God operates in this world, through his kingdom, in an upside down manner.
For example, the world operates based on performance, but the kingdom operates with love.
Who your king is determines which kingdom is yours.
v.1-3
Paul travels through a few cities in ancient Greece, arriving at Thessalonica, a prominent city then and now.
The phrase “3 sabbaths” means Paul ministered to the people for three weeks, and God was with him, for soon the city was turning to Jesus causing an uproar.
Paul preached Jesus, crucified on a cross, risen from the dead, and Jesus as God and Messiah—that was his message, although we know from other writings about Paul’s detailed explanation of end times doctrine, and things pertaining to the rapture. It goes without saying, but Paul covered a lot of ground in a short amount of time, and the church was up for the task.
“Explaining” in Greek refers to “opening what was closed.”
“Proving” in Greek refers to “for set on a table.”
The ministry accomplished those things, opening closed minds but doing so with love and kindness.
v.4-9
Jason was accused of being a Christian, and he did not recant, remaining firm in his faith. The civil authorities only released him after Jason posted bail.
The famed accusation that came to the civil authorities was, “These men have turned the world upside down and they have come here.” It was dangerous to say Jesus was greater than Caesar, and it was equally dangerous to expose the lies found in the Temples of Greece.
v.10-15
Twice in the chapter women are mentioned, they either become Christians or serve in gospel ministry.
Jesus goes to great lengths to elevate the role of women, to release them to love and good deeds. Not only did Jesus first reveal himself to women at the empty tomb, and make them his mouth piece, he continues to do so throughout the entire book of Acts.
