Paul preaches in Thessalonica
Acts 17:1-9
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.
“Some of the Jews listened and were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas … but some of the Jews were jealous, so they gathered some troublemakers from the marketplace, formed a mob and attacked the home of Jason…”
2 Corinthians 2:14-16 says: The Gospel is the aroma of life, sweet perfume, fragrance of heaven to those who seek life. However, to those who are perishing we are the dreadful smell of death and doom.
The Gospel transforms hearts and minds, transforms lives, transforms Communities, and transforms nations.
God is passionate about us sharing our faith and living out our faith in our families, friends and Communities.
Paul was a master at understanding the Torah and was able to reason with the people in Thessalonica, explain the prophecies and prove that the Messiah had to die as the last sacrifice for our sin.
It is good for us to learn how to craft our testimony, our understanding and revelation of who Jesus Christ is to us. God uses each of us to share our experience of Jesus Christ and who He is, to bring truth and life to others. Each of us is given our own story and our own journey, for this reason.
I love it when I hear people share their story: “I was lost, and now I am found”.
Lord Jesus, thank you for saving me, for revealing yourself to me. I am forever grateful of the revelation of who you are and who I am because of you. Thank you for dying for me, for forgiving me, for rescuing me. I choose this day to live for you all the days of my life. Lead me each day to those who are searching and lost. In Jesus name, Amen.
Written by Ps. Sue Botta