7/25/2021 - Turning the World Upside Down - Acts 17:1-15

“These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also…" Astronaut Jim Lovell was one of the first three humans to fly to and orbit the Moon. He also commanded the 1970 Apollo 13 lunar mission which, after a critical failure en route, circled around the Moon and returned safely to Earth through the collaborative efforts of his crew and mission control. In looking back on his success, he quoted what has become a familiar phrase: “There are people who make things happen, there are people who watch things happen, and there are people who wonder what happened. To be successful, you need to be a person who makes things happen.” Jim Lovell was a man who made things happen! In Acts 17, we find two more men who made things happen - Paul and Silas. Verse six tell us that these men “turned the world upside down.” How is that these two could have such an affect on their culture that their enemies would claim that they have turned the world upside down? And in just a few short weeks in just a few places? As a result of coming to know Jesus Christ personally, Paul said that he would do anything for the sake of the gospel (1 Corinthians 9:23). He would go deeper, saying “I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24). Nothing was more important to him in life. He and Silas got beat up in Philippi for preaching the gospel, and rather than taking a break, they traveled 100 miles to Thessalonica, went into the synagogue, and began declaring once again that Jesus is the Christ. When they were forced to leave Thessalonica, they moved on to Berea and did the same thing! They were unstoppable in their commitment to preach the gospel of Christ! How did they do it? What kept them going? And what would it take today to turn the world upside down for Christ? I think the answer to these questions is the same. To turn the world upside down for Christ we must, like Paul and Silas, be determined to share the gospel no matter what!  We need to be people who make things happen for Christ and His kingdom.