ACTS 17:1-9
CHAPTER 17 tude, and of the chief women c. Many influential women
not a few.
5 But the Jews which be- 4 The world’s reaction to
F. The Message that lieved not, moved with envy, the message
Turned the World took unto them certain lewd a. The reaction of the
Upside Down,
DS1
fellows of the baser sort, and religionists
DS2

17:1-9 gathered a company, and set b. The reaction of the
all the city on an uproar, and loafers, the idle, the
assaulted the house of Jason, disorderly
1 The messenger Now when they had passed and sought to bring them out c. The reaction of the
a. A man who kept on for through Amphipolis and Ap- to the people. average citizen
the Lord ollonia, they came to Thessa- 6 And when they found 5 The charge against the
b. A man who sowed the lonica, where was a synago- them not, they drew Jason message
gospel everywhere gue of the Jews: and certain brethren unto the a. Is revolutionary; is
c. A man who followed a 2 And Paul, as his manner rulers of the city, crying, insurrection
plan was, went in unto them, and These that have turned the
2 The message three sabbath days reasoned world upside down are come
a. The source & authori- with them out of the scrip- hither also;
ty: The Scripture tures, 7 Whom Jason hath received: b. Is a claim that Jesus is
b. The points 3 Opening and alleging, that and these all do contrary to King
1) Christ died Christ must needs have suf- the decrees of Caesar, saying
2) Christ arose fered, and risen again from that there is another king, one
3) Jesus is the Christ the dead; and that this Jesus, Jesus.
whom I preach unto you, is 8 And they troubled the peo- 6 The world’s fear of the
Christ. ple and the rulers of the city, message: Feared the loss
3 The results of the mes- 4 And some of them be- when they heard these things. of material possessions
sage: Many believed lieved, and consorted with 9 And when they had taken & positions


a. Jews Paul and Silas; and of the de- security of Jason, and of the
b. Many God-fearing Greeks vout Greeks a great multi- other, they let them go.


SALVATION: MAKING THE GOOD NEWS KNOWN

F. The Message that Turned the World Upside Down, 17:1-9

(17:1-9) Introduction: this is the message needed for today, the message that turned the ancient world upside down.
1. The messenger (v.1-2).
2. The message (v.2-3).
3. The results of the message: many believed (v.4).
4. The world’s reaction to the message (v.5).
5. The charge against the message (v.6-7).
6. The world’s fear of the message: feared the loss of material possessions and positions (v.8-9).


DEEPER STUDY # 1
(17:1-9) Thessalonica: the great city was the capital and the largest city of Macedonia. (See Map—Introduction to Acts.) It
had been founded by Cassander, the top military officer of Alexander the Great, after Alexander died. Under the Romans the
city had been made free because of its loyalty to Rome. As a free city it was allowed its own government and local laws. The
city had a natural harbor, but the primary factor contributing to the city’s greatness was that it lay right on the Roman road,
the Egnatian Way. In fact, the great road ran right through Thessalonica. It was the main street of the city, stretching all the
way from the Adriatic Sea to the Middle East. Trade and commerce bristled with all the accompanying vice that follows such
a metropolitan center. It was a great day when Paul walked into the city bringing the news of the glorious gospel. The gospel
was bound to spread out beyond to the world rather rapidly. The church at Thessalonica...
• was founded on Paul’s second missionary journey.
• was revisited by Paul (1 Cor.16:5).
• included some Jews and a large number of Greeks and influential women (Acts 17:4; 2 Th.3:4, 7-8).
• did not support Paul. He worked at a secular job while there (1 Th.2:9); however, he did receive financial help
from the church at Philippi (Ph.4:16).
• suffered persecution (1 Th.2:14).
• was well organized (1 Th.5:12).
• had several prominent believers known by name: Jason (Acts 17:6), Gaius (Acts 19:29), Aristarchus (Acts
19:29; 20:4), and Secundus (Acts 20:4).

1
(17:1-2) Minister—Paul: the messenger. As Paul traveled about proclaiming the gospel, he set a dynamic example for
every believer. Note three challenging points.
1. The messenger continued on for the Lord despite great opposition and terrible persecution from those who did not
understand the gospel (v.23-24, 39). Paul was the Lord’s, and he had been called by the Lord to preach the gospel. Even
more to the point, he knew the Lord personally—His glorious salvation—and he knew there were many persons who had
never heard the gospel. Therefore they were dying and doomed to an eternal hell. Even as Christ loved the world, Paul loved
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