August 17, 2014
Morning Service

Acts 17:1-14

 

Last Sunday in chapter 16 we saw:

1.       As Paul went into Derbe, and Lystra he met a convert named Timothy.  Timothy’s mother was Jewish, and his father a Greek.  Paul and Silas are delivering the decrees that were decided in the first council meeting of the church in chapter 15.  One of the decrees concerned circumcision.  Christians were not obligated to be circumcised, or keep the law of Moses in order to be saved, however, since Timothy will be traveling with Paul, to eliminate arguments Paul had Timothy circumcised.  Paul later writes two letters to him instructing him concerning things of the church.

2.      Then there was the vision of a man of Macedonia calling for Paul to come and help them.

3.      Upon arriving at Philippi, which is the chief city of Macedonia, Paul’s group attends a group of women praying by the river.  There it is said that God opened the heart of Lydia, and she and her household believed, and were baptized.

4.      We also saw Paul cast an evil spirit from a woman, and this got him and Silas beaten, and cast into prison.  Where God miraculously delivers them from their chains.  This prompts another conversion of the Philippian jailer, and his family.

5.      Upon being released from prison, Paul goes to Lydia’s house, and encourages the church that is meeting at her house.  Then they leave.

 

Chapter 17:1-14

 

Act 17:1-14  Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews: 

·         Paul has just left Philippi, in which he will later write them a letter.  Now he is in Thessalonica, in which he will eventually write two letters. 

(2)  And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three Sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,  (3)  Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ. 

And that this Jesus - And that this Jesus of Nazareth, who has thus suffered and risen, whom, said he, I preach to you, is the Messiah.

The arguments by which Paul probably proved that Jesus was the Messiah were:

(1) That he corresponded with the prophecies respecting him in the following particulars:

(a)   He was born at Bethlehem, Mic_5:2.

Mic 5:2  But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.

(b)   He was of the tribe of Judah, Gen_49:10.

Gen 49:10  The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.

(c)   He was descended from Jesse, and of the royal line of David, Isa_11:1, Isa_11:10.

Isa 11:1  And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:

Isa 11:10  And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.

 

 

 

(d)  He came at the time predicted, Dan_9:24-27.

·         This is the much controversial Seventy weeks of Daniel.  In this prophecy Daniel is in captivity, but the angel gives to Daniel, when they will return from captivity, rebuild the temple, when the Messiah will come, that He will be killed, and that Jerusalem, and the temple will be destroyed.

(e)   His appearance, character, work, etc., corresponded with the predictions, Isa_53:1-12.

Of course, this is where Isaiah describes the horrific beatings that Christ went through.  It is referred to as the Suffering Servant chapter.

(2) And his miracles proved that he was the Messiah, for he professed to be, and God would not work a miracle to confirm the claims of an impostor.

    (3) for the same reason, his resurrection from the dead proved that he was the Messiah.

 

Paul knew the old testament scriptures, so he could have argued all of them that pertain to the Messiah. 

BUT NOW LET’S LOOK AT THE RESULTS.

(4)  And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few. 

·         So we can see that many believed in what Paul was saying.

(5)  But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people.  (6)  And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also;  (7)  Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus.  (8)  And they troubled the people and the rulers of the city, when they heard these things.  (9)  And when they had taken security of Jason, and of the other, they let them go. 

·         Notice the attitude of the unbelieving Jews.  This same spirit was in the Jews when they cried out, “crucify Him”.

·         And how would we like to be known as ( turning the world upside down)?

(10)  And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.  (11)  These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. 

·         They received the Word with all readiness of mind. 

·         Searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

·         It is said they were more noble than those of Thessalonica.

NOW LET’S SEE THE RESULTS:

(12)  Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few. 

·         Many believed.  This is the results of searching the Scriptures with an open mind.  They would have had only the old testament scriptures. 

(13)  But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was preached of Paul at Berea, they came thither also, and stirred up the people.  (14)  And then immediately the brethren sent away Paul to go as it were to the sea: but Silas and Timotheus abode there still.

·         Here we see again these satan filled Jews stirring up the people.

Almighty God, let it be said of us, “they were more noble, because they searched the Scriptures daily”.  Help us all to have a greater desire to study Your Word.