Acts 17:1-9

We're going to continue our study of Luke's second account of Jesus' ministry, the book of Acts.

So if you have a copy of God's Word, I hope you do today.

Please turn to Acts chapter 17.

Acts 17 · chapter mention

You've heard me, if you've been here, call this Luke's second account, the Acts of the risen Jesus.

Jesus has ascended and he has sent his spirit that now abides in the lives of the disciples.

And they are working out Jesus' purpose in the world by the power of that spirit.

So we're going to look today at Acts chapter 17, verses 1 through 9.

Acts 17:1–9

And let me remind you before I read that this is God's Word to us.

It was written for his glory and for our good.

And as such, we would all do well to listen to it in order to believe its promises and obey its commands.

I'll begin reading in verse 1.

Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, I hope I said this right,

they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews.

And Paul went in as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures,

explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead,

and saying, This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ.

And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas,

as did a great many of the devout Greeks and not a few of the leading women.

But the Jews were jealous.

And taking some wicked men of the rabble, they formed a mob,

setting the city in an uproar, and attacked the house of Jason,

seeking to bring them out to the crowd.

And when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city authorities,

shouting, These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also.

And Jason has received them, and they're all acting against the decrees of Caesar,

saying that there is another king, Jesus.

And the people and the city authorities were disturbed when they heard these things.

When they had taken money as security from Jason and the rest, they let them go.

Now this morning, we're going to structure our study of today's text around four points.

And they alliterate.

Praise God, I love it when this works out.

Four points, and they are as follows.

I'm going to give them to you quickly, and then we'll go back through them.

Number one, gospel courage.

Number two, gospel clarity.

Number three, gospel conversion.

And number four, gospel conflict.

Before we get into those, though, let's look a little bit at the geographic and anthropologic background.

What's happening?

Where have they gone?

What is the significance of the city of Thessalonica?

You can see there in verse one that they pass through, and here we go again.

I should practice these words before I get up here.

Amphipolis, I think.

And Apollonia, maybe.

They came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews.

The missionary band that we've been observing through chapter 16 is now traveling southwest along the Roman highway known as the Ignatian Way.

And we see that the first city is about 30 miles from Philippi.

The second, another 30 miles from the first.

And Thessalonica, just under 40 miles from the second.

I'm avoiding saying those city names again.

So what's likely is that Luke's record is suggesting to us that they made a three-day journey from Philippi to Thessalonica.

That's why he lists these cities off.

Because nothing significant seems to happen there.

And by the phrase, where there was a synagogue of the Jews in Thessalonica, that probably what's being implied is that there were not synagogues in either of the two first cities.

Additionally, some have suggested that the missionary band were traveling on horseback provided by the generosity of the Philippian church since they had recently been beaten and imprisoned in Philippi.

If you look back in chapter 16, you can note that.

Likely not very strong in frame to travel such a long distance.

And certainly, 30 miles in a day, for those of you who are hikers, is a stout trek, even when you're in very good health.

So it's likely that they're now traveling by the equine way to these cities.

Note also, at this point, that Luke returns to the third person pronouns, they.

He's previously in chapter 16 been saying we, now he says they.

And so probably, for unknown reasons, Luke did not accompany them to Thessalonica.

He probably stayed in Philippi.

We're not sure why.

Thessalonica was the capital of Macedonia and had a population of roughly 200,000 people.

So it's a big city.

And certainly, by ancient standards, a massive city.

Think of the size of Birmingham, which is just a little over 200,000 people, or Chattanooga, which is just a little under 200,000 people.

And that was the city of Thessalonica.

And it was significant as it was along the Ignatian Highway, as well as being a port city on the Aegean Sea.

So lots of traffic is flowing through this place.

And we'll see in some future time that it becomes a very significant place for the advance of the gospel in the known world.

Further, before we begin our first point, I want to draw our attention to a phrase in our text in verse 6.

The phrase is this.

In the accusation, these men who have turned the world upside down.

I love that phrase.

These men who have turned the world upside down.

I hope someday that I'm accused of the same, having turned the world upside down.

I don't think that their accusers really understood how accurate their accusation was.

They meant these men are disrupting our Roman rule.

These men are seeking to set up a different king.

But isn't it really true that the world as we know it, the world that we walk in, is already upside down?

The worship of self and the worship of things rather than the worship of the creator God.

So in many senses, this missionary band is really turning the world right side up.

Calling people back to the worship of God in Christ.

So, with that in mind, turning the world upside down, let's look at our four points and let's start with gospel courage.

So you note that they travel from Philippi, where they had suffered beating and imprisonment at the hands of the Philippian people.

Not the Philippian believers, but the Philippian people, the Philippians.

And what do they do?

They travel through these cities and they go back to the same place in a new city that caused all of the trouble in the last city that they were in.

The theme of Christian persecution should not be foreign to you as a student of the Bible.

It also should not be foreign to you as a participant in our study of Acts.

If you've been here on Sunday mornings with us, it shouldn't surprise you that once again we're going to see new conflict and new courage on behalf of the disciples of Jesus Christ.

Let me run into you in our study of Acts.

We have seen the arrest and trial of Peter and John in chapters 3 and 4.

The apostles' arrest and beating in chapter 5.

Stephen's arrest and martyrdom is the first Christian martyr in chapters 6 and 7.

We get a break for a chapter.

The plot to kill Paul in chapter 9.

The murder of James and another arrest of Peter in chapter 12.

Barnabas and Paul's opposition on Cyprus in chapter 13.

The attempted stoning of Barnabas and Paul in Iconium.

And the successful stoning of Paul in Lystra in chapter 14.

And Paul and Silas attacked, beaten with rods, and imprisoned in chapter 16.

As students of the Gospels, this should not surprise us.

Jesus states to the apostles in John chapter 15, verses 18 and 19,

John 15:18

If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.

Now the if there, if the world hates you, seems kind of hopeful, doesn't it?

Like maybe the world won't hate us.

Is it possible that it won't?

Jesus seems to say, you may not be hated, but if you are, know that I was hated first.

But oh, we must read on to verse 19.

Jesus says in verse 18,

If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.

Verse 19 says,

If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own.

But because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

So the if of verse 18 is only conditioned on whether or not you are of the world or chosen out of the world.

So followers of Jesus Christ will meet opposition.

Persecution is the norm for the devoted follower of Christ, not the exception.

Of course, it will take various forms in various places and times.

We are not likely to be stripped naked and beaten with rods and imprisoned in the U.S.

But persecution is still normative for the follower of Jesus.

Paul says in 2 Timothy 3.12,

Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.

So what does it mean when the world doesn't push back at your faith?

It's not a faith in Christ at all.

Or it's a very weak faith.

It's not a godly life lived out because of that faith.

In the face of normative persecution, Paul and his companions are courageous.

They repeat the same process in another town.

They have not come up with a different strategy.

They haven't gotten together and Paul said,

Guys, it's really not working out for us.

This whole go to the town, go to the synagogue, preach the gospel thing.

We keep getting in trouble for doing that.

But they press on and they continue to do the same thing once again.

Knowing full well that some will believe the gospel and some will reject it.

They're not being naive.

They're being bold.

Paul recounts in 1 Thessalonians 2.2.

So a letter written to these believers that he's here visiting in our text.

Though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi,

as you know, we had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict.

So what is the source of such courage?

What is it that builds us up that we would have that kind of courage?

It's faith.

It's faith, an unshakable belief in God's providence and in God's goodness.

In Deuteronomy 31, verse 6,

Deuteronomy 31:6

Moses is addressing the Israelites.

Joshua is about to take over and lead them into the promised land.

And Moses says to the Israelites,

Be strong and courageous.

Do not fear or be in dread of them,

for it is the Lord your God who goes with you.

He will not leave you or forsake you.

A wonderful text that speaks of this is found in Romans chapter 8.

Romans 8 · chapter mention

And I would love for you to turn there with me.

Keep your finger in Acts chapter 17.

Acts 17 · chapter mention

Romans chapter 8, beginning in verse 31.

Romans 8 · chapter mention

And I'm going to read through verse 39 because I can't help it.

This text is just too good.

Paul has just talked about the fact at the beginning of chapter 8

that there's no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

So in the midst of our failing as Christians,

we have great reason to press on into holiness.

He talks in that chapter about the way in which that happens,

setting our minds on the things of the Spirit,

walking by the Spirit so that we will not fulfill the desires of the flesh.

He talks about the way in which we long for that better place

where we're delivered from our flesh altogether.

That one day, even the creation groans for that to happen

as we walk in this very troubled world.

He says to us that all things work for good

for those who know God

and who are called according to His purpose.

And he speaks of God's providential calling of His people together.

And then he says this.

So those are these things he's referring to.

What then shall we say to these things?

If God is for us, who can be against us?

He who did not spare His own Son,

but gave Him up for us all,

how will He not also with Him graciously give us all things?

Who shall bring any charge against God's elect?

It is God who justifies.

Who is to condemn?

Jesus Christ is the one who died,

more than that who was raised,

who is at the right hand of God,

who indeed is interceding for us.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?

Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution,

or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?

As it is written,

for your sake we are being killed all the day long.

We are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.

And what Paul is saying is that

this is a thing that has come to pass

and will continue to come to pass.

Will that separate us?

No.

Verse 37.

In all these things we are more than conquerors

through Him who loved us.

For I am sure that neither death nor life,

nor angels, nor rulers,

nor things present, nor things to come,

nor powers, nor height, nor depth,

nor anything else in all creation

will be able to separate us

from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

It is faith in these promises,

in this reality,

that presses us to courage.

By faith we can have an unshakable belief

in God's providence,

His good rule over the earth,

His goodness towards us,

which will lead us to boldness.

Do you believe that God is in control of all things?

If you lack gospel boldness,

you must ask yourself why.

Why?

Why?

Why do I lack gospel boldness?

What causes you to shrink back

when you should press forward?

Your timidity,

your fear to press on,

your lack of courage,

your lack of boldness

is rooted in your lack of faith.

And that's where you need to go.

And that's where you need to confess

and then turn from that sin.

So we see gospel courage

that we can all learn from.

Secondly, gospel clarity.

Gospel clarity.

So they've come to a synagogue in Thessalonica.

And Paul goes in as was his custom.

He had made a practice of doing this.

Paul began at the synagogue

where he could find Jews

and what's often referred to as

God-fearing Gentiles.

Whether these are Gentile people,

non-Jewish people

that had converted to Judaism,

or they were simply people

who were there seeking out God

and His ways

and trying to understand

how they could live appropriately

in relationship with Him.

And Paul does this, I think,

for two reasons.

Number one, his commitment to his people.

You can read about that in Romans 9,

the very beginning of chapter 9.

Paul, even as the apostle to the Gentiles,

as he calls himself,

so had a heart for his people,

still wanted them to turn to Christ.

And secondly,

I believe it was a practical starting point,

as these were people

who were familiar with the Scriptures.

It was a great place to begin

gospel advance

with people who were already familiar

with what we call our Old Testament,

their Scriptures.

And as he's there with them

on three Sabbath days,

so three weeks,

could have been longer.

The book of 1 Thessalonians

makes us think that he was actually there

for a much longer time,

but at least these three Sabbath days,

he reasoned with them.

And the word that is here translated

reasoned is the Greek word

dialegomai,

from which we get the English word

dialogue.

So he had a conversation

with them,

and there's a good and proper place for that.

This isn't it,

but there's a good time

to sit and discuss

and to reason with people.

So he taught

and he fielded questions.

He allowed people to ask him

questions about what

he was thinking.

Do not think

that when you are given

the opportunity

to share your faith

that you have to go on blast mode.

Rarely is that the way

to approach it.

Being able to settle

into a conversation

and meet objections

with kindness

is an important aspect

of faithful gospel witness.

Slow your roll

and talk with people.

Get to know them.

Two axioms for sharing your faith.

We're all different.

Try to meet people

where they are.

Every one of us

is different.

We have a different background,

a different story.

Second,

and more importantly,

we are all the same.

We're all living

in this greater

meta-narrative

of God's

redemptive work.

Meet people

where they are

and draw them up

into that larger story

and do that

with a conversation.

Don't blah

and run away.

Peter writes

in 1 Peter 3.15,

In your hearts,

honor Christ the Lord

as holy

or sanctify Christ

in your hearts.

Always being prepared

to make a defense

to anyone

who asks you

for a reason

for the hope

that is in you.

And just in case

your mind goes to defense,

you think of being defensive.

Peter says,

Yet,

do it with gentleness

and respect.

No one's attacking you

personally

when they object

to the Gospel.

Right?

They're attacking the Gospel.

Calm down.

Address their complaints.

You'll also note

that He reasoned with them

from the Scriptures.

He reasoned with them

from the Scriptures.

It is much better

in those conversations

rather than saying,

I think

or I believe

to say,

the Bible says.

Appeal to God's authority.

Right?

Speak with authority

as you speak

the Bible

to people.

It's God's Word.

Let people have a problem

with God's Word.

I have been approached

many times

in the past eight years

by people

who do not like

what I say.

This is their perspective.

And I simply say to them,

but did I say that

or did the Lord say it?

And when they admit

that it's in the Bible,

I go,

your problem is not with me.

Your problem is with God.

Repent and believe.

Right?

Paul employed the Bible.

Right?

He employed the Bible.

It's what we call

our Old Testament.

And he clarified

their misconceptions

about the Christ.

That's what's happening here

as he's reasoning

with them.

The common understanding

of the day

was that the Messiah

would come

as a conquering

political figure.

That he would restore

Israel to its former glory.

Right?

That the blessings

of the Messiah

were temporal blessings.

That he was coming

to earth

to set all things right.

Pre-Babylonian captivity.

The idea

that it was necessary

for the Christ

to suffer

and to rise

from the dead

would have been

far removed

from their thinking.

Entirely

out of their framework.

Now Luke

does not share

with us

Paul's apologetic process.

But he likely

spoke of the types

of the sacrificial system

and referred to texts

like Psalm 22,

Psalm 16,

and Isaiah 53

to prove

this Jesus

whom I proclaim

to you

is

the Christ.

He put

Jesus Christ

in the proper

context

and showed

that he had to.

He had to suffer

and die

and be raised

again.

Paul said this

of his time

in Thessalonica

and of his

current ministry

in 1 Thessalonians

1 Thessalonians 2:3

chapter 2

verses 3 and 4.

And when I say

current ministry

I don't mean today.

I mean

when he wrote it

to the Thessalonians.

For our appeal

does not spring

from error

or purity

or impurity

or any attempt

to deceive.

But just as we

have been approved

by God

to be entrusted

with the gospel

so we speak

not to please man

but to please God

who tests

our hearts.

So what does this

mean for us?

What do we do

with that?

I don't know

about you

but I don't often

encounter

strict adherence

of Judaism.

So if you

encounter someone

who is aware

of the law

of God

and their

transgression

of it

you can think

of the Jews

and the God

fearing Gentiles

in that framework

right?

They're aware

of the law

of God

and they're aware

of their

transgression

of it

preach Jesus

Christ to them

speak to them

of the grace

that's found

in Christ.

If you encounter

someone who is

not aware

of the law

of God

they have no

biblical framework

at all

and their

transgression

of it

they need

that first

they need

to feel

the weight

of their

sinfulness

they need

to know

that they

need a

savior

this is why

we preach

sin

in this church

you need to

know that

you need

a deliverer

you find

those people

preach

the law

of God

and the

grace

of God

which is

found in

Jesus

as the

Christ

and beloved

you need

to know

your

bible

to do

so

the

old

testament

spoke

of the

promised

Christ

we have

in addition

to that

and the

old

testament

is still

a very

useful

tool

to this

end

but we

have

in addition

to that

the

new

testament

the

fulfillment

of that

promise

use

both

use it

richly

and

well

in

preaching

to you

week

in

and

week

out

it

is

my

earnest

hope

that

you

are

becoming

fluent

in

the

gospel

that

you

are

growing

in

your

knowledge

of

the

bible

that

you

can

speak

with

greater

clarity

concerning

Jesus

Christ

this is

sometimes

not every

time

sometimes

why

I

walk

you

through

hermeneutic

principles

how do

I

study

the

bible

how do

I

arrive

at

the

view

that

I

hold

I

want

you

you

need

to

come

in

here

and

you

need

to

be

actively

seeking

you

need

to

want

to

grow

in

those

ways

now

sermons

are

necessary

and

they

are

important

but

they

are

also

not

enough

you

need

to

be

a

student

of

the

bible

outside

of

Sunday

morning

sermon

consumption

beware

the

instagram

bible

it

is

not

sufficient

for

you

to

scroll

a

feed

and

look

at

a

bit

of

a

verse

out

of

its

context

with

a

pretty

background

those

things

can

be

encouraging

to

your

soul

but

it's

not

enough

beware

of

your

only

consumption

of

God's

word

being

in

devotion

form

100

words

on

half

a

page

is

not

enough

to

feed

your

soul

it

can

augment

that

they're

not

bad

but

you

need

to

be

feasting

!

and

feasting

heavily

on

the

word

of

God

when

you

do

listen

to

sermons

you

come

here

on

Sunday

mornings

and

you

listen

to

sermons

prepare

yourself

for

that

come

prepared

you

can

get

up

early

on

Sundays

just

like

other

days

of

the

week

pray

bring

a

notepad

put

a

pin

in

your

hand

do

not

look

in

my

preaching

for

tweetable

moments

the

Southern

Baptist

leader

recently

who

tweeted

an article

suggesting

that you

encourage

your

people

to

tweet

parts

of

your

sermons

in

order

to

promote

your

church

do

not

do

that

invite

your

friends

and

your

family

saved

and

lost

to

come

and

hear

preaching

we

record

sermons

if

you

miss

a

week

and

you

want

to

go

back

and

try

to

catch

up

and

stay

where

we

are

in

the

text

don't

look

for

little

snippets

in

the

things

that

I'm

saying

or

anybody

here

preaches

right

listen

actively

right

catch

the

thrust

of

where

we're

going

one

of my

greatest

frustrations

as

pastor

is

the

person

who

comes

to

me

and

complains

about

something

I

said

and

entirely

misses

the

context

in

which

I

said

it

will

say

I

don't

think

it

was

right

for

you

to

say

that

and

I'll

go

well

I

said

right

after

that

the

statement

that

completely

clarified

the

thing

that

they

got

hung

up

on

so

listen

pay

attention

to

what's

going

on

I

have

found

that

I

find

the

most

valuable

form

of

rhetoric

for

me

is

I

like

to

make

big

bold

statements

that

make

you

go

what

and

then

explain

it

I

like

to

lay

out

premises

for

you

and

then

explain

it

I

think

some

of

you

want

it

the

other

way

around

where

I

like

gently

and

slowly

back

into

an

idea

and

then

drop

it

at

the

end

and

maybe

I

should

try

that

from

what

I

mean

don't

look

for

the

tweetable

moments

be

an

active

listener

take

notes

if

you

were

coming

here

on

Sunday

morning

it

is

a

very

rare

Sunday

that

we

don't

preach

the

full

gospel

of

Jesus

Christ

within

the

sermon

and

I

try

to

do

these

quick

summaries

for

you

that

you

can

pick

up

and

you

can

take

and

use

as

well

so

pay

attention

to

that

kind

of

thing

happening

further

the

gathering

of the

church

right

what

we're

doing

here

on

Sunday

mornings

is

primarily

for

the

believer

that

is

not

to

say

that

a

lost

person

cannot

come

here

we

are

glad

to

have

unsaved

people

here

to hear

the

gospel

of

Jesus

Christ

but

it

is

not

primarily

for

that

lost

person

it's

primarily

for

the

believer

to

be

equipped

for

every

good

work

to

be

equipped

for

every

good

work

so

the

gathering

of

the

church

is

for

the

believer

the

going

of

the

church

is

for

the

unbeliever

we

take

what

we

learn

here

and

we're

enriched

by

here

we

are

minded

to

fight

together

we sing

gospel

songs

and

we

go

out

of

this

place

to

take

it

by

storm

and

to

turn

it

upside

down

so

gospel

clarity

thirdly

gospel

conversion

in

verse 4

we see

that

some

of

them

this

is

referring

to

the

Jews

were

persuaded

and

joined

Paul

and

Silas

as

did

a

great

many

of

the

devout

that

be

that

kind

of

God

fearing

Greek

Gentile

and

not

a

few

of

the

leading

women

where

the

gospel

is

preached

with

courage

and

with

clarity

and

blessed

by the

working

of the

Holy

Spirit

it

will

yield

conversion

the

spiritually

dead

are

made

spiritually

alive

the

Puritan

pastor

Thomas

Watson

wrote

this

and

this

is

driving

this

kind

of

added

idea

of

blessed

by the

working

of the

Holy

Spirit

we're

not

being

pragmatic

right

be

bold

and

speak

with

clarity

and

people

will

come

to

Christ

but

and

also

blessed

by the

working

of the

Holy

Spirit

he

wrote

this

the

word

is

the

instrumental

cause

of

our

conversion

the

spirit

is

the

officiant

the

ministers

of

God

are

only

the

pipes

and

organs

it

is

the

spirit

blowing

in

them

that

effectually

changes

the

heart

it

is

not

the

farmer's

industry

in

plowing

and

sowing

that

will

make

the

ground

fruitful

without

the

early

and

latter

rain

so it

is

not

the

seed

of

the

word

that

will

effectually

convert

unless

the

spirit

puts

forth

his

sweet

influence

and

drops

as

rain

upon

the

heart

therefore

the

aid

of

God's

spirit

is

to

be

implored

prayed

for

plead

with

God

that

he

would

work

in

our

gospel

proclamation

that

he

would

put

forth

his

powerful

voice

and

awaken

us

out

of

the

grave

of

unbelief

if

a

man

knocked

at

a

gate

of

brass

it

will

not

open

but

if

he

comes

with

a

key

in

his

hand

it

will

open

so

when

God

who

has

the

key

comes

he

opens

the

heart

though

it

be

ever

so

fast

locked

against

him

a

I'm neither encouraged or discouraged

by the lack of turning pages.

First of all, this is chapter 1, verses 2-10.

Isaiah 1:2–10

Paul's writing to the Thessalonians.

We give thanks to God always for all of you,

constantly mentioning you in our prayers,

remembering before our God and Father

your work of faith and labor of love

and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

For we know, brothers, loved by God,

that He has chosen you because our gospel came to you

not only in word, but also in power

and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction.

You know what kind of men we prove to be among you

for your sake.

And you became imitators of us and of the Lord.

For you received the word in much affliction

with the joy of the Holy Spirit,

so that you became an example to all the believers

in Macedonia and in Achaia,

which is region south of Macedonia.

For not only has the word of the Lord

sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia,

but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere,

likely known world,

so that we need not say anything.

For they themselves, believers in the world,

report concerning us the kind of reception

we had among you

and how you turned to God from idols

to serve the living and true God

and to wait for His Son from heaven

whom He raised from the dead,

Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.

And so you see the Thessalonian believers, right,

in the midst of great conflict.

And we get some hint of that with Jason

who was hosting this missionary band

being put on trial.

We don't know where the missionary band has gone to.

They couldn't be found.

Where exactly they are, we don't know.

Put on trial and released with some bond.

So they received the word of God

and much conflict, much affliction.

1 Thessalonians 1.6 says,

And the gospel was going forth.

So the disciples of Jesus Christ,

made courageous by faith,

speaking the gospel with clarity,

empowered by the Holy Spirit,

makes converts.

Let us consider today the example of Paul

and the example of the Thessalonian converts.

We are to be about the work of conversion.

And as we consider that,

let us also remember that

not everyone will respond faithfully

to the gospel message.

And that's our fourth point, gospel conflict.

Gospel conflict.

See in verse 5 that the Jews become jealous.

People are turning from Judaism.

Both Jews and those God-fearing Gentiles

are turning from Judaism

to worship Christ.

They're no longer listening to them any longer.

And in order to counteract that,

they go to the rabble.

They go to the common folk of the street

and find wicked men.

They go seek out men that they know

will cause an uprising.

It's very ironic that they accuse

the apostles of turning the world upside down

and they go find the most wicked of men

to cause a stir in the city.

And because of these accusations brought against them,

they're going to raise up another king,

this Jesus.

These men thinking still in temporal ways

are disturbed when they hear these things.

It is a good desire

to want everyone to whom the gospel is preached

to respond in faith to the gospel message.

It's good.

It's good when we preach the gospel

to want people,

to desire people to respond in faith.

to rightly see people in their distress,

which they most often don't see themselves.

You're in a desperate place

if you're not in Christ.

Your end is destruction.

The people of God see that.

And to see that and to offer them

the relief that they so desperately need,

only to have it refused,

can bring much discouragement to the soul.

I've been there.

working with a person,

pressing them to repentance and faith,

and they just at every turn

reject the good news of the gospel of Christ.

So how do we hold up?

How do we bear up

when people reject the gospel?

We hold tightly to the providence of God.

We pick up that faith,

believing in God's good,

sovereign control.

We trust that He is in control

of all things at all times,

and we press on.

We keep preaching and living

the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The gospel,

courageously proclaimed with clarity,

empowered by the Spirit,

will yield conversion,

which causes conflict.

Not everyone wants to hear

the gospel message.

It's offensive

in the best possible way.

I read to you a number of references

that speak to this

in the very first point

for this morning,

so I don't want to go back

and belabor that.

But let me read to you one more,

and I'm going to finish with this text.

Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 2,

2 Corinthians 2:14–17

verses 14 through 17.

Thanks be to God,

who in Christ always leads us

in triumphal procession,

and through us spreads the fragrance

of the knowledge of Him everywhere.

For we are the aroma of Christ to God

among those who are being saved

and among those who are perishing.

To one a fragrance from death to death,

to the other a fragrance from life to life.

Who is sufficient for these things?

For we are not like so many peddlers

of God's Word,

but as men of sincerity,

as commissioned by God,

in the sight of God,

we speak in Christ.

Let's pray together.