Loving God, in the midst of challenges and changes, your love for us never wavers.  Teach us to trust you for all that is needed and empower us to share your love, through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

           Today we have moved forward in time once again to when Paul was traveling from place to place in order to share the good news about Jesus after his death, resurrection and ascension.  Today he is in Thessalonica – a port city that still exists in Greece.  In today’s reading, we heard about Paul, Silas, Silvanus, Timothy, and Jason, all of whom are casually mentioned as if we know who they are.  For some people, it probably feels like a novel where you have somehow missed who’s who.

         In Paul’s case, we can learn quite a bit about him by reading the New Testament.  The story of his conversion to faith in Jesus is told in Acts, and he is the author of many of the letters in the New Testament.  We can also learn a little bit about Timothy from the various places where he is mentioned.  However, about the others we know very little.  Apparently, all we need to know is that all of them believed in Jesus and trusted in him.

         At the beginning of today’s reading, Paul and Silas travel to Thessalonica, attend the synagogue there, and share, based on the Hebrew Scriptures, how Jesus is the promised Messiah.  A number of people come to believe in Jesus as a result of their testimony, including both Jews and Greeks, men and women.  However, before long a mob forms, and all of the believers are accused of “turning the world upside down” (Acts 17:6).  Do any of you feel as though the world has been turned upside down lately?  And, what was it about Messiah Jesus that prompted such a violent response?

         For some people – especially those who were Jewish – the very idea of a Messiah who would suffer and die really stuck in their craw.  Many were hoping for a powerful military leader who would free them from Roman rule and would reign in Israel like King David did.  They had a hard time believing that the Messiah would be somebody like Jesus, who was humble and served others and ultimately was crucified by the Roman Empire.  They liked the idea of a powerful, warrior God, who would punish all of their enemies.

         For these people, then, they found it threatening when others started to accept Jesus as the Messiah and Son of God.  They didn’t like the idea of loving their enemies or serving one another.  They didn’t like the idea that you can’t serve God and wealth.  They didn’t like the idea that God would hang out with those who are outcasts or poor or sinners.  And so, they accused those who believed in Jesus of turning the world upside down.

         Messiah Jesus was also disturbing to those who fully supported the Roman Empire.  In fact, the emperor himself was given titles such as Lord and son of god and Saviour.  Emperor worship was accepted along with the entire pantheon of all the Greek and Roman gods, and many people in places like Thessalonica made their living from what Paul would call the worship of idols.

         These people would be Gentiles rather than Jews, and “the people and the city officials” who are mentioned in Acts (17:8) would be part of this group.  They are particularly disturbed that the believers are “saying that there is another king named Jesus” (Acts 17:7).  If you want to get Roman officials to prosecute somebody, just accuse them of saying that there is another king who is not Caesar.

         A third way in which the world is turned upside down by Messiah Jesus is the gathering of a diverse group of people into the community of believers.  Our reading from Acts specifically mentions Jews from the synagogue, “devout Greeks and not a few of the leading women” (Acts 17:4).  The leading women who are mentioned are most likely Greek (or Gentile) women, who had a greater degree of independence than many Jewish women.  And so, you end up with Jews and Gentiles, men and women, rich and poor, who are all part of the same community of believers.

         This, also, would have turned the world upside down – especially when Jews didn’t associate with Gentiles, the rich didn’t associate with the poor, and women were treated differently in different cultures.  All of a sudden, they are all brought together by faith in Jesus and need to learn how to live with one another as brothers and sisters in Christ.

         God, it would seem, often turns the world upside down – lifting up the poor and lowly, knocking the proud and mighty off their thrones, and sending a Messiah who seems to non-believers to be weak and foolish.  However, for those who believe in Jesus, it was turned upside down in a good way, as we are told in 1 Thessalonians that they “received the word with joy inspired by the Holy Spirit” (1:6).  They also turned from idols to the living God who had the power to save them.

         Today, of course, we look for the good news in the midst of an upside-down world. Admittedly, the world has changed in different ways for different people.  Some are now alone almost all the time, whereas others are suddenly with their families at home 24/7.  Spouses who normally spend some time doing their own thing are now with each other all the time.  Many have taken a big financial hit, while others actually have more money because there’s nowhere to spend it.

         For most people, life has slowed down in at least some ways.  Just as creation has been able to breathe again, perhaps we, also, can take some deep breaths and remind ourselves of God’s loving presence through the Holy Spirit.  Perhaps we can also take some time for prayer – bringing our concerns to God with thanksgiving.  For even in the midst of persecution or stressful times, the Holy Spirit gives both joy and peace to those who have put their trust in Jesus.  Just as perfect love casts out fear, the Holy Spirit reminds us of God’s love for us and for others through Christ.  Thanks be to God!  Amen.

Easter 4 (NL 2)                                 Acts 17:1-9

May 3, 2020                                      1 Thessalonians 1:1-10

St. Luke’s Zion Lutheran Church

Pastor Lynne Hutchison

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