1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:03,528 Hello, and welcome to the Middletown Baptist Church Podcast, 2 00:00:03,624 --> 00:00:06,552 where we are proclaiming the truth to the world. 3 00:00:06,656 --> 00:00:09,672 My name is Pastor Josh, and I want to thank you for listening to 4 00:00:09,696 --> 00:00:10,728 this podcast. 5 00:00:10,904 --> 00:00:14,616 I hope that this podcast can be a blessing to you and strengthen 6 00:00:14,648 --> 00:00:16,300 you in the word of God. 7 00:00:16,720 --> 00:00:17,576 Now, come along. 8 00:00:17,648 --> 00:00:21,700 Let's look into the Bible and see what God has for us here today. 9 00:00:23,520 --> 00:00:25,800 All right, well, we're going to go ahead and start our Bible study 10 00:00:25,840 --> 00:00:26,780 here this evening. 11 00:00:27,530 --> 00:00:30,354 Now, we were studying a book of the Bible before we got to the 12 00:00:30,362 --> 00:00:31,950 Christmas season. 13 00:00:32,250 --> 00:00:34,962 And I know that we're a little light in numbers tonight, but does 14 00:00:34,986 --> 00:00:36,594 anyone remember what book we were studying? 15 00:00:36,642 --> 00:00:38,830 We were 16 chapters in. 16 00:00:39,210 --> 00:00:41,154 So if you don't remember, it's going to hurt my heart. 17 00:00:41,242 --> 00:00:42,402 It's going to be us, ax. 18 00:00:42,466 --> 00:00:42,978 All right. 19 00:00:43,034 --> 00:00:44,402 I had some people that came through there. 20 00:00:44,426 --> 00:00:45,458 I appreciate that. 21 00:00:45,594 --> 00:00:46,066 Acts. 22 00:00:46,098 --> 00:00:53,314 And we were actually using Acts Acts as an acronym for a phrase, 23 00:00:53,362 --> 00:00:57,022 and it was Authentic Church through Scripture. 24 00:00:57,086 --> 00:00:57,454 Okay. 25 00:00:57,502 --> 00:01:00,462 So hopefully some of this is ringing a bell for the regulars and 26 00:01:00,486 --> 00:01:00,830 for others. 27 00:01:00,870 --> 00:01:01,630 We'll catch you up. 28 00:01:01,670 --> 00:01:04,142 I'm going to give you a synopsis of 16 chapters of the book 29 00:01:04,166 --> 00:01:05,790 of Acts in three minutes. 30 00:01:05,870 --> 00:01:06,238 Just kidding. 31 00:01:06,254 --> 00:01:07,022 I can't do that. 32 00:01:07,126 --> 00:01:08,046 But we're going to do. 33 00:01:08,118 --> 00:01:10,270 What we're going to do tonight is I'll try to catch you up the best 34 00:01:10,310 --> 00:01:12,942 that I can with where we are, and then we're going to jump right 35 00:01:12,966 --> 00:01:14,094 into Acts 17. 36 00:01:14,182 --> 00:01:16,654 So we've gone through 16 chapters in the Book of Acts. 37 00:01:16,702 --> 00:01:19,918 Now, what we have learned so far is that the early church was 38 00:01:19,974 --> 00:01:23,410 commissioned or given a job to preach the gospel, right. 39 00:01:23,450 --> 00:01:23,650 And. 40 00:01:23,690 --> 00:01:24,706 And to spread. 41 00:01:24,898 --> 00:01:28,178 And that spread came through them going out and telling people. 42 00:01:28,234 --> 00:01:31,986 But actually, we saw that the spread of the Gospel actually came 43 00:01:32,058 --> 00:01:33,906 through persecution. 44 00:01:34,098 --> 00:01:37,906 And as the persecution began to grow, so then the people began 45 00:01:37,938 --> 00:01:38,594 to spread. 46 00:01:38,722 --> 00:01:42,370 And God allowed certain difficulties to happen to the church 47 00:01:42,450 --> 00:01:44,162 so that the gospel would be spread. 48 00:01:44,306 --> 00:01:45,762 And we looked at a bunch of different things. 49 00:01:45,786 --> 00:01:49,292 We looked at a fellow named Stephen, the some people call the 50 00:01:49,316 --> 00:01:49,916 first deacon. 51 00:01:49,948 --> 00:01:51,468 He was martyred for his faith. 52 00:01:51,564 --> 00:01:54,892 And actually there was a fella that was there as a witness and was 53 00:01:54,916 --> 00:01:57,292 holding the coats of the fellows that were stoning him. 54 00:01:57,316 --> 00:01:58,860 And that was a guy named Saul. 55 00:01:59,020 --> 00:02:01,212 Now, we've kind of tracked the life of Saul. 56 00:02:01,276 --> 00:02:04,652 We looked at Saul's conversion, his transformation from 57 00:02:04,676 --> 00:02:09,596 being a persecutor of Christians to being a preacher to 58 00:02:09,668 --> 00:02:12,716 folks in Christianity and actually being the one persecuted. 59 00:02:12,748 --> 00:02:14,148 And that's where we pick up. 60 00:02:14,324 --> 00:02:17,780 But Paul is now on his second missionary journey. 61 00:02:17,940 --> 00:02:20,116 We tracked his first Missionary journey. 62 00:02:20,228 --> 00:02:26,516 He went all the way around into places like Asia and even moved 63 00:02:26,548 --> 00:02:31,748 his way into Europe and worked his way all the way back to Jerusalem 64 00:02:31,764 --> 00:02:33,812 and then moved his way back out. 65 00:02:33,836 --> 00:02:37,092 And now he's on his second missionary journey and we're going 66 00:02:37,116 --> 00:02:41,502 to see here this evening he leaves a place, Philippi, which was 67 00:02:41,526 --> 00:02:45,374 a place that he saw the conversion of this fellow. 68 00:02:45,422 --> 00:02:49,758 This was the jail keeper, the prison keeper, and his whole family 69 00:02:49,814 --> 00:02:51,006 was transformed. 70 00:02:51,038 --> 00:02:54,622 In the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we saw a lady named Lydia that was 71 00:02:54,646 --> 00:02:57,022 converted there in Philippi. 72 00:02:57,086 --> 00:03:00,846 And really, if we remember, Philippi was a place that Paul wasn't 73 00:03:00,878 --> 00:03:01,790 even intending to go. 74 00:03:01,830 --> 00:03:06,184 It was actually God had closed two doors to get him to go to Philippi. 75 00:03:06,342 --> 00:03:08,996 And we learned that sometimes God closes doors. 76 00:03:09,028 --> 00:03:12,420 He speaks just as loud by closed doors as he does open doors. 77 00:03:12,500 --> 00:03:15,124 And sometimes God stops things in our life so that he brings us 78 00:03:15,132 --> 00:03:16,660 to a place where we need to go. 79 00:03:16,780 --> 00:03:19,636 And whether Paul knew it or not, he needed to go to Philippi 80 00:03:19,668 --> 00:03:22,132 to see these individuals converted. 81 00:03:22,276 --> 00:03:26,404 But now he leaves Philippi and we're going to see in Acts chapter 82 00:03:26,452 --> 00:03:29,524 17, he goes to a place called Thessalonica. 83 00:03:29,652 --> 00:03:32,788 And we're going to look at his visit here to Thessalonica. 84 00:03:32,804 --> 00:03:33,840 It's a short visit. 85 00:03:34,350 --> 00:03:38,102 It's a visit that sees some success but actually sees a lot of 86 00:03:38,126 --> 00:03:40,038 persecution in a short amount of time. 87 00:03:40,174 --> 00:03:43,222 And they're basically chased out in three weeks. 88 00:03:43,406 --> 00:03:46,742 And believe it or not though, within this three week period, a 89 00:03:46,766 --> 00:03:48,022 church is started. 90 00:03:48,206 --> 00:03:51,110 And we see that there are actually two books of the Bible, 91 00:03:51,190 --> 00:03:54,102 first and Second Thessalonians that are written to the church that 92 00:03:54,126 --> 00:03:57,890 was started at this very moment here in Acts chapter 17. 93 00:03:58,270 --> 00:04:00,534 So what's significant about Thessalonica? 94 00:04:00,582 --> 00:04:04,196 Well, it's a prominent city in a place called Macedonia, modern 95 00:04:04,228 --> 00:04:04,756 day Greece. 96 00:04:04,788 --> 00:04:08,612 If you go to the Footsteps of Paul tour in Greece, you will go 97 00:04:08,636 --> 00:04:10,036 to Thessalonica. 98 00:04:10,148 --> 00:04:15,092 And it due to its location, it's a seaport there on the Aegean 99 00:04:15,156 --> 00:04:18,516 Sea and it was a major place for Roman transit. 100 00:04:18,548 --> 00:04:22,660 And Paul and Silas traveled to Thessalonica there to preach the 101 00:04:22,700 --> 00:04:24,548 gospel of Jesus Christ to these people. 102 00:04:24,604 --> 00:04:26,308 So this is a very well to do city. 103 00:04:26,444 --> 00:04:29,764 It's a city that had a lot of religion, it's a city that had a 104 00:04:29,772 --> 00:04:30,530 lot of trade. 105 00:04:30,660 --> 00:04:33,462 And so there's going to be an opportunity for Paul to preach the 106 00:04:33,486 --> 00:04:36,886 gospel here with Silas and the the group that is going. 107 00:04:36,958 --> 00:04:38,998 So let's go ahead and look at Acts chapter 17. 108 00:04:39,054 --> 00:04:42,854 You have somewhat of a context to what's happening here. 109 00:04:43,022 --> 00:04:45,926 And then we're going to look at what happens as he preaches. 110 00:04:45,958 --> 00:04:47,302 So it says here in verse one. 111 00:04:47,406 --> 00:04:51,286 Now, when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, 112 00:04:51,398 --> 00:04:55,862 they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews. 113 00:04:56,006 --> 00:04:59,110 And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them. 114 00:04:59,150 --> 00:05:03,210 And so Paul's first step was he would go and he would preach to 115 00:05:03,250 --> 00:05:06,362 the Jewish people in all of these cities, because all of these 116 00:05:06,386 --> 00:05:08,394 cities had Jews there living. 117 00:05:08,522 --> 00:05:10,714 And they would then meet in the synagogue. 118 00:05:10,762 --> 00:05:13,722 Now, what's significant about the synagogue, the synagogue was 119 00:05:13,746 --> 00:05:14,986 not just their church. 120 00:05:15,098 --> 00:05:16,602 The synagogue was the meeting place. 121 00:05:16,626 --> 00:05:18,650 The synagogue was the town hall. 122 00:05:18,810 --> 00:05:21,178 They would all go to the synagogue to learn. 123 00:05:21,274 --> 00:05:23,290 They would all go to the synagogue to share. 124 00:05:23,410 --> 00:05:26,346 And so Paul thought that this was the best place to go to speak 125 00:05:26,378 --> 00:05:29,546 to individuals who already had an understanding of the Old Testament 126 00:05:29,578 --> 00:05:30,384 scriptures. 127 00:05:30,562 --> 00:05:34,132 So what Paul would do is he would go to synagogues and he would 128 00:05:34,156 --> 00:05:38,324 reason with the people from the Old Testament, Jesus Christ. 129 00:05:38,492 --> 00:05:41,412 So he would preach to them not religion, but a relationship with 130 00:05:41,436 --> 00:05:41,988 Jesus. 131 00:05:42,084 --> 00:05:45,140 And so it says in verse two, as Paul, as his manner was, went 132 00:05:45,180 --> 00:05:48,004 in unto them and three Sabbath days. 133 00:05:48,172 --> 00:05:50,468 So three Sabbath days means he was there for three weeks. 134 00:05:50,524 --> 00:05:54,580 So he would come and speak on their Sabbath, which would be basically 135 00:05:54,660 --> 00:05:57,972 Saturday, and he would come in and he would speak each Sabbath in 136 00:05:57,996 --> 00:05:59,028 the synagogue. 137 00:05:59,204 --> 00:06:02,884 And so he said, it said there that he spoke three Sabbath days. 138 00:06:02,972 --> 00:06:06,612 And then it says this phrase here, reason with them out of the 139 00:06:06,636 --> 00:06:07,124 Scriptures. 140 00:06:07,172 --> 00:06:10,132 Now, I want you to think about that phrase, reason with them from 141 00:06:10,156 --> 00:06:11,924 the Scriptures, because there's a lot of significance to 142 00:06:11,932 --> 00:06:15,636 that, because that is how we are supposed to deal with individuals 143 00:06:15,668 --> 00:06:17,124 that need Jesus Christ. 144 00:06:17,292 --> 00:06:21,460 Reason with them out of the Scriptures, not reason with them 145 00:06:21,500 --> 00:06:26,734 with man's wisdom or reason with them out of some kind of argument 146 00:06:26,782 --> 00:06:30,750 in accordance to pragmatic thinking. 147 00:06:30,830 --> 00:06:32,830 Now, when I use that word, pragmatic, what does that mean? 148 00:06:32,870 --> 00:06:34,382 Pragmatic means it works. 149 00:06:34,526 --> 00:06:37,742 So a lot of people preach religion in a pragmatic way. 150 00:06:37,766 --> 00:06:40,638 Well, if this makes your life better, you need to believe it. 151 00:06:40,774 --> 00:06:43,742 And though Jesus makes our life better, we understand that that 152 00:06:43,766 --> 00:06:45,710 doesn't always look like a material better. 153 00:06:45,750 --> 00:06:48,158 It doesn't always look like a physical better. 154 00:06:48,214 --> 00:06:50,990 It might be a spiritual better, but it might not be what 155 00:06:51,030 --> 00:06:52,078 the world is seeking after. 156 00:06:52,134 --> 00:06:54,944 So it says there that he reasoned with them out of the Scriptures. 157 00:06:55,142 --> 00:06:56,460 And this was his custom. 158 00:06:56,580 --> 00:07:00,620 The Greek word for reason is really the root word that we get 159 00:07:00,660 --> 00:07:02,268 for the word in English, dialogue. 160 00:07:02,284 --> 00:07:05,020 So he dialogues with them, he has a conversation with them. 161 00:07:05,140 --> 00:07:08,572 And so essentially, what we See is he discusses Scripture with 162 00:07:08,676 --> 00:07:09,720 these people. 163 00:07:10,420 --> 00:07:14,444 And so Paul did the work of explaining to them about Scripture. 164 00:07:14,492 --> 00:07:18,844 So verse three, it says, opening and alleging that Christ 165 00:07:18,932 --> 00:07:21,868 must needs have suffered and risen again from the dead. 166 00:07:21,964 --> 00:07:24,492 This looks exactly like what we were talking about this morning. 167 00:07:24,596 --> 00:07:28,428 Paul comes to them and it says here, opening and alleging. 168 00:07:28,604 --> 00:07:30,156 Basically, he op. 169 00:07:30,308 --> 00:07:34,204 Literally it's saying he opened the Scriptures and reason 170 00:07:34,292 --> 00:07:36,800 with them and explained to them the Gospel. 171 00:07:37,220 --> 00:07:40,972 Now we have to understand Paul didn't have the New Testament as 172 00:07:40,996 --> 00:07:42,092 we have it today. 173 00:07:42,276 --> 00:07:45,500 So we know what Paul is doing is he's referring back to the Old 174 00:07:45,540 --> 00:07:49,654 Testament and appealing to, to the prophecies of Jesus and showing 175 00:07:49,702 --> 00:07:52,294 that Jesus was the fulfillment of those prophecies. 176 00:07:52,422 --> 00:07:54,982 But nonetheless, Paul is preaching the gospel. 177 00:07:55,126 --> 00:07:57,222 We could preach the gospel from the New Testament. 178 00:07:57,286 --> 00:07:59,382 We could preach the gospel from the Old Testament. 179 00:07:59,526 --> 00:08:02,230 There is a very common teaching out there today that says, 180 00:08:02,270 --> 00:08:04,930 remove the Old Testament and all we need is the new. 181 00:08:05,630 --> 00:08:08,758 We do need the new, but we also need the old. 182 00:08:08,894 --> 00:08:11,494 You can preach the gospel from Isaiah 53. 183 00:08:11,662 --> 00:08:14,010 You can preach the gospel from the book of Genesis. 184 00:08:14,380 --> 00:08:18,212 Genesis chapter 3, verse 15 is called the proto evangelium, which 185 00:08:18,236 --> 00:08:20,120 means the first gospel. 186 00:08:20,460 --> 00:08:22,740 If you look at Genesis 3:15, what does it say? 187 00:08:22,780 --> 00:08:26,692 It talks all about that the seed of the woman would crush the 188 00:08:26,716 --> 00:08:29,508 seed of man, the seed of the serpent, right? 189 00:08:29,564 --> 00:08:32,132 And so there would be that conflict, that good and evil, but 190 00:08:32,156 --> 00:08:36,468 ultimately Christ would come and be the Messiah and give us salvation. 191 00:08:36,644 --> 00:08:40,425 And so I think it's important for us to think about how Paul brings 192 00:08:40,457 --> 00:08:41,705 the gospel to these people. 193 00:08:41,777 --> 00:08:44,185 And I'll remember he's bringing the gospel to religious 194 00:08:44,217 --> 00:08:44,553 people. 195 00:08:44,641 --> 00:08:47,017 He's bringing the gospel to people who are devout. 196 00:08:47,193 --> 00:08:49,737 A lot of times we think that we're bringing the gospel to people 197 00:08:49,793 --> 00:08:54,425 that are completely unaware of the truth of Jesus Christ or completely 198 00:08:54,457 --> 00:08:57,353 unaware of religion or completely unaware of the Bible. 199 00:08:57,401 --> 00:08:58,729 And that is sometimes the case. 200 00:08:58,769 --> 00:09:02,281 We, we do see that Paul does preach to people that are unaware 201 00:09:02,345 --> 00:09:03,849 of any religion. 202 00:09:04,009 --> 00:09:06,665 But we do see, for the most part, though, that Paul preaches 203 00:09:06,697 --> 00:09:09,539 to people who have some semblance of understanding of God, 204 00:09:09,569 --> 00:09:11,536 God and of the Scriptures. 205 00:09:11,648 --> 00:09:14,912 And that's important because one time I used to think that, that 206 00:09:14,936 --> 00:09:17,552 if someone's in church, they must know about the gospel. 207 00:09:17,696 --> 00:09:20,208 If someone's in church, they must know what the Bible says about 208 00:09:20,264 --> 00:09:23,088 Jesus, about salvation, about forgiveness. 209 00:09:23,184 --> 00:09:24,400 But I'm going to tell you, folks, I. 210 00:09:24,440 --> 00:09:28,384 I grew up in a Christian home, I grew up in a Christian school, 211 00:09:28,472 --> 00:09:31,216 but yet I didn't get saved until I was 16 years old. 212 00:09:31,368 --> 00:09:34,480 It was because I knew intellectually, I knew in my mind 213 00:09:34,520 --> 00:09:38,036 what the Bible said about the gospel, but I had yet believed it. 214 00:09:38,108 --> 00:09:41,284 And so what Paul does here is he's not just teaching them facts. 215 00:09:41,412 --> 00:09:45,572 He's opening the Scriptures and alleging, or really what we would 216 00:09:45,596 --> 00:09:50,052 say is explaining the Gospel to them in a way that they can understand. 217 00:09:50,156 --> 00:09:51,956 So he says what, what is he alleging? 218 00:09:51,988 --> 00:09:54,596 What is he trying to convince them of? 219 00:09:54,668 --> 00:10:01,476 That Christ needs to have suffered and he needs to be risen 220 00:10:01,508 --> 00:10:03,182 again from the dead in their minds. 221 00:10:03,276 --> 00:10:06,830 And that Jesus, whom I preach to you, is the Christ or the Messiah. 222 00:10:07,330 --> 00:10:08,266 So what is he preaching? 223 00:10:08,298 --> 00:10:09,194 He's preaching Jesus. 224 00:10:09,242 --> 00:10:11,994 He's preaching salvation through Jesus and Jesus alone. 225 00:10:12,122 --> 00:10:16,810 He's preaching the complete Gospel, his life, death, burial and 226 00:10:16,850 --> 00:10:17,946 resurrection. 227 00:10:18,138 --> 00:10:20,618 And so there's a lesson that we can learn here from Paul as he's 228 00:10:20,634 --> 00:10:22,522 preaching, and it ties right together with what we talked about 229 00:10:22,546 --> 00:10:22,842 this morning. 230 00:10:22,866 --> 00:10:25,770 He's preaching plainly, he's preaching powerfully. 231 00:10:25,930 --> 00:10:28,826 We're going to see here he preaches persistently and no doubt 232 00:10:28,858 --> 00:10:29,738 he was doing it prayerfully. 233 00:10:29,754 --> 00:10:31,112 If we look at Paul's life, he. 234 00:10:31,146 --> 00:10:32,316 He is a man of prayer. 235 00:10:32,348 --> 00:10:36,524 And so he comes and preaches the complete, authentic gospel, nothing 236 00:10:36,572 --> 00:10:37,100 pulled back. 237 00:10:37,140 --> 00:10:39,160 He preaches Christ to them. 238 00:10:39,460 --> 00:10:40,972 And so what's the result? 239 00:10:41,156 --> 00:10:44,332 Well, the result's going to be here that some believe and some of 240 00:10:44,356 --> 00:10:45,244 them believed. 241 00:10:45,372 --> 00:10:48,556 So there are individuals that are in the synagogue that are hearing 242 00:10:48,588 --> 00:10:49,196 the truth. 243 00:10:49,308 --> 00:10:51,356 Some are going to believe and some aren't going to believe. 244 00:10:51,428 --> 00:10:52,732 What's the distinction? 245 00:10:52,796 --> 00:10:54,028 What's the difference? 246 00:10:54,204 --> 00:10:56,348 What's the difference between the people that believe and don't 247 00:10:56,364 --> 00:10:56,588 believe? 248 00:10:56,644 --> 00:11:00,640 Well, we see here that when verse four. 249 00:11:00,680 --> 00:11:03,392 And some of them believed and consorted with Paul and Silas and 250 00:11:03,416 --> 00:11:06,672 the devout Greeks, a great multitude of them, chief women, not 251 00:11:06,696 --> 00:11:10,176 of a few, meaning the Greeks and the women were the ones actually 252 00:11:10,248 --> 00:11:10,544 believing. 253 00:11:10,592 --> 00:11:12,736 And many of the religious Jews weren't believing. 254 00:11:12,848 --> 00:11:15,104 We're going to see here in a few moments that it was their pride 255 00:11:15,152 --> 00:11:17,376 that was holding them back from believing the truth of Jesus 256 00:11:17,408 --> 00:11:18,032 Christ. 257 00:11:18,216 --> 00:11:20,928 And so there are individuals like the Greeks and even the women 258 00:11:20,984 --> 00:11:23,472 here, which at this time frame, these were the ones that were 259 00:11:23,496 --> 00:11:26,648 considered lower in class than the religious men. 260 00:11:26,784 --> 00:11:29,992 But the Bible knows that these were the ones predominantly were 261 00:11:30,016 --> 00:11:32,888 the ones that were getting saved because they were coming with 262 00:11:32,944 --> 00:11:35,848 humility, they were coming with a sense of openness. 263 00:11:35,944 --> 00:11:37,000 But we see verse five. 264 00:11:37,040 --> 00:11:39,016 But the Jews which believe not. 265 00:11:39,168 --> 00:11:40,392 So here's the distinction. 266 00:11:40,456 --> 00:11:41,304 It's really this. 267 00:11:41,392 --> 00:11:43,640 Those who believed in the message and those who didn't believe 268 00:11:43,680 --> 00:11:44,540 the message. 269 00:11:45,440 --> 00:11:47,800 Paul isn't preaching a different message to these people 270 00:11:47,840 --> 00:11:50,472 that believe and then a failure message over to here to these 271 00:11:50,496 --> 00:11:51,210 people that believe. 272 00:11:51,320 --> 00:11:53,798 Sometimes we think that when people don't believe, it's a failure. 273 00:11:53,974 --> 00:11:56,790 It's, it's not a failure if you present the gospel to the best 274 00:11:56,830 --> 00:11:57,558 of your ability. 275 00:11:57,654 --> 00:11:59,990 And, and what we can see here is that there's some people believing, 276 00:12:00,070 --> 00:12:01,030 some people not believing. 277 00:12:01,110 --> 00:12:01,622 Verse 5. 278 00:12:01,646 --> 00:12:06,730 But the Jews which believe not moved with envy, jealousy, pride. 279 00:12:07,310 --> 00:12:11,222 So we see what holds back these individuals from coming to 280 00:12:11,246 --> 00:12:14,070 Christ and it's their pride, it's their envious nature, it's their 281 00:12:14,110 --> 00:12:14,970 jealousy. 282 00:12:15,470 --> 00:12:19,430 And so Paul emphasized in all of this who Jesus is. 283 00:12:19,470 --> 00:12:21,974 He is the Christ, he is the one who died, he is the one who rose 284 00:12:22,022 --> 00:12:22,488 again. 285 00:12:22,614 --> 00:12:26,612 And so some of them were persuaded, persuaded there was a 286 00:12:26,636 --> 00:12:28,084 good response from some. 287 00:12:28,252 --> 00:12:30,996 The, the greatest multitude of believers were the Greeks. 288 00:12:31,028 --> 00:12:32,000 They were the women. 289 00:12:32,620 --> 00:12:35,412 But what we can see here is that their jealousy, their envy got 290 00:12:35,436 --> 00:12:36,228 the best of them. 291 00:12:36,284 --> 00:12:40,228 And so just like places like Antioch, just like places like Iconium 292 00:12:40,324 --> 00:12:44,372 and Lystra and Paul's first missionary journey, there is a mob 293 00:12:44,436 --> 00:12:48,880 incited by envious people, prideful people. 294 00:12:49,220 --> 00:12:52,924 And so what we can see here is that the indication of their belief 295 00:12:52,972 --> 00:12:54,348 is linked to their humility. 296 00:12:54,444 --> 00:12:57,036 The indication of their unbelief is linked to their pride. 297 00:12:57,148 --> 00:12:58,428 So what we can say is this. 298 00:12:58,484 --> 00:13:02,316 It's the classic principle that God resists the proud but gives 299 00:13:02,348 --> 00:13:03,628 grace to the humble. 300 00:13:03,804 --> 00:13:09,468 The more we respond in pride and envy to the message of the gospel, 301 00:13:09,564 --> 00:13:13,084 the more we are self focused in the gospel, the more we come to 302 00:13:13,092 --> 00:13:15,446 a place in our life where we reject the gospel. 303 00:13:15,588 --> 00:13:19,778 And so we see here in verse 5 that the Jews which believe not moved 304 00:13:19,794 --> 00:13:23,746 with envy took unto them certain. 305 00:13:23,818 --> 00:13:26,258 And this is, I like the, how the King James puts this because 306 00:13:26,314 --> 00:13:28,482 it makes it very proper. 307 00:13:28,666 --> 00:13:32,738 It says this certain lewd fellows of the baser sort. 308 00:13:32,834 --> 00:13:34,258 We don't use that very common that. 309 00:13:34,314 --> 00:13:36,946 My, my old pastor used to use that for people that were difficult. 310 00:13:36,978 --> 00:13:39,378 He was like, we've got some lewd fellows of the baser sword over 311 00:13:39,434 --> 00:13:39,746 here. 312 00:13:39,818 --> 00:13:42,272 That's a nice way to say that these were bad guys. 313 00:13:42,426 --> 00:13:43,908 They weren't the good guys in town. 314 00:13:43,964 --> 00:13:45,924 They were the ones that were looking for a fight. 315 00:13:46,092 --> 00:13:48,132 They were fellows that were inappropriate. 316 00:13:48,276 --> 00:13:49,556 They were rabble arousers. 317 00:13:49,588 --> 00:13:52,068 They were the ones that were in the fight all the time. 318 00:13:52,124 --> 00:13:54,740 They were known to be troublemakers. 319 00:13:54,820 --> 00:13:58,884 And so these religious Jewish people that claim to be the highest 320 00:13:58,932 --> 00:14:02,836 in society when it came to believing in God got envious of Paul's 321 00:14:02,868 --> 00:14:05,620 Success in preaching the gospel, that they went and they got 322 00:14:05,660 --> 00:14:09,628 the bad people in town, the rabble rousers, the lewd fellows 323 00:14:09,644 --> 00:14:12,844 of a baser sort, and they said, let's cause some issues, let's 324 00:14:12,892 --> 00:14:14,040 stir up the pot. 325 00:14:14,420 --> 00:14:19,244 And so they get these guys and they go and they attack a fella named 326 00:14:19,292 --> 00:14:19,612 Jason. 327 00:14:19,676 --> 00:14:21,340 Now why do they attack Jason? 328 00:14:21,500 --> 00:14:24,524 Well, we're going to find out why here in a few moments. 329 00:14:24,572 --> 00:14:27,564 So he gets these, these, they get these lewd fellows of the baser 330 00:14:27,612 --> 00:14:30,812 sort and they gathered a company and set all the city on an 331 00:14:30,836 --> 00:14:31,680 uproar. 332 00:14:32,020 --> 00:14:35,756 So a little 11, 11, if the whole lump, right, we see that there's 333 00:14:35,788 --> 00:14:38,748 a group of people that are upset with what Paul is doing and 334 00:14:38,804 --> 00:14:43,548 Silas and the rest of them, that they cause a riot and it says, 335 00:14:43,604 --> 00:14:47,132 and they assaulted the house of Jason and sought to bring them 336 00:14:47,156 --> 00:14:48,236 out to the people. 337 00:14:48,388 --> 00:14:50,092 Now why did they attack the house of Jason? 338 00:14:50,156 --> 00:14:53,980 Well, most commentators believe that Jason's house was the 339 00:14:54,020 --> 00:14:57,244 centerpiece for the ministry of Paul and Silas in Thessalonica. 340 00:14:57,372 --> 00:14:59,884 Now you remember that they went to the synagogue to preach, 341 00:14:59,932 --> 00:15:02,546 but they met in homes at this time frame. 342 00:15:02,658 --> 00:15:05,954 So it was probably Jason's house that was known as the Christians 343 00:15:06,002 --> 00:15:08,386 meeting place in the place of Thessalonica. 344 00:15:08,418 --> 00:15:12,946 So Jason is the one housing and taking care of Paul and Silas 345 00:15:12,978 --> 00:15:14,146 and the other Christians there. 346 00:15:14,218 --> 00:15:15,954 So they attacked Jason's house. 347 00:15:16,122 --> 00:15:17,554 And it says in verse six. 348 00:15:17,642 --> 00:15:21,426 And when they found them not meaning Paul and Silas, they drew 349 00:15:21,458 --> 00:15:24,722 Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, 350 00:15:24,866 --> 00:15:28,002 these that have turned the world upside down are come hither. 351 00:15:28,066 --> 00:15:28,670 Also. 352 00:15:29,560 --> 00:15:31,200 I like that phrase that they use there. 353 00:15:31,240 --> 00:15:34,336 They basically say that Paul and Silas and the apostles have turned 354 00:15:34,368 --> 00:15:35,740 the world upside down. 355 00:15:36,200 --> 00:15:36,848 Man. 356 00:15:36,984 --> 00:15:39,168 Wouldn't it be an amazing thing if people would say that about 357 00:15:39,224 --> 00:15:40,032 Christians today? 358 00:15:40,136 --> 00:15:42,384 These Christians are turning the world upside down by the way 359 00:15:42,392 --> 00:15:44,032 that they're living their life now. 360 00:15:44,056 --> 00:15:46,720 I, I don't believe that they were turning the world upside down. 361 00:15:46,760 --> 00:15:49,104 They actually were turning the world right side up, right? 362 00:15:49,192 --> 00:15:52,784 The world has been twisted and these preachers were turning the 363 00:15:52,792 --> 00:15:53,840 world to the right place. 364 00:15:53,960 --> 00:15:55,770 But, but again, what did we mention this morning? 365 00:15:55,810 --> 00:15:58,842 That when you live in a world of lies and evil, when you live for 366 00:15:58,866 --> 00:16:02,762 the truth, you seem strange, you seem weird, you seem like the 367 00:16:02,786 --> 00:16:03,770 one out of place. 368 00:16:03,890 --> 00:16:07,082 And so Paul and Silas and these folks that were preaching the 369 00:16:07,106 --> 00:16:10,250 gospel seemed out of place and they were accused of turning the 370 00:16:10,290 --> 00:16:11,514 world upside down. 371 00:16:11,682 --> 00:16:15,690 And so basically they pull Jason and his friends here out into 372 00:16:15,730 --> 00:16:18,442 the city and they say, hey, these guys are the ones that are 373 00:16:18,466 --> 00:16:19,882 homing the apostles. 374 00:16:19,946 --> 00:16:23,338 These are the ones that are homing the individuals who are turning 375 00:16:23,354 --> 00:16:24,954 the world upside down. 376 00:16:25,042 --> 00:16:26,602 And so they attack Jason. 377 00:16:26,746 --> 00:16:29,226 They attack these individuals that were Christians. 378 00:16:29,258 --> 00:16:32,122 And so they accused these Christians before the rulers of the 379 00:16:32,146 --> 00:16:35,946 city, these evil men of the city. 380 00:16:36,018 --> 00:16:39,978 Gave, I would say, a compliment to God's people here. 381 00:16:40,034 --> 00:16:43,290 Like, I would love for people to say, hey, there's a pastor over 382 00:16:43,330 --> 00:16:45,786 Middletown Baptist Church that's causing trouble by leading 383 00:16:45,818 --> 00:16:46,378 people to Christ. 384 00:16:46,434 --> 00:16:47,290 That would be like, thank you. 385 00:16:47,330 --> 00:16:48,068 Appreciate that. 386 00:16:48,154 --> 00:16:50,128 Because when the world comes against us, it shows us that we're 387 00:16:50,144 --> 00:16:51,180 doing the right thing. 388 00:16:51,720 --> 00:16:55,040 When Satan comes against us, it's not so much that he's coming 389 00:16:55,080 --> 00:16:56,416 against us, he's coming against the Lord. 390 00:16:56,448 --> 00:16:57,712 And we're on that side. 391 00:16:57,816 --> 00:17:00,368 And I would encourage you, when Jesus says, hey, they don't 392 00:17:00,384 --> 00:17:01,376 hate you, they hate me. 393 00:17:01,448 --> 00:17:04,096 And when you're on my side, they're going to hate you, too. 394 00:17:04,248 --> 00:17:06,864 And so when the world comes against us, that's an indication 395 00:17:06,912 --> 00:17:08,208 that we're doing the right thing. 396 00:17:08,344 --> 00:17:12,384 When the world is confused by our decisions that we make and mocks 397 00:17:12,432 --> 00:17:14,874 us, that shows us that we're doing the right thing. 398 00:17:14,992 --> 00:17:18,166 And so this shows that Paul and Silas and the rest of these folks 399 00:17:18,198 --> 00:17:21,410 that were on the missionary group were doing the right thing. 400 00:17:21,710 --> 00:17:25,142 And so they were complaining that these Christians were causing 401 00:17:25,206 --> 00:17:27,622 a stir in their status quo. 402 00:17:27,766 --> 00:17:30,134 This is the same thing that was accused of Jesus. 403 00:17:30,182 --> 00:17:32,486 Remember what Jesus, when he came in, he. 404 00:17:32,558 --> 00:17:36,486 He makes this triumphal entry the week before he goes to the cross. 405 00:17:36,598 --> 00:17:39,702 And as Jesus is coming down, everyone's celebrating him, right? 406 00:17:39,806 --> 00:17:40,086 They're. 407 00:17:40,118 --> 00:17:42,646 They're saying, hosanna, this is our Savior, our Messiah. 408 00:17:42,678 --> 00:17:45,594 They're waving palm branches, which was a symbol for victory. 409 00:17:45,782 --> 00:17:47,986 They were throwing their clothes in the way, and Jesus rides 410 00:17:48,018 --> 00:17:48,882 in on a donkey. 411 00:17:48,946 --> 00:17:51,426 And by the way, that was a very clear indication that Jesus 412 00:17:51,458 --> 00:17:52,706 was claiming to be Messiah. 413 00:17:52,738 --> 00:17:56,002 They were all aware of what Jesus was proclaiming on that trip 414 00:17:56,066 --> 00:17:57,870 down the Palm Sunday road. 415 00:17:58,330 --> 00:18:01,522 But the problem was, is that Jesus didn't do what they expected 416 00:18:01,626 --> 00:18:02,594 him to do. 417 00:18:02,762 --> 00:18:06,354 Jesus actually came in and started calling out the religious 418 00:18:06,402 --> 00:18:06,658 leaders. 419 00:18:06,714 --> 00:18:09,714 He started saying, hey, if you remember, he turned the tables over. 420 00:18:09,802 --> 00:18:13,822 He said, you guys are ruining what God has said for us to do. 421 00:18:13,846 --> 00:18:18,622 He made the house of prayer a house of thieves, basically, is what 422 00:18:18,646 --> 00:18:19,262 he was saying. 423 00:18:19,366 --> 00:18:23,262 And so Jesus was turning the status quo on its head. 424 00:18:23,366 --> 00:18:25,982 And what it was, really, what the status quo was in Jesus's time 425 00:18:26,006 --> 00:18:29,246 was that the Pharisees would abuse people like widows. 426 00:18:29,438 --> 00:18:29,950 They would. 427 00:18:29,990 --> 00:18:32,606 They would basically take the widows in and try to give them financial 428 00:18:32,678 --> 00:18:35,210 advice and abuse their money and take their money. 429 00:18:35,510 --> 00:18:37,886 And so Jesus comes in and says, this is not the way religion 430 00:18:37,918 --> 00:18:39,048 should be lived out. 431 00:18:39,134 --> 00:18:40,772 This is not the way you show love to people. 432 00:18:40,876 --> 00:18:42,276 And so they were getting really upset. 433 00:18:42,308 --> 00:18:43,556 Why did they get so mad at Jesus? 434 00:18:43,588 --> 00:18:46,388 Because he was trying to change their status quo. 435 00:18:46,484 --> 00:18:49,156 That's why they're getting so mad at Paul and Silas, because he's 436 00:18:49,188 --> 00:18:51,828 coming in and he's preaching a different message. 437 00:18:51,924 --> 00:18:53,812 Not a message of bring us money. 438 00:18:53,916 --> 00:18:55,732 Not a message of follow the law. 439 00:18:55,836 --> 00:18:57,908 Not a message of you have to be religious. 440 00:18:58,004 --> 00:19:00,596 It's a message of Jesus Christ, a message of forgiveness, 441 00:19:00,628 --> 00:19:02,756 a message of freedom, a message of grace. 442 00:19:02,868 --> 00:19:05,118 And that's not a message that's received very well. 443 00:19:05,284 --> 00:19:08,474 And so what we can see here is that they are upset. 444 00:19:08,602 --> 00:19:13,590 And so it says here in verse 7, whom Jason hath received. 445 00:19:14,050 --> 00:19:18,074 And these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar. 446 00:19:18,122 --> 00:19:21,642 So they appeal to, in their minds, the highest power. 447 00:19:21,826 --> 00:19:24,442 Instead of appealing to God, they appeal to Caesar. 448 00:19:24,506 --> 00:19:28,282 And they say, these guys are breaking Caesar's law by saying that 449 00:19:28,306 --> 00:19:29,722 there is another king. 450 00:19:29,866 --> 00:19:32,308 That's what they say there, that they're breaking the decrees 451 00:19:32,324 --> 00:19:36,612 of Caesar saying that there is another king, one Jesus. 452 00:19:36,756 --> 00:19:39,284 So what Paul and Silas were saying is that there is one king, 453 00:19:39,332 --> 00:19:40,004 Jesus Christ. 454 00:19:40,092 --> 00:19:41,572 He's our ultimate leader. 455 00:19:41,756 --> 00:19:44,212 And the people said, well, you know, what we can use against them 456 00:19:44,236 --> 00:19:45,748 is that they're going against Caesar. 457 00:19:45,764 --> 00:19:48,196 And this was a serious charge. 458 00:19:48,308 --> 00:19:51,640 This was a charge that would have caused them to face great punishment. 459 00:19:52,620 --> 00:19:55,284 The charge was so serious enough that it troubled the crowd 460 00:19:55,332 --> 00:19:56,550 and the rulers of the city. 461 00:19:56,660 --> 00:20:00,898 When they heard these things, it raised fear in their mind that 462 00:20:01,034 --> 00:20:04,946 their city might be known as an opposition to Caesar. 463 00:20:05,138 --> 00:20:07,506 And you don't want to be in opposition to Caesar, because Caesar 464 00:20:07,538 --> 00:20:09,746 was the ruler of the world at the time. 465 00:20:09,898 --> 00:20:11,346 Caesar was in control. 466 00:20:11,418 --> 00:20:12,978 I mean, people feared him. 467 00:20:13,114 --> 00:20:16,178 And so what we can see here is that they appeal to the fear of man. 468 00:20:16,234 --> 00:20:17,042 They appear. 469 00:20:17,226 --> 00:20:17,570 They. 470 00:20:17,610 --> 00:20:22,152 They appeal to the power of man instead of the power of God. 471 00:20:22,266 --> 00:20:25,532 And so we see that this is another distinction that shows the 472 00:20:25,556 --> 00:20:28,492 contrast between those who believed and they didn't believe. 473 00:20:28,596 --> 00:20:31,212 The ones who believe were willing to call Jesus king. 474 00:20:31,356 --> 00:20:34,156 The ones who didn't believe were calling Caesar king. 475 00:20:34,268 --> 00:20:37,132 And really, by extension, they were calling themselves kings, because 476 00:20:37,156 --> 00:20:40,748 that's really what we do when we don't submit ourselves to Christ. 477 00:20:40,804 --> 00:20:42,524 What we do is we exalt ourselves. 478 00:20:42,652 --> 00:20:44,188 We exalt ourselves above Christ. 479 00:20:44,244 --> 00:20:45,948 And that's what these folks were doing here. 480 00:20:46,004 --> 00:20:48,446 But they use Caesar as an excuse. 481 00:20:48,628 --> 00:20:51,114 And so really, their fears were unfounded. 482 00:20:51,162 --> 00:20:53,034 Even though the gospel has. 483 00:20:53,122 --> 00:20:55,338 Has definite political implications. 484 00:20:55,514 --> 00:20:55,898 It. 485 00:20:55,954 --> 00:20:56,170 It. 486 00:20:56,210 --> 00:20:56,874 I believe. 487 00:20:56,962 --> 00:20:59,994 I believe when we live as Christians, we become better citizens. 488 00:21:00,042 --> 00:21:02,442 Actually, if you think about it, if you think about it from the 489 00:21:02,466 --> 00:21:06,106 concept of how we are to submit to authority unless it contrasts 490 00:21:06,138 --> 00:21:07,386 against the word of God. 491 00:21:07,418 --> 00:21:07,898 Right? 492 00:21:08,034 --> 00:21:09,738 And there's that struggle that we all face. 493 00:21:09,794 --> 00:21:13,018 Romans, chapter 13 says, hey, follow the laws of the land. 494 00:21:13,154 --> 00:21:16,302 But then Paul or, or, excuse me, Peter says in the book of Acts, 495 00:21:16,366 --> 00:21:17,870 we obey God rather than man. 496 00:21:17,910 --> 00:21:20,046 Well, sometimes people say that's a contradiction. 497 00:21:20,078 --> 00:21:21,150 It's not a contradiction. 498 00:21:21,230 --> 00:21:24,702 We're to obey the laws of the land unless it contradicts with what 499 00:21:24,726 --> 00:21:25,646 we believe about scripture. 500 00:21:25,678 --> 00:21:27,518 Now, that's a hard pill to swallow. 501 00:21:27,694 --> 00:21:30,462 I, I can show you in scripture what I mean by that. 502 00:21:30,486 --> 00:21:33,406 Now, this doesn't mean that we don't have a voice. 503 00:21:33,518 --> 00:21:36,526 And this, this doesn't mean that we don't fight for freedoms 504 00:21:36,558 --> 00:21:37,710 and we fight for our rights. 505 00:21:37,750 --> 00:21:38,750 I think we should. 506 00:21:38,870 --> 00:21:41,534 And so, so don't get me wrong, but this, what this is basically 507 00:21:41,582 --> 00:21:42,868 saying here is this it? 508 00:21:42,924 --> 00:21:44,372 Like, I can't just go out. 509 00:21:44,396 --> 00:21:46,100 Let's use the speed limit as an example. 510 00:21:46,180 --> 00:21:49,156 I can't just go out and say, well, I'm a Christian and I obey 511 00:21:49,188 --> 00:21:52,100 God rather than man, and I don't like going 35 miles an hour 512 00:21:52,140 --> 00:21:53,316 down Middletown. 513 00:21:53,348 --> 00:21:54,804 I could go a lot faster safely. 514 00:21:54,852 --> 00:21:56,708 So I'm just going to go whatever speed I want. 515 00:21:56,844 --> 00:21:58,964 No, that's a, that's a legitimate rule from the land that 516 00:21:58,972 --> 00:22:00,132 has no biblical implication. 517 00:22:00,196 --> 00:22:00,660 Right. 518 00:22:00,780 --> 00:22:04,740 There are other laws of the land that have infringed upon our 519 00:22:04,780 --> 00:22:06,532 Christian biblical beliefs. 520 00:22:06,596 --> 00:22:10,902 And therefore we are able to exercise our obedience to God. 521 00:22:11,046 --> 00:22:14,006 And so therefore we don't say that the law of the land is the highest 522 00:22:14,038 --> 00:22:14,230 law. 523 00:22:14,270 --> 00:22:16,214 We say that God's law is the highest law. 524 00:22:16,302 --> 00:22:20,582 But we are good citizens until it contradicts with the law of God, 525 00:22:20,646 --> 00:22:21,862 with the word of God. 526 00:22:22,006 --> 00:22:24,422 And so what we can see here is that they're all worried of this 527 00:22:24,446 --> 00:22:27,126 rebellion, but really, if they would have all become Christians 528 00:22:27,158 --> 00:22:29,302 in Thessalonica, they would have been a better place to live. 529 00:22:29,406 --> 00:22:32,694 If you've studied ancient Rome, if you've studied those places 530 00:22:32,742 --> 00:22:36,266 that Rome ruled for a long time, those were not great places 531 00:22:36,298 --> 00:22:36,650 to live. 532 00:22:36,690 --> 00:22:38,042 Those were not safe places to live. 533 00:22:38,066 --> 00:22:39,658 There was debauchery, there was evil. 534 00:22:39,754 --> 00:22:42,362 I don't need to go into a lot of this, but toward the tail end 535 00:22:42,386 --> 00:22:45,642 of the Roman Empire, it was pretty much the most filthy place 536 00:22:45,666 --> 00:22:46,410 you could live. 537 00:22:46,530 --> 00:22:50,458 And that is one of the major reasons why the Roman Empire folded, 538 00:22:50,554 --> 00:22:52,650 because they basically were eroded from the inside out. 539 00:22:52,690 --> 00:22:55,194 Their morals were gone by the end. 540 00:22:55,362 --> 00:22:55,738 And. 541 00:22:55,794 --> 00:22:57,130 And there's a great study. 542 00:22:57,250 --> 00:22:59,274 This has nothing to do with the Bible, but I would say it's a 543 00:22:59,282 --> 00:23:02,768 great study, historically speaking, looking at ancient Rome 544 00:23:02,864 --> 00:23:06,272 and the way that they decline and looking at similarities to how 545 00:23:06,376 --> 00:23:09,280 Western, specifically United States are. 546 00:23:09,320 --> 00:23:10,064 Are moving towards. 547 00:23:10,112 --> 00:23:12,400 And I'm going be, you know, curious to see what you think about 548 00:23:12,440 --> 00:23:12,736 that. 549 00:23:12,808 --> 00:23:14,512 But anyway, I'm going to move forward a little bit. 550 00:23:14,536 --> 00:23:17,728 Here we see there in verse number eight, it says, and they troubled 551 00:23:17,744 --> 00:23:20,512 the people and the rulers of the city when they heard these things. 552 00:23:20,616 --> 00:23:23,248 And when they had taken security of Jason and of the others, 553 00:23:23,304 --> 00:23:24,240 they let them go. 554 00:23:24,280 --> 00:23:24,784 So they. 555 00:23:24,872 --> 00:23:26,832 They let Jason and these others go. 556 00:23:26,936 --> 00:23:29,184 And when it says there and they take in security, basically 557 00:23:29,232 --> 00:23:30,560 Jason makes bail. 558 00:23:30,720 --> 00:23:32,704 He gives them some money so that he can get out. 559 00:23:32,792 --> 00:23:35,568 Jason and his friends get out and they go back. 560 00:23:35,704 --> 00:23:38,256 And so verse 10, and the brethren immediately sent away Paul 561 00:23:38,288 --> 00:23:42,352 and Silas by night unto Berea, who coming thither, went into the 562 00:23:42,376 --> 00:23:43,296 synagogue of the Jews. 563 00:23:43,328 --> 00:23:44,420 And so they leave. 564 00:23:45,320 --> 00:23:49,280 So Paul and Silas and the rest of the group are only there for three 565 00:23:49,320 --> 00:23:50,880 weeks, and all of this implodes. 566 00:23:50,960 --> 00:23:52,272 This is like, hey, get out of here. 567 00:23:52,296 --> 00:23:53,386 They're going to kill you. 568 00:23:53,568 --> 00:23:55,654 God directed Paul and Silas away. 569 00:23:55,742 --> 00:23:58,326 Now, it's always interesting for me to see where Paul and Silas 570 00:23:58,358 --> 00:23:59,370 stay somewhere. 571 00:23:59,710 --> 00:24:03,366 When Paul stays and faces persecution and when he runs. 572 00:24:03,558 --> 00:24:06,070 And I struggle with that sometimes because I'm like, what 573 00:24:06,110 --> 00:24:08,710 makes him stay in one area and get beat to death? 574 00:24:08,830 --> 00:24:10,166 And other times he just leaves. 575 00:24:10,198 --> 00:24:12,182 I believe it's the leading of the Holy Spirit. 576 00:24:12,246 --> 00:24:14,774 I believe the Holy Spirit led Paul and Silas out of here to get 577 00:24:14,782 --> 00:24:16,170 to a place called Berea. 578 00:24:16,910 --> 00:24:20,848 And so it looks like, at least in my eyes, if I was to read just 579 00:24:20,904 --> 00:24:26,048 acts chapter 17 on its own, I would say, wow, Paul and Silas really 580 00:24:26,104 --> 00:24:27,936 failed in Thessalonica. 581 00:24:28,048 --> 00:24:29,056 They went out and preached. 582 00:24:29,088 --> 00:24:32,352 Some people got saved, but they ran out and Thessalonica has 583 00:24:32,376 --> 00:24:33,232 no hope. 584 00:24:33,416 --> 00:24:38,304 But pause in Acts chapter 17 and turn with me to first Thessalonians, 585 00:24:38,352 --> 00:24:39,264 chapter 1. 586 00:24:39,432 --> 00:24:43,232 Now remember, first and second Thessalonians are books of the Bible 587 00:24:43,296 --> 00:24:45,460 written to this very same church. 588 00:24:47,320 --> 00:24:51,860 And so, you know, Paul started this church. 589 00:24:52,920 --> 00:24:55,408 Three weeks later, he leaves. 590 00:24:55,584 --> 00:24:56,496 What was the outcome? 591 00:24:56,528 --> 00:24:57,120 We would think. 592 00:24:57,160 --> 00:25:00,752 I mean, I would think, I don't want to speak for you, but I would 593 00:25:00,776 --> 00:25:02,944 think after three weeks of leaving, there's not going to be 594 00:25:02,952 --> 00:25:03,872 any church there. 595 00:25:03,976 --> 00:25:04,768 It's going to fail. 596 00:25:04,824 --> 00:25:05,312 It's going to. 597 00:25:05,336 --> 00:25:06,300 It's going to fall. 598 00:25:06,760 --> 00:25:09,376 But we see that the power of God is greater than that. 599 00:25:09,528 --> 00:25:12,336 We see that even though there were a small amount of people saved 600 00:25:12,368 --> 00:25:16,592 there, great things are going to happen. 601 00:25:16,776 --> 00:25:17,940 They're not perfect. 602 00:25:18,440 --> 00:25:22,912 But it does say in First Thessalonians, we'll look at. 603 00:25:23,016 --> 00:25:28,288 Let's look at First Thessalonians chapter one and let's 604 00:25:28,304 --> 00:25:29,500 look at verse eight. 605 00:25:30,680 --> 00:25:31,920 This is really cool. 606 00:25:32,000 --> 00:25:35,620 This is really exciting because even though these individuals 607 00:25:36,360 --> 00:25:40,064 were left by Paul and Silas after three weeks, it says in verse 608 00:25:40,112 --> 00:25:44,370 eight, for from you talking about the church in Thessalonica, 609 00:25:45,030 --> 00:25:49,730 for from you sounded out the word of God not only in Macedonia 610 00:25:50,470 --> 00:25:53,726 and Achaia, but also in every place. 611 00:25:53,798 --> 00:25:58,558 Your faith to God word is spread abroad so that we need not 612 00:25:58,614 --> 00:25:59,662 to speak anything. 613 00:25:59,726 --> 00:26:05,502 Meaning this church was known for sounding or sharing the word 614 00:26:05,566 --> 00:26:07,930 of the Lord all over the known world. 615 00:26:08,470 --> 00:26:11,090 Thessalonica was a successful church. 616 00:26:11,590 --> 00:26:14,702 It goes on to say more and more later on verse nine, it says, 617 00:26:14,726 --> 00:26:18,158 for they themselves show of us what manner of entering in we had 618 00:26:18,214 --> 00:26:21,726 unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living 619 00:26:21,758 --> 00:26:26,014 and true God and to wait for the Son from heaven whom he raised 620 00:26:26,062 --> 00:26:28,862 from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath 621 00:26:28,926 --> 00:26:29,770 to come. 622 00:26:30,230 --> 00:26:34,210 So it seems that later some people began teaching the truth. 623 00:26:35,200 --> 00:26:38,856 Due to the short amount of time that Paul spent in Thessalonica, 624 00:26:38,968 --> 00:26:41,380 he was concerned about the church there. 625 00:26:42,080 --> 00:26:45,432 We see over and over again that he says it's actually in First 626 00:26:45,456 --> 00:26:48,520 Thessalonians chapter two, he said, I wanted to come back, but 627 00:26:48,560 --> 00:26:50,180 Satan blocked our way. 628 00:26:50,960 --> 00:26:55,432 We know that later on, Paul sent Timothy to check in and encourage 629 00:26:55,496 --> 00:26:57,700 them in 1st Thessalonians chapter 3. 630 00:26:58,320 --> 00:27:03,400 And Paul was concerned that the tempter, the Bible says the tempter, 631 00:27:03,480 --> 00:27:07,714 Satan in some way would tempt them away from their truth. 632 00:27:07,842 --> 00:27:12,706 But Timothy returned to Paul bringing good news about the Thessalonican 633 00:27:12,738 --> 00:27:15,030 church and how they were thriving. 634 00:27:15,610 --> 00:27:18,674 So it seems that later, eventually in Second Thessalonians, 635 00:27:18,722 --> 00:27:21,378 some people came in and started preaching false doctrine 636 00:27:21,554 --> 00:27:22,082 and. 637 00:27:22,186 --> 00:27:25,346 But ultimately they were focused on the coming of the Lord. 638 00:27:25,378 --> 00:27:28,946 And so the church of Thessalonica was located in a prominent 639 00:27:28,978 --> 00:27:32,252 city, had a great deal of opportunity for the Gospel of Jesus 640 00:27:32,316 --> 00:27:32,828 Christ. 641 00:27:32,964 --> 00:27:35,420 And just like the church in Thessalonica, many churches today 642 00:27:35,460 --> 00:27:37,964 are planted in difficult areas of the Gospel. 643 00:27:38,092 --> 00:27:41,772 But yet it's the power of God that shows the success and not the 644 00:27:41,796 --> 00:27:46,828 location of the church or the time that the church has had in planning. 645 00:27:46,924 --> 00:27:48,972 I know that three Weeks doesn't sound like a lot. 646 00:27:48,996 --> 00:27:50,188 I mean, for me, it blows my mind. 647 00:27:50,244 --> 00:27:53,100 People go to Bible college for like, eight years and they still 648 00:27:53,140 --> 00:27:53,708 struggle. 649 00:27:53,804 --> 00:27:56,598 And these people went to Bible college for three weeks with Paul, 650 00:27:56,724 --> 00:27:58,562 and some of them were only saved for three weeks. 651 00:27:58,586 --> 00:28:01,266 But God preserved this church because of his power. 652 00:28:01,418 --> 00:28:04,082 And I think it's important for us to see that it doesn't take a 653 00:28:04,106 --> 00:28:05,986 lot for us to follow Christ. 654 00:28:06,138 --> 00:28:09,522 Sometimes we think that it has to be led by someone that has this 655 00:28:09,546 --> 00:28:12,866 much education or it has to have this many ministries or. 656 00:28:12,938 --> 00:28:13,938 Or this much money. 657 00:28:13,994 --> 00:28:16,850 Folks, we can do a lot for the cause of the gospel with the power 658 00:28:16,890 --> 00:28:17,746 of God. 659 00:28:17,938 --> 00:28:22,306 It could be a small little faction of people, but that ultimately 660 00:28:22,338 --> 00:28:24,518 can show the power of God more and more. 661 00:28:24,574 --> 00:28:28,662 And even Paul said in 2 Corinthians, he says, when I'm weak, 662 00:28:28,806 --> 00:28:31,830 that's when God's strong, when the church is at its weakest and 663 00:28:31,870 --> 00:28:33,302 what we would say is the most vulnerable. 664 00:28:33,366 --> 00:28:36,454 That's when God can really shine brightly through us. 665 00:28:36,622 --> 00:28:38,262 He can shine brightly through us at all points. 666 00:28:38,286 --> 00:28:38,742 But you know what? 667 00:28:38,766 --> 00:28:41,558 It's sometimes hard when we have a lot of freedoms. 668 00:28:41,654 --> 00:28:42,230 Sometimes. 669 00:28:42,310 --> 00:28:43,350 What is that statement? 670 00:28:43,470 --> 00:28:48,166 Like, hard times make good men, but then good men make easy 671 00:28:48,198 --> 00:28:50,342 times, and easy times make weak men, right? 672 00:28:50,366 --> 00:28:51,366 Or something like that. 673 00:28:51,518 --> 00:28:54,022 Sometimes what happens is that there's so many people that fight 674 00:28:54,046 --> 00:28:57,126 for the cause of the gospel, that we have so much religious freedom. 675 00:28:57,158 --> 00:29:00,646 We've been so infiltrated with the gospel and our culture that we've 676 00:29:00,678 --> 00:29:03,302 become so weak in our witness because we haven't had to stand for 677 00:29:03,326 --> 00:29:04,246 our faith. 678 00:29:04,438 --> 00:29:04,838 And. 679 00:29:04,894 --> 00:29:07,590 And we can see that in the Book of Acts and even in places around 680 00:29:07,630 --> 00:29:10,822 the world today where there is persecution, there actually is a 681 00:29:10,846 --> 00:29:12,890 very, very strong remnant of the church. 682 00:29:13,230 --> 00:29:13,590 And. 683 00:29:13,630 --> 00:29:16,902 And there are people getting saved in places that you can die 684 00:29:16,966 --> 00:29:17,930 for your faith. 685 00:29:18,420 --> 00:29:21,260 We had a fellow from India come in and he was talking about 686 00:29:21,300 --> 00:29:24,300 how there's persecution there, but still people getting saved. 687 00:29:24,460 --> 00:29:26,924 There's places that are closed off that we can't even mention where 688 00:29:26,932 --> 00:29:27,820 these missionaries are going. 689 00:29:27,860 --> 00:29:30,028 But he says, hey, people are still getting saved. 690 00:29:30,124 --> 00:29:33,180 And so it's not just about freedom of religion that causes people 691 00:29:33,220 --> 00:29:33,916 to get saved. 692 00:29:34,028 --> 00:29:36,460 Thank God we have freedom of religion in our country. 693 00:29:36,580 --> 00:29:38,572 But what I would say as Christians is that we don't need 694 00:29:38,596 --> 00:29:41,292 to lean on that as a crutch to say, you know what? 695 00:29:41,396 --> 00:29:43,132 We can do it whenever we want to do it. 696 00:29:43,156 --> 00:29:44,540 We need to be able to say, you know what? 697 00:29:44,580 --> 00:29:48,142 Would I preach the gospel even if people were against me, would 698 00:29:48,166 --> 00:29:51,966 I preach the gospel, even if people said that's a law that we're 699 00:29:51,998 --> 00:29:54,062 breaking, I've often thought about that. 700 00:29:54,086 --> 00:29:55,614 I've often thought about, like, what if, what if. 701 00:29:55,702 --> 00:29:58,702 What if a government came in and said, you can preach about this, 702 00:29:58,726 --> 00:29:59,998 but you can't preach about that. 703 00:30:00,134 --> 00:30:02,686 I would like to say that I would continue to preach the truth 704 00:30:02,718 --> 00:30:05,246 of the gospel, but the fear of man can grip us. 705 00:30:05,318 --> 00:30:07,422 You saw what happened back in Thessalonica. 706 00:30:07,486 --> 00:30:09,630 The fear of man gripped those religious people. 707 00:30:09,670 --> 00:30:11,150 They're like, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. 708 00:30:11,230 --> 00:30:12,270 That's not what we like. 709 00:30:12,310 --> 00:30:13,118 We don't want that. 710 00:30:13,174 --> 00:30:16,152 So the religious Jewish people got upset when the Greeks were getting 711 00:30:16,176 --> 00:30:16,376 saved. 712 00:30:16,408 --> 00:30:18,328 They got upset when the women were getting saved because they're 713 00:30:18,344 --> 00:30:20,472 like, we can't control them anymore. 714 00:30:20,616 --> 00:30:23,128 Because this is talking about the freedom of Christ, not the. 715 00:30:23,184 --> 00:30:24,520 Not the control of man. 716 00:30:24,640 --> 00:30:26,744 And so what I would say to you tonight is this. 717 00:30:26,832 --> 00:30:29,880 When we look at the Church of Thessalonica, we can see a lot of 718 00:30:29,920 --> 00:30:30,728 flaws. 719 00:30:30,904 --> 00:30:33,720 We can see the envious people there, we can see the prideful people 720 00:30:33,760 --> 00:30:35,976 there, or we can see the people that were open and willing 721 00:30:36,008 --> 00:30:36,584 to say, you know what? 722 00:30:36,592 --> 00:30:37,688 I'm going to serve Jesus Christ. 723 00:30:37,744 --> 00:30:39,240 No matter how much opposition is there. 724 00:30:39,280 --> 00:30:40,024 Because you know what? 725 00:30:40,112 --> 00:30:43,614 When Paul and Silas and the rest of the guys left, the church 726 00:30:43,662 --> 00:30:46,254 didn't leave and God didn't leave. 727 00:30:46,382 --> 00:30:48,926 The power of God stayed there in Thessalonica. 728 00:30:48,958 --> 00:30:51,502 And to this day, I believe that there are believers there in 729 00:30:51,526 --> 00:30:52,478 Thessalonica. 730 00:30:52,574 --> 00:30:55,566 So 2,000 years later, God has still been faithful to the faithful 731 00:30:55,598 --> 00:30:56,302 people there. 732 00:30:56,406 --> 00:30:57,982 And so that's what it means for us today. 733 00:30:58,086 --> 00:31:00,542 No matter what happens in our country, no matter what's going to 734 00:31:00,566 --> 00:31:04,622 happen in 2025, no matter what opposition that we face internally, 735 00:31:04,686 --> 00:31:08,622 externally, physical, spiritual, emotional, hey, God is 736 00:31:08,646 --> 00:31:09,294 still in control. 737 00:31:09,382 --> 00:31:10,814 God is still going to be with us. 738 00:31:10,902 --> 00:31:12,334 The power of God is not weak. 739 00:31:12,382 --> 00:31:13,598 He's not the King. 740 00:31:13,614 --> 00:31:14,702 James says it this way. 741 00:31:14,806 --> 00:31:18,110 God is not slack concerning his promises as some men are. 742 00:31:18,150 --> 00:31:18,970 Meaning this. 743 00:31:19,430 --> 00:31:23,582 We fail sometimes when we make a promise to somebody, we fail no 744 00:31:23,606 --> 00:31:25,006 matter if we want to or not. 745 00:31:25,078 --> 00:31:27,950 Like, I've made promises to people that I wanted to keep, but 746 00:31:27,990 --> 00:31:31,374 because of my failures and because of my weakness, I. 747 00:31:31,462 --> 00:31:32,734 I didn't keep those words. 748 00:31:32,862 --> 00:31:36,324 But God, when he makes his word true, it stays true. 749 00:31:36,422 --> 00:31:38,696 He doesn't take back what he says. 750 00:31:38,848 --> 00:31:41,272 And so the Bible says he's not willing that any should perish, but 751 00:31:41,296 --> 00:31:42,488 all should come to repentance. 752 00:31:42,584 --> 00:31:46,648 And so God's goal for us is to preach the gospel, to live the gospel. 753 00:31:46,744 --> 00:31:48,264 And we see these wonderful things happen. 754 00:31:48,352 --> 00:31:50,296 So I think it's an amazing story to see. 755 00:31:50,368 --> 00:31:52,780 Yes, Thessalonica had some struggles. 756 00:31:53,120 --> 00:31:57,912 They weren't the greatest of people there chasing Paul out. 757 00:31:57,936 --> 00:31:59,176 And we're actually going to see that. 758 00:31:59,248 --> 00:32:02,536 The next place that Paul goes, which is probably one of my favorite 759 00:32:02,568 --> 00:32:07,512 passages of scripture, is when Paul goes to Berea and we see the 760 00:32:07,536 --> 00:32:10,552 distinction between the Thessalonicans and the Bereans, the 761 00:32:10,576 --> 00:32:12,060 Thessalonians and the Bereans. 762 00:32:12,400 --> 00:32:15,528 It basically says the Bereans were better because they searched 763 00:32:15,544 --> 00:32:17,768 the scriptures, they tested what Paul said. 764 00:32:17,904 --> 00:32:20,584 And next week we're going to get, hopefully, Lord willing, if 765 00:32:20,592 --> 00:32:22,664 the weather holds up, we're going to come back and we're going 766 00:32:22,672 --> 00:32:27,896 to look at the study there in Paul studying and going through Acts 767 00:32:27,928 --> 00:32:30,944 17 and looking at Berea and how we can be Bereans. 768 00:32:30,992 --> 00:32:34,272 Actually, the challenge for us all is to be like the Bereans. 769 00:32:34,336 --> 00:32:36,816 And so I hope that you can come back for that. 770 00:32:36,968 --> 00:32:40,220 So as, as we conclude here today, I, I want you to think about 771 00:32:41,240 --> 00:32:42,544 what did Paul do? 772 00:32:42,632 --> 00:32:44,688 He appealed to the gospel. 773 00:32:44,864 --> 00:32:47,840 He, he opened the scriptures, he reasoned with them. 774 00:32:47,880 --> 00:32:49,552 So let's think about it this way. 775 00:32:49,736 --> 00:32:52,416 We can reason with people from the scriptures. 776 00:32:52,608 --> 00:32:54,896 How do we reason with people from the Scriptures? 777 00:32:55,008 --> 00:32:57,698 It says there, we open the scriptures. 778 00:32:57,794 --> 00:33:00,770 You got to open the scriptures to reason with people about the Scriptures. 779 00:33:00,930 --> 00:33:02,274 Open the scriptures. 780 00:33:02,322 --> 00:33:07,010 And then the King James says to, to allege or to try to convince 781 00:33:07,090 --> 00:33:09,266 or to explain the Scriptures. 782 00:33:09,458 --> 00:33:13,202 So to reason in the scriptures, to open the scriptures, 783 00:33:13,266 --> 00:33:15,378 to explain the scriptures, we have to know the Scriptures. 784 00:33:15,474 --> 00:33:19,218 And I believe that's why the next mention there of Berea is because 785 00:33:19,274 --> 00:33:21,010 the Bereans sought the Scriptures. 786 00:33:21,090 --> 00:33:26,006 You, you, you can't teach the scriptures unless you know the scriptures. 787 00:33:26,198 --> 00:33:28,326 If someone comes up to you, maybe they know you're a Christian. 788 00:33:28,358 --> 00:33:29,478 Let's think about this for a second. 789 00:33:29,534 --> 00:33:32,726 Let's put ourselves in a real world, real, real world situation. 790 00:33:32,918 --> 00:33:36,086 Someone walks up to you and they say, hey, I heard you're a Christian. 791 00:33:36,198 --> 00:33:37,890 What do you guys believe about? 792 00:33:38,190 --> 00:33:39,542 And they fill in the blank. 793 00:33:39,686 --> 00:33:42,646 Okay, now they could say something that the Bible doesn't 794 00:33:42,678 --> 00:33:45,414 talk about, but what can you do with that? 795 00:33:45,502 --> 00:33:48,630 Well, you could probably find some kind of biblical principle, 796 00:33:48,710 --> 00:33:52,160 some kind of biblical passage that could tie something in there. 797 00:33:52,460 --> 00:33:54,292 Or they might say something very clearly. 798 00:33:54,356 --> 00:33:57,364 For example, what do you think about this hot button issue in the 799 00:33:57,372 --> 00:33:57,540 news? 800 00:33:57,580 --> 00:33:59,124 And it's of clear sin. 801 00:33:59,252 --> 00:34:02,132 And you could say, well, let me show you what the Bible says now, 802 00:34:02,156 --> 00:34:05,364 what I feel, because what Happens sometimes is we as Christians 803 00:34:05,412 --> 00:34:08,532 have good intentions, but we come across as bigoted because we 804 00:34:08,556 --> 00:34:11,444 just explain what we feel about something, and that's okay. 805 00:34:11,492 --> 00:34:13,140 I mean, you can have feelings about something. 806 00:34:13,260 --> 00:34:15,668 But you know what's a lot more compelling for someone, whether they're 807 00:34:15,684 --> 00:34:18,552 going to believe Scripture or not, is for me to go, well, my. 808 00:34:18,736 --> 00:34:23,160 My scriptures, God's word to me, says this on this passage. 809 00:34:23,320 --> 00:34:25,160 And people could either do one of two things. 810 00:34:25,200 --> 00:34:28,392 They can either agree with you and say, okay, I see that, or they 811 00:34:28,416 --> 00:34:30,184 can say, well, I don't believe the Bible. 812 00:34:30,232 --> 00:34:30,440 But. 813 00:34:30,480 --> 00:34:30,824 But it's. 814 00:34:30,872 --> 00:34:31,928 Again, it's not you. 815 00:34:31,984 --> 00:34:32,216 It's. 816 00:34:32,248 --> 00:34:33,304 It's the scriptures. 817 00:34:33,352 --> 00:34:35,740 You're reasoning from the Scriptures. 818 00:34:36,080 --> 00:34:39,656 What happens is, is that we usually tend to reason from our own 819 00:34:39,728 --> 00:34:43,352 opinions and our own attitudes and then maybe get to Scripture at 820 00:34:43,376 --> 00:34:43,960 some point. 821 00:34:44,080 --> 00:34:46,552 But what I would encourage you to do is know your scriptures so 822 00:34:46,576 --> 00:34:48,760 well that when someone comes and says, hey, if you're a Christian, 823 00:34:48,840 --> 00:34:50,472 what do you guys believe about this? 824 00:34:50,656 --> 00:34:54,216 You're able to say, well, we believe this because of this reasoning 825 00:34:54,248 --> 00:34:54,904 from the Scriptures. 826 00:34:54,952 --> 00:34:58,472 And so what Paul was able to do was he was able to say, hey, you 827 00:34:58,496 --> 00:34:58,952 know what? 828 00:34:59,056 --> 00:35:02,520 This is why we believe Jesus Christ crucified because of this 829 00:35:02,560 --> 00:35:06,600 passage in Isaiah 53, because of this passage in Micah 5, because 830 00:35:06,640 --> 00:35:08,008 of this passage in. 831 00:35:08,064 --> 00:35:10,024 In all these Jeremiah. 832 00:35:10,072 --> 00:35:12,442 And he goes through the Old Testament and he reasons with them. 833 00:35:12,466 --> 00:35:14,150 And so are you able. 834 00:35:14,770 --> 00:35:18,630 Am I able to reason from the Scriptures the truth of Jesus Christ? 835 00:35:19,170 --> 00:35:19,578 And. 836 00:35:19,634 --> 00:35:20,218 And there. 837 00:35:20,274 --> 00:35:21,642 There are people that are looking right now. 838 00:35:21,666 --> 00:35:25,738 I mean, there's a lot of very popular people in our culture today 839 00:35:25,874 --> 00:35:28,586 that are not known to be Christians, but they're seeking after 840 00:35:28,658 --> 00:35:29,082 something. 841 00:35:29,186 --> 00:35:30,570 They're seeking after the truth. 842 00:35:30,650 --> 00:35:33,242 The word of God is actually being mentioned more and more these 843 00:35:33,266 --> 00:35:33,642 days. 844 00:35:33,746 --> 00:35:35,962 If you get on the Internet, there are people searching now. 845 00:35:35,986 --> 00:35:37,572 There's a lot of people being misled. 846 00:35:37,746 --> 00:35:40,496 But we as Christians have an awesome opportunity to show people 847 00:35:40,568 --> 00:35:42,624 substance in a world with no substance. 848 00:35:42,672 --> 00:35:45,100 When we show them the real thing, it's different. 849 00:35:45,560 --> 00:35:47,968 There's so much counterfeit gospels out there today. 850 00:35:48,024 --> 00:35:50,208 There's like, counterfeit this, counterfeit that. 851 00:35:50,264 --> 00:35:52,240 Hey, you know what, man? 852 00:35:52,360 --> 00:35:53,168 Don't get on the. 853 00:35:53,224 --> 00:35:55,392 I would warn you to stay off the Internet as much as you can, 854 00:35:55,416 --> 00:35:57,056 because there's some really wacky things on the Internet. 855 00:35:57,088 --> 00:35:57,824 I can tell you. 856 00:35:57,912 --> 00:35:58,160 I. 857 00:35:58,200 --> 00:36:00,656 I get stuck in rabbit holes trying to do research for sermons, 858 00:36:00,688 --> 00:36:02,966 and I get down these rabbit holes of these people that believe 859 00:36:03,088 --> 00:36:04,810 some really wacky things. 860 00:36:04,930 --> 00:36:07,802 But what I will say to you is that Understand this. 861 00:36:07,986 --> 00:36:10,970 As people are looking for the truth, they're finding all these 862 00:36:11,010 --> 00:36:11,626 weird things. 863 00:36:11,698 --> 00:36:14,826 And when we show them the real thing, it's different. 864 00:36:14,978 --> 00:36:17,306 You know, I don't know if any of you have ever worked in a bank. 865 00:36:17,378 --> 00:36:19,450 I've never worked in a bank, but I've heard this. 866 00:36:19,490 --> 00:36:22,570 I don't know for sure, but this is what I've heard, that when 867 00:36:22,610 --> 00:36:25,658 they're teaching people how to identify authenticity, they don't 868 00:36:25,674 --> 00:36:26,826 teach them all the counterfeits. 869 00:36:26,858 --> 00:36:29,162 They just teach them what the authentic one looks like. 870 00:36:29,186 --> 00:36:31,672 And then from there, we can know anything, because people can 871 00:36:31,696 --> 00:36:33,640 come up with counterfeits different every day. 872 00:36:33,760 --> 00:36:36,072 But if we know what the authentic thing is, we're able to 873 00:36:36,096 --> 00:36:37,224 present that and know that. 874 00:36:37,312 --> 00:36:38,584 What I would tell you is this. 875 00:36:38,672 --> 00:36:40,104 Present the authentic gospel. 876 00:36:40,152 --> 00:36:42,280 You don't have to worry about, well, all these people believe this 877 00:36:42,320 --> 00:36:43,464 and all these people believe that. 878 00:36:43,552 --> 00:36:46,360 Believe what you believe about scripture and reason from the scriptures. 879 00:36:46,440 --> 00:36:49,592 And when you reason from the scriptures, you're able to have a. 880 00:36:49,696 --> 00:36:50,680 A defense. 881 00:36:50,840 --> 00:36:52,632 Your defense is, well, this is the Bible. 882 00:36:52,696 --> 00:36:54,248 This thing will not fail us. 883 00:36:54,384 --> 00:36:55,240 I will tell you that. 884 00:36:55,280 --> 00:36:56,478 Scripture will not fail. 885 00:36:56,584 --> 00:36:57,554 Everything else will fail. 886 00:36:57,642 --> 00:36:59,410 My mind will fail by. 887 00:36:59,450 --> 00:37:02,786 Usually by Sunday night about this time, my words are so scrambled 888 00:37:02,818 --> 00:37:04,930 up, I've said so much stuff, my brain is. 889 00:37:04,970 --> 00:37:06,114 Is about fried. 890 00:37:06,242 --> 00:37:07,058 But you know what? 891 00:37:07,114 --> 00:37:10,018 Even if my brain is fried, if I reason with Scripture, I'm okay. 892 00:37:10,114 --> 00:37:11,858 Because if I can say to someone, hey, you know what? 893 00:37:11,914 --> 00:37:13,602 The Bible says this about marriage. 894 00:37:13,666 --> 00:37:14,754 Let's just get real tonight. 895 00:37:14,802 --> 00:37:16,178 The Bible says this about what? 896 00:37:16,234 --> 00:37:17,698 What Genesis? 897 00:37:17,794 --> 00:37:20,514 Well, Jesus never said anything about marriage. 898 00:37:20,642 --> 00:37:22,014 Yeah, Jesus did. 899 00:37:22,122 --> 00:37:23,910 Jesus did appeal in the Gospels. 900 00:37:23,990 --> 00:37:27,894 He says it said that a man is supposed to leave his wife, or, excuse 901 00:37:27,942 --> 00:37:28,742 him, leave his wife. 902 00:37:28,806 --> 00:37:29,542 Let me rephrase that. 903 00:37:29,566 --> 00:37:30,182 It's late. 904 00:37:30,286 --> 00:37:32,998 Leave his parents and cling to his wife and become one flesh. 905 00:37:33,094 --> 00:37:35,702 Jesus appeals to what the book of Genesis says. 906 00:37:35,806 --> 00:37:39,734 Jesus very clearly defines what marriage is in accordance to 907 00:37:39,742 --> 00:37:40,454 the Old Testament. 908 00:37:40,502 --> 00:37:44,166 So the people that deny that Jesus believed in a literal Old Testament 909 00:37:44,278 --> 00:37:45,558 deny that Jesus. 910 00:37:45,654 --> 00:37:49,600 Jesus referred to Jonah and, and being in the fish for three days. 911 00:37:49,720 --> 00:37:53,120 Jesus appealed to all the Old Testament prophets. 912 00:37:53,200 --> 00:37:55,200 And so Jesus believed that that was all real too. 913 00:37:55,240 --> 00:37:58,544 So what we have to do is we have to say if Jesus, if anybody 914 00:37:58,672 --> 00:38:01,220 didn't have to reason from the scriptures, it was Jesus. 915 00:38:01,560 --> 00:38:01,920 Right? 916 00:38:01,960 --> 00:38:04,992 Jesus didn't have to go back and refer back to the Old Testament, 917 00:38:05,056 --> 00:38:05,792 but he did. 918 00:38:05,896 --> 00:38:06,160 Why? 919 00:38:06,200 --> 00:38:07,152 Because there's power there. 920 00:38:07,176 --> 00:38:08,288 It's the word of God. 921 00:38:08,384 --> 00:38:11,744 And so if Jesus relied on scriptures for his reasoning, I think 922 00:38:11,752 --> 00:38:12,768 we should as well. 923 00:38:12,904 --> 00:38:14,560 And so I would encourage you to think about that. 924 00:38:14,600 --> 00:38:16,268 So it's not just pragmatism. 925 00:38:16,464 --> 00:38:18,240 Jesus makes your life better. 926 00:38:19,420 --> 00:38:21,204 I don't like sharing that with people. 927 00:38:21,372 --> 00:38:23,972 I mean, I understand what we mean by that because he does make 928 00:38:23,996 --> 00:38:24,916 our life better. 929 00:38:25,068 --> 00:38:28,916 But, you know, getting eight hours of sleep makes my life better. 930 00:38:29,068 --> 00:38:30,660 Eating healthy makes my life better. 931 00:38:30,700 --> 00:38:30,948 Right. 932 00:38:31,004 --> 00:38:35,280 So if you equate Jesus just to a He's a help to you. 933 00:38:35,580 --> 00:38:39,156 That's, that's, that's, that's lowering the truth of the gospel. 934 00:38:39,268 --> 00:38:42,080 We have to say that Jesus is everything. 935 00:38:42,770 --> 00:38:44,218 We're dead in our sins. 936 00:38:44,314 --> 00:38:46,330 And so Jesus isn't just going to help you. 937 00:38:46,370 --> 00:38:47,690 Jesus is going to save you. 938 00:38:47,730 --> 00:38:49,110 He's going to give you life. 939 00:38:49,650 --> 00:38:52,314 And I heard, I was watching a video speaking of that. 940 00:38:52,322 --> 00:38:54,602 I was watching a video today in my sermon prep, and there was 941 00:38:54,626 --> 00:38:57,882 this atheist, and he got up there and he was talking and he says, 942 00:38:57,906 --> 00:38:58,602 you know what? 943 00:38:58,706 --> 00:39:03,258 I appreciate Christians who proselytize, they witness. 944 00:39:03,354 --> 00:39:03,882 He was like. 945 00:39:03,906 --> 00:39:06,602 Because that shows at least that they're true about what they 946 00:39:06,626 --> 00:39:07,190 believe. 947 00:39:07,660 --> 00:39:10,820 Was like, because if they really believe that I'm going to 948 00:39:10,860 --> 00:39:13,652 hell because of my sin and they don't tell me the truth of the 949 00:39:13,676 --> 00:39:15,748 gospel, man, that's pretty hateful. 950 00:39:15,844 --> 00:39:17,684 He said, like, what if I was standing down the road and there 951 00:39:17,692 --> 00:39:18,308 was a truck coming? 952 00:39:18,364 --> 00:39:20,612 You looked and you said, well, whatever. 953 00:39:20,756 --> 00:39:22,756 He was like, that wouldn't be very kind and loving. 954 00:39:22,868 --> 00:39:25,028 So he says, I actually appreciate he's an atheist. 955 00:39:25,044 --> 00:39:25,748 He doesn't believe in God. 956 00:39:25,764 --> 00:39:27,972 But he says, I actually appreciate the Christians who will 957 00:39:27,996 --> 00:39:30,036 try to tell me how to be saved because at least they're showing 958 00:39:30,068 --> 00:39:31,652 that they believe what they believe. 959 00:39:31,836 --> 00:39:34,612 And how convicting is that of us as Christians that say, well, 960 00:39:34,636 --> 00:39:37,010 I believe that these people are going to hell if they don't believe, 961 00:39:37,050 --> 00:39:38,434 but I'm not willing to share with them. 962 00:39:38,522 --> 00:39:40,258 That shows really no love. 963 00:39:40,394 --> 00:39:43,746 And so Paul was concerned about these people in Thessalonica. 964 00:39:43,938 --> 00:39:48,290 And I think for us, if we are true about what we believe, we would 965 00:39:48,330 --> 00:39:49,266 be telling more people. 966 00:39:49,338 --> 00:39:51,010 We would be living differently. 967 00:39:51,170 --> 00:39:53,410 And I think that that's something that we all should take 968 00:39:53,450 --> 00:39:54,386 with us as a challenge. 969 00:39:54,418 --> 00:39:56,242 It takes for me, as a challenge, because you know what 970 00:39:56,266 --> 00:40:00,402 I always, I try to justify in my own mind, well, that person really 971 00:40:00,426 --> 00:40:01,950 doesn't want to hear that right now. 972 00:40:02,520 --> 00:40:04,256 I don't want to offend that person. 973 00:40:04,408 --> 00:40:06,500 I don't want to step on that person's toes. 974 00:40:06,840 --> 00:40:10,736 But if I love them, like, if I had a family member that I knew Wasn't 975 00:40:10,768 --> 00:40:11,536 saved. 976 00:40:11,728 --> 00:40:13,040 And I love them so much. 977 00:40:13,080 --> 00:40:14,576 I'm going to tell them the truth. 978 00:40:14,688 --> 00:40:16,608 Like, I'm not going to sit with my children and go, I don't 979 00:40:16,624 --> 00:40:18,096 want to offend my son. 980 00:40:18,288 --> 00:40:20,112 You know, I love my son with all my heart. 981 00:40:20,136 --> 00:40:21,232 I love my daughter with all my heart. 982 00:40:21,256 --> 00:40:22,160 I love all my children. 983 00:40:22,200 --> 00:40:23,136 I love all my family. 984 00:40:23,208 --> 00:40:25,184 I'm not going to sit there and go, I'm worried about offending them 985 00:40:25,192 --> 00:40:25,968 by telling them the truth. 986 00:40:25,984 --> 00:40:28,250 I'm going to tell them the truth because I love them. 987 00:40:28,370 --> 00:40:31,322 But why does that then transfer over to when we deal with 988 00:40:31,346 --> 00:40:31,738 other people? 989 00:40:31,794 --> 00:40:34,950 We go, well, not, not important, not my problem. 990 00:40:35,410 --> 00:40:37,322 It's, it's really what it is. 991 00:40:37,426 --> 00:40:38,730 And I'm speaking from my own life. 992 00:40:38,770 --> 00:40:42,506 This might not be you, but for me it's a lack of love for that person. 993 00:40:42,658 --> 00:40:46,506 I don't love that person enough to stretch myself, to challenge 994 00:40:46,538 --> 00:40:48,218 myself, to tell them about Jesus Christ. 995 00:40:48,354 --> 00:40:49,930 And so I think that that's something to think about. 996 00:40:49,970 --> 00:40:53,450 When we look at Paul and his boldness, those people were not kind 997 00:40:53,490 --> 00:40:54,150 to him. 998 00:40:54,560 --> 00:40:58,392 Paul went probably Paul went into most of these places knowing 999 00:40:58,536 --> 00:41:02,312 that people are going to chase them out, but he still preached the 1000 00:41:02,336 --> 00:41:03,300 gospel to them. 1001 00:41:03,600 --> 00:41:06,872 And I think that all of us have, to this day, I don't think 1002 00:41:06,896 --> 00:41:08,744 any of you have ever been chased out of a building. 1003 00:41:08,832 --> 00:41:09,144 Chased. 1004 00:41:09,192 --> 00:41:10,648 Maybe you have been chased out of a building. 1005 00:41:10,704 --> 00:41:13,640 I've been chased out of a building, but for a couple of different 1006 00:41:13,680 --> 00:41:14,200 reasons. 1007 00:41:14,280 --> 00:41:17,112 But most of us, if we share the gospel with people, they're not 1008 00:41:17,136 --> 00:41:19,144 going to fight us, they're not going to punch us, they're not going 1009 00:41:19,152 --> 00:41:22,782 to whip us with, you know, cat of nine tails from the Roman Empire 1010 00:41:22,846 --> 00:41:23,758 or spirits. 1011 00:41:23,854 --> 00:41:26,330 Most of the time people might scoff and just turn away. 1012 00:41:26,630 --> 00:41:30,254 And so when we get to 20, 25, I'm not saying that we, we proselytize 1013 00:41:30,302 --> 00:41:33,294 like, you know, you, you, you. 1014 00:41:33,382 --> 00:41:35,214 I mean, it wouldn't be a problem if you pass out tracks to 1015 00:41:35,222 --> 00:41:37,646 every person that you came across and, and, and witness to them. 1016 00:41:37,718 --> 00:41:40,350 But what I would say is what Paul prayed, Paul prayed for something 1017 00:41:40,390 --> 00:41:41,810 called door of utterance. 1018 00:41:42,390 --> 00:41:45,086 It's like basically Paul prayed for open doors. 1019 00:41:45,278 --> 00:41:47,934 I don't think Paul witnessed every person that he saw, but when 1020 00:41:47,942 --> 00:41:50,906 the door was open for the gospel, he went right through it. 1021 00:41:50,978 --> 00:41:53,110 And so what, what we would pray is this. 1022 00:41:53,730 --> 00:41:55,914 Lord, give me a door of utterance. 1023 00:41:55,962 --> 00:41:58,906 Give me an open door to give the gospel to somebody. 1024 00:41:59,018 --> 00:42:01,274 And the more that we look for those opportunities, the more that 1025 00:42:01,282 --> 00:42:03,498 we pray for those opportunities, the more I Believe 1026 00:42:03,554 --> 00:42:04,218 they come. 1027 00:42:04,354 --> 00:42:06,762 That's one prayer that God has always answered for me. 1028 00:42:06,866 --> 00:42:09,450 And sometimes I'm afraid to pray it because I'm like, I'm really 1029 00:42:09,490 --> 00:42:10,074 busy today. 1030 00:42:10,162 --> 00:42:10,570 But I. 1031 00:42:10,610 --> 00:42:12,474 I would sit there and say, lord, okay, today I really want to 1032 00:42:12,482 --> 00:42:14,042 have an opportunity to give the gospel to someone. 1033 00:42:14,146 --> 00:42:16,260 And it would be, like, miraculous thing. 1034 00:42:16,300 --> 00:42:18,388 Someone would come up and be like, and I wouldn't even know I'm 1035 00:42:18,404 --> 00:42:20,276 wearing a Middletown Baptist Church hat or shirt. 1036 00:42:20,308 --> 00:42:21,492 Like, Middletown Baptist Church. 1037 00:42:21,556 --> 00:42:22,948 I used to go there as a kid. 1038 00:42:23,044 --> 00:42:24,404 Is Pastor Lasko still there? 1039 00:42:24,412 --> 00:42:27,108 I'll be like, no, but, you know, I'm, you know, and then sometimes 1040 00:42:27,124 --> 00:42:27,796 I'm like, awkwardly. 1041 00:42:27,828 --> 00:42:29,220 I don't want to tell them I'm the pastor. 1042 00:42:29,300 --> 00:42:30,740 So I'm like, oh, yeah, we're. 1043 00:42:30,820 --> 00:42:31,636 We're a great church. 1044 00:42:31,668 --> 00:42:33,188 You can come on by and. 1045 00:42:33,324 --> 00:42:34,820 But it's like an opportunity right there. 1046 00:42:34,860 --> 00:42:35,172 Like, and. 1047 00:42:35,196 --> 00:42:37,300 And it's like, little thing that's an open door. 1048 00:42:37,380 --> 00:42:40,052 Like, someone asks you about your shirt, someone asks you about, 1049 00:42:40,076 --> 00:42:40,996 hey, where were you at today? 1050 00:42:41,068 --> 00:42:43,448 You know, a lot of times when you go out to eat after Sunday morning 1051 00:42:43,504 --> 00:42:45,976 service and some of us are dressed up or coming out, you know, 1052 00:42:46,048 --> 00:42:47,720 someone might ask you, hey, where are you coming from? 1053 00:42:47,760 --> 00:42:47,912 You. 1054 00:42:47,936 --> 00:42:49,816 Well, coming from church and talk about that. 1055 00:42:49,888 --> 00:42:51,896 So there's doors of opportunity that can come up anywhere. 1056 00:42:51,928 --> 00:42:53,288 And so I would encourage you to pray for those. 1057 00:42:53,344 --> 00:42:56,664 Well, we're going to go ahead and close out now, and then we'll. 1058 00:42:56,712 --> 00:42:57,368 We'll pray. 1059 00:42:57,464 --> 00:42:59,224 And then I have a few announcements that you guys can be 1060 00:42:59,232 --> 00:42:59,944 dismissed. 1061 00:43:00,072 --> 00:43:01,544 Lord, I thank you for this time that you've given us. 1062 00:43:01,552 --> 00:43:03,048 I thank you for this opportunity to study your word. 1063 00:43:03,064 --> 00:43:05,864 We thank you for the example of Paul and Silas preaching there 1064 00:43:05,872 --> 00:43:06,872 in Thessalonica. 1065 00:43:06,936 --> 00:43:07,088 We. 1066 00:43:07,104 --> 00:43:08,704 We thank you for their sacrifice. 1067 00:43:08,752 --> 00:43:11,104 We're thankful for even a short amount of investment. 1068 00:43:11,192 --> 00:43:14,496 Probably they had no idea that their investment would be reaping 1069 00:43:14,528 --> 00:43:15,440 dividends later on. 1070 00:43:15,480 --> 00:43:19,936 Lord, we know that the church in Thessalonica preached, sounded 1071 00:43:19,968 --> 00:43:21,360 the gospel all over the world. 1072 00:43:21,400 --> 00:43:26,096 And just because you use these men to preach the gospel, and we're 1073 00:43:26,128 --> 00:43:28,640 thankful for those men and women that were saved there in that 1074 00:43:28,680 --> 00:43:32,304 city and how so many people came to know you through their witness. 1075 00:43:32,352 --> 00:43:35,276 And so I pray that we can be that gospel message, that gospel 1076 00:43:35,308 --> 00:43:36,956 witness in this lost and dying world. 1077 00:43:37,028 --> 00:43:39,612 I pray that you can strengthen us, encourage our hearts as we go 1078 00:43:39,636 --> 00:43:40,188 our separate ways. 1079 00:43:40,204 --> 00:43:43,740 Help us to have a wonderful week, help us to be safe in the weather. 1080 00:43:43,820 --> 00:43:46,524 And if anyone has to drive, we pray that you keep them safe on the 1081 00:43:46,532 --> 00:43:46,988 roads. 1082 00:43:47,084 --> 00:43:51,260 I pray that you help us in 2025 to live the Gospel in every 1083 00:43:51,300 --> 00:43:52,140 way that we can. 1084 00:43:52,260 --> 00:43:52,812 We thank you. 1085 00:43:52,836 --> 00:43:53,164 We love you. 1086 00:43:53,172 --> 00:43:54,204 In Jesus name I pray. 1087 00:43:54,252 --> 00:43:54,960 Amen. 1088 00:43:56,020 --> 00:43:58,652 Thank you again for listening to the Middletown Baptist Church 1089 00:43:58,716 --> 00:43:59,404 Podcast. 1090 00:43:59,532 --> 00:44:02,210 I hope that this sermon has been a blessing blessing for you. 1091 00:44:02,510 --> 00:44:04,806 If you would like to find out more information about our church 1092 00:44:04,838 --> 00:44:08,454 or this sermon, you can find us at middletownbaptistchurch.org 1093 00:44:08,582 --> 00:44:11,370 or find us on Facebook or YouTube. 1094 00:44:11,870 --> 00:44:16,326 You can also email me directly at Josh Massaroiddletownbaptistchurch 1095 00:44:16,358 --> 00:44:20,758 dot com if you've enjoyed this podcast, please subscribe and follow 1096 00:44:20,814 --> 00:44:23,850 along for future podcasts and updates. 1097 00:44:24,190 --> 00:44:25,350 Thank you so much. 1098 00:44:25,470 --> 00:44:26,294 God Bless. 1099 00:44:26,422 --> 00:44:27,470 Have a wonderful day.