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Wednesday,
January 20,
2021
Perhaps we
should just call them squirrel feeders!
"Upside Down"
Message summary: Today we need to
recognize the world is upside down and we must
not get accustomed to the extent that we think
it's normal. Rather the world is deeply marred
by sin to the extent that it's upside down!
The life-transforming message of Christ
remains the world's greatest hope both for
individuals and for nations.
"These
who have turned the world upside down have
come here too" (Acts 17:6).
We
visited with the employees at Audrey's yesterday
during our chaplain visit. This company gives us
the opportunity to share a brief devotional for
employees who voluntarily attend and thankfully
most do. We get there bright and early and greet
the people as we walk through the huge
warehouse.
Audrey's sells home decor
items and we get to see the latest products that
are not even on store shelves yet. But our
favorite section is the bargain aisle where they
sell returns, seconds, close-outs, and defective
products. An observer may not even detect
the defect but yesterday I saw the small plaque
posted to the right, which had a rather glaring
defect. For those can't see the photo it's a
small plaque with a Scripture text: "Give thanks
with a grateful heart". The word "grateful" is
stylistically on a small piece of wood which was
glued on upside down (lnɟǝʇɐɹƃ)!Several
employees told me, "You'll probably get a
message out of that!" Indeed I do enjoy trying
to develop spiritual lessons from the many
observations of life. One quick message
would be, "We need to be grateful when things
seem upside down in our life"!
But
today let's go another direction as we consider
the rather dramatic description of the impact of
Christ's teaching on our world.
The
daily text is a powerful expression of the
world’s perspective on the mighty and
far-reaching impact of the early church. It is
specifically referring to the ministry of the
Apostle Paul and those who traveled with him as
they proclaimed the message of Christ in
Thessalonica. Apparently their reputation had
preceded them. Their message was so absolutely
transforming that it was said to "have
turned the world upside down".
The key Greek word used here is “anastatōsantes” which means to "upset or unsettle". When Christians confront a world whose mindset and actions move full steam ahead in opposition to God’s commands it surely is upsetting and unsettling.
The key Greek word used here is “anastatōsantes” which means to "upset or unsettle". When Christians confront a world whose mindset and actions move full steam ahead in opposition to God’s commands it surely is upsetting and unsettling.
Indeed, wherever the true message of Jesus Christ goes, it has a transforming impact. This impact will be seen in individuals, families, churches, communities, countries and entire cultures. It’s important to realize that the transformation is upside down from the world’s perspective but right side up according to God’s created design!
Pastor
David Guzek
observes, "Actually, God was working through
Paul and Silas to turn the world right side-up
again. But when you yourself are upside-down,
the other direction appears to be upside-down as
reflected from their point of view!"
Today
we need to recognize the world is upside down
and we must not get accustomed to the extent
that we think it's normal. Rather the world is
deeply marred by sin to the extent that it's
upside down! The life-transforming message of
Christ remains the world's greatest hope both
for individuals and for nations.
I
still recall a special formative moment in my
personal discipleship when a fellow believer
named Dave Cook shared with me a spiritual
concept based on Romans 12:2. "Do not
conform any longer to the pattern of this
world, but be transformed by the renewing of
your mind". That was nearly 50 years ago!
The transforming process of breaking conformity
to the world and conforming ourselves to Christ
and His teaching continues in my life through
the ongoing renewing of my mind. There have been
many setbacks along the way but God continues
the process and I am assured that He will carry
it on to completion until the day He appears
(Philippians 1:6).
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer: Father, as we walk in step with Your
commands our presence makes a positive difference in
the classroom, the workplace, the neighborhood, the
community and nation, our churches and most
especially in our families. With Your sanctifying
seal upon our lives we no longer live according to
the lust of the flesh, but the life of the Son who
resides in us. May we see our world turned
right-side up as people walk away from evil while
being transformed by Christ’s redemptive power in
the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.Today's
Suggested Music and Supplemental
Resources
"Ancient Of Days" Video
CityAlight This song begins with
a powerful reminder all we who trust in
Christ need to realize:
Though the nations rage
Kingdoms rise and fall
There is still one King
Reigning over all
"The
Worthy Medley" Video The
Acappella Company
For
further study: CH Spurgeon in his
introduction to his sermon "The World
Turned Upside Down" on Acts 17:6 wrote:
THIS is just an old version of
an oft-repeated story. When disturbances
arise in a state, and rebellions and
mutinies cause blood to be shed, it is
still the custom to cry, “The Christians
have done this.” In the days of Jesus we
know that it was laid to the charge of
our blessed and divine Master, that he
was a stirrer of sedition, whereas he
himself had refused to be a king, when
his followers would have taken him by
force to make him one, for he said, “My
kingdom is not of this world;” yet was
he crucified under the two false charges
of sedition and blasphemy.
The same thing occurred with
the Apostles. Wherever they went to
preach the gospel, the Jews who opposed
them sought to stir up the refuse of the
city to put an end to their ministry;
and then, when a great tumult had been
made by the Jews themselves, who had
taken unto them certain lewd fellows of
the baser sort, and gathered a company,
and set all the city in an uproar, and
assaulted the house of Jason, and sought
to bring him out to the people, then the
Jews laid the tumult and the uproar at
the door of the Apostles, saying “These
that have turned the world upside down
are come hither also.” This plan was
followed all through the Roman empire,
until Christianity became the state
religion.
There was never a calamity
befell Rome, never a war arose, never a
famine or a plague, but the vulgar
multitude cried, “The Christians to the
lions! The Christians have done this.”
Nero himself imputed the burning of
Rome, of which he himself doubtless was
the incendiary, to the Christians. The
believers in Jesus were slandered as if
they were the common sewer, into which
all the filth of sin was to be poured;
whereas, they were like Solomon’s great
brazen sea, which was full of the purest
water, wherein even priests themselves
might wash their robes. And you will
remark, that to this day the world still
lays its ills at the door of the
Christians. Was it not the foolish cry a
few months ago, and are there not some
weak-minded individuals who still
believe it, that the great massacre and
mutiny in India was caused by the
missionaries.
The men who turned the world
upside down had gone there also; and
because men broke through all the
restraints of nature and of law, and
committed deeds for which fiends might
blush, this must be laid at the door of
Christ’s holy gospel, and the men of
peace must bear on their shoulders the
blame of war! Ah! we need not refute
this: the calumny is too idle to need a
refutation. Can it be true, that he
whose gospel is love should be the
fomentor of disturbance? Can it be fair
for a moment to lay mutiny and rebellion
at the door of the gospel, the very
motto of which is, “Peace on earth, good
will towards men?” Did not our Master
say, “Render unto Cæsar the things that
are Cæsar’s, and unto God the things
that are God’s?” Did he not himself pay
tribute though he sent to the fish of
the sea, to get the shekel?
And have not his followers at
all times been a peaceful
generation?—save only and except where
the liberty of their conscience was
touched, and then they were not the men
to bow their knees to tyrants and kings,
but with brave old Oliver they did bind
their kings in chains, and their nobles
in fetters of iron, as they will do
again, if their liberty ever should be
infringed, so that they should not hare
power to worship God as they ought.
We believe that what these
Jews said of the Apostles, was just a
downright willful lie. They knew better.
The Apostles were not the disturbers of
states. It is true, they preached that
which would disturb the sinful
constitution of a kingdom, and which
would disturb the evil practices of
false priests; but they never meant to
set men in an uproar. They did come to
set men at arms with sin; they did draw
the sword against iniquity; but against
men as men, against kings as kings, they
had no battle; it is with iniquity and
sin, and wrong everywhere, that they
proclaimed an everlasting warfare.
But still, brethren, there is
many a true word spoken in jest, we say,
and surely there is many a true word
spoken in malice. They said the Apostles
turned the world upside down. They meant
by that, that they were disturbers of
the peace. But they said a great true
thing; for Christ’s gospel does turn the
world upside down. It was the wrong way
upwards before, and now that the gospel
is preached, and when it shall prevail,
it will just set the world right by
turning it upside down.
Send
a message to Stephen
& Brooksyne
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Weber".Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. and the King James Version.
Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."
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