Welcome to the Kerwin Baptist Church broadcast today. Our desire is for the Word of God to be spread throughout the world so that all may know Christ. Join us now for a portion of one of our services here at Kerwin Baptist Church, located in Kernersville, North Carolina. All that, let's get to the Word of God, and I'm excited about today and. just the emphasis that we get to have on missions.
Acts chapter 17, Brother Frank. Read you this passage. I'm going to be respectful of your time today, and if I can, let me give you the setting here in Acts chapter 17. Paul and Silas had just left Philippi. And Philippi Um Was quite an experience.
They were beaten. They were imprisoned in Acts chapter 16. You can read that. And they left Philippi and they began to travel through what we would call Amphipolis and Apollonia. And eventually they got through there, and eventually they got to Thessalonica.
And Thessalonica was a large Jewish population area. It had a synagogue, and that was kind of Paul's calling card. He would go to an area, they had a synagogue, and Paul would show up. For about three Saturdays in a row, which would be the Sabbath. He would show up on about three in a row and he would show up.
And the Bible in this passage tells us what he would do. He would open the scriptures, he would reason with them and different things, and he would do that. for three weeks in a row. The problem was, this was not a good response when he got to Thessalonica. As he preached in the synagogue, his message was Christ-centered.
It focused on the gospel, which is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. And there were, the Bible says some Jews. Believed. The Bible says that there was many what we would call devout Greeks that believed during this time. And the Bible even pays attention to a detail here that says that there were women that believed and received.
In fact, the Bible says that these were very influential women in Thessalonica area. that receive the gospel.
So here's fruit for the ministry, but... There was a horrible response from the religious crowd. And by the way, can I remind you, religion can send you to hell? If this is religion to you, you're wasting your time. We believe here in relationship.
not religion. It's relationship with Jesus Christ. And here they were, they were mad, and here's something that they kind of accused the disciples of. And I find this interesting. They accused that the disciples had turned.
the world Upside down. What a horrible Horrible accusation. And in the next verse, here was the accusation. To the political leaders and even to the people of Thessalonica. It says they've turned the world upside down, now they've showed up here.
And this is what they accused. They said that they don't listen to the decrees of Caesar. And they say that there is another king. And I'm here to tell you today, there is another king. I want you to notice, number one, as we look in our passage in verse 1, I want you to see the preaching of Christ.
By the way, ministry should be that simple. The preaching of Christ.
Now, listen, we live in a day where we've got to have so much in church. I mean, I'm telling you, church has turned into a shopping mall. And, buddy, we better make sure we've got all the social media. We make sure we have this back, you know, correct lighting and everything. By the way, you're looking at a preacher that I want to do everything as much as I can first class, what we can afford.
Can I tell you something? It is a miracle how this place looks in here on what we've spent. That is the hard work of God's people that have chipped in. And listen, I want it to look as nice as it can be. I wish it could be better.
And we've got future plans on all these different things. But ministry, in its essence, is simple. It should be. It is the preaching of Christ. And if you have all the facilities and the big buildings and you have the fancy worship and you have all the ministries and you have the big playgrounds for the kids and you have all kinds of things, and you're not preaching Christ, you're missing the whole goal.
Notice verse 1. It says, When they had passed through, obviously I mentioned these towns, they came to Thessalonica, and here they were in the synagogue. Look at verse 2. And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them and three Sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures. Notice, opening and alleging that Christ must needs have suffered and risen from the dead, and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.
Now, let's just break this down: the preaching of Christ. Notice first Paul's custom. Notice what it says: as his manner was. Yeah. Paul had a consistent strategy.
By the way, Paul's strategy was always he would go to the Jews first. But he would preach that the gospel was to the Gentiles also. But here's what I found out. Paul didn't say one thing one way and live another way. And he said this, and then about a month later, he changed what he believed.
And then he kind of went up and down with all the doctrine and winds of the time. Paul had a custom. He had a habit. He was consistent as his manner was. And can I challenge you?
You might talk to somebody and give them the gospel sometime, and they might not receive it. They might not even like it. But dear friend, can I tell you, just be consistent. Just keep telling them. Just keep loving them.
Just keep showing them. God gave fruit to Paul's ministry, not because Paul was a good speaker, because from what we can tell, Paul was not that great of a speaker. I don't believe that Paul had fruit for his ministry because he was a really good-looking guy. We have a feeling that he had chronic ophthalmologia, that his eyes were almost grotesque looking. It caused him great discomfort.
It probably caused people discomfort. Paul had fruit in his ministry because he was consistent. I want you to notice, number two, not just Paul's custom, but Paul's concern. Look at verse 2. It says, And Paul, as his manner was, notice this, went in unto them.
Can I challenge you here at Curling Baptist Church? Look at me. We can sit here all we want to and complain, well, it's just hard to get people in here. Yeah, guess what? It's always been hard to get people in church.
Can I tell you that's why you and I have to go to them. Paul didn't just sit back and wait for somebody to show up and ask him a question. Paul went unto them. That was literally his concern. He was so concerned, he wanted to see the gospel furthered so much that he made the effort to reach out.
And Carwin Baptist Church, I want to ask you today: please consider looking at your life, analyzing your life, analyzing what you do. Are you reaching out? Do you reach out to others? Listen, we have the truth, we have the gospel. But we're not supposed to hide it under a bushel.
You should know that. Notice that. Number three, we see Paul's conversation. What did it say in verse 2 and verse 3? It says that Paul reasoned.
That he was opening and alleging.
Now, what does all this mean?
Well, first, notice first, he reasoned. This means he dialogued and he engaged hearts and minds. Second, he opened the scriptures, he explained the scriptures clearly.
So he began to reason. He engaged them. He talked with them, got their minds engaged, and then he literally explained the scriptures to them. And then it says he alleged. This means he lay down the truth with conviction.
Reasoning from the scriptures is engaging the mind. Opening the scriptures is explaining the meaning and alleging that the proof that Jesus is Christ is presenting evidence. This is what you and I do. Listen, as we go to people, we don't have to be so gifted, and I don't have to have a certain kind of personality. No, all it is is going to people.
reasoning with them, showing them the Bible. Showing them the proof. And letting God do the work. Paul didn't entertain. He educated and evangelized.
with the word. I'm afraid that religion has become entertainment. It's what'll look good on a reel. It's what will post good on social media. Paul didn't entertain.
He educated And he evangelized. I want you to notice fourthly Paul's charge.
So, what did he challenge them with? Look at verse 3. It says, opening and alleging that Christ must needs have suffered. and risen from the dead. And that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.
Notice. Here's Paul's charge. First, that Christ suffered. And that is you and me telling people that Jesus died for us. God in the flesh came and He suffered and He died, and He didn't do it because He had sin, He did it because we had sin.
Christ suffered. Notice secondly that Christ rose. He suffered. That means he suffered and he died, and then he rose. And notice, third, Paul's charges that Jesus is this Christ.
Amen. Look at me, Kerwin. It's that simple. I'm afraid that there are so many sitting in churches that they don't talk to people and they really reach out because I don't have all the answers preached and I don't understand all the Bible. Can I tell you something?
People are very turned on by humility. And as you are talking to your friends at work and reaching with your family, can I tell you something that is attractive? Is when they have somebody like you look at them and say, hey, I'm going to tell you right now, I don't know all the answers. And I'm still getting to know Jesus and I'm still getting to know his word. But why I'm talking to you is because of what I do understand.
And that's the fact that Jesus died for me. And he arose, which means he defeated death. And he loved me. And I believe he's the one, he's the Messiah. And I'm putting my faith and trust in him.
The focus of all preaching has to be Christ. crucified. and risen. It's the gospel. You say, why is that?
You're going to see. Notice number two. We don't just see the preaching of Christ, number two, we see the persuasion of converts. Look if you would at verse 4. And some of them believed.
And consorted with Paul and Silas, and of the devout Greeks a multitude, and of the chief women, not a few.
Now, notice closely, Jews believed.
Now The majority of the Jews that he ministered to here in Thessalonica They rejected. But there was a remnant that responded to faith. And by the way, can I tell you something? I have found over my life: there's more people that have said no to the gospel to me than have ever said yes. Look at me, but if I don't share the gospel, those that have said yes would have never said yes.
So that's why, listen, don't get discouraged and don't think, well, it's just me, I'm not good at this, and so I'm just going to quit. Listen to me, dear friend. It's just giving the gospel. More are going to say no, but thank God some will say yes. I look at the Weimers in Iceland.
Pat has knocked on every door in their town. Probably ten times. I've not done that in Kernisville.
Now, I have a few more in Kernersville than they do in their town. But even at that, I've not done that. Should I? Yeah, I probably should. But he has not one time through every every door Ten times.
And then you're talking surrounding like Reykjavik and all these different things. Can I tell you something? The ratio of no's to yeses in Pat Weimer's ministry. would discourage everyone. Do you know he's had churches that have dropped him over the years support because he doesn't have enough saved?
I would like to know how many of those pastors have had saved. In America. With a church on every corner. Look at me. I want you to get this.
The Jews believed, not all of them, not even the majority of them, but some did. But notice this, because he was faithful with the gospel, the Bible says that the Greeks believed. And there was many of them, a great multitude. And not only that, these were devout Greeks. That means this: that the gospel broke barriers.
The gospel broke religious barriers. The gospel broke cultural barriers. The gospel broke ethnic barriers. Look at me, Kirwan Baptist Church. Do you know the one thing that should unite all of us?
It doesn't matter what color, it doesn't matter where we're from, it doesn't matter what ethnicity we are. Can I tell you what should unite all of us? It's the gospel of Jesus Christ. That breaks all barriers. Notice the Jews believed, the Greeks believed, and the women believed.
You know, you hear a lot. If you listen to the world, you hear a lot how God hates women, the Bible hates women. Blah blah blah. Notice this, and of the chief women. The Bible recognizes here that these women had great influence.
had great ability. had great presence. And it said, not of you. You know what this means? The gospel elevated the dignity of women.
And the gospel in its purity drew women that had influence. I want to challenge you. Listen, ladies here at Curl and Baputra, we're getting ready to have a ladies' conference. We enjoy doing this every year. Miss Gracie that's coming Francie.
I just say Gracie. I'm to have Grace in my mind. Francie Taylor that's coming. It is the only opening she had, so we're having it on a different weekend, Mother's Day.
So obviously, I know it's difficult, but thank you for signing up. Have a good sign up this year. Can I tell you something? I know that, hey, you read the Bible and you can take it as well. What do you mean the husband's the head of the wife, and blah, blah, blah.
Can I tell you something? we would not be what we are as a church. without the godly women we have in this church. I am so thankful. we would be lost.
If we did not have the godly women in this church that we have. Don't you ever believe somebody that God doesn't like women or the Bible doesn't like women? It is exactly the opposite. The Bible elevates women. God considers you precious.
I want you to notice third we see the persecution by the callous.
So we have the preaching of Christ and the persuasion of converts, but let me tell you something: when God begins to work, Notice verse 5. But the Jews which believe not. Moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort.
Now, that's a fancy way of saying what. They went and got a bunch of crazy people. And gathered a company and set all the city in an uproar and assaulted the house of Jason and sought to bring them out to the people.
Now, first, who's Jason? Jason was a believer in Thessalonica that had hosted Paul and Silas. All right?
So that was kind of their home base here. And here's what happens: as Paul and Silas began to preach, and some of the Jews began to see the truth, and then many of these Greeks began to see the truth, and some of the influential women in this area began to see the truth. And they began to believe this made the Jews that didn't believe, it made them very nervous and they got very concerned. And the Bible says that not only that, they got very, very jealous. The Bible says here that they were moved with envy.
Know us first, know first, that the jealousy was stirred. Notice this. And by the way, can I tell you something? Anytime God uses you or God begins to work, Satan's going to attack. People are going to get jealous.
And can I tell you who got jealous here? The religious crowd. No, listen, we are not enemies with anybody, but I found out a little bit of the hard way around here. I'm a bit naive. I'm kind of in everybody's corner.
I'm one of those guys. If you pastor 100 feet from me, I'm rooting for you. And I found out A little bit of the hard way, and it's just not that way sometimes around here. That if you start growing, you're the bad guy. If you start growing or you're doing things, you're you know, blah, blah, blah.
And I found all this up. Can I tell you something? Don't you get discouraged because as God begins to use you, you might have people at work that get jealous, and you might have family that get jealous, and you might have people that begin to move against you. Don't you worry about it. It's been that way all the way back since the beginning.
Not only jealousy stirred, but I want you to notice that the judgment was fabricated. Here's what happened.
So they're so mad. What did they do? They went and got a bunch of crazy people. And they gathered them all together, and they started a whole uproar in the city. And then they said it was Paul and Silas that had caused it.
They fabricated. They fibbed. They didn't tell the truth. Can you imagine? Listen to me.
False accusations. And manipulations are common tactics against the gospel. God's messengers have always been targets. of false accusations. Listen to me, if we preach the truth, you might as well expect trouble.
Boldness often invites Backlash.
Now they got the whole city up in a roar. only because Paul and Silas are preaching the truth. But they're the ones that caused it, but they're blaming Paul and Silas for it. I want you to notice number four. The power of commitment.
Look at verse 6. And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren under the rulers of the city.
So here they go. They get the guy that hosted Paul and Silas, because they couldn't find Paul and Silas.
So they went to Jason, they brought him to the rulers, and here was their accusation. Notice this: these that have turned the world upside down. are come hither. Also.
Now, we don't have much longer to go. Again, I've always been respectful of your time. But I want you to get this verse. Do you understand? What a jealous unbelieving crowd is saying.
They're acknowledging, although they thought this was an accusation. Look at me, Kerwin, this was a compliment. They have turned the world. Yeah. Upside down.
Do you know that's what the gospel does? The gospel. turns your world. Upside down. I want you to notice first the global impact.
He says the world. Can I tell you something? They didn't even know how big the world was here. Their world was small compared to our world now. Can I have an amen right there?
It was there, they just didn't know it. But little did they know, guess what? The gospel is still global. What started off with a few individuals, which obviously started off with Jesus Christ, the cornerstone of the church. has now covered the globe.
And we have missions agencies like Baptist Missions to Forgotten People. We have missionaries like the Midkiffs. And we have missionaries like the Weimers and missionaries like Miss Kelly. And we have missionaries that you and I am supporting. And now you have quadrupled your missions, Kerwin, from where you were 10 years ago.
We have quadrupled how many missionaries we are supporting. And we're going to continue to add more. And let me tell you why. Because the gospel is still reaching people all across this globe. The world is still being turned upside down.
Not only a global impact, but I want you to see a godly reputation. He said that They've turned this world upside down and now they're here. They wouldn't have been nervous that they were here if they didn't fear them. They wouldn't have been nervous if they were here if they didn't see that something. was happening.
May you and I live in a way that our presence is felt. Not because of our arguing. But because of the gospel. Hey, guess what? The gospel doesn't have to argue with anybody.
You give the gospel, they believe it. Or they don't. Don't have to argue about it. It's that simple. But the gospel still Can turn our world upside down.
Let me just say this. I don't take for granted in a room this size on a Sunday morning, there are some of you. Your life is heading a certain way. and there is a great lack of contentment. You know something's missing.
You feel like you should be happy, you should be content, there should be joy. Can I help can I let you in on a secret listen the gospel can turn that world upside down When you get a hold of the fact that Jesus loves you, That he died for you. And if he defeated death, look at me, he can do anything in your life. He can overcome anything. In your life.
Listen, at the end of the service. We're going to be praying over Brother Robbie Scott today. Doctors have Whatever how doctors know, they've given Robbie six to eight months. with his cancer. And he is being biblical.
He wants the church to pray over him, and we're going to pray over him, aren't we, Colbert Baptist Church? But I can Text Robbie, because I was out of town when I got the news. And I can say this, listen to me. That if Jesus defeated death, hell, and the grave. Jesus has the power to do anything.
Now, Jesus is going to do what Jesus is going to do, and it's his will, not our will, and he knows what's best. And can I tell you something? I'm not in the business of making God do what I want, but I am in the business of letting you know God can do anything he wants. And he told us to come to him with our request. And that's exactly what we're going to do.
Look at me, that's the gospel. It's the fact that if Jesus arose from the dead, he can do anything in your life. I'm praying that Robbie has 18 more years. I pray he has more than that. Forget this eight-month stuff.
No, that might be what God chooses. But can I tell you something? As long as God wants to use Robbie, he is as safe as safe can be. My dad's not. Many of you know some of the story, but...
My dad ended up in the military because he was caught stealing gas, ended up in. juvenile and was given the choice of staying in juvenile detention or going to the Air Force.
So my dad chose the Air Force. To show you how shrewd my dad was, he asked the judge he'd like to go to the army. And the judge said, no, you know why? The Army was a two-year commitment, Air Force was a four-year commitment. He was still in the middle of a judge trying to get out of something, you know?
Because of the Air Force, my dad ended up Down in Homestead, Florida. When he got out of the military, he was working for my grandpa as a comedian in my grandpa's nightclub. And my dad ran heavy equipment, road graders, during the day. Me and in Florida, you know the water level. My dad flipped his road grater accidentally there in one of the canals and got pinned upside down and he was under the water, almost died.
It burst both of his eardrums, which he had issues with. the rest of his life and one of his coworkers or some of them were able to get him out. And the job made him take two weeks off because it was a near-death experience and So, my dad decided, I guess I'm supposed to end up at a church somewhere. He grew up Episcopalian and He was driving, first thing he saw, there was a church. There in Westwood Lake, and he stopped.
It happened to be First Baptist Church of Westwood Lake. They were taking kids to youth camp in a couple weeks, and they needed a CDL driver.
Sounds like Eden could use a C D L driver. Many of you if you follow the news.
So my dad had a CDL license and He decided, you know what?
Okay, I can do that. And by the way, I got two weeks off. If I go to camp, there's swimming, there's free food. There's girls. He obviously had never been to a Christian camp.
Why are we not swimming with the girls, you know, kind of a thing? On Thursday night of that week of camp, my dad gave his heart to Christ. And his world. was turned upside down. First one in his family.
And that began a move of God where family members got saved. My dad's world was turned upside down so much, a month later, after working in a nightclub in Miami Beach, he walked onto the campus at Tennessee Temple University. Imagine how much fun he would have been to hang out with right in those first days. Like, you know, you can't say that, Dan, you know? I can just picture it.
I mean he got saved and he still said things you're not supposed to say, you know, but. What am I saying? The gospel. turns worlds upside down. I'm saying the gospel can turn your family.
Upside down. The gospel can turn your marriage. Upside down. I want you to notice, number five, we see the principle of consecration.
So, how did all this come about? The preaching of Christ, and then there was the persuasion of converts, but Of course, you have the protest of those that are calloused and have all these things that come on. All of a sudden, now we see this power of commitment that man, they've turned the world upside down and they've made such an impact. What causes that? Number five, as we almost come to a close when we see the principle of consecration.
Verse 7 says it all. This is what it says. That these accusers said These all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, which wasn't true, by the way. Saying that there is another king. One Jesus.
Yeah. Do you know when God starts using you? When you realize there's another king. Yeah, I mean. When you realize that this culture isn't king, When you realize that your flesh isn't king, When you realize that other people aren't king.
Amen. I want you to notice first what we see here is the principle of consecration. Notice, number one, it's Jesus first. They said, they don't listen to the decrees of Caesar.
Now, that wasn't true. And even Jesus said, render unto Caesar what is Caesar's.
So it wasn't out of line with that. But what they were saying is this: they show allegiance. To this king more. than to Caesar. Can I tell you something in your life?
God starts making an impact through you. when Jesus is king. Not your flesh, not your will, not your desires, not your money, not your job, not your bank account, not your vacations. Not your possessions. Not your reputation.
Jesus First. Notice secondly, Jesus King.
So they put Jesus first and they say that there is another. King. Notice thirdly We see Jesus only. It says they don't listen to Caesar. They say there's another king.
Oh m Thank you for listening today. We hope you received a blessing from our broadcast. The Kirkwin Baptist Church is located at 4520 Old Hollow Road in Kernersville, North Carolina. You may also contact us by phone at 336-993-5192 or via the web. at Kerwin Baptist Church.com.
Enjoy our services live and all our media on our website and church app. Thank you for listening to the Kerwin Broadcast today. God bless you.
