Gtcotr/ss1112220
The year AD51 was an extremely challenging but productive year for the Apostle Paul and those who accompanied him on his first mission trip to Europe. It started out in the city of Philippi where Paul and Silas were attacked by a mob, stripped naked in public, and then beaten with rods before being thrown into the dungeon and chained in stocks.
Talk about a cancel culture. The mob started screaming hateful accusations because they did not agree with them and they kept getting louder and louder until they worked the crowd into a violent frenzy. It is an incendiary process. The mob mentality is one of the worst and most destructive of all human traits. Some people tend to join almost any loud and angry crowd. It is and always has been nothing less than demonically inspired.
This same predictive type of irrational behavior was capitalized on by the devil and his minion leaders at the theater in Ephesus in Acts 19 when 25,000 people joined what seemed like an impromptu riot. The bible says they did not even know why they were there. It was the same thing that happened in Jerusalem when the crowd believed the loud lies about Jesus and joined the mob to cry “crucify Him!” until the government finally agreed. The silly government thinks they are hearing the majority.
After being stripped, beaten, and thrown in jail to appease the mob, the Apostle Paul and Silas were ultimately found not guilty the next day and the magistrates apologized to them and let them out of prison. I am sure that made up for everything … shame on those who provoke violence and riot against all justice. They cause such horrible damage, irreparable in some cases. What about all the souls who would have been saved and set free in Philippi if that mob would not have allowed themselves to be used by the devil to stop something God was doing in their nation? Saddest of all realities … “what could have been!” Such a shallow government.
Although not in the wrong, Paul and Silas were forced to leave Philippi and so they journeyed southwards about three days to the city of Thessalonica. When bad people stop good people from doing good things for others, the good people don’t make trouble, they simply go to the next place and try to help people again. This is where we join Paul and Silas in the account of Acts 17. Paul was a true leader but sad to say, in AD51 the devil’s cancel culture was as alive and well in the city of Thessalonica as it was in Philippi. You have got to love the stamina and grace of a man who knows he has been called by God. The devil just can’t keep a good man down …
Acts 17 NLT
1 ¶ Paul and Silas then
traveled through the towns of Amphipolis and Apollonia and came to
Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue.
2 As was Paul’s custom, he
went to the synagogue service, and for three Sabbaths in a row he used the
Scriptures to reason with the people.
3 He explained the prophecies
and proved that the Messiah must suffer and rise from the dead. He said, “This
Jesus I’m telling you about is the Messiah.”
4 Some of the Jews who
listened were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with many God-fearing
Greek men and quite a few prominent women.
5 But some of the Jews were
jealous, so they gathered some troublemakers from the marketplace to form a mob
and start a riot. They attacked the home of Jason, searching for Paul and Silas
so they could drag them out to the crowd.
6 Not finding them there,
they dragged out Jason and some of the other believers instead and took them
before the city council. “Paul and Silas have caused trouble all over the
world,” they shouted, “and now they are here disturbing our city, too.
7 And Jason has welcomed them
into his home. They are all guilty of treason against Caesar, for they profess
allegiance to another king, named Jesus.”
8 The people of the city, as
well as the city council, were thrown into turmoil by these reports.
9 So the officials forced
Jason and the other believers to post bond, and then they released them.
10 ¶ That very night the
believers sent Paul and Silas to Berea. When they arrived there, they went to
the Jewish synagogue.
11 And the people of Berea
were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to
Paul’s message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and
Silas were teaching the truth.
12 As a result, many Jews
believed, as did many of the prominent Greek women and men.
13 But when some Jews in
Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God in Berea, they
went there and stirred up trouble.
14 The believers acted at
once, sending Paul on to the coast, while Silas and Timothy remained behind.
15 Those escorting Paul went
with him all the way to Athens; then they returned to Berea with instructions
for Silas and Timothy to hurry and join him.
What was the problem? Verse 5 describes a few jealous people who gathered troublemakers, formed a mob, started a riot, attacked the home of Paul’s supporters, and forced the residents and the whole city council into turmoil with their threats and accusations. Has any of the devil’s tactics really changed in the last 2000 years?
We can plainly see these things in scripture and as well how they are played out in our nation as well. The loud voices, violent mobs, riots, threats, destruction, restrictions, loss of freedom, bullying, intimidation, stirring up trouble, denial of rights, turmoil, fear, ungodliness, and chaos, all designed to intimidate and control the city council to do what the devil wants. Those who riot, riot in darkness and rail against all goodness and safety. These jealously motivated mobs are clearly on the side of the devil and those who promote, support, or protect them are the truly guilty ones.
I am afraid God has left the destiny of each soul up to their own choosing.
As for the Apostle Paul and those who accompanied him during that year - never did we see them hurt or foul any person or cause anyone to suffer loss, pain, or personal injustice. Instead, when the year had ended, Paul set himself in a place to write a letter to those in Thessalonica and encourage them how to behave themselves in the face of such ungodly adversaries. Let’s read Paul’s admonition given to us by the Holy Spirit and take heart that our God will yet be glorified even in our day.
1 Thessalonians 5
12 And we urge you, brethren,
to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and
admonish you,
13 and to esteem them very
highly in love for their work’s sake. Be at peace among yourselves.
14 Now we exhort you,
brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak,
be patient with all.
15 See that no one renders
evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and
for all.
16 ¶ Rejoice always,
17 pray without ceasing,
18 in everything give thanks;
for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
19 Do not quench the Spirit.
20 Do not despise prophecies.
21 Test all things; hold fast
what is good.
22 Abstain from every form of
evil.
Today we enter Thanksgiving week in the United States. As a nation we have so much for which to be thankful and yet we have such need of divine intervention to know the will of Almighty God for this next season in America. I admonish you to pray and ask God about His will and not to only rely on what you think is best or just follow the loudest voices.
Whatever the Holy Spirit lays on you heart, remember God will not encourage, support, or condone ungodliness, rioting, threats, intimidation, bullying, destructive behavior, bodily harm, or verbal assaults, and neither should we. These things are the exclusive work of the devil and those who support or engage in these things are doing our nation and our Lord a great disservice.
This morning I have three important questions for us to consider:
1.
Do you know the will of God?
a. Have you asked Him?
b. Do you care?
c. How will you recognize
God’s will from the devil’s will?
2.
What is your duty to Christ?
a. Keep praying
b. Give thanks
c. Abstain from every
form of evil.
3.
Who do you recognize as God’s approved leader in your life?
