Acts 17:1-15 Click here for Bible Verses
Hi GAMErs!
Today’s passage is Acts 17:1-15. Let’s go!
Acts 17:1-5 (NIV)
1 When they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue.
2 As his custom was, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures,
3 explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead. “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ,” he said.
4 Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and not a few prominent women.
5 But the Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city. They rushed to Jason’s house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd.
On verses 1-5: Here’s further proof that when Paul said, “Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles” (Acts 13:46), Paul was only talking about their mission in the city of Pisidian Antioch but didn’t mean he was giving up on reaching his own Jewish people. For here in Acts 17:1-4 we see Paul, “as his custom was” (v2), going into the Jewish synagogue, this time in Thessalonica. There Paul shows through the Scriptures that Jesus is the Messiah and that this Messiah was destined to die and rise again from the grave. And there, some Jews as well as a large number of Greek men and influential women find faith in Christ.
And just like in every other city where Paul went, we see two opposite responses: there are those who respond favourably (as do some Jews and a large number of Greek men and influential women). And there are those among the Jews who cause trouble for Paul. As Paul would later write to the Thessalonians, “We had previously suffered and been insulted in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in spite of strong opposition.” (1 Thessalonians 2:2) Notice what Paul says: “With the help of our God, we dared…”
I pray that the same would be said of us: that with the help of our God, we dared to do the important thing even though it was hard; that with the help of our God, we dared to take risks in order to reach people with God’s love; and that with the help of our God, we dared to do what God calls us to do even though there are challenges and opposition coming against us.
Acts 17:6-9 (NIV)
6 But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some other brothers before the city officials, shouting: “These men who have caused trouble all over the world have now come here,
7 and Jason has welcomed them into his house. They are all defying Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus.”
8 When they heard this, the crowd and the city officials were thrown into turmoil.
9 Then they made Jason and the others post bond and let them go.
On verses 6-9: Because Jason welcomed Paul, Silas and their team into his home, Jason suffered persecution from those who opposed Paul and Silas. Likewise, when you welcome Jesus into your life, by association with Jesus you become a target for the enemy and may suffer as a result. But don’t let that suffering keep you from following Jesus. As with Jason, whatever bond you need to post, whatever suffering you must endure, nothing compares to the reward you will receive for following Jesus.
Acts 17:10-12 (NIV)
10 As soon as it was night, the brothers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue.
11 Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.
12 Many of the Jews believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men.
On verses 10-12: May we have the same attitude as the Bereans when we hear others preach God’s Word: may we receive it eagerly and examine the Scriptures diligently to see if what is being preached is true. Like the Jews, Greek men and prominent women in Berea who believed, when you choose to listen to the preaching of God’s Word with an eager heart, a thoughtful mind and an open Bible, you will be blessed.
Acts 17:13-15 (NIV)
13 When the Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God at Berea, they went there too, agitating the crowds and stirring them up.
14 The brothers immediately sent Paul to the coast, but Silas and Timothy stayed at Berea.
15 The men who escorted Paul brought him to Athens and then left with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible.
On verses 13-15: Once again troublemakers follow after Paul and try to disrupt his ministry. Jews who had stirred up trouble for Paul in Thessalonica come to Berea to agitate the crowds there. So the church in Thessalonica thinks it best – for Paul’s safety and possibly for their own safety too – to send Paul to Athens, while Silas and Timothy stayed in Berea temporarily.
What can we learn from this? Paul himself knew that in every city he went to hardships were facing him (see Acts 20:23). But he didn’t let the certainty of trouble stop him from doing what God called him to do. May we be the same. Jesus says that in this world we will have trouble, but take heart for He has overcome the world (John 16:33). Don’t let trouble stop you from doing what you know is right and what God has called you to do.
Lord Jesus thank You. Though in this world we will have trouble, we can take heart knowing that You have already overcome the world. Thank You that through You we are overcomers too. Thank You that with Your help we can dare to do the hard but important things and that the reward for doing them is worth the cost. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
