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"’These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also and…they are all acting contrary to the decrees of the emperor, saying that there is another King named Jesus. The people and the city officials were disturbed when they heard this’” – Acts 17:6

The following section is from an excerpt from a devotional I read during the week based on these verses that struck me in a fresh way:

“The Christian Church is boring even to some Christians. They hear lifeless, cliché-ridden, entirely predictable sermons. Their preachers are trained in safe, sleepy seminaries. Their congregations undertake only the most harmless and predictable ministries. Their church councils argue endlessly over small matters. Their worship services are endurance contests. Nothing is going on! There is no life here! No action! No movement! Somehow their church has lost the distinction between being founded on the rock of ages and being stuck in the mud…The disciples had been told to gather and ‘stay in the city’ until they were clothed with power. They did…The formerly timid disciples now speak with boldness. They are regularly beaten up and thrown into jail. Their mission has power! Modern Christians who yawn through their worship…who live at a tiddly-winks level of faith can hardly understand why Christian’s should be seen as a threat! But the early Christians were. They were regarded quite literally as revolutionaries, as people who had ‘turned the world upside down.’”

A pastor once said that wherever Paul went he either got a riot or a revival but wherever he went he got a cup of tea! Have we become so domesticated that we have lost the wonder and the glory? Have we, in Jesus’ words to the church of Ephesus, lost our “first love”?

Notice the summary of Paul and his companions’ message in these verses. They were preaching someone else was King. This got them into trouble! When you confront the culture of their idols, of their allegiance to a false king and when you live your life demonstrating Jesus is King you are going to upset some people! The Christian life may all of a sudden become difficult, but it will no longer be boring. However, look at the encouragement in the verses as well – even though this message got them into trouble, it evidently came with the power Jesus promised as this message was “turning the world upside down.” what a testimony! Do you want that said of us in Whitehead? Do you want a demonstration of power? Then maybe we all need to likewise beg God to clothe us with power from on high!

“Creator Spirit, by whose aid the world’s foundations first were laid. Come, visit every pious mind; come, pour thy joys on humankind; from sin and sorrow set us free, and make thy temples worthy thee. Amen.”

Pastor Johnny