DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- UPSIDE DOWN OR RIGHT SIDE UP?

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- UPSIDE DOWN OR RIGHT SIDE UP?

"Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apolllonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, 'This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ.' And some of them were persuaded, and a great multitude of the devout Greeks, and not a few of the leading women, joined Paul and Silas. But the Jews who were not persuaded became envious, took some of the evil men from the marketplace, and gathering a mob, set all the city in an uproar and attacked the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people. But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some brethren to the rulers of the city, crying out, 'These who have turned the world upside down, have come here too.' " (Acts 17:1-6)

The method of operation of Paul was to go to the synagogues of Jews and preached Christ from the Scriptures. He used the Old Testament as common ground between the prophetic and the fulfillment of those prophecies in Christ.

There were those who were convinced by the message and joined Paul and Silas. But the Jews were not persuaded and sought to silence them. Their claim was," 'These who have turned the world upside down have come here too.' "

Oh, that that would be the charge against us – that in preaching the Gospel, we would be turning the world upside down.

Actually, the Gospel turns the world rightside up. The culture works to turn society upside down – against God's plan for humanity. The Gospel, when rightly applied to culture, will make things right.

It will also turn a life rightside up. The life that has been up-ended by sin will be made rightside up.

That is the power of the Gospel. May it be our goal – to turn our world upside down ---- or rightside up.

Love, Dad