Where You Least Expect
Opening Prayer
Lord, I want to know You. I wait in Your presence today.
Read Acts 17:1–15
For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.
When Paul and his companions had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. 2 As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and proving that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead. “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah,” he said. 4 Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few prominent women.
5 But other 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 believers 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.
In Berea
10 As soon as it was night, the believers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. 11 Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. 12 As a result, many of them believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men.
13 But when the Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God at Berea, some of them went there too, agitating the crowds and stirring them up. 14 The believers immediately sent Paul to the coast, but Silas and Timothy stayed at Berea. 15 Those who escorted Paul brought him to Athens and then left with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible.
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
Think about the people who introduced you to Jesus, and thank God for their faithfulness, courage and obedience.Paul’s strategy when arriving in a new town was to head to the synagogue, the place where Jews would gather for worship and teaching. It wasn’t unusual for a visiting sage to be invited to speak, and Paul had great credentials (Phil. 3:5,6).
It was a sensible strategy. In many ways, the Jews were more likely than anyone to understand and embrace what Paul had to tell them. They were familiar with the Scriptures and they were looking for the Messiah. Paul could approach them with reason. He could explain, prove (3) and persuade (4) them to see that Jesus was the way to God.
And yet, although some of them were won over, others were jealous enough to incite a riot to get rid of him (5). And it was the “God-fearing Greeks and… prominent women” who were converted in great numbers.
There is a place for a reasoned defense of the Christian faith, and it makes sense to assume that those with some background and familiarity with the Bible might be more receptive to an invitation to follow Jesus. But the most unlikely people have hearts ready to respond; we mustn’t withhold our message of hope from anyone.
Apply
Read the parable about the sower and the seeds in Mark 4:1–20. Think of someone in your life whom you could “sow a seed” into.
Closing prayer
Lord, I pray that those with whom I share the faith would have hearts that are receptive.
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