus and have begun to focus on other things?
1Co 1:21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
Ro 10:15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
We all may not be called by God to be preachers, but we are all commanded to be witnesses for Christ. In order to Preach the Scriptures, we must:
a. Study the Scriptures
2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to
be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Look at verses 2-3…. Paul knew the scriptures. When Paul was known as Saul he was a Pharisee. The Pharisees would study the scriptures so hard that they began to find things that weren’t even there. Kind of sounds like some people today.
We need to study God’s Word so that we can be an effective witness for Him. It’s kind of hard to tell somebody how the Bible says you can be 100% sure you’ll go to heaven when you die, if you don’t know yourself.
God loved us enough to give us His Holy Word. I think the least we can do is to read it.
b. Share the Scriptures
Mt. 22:19-20 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
The Great Commission, there’s no better way to become a better witness for Christ than by simply sharing God’s word with the lost. I was nervous the first time I went soul-winning. All I could think about was, “what if I meet someone I know.” Now I’d almost rather meet someone I know than to have a complete stranger give me the “look”. Or slam their door in my face. But I became a better witness by just getting out and doing it.
I want you to notice verse 2 where it says…. As his manner was, went in unto them. Paul just went to the synagogue and started sharing the scriptures. The Bible says, “as his manner was.” What’s your manner?
c. Stand on the Scriptures
2Ti 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
Mt 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
Mark Twain once said, “It ain’t those parts of the Bible I can’t understand that bother me, it is the parts I do understand.”
We don’t like to hear what the Bible has to say about us. Perhaps that’s why the Bible is constantly under attack.
We’re living in a time when The Bible is under attack on all sides. There are some that say the Bible is nothing more than an old historical book, that no longer applies to our life. Some say it’s just something that man made up in order to enslave others.
2Ti 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
Pr 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
Re 22:18-19 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
I wonder if we no longer Preach the Scriptures, because we no longer stand on the scriptures?
Paul Turned the World Upside Down in Thessalonica first by Preaching the Scripture. We saw that he Studied the Scripture, he Shared the Scripture, and he Stood on the Scripture. Next I want you to look over at verse 3…. Paul Turned the World Upside Down:
2. By Proclaiming the Saviour (vs. 3)
Paul proclaimed that Jesus was the Messiah. Sometimes we get so caught up in being right and in showing off our Bible knowledge that we forget that one of the main purposes for having a knowledge of the Bible is so that we can Proclaim the Saviour.
Ill. Jehovah’s Witness
John the Baptist said in John 3:30 He must increase, but I must decrease.
In order to Turn the World Upside Down we need to have a Persistent Proclamation, it is a Powerful Proclamation, and you can be sure it will be a Persecuted Proclamation.
a. A Persistent Proclamation
Have you ever noticed when you go out soul-winning, people will try to get you off every subject you can think of? They’ll want to know who Cain married. They’ll say crazy things like, “I really don’t believe in the Bible because there are just so many contradictions.” Then when you ask them what those are, they can’t name any but they’re positive there are. We have to be persistent. We need to keep steering them back to the Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Sometimes we feel like we aren’t doing any good. Sometimes we feel like nobody is listening to our Proclamation. But that’s God’s business. We need to keep plowing, keep passing out gospel tracts, keep sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
2Ti 4:7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
1Co 3:6-7 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. 7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
We never know who God will send to water our seed. That’s why we must be Persistent in our Proclamation.
Second, I want you to know that it’s:
b. A Powerful Proclamation
Heb 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Jer 23:29 Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?
The way to see folks saved is by making the Powerful Proclamation that Jesus loves you so much that he died for your sins. Jesus loves you so much that he’s willing to save your soul from eternal damnation, if you’ll only ask Him.
Not only are we to be Persistent in or Proclamation, not only is it a Powerful Proclamation, look over in verse 5…. It was:
c. A Persecuted Proclamation
When Paul started Proclaiming the Saviour people got upset. Have you ever noticed that most places Paul went, he met persecution?
When you start Proclaiming Jesus, you can expect persecution.
John 15:18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
They persecuted Jesus, they persecuted Peter, they persecuted Paul, they persecuted Moody, they persecuted Spurgeon… what makes you think they won’t persecute you?
I’d like to Turn this World Upside Down. We need a change in this world. In this passage we see Paul turn the Thessalonians world upside down by Preaching the Scriptures, We saw him Proclaim the Saviour, and last, and I’m through, he Turned their World Upside Down:
3. By Persevering in the Struggle (vs. 2,10)
2Ti 4:7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
That is what I hope to say when my life is over, and this is what I hope to hear.
Mt 25:23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
We’re in a struggle. I want you to know it’s a power struggle, it’s a personal struggle, and it’s a pre-determined struggle.
a. A Power Struggle
Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
1Pe 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
We are constantly at war with the devil. Ever since he was kicked out of heaven he’s been trying to destroy everything that God has done.
b. A Personal Struggle
Paul says in 1Co 15:31 I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.
He also says in 2Co 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
We fellowship with other Christians in order to share the burden, but ultimately it comes down to what we do when there is no one else around. That is the personal struggle.
It’s a Power struggle, it’s a Personal struggle, and finally it’s:
c. A Pre-determined Struggle
The battle’s already been decided. The battle has already been won. When David stood against Goliath in 1st Samuel He cried,
1Sa 17:47 And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD’S, and he will give you into our hands.
No matter what happens we need to keep in mind that the battle’s already been fought. No matter what happens, we need to remember that if you’re saved, you are on the winning side.
Re 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
Someday soon the devil will be judged and cast into the lake of fire with all of those who never trusted Christ as saviour. Have you given your heart to the Lord? Will your name be in the Lamb’s book of life?
