The King Who Turns the World Upside Down

Written By Erin Evans

Acts 17:1-15

Wherever Jesus is, there you will find a life turned upside down. Following Jesus changes us from the inside out and calls us to know Him, proclaim Him, and seek Him through His Word.

Paul Proclaims King Jesus

Paul, Silas, and Timothy arrive in Thessalonica and begin teaching in the synagogue. Paul reasons, explains, proves, and proclaims from the Scriptures.

Read Acts 17:1–4

What does Paul show from the Scriptures?

  • The Messiah had to suffer.

  • The Messiah had to rise from the dead.

  • Jesus is the Christ.

Paul wasn't simply teaching people about an idea or philosophy. He was proclaiming that Jesus is the real, risen Messiah and King.

Dive Deeper

  1. What do you notice about the way Paul used Scripture when speaking with the people?

  2. Why is it important that our faith is centered on the real person of Jesus rather than simply on His teachings?

  3. What does it mean to you personally that Jesus is King?

Jesus Is More Than an Idea

It is possible to study the Bible, appreciate its wisdom, or even admire Jesus without truly knowing Jesus. Jesus calls His followers to abide in Him.

Read John 15:4–5

Read John 17:3

Eternal life is not simply knowing facts about Jesus. It is knowing Jesus and abiding in Him. (Abiding means -continuing for a long time)

Think about it

  1. What is the difference between knowing about Jesus and knowing Jesus?

  2. What does “abiding” in Jesus look like in everyday life?

  3. Are there areas of your life that you tend to keep separate from Jesus?

We Proclaim — But God Changes Hearts

Paul faithfully proclaimed Christ, but the Holy Spirit was the One who brought conviction and changed hearts.

Read 1 Thessalonians 1:4–5

Paul recognized that the Gospel came not only in words, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit.

Dive Deeper

  1. Why is prayer so important when we share Christ with others?

  2. Who in your life needs you to faithfully pray for the Holy Spirit to work in their heart?

  3. How does knowing that God changes hearts take some of the pressure off of us?

Proclaim Christ faithfully. Pray faithfully.

Trust the Spirit to work.

The Gospel Changes the Way We Live

The people who believed the Gospel in Thessalonica began living differently. Their allegiance to Jesus challenged the world around them. The central accusation against Paul and the others was: “There is another king, Jesus.” Jesus isn't simply Lord of our Sundays. He is Lord of our whole lives.

Think about it

  1. What areas of life are easy for you to give to Jesus?

  2. What areas are harder to surrender?

  3. What would it look like for Jesus to be King over your:

    • Work?

    • Family?

    • Hobbies?

    • Finances?

    • Fears?

    • Dreams?

There is not one square inch of the human heart that does not belong to King Jesus.

The Bereans Examined the Scriptures

Paul and Silas arrive in Berea.

Read Acts 17:10–12

Luke describes the Bereans as noble because they were willing to listen and then examined the Scriptures every day to see whether what Paul taught was true.

Consider

  1. What did the Bereans do differently?

  2. Why is it important that they didn't simply accept Paul's words without examining Scripture?

  3. What does it look like to examine Scripture daily?

  4. What tends to keep you from spending time in God's Word?

Are You More Like a Thessalonian or a Berean?

Thessalonian pattern

  • Comes to Christ

  • Hears the Word

  • Primarily waits for Sunday

Berean pattern

  • Comes to Christ

  • Hears the Word

  • Searches the Scriptures daily

  • Develops a hunger for God's Word

The point isn't to question someone's faith. The challenge is to consider how deeply we are pursuing Christ throughout the week.

Take a few minutes to think on these questions:

KNOW - Do I know Jesus, or am I primarily trying to know about Jesus?

ABIDE - What would it look like for me to abide in Christ this week?

PROCLAIM - Who is one person I can pray for and faithfully point toward Jesus?

SEARCH- How can I make God's Word a daily part of my life?

SURRENDER - Is there an area of my life where I need to recognize Jesus as King?

This Week, Choose simple practice:

Spend time in God's Word every day this week.

It doesn't have to be complicated. Read a passage, slow down, ask God to help you understand it, and pray for His Spirit to work in your heart.

Maybe you don't need to wait until Sunday to meet with Christ.

Maybe you need to meet Him on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, too.

Erin Evans
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The Philippian Jailer