Acts 17:1-15 Paul Preaches in Thessalonica = March 8

Paul Preaches in Thessalonica
Acts 17:1-15

What has been your most citing experience in a crowd? Your scariest experience?

 #God            #People     #Time         #Place        #Obedient faith  #Sin  #Key Idea 

Paul and Silas in Thessalonica

1Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. 2And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ.” 4And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a great many of the devout Greeks and not a few of the leading women. 5But the Jewsa were jealous, and taking some wicked men of the rabble, they formed a mob, set the city in an uproar, and attacked the house of Jason, seeking to bring them out to the crowd. 6And when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also, 7and Jason has received them, and they are all acting against the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.” 8And the people and the city authorities were disturbed when they heard these things. 9And when they had taken money as security from Jason and the rest, they let them go.

Paul and Silas in Berea

10The brothers^b immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. 11Now these Jews were more noble than  those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. 12Many of them therefore believed, with not a few Greek women of high standing as well as men. 13But when the Jews from Thessalonica learned that the word of God was proclaimed by Paul at Berea also, they came there too, agitating and stirring up the crowds. 14Then the brothers immediately sent Paul off on his way to the sea, but Silas and Timothy remained there. 15Those who conducted Paul brought him as far as Athens, and after receiving a command for Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible, they departed.

• God is ... What do we learn about God in this passage?
• We are ... What do we learn about people in this passage?
• Thessalonica was a wealthy trading city on a major road from the Adriatic Sea to the Black Sea. How is Paul received (see 1 Thessalonians 1:4-10; 3:1-4)? 
• What does Luke say about reason, explanation, and proof in Paul’s preaching? What insights should we get from this?
• What accusations has Paul encountered so far in Acts 17:5-7 and 16:20-21? What lies behind these accusations? 
• What disrupted Paul’s ministry in Thessalonica?
• How did the officials act in the midst of an explosive situation?
• What kinds of trouble and expense was Jason risking by taking Paul into his home?
• Since his conversion, this is the sixth time Paul has been forced by persecution to leave an area. How would you view your mission if that happened to you? How does your response compare with Paul's (see 1 Thessalonians 2:1-6)? 
• Compared with the Thessalonians in Acts 17:2-4, how do the Bereans receive the Gospel in Acts 17:11-12? 
• How is Paul's teaching on the diversity of gifts (1 Corinthians 12) illustrated here in the functions of Paul, Silas and Timothy?
• Why does Luke praise the Bereans for displaying a “more noble character” than the Thessalonians?
• I will ... What has the Holy Spirit revealed to us in this passage? How can I apply it to my life this week?
• Whether Jesus or Caesar was Lord became a real issue for Christians. When has your faith in Christ led to conflict with other authorities claiming your loyalty? 
• In terms of time, consistency and Intensely, how would you rate your personal Bible study? Is it at all like the Bereans?
• You can ... Who do you know who needs to hear this? Feel free to share with others by social media links at the bottom of this.

https://www.youtube.com/c/edmondchurchofchrist

Read The Whole Thing by Chris Stinnett

Almost all products now come with “legalese” fine print that describes the warranty and any consumer rights you have. Almost nobody ever reads the fine print, yet there are good reasons to know the terms to which you’ve agreed! The companies mostly want their customers to read the agreements—so some have started including very imaginative clauses to reward the readers! Donelan Andrews is a high school teacher in Georgia, and when she bought a travel insurance policy for a trip to England, she actually read the Squaremouth® fine print—and discovered that the first person who emailed the company would win $10,000. Her email easily paid for her trip.

Most companies are not so generous! One company in England provides free wifi access, but when you agree to their terms, you also accept 1,000 hours of community service! Another public wifi provider inserted a clause so that users agreed to give up their oldest child! These are obviously meant to amuse, as is Tumblr’s restriction for children under 13, which anticipates resistance: “‘But I’m, like, almost old enough!’ you plead. Nope, sorry. If you’re not old enough, don’t use Tumblr.” A couple of applications declare they cannot be held liable during a zombie attack. Oddly, Apple’s iTunes® specifically denies permission to use the software to build, “nuclear, missile, or chemical or biological weapons,” even though it’s only audio and video software. The companies are making an important point: don’t skip over the important information and then imagine that you know everything you need.

“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. Many of the Jews believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men” (Acts 17:11-12 NIV).

When Paul and Silas came to Thessalonica, they met with highly religious people and told them how Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s plan for world redemption. Some heard and obeyed the gospel, but many thought they knew everything they needed to know and rejected everything they heard. People in the neighboring town of Berea were willing to dig into the Scriptures and learn the truth—and forevermore they are known as “noble” for their desire to know the whole story.

People have sacrificed their freedom, their labor and even their lives so that we can have the Holy Scriptures translated into our language. Others pledged (and many lost) their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor to guarantee us the ability to read and study God’s word in peace. Sadly, many think they know everything they need to know and they can’t be bothered to open the Word. Those who read the Bible are wonderfully blessed by the treasures they discover inside and they are truly baffled by an attitude of indifference toward it. The Bible is the Holy Word of God and every part of it communicates something about Him. We read and study the Bible to know God and His love and grace toward us and His invitation to life. We need to read the whole thing!


==================
KNOWING

     I heard about a preacher who was talking with a man, and he asked him, "Do you know the Bible?"  The man said, "Yes, sir."  He said, "What part of the Bible do you know the best?"  The man said, "The New Testament."

     The preacher went on to ask him what part of the New Testament he knew the best.  The man said, "Well, I suppose I know the story of the Good Samaritan best of all."  The preacher said, "Tell me that story."

     The man said, "Well, as best as I can recall, there was a good Samaritan traveling down the road from Jerusalem to Jericho and he fell among the thorns and they sprang up and choked him and left him half dead.

     "But a man came by feeding his swine and he said to the man, 'I will arise and go to my father.'  So he took up his bed and walked.  But while the soldiers were chasing him through the forest, he got the hair of his head caught up in the trees and he hung there 40 days and 40 nights, and the ravens fed him.

     "Just then, Delilah came along with a big pair of shears and she cut off his hair and he fell on stony ground.  But the good master of the house resurrected the man and he journeyed on his way.

     "All of a sudden, he came to the wall of Jericho and there's Jezebel sitting on the wall and she mocked him.  And he said, 'Chunk her down to the dogs.'  And they chunked her down 70 times 7, and great was the fall thereof, and of the fragments that remained they picked up twelve baskets full, and whose wife shall she be in the resurrection?"

     Now I would hope that your Bible knowledge is not quite as bad as that, but I think it's safe to say that few of us know the Bible as well as we should.  In the last TFTD message, I spoke about three pillars of spritual growth -- knowing, doing and becoming.  God has always stressed the fact that his people need to know His word.  And contrary to popular opinion, when it comes to spiritual matters, ignorance is not bliss.

     In the days of Hosea, God said, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.  Because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you from being priest for me; because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children." (Hosea 4:6).

     What was the problem?  It wasn't that they didn't have access to God's Word.  They just simply didn't care enough about it to listen to it.  Does it scare you just a bit to realize that God could possibly say the same thing about us – "my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge... because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children."  Folks, we need to once again become known as a people of the book, a people who study and know and love the Bible.  Throughout the Bible, God's repeated command to the people of God is "learn, study, grow."

     92% of households in the United States have a Bible.  We have the Bibles, but we don't pay much attention to them.  A Gallup poll from 2000 shows that only 59% of Americans read the Bible at least occasionally. The percentage of Americans who read the Bible at least once a week is 37%.

     Contrast this with the people of Berea.  We read in Acts 17, "These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so." (Acts 17:11)

     May we continue to study and learn and grow in our knowledge of God and our responsibility before Him.

Have a great day!

Alan Smith
Cruciform Church of Christ
Spring Lake, North Carolina

www.cruciformcoc.com



==================
Can We Know The Truth?
-- Darrick Shepherd

The answer to this question though it might seem obvious is one that might surprise you. I would have to answer this question, “Can we know the truth?” as yes and no. It all depends on a few factors.

God has indeed revealed His truth thorough His word, and we might emphasize the fact that man has the ability to study, learn, and understand the truth of the Gospel. Paul stressed, “That when we read, we can understand, his knowledge in the mystery of Christ” (Ephesians 3:4). Jesus said, “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32). It might seem that knowing the truth is simple, yet there can be situations when it is impossible for one to know the truth.

1. One can never know the truth without study and mediation upon God’s word. We must search the scriptures. (Acts 17:11).
2. One can never know the truth while blinded by prejudice. Prejudice robs a person of knowledge and renders the reception of truth impossible. Jesus describes such a person as one whose heart has been calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes (Matthew 13:15).
3. One can never know the truth when the truth is mixed with error. When the doctrines of men are mixed with divine revelation, there exists a half truth, which is in reality no truth at all.

Can we know the truth? Yes, only if we want the truth enough to investigate the source of truth with an open receptive heart, then we will come into knowledge of God’s truth.


“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find knock and the door will opened to you” (Matthew 7:7).

==================
Why It’s Good to Say, “I think…” When Studying the Bible
by Wes McAdams— June 14, 2017

Occasionally I will hear people criticize others in a Bible study for saying things like, “I think this passage means…” I’ve even been criticized for saying, “I think…” in sermons. The critics say, “It doesn’t matter what you think, it only matters what the passage says.” But the words, “I think…” actually play a very important role in discussions about the Bible. So here are some reasons to keep saying, “I think…” when studying the Bible.

Logic 
When you say, “I think…” hopefully you are saying, “I’ve thought about the meaning of this passage.” Hopefully you are saying you’ve considered things like:
1) how the original audience would’ve understood this passage
2) the immediate context the broader context
3) the meaning of words in their original languages

Why would it be wrong to say, “I’ve thought deeply about this passage and here is the result of my thought process”? Do we really want to discourage thinking? Doesn’t biblical interpretation require thinking and logic?

A person’s thinking might be wrong. They might have reasoned incorrectly and come to the wrong conclusion. But please don’t criticize them for thinking. Because, on the other hand, their thinking might be right. When someone says, “I think this passage means…” they might have the correct interpretation; and they came to that conclusion by thinking.

Humility 
When a person expresses what they think a passage means, they are being humble. They are saying, “I don’t have the final word on this passage and I don’t know everything, but here are my thoughts.” They are leaving the door open to the possibility that they could be wrong.

The day before Paul came to town, if you had asked the Jews in the ancient city of Berea to tell you about what the Messiah would be like, they would likely have pulled out some scrolls and said something like, “Well, I think this passage in Isaiah means the Messiah will…” Their humility was the reason why – when Paul showed up and preached something different – those Jews were willing to rethink their position in light of Scripture (Acts 17:11).

The Jews in the city of Thessalonica, however, would have been the kind of people who said, “Don’t say, ‘I think‘ about this passage. It doesn’t matter what you think. It just matters what it says.” Their minds were made up and were immovable. So when Paul came preaching the Good News, they ran him out of town.

Let’s not discourage humble dialogue about Scripture. There is a time for being confident and there is even a time to be dogmatic, but there is also a time to say, “I’m not sure, but I think…”

Opinions 
The Greek word for this kind of thinking and reasoning is, “dialogismos.” Paul used this word in Romans 14 and it is usually translated “opinions.” Paul knew that God’s people have always had – and will always have – opinions about the things we should and shouldn’t do. In Rome, there were Christians who said, “I don’t think we should eat that.” And other Christians said, “I think we should continue to celebrate this feast day to the Lord.”
Paul didn’t tell the Romans to, “Stop thinking.” He didn’t tell them to stop having opinions. He just told them not to quarrel and divide over their thinking. He told them not to judge each other according to their own thinking.

When someone says, “I think…” we ought not to tell them it doesn’t matter what they think. It does matter what they think. It matters very much. But just because they think something, doesn’t necessarily mean everyone else has to follow their thinking or be bound by that one person’s thinking (see Romans 14).

Conclusion 
Of course not every matter is a matter of opinion and some things are simply not open for debate. There are some things Scripture expressly says and when someone states, “I think differently,” they are wrong.

Unfortunately, I’ve studied with people who will read a passage and then say, “Well, I think…” and proceed to express an opinion that is the exact opposite of what the passage says. This kind of thinking is not humble, faithful, or receptive to truth. This kind of person believes their personal opinion or their life experiences trump Scripture.

But even in those cases, I don’t want to stop them from thinking or even expressing their thoughts. I want their thinking to be transformed by Scripture. I want them to eventually say, “I think I’ve changed my mind. I think I was wrong before. I think I need to do what Scripture says.”

No, it’s not wrong to say, “I think” when studying the Bible. In fact, if you’re not frequently saying, “I think,” there might be something wrong with the way you’re studying the Bible.
I love you and God loves you,

Wes McAdams
==================
Bible Readiing Statistic in 1991

   Twelve percent of all American adults read the Bible every day of the week, while 52 percent do not read it at all. Another 33 percent read the Scriptures at least once during a typical week.
   More blacks (70 percent) read the Bible than Hispanics (49 percent) and whites (42 percent). More women (50 percent) read it than men (39 percent). The South can retain its label as the Bible belt: 56 percent of southern adults read the Bible at least weekly. On the other end of the spectrum is the Northeast, where only 30 percent do.
   More than one in four (26 percent) evangelicals read the Bible daily; another 50 percent read it weekly or more. But 22 percent of evangelicals report that they never read the Bible outside of church.

   -- Barna Research Group, May 9, 1991. "To Verify," Leadership.

See: Dt 17:19; Jn 5:39; Ac 17:11

 Percentage of American households with a Bible: 92
 Percentage of Americans who read the Bible outside religious services: 37

   -- Virtual America (The Barna Report 1994-95). "To Verify," Leadership.

See: Dt 17:19; Isa 34:16; Jn 5:39

==================
##Bible Study
##Bible Reading
Bible Questions Bible Answers
by Denny Petrillo

"Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scripture daily, to see whether these things were so." Acts 17:11

God has always esteemed those who are truth lovers and truth seekers. His anger is for those who, because of laziness or indifference, fail to search for the truth (2 Thessalonians 2:10-12). David, a "man after God's own heart" (Acts 13:22), said: "O how I love Thy law! It is my meditation all the day" (Psalm 119:97).
It is inconceivable that spiritual people would not often focus on God's spiritual teachings. Then again, those who want to have (and maintain) a relationship with their heavenly Father, continually listen to His word.
We have many people at our congregation who love God's holy word. They read it. They study it. They memorize it. And, as the study continues, certain questions arise. Perhaps you, in your study, have questions.
==================
Just before the death of actor W. C. Fields, a friend visited Fields' hospital room and was surprised to find him thumbing through a Bible.  Asked what he was doing with a Bible, Fields replied, "I'm looking for loopholes."
================
The lack of Scriptural knowledge is the source of all evils in the church.
====================
ARTICLE:  Balanced Teaching
From: rcrobinson@juno.com (Robert C Robinson)

Occasionally we engage in lessons, sermons or discussions on such doctrinal topics as the  following:  proper form of baptism, requirements for salvation, frequency of observing the Lord's supper, qualifications for elders, music in worship, respective roles and functions of men and women in the church, scriptural names, miracles, angels, the Holy Spirit, the trinity, heaven and hell, apologetics, the nature of the kingdom of God on earth and the second coming of Christ.  Do you see a distinction between these topics and such topics as God's love for us, our love for others, daily prayer, personal commitment, sharing Christ with others, compassion, forgiveness, joy, fellowship and intimacy with God?  The latter list is a variety of practical topics which relate to holiness and Christ-likeness in our daily lives in the Lord.  The former list is distinguished as more doctrinal concerns of the Christian religion.

Is it worthwhile for us to take time to focus on the types of topics in the former list?  Sometimes I hear objections such as the following:  We don't need that; what does that have to do with daily living?...  I don't know about all that, I just know what I feel in my heart...  We should stay away from controversies and concern ourselves with pleasing God.  One would get the impression that to take precious time to study, discuss and teach doctrinal topics is at best to get sidetracked from the really important matters, at worst to distort Christianity from a living, spiritual walk with God into a cold, dry religion.

Christianity is both intellectual and spiritual as a religion.  Our relationship with God is based on certain basic propositions of truth which we must understand and believe even to become a Christian.  Once having begun our lives in the Lord, we move on to deeper and more accurate understanding of these truths.  The writer of the book of Hebrews challenges Christians to move beyond their elementary grasp of gospel truths, and then proceeds into an intricate discussion contrasting  old covenant of Moses with  new covenant of Christ (beginning with 5:11-6:3).   eloquent preacher, Apollos, was even more effective after some concerned Christians taught him more adequately on certain doctrinal topics (Acts 18:24-28).

Ideally, studies of a doctrinal nature are motivated by a desire to please God instead of ourselves.  God has revealed information on many topics which men have understood variously, with often contradictory conclusions.  Devout people, realizing that  Lord wanted us to have truth on these topics, will study  Bible carefully and diligently, seeking to clear away  confusion and to determine what  Bible actually does teach (Acts 17:10).  Consider  practice of  Jesus.  He often engaged in discussions of a doctrinal nature regarding such issues as Sabbath observance, washiness,  fasting, marriage and divorce,  nature of  kingdom of God and  resurrection.  Of course, he focused much (indeed more) teaching on deeply spiritual matters such as prayer, compassion, genuine commitment and others in  latter list above.  We too, must practice  latter, but without neglecting  former.

#Adequate

#Adequately

===========
Salvation Only Through Christ

   It was said of the apostles, "These that have turned the world upside down are come hither" (Acts 17:6). There is a story told of an eccentric English evangelist who took that text for one of his open-air sermons in a new place.  He began by saying, "First, the world is wrong side up. Second, the world must be turned upside down. Third, we are the men to set it right."  In the man's quaint phrases, this is really the purpose of the gospel.  It is God's way of making things right.

   -- A.B. Simpson in The Best of A.B. Simpson. Christianity Today, Vol. 32,  no. 2.

See: Mt 16:26; Lk 21:34; Ro 12:2; Gal 6:14.

================
Bible Purifies the Life
George Washington's secretary, Robert Lewis, wrote that it was the President's custom to go to his library at 4:00 in the morning for his devotions. And he concluded each day with Bible reading and prayer.

   -- Charles R. Swindoll, The Christian Life, (Vision House, 1994), p. 229.

See: Deut 17:19; Psa 5:3; Psa 119:165; Acts 17:11; Rom 15:4

================
Author: Sir Edwyn Clement Hoskyns (1884-1937)
Text: Bible: Jer 26:1-32, Matt 22:29, Luke 24:27,32, John 5:39, John 6:60, Acts 17:11, Acts 18:24, Rom 3:23, Rom 15:4, Gal 3:22, 2 Tim 3:15-16, Heb 4:12, Jam 4:5-6, 2 Pet 3:16; Death: Eccl 2:16, Eccl 7:1-2, Eccl 8:8

HEAR BIBLE, HARSH REALITY.

To have heard the Bible speak is to be prepared not for maturity, balance, poise, riches, but for the poverty, and distress and uncertainty of thought and action that are so desperately characteristic of human life.  The Bible takes human mortality seriously, that mortality which the preacher does not hide from you even when you stand on the threshold of life.  To wrestle with the theme of the Scriptures is your proper preparation for the rough things of human life, as we see it, and observe it, and are immersed in it.  The Truth which is being spoken to you most clearly in the Scriptures is your only protection against cynicism and skepticism, just as it is your only protection against that false romanticism which is the modern cruel substitute for faith in God.

...  Sir Edwyn Clement Hoskyns (1884-1937)

==================
Ethics is being taught in American colleges, but it is presented from a relativistic standpoint.  This leads to moral confusion.  One teacher, who emphasized the societal foundation of morality (injustice, oppression, etc.) was appalled when 69 out of 70 students admitted to having plagiarized before.

"Leaving children alone to discover their own values is a little like putting them in a chemistry lab and saying, 'Discover your own compounds, kids.'  If they blow themselves up, at least they have engaged in an authentic search."

The best moral teaching inspires students by making them keenly aware that their own character is at stake.

=============