I love Acts 17. It is a chapter of proclamation! It is a chapter on overthrow of idols and false gods and implementing the revolution of Jesus Christ! It is a chapter on the spreading of the Gospel and the claiming people and places as part of God’s Kingdom on earth!
“These people who have stirred up trouble throughout the world have come here too, and Jason has welcomed them as guests! They are all acting against Caesars decrees, saying there is another king named Jesus!” v. 7
“This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ.” v.3
"Paul had also proclaimed the word of God" v.13
"because he was proclaiming the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.”v.18
We too are called to join in today and proclaim there is another King named Jesus! "For in him we live and move about and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, For we too are his offspring."(17:28) If this is true, then our very lives should be proclamations of our King Jesus, and as his subjects, declaring that the Kingdom of God is at hand. The people were accusing Paul, Silas, Jason and other of proclaiming “Throughout the world.” Jesus is king. (v. 6) Those present in Thessalonica had knowledge of what had happened elsewhere in the world. Word about Paul and his companions and their message was spreading. The gospel was turning the world upside down! Paul says, ““He now commands all people everywhere to repent” v.30. God was now asking all mankind to turn to him. No nation or race was excluded. This includes all of Huntsville, Madison, Toney, and Harvest, Al; Cleveland and Northfield, Oh where I am writing this now; your city, your neighbors, your family, and yourself.
John Wesley said, “Give me 100 preachers who fear nothing but sin and desire nothing but God; such alone will shake the gates of hell.” We are called to join in shaking the gates of hell!
We are called to radically join in this revolution! We are called to stir up trouble, up-set the world, and turn the world upside down and declare in the face of all the idolatry in our cities,” There is another king named Jesus!” v.7. Everywhere Paul preached in Acts 17 he was driven out of town. John Wesley once said that if after sharing the Gospel he wasn’t driven out of town he feared he did not share it well enough. The gospel is radical message. C.S Lewis said, “A man who first tried to guess 'what the public wants,' and then preached that as Christianity because the public wants it, would be a pretty mixture of fool and knave”
My family, I pray over you that you will intentionally plan for, write down dates in your calendar and participate in nothing short of a revolution::
"Nothing great happens when you hold back." Pray that God will remove from you today anything that is "holding you back" from proclaiming Jesus is King.
“If not us, then who? If not now, then when?” Martin Luther said, “Delay is the sharpest arrow in the enemies quiver.” Pray over your immediate Radical Costly Obedience to share the Gospel.
Pray right now that the Holy Spirit will lead and put in your path today the un-avoidable and obvious opportunity to share the gospel with one person today. Pray over this with sincerity and expectancy, and then walk out your door expecting and searching for it to happen and be prepared to share when it does.
Pray that your life today will boldly and joyfully proclaim Jesus is the King!
Pray for those you know: friends, family members, co-workers, who as Paul refers to in Athens, that are worshipping an unknown god or gods. Pray that the Holy Spirit will reveal to them the existence of the one true God.
Pray for the cities of Madison, Huntsville, Toney, Cleveland, Northfield, your city and your neighborhood, that the proclamation that Jesus is Lord will be the chorus heard through out it!
Pray all of these in Jesus’ name! And please pray the same over me. God bless you my
Please share your thoughts and reflections on Chapter 17 with myself and others in the comments box. My purpose for writing the daily reflections is to encourage your own reflections and prayers. I would love to hear what God is revealing to you.
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