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These That Have
Turned The World
Evangelist Dr. Bob Sanders
August 1, 2009
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Acts 17:6 “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;”
When we approach a text such
as Acts 17:6, we are immediately confronted with a
monumental question; “Is our interest explanation or experience?
Do we desire to gather facts so that we can attain to an
intellectual understanding of a biblical event? Is our purpose
purely investigation? I have been preaching for thirty years, in
evangelism for twenty-two years, and having been saved for
forty-seven years, I think I am qualified to offer up an
opinion. Most folks are motivated by investigation! Most of the
truth that is gathered never filters down from their head and
makes it to their heart. What little truth that makes it to
their heart is never manifested in the works of their hands or
the walk of their feet! But there is a small element of
believers that want to duplicate the experience in their
personal lives! While there may be investigation, the sole
purpose of investigation is so that the truth that is discovered
can lead to involvement!
The trouble with the nominal
Christianity of today is that much of our spiritual life is no
different that our secular life. On any given Sunday thousands
of people will gather in stadiums and coliseums or join them by
setting down in front of a television to watch ten to twenty-two
men play the game. The majority have come to watch a game that
only a limited few have chosen to play. Most have settled to
watch the game and only a few have come to play the game! Within
the boundaries of modern Christianity, we have the minority
attempting to motive and move the majority! As we approach the
text, it might prove profitable to ask ourselves if we have come
to get in the game.
The first thing that I notice
is:
A Reputation That Preceded Them
The testimony of the Jews
was, “these that have . . . are come hither also” (vs.6).
If it was not immediate, it was not very long after Paul and
Silas arrived in Thessalonica, word of their religious fervor
made its way from Philippi to their present location.
(I) The Subject of
the Reputation – vs.6
News from Philippi was that
Paul and Silas “have turned the world upside down.” The
phrase “turned upside down” is a derivative from a word
meaning to stand up or to raise up against in the sense of
removal. To drive out of home by implying to disturb, trouble or
make an up roar. There is probably a multitude of different ways
to say it, but the bottom line when considering the reputation
of Paul and Silas was, “These folks are in opposition to the
world.” The Jews of Thessalonica were saying, “They’re not one
of us!”
When speaking to His
disciples, Jesus said, “If ye were of the
world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of
the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the
world hateth you” (John 15:19). James reminds us, “Ye
adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of
the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a
friend of the world is the enemy of God” (James 4:4). The
apostle John who was known for his love for the Lord said,
“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.
If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him”
(I John 2:15). The reputation that was associated with Paul
and Silas was not one that should be considered odd, but rather
the normal response of the world to a Christian. When Paul sent
word to Timothy to join him in Rome, Paul’s heart was saddened
over the actions of a dear friend and companion in the Lord.
Paul said, “Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present
world, and is departed unto Thessalonica” (2 Timothy 4:10).
The word “forsaken” means to leave behind or to desert.
Demas’ attraction to the things of this world had caused him to
forsake a friend, and to forfeit his testimony for the Savior.
While it does not make for popular preaching, you are either
standing against the World or you are standing with the world!
What is the subject of your reputation?
(II) The Strength
or Success of the Reputation
– “turned the world”
When we begin to consider the
strength, success, or impact that Paul and Silas’ reputation had
in the world, there are two areas to contemplate. There is one
that is quite apparent and readily seen. The second requires us
to look closely at the text for it is a little more subtle.
The most apparent success was
in the lives of men and it reveals itself in two manners. A
great number of the devoted Greeks and many of the chief women
believed, thus resulting in their redemption. These folks
elected to believe the Word of God and were born into the family
of God. There was a second response to the truth and that was
retaliation. “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.” Acts 17:5 These fellows of the baser sort chose
to fight God and the Word of God. While it may not be a pleasant
thought, our witness should be so distinct and vibrant that men
either fight or yield in faith!
In order to see the second
area of success it is necessary to compare Acts 16:20 to
the testimony of the Jews in Acts 17:6. In Acts 16:20,
Paul and Silas “do exceedingly trouble our city.” But, in
Acts 17:6, Paul and Silas “have turned the world
upside down.” Their reputation is not getting weak or even
staying the same; it is growing in magnitude. Paul and
Silas had a successful and strong reputation!
(III) The Source of
the Reputation
The success of the reputation
reveals the source of the reputation! It is imperative that we
recognize that this type of success and strength is not mortal
and cannot be attributed to the natural abilities of man. If we
to discover the source of their reputation, we must once again
contrast Acts 16:20 to Acts 17:6. When we contrast
the two verses, we can see that their reputation or witness is
moving from the city outward to the world. Can you think of any
other place in Scripture where it spoke of moving from the city
outward to the world?
When Jesus was departing this
world to return to the Father, He promised to send another
Comforter, the Holy Ghost, the third person of the Trinity.
Jesus told the disciples that when He, the Holy Spirit, came, at
least three things would occur! The promise is found in Acts
1:8. The first to take place was power, “ye shall
receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you.”
The second thing that would occur was projection or
proclamation, “ye shall be witnesses unto me.” The
third thing was a progression, “both in Jerusalem, and
in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of
the earth.”
When the Holy Spirit came, He
took up His abode in the lives of those that had accepted the
Lord Jesus Christ as Savior. With Him came a force or a
miraculous power which would bring to pass a witness and that
witness would progress form where they were in Jerusalem to the
utter most parts of the world.
The truth of the matter is,
what has transpired in the lives of Paul and his company it not
the exception, it is the rule! It is what happens when a
believer walks in the fullness and power of the Spirit of the
Living God. The strength of a successful witness is in the
person of the Holy Spirit. These that have turned the world have
a reputation that preceded them! What are they saying about
you?
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