We're going to continue our study of Luke's second account of Jesus' ministry, the book of Acts.
So if you have a copy of God's Word, I hope you do today.
Please turn to Acts chapter 17.
You've heard me, if you've been here, call this Luke's second account, the Acts of the risen Jesus.
Jesus has ascended and he has sent his spirit that now abides in the lives of the disciples.
And they are working out Jesus' purpose in the world by the power of that spirit.
So we're going to look today at Acts chapter 17, verses 1 through 9.
And let me remind you before I read that this is God's Word to us.
It was written for his glory and for our good.
And as such, we would all do well to listen to it in order to believe its promises and obey its commands.
I'll begin reading in verse 1.
Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, I hope I said this right,
they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews.
And Paul went in as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures,
explaining 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.
And 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.
But the Jews were jealous.
And taking some wicked men of the rabble, they formed a mob,
setting the city in an uproar, and attacked the house of Jason,
seeking to bring them out to the crowd.
And 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.
And Jason has received them, and they're all acting against the decrees of Caesar,
saying that there is another king, Jesus.
And the people and the city authorities were disturbed when they heard these things.
When they had taken money as security from Jason and the rest, they let them go.
Now this morning, we're going to structure our study of today's text around four points.
And they alliterate.
Praise God, I love it when this works out.
Four points, and they are as follows.
I'm going to give them to you quickly, and then we'll go back through them.
Number one, gospel courage.
Number two, gospel clarity.
Number three, gospel conversion.
And number four, gospel conflict.
Before we get into those, though, let's look a little bit at the geographic and anthropologic background.
What's happening?
Where have they gone?
What is the significance of the city of Thessalonica?
You can see there in verse one that they pass through, and here we go again.
I should practice these words before I get up here.
Amphipolis, I think.
And Apollonia, maybe.
They came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews.
The missionary band that we've been observing through chapter 16 is now traveling southwest along the Roman highway known as the Ignatian Way.
And we see that the first city is about 30 miles from Philippi.
The second, another 30 miles from the first.
And Thessalonica, just under 40 miles from the second.
I'm avoiding saying those city names again.
So what's likely is that Luke's record is suggesting to us that they made a three-day journey from Philippi to Thessalonica.
That's why he lists these cities off.
Because nothing significant seems to happen there.
And by the phrase, where there was a synagogue of the Jews in Thessalonica, that probably what's being implied is that there were not synagogues in either of the two first cities.
Additionally, some have suggested that the missionary band were traveling on horseback provided by the generosity of the Philippian church since they had recently been beaten and imprisoned in Philippi.
If you look back in chapter 16, you can note that.
Likely not very strong in frame to travel such a long distance.
And certainly, 30 miles in a day, for those of you who are hikers, is a stout trek, even when you're in very good health.
So it's likely that they're now traveling by the equine way to these cities.
Note also, at this point, that Luke returns to the third person pronouns, they.
He's previously in chapter 16 been saying we, now he says they.
And so probably, for unknown reasons, Luke did not accompany them to Thessalonica.
He probably stayed in Philippi.
We're not sure why.
Thessalonica was the capital of Macedonia and had a population of roughly 200,000 people.
So it's a big city.
And certainly, by ancient standards, a massive city.
Think of the size of Birmingham, which is just a little over 200,000 people, or Chattanooga, which is just a little under 200,000 people.
And that was the city of Thessalonica.
And it was significant as it was along the Ignatian Highway, as well as being a port city on the Aegean Sea.
So lots of traffic is flowing through this place.
And we'll see in some future time that it becomes a very significant place for the advance of the gospel in the known world.
Further, before we begin our first point, I want to draw our attention to a phrase in our text in verse 6.
The phrase is this.
In the accusation, these men who have turned the world upside down.
I love that phrase.
These men who have turned the world upside down.
I hope someday that I'm accused of the same, having turned the world upside down.
I don't think that their accusers really understood how accurate their accusation was.
They meant these men are disrupting our Roman rule.
These men are seeking to set up a different king.
But isn't it really true that the world as we know it, the world that we walk in, is already upside down?
The worship of self and the worship of things rather than the worship of the creator God.
So in many senses, this missionary band is really turning the world right side up.
Calling people back to the worship of God in Christ.
So, with that in mind, turning the world upside down, let's look at our four points and let's start with gospel courage.
So you note that they travel from Philippi, where they had suffered beating and imprisonment at the hands of the Philippian people.
Not the Philippian believers, but the Philippian people, the Philippians.
And what do they do?
They travel through these cities and they go back to the same place in a new city that caused all of the trouble in the last city that they were in.
The theme of Christian persecution should not be foreign to you as a student of the Bible.
It also should not be foreign to you as a participant in our study of Acts.
If you've been here on Sunday mornings with us, it shouldn't surprise you that once again we're going to see new conflict and new courage on behalf of the disciples of Jesus Christ.
Let me run into you in our study of Acts.
We have seen the arrest and trial of Peter and John in chapters 3 and 4.
The apostles' arrest and beating in chapter 5.
Stephen's arrest and martyrdom is the first Christian martyr in chapters 6 and 7.
We get a break for a chapter.
The plot to kill Paul in chapter 9.
The murder of James and another arrest of Peter in chapter 12.
Barnabas and Paul's opposition on Cyprus in chapter 13.
The attempted stoning of Barnabas and Paul in Iconium.
And the successful stoning of Paul in Lystra in chapter 14.
And Paul and Silas attacked, beaten with rods, and imprisoned in chapter 16.
As students of the Gospels, this should not surprise us.
Jesus states to the apostles in John chapter 15, verses 18 and 19,
If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.
Now the if there, if the world hates you, seems kind of hopeful, doesn't it?
Like maybe the world won't hate us.
Is it possible that it won't?
Jesus seems to say, you may not be hated, but if you are, know that I was hated first.
But oh, we must read on to verse 19.
Jesus says in verse 18,
If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.
Verse 19 says,
If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own.
But because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.
So the if of verse 18 is only conditioned on whether or not you are of the world or chosen out of the world.
So followers of Jesus Christ will meet opposition.
Persecution is the norm for the devoted follower of Christ, not the exception.
Of course, it will take various forms in various places and times.
We are not likely to be stripped naked and beaten with rods and imprisoned in the U.S.
But persecution is still normative for the follower of Jesus.
Paul says in 2 Timothy 3.12,
Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.
So what does it mean when the world doesn't push back at your faith?
It's not a faith in Christ at all.
Or it's a very weak faith.
It's not a godly life lived out because of that faith.
In the face of normative persecution, Paul and his companions are courageous.
They repeat the same process in another town.
They have not come up with a different strategy.
They haven't gotten together and Paul said,
Guys, it's really not working out for us.
This whole go to the town, go to the synagogue, preach the gospel thing.
We keep getting in trouble for doing that.
But they press on and they continue to do the same thing once again.
Knowing full well that some will believe the gospel and some will reject it.
They're not being naive.
They're being bold.
Paul recounts in 1 Thessalonians 2.2.
So a letter written to these believers that he's here visiting in our text.
Though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi,
as you know, we had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict.
So what is the source of such courage?
What is it that builds us up that we would have that kind of courage?
It's faith.
It's faith, an unshakable belief in God's providence and in God's goodness.
In Deuteronomy 31, verse 6,
Moses is addressing the Israelites.
Joshua is about to take over and lead them into the promised land.
And Moses says to the Israelites,
Be strong and courageous.
Do not fear or be in dread of them,
for it is the Lord your God who goes with you.
He will not leave you or forsake you.
A wonderful text that speaks of this is found in Romans chapter 8.
And I would love for you to turn there with me.
Keep your finger in Acts chapter 17.
Romans chapter 8, beginning in verse 31.
And I'm going to read through verse 39 because I can't help it.
This text is just too good.
Paul has just talked about the fact at the beginning of chapter 8
that there's no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
So in the midst of our failing as Christians,
we have great reason to press on into holiness.
He talks in that chapter about the way in which that happens,
setting our minds on the things of the Spirit,
walking by the Spirit so that we will not fulfill the desires of the flesh.
He talks about the way in which we long for that better place
where we're delivered from our flesh altogether.
That one day, even the creation groans for that to happen
as we walk in this very troubled world.
He says to us that all things work for good
for those who know God
and who are called according to His purpose.
And he speaks of God's providential calling of His people together.
And then he says this.
So those are these things he's referring to.
What then shall we say to these things?
If God is for us, who can be against us?
He who did not spare His own Son,
but gave Him up for us all,
how will He not also with Him graciously give us all things?
Who shall bring any charge against God's elect?
It is God who justifies.
Who is to condemn?
Jesus Christ is the one who died,
more than that who was raised,
who is at the right hand of God,
who indeed is interceding for us.
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?
Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution,
or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?
As it is written,
for your sake we are being killed all the day long.
We are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.
And what Paul is saying is that
this is a thing that has come to pass
and will continue to come to pass.
Will that separate us?
No.
Verse 37.
In all these things we are more than conquerors
through Him who loved us.
For I am sure that neither death nor life,
nor angels, nor rulers,
nor things present, nor things to come,
nor powers, nor height, nor depth,
nor anything else in all creation
will be able to separate us
from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
It is faith in these promises,
in this reality,
that presses us to courage.
By faith we can have an unshakable belief
in God's providence,
His good rule over the earth,
His goodness towards us,
which will lead us to boldness.
Do you believe that God is in control of all things?
If you lack gospel boldness,
you must ask yourself why.
Why?
Why do I lack gospel boldness?
What causes you to shrink back
when you should press forward?
Your timidity,
your fear to press on,
your lack of courage,
your lack of boldness
is rooted in your lack of faith.
And that's where you need to go.
And that's where you need to confess
and then turn from that sin.
So we see gospel courage
that we can all learn from.
Secondly, gospel clarity.
Gospel clarity.
So they've come to a synagogue in Thessalonica.
And Paul goes in as was his custom.
He had made a practice of doing this.
Paul began at the synagogue
where he could find Jews
and what's often referred to as
God-fearing Gentiles.
Whether these are Gentile people,
non-Jewish people
that had converted to Judaism,
or they were simply people
who were there seeking out God
and His ways
and trying to understand
how they could live appropriately
in relationship with Him.
And Paul does this, I think,
for two reasons.
Number one, his commitment to his people.
You can read about that in Romans 9,
the very beginning of chapter 9.
Paul, even as the apostle to the Gentiles,
as he calls himself,
so had a heart for his people,
still wanted them to turn to Christ.
And secondly,
I believe it was a practical starting point,
as these were people
who were familiar with the Scriptures.
It was a great place to begin
gospel advance
with people who were already familiar
with what we call our Old Testament,
their Scriptures.
And as he's there with them
on three Sabbath days,
so three weeks,
could have been longer.
The book of 1 Thessalonians
makes us think that he was actually there
for a much longer time,
but at least these three Sabbath days,
he reasoned with them.
And the word that is here translated
reasoned is the Greek word
dialegomai,
from which we get the English word
dialogue.
So he had a conversation
with them,
and there's a good and proper place for that.
This isn't it,
but there's a good time
to sit and discuss
and to reason with people.
So he taught
and he fielded questions.
He allowed people to ask him
questions about what
he was thinking.
Do not think
that when you are given
the opportunity
to share your faith
that you have to go on blast mode.
Rarely is that the way
to approach it.
Being able to settle
into a conversation
and meet objections
with kindness
is an important aspect
of faithful gospel witness.
Slow your roll
and talk with people.
Get to know them.
Two axioms for sharing your faith.
We're all different.
Try to meet people
where they are.
Every one of us
is different.
We have a different background,
a different story.
Second,
and more importantly,
we are all the same.
We're all living
in this greater
meta-narrative
of God's
redemptive work.
Meet people
where they are
and draw them up
into that larger story
and do that
with a conversation.
Don't blah
and run away.
Peter writes
in 1 Peter 3.15,
In your hearts,
honor Christ the Lord
as holy
or sanctify Christ
in your hearts.
Always being prepared
to make a defense
to anyone
who asks you
for a reason
for the hope
that is in you.
And just in case
your mind goes to defense,
you think of being defensive.
Peter says,
Yet,
do it with gentleness
and respect.
No one's attacking you
personally
when they object
to the Gospel.
Right?
They're attacking the Gospel.
Calm down.
Address their complaints.
You'll also note
that He reasoned with them
from the Scriptures.
He reasoned with them
from the Scriptures.
It is much better
in those conversations
rather than saying,
I think
or I believe
to say,
the Bible says.
Appeal to God's authority.
Right?
Speak with authority
as you speak
the Bible
to people.
It's God's Word.
Let people have a problem
with God's Word.
I have been approached
many times
in the past eight years
by people
who do not like
what I say.
This is their perspective.
And I simply say to them,
but did I say that
or did the Lord say it?
And when they admit
that it's in the Bible,
I go,
your problem is not with me.
Your problem is with God.
Repent and believe.
Right?
Paul employed the Bible.
Right?
He employed the Bible.
It's what we call
our Old Testament.
And he clarified
their misconceptions
about the Christ.
That's what's happening here
as he's reasoning
with them.
The common understanding
of the day
was that the Messiah
would come
as a conquering
political figure.
That he would restore
Israel to its former glory.
Right?
That the blessings
of the Messiah
were temporal blessings.
That he was coming
to earth
to set all things right.
Pre-Babylonian captivity.
The idea
that it was necessary
for the Christ
to suffer
and to rise
from the dead
would have been
far removed
from their thinking.
Entirely
out of their framework.
Now Luke
does not share
with us
Paul's apologetic process.
But he likely
spoke of the types
of the sacrificial system
and referred to texts
like Psalm 22,
Psalm 16,
and Isaiah 53
to prove
this Jesus
whom I proclaim
to you
is
the Christ.
He put
Jesus Christ
in the proper
context
and showed
that he had to.
He had to suffer
and die
and be raised
again.
Paul said this
of his time
in Thessalonica
and of his
current ministry
in 1 Thessalonians
chapter 2
verses 3 and 4.
And when I say
current ministry
I don't mean today.
I mean
when he wrote it
to the Thessalonians.
For our appeal
does not spring
from error
or purity
or impurity
or any attempt
to deceive.
But just as we
have been approved
by God
to be entrusted
with the gospel
so we speak
not to please man
but to please God
who tests
our hearts.
So what does this
mean for us?
What do we do
with that?
I don't know
about you
but I don't often
encounter
strict adherence
of Judaism.
So if you
encounter someone
who is aware
of the law
of God
and their
transgression
of it
you can think
of the Jews
and the God
fearing Gentiles
in that framework
right?
They're aware
of the law
of God
and they're aware
of their
transgression
of it
preach Jesus
Christ to them
speak to them
of the grace
that's found
in Christ.
If you encounter
someone who is
not aware
of the law
of God
they have no
biblical framework
at all
and their
transgression
of it
they need
that first
they need
to feel
the weight
of their
sinfulness
they need
to know
that they
need a
savior
this is why
we preach
sin
in this church
you need to
know that
you need
a deliverer
you find
those people
preach
the law
of God
and the
grace
of God
which is
found in
Jesus
as the
Christ
and beloved
you need
to know
your
bible
to do
so
the
old
testament
spoke
of the
promised
Christ
we have
in addition
to that
and the
old
testament
is still
a very
useful
tool
to this
end
but we
have
in addition
to that
the
new
testament
the
fulfillment
of that
promise
use
both
use it
richly
and
well
in
preaching
to you
week
in
and
week
out
it
is
my
earnest
hope
that
you
are
becoming
fluent
in
the
gospel
that
you
are
growing
in
your
knowledge
of
the
bible
that
you
can
speak
with
greater
clarity
concerning
Jesus
Christ
this is
sometimes
not every
time
sometimes
why
I
walk
you
through
hermeneutic
principles
how do
I
study
the
bible
how do
I
arrive
at
the
view
that
I
hold
I
want
you
need
to
come
in
here
and
you
need
to
be
actively
seeking
you
need
to
want
to
grow
in
those
ways
now
sermons
are
necessary
and
they
are
important
but
they
are
also
not
enough
you
need
to
be
a
student
of
the
bible
outside
of
Sunday
morning
sermon
consumption
beware
the
instagram
bible
it
is
not
sufficient
for
you
to
scroll
a
feed
and
look
at
a
bit
of
a
verse
out
of
its
context
with
a
pretty
background
those
things
can
be
encouraging
to
your
soul
but
it's
not
enough
beware
of
your
only
consumption
of
God's
word
being
in
devotion
form
100
words
on
half
a
page
is
not
enough
to
feed
your
soul
it
can
augment
that
they're
not
bad
but
you
need
to
be
feasting
!
and
feasting
heavily
on
the
word
of
God
when
you
do
listen
to
sermons
you
come
here
on
Sunday
mornings
and
you
listen
to
sermons
prepare
yourself
for
that
come
prepared
you
can
get
up
early
on
Sundays
just
like
other
days
of
the
week
pray
bring
a
notepad
put
a
pin
in
your
hand
do
not
look
in
my
preaching
for
tweetable
moments
the
Southern
Baptist
leader
recently
who
tweeted
an article
suggesting
that you
encourage
your
people
to
tweet
parts
of
your
sermons
in
order
to
promote
your
church
do
not
do
that
invite
your
friends
and
your
family
saved
and
lost
to
come
and
hear
preaching
we
record
sermons
if
you
miss
a
week
and
you
want
to
go
back
and
try
to
catch
up
and
stay
where
we
are
in
the
text
don't
look
for
little
snippets
in
the
things
that
I'm
saying
or
anybody
here
preaches
right
listen
actively
right
catch
the
thrust
of
where
we're
going
one
of my
greatest
frustrations
as
pastor
is
the
person
who
comes
to
me
and
complains
about
something
I
said
and
entirely
misses
the
context
in
which
I
said
it
will
say
I
don't
think
it
was
right
for
you
to
say
that
and
I'll
go
well
I
said
right
after
that
the
statement
that
completely
clarified
the
thing
that
they
got
hung
up
on
so
listen
pay
attention
to
what's
going
on
I
have
found
that
I
find
the
most
valuable
form
of
rhetoric
for
me
is
I
like
to
make
big
bold
statements
that
make
you
go
what
and
then
explain
it
I
like
to
lay
out
premises
for
you
and
then
explain
it
I
think
some
of
you
want
it
the
other
way
around
where
I
like
gently
and
slowly
back
into
an
idea
and
then
drop
it
at
the
end
and
maybe
I
should
try
that
from
what
I
mean
don't
look
for
the
tweetable
moments
be
an
active
listener
take
notes
if
you
were
coming
here
on
Sunday
morning
it
is
a
very
rare
Sunday
that
we
don't
preach
the
full
gospel
of
Jesus
Christ
within
the
sermon
and
I
try
to
do
these
quick
summaries
for
you
that
you
can
pick
up
and
you
can
take
and
use
as
well
so
pay
attention
to
that
kind
of
thing
happening
further
the
gathering
of the
church
right
what
we're
doing
here
on
Sunday
mornings
is
primarily
for
the
believer
that
is
not
to
say
that
a
lost
person
cannot
come
here
we
are
glad
to
have
unsaved
people
here
to hear
the
gospel
of
Jesus
Christ
but
it
is
not
primarily
for
that
lost
person
it's
primarily
for
the
believer
to
be
equipped
for
every
good
work
to
be
equipped
for
every
good
work
so
the
gathering
of
the
church
is
for
the
believer
the
going
of
the
church
is
for
the
unbeliever
we
take
what
we
learn
here
and
we're
enriched
by
here
we
are
minded
to
fight
together
we sing
gospel
songs
and
we
go
out
of
this
place
to
take
it
by
storm
and
to
turn
it
upside
down
so
gospel
clarity
thirdly
gospel
conversion
in
verse 4
we see
that
some
of
them
this
is
referring
to
the
Jews
were
persuaded
and
joined
Paul
and
Silas
as
did
a
great
many
of
the
devout
that
be
that
kind
of
God
fearing
Greek
Gentile
and
not
a
few
of
the
leading
women
where
the
gospel
is
preached
with
courage
and
with
clarity
and
blessed
by the
working
of the
Holy
Spirit
it
will
yield
conversion
the
spiritually
dead
are
made
spiritually
alive
the
Puritan
pastor
Thomas
Watson
wrote
this
and
this
is
driving
this
kind
of
added
idea
of
blessed
by the
working
of the
Holy
Spirit
we're
not
being
pragmatic
right
be
bold
and
speak
with
clarity
and
people
will
come
to
Christ
but
and
also
blessed
by the
working
of the
Holy
Spirit
he
wrote
this
the
word
is
the
instrumental
cause
of
our
conversion
the
spirit
is
the
officiant
the
ministers
of
God
are
only
the
pipes
and
organs
it
is
the
spirit
blowing
in
them
that
effectually
changes
the
heart
it
is
not
the
farmer's
industry
in
plowing
and
sowing
that
will
make
the
ground
fruitful
without
the
early
and
latter
rain
so it
is
not
the
seed
of
the
word
that
will
effectually
convert
unless
the
spirit
puts
forth
his
sweet
influence
and
drops
as
rain
upon
the
heart
therefore
the
aid
of
God's
spirit
is
to
be
implored
prayed
for
plead
with
God
that
he
would
work
in
our
gospel
proclamation
that
he
would
put
forth
his
powerful
voice
and
awaken
us
out
of
the
grave
of
unbelief
if
a
man
knocked
at
a
gate
of
brass
it
will
not
open
but
if
he
comes
with
a
key
in
his
hand
it
will
open
so
when
God
who
has
the
key
comes
he
opens
the
heart
though
it
be
ever
so
fast
locked
against
him
a
I'm neither encouraged or discouraged
by the lack of turning pages.
First of all, this is chapter 1, verses 2-10.
Paul's writing to the Thessalonians.
We give thanks to God always for all of you,
constantly mentioning you in our prayers,
remembering before our God and Father
your work of faith and labor of love
and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
For we know, brothers, loved by God,
that He has chosen you because our gospel came to you
not only in word, but also in power
and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction.
You know what kind of men we prove to be among you
for your sake.
And you became imitators of us and of the Lord.
For you received the word in much affliction
with the joy of the Holy Spirit,
so that you became an example to all the believers
in Macedonia and in Achaia,
which is region south of Macedonia.
For not only has the word of the Lord
sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia,
but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere,
likely known world,
so that we need not say anything.
For they themselves, believers in the world,
report concerning us the kind of reception
we had among you
and how you 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 delivers us from the wrath to come.
And so you see the Thessalonian believers, right,
in the midst of great conflict.
And we get some hint of that with Jason
who was hosting this missionary band
being put on trial.
We don't know where the missionary band has gone to.
They couldn't be found.
Where exactly they are, we don't know.
Put on trial and released with some bond.
So they received the word of God
and much conflict, much affliction.
1 Thessalonians 1.6 says,
And the gospel was going forth.
So the disciples of Jesus Christ,
made courageous by faith,
speaking the gospel with clarity,
empowered by the Holy Spirit,
makes converts.
Let us consider today the example of Paul
and the example of the Thessalonian converts.
We are to be about the work of conversion.
And as we consider that,
let us also remember that
not everyone will respond faithfully
to the gospel message.
And that's our fourth point, gospel conflict.
Gospel conflict.
See in verse 5 that the Jews become jealous.
People are turning from Judaism.
Both Jews and those God-fearing Gentiles
are turning from Judaism
to worship Christ.
They're no longer listening to them any longer.
And in order to counteract that,
they go to the rabble.
They go to the common folk of the street
and find wicked men.
They go seek out men that they know
will cause an uprising.
It's very ironic that they accuse
the apostles of turning the world upside down
and they go find the most wicked of men
to cause a stir in the city.
And because of these accusations brought against them,
they're going to raise up another king,
this Jesus.
These men thinking still in temporal ways
are disturbed when they hear these things.
It is a good desire
to want everyone to whom the gospel is preached
to respond in faith to the gospel message.
It's good.
It's good when we preach the gospel
to want people,
to desire people to respond in faith.
to rightly see people in their distress,
which they most often don't see themselves.
You're in a desperate place
if you're not in Christ.
Your end is destruction.
The people of God see that.
And to see that and to offer them
the relief that they so desperately need,
only to have it refused,
can bring much discouragement to the soul.
I've been there.
working with a person,
pressing them to repentance and faith,
and they just at every turn
reject the good news of the gospel of Christ.
So how do we hold up?
How do we bear up
when people reject the gospel?
We hold tightly to the providence of God.
We pick up that faith,
believing in God's good,
sovereign control.
We trust that He is in control
of all things at all times,
and we press on.
We keep preaching and living
the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The gospel,
courageously proclaimed with clarity,
empowered by the Spirit,
will yield conversion,
which causes conflict.
Not everyone wants to hear
the gospel message.
It's offensive
in the best possible way.
I read to you a number of references
that speak to this
in the very first point
for this morning,
so I don't want to go back
and belabor that.
But let me read to you one more,
and I'm going to finish with this text.
Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 2,
verses 14 through 17.
Thanks be to God,
who in Christ always leads us
in triumphal procession,
and through us spreads the fragrance
of the knowledge of Him everywhere.
For we are the aroma of Christ to God
among those who are being saved
and among those who are perishing.
To one a fragrance from death to death,
to the other a fragrance from life to life.
Who is sufficient for these things?
For we are not like so many peddlers
of God's Word,
but as men of sincerity,
as commissioned by God,
in the sight of God,
we speak in Christ.
Let's pray together.