This Can Turn the World Right Side Up
Sermon Delivered on July 26, 2009When they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. As his custom was, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 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. 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. 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 of the crowd. But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some other brothers before city officials, shouting: "These men who have caused trouble all over the world have now come here, and Jason welcomed them into his house. They are all defying Caesar's decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus." When they heard this, the crowd and the city officials were thrown into turmoil. Then they made Jason and the others post bond and let them go. Acts: 17:1-9
Christianity Challenges Existing Social Orders
Economic Structures
About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way. A silversmith name Demetrius, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought in no little business for the craftsmen. He called them together, along with the workmen in related trades, and said: "Men, you know receive a good income from this business. ... Paul ... says that man-made gods are no gods at all. There is danger not only that our trade will lose its good name, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited. Acts 19:23-27
Peer Pressure
Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong. When you give testimony in a lawsuit, do not pervert justice by siding with the crowd, and do not show favoritsm to a poor man in his lawsuit. Exodus 23:2-3
Government Authorities
But Pete and John replied, "Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you rather than God." Acts 4:19-20
Christianity Transforms the People Who Receive It
You became imitators of us and the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. And so you became the model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. The Lord's message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia - your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say anything about it, for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how your turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead - Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath. 1 Thessalonians 1:6-10
Transformed Christians Sowed the Seeds for Positive Social and Cultural Transformation
Respect of Children
Matthew 19:13-15
Respect of Women
Galatians 3:27
Providing for Needs of Others
Acts 4:34-35
Different View of Slavery
Philemon 15-16, 21
Obedience to Government Authorities
Romans 13:1, 6-7
Cultivation of the Arts
Philippians 4:8
Universal Education
2 Timothy 2:2