Upsetting The World

Introduction

I look forward every Lord’s Day to the kind of singing we do together in this place. It’s just beautiful. And so encourages us, makes us think about the wonderful things that we’re singing to God and each other. It’s great to be back with you today after a meeting of about five days in Baytown, where I had labored for 12 years. Yet it’s good to be home with you. Welcome to all of our visitors, including some of our college students have come home, and it’s good to have you all home as always. We miss you around here, as do your parents.

In the news this week, Jessa Duggar. Now Jessa Duggar Seawald, and that’s her husband Ben from the popular show that I’ve never seen.

I know people who watch this regularly. It used to be 17 kids and counting, and then it was 18 kids and counting, and now there are 19 Duggar siblings. The Olympics hold nothing on these people. Sean and Teresa, you’re about 10 kids short of a reality series. Jess is in the news because she posted something this week that reaches 170,000 followers. And here is what she said. I will speak to you a hard truth. I do not write this because I think it will bring me popularity. It won’t. But it is truth from the Word of God, the Bible. In this world, people have seared their consciences. The standard of what is okay or permissible in our society today hardly reflects God’s standard. The Duggars are independent Baptists, which is a very conservative kind of Baptist.

And this is what she posted. She went on to say people disregard the Bible. And instead use all kinds of human logic to try to justify their way of living. Like we talked about in our Bible class. Do not lean on your own understanding. Whenever someone speaks out against something that God calls sin, she said, don’t judge, can be heard coming from a thousand lips. People don’t like to have other people disapprove of the way they’re choosing to live their life. And that’s the phrase that I want to focus in on this morning. She concludes to not tell people this is to hide the truth from them. To keep silent is to not care for their eternal destiny. I care about you, and this is why I am speaking out.

1. These Men Who Have Upset the World

As you can imagine, this was not received favorably in some circles of the media. And was not put in a very positive light. I can agree with her statements that she posted. And the question that I want to raise is why does the gospel cause so much upset? Why does the message of God cause such a problem? And I want to take you to the story in the book of Acts in relation to the city of Thessalonica, as Paul has responded to the Macedonian call. And we see that first in Philippi, and then he comes to the town of Thessalonica. And I continue my unplanned series through the book of Acts. As we come to Acts chapter 17, and what I call the Thessalonic upset. As Paul was accustomed to do, he started in among the Jews and their Sabbaths, and he reasoned with them from the scriptures.

In verse 3, explaining and giving evidence that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead. Indeed he did, our Lord. This Jesus, whom I am proclaiming to you is the Christ. And some of them persuaded, were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, his companion, along with a great multitude of the God-fearing Greeks and a number of the leading women. Luke does this in his gospel account as well, emphasizing the response of Gentiles and females to the message of Jesus. And so he does here, God fearing Greeks and a number of leading women. But the Jews, becoming jealous and taking along some wicked men from the marketplace, formed a mob. They turn to the wicked men. Okay, notice that’s interesting. And they get a mob together.

You know, wicked men are always ready for a good mob. And they set the city in an uproar. And coming upon the house of Jason, I guess that’s where they thought Paul and Silas were, they were seeking to bring them out to the people, and when they did not find them, they began, well, Jason’s good enough. They dragged him out and some brethren before the city authorities, shouting. These men who have turned the world upside down, the King James Version says, These men who have upset the world have come here also. And Jason has welcomed them, and they, notice this, all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus. And they stirred up the crowd of the city authorities who heard these things, and money takes care of a lot of things.

And when they had received a pledge from Jason and the others, they released them. And that led to Paul and Silas being ushered out of town for their own safety, and they go on to Berea, where the gospel receives a little bit better reception in that city. The charge is extreme. Linsky claims they exaggerate unduly. They’ve turned the world upside down, and now they come here to Thessalonica. That’s like these men who have upset the world. Well, that’s pretty extreme. Young’s literal translation says, having put the world in commotion. Another translation, they’ve caused trouble everywhere, and that’s really what the expression is saying. These men that have caused trouble everywhere they’ve been have come to Thessalonica and they’ve upset things here.

What was this all about? Luke clues us in. They were jealous. It was for jealousy or envy that they had delivered the Lord. Matthew 27 and verse 18. They’re whipped into a frenzy because of jealousy. And I immediately think of James chapter 3. Where jealousy is and selfish ambition. There is disorder in every evil thing. May jealousy not be evidenced among us as the Lord’s people. I’ve seen it. And I’ll tell you what it does. It promotes the same kinds of lies that were told about the apostles. You see, when you are jealous, you’ll do anything to bring someone else down in the eyes of another. And you will misrepresent them and you will lie about them because you are jealous of them. And that’s what the Jews did.

What’s the charge? They’ve got another kingdom. They follow another king. So, in essence, they are saying they are not respecting Caesar. And yet, what did Jesus clearly say in his ministry? Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, render under God the things that are God’s. The two are not necessarily in conflict with one another. The two kingdoms can peacefully coexist. And as we noted in our study on Wednesday nights, Paul even talks about the governing authorities and why they exist, and God intends them to do good and to punish the evildoer, and that he has established such governing authorities. And so these aren’t competing kingdoms. And what did Jesus Himself say? My kingdom is not of this world, like Caesar’s kingdom is.

2. A Challenge to a Person's Will

And notice this, by now Jesus has been in heaven for two decades. He has ascended. Two decades earlier, it’s not that he’s even around to cause direct problems to Caesar. At least in the way a king of this world might. And so all of this upset and they lie about the message that is being presented. And I’ll say this why do these things upset the world? Christianity, being Christ like is not in and of itself particularly bothersome to others. I mean, look at these passages, Romans chapter 12 and verse 18 that says, as much as it depends upon you, be at peace with all men. Being a Christian actually promotes peacefulness, not upset and conflict. In Matthew chapter 5, if someone asks you for his shirt, for your shirt, give him your cloak also.

Give to him who asks of you. Turn the other cheek. If somebody hits you in your cheek, turn the other cheek to them. If someone compels you to go with them a mile, go with them too. And so these principles of the gospel don’t promote conflict, but rather are very peaceable in their nature, as Peter would say in 1 Peter 2 and verse 12. Keep your behavior excellent. Among the Gentiles, those who are outside of Christ, who are observing you, because as they observe your good deeds, they may in turn glorify God themselves in the day of visitation. And so he admonishes Christians, keep your behavior excellent, be peaceable as much as you possibly can, and turn the other cheek. Being Christ-like is not particularly bothersome to people.

So then what is all of the upset about? This is it. Because the message you espouse is a challenge to a person’s will.

That’s why she’s saying this. But no matter how kind or clearly loving you are as you present this message, you are intimating that salvation can only be obtained through allegiance to the risen King, Jesus Christ. And that by its very nature is indicting to everyone who is not submitted to his reign. And that’s where this goes. Yes, it’s a challenge to a person’s will, and because of that, it makes them feel uncomfortable. And we do not like to feel uncomfortable. And the uncomfortable may just react very negatively and belittle you to others or lie about you. I want you to think about this in the first century. This message as it’s being presented, and let’s look more at the context here of Acts 17, you’re telling the Jews who were under the Old Testament, the old covenant, the covenant people of God.

You’re telling them that now God has a new nation that includes both Jew and Gentile, people that they looked down on and did not respect and thought that they were less than them. And so what you’re saying is that God has tossed you aside as a nation and has now adopted a new nation of Jews and Greeks who have allegiance to Jesus Christ, that didn’t go over very well among the Jews. As Jesus told in his parable that I love to preach about, the parable of the vineyard in Matthew 21. I preached it in the meeting last week at Eside. The kingdom will be taken away from you and given to a nation producing the fruit of it. I love that in Matthew chapter 21, verse 44.

3. Who Was Really Responsible for the Upset?

And the Jews did not love it. They hated it. This new kingdom of Jew and Gentile. Well. And so we look at what happened in Thessalonica. And we’re asking this question, first of all, this morning, who was really responsible for the upset in Thessalonica. Or what was really responsible? And I started probing into that this week. And I love this expression in the book of Acts that it occurs twice. The first is in Acts 12. It’s in the King James, no small stir. Now the New American Standard did not change it greatly. No small disturbance. And the reason why I draw your attention to the first occasion in Acts 12 is because Peter has been released from prison by an angel. And so no small stir results among the soldiers and prison officials as to what in the world has happened to Peter.

He’s God. How did he get out? You can see why that created such a stir. Well, the other occasion is a couple of chapters later when Paul gets down to Ephesus, and it says again in verse 23 of Acts 19 that about that time there arose no small disturbance. Here. Paul is upsetting things everywhere he goes. And then it says, a certain man named Demetrius was a silversmith, and he made silver shrines of Artemis or Diana and was bringing no little business to the craftsman. So he gathered, and this is just like Thessalonica, isn’t it? He gathered together with the workmen of similar trades, except I guess he didn’t go to all the workless men like the Jews in Thessalonica did. Men, you know that our prosperity depends upon this business.

In other words, Paul is bad for business. And so they stir up this big assembly, and we talk about that word, the word ecclesia is used in Acts 19. They make this big assembly for Diana of the Ephesians. Artemis of the Ephesians. And there’s a big uproar, and finally the uproar is dismissed. In verse 41 in Ephesus. But again, no small stir and no small disturbance. Who’s whipping everybody into a frenzy? Those who were opposed to this message. It’s about the mob that they stirred up in Thessalonica. It’s about Demetrius and his buddies who were concerned about business. They’re the ones that are creating such a stir in these instances. It’s not like Paul is trying to generate a mob and turn the city upside down with demonstrations and flipping over cars.

You are listening, right? They don’t have cars. Flipping over camels and such. Who’s really causing the disturbance? Well, the message is somewhat responsible. Yes, the people who are reacting negatively are causing the commotion in the city, but this message does that by its very nature. The word of God is alive and active, and it’s sharper than a two-edged sword. Piercing to the inside of a man, he says in Hebrews chapter 4 and verse 12, to the joints and marrows. That’s what’s happening here. As the message of the gospel is preached, it pierces men in their minds and hearts. And so many times the reaction was they were cut to the quick. And they responded in persecution, even killing Stephen and others. Same expression in Acts 2.

They were cut to their hearts and they responded, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Some people respond like the God-fearing Greeks and the women in Thessalonica. And some respond like the Jews, and they’re stirred into a frenzy of opposition. But that’s what the word does. And that’s what Jesus promised. He said, I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. He promised that would be the result of this message. And as you go on reading in that context of Matthew chapter 10, he says, a man will be set against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a man’s enemies will be the members of his household. Thus he who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me.

And he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. And these are hard things. Jesus told his disciples in John 16. I want you to look at this context with me. It’s fascinating in this vein. In his last discussion with his disciples, he says, I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away and the helper is going to come and I will send him to you. And when he comes, verse 8, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment. That causes upset. Concerning sin, because they do not believe in me, those the Jews in Thessalonica, and concerning righteousness because I go to the Father and you no longer behold me, and concerning judgment because the ruler of this world has been judged.

I should have put another point here.

In the upset and in the opposition. But when the Holy Spirit, when the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. And he will not speak on his own initiative, but whatever he hears, that will he speak, and that is what he will disclose. So there’s a lot of factors that are causing the upset in the world. Okay, here’s the result of the message being preached. And it’s still true in our times. Jessica Duggar’s response, the response she got to her post, shows what’s still there in regard to the message of the Bible. The message of truth. But I want to talk to you for a minute about some difficult truths to accept that flow out of this kind of upset or the nature of this upset.

So your choice of allegiance and loyalty to Christ could lead to some upheaval in your circumstances. As others are uncomfortable with the things that you believe. Jesus warned about the backlash. He told us. In the Sermon on the Mount that we referenced in our Bible class, blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness. Theirs is the kingdom of heaven. And blessed are you when men cast insults. You know, we’re not coercing anybody. You know, it’s not like we went on the streets of Decor Prairie and Tomballs and you’re going to worship with us today, whether you like it or not. Gunpoint. You know, we got a lot of guns in Tombaugh. Forcing people at gunpoint. You get in here. And then after the sermon, forget the normal invitation.

If you’re not a Christian, you’re going to get in this water and we hold them at gunpoint. We’re going to baptize you, whether you like it or not. We’re not coercing or bullying anybody. We tell people this is the truth. Embrace it or reject it. It’s your decision. And that’s what Paul did. And if the Jews wouldn’t listen to him as he went into a city, then he went into the Gentiles. He did not coerce or bully anybody. So then why all the upset? Jesus warned. Men are going to cast insult at you. And he says in Mark chapter 10 that we have to give up some things to serve him. Perhaps relationships, fathers, sisters, much more like we read in Matthew chapter 10. In Mark chapter 10, he’s really saying the same thing.

But he says, if you do that, you will receive a hundred times as much in this life, along with persecution. That’s part of the reward section, believe it or not. Along with persecutions, and in the age to come, eternal life. So those are some hard truths that come out of this. So, what does this mean about my decision to sign on to be a disciple of the Lord Jesus? It means I may well become an object of hatred, just like he was. And he told his disciples that earlier in John 15. They hated me, and they’re going to hate you because you are not of the world. And they know you’re not. And that’s why there’s going to be a backlash to your decision. But here, let’s make this come down to home for a second here.

4. Not as Concerned About Our Comfort as Our Salvation

Difficult truth number one that flows out of the upset in Thessalonica. God is not as concerned about our comfort as he is our salvation. This may sound shocking. But God is not as much into my comfort as I am. And I’ve got to tell you, I’m into it.

And I can go back to the sermons I preached recently on the Israelites in the wilderness. They kept getting hungry. They kept getting thirsty. They thought if God is going to deliver us out and bring us to the land that’s flowing with milk and honey, everything’s going to be a bed of roses all the time. And what they found out is it’s not. Why do you think God did that? Why do you think he let them get hungry? Why do you think he let them get thirsty? Those are not ideal conditions. And again, we give them a hard way to go, and rightfully so, but I don’t know that we ever skip meals like they were skipping. Or ever went as long without water and ration water like they were rationing water.

And he did it to test them. He’s not about their comfort, he was about their spiritual refinement. And the development of their faith, he tested them, the scriptures say. And what that says is that God is just not as into our comfort as he are.

And that may mean some discomfort. And may I further suggest this? Oh, I can’t believe I’m going to say it. We may need at times to disturb our own comfort. For the sake of our betterment. You know, people attend or don’t attend like they do because they’re seeking their comfort. Maybe you need to disturb yourself a little. And maybe you need to disturb yourself a little in terms of sacrifices that you’re going to make to promote the cause of Christ and help some other soul come to the knowledge of the truth. Or maybe you’re going to have to disturb your comfort to make your relationship with your spouse a little bit better than it was. Maybe our comfort is a big part of our problem spiritually at times.

And sometimes when things happen to us in our circumstances, particularly if someone is responding to us negatively because of our stand for truth, some disconfort is going to result and should result. And that’s good for us.

5. Not Lack of Pain, but Faith and Transformation of Character

And that’s really what’s going on to some degree when Paul tells the church at Colossae in Colossians chapter 4, verses 5 and 6. Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity, and let your speech always be with grace, seasoned as it were with salt, so that you may know how you ought to respond to each one. And as you do that, some upset could occur. Point number two. God is not as concerned about our lack of pain as he is our faith and transformation of character. In James chapter 1, he talks about various trials and not to be in distress about them when they come to you. And that we are to be patient and let patience have its perfect work. And so that suggests that there’s going to be some difficulties, perhaps some associated pain.

6. Not Our Temporary Circumstances, but Our Eternal Bliss

Look at all the things Paul had to endure in his preaching of the gospel. Not to mention his thorn in the flesh that buffeted him. You know, we’re far more into buffet than buffet. And yet Paul had to deal with this buffeting thorn. And what did God say? The Lord said, You can live with it. It was a humbling thing that helped Paul. God is not as concerned about our lack of pain as he is our faith and transformation of character. And finally, God is not as concerned about our temporary circumstances as he is our eternal bliss. He knows that whatever we are called upon to endure, it’s only temporary. It will not be that long. I’m impressed with this. I’m getting old, young people. I’m sorry.

I get more impressed with it all. Leonard Nemoy died. That he was he was so big in my childhood. Spock. Eight three years old. Leonard Namoli is gone. But even more, as I went back to Eastside this week, and I was there, I left Eastside nine years ago to make the journey into the wilderness at Auburn for three years before I came back to the promised land. And so nine years. That’s not very long, right. I go back and I see how many changes have occurred.

How older the people I look the same, but how much older they look. How many who have passed, who were so much a part of the work that I had done there for 12 years. I mean, I’m only talking 20 years ago. People that were rock solid and the foundation of what that work was all about. Gone. God, a lot of them. My good friend Bill Murph is not the man he was in those days. His health is deteriorating.

Conclusion

Keep focused on the inner man. While the outer man is decaying, the inner man is being renewed day by day. Paul says in 2 Corinthians chapter 4 and verse 16. Make sure that is our focus. Alright, those three points. Difficult truths to accept. I want to conclude with how it all turns out in Thessalonica, because while they were more noble in Berea, and search the scriptures daily to see whether those things were so, there is still a bright spot for what happened while Paul and Silas were in Thessalonica. And so you turn over, he actually wrote two letters to the church that was established and thriving there as he bears in mind their work of faith, their labor of love, and steadfastness of hope. And perhaps Jason was still one of those at that time.

Who were so living in Thessalonica. In chapter 4, he says, I don’t even have to talk to you about the love of God because you practice it. All over Macedonia, it’s known about you. How you love the brethren. Not just in Thessalonica, but brethren in other places, knew about these people in Thessalonica who were loyal and true to the Lord. And he says, Excel still more. I love that. You’ve done great things in the Lord’s cause, but keep at it, give it even more effort in the future. In verse 8, he talks about the reception of the word had received, and if the word had sounded forth from them in the Macedonian in Achaia, and he says, In every place your faith toward God has gone forth.

People know about the loyalty of these saints in Thessalonica. Their faith has gone forth. So we have no need to say anything about that, for they themselves report about us what a kind reception we had with you and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God and to wait. Oh, that’s an important term. To wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come. What a verse. We must wait. So that one day we too will be delivered from the wrath that is coming upon sin and ungodliness. And I want to conclude in chapter 2, where he admonishes them to walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into his own kingdom and glory, and then he says this.

For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you receive from us the word of God’s message, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is. The word of God which performs its work in you to believe. What is the message of the gospel doing within you? Is it performing its work? In us who believe. Are we your people who turn from vain things, from idols to serve a living and true God? Are we committed disciples of the Lord Jesus, regardless of what that means in our circumstances? Regardless of the pain that it may bring that I may have to endure, regardless of the comfort that I may have to surrender, this gospel message can create some challenging circumstances by its very proclamation.

Do you realize its worth even in the midst of that? Do you realize its worth as it brings you from the domain of darkness and into the kingdom of the risen King Jesus? Can we assist someone in making that great decision this morning? Let’s stand and sing.