Daily Lesson for August 2, 2019

Today’s Daily Lesson comes from Acts chapter 17 verses 1 through 9:

After Paul and Silas had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. 2And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three sabbath days argued with them from the scriptures,3explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Messiah to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, ‘This is the Messiah, Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you.’4Some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a great many of the devout Greeks and not a few of the leading women. 5But the Jews became jealous, and with the help of some ruffians in the market-places they formed a mob and set the city in an uproar. While they were searching for Paul and Silas to bring them out to the assembly, they attacked Jason’s house. 6When they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some believers before the city authorities, shouting, ‘These people who have been turning the world upside down have come here also,7and Jason has entertained them as guests. They are all acting contrary to the decrees of the emperor, saying that there is another king named Jesus.’ 8The people and the city officials were disturbed when they heard this, 9and after they had taken bail from Jason and the others, they let them go.

Do not believe the charges. 

The charges against the disciples were that they were “turning the world upside down”.  And surely to those accustomed to and even beneficiaries of the status quo it must have felt like their world was being upended.

But not everyone was so comfortable in Caesar’s Rome. Not everyone was so pleased with the status quo. And so when Paul and Silas came preaching a new king other than Caesar — one named Jesus the Messiah — many rejoiced and were glad. For to them the world was not being turned upside down, but rightside up. 

Those who are against substantive change in this world will always accuse others of wanting to turn the world upside down. But we shouldn’t necessarily believe the charges. And in fact, we should look closely enough to see whether like in the story the people who accuse others of causing all the disturbance aren’t really themselves the ones who are stoking allmthe fear and setting the city in an uproar. 

It’s something to think about, anyways . . .