A sermon by Dr. Harold Clayton
Turning The World Upside Down

Text: Acts 17:1-9

1 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews:

2 And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,

3 Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.

4 And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few. 

5 But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people.

6 And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also;

7 Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus.

8 And they troubled the people and the rulers of the city, when they heard these things.

9 And when they had taken security of Jason, and of the other, they let them go.

Acts 17:1-9

Notice V. 6

INTRO: The unbelieving Jews at Thessalonica described Paul and Silas as “These that have turned the world upside down....,” and how absolutely right their description was, for that is exactly what Paul and Silas were seeking to do!

and that is what you and I as Christians should be seeking to do in our day and generation. There was an old preacher who took these words from Acts 17:6 as his text, and the three points of his sermon were:

1. The world is wrong side up.

2. The world must be got right side up.

3. We are the fellows to do it!

The old preacher was right.

One great purpose the Lord had in saving us was that we in turn should make Him known to others. Have you ever stopped to think what would happen if every real Christian in the world set out to be a soul-winner?

Acts 17:6 tells us what would happen - the world would be turned upside down- or, of course, as it is at present wrong side-up, it would be right side up! What a challenge this thought is!

In Acts 17:1-9, we see seven characteristics of men and women who turn the world upside down - that is, of soul-winners. What are the marks of a soul-winner?

1. IF WE ARE TO WIN SOULS, WE MUST BE ABSOLUTELY AT THE DISPOSAL OF THE LORD, TO BE USED BY HIM WHEREVER AND WHATEVER WAY HE WANTS.

Acts 17:1, “Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews:” God’s servants were constantly on the move - “they...passed through...” With what object? The salvation of souls. What a great passion they had to win others to the Lord.

In Acts 9, we read of the conversion of Saul of Tarsus, and in verse 20 we are told that when his eyes were opened and he knew Christ as his own personal Saviour -

Acts 9:20, “And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues that he is the Son of God.” and for the rest of his earthly life this was his all-consuming passion. Wherever he found himself, whether it was in prison (Acts 16:29-31), the jailer, or in a palace (Phil. 1:13),

Or in a synagogue (Acts 17:1), or in the market place (Acts 17:17) His one great life-work was that of making Christ known. What ever place, circumstance he found himself, just there he was willing to witness for His Lord.

(Ill. Back in the 60’s Carlyle Brooks, from Highland Park Baptist Church, who was in his 80’s - listed in Ripley’s Believe It Or Not - visited in over 250,000 homes - <knockin’ on window> He would sing this song -

Do you know the world is dying For a little bit of love?
Everywhere we hear the sighing
For a little bit of love
For the love that rights a wrong
Fills the heart with hope and song
They have waited, oh, so long,
For a little bit of love.
From the poor of every city
For a little bit of love
Hands are reaching out in pity
For a little bit of love
Some have burdens hard to bear
Some have sorrow we would share
Shall they falter and despair
For a little bit of love?
Down before their idols falling
For a little bit of love
Many souls in vain are calling
For a little bit of love
If they die in sin and shame
Someone surely is to blame
For not going in His name
With a little bit of love.
Are you at His disposal?

II. IF WE ARE TO BE EFFECTIVE SOUL-WINNERS, WE MUST BE TREMENDOUSLY SENSITIVE
TO THE GUIDANCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

Acts 17:1 “Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews:”

Why did Paul and Silas, on their journey of 100 miles to Thessalonica pass, through Amphipolis and Appollonia?

Surely it was that they were under Divine orders; they were being led by the Holy Spirit. Philip was led to the Eunuch, (Acts 8:26-27), “And the Angel of the Lord spoke unto Philip, saying, arise, and go toward the south...”

Ananias was led to Saul (Acts 9:10,11 and 17)
Peter was led to Cornelius (Acts 10:19, 25)

Notice,

(Acts 16:7-8) “After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not. “and they passing by Mysia came down to Troas.” The question is often asked,

“How may we know to whom the Lord would have us witness?”

The answer is - The Holy Spirit will show us, but this, of course, means we must be in touch with the Holy Spirit, “walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost.”
(Acts 9:31)

III. IF WE WOULD WIN SOULS, WE MUST GO TO THOSE WHOM WE WOULD WIN, AND NOT
WAIT FOR THEM TO COME TO US.

(Acts 17:2) “And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them....” In other words, he did not wait for them to come to him, but he went and found those who needed to be saved. We have not authority for building our churches and then waiting for people to come in. Our only authority is to “Go!”

(Matthew 28:19) “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the son, and of the Holy Ghost.”

(Ps. 126:6) “He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.”

(Matt. 21:28) “...Son, go work today in my vineyard.” 

3 things that will build the work of the Lord:

1. work 2. work 3. work

We have to face the fact that very few lost just come into our services, and we have to go and find them. We have to do it systematically and intensively and continuously. How?

1. Through daily contacts

2. By taking folks to hear the Gospel

3. At school or in business

4. By Gospel tracts

5. By inviting neighbors into our home.

We must go to them and not wait.

IV IF WE WOULD WIN OTHERS, WE MUST ENDEAVOR TO MEET THOSE WHOM WE WOULD WIN ON THE GROUND OF A COMMON INTEREST

(Acts 17:2) “Paul...reasoned with them out of the scriptures..” That is, the Old Testament scriptures. They were Jews, and this was therefore Paul’s point of contact. He knew they would agree with him entirely as he reasoned from their scriptures. In like manner, we must find some point of contact with those whom we would win, and preferable something upon which they and we will agree.

Here are three good rules:

1. Be genuinely interested in the person you would win. If he likes old cares, be interested in old cars. If she likes to exercise, be interested in exercising. Flowers, eat out, ball, whatever........

2. Find something you can commend the person you would win. Beware of flattery, but sincere commendation is always appreciated. If you pat a dog, his tail will wag - Name, yard, dress, On the other hand, if you criticize the person you are seeking to win to Christ it will be very hard indeed to win him.

3. Do a favor for the person you would win. Find some way of helping them if they are in difficulty or trouble. Find some ground of common interest.

V. WE MUST BE WILLING TO WIN THEM WITH THE WORD OF GOD.

(Acts 17:23) “And Paul, as his manner ws, went in unto them, and three Sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures. Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.”

See how Paul used the Scriptures - verses 2-3,

1. He “reasoned with them...” (Isa. 1:18) “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”

2. He “reasoned with them out of the Scriptures...” He used the Word of God.

3. He employed the method of exposition - “opening..” verse by verse

4. He went from Scripture to Scripture - “alleging”

5. His message was the death and resurrection of Christ verse 3 To be a soul-winner you need to know something about the Word of God. Quote

Romans 10:9-13. Memorize.

VI IF WE WOULD SUCCESSFULLY WIN OTHERS, WE MUST HAVE THE GRACE OF PERSEVERANCE (Acts 17:2) tells us that Paul visited the synagogue “three Sabbath days.”

Soul-winning work is the hardest work in the world and for this reason we are apt to become easily discouraged.

But, (Gal. 6:9) “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” How easy to give up just at the critical moment! How many times souls are lost, because we fail to hold on until they are saved.

VII WE MUST NOT BE DISCOURAGED IF WE ONLY SAVE SOME, AND IF SOME DO NOT BELIEVE.

(Acts 17:4) “And some of them believed....”

But in verse 5 we are told about “the Jews which believed not...”

(1 Cor. 9:20-22) “And unto the Jews, I become as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law that I might gain them that are under the law; “To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law of Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. “To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak; I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means gain some.”

No fisherman expects to catch all the fish, but what a thrill it is to catch some!

When you get to Heaven will you have “some” or “one,” or “none”?

What are the marks of a soul-winner?

1. IF WE ARE TO WIN SOULS, WE MUST BE ABSOLUTELY AT THE DISPOSAL OF THE LORD, TO BE USED BY HIM WHEREVER AND WHATEVER WAY HE WANTS.

II. IF WE ARE TO BE EFFECTIVE SOUL-WINNERS, WE MUST BE TREMENDOUSLY SENSITIVE TO THE GUIDANCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

III. IF WE WOULD WIN SOULS, WE MUST GO TO THOSE WHOM WE WOULD WIN, AND NOT WAIT FOR THEM TO COME TO US.

IV IF WE WOULD WIN OTHERS, WE MUST ENDEAVOR TO MEET THOSE WHOM WE WOULD WIN ON THE GROUND OF A COMMON INTEREST

V. WE MUST BE WILLING TO WIN THEM WITH THE WORD OF GOD.

VI IF WE WOULD SUCCESSFULLY WIN OTHERS, WE MUST HAVE THE GRACE OF PERSEVERANCE

VII WE MUST NOT BE DISCOURAGED IF WE ONLY SAVE SOME, AND IF SOME DO NOT BELIEVE.

Seven marks of a soul-winner,

Ask God’s Holy Spirit to give you these seven marks.