Turning The World Upside Down

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.