Turning the World Upside Down - Acts 17:6-7

"These men who have turned the world upside down have come here too, and Jason has received them as guests! They are all acting contrary to Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king—Jesus!" (Acts 17:6-7, HCSB).

In Thessalonica the conversion of a great number of God-fearing Greeks and leading women prompted jealousy among unbelieving Jews. While the Apostle Paul had encountered resistance just about everywhere he went during his missionary journeys, here the Jews organized scoundrels from the marketplace to form a mob and start a riot against Paul and Silas.

The mob attacked the house of a believer named Jason where Paul and Silas were apparently staying. When they didn't find Paul and Silas there, they seized Jason and some of the other believers and took them to the city officials making the accusation in these verses.

Fortunately, Jason was able to pay a security bond and Paul and Silas escaped to Berea where the people "welcomed the message with eagerness and examined the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so" (vs. 11).

So let's consider the charge against Paul and Silas that they "turned the world upside down!"

What were they doing that upset these Thessalonicans so much? Quite simply, they were "saying there is another king--Jesus!"

If Jesus is your King, then He turns your world upside down.

You now live in a parallel universe--an upside down world!

And, from time to time, you're going to try to persuade others to join you in your upside down world!

At least that's what Paul and Silas did!

When Jesus becomes the King of your world, then you start to live by the rules of the world to come--God's Kingdom--and not by the rules of this present world.

Like living upside down!

While this world measures success by how much you have, Jesus said store up treasures in heaven!
     While this world says to be number one, Jesus said the first will be last and the last first!
          While this world says get everything you can, Jesus said deny yourself and follow Him!

So, when you live according to the rules of God's Kingdom, then you will be at odds with the present world.

Unfortunately, what sometimes happens is that instead of  being turned upside down, we remain in perfect alignment with this world.

Instead of living our lives inverted to this world, we revert to living the life of this world.

Let Jesus turn your world upside down; then go tell others how to live invertedly!

"Present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God." (Romans 12:1-2, HCSB)