Right Side-Up
When Things Feel Hopeless, Hope Still Remains
SCRIPTURE:
Acts 17:6 NLT - … "Paul and Silas have caused trouble all over the world," they shouted, "and now they are here disturbing our city, too."
OBSERVATION:
Acts 17 begins with Paul, Silas, and Timothy in Thessalonica. Following his usual practice, Paul went to the local synagogue and began preaching the Gospel.
Acts 17:2-3 NLT - As was Paul's custom, he went to the synagogue service, and for three Sabbaths in a row he used the Scriptures to reason with the people. He explained the prophecies and proved that the Messiah must suffer and rise from the dead. He said, "This Jesus I'm telling you about is the Messiah."
The message of Jesus as the suffering Messiah who rose from the dead was his central message, and many believed, but some were jealous.
Acts 17:5 NLT - But some of the Jews were jealous, so they gathered some troublemakers from the marketplace to form a mob and start a riot. They attacked the home of Jason, searching for Paul and Silas so they could drag them out to the crowd.
Why was this message so offensive? Because in their minds, the Messiah had not yet arrived. They expected a political leader to liberate the Jews from Roman tyranny. Yet Jesus came as the suffering Messiah, who defeated a greater enemy: sin, death, and hell.
Those “troublemakers” who were used to try to stop what Paul was saying actually gave a compliment. What they intended as an insult turned out to be true.
Acts 17:6 NLT - … "Paul and Silas have caused trouble all over the world," they shouted, "and now they are here disturbing our city, too."
A quick look at other translations really gives us a sense of what's going on:
Acts 17:6 NKJV - …"These who have turned the world upside down have come here too.”
Acts 17:6 NASB20 - …"These men who have upset the world have come here also.”
How can two people cause trouble “all over the world"? It was not Paul and Silas who caused the trouble; the “troublemakers” argued that the message itself was the cause.
Acts 17:6 NLT - … "Paul and Silas have caused trouble all over the world," they shouted, "and now they are here disturbing our city, too."
OBSERVATION:
Acts 17 begins with Paul, Silas, and Timothy in Thessalonica. Following his usual practice, Paul went to the local synagogue and began preaching the Gospel.
Acts 17:2-3 NLT - As was Paul's custom, he went to the synagogue service, and for three Sabbaths in a row he used the Scriptures to reason with the people. He explained the prophecies and proved that the Messiah must suffer and rise from the dead. He said, "This Jesus I'm telling you about is the Messiah."
The message of Jesus as the suffering Messiah who rose from the dead was his central message, and many believed, but some were jealous.
Acts 17:5 NLT - But some of the Jews were jealous, so they gathered some troublemakers from the marketplace to form a mob and start a riot. They attacked the home of Jason, searching for Paul and Silas so they could drag them out to the crowd.
Why was this message so offensive? Because in their minds, the Messiah had not yet arrived. They expected a political leader to liberate the Jews from Roman tyranny. Yet Jesus came as the suffering Messiah, who defeated a greater enemy: sin, death, and hell.
Those “troublemakers” who were used to try to stop what Paul was saying actually gave a compliment. What they intended as an insult turned out to be true.
Acts 17:6 NLT - … "Paul and Silas have caused trouble all over the world," they shouted, "and now they are here disturbing our city, too."
A quick look at other translations really gives us a sense of what's going on:
Acts 17:6 NKJV - …"These who have turned the world upside down have come here too.”
Acts 17:6 NASB20 - …"These men who have upset the world have come here also.”
How can two people cause trouble “all over the world"? It was not Paul and Silas who caused the trouble; the “troublemakers” argued that the message itself was the cause.
“God willing and blessing, people would say such things about the effectiveness of Christians today. One might say that Jesus did not come only to be our teacher, but to turn our world upside-down. Jesus turns the thinking and the power structures of this world around… Actually, God was working through Paul and Silas to turn the world right side-up again. But when you yourself are upside-down, the other direction appears to be upside-down!” – David Guzik.
Paul and Silas didn't see this message as world-changing because they were obnoxious, rude, or self-righteous. Instead, in their view, it was troubling and upsetting because it was turning everything upside down.
APPLICATION:
When the Gospel—the Good News—is preached effectively, it can be painful at first. I understand this might seem odd to some, but consider it. If it doesn’t turn our world upside down, it still disrupts our current way of life and leaves us uncomfortable with where we are. The Gospel is not being truly preached.
The truth is, as mentioned earlier, it turns our world “right side up.” The chains that bind us refuse to let us go—those “troublemakers” in our soul resist seeing things the way they should be—FORGIVEN and FREE.
Too often, when the Gospel is ignored or rejected, we find ourselves like the demonic man who was bound, tormented, and without hope – until Jesus!
Mark 5:15 NKJV - Then they came to Jesus, and saw the one who had been demon-possessed and had the legion, sitting and clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid.
Paul was so confident in the message of the Gospel that he declared:
Romans 1:16 NLT - For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes--the Jew first and also the Gentile.
Find freedom today, and let Jesus turn your world “right side up." There is hope, and His name is Jesus!
PRAYER:
Jesus, may my life and testimony be recognized as one that is “causing trouble all over the world.” Not because I am obnoxious, self-righteous, or rude, but because of the HOPE of the GOSPEL of JESUS CHRIST, lived out in my life.
APPLICATION:
When the Gospel—the Good News—is preached effectively, it can be painful at first. I understand this might seem odd to some, but consider it. If it doesn’t turn our world upside down, it still disrupts our current way of life and leaves us uncomfortable with where we are. The Gospel is not being truly preached.
The truth is, as mentioned earlier, it turns our world “right side up.” The chains that bind us refuse to let us go—those “troublemakers” in our soul resist seeing things the way they should be—FORGIVEN and FREE.
Too often, when the Gospel is ignored or rejected, we find ourselves like the demonic man who was bound, tormented, and without hope – until Jesus!
Mark 5:15 NKJV - Then they came to Jesus, and saw the one who had been demon-possessed and had the legion, sitting and clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid.
Paul was so confident in the message of the Gospel that he declared:
Romans 1:16 NLT - For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes--the Jew first and also the Gentile.
Find freedom today, and let Jesus turn your world “right side up." There is hope, and His name is Jesus!
PRAYER:
Jesus, may my life and testimony be recognized as one that is “causing trouble all over the world.” Not because I am obnoxious, self-righteous, or rude, but because of the HOPE of the GOSPEL of JESUS CHRIST, lived out in my life.
Be a testament to God's grace today. Let everyone who sees it understand that hope exists.
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