Turning the World Upside Down
Dear Pastor, Preacher, or Bible Teacher –
Blessings to you in the beginning of a new week!
When Paul and Silas were in Thessalonica, their success in preaching the gospel made the leaders of the local synagogue angry and envious. As they accused these Christians before the rulers of the city, the evil men from the marketplace gave an unintended compliment to the effectiveness of God’s work through Paul and Silas.
But when they did not find them,
they dragged Jason and some brethren to the rulers of the city,
crying out, “These who have turned the world upside down
have come here too.” (Acts 17:6)
To complain that the Christians were these who have turned the world upside-down have come here toowas to say, “these men have radically impacted our world, and nothing seems the same.”
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.
My prayer for you is that you would see that your work of faithfully preaching and teaching God’s word does more good and has more impact than you can imagine. I would like to think that when Paul and Silas heard from their enemies that their work was turning the world upside down, they smiled and thought, “Wow, do you really think so? I didn’t’ know we were being that effective.”
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!
Blessings to you in Jesus’ Name – David Guzik
Click Here to Receive Email from David for Pastors, Preachers, and Bible Teachers
Search the Scriptures Daily
These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so. Therefore many of them believed, and also not a few of the Greeks, prominent women as well as men. (Acts 17:11-12)
As Paul traveled through the area that we know today as Greece, he went from city to city, preaching the good news of Jesus Christ. In Berea, he followed his familiar strategy, and found that the audience was more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica.
Two things earned this compliment for the Bereans: first, they received the word with all readiness. Second, they searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.
The Bereans heard the teaching of the most famous apostle and theologian of the early church, and the human author of at least 13 New Testament books. Yet, they searched the Scriptures when Paul taught, to see if his teaching was truly Biblical. They would not accept Paul’s teaching without checking for themselves, so they could know if these things were so.
When the Bereans heard Paul teach, their settled reaction wasn’t “My, he’s a fine speaker.” It wasn’t “I don’t like the way he talks.” It wasn’t “What a funny preacher.” Instead, the Bereans wanted to know, “Are these things…so? Does this man teach the truth? We must search the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things are so.”
Their research was not casual; it had a certain character.
– They searched the Scriptures. It was worth it to them to work hard at it, and investigate what the word of God said, and how Paul’s teaching matched up with it.
– They also searched the Scriptures daily to find out. It wasn’t a one-time, quick look. They made it a point of diligent, extended study.
– Also, they searched the Scriptures daily to find out. They believed they could understand and find out truth from the Bible. For them, the Bible was not just a pretty book of poetry or mystery or nice spiritual inspiration for thoughts-for-the-day. It was a book of truth, and that truth was there to find out.
But with all their diligent searching and concern for the truth, the Bereans did not become skeptics. They also received the word with all readiness. When Paul preached, they had open hearts; but also clear heads. Many people have clear heads but closed hearts, and never receive the word with all readiness. It was bothof these things that made the Bereans more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica.
Paul had nothing to fear by the diligent searching of the Scriptures by the Bereans. If they were really seeking God and His word, they would find out that what Paul preached was true. This is exactly what happened among the Bereans, and therefore many of them believed.
Be like the Bereans. Search the Bible. Search it daily. Search it to find out God’s truth.
