I am sure you have come across people liking something you said or did … and you felt good … but there were also those who did not like what you said or did. As a preacher I have had some people being encouraged by my sermons and others becoming angry. It is quite phenomenal for a preacher to find some people responding well to his sermon and others detesting the very same message. It is the same words crafted from the same Bible passage received differently. Where one might say it is the individual’s democratic right to receive or reject whatever he or she likes to hear or not hear, the preacher knows this is an exposition from the Scriptures that some receive and others push away. Going still further, it is puzzling why some people are saved when hearing a particular Biblical sermon whilst the same words are like water off a duck’s back to others. The stabilizing factor for the preacher is what Jesus said:
Mt 7:13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”
Here we find the “many” and the “few” … the few are those who receive the Gospel and the many are those who reject it. Remember we ended off yesterday saying … “people do respond to the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ”? Please read the passage in Acts again:
Ac 17:5 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 to the crowd. 6 But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some other brothers before the city officials, shouting: “These men who have caused trouble all over the world have now come here, 7 and Jason has welcomed them into his house. They are all defying Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus.” 8 When they heard this, the crowd and the city officials were thrown into turmoil. 9 Then they made Jason and the others post bond and let them go.
1) People do reject the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. As has been said above … Paul preached one message each Sabbath Day. The same people came with more being added each time. Many responded favorably to what he said whilst others did not. Note who did not—the Jews!
Ac 17:5 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.
Only a few responded positively:
Ac 17:4 Some of the Jews were persuaded
Compared to verse 5 … “But the Jews were jealous”. Some believed and most were jealous … why? Luke tells us:
Ac 17:4 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.
Apart from the few Jews who believed, the majority were … a large number of God-fearing Greeks and not a few prominent women. These were either proselytes or potential proselytes to Judaism.
Recently we purchased a kettle for our room. When filled with water and switched on, a blue light is seen in the “water”. When the water boils, one sees the water’s agitation in the blue color. The bubbles show how the water moves crazily as it boils. This is what the Greek means for “jealous”, but includes envy, hatred and anger. These religious Jews were losing their grasp over the proselytes or potential proselytes. Their ground work had come to nothing. The potential growth of their synagogue was reduced. They were incensed.
How could these proselytes or potential proselytes so readily accept the Gospel Paul reached? The answer lies in the sovereignty of God. He chose a people before creation to be saved. These people are situated in all countries around the world. As they hear the Gospel, the Holy Spirit persuades them of the Truth, they respond and follow Jesus! Paul, Silas and Timothy were only servants to the Gospel. The Gospel applied by the Spirit did what it does … save souls!
We all know how dangerous and damaging jealousy can be. Look at what these Jews did … so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city. They used the tactics Trade Unions and Political Parties use in our day. They solicit the idle, riffraff to help them. The riot they created threw the city into confusion. We all know what happens when a mob moves through a city or business area. They ransack, damage and steal with the peaceful citizens and business owners not knowing what to do because of fear and panic. This was the direct result of the Jews jealousy. We who are Christian must never respond like this. It does not matter whether the forum is religious, political, entertainment or sports. God is of a sober mind and we His people need to be as well.
2) People respond in hatred and anger against the Gospel. I would think that most of the people involved in the riot did not understand the dynamics. The Jews did! Look at what these thugs did
Ac 17:5 They rushed to Jason’s house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd. 6 But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some other brothers before the city officials, shouting: “These men who have caused trouble all over the world have now come here, 7 and Jason has welcomed them into his house. They are all defying Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus.”
Keep in mind that the Jews were opposed to the Roman Empire and its Caesar. Now they use what they are against, as a tool to their advantage against Paul and those who have become followers of Jesus! It seems as though “Jason” was a convert who had been housing the missionary team. The mob rushed there to take Paul and Silas captive. In not finding them, they took Jason and a few other converts captive, hauling them before the magistrates. The accusation was that these captives had hosted those who were agitating people with seditious and revolutionary activities … coupled to Caesar’s kingship being challenged.
(1) Trouble was being caused all over the world.
(2) Jesus is King and not Caesar.
It is interesting … Jesus’ Kingdom is not of this world. It is otherworldly. It is easy to twist the Gospel and make it say whatever you want it to say, but Jesus’ Kingdom comprises of saved souls alive on earth who are still part of earthly kingdoms and saved souls who have died and are in heaven right now.
5) There was turmoil and release.
Ac 17:8 When they heard this, the crowd and the city officials were thrown into turmoil. 9 Then they made Jason and the others post bond and let them go.
The city magistrates realized Jason and these converts had not done anything wrong. This resulted in turmoil because the citizens were in uproar. For them the easiest was to make Jason and the converts “post bond” which saw their release. Post bond here means that they needed to swear and guarantee that there would be no more trouble, that the missionaries would not preach and agitate the Jews and that the missionaries would be kept safe. In essence what this meant is that Paul and his team needed to leave the city and move on. On the one hand it seems as though the forces of evil gained the victory, but on the other hand a Church had been planted with many converts. Mission accomplished. Was this not part of God’s intention?
Ac 16:9 During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.
Almighty, Sovereign Lord, thank You that You work in ways so amazing and exciting to us. Even when evil people oppose the Gospel and try to harm Your servants, You are in control. Help us to appreciate and enjoy Your sovereignty. Amen.