Turn the World Upside Down

Acts 17:1-9

INTRODUCTION: The world and the church have corrupted themselves and they desperately need someone to confront them as they were confronted by the ministry of the apostle Paul. While we may sit by and make excuse as to why it cannot be done in our age, the Lord is looking for twelve men, three men, or even one man who will once again turn the world upside down.

I. THE APOSTLE’S MANNER (Acts 17:1-3)

A. The Place (Acts 17:1)

1. Thessalonica
2. In a synagogue of the Jews

B. The Time (Acts 17:2)

1. On the Sabbath day
2. For three weeks

C. The Message (Acts 17:2-3)

1. The source—“out of the scriptures,” (Acts 17:2)
2. The method—“Opening and alleging,” (Acts 17:3)
3. The theme (Acts 17:3)
a. The gospel of Christ
1.) Christ must needs have suffered
2.) Christ must needs have risen again from the dead
b. The identity of Christ
1.) This Jesus
2.) Is Christ

II. THE PEOPLE’S RESPONSE (Acts 17:4-9)

A. Some Believed (Acts 17:4)

1. Their response—they consorted with Paul and Silas.
2. Their diversity
a. Devout Greeks
b. Chief women
3. Their number
a. A great multitude
b. Not a few

B. Some Rejected (Acts 17:5-9)

1. Their hearts—“moved with envy” (Acts 17:5)
2. Their actions (Acts 17:5-9)
a. They recruited lewd fellows to set the city on an uproar (Acts 17:5).
b. They assaulted the house of Jason (one of Paul’s kinsmen) (Acts 17:5-6).
c. They troubled the people (Acts 17:7-9).

III. THE APOSTLE’S TESTIMONY (Acts 17:6)

A. The Testimony Stated

1. “These that have turned the world upside down”
2. “Are come hither also;”

B. The Testimony Developed

1. Paul turned the seemingly religious world “upside down”
a. After his salvation, the friend of the Jews preached in Damascus until the Jews sought to kill him (Acts 9:19-25).
b. Paul preached boldly in the name of the Lord in Jerusalem until the people desired to slay him (Acts 9:26-31).
c. Paul so bluntly and boldly rebuked the Jews in Antioch of Pisidia that they rejected the word and heard of God’s outreach to the Gentiles (Acts 13:14-51).
2. Paul turned the church world “upside down”
a. Paul built the believers at Antioch for a whole year until they were so identifiable with Christ that they became known as Christians (Acts 11:25-26).
b. Paul went to Jerusalem to educate the Jewish church concerning God’s work among the Gentiles (Acts 15:1-35).
3. Paul turned the pagan world and their culture “upside down”
a. In Paphos, Paul prayed for a sorcerer’s blindness and converted a deputy (Acts 13:6-12).
b. Paul preached to pagans at Lystra (Acts 14:6-23).
c. Paul preached the word at Philippi to the point of affecting their culture and economy (Acts 16:9-40).

CONCLUSION: What are you willing to do to confront the world and its culture? What will you do to reach those who appear religious, but do not know the Saviour? What efforts will you make to show the modern corrupt church that they must return to the truth of the word of God?