Vol. 18 No. 21 | May 30, 2016
By the time you reach the middle chapters of the book of Acts you understand why the book has that title: the Apostles are in full action mode. For example, read what happens in Thessalonica when Paul and Silas share the story of Jesus.
They took the road south through Amphipolis and Apollonia to Thessalonica, where there was a community of Jews. Paul went to their meeting place, as he usually did when he came to a town, and for three Sabbaths running he preached to them from the Scriptures. He opened up the texts so they understood what they’d been reading all their lives: that the Messiah absolutely had to be put to death and raised from the dead—there were no other options—and that “this Jesus I’m introducing you to is that Messiah.”
Some of them were won over and joined ranks with Paul and Silas, among them a great many God-fearing Greeks and a considerable number of women from the aristocracy. But the hard-line Jews became furious over the conversions. Mad with jealousy, they rounded up a bunch of brawlers off the streets and soon had an ugly mob terrorizing the city as they hunted down Paul and Silas. (Acts 17:1-5 The Message)
They preach Jesus. Some accept it. Some respond with violent opposition. If you read the next section of Acts 17 you see that the same thing happens in Berea.
The Spirit of the Lord has filled these men so they preach with courage, to preach with power, and to preach with energy as they tell the simple story of Jesus.
As I look at this story and other acts of the Apostles I see these lessons for us to consider as we share the story of Jesus.
First, they stayed in the Scriptures. Paul was in their meeting place. He was a guest. He did not have home court advantage. So, he started where they were. He could have presented his theories on what he thought they needed to do. He could have forced on some issue they were struggling with in their community. He could have begun with an argument that proved a point he wanted to make. He did not do any of those things. He started with and stayed in the Scriptures.
I hear a lot about churches where the focus is only about providing entertainment and having fun. Where instead of Scriptural teaching they present, at the very most, a water-down message that aims at being politically correct and socially acceptable. I hear this especially when talking about churches that attract large gatherings of the younger generations. I do not know where these churches are. I suppose there are church like that, but the church where I preach and most of the churches with whom I have interaction are deep into the Scripture. They start in the Word and stay in the Word. Although I try really hard to do that myself, some of the messages I hear from these “younger” preachers put me to shame. They know the Scriptures, they preach the Scripture, and their audiences who are hungry for the word appreciate their efforts and are thrilled to be spiritually fed on a regular basis.
My concern is to make sure I am doing that. Pouting about larger churches and bigger crowds down the street does me no good if it takes me away from the Scriptures. I do not have time for that. It is my responsibility and honor to stay in the Scriptures.
Second, they helped them understand what they had been reading. This community of Jews had been reading the Scriptures all their lives. By staying in the Scriptures Paul’s helped them understand that what they had been reading was pointing them to Jesus. And he helped them understand why Jesus had to be put to death, and why He had to be raised from the dead. He helped them to see that this was God’s plan for redemption.
Our goal should be to help our audiences understand that Jesus is the Messiah, that He came to earth, lived, died and rose to provide us a way of salvation. There is no other way for us, and that this is the plan and working of God.
There are many in our world who have a grasp of what the message of Scripture is. We hear a lot of God talk, but much of it talk without understanding. Many do not have a good grasp on the Scriptures. If put to the test some would not know the difference between the books of the law and the Lord’s prayer. If we have opportunity to explain the plan of God, we need to explain the plan the plan of God. We need to explain that it is God’s plan, and that it is the only plan.
Third, they focused on Jesus. Jesus was their theme. Jesus was their message. Jesus was their focus. Jesus was the story. Jesus was their passion. Jesus was their reason for existence.
Jesus needs to be our theme. Jesus needs to be our message. Jesus needs to be our focus. Jesus needs to be our passion. Jesus needs to be our reason for existence.
What good will it do us if we argue our point on controversial issues if we fail to share Jesus? What good will it do us if we shout our political views and demand that our rights be respected, if we fail to share Jesus? Let’s focus on Jesus. Our goal should be to tell people about Jesus.
Fourth, they accepted the results and moved on. All through the book of Acts we read stories of conversion and rejection, conversion and rejection, conversion and rejection. Some in Thessalonica and Berea heard and accepted the message. Others refused to hear and reacted at times with violent aggressiveness.
Paul and Silas accepted the results and moved on. Sometimes it was their choice to move on. Sometimes it was not. The results did not alter their plan. They kept their focus on what God had commissioned them to do.
These courageous men were able to do what they did because they were empowered by the Spirit of God. They did what they did because they knew that the message was not about them. Their message was about God. Acceptance or rejection did not hurt their feelings nor did it pad their ego. They loved God, surrendered themselves to spread the story of Jesus with everyone they could for as long as they could wherever they could. This is our task as well.
This week may we do our best to stay in the Scriptures, help any we can to understand God’s story and see Jesus more clearly, and accept the results and move on. May God bless us as we live for Him.
Tom
A Norvell Note © Copyright 2016. Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved.