Shabbat Shalom, everyone. I'd like you to open your Bibles, please, today to the Book of Acts, as we are studying through the Book of Acts. And we have arrived to Acts chapter 17. And we would like to begin today in the first 14 verses of Acts chapter 17. Shabbat Shalom. And as we have mentioned before, the Book of Acts really deals with the acts of the Holy Spirit of God, Ruach HaKodesh, through the apostles, the Shlichim, the Hebrew apostles, as the Spirit of God was using them in the ministry of the gospel throughout the then known world, where the gospel was preached, where the gospel was preached now beyond the borders of the nation of Israel, to every creature that is upon the face of this world.

And I would like this ministry meeting to speak about the first 14 verses of Acts chapter 17. And I begin with verse 1. Now, when they had passed through Ampipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews. And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three Shabbat days reasoned with them out of the Scriptures. Opening and alleging that the Messiah must need have suffered and risen again from the dead and that this Yeshua, whom I preach unto you, is the Messiah. And some of them believed. And some of them believed. And consorted with Paul and Silas, and of a devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few.

But the Jews, which believed not, moved with envy. The Jews, took unto them, took unto them, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the base of sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people. And when they found them unto them all. And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, "...these that have turned the world upside down, are come he there also, whom Jason had received. And these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus." "...And they troubled the people, and the rulers of the city, when they heard these things.

And when they had taken security of Jason and of the other, they let them go. And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea, who, coming thither, went into the synagogue of the Jews. "...These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scripture daily, whether those things were so. Therefore many of them believed also of honorable women, which were Greeks, and of men, not a few. "...But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was preached of Paul at Berea, they came thither also, and stirred up the people.

And then immediately the brethren sent away Paul to go, as it were, to the sea. "...But Silas and Timothy abode their steel." "...And I'm stopping here." "...And I'm stopping here in the 14th verse of Acts chapter 17." Now, as we continue in the study of the book of Acts of the Holy Spirit of God through the apostles, we discovered that the apostle Paul, Shaul, experienced various trials and challenges in his life. "...Things were not smooth as things were smooth as we would think that perhaps the service of the Lord will be easy for the apostle." "...But apparently, as we have already seen it in the earlier parts of the book of Acts, the apostle Paul, Silas, and others who served with him experienced many difficult times as they were journeying and sharing the message of the gospel." "...Well, we just finished in Acts chapter 16.

We have seen them being placed in jail in Philippi. And as you remember, at midnight they were singing praises unto God." "...Imagine, as we have spoken about it in our last ministry meeting, that they were singing and praising God while they were in bonds in the prison, in jail." "...And the Lord used Paul and Silas in the preaching of the message of the gospel. And that jailer in Philippi became a believer in Yeshua the Messiah where he asked them this question, "...Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" "...And the apostle Paul said to this Philippian jailer as we read this in verse 31 of chapter 16, "...Believe on the Lord Yeshua the Messiah and you shall be saved." "...You just believe and you're going to be forgiven.

You're going to be saved. You and your house, you believe you're going to be saved. Your house believes they are going to be saved." "...Yes, faith in the Lord Jesus the Messiah." "...Well, he finished with Philippi. If you remember that he ended up at the end, they had to depart because of the problems that eventually Paul had." "...And now in chapter 17, he continues in his second missionary journey." "...And he's moving about, beloved brothers and sisters, in Acts chapter 17, actually there are three cities that the apostle Paul is visiting." "...Today in this ministry we are only going to talk about two cities, namely Thessalonica and Berea." "...And of course in the rest of the chapter 17, he arrived to the city of Athens in Greece, and there he also preached the message of the gospel." "...But today, beloved brothers and sisters, I would like us to see what have happened to the apostle Paul on the journey now as he arrived to the city of Thessalonica." "...You know, we have two epistles that Paul wrote to the Thessalonians.

First Thessalonians and second Thessalonians." "...These two epistles that were written, we find them later on in the scripture, are a reflection and a result of the event that occurred right here in Acts chapter 17." "...What we see here in verses 1 to 9, the ministry of the apostle Paul in Thessalonica." "...What a man he must have been. A man that was called by God to serve, to go from place to place, establish an assemblies through the preaching of the gospel." "...And how the Lord used this man who was totally sold for our Lord Yeshua the Messiah." "...So notice that, first of all, look at the traveling, the journey that he did, about a hundred-mile journey from Philippi to Thessalonica." "...Today Thessalonica is actually, it's called Saloniki." "...And this is, by the way, where my mother was born, in Saloniki, Greece." "...Before she was about three years old and she arrived to Jerusalem with her parents immigrated to Jerusalem." "...That was many years ago, over about nearly 90 years ago when they arrived back to Israel, the city of Saloniki that is known today." "...But it's called here Thessalonica." "...And here we see, in verse 1, when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica." "...Here's the first thing we find in verse 1, the journey that they have taken." "...Paul arrived to Thessalonica and beloved brothers and sisters, again, as we have emphasized this again and again in our teaching of the scripture, that Paul had a principle that he followed in accordance with Romans chapter 1 and verse 16.

"...He always have gone to the Jew first, to his own brethren." "...You remember Romans 1 and verse 16 where he said, 'I am not ashamed of the gospel of the Messiah, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone to believe,' he said." "...But then he says to the Jew first and also unto the Greek or unto the Gentile." "...So he's arriving to Thessalonica in verse 1 and immediately we find out that the Holy Spirit of God placed here in verse 1, there was there a synagogue of the Jews." "...Everywhere around the world where there were more than 10 Jewish men located in one area, one city, one town, there would be establishing a synagogue." "...Now apparently Thessalonica was not a small town.

Thessalonica apparently was the capital city of Macedonia. It was a very large city." "...And it was a central city, many have come to and fro, many business people have come in and came out. It was a very central location, the capital city of Macedonia." "...And the apostle Paul came there to that city to share the message of the gospel and to establish an assembly, a local church in that city." "...And he began, beloved brothers and sisters, after a journey of 100 miles, he began with the synagogue of the Jewish people." "...And so what does he do? And please follow me in the next verse, you find out the custom that he had, as we have said earlier, that he has a manner in which he would go first of all to the synagogue." "...And so in verse 2 it says, look at this expression, and Paul hears this expression, as his manner was." "...It was a manner in which he acted all the time.

He went unto them, to the synagogue, and for three Shabbat days he reasoned with them out of the scripture." "...Now can you imagine now the apostle, remember it was his manner, it was his custom, coming to the synagogue, being a man who are very well taught from the word of God." "...He coming to the synagogue, remember every Shabbat day the scripture is being read, the Bible is being opened, the Torah, the Nevi'im, the Ketuvim, the law, the prophets, and the writings are being opened." "...Remember there is no New Testament here, because the New Testament was not yet brought forth, it was not written as yet." "...The apostle Paul is just arriving to Saloniki, to Thessalonica."

"...And he was coming to the synagogue, and for three Shabbat days he reasoned with them out of the scripture." "...That word here for reason, it comes from the word to dialogue." "...We find it very true with our own family and our own people, when it comes to sharing concerning the person of the Lord, Yeshua the Messiah, we need to have a dialogue." "...We need to reason with our brethren concerning the person of Yeshua the Messiah, but not only to reason with them merely without the scripture." "...It's reason from the word of God, from the Hebrew scriptures, the law, the prophets, and the writings." "...So the apostle Paul spent three Shabbat days." "...He took the time

to come every Shabbat to the synagogue," "...And when the text of the Bible had been read, he began to share and to reason and to dialogue with his Jewish brethren concerning the person of our Lord Jesus the Messiah." "...That word, brothers and sisters, the word scripture, is a very important word." "...I would like you for a moment just to turn with me to Matthew chapter 21." "...Back when Yeshua was still here on earth, when he lived among our own people." "...Look what Yeshua is saying when he's speaking with his own Jewish people." "...Matthew chapter 21 and verse 42." "...When he was speaking to the leaders of Israel, Jesus, Yeshua said unto them, "...Did ye never

read in the scriptures the stone which the builders rejected, the same has become the head of the corner?" "...It is in the scriptures, my dear brothers and sisters, my dear fellow men," "...He would say to our own people years ago when he was here on earth." "...It is in the scriptures." "...Chapter 22 of Matthew and verse 29." Yeshua continued and he says, "...Jesus answered and said unto them, ye do err because you are not knowing the scriptures nor the power of God." "...It is the word of God, it is the Bible, it is the scriptures Yeshua is speaking from." "...Look at chapter 26 of the Gospel of Matthew." "...And there also Yeshua is speaking." "...Matthew

chapter 26 and towards the end in verse 54." "...But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled that thus it must be?" "...Just like the Messiah Yeshua, the Apostle Paul came to the synagogue in Thessalonica." "...And he brought out, he presented the things of God out of the scriptures." "...Matthew 26 verse 56, Yeshua continued to speak when he was here on earth among his own people, the nation of Israel." "...He says, but all this was done that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled." "...Again and again he taught and he spoke out of the word of God, out of the Hebrew scriptures." "...And that's why it is so important for every believer to read the

Bible, to read God's word." "...And when we discuss with someone the things of God, as the Apostle Paul dialogues with his own brethren in the synagogue," "...He discussed with them, he reasoned with them out of the scriptures." "...And what did he reason with them, beloved brothers and sisters?" "...This is exactly what verse 3 is telling us in Acts chapter 17." "...And that is precious." "...It says in verse 3, opening and alleging that the Messiah, the Christ, the Christ, the Mashiach, must needs have suffered and risen again from the dead." "...And that this Yeshua, whom I preach unto you, is the Messiah." "...You see what the Apostle Paul did?" "...And that is so important, beloved brothers

and sisters, for us, if we are going to share the gospel." "...And tell people about the need of a Savior." "...We have to come back to the word of God." "...We have to open the scriptures." "...And we have to show from God's word, in the power of the Holy Spirit of God, that the Messiah must suffer." "...And then rise again." "...And that this Messiah who suffered and risen is none else but the Lord Jesus, the Lord Yeshua, the Messiah." "...And you can just imagine." "...I think if there is any subject that really touched our hearts, if there is any subject that moves us, is not even much the subject of the glory of the Messiah."

"...Or the creation of the Messiah, that he created all things and so on." "...That does not move our hearts as much as the subject of the sufferings of the Messiah." "...If there is anything that really moves our hearts to accept him, is to think of the suffering of this person." "...The price that he had to pay." "...The rejection that he had endured." "...The suffering that he had suffered, first of all, by the hand of men, sinful men." "...And then ultimately by the hand of a holy and a righteous God." "...When we think about these brothers and sisters, our hearts are moved with response towards him." "...His love, his grace, his ways in which he was

willing to come down to this world to suffer for sin." "...You know, one of the chapters that is really moving our hearts, I would like you to turn there, that really depict the sufferings of the Messiah, is Isaiah chapter 53." "...If you just turn there for a moment, because remember what we read in Acts chapter 17, that he opened the scripture." "...He really explained to them from the word of God." "...And he alleged, alleged means he was proving to them that the Messiah must, means suffering.

He had to suffer." "...Isaiah chapter 53 is one of the favorite verses that many Bible teachers use in the presentation of the gospel." "...Allow me to read a couple of verses there in Isaiah 53 and verse 3 on." "...Listen, brothers and sisters, he is despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from him. He was despised and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs, and he carried our sorrows. Yet we did esteemed him stricken and smitten of God and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgression. He was bruised for our iniquities.

"...The chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray. We have turned everyone to his own way, and the Lord laid on him the iniquities of us all. And he was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth. He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before a shearer is done, so he opened not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment. And who shall declare his generation? For he was cut off out of the land of the living. For the transgression of my people was he stricken." You see, when Isaiah was writing this message to the nation of Israel, he was really speaking concerning the Messiah who will come in a future day.

But he was speaking as if it has happened already, and Israel, the nation, has come to a point when they recognize that he was the Messiah who suffered for them. And in a sense, beloved brothers and sisters, Isaiah, in the 53rd chapter, is voicing the voice of the remnant of Israel, who will cry in a future day at the end of the tribulation. And they will say these very same words, "All we like sheep have gone astray. We have turned everyone to his own way, but the Lord laid upon him the iniquities of us all." The sufferings of the Messiah. We just read earlier in our reading, Psalm 22, where David prophetically cried, and he says, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

Why, God, you forsake me?" And this is really the cry of the Messiah on the cross when he says, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" The sufferings of the Messiah. What Apostle Paul needed to expound. He needed to dialogue with his Jewish brethren. He needed to explain this to them. He needed to prove this to them from the word of God. It is so sad that many today don't realize the importance of the sufferings of the Messiah. They set this aside. They are only looking for the future glory when he is going to come and set his place as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

But they don't realize that the basis of the future, restoration of this world, restoration of the people of Israel is the sufferings of the Messiah. That's why the Apostle Paul says he must, need, suffer. He had to suffer. And I would like to suggest today that he suffered in a two-fold ways. He suffered by the hands of men when they mocked him, when men rejected him. And I can tell you, beloved brothers and sisters, if Yeshua the Messiah would appear today here, right on that street here, he would have experienced the same persecution that he had experienced 2,000 years ago in the land of the Bible, in the land of Israel.

Because man's heart didn't change. Man by nature did not want the Lord Jesus the Messiah to reign over him. Man by nature reject God. And they will put him again to a cross. And they will reject him again had he come. If he would be here today in the same way. But of course he will no longer suffer. Because he suffered only once. Never to suffer anymore. But the second aspect of the suffering is no longer by the hand of wicked hands of men. But he suffered by the hands of God. This is where God had to judge sin. Sin must be judged. If he would judge you and me because of our sin and sins, we will never see the light.

We will be eternally lost. But he judged the just one. He judged the Messiah, the Mashiach. He judged the son who became a man when he placed him on a cross. And he laid upon him every sin that ever entered into this world. The whole sin question from Adam sin in the garden all the way till today. The sin question and the sins of man. The Messiah had to suffer on the cross for where God had judged his son, the Messiah, on the cross. And that's why when he cried on the tree, he didn't say my father, my father in Psalm 22. No, because there his father was acting as a judge.

And he says, my God, in Hebrew, Eli, Eli, lama shvaktani, why have thou forsaken me? And God judged him because of the sin of this world. That's why with Apostle Paul, wherever he had gone, he spoke of the suffering of the Messiah. And brothers and sisters, for us, just get a hold of it. When we think of his suffering for us, it should move our hearts to say, Lord, for my sin and sin, you suffered and died. For my sin and sins, you have paid the price that I could have never paid. But Paul didn't stop there. Remember, he's dealing with the Hebrew scriptures, with the Jewish people, his own brethren in the synagogue in Thessalonica.

No New Testament, no Brit Hadashah, only the Tanakh, the Old Testament, to prove to them, telling them, listen, I'm explaining, I'm proving to you. I'm opening the scripture to show you from our own scripture that the Messiah had to suffer. The rabbis, over the years, have developed two types of Messiahs. They say, because they see scriptures that show us Messiah suffering, but they also see Messiah coming in glory, so they developed the teaching of the two Messiahs. Messiah ben Yosef, Messiah son of Joseph, that is the suffering Messiah. And Mashiach ben David, this is the reigning Messiah, Messiah son of David. Not understanding that there are not two Messiahs.

There's only one Mashiach, one who came once to suffer. And he's going to come again to rule and to reign. But before he's coming to rule and to reign, he had to suffer because of the sin question. So the apostle continues from the Hebrew scripture, and he's not only dwelling about the sufferings of the Messiah, but he continues. And he says in verse three that the Messiah must need to suffer. But he said, and risen again from the dead. You see, if the Messiah suffered by the hand of man and suffered by the hand of God and died and remained dead, he couldn't help us.

He couldn't deal with the question of the human problem, the human sin. That's why God raised him from among the dead. The truth of the resurrection is fundamental to the scripture, to the word of God, to our salvation. That's why the Bible oftentimes speaks about the resurrection of the Messiah. Not only that he died, he was buried, but on the third day he rose again. You know what happened when he rose? When God raised him from among the dead, it was his approval of the work of the Messiah on the tree. God now can say, sin question have been dealt with. Now the one that's paid the price is now resurrected and ascended and placed at the right hand of God at the pinnacle of the universe.

Where God said to him in Psalm 110, sit down at my right hand until I make thy enemies thy footstool. And so it says here that the Messiah risen. And again, I would like to say that Paul had to take scripture in order to prove that the Messiah was resurrected. The same Isaiah chapter 53 and verse 10. The Apostle Paul may have opened that scripture there on that one of the Shabbat days. And he says, listen, beloved Jewish brethren of mine. He says, look at verse 10. It says, it pleased Jehovah to bruise him. He has put him to grief. Yes, he had to judge him. When you shall make his soul and offer him for sin.

Then he says, he shall see his seed. He shall prolong his days. And the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. In other words, this expression of he shall prolong his days. It speaks about the resurrection of the Messiah. He will not remain in the grave. He will not remain in the tomb. But God will raise him from among the dead. And he shall prolong his days. In other words, he shall live and no longer remain in the grave. As Psalm 16 said, you shall not leave thine holy one to see corruption. In other words, he will be resurrected from among the dead. This is very precious, brothers and sisters.

And therefore, the resurrection of the Messiah is really a proof that you and I, who believe on him, are reckoned as justified. Romans 4:25 says, he was delivered for our offenses. But he was raised for our justification. And Paul is speaking to his brethren in the synagogue in the city of Thessalonica. And he's emphasizing to them the Hebrew scriptures of the promises concerning the sufferings of the Messiah, as well as the resurrection of the Messiah. But now notice what he does in the same verse 3 of Acts chapter 17. Not only that he suffered, not only that he was resurrected, but this one that suffered and resurrected is none else, but this Jesus that I'm preaching unto you.

This Yeshua that I'm preaching to you. He is that Messiah and none else. Today, there are many, many who claim to be the Messiah. You will go to New York City today, go among the people that following the Hasidic Jewish people. They believe that Mr. Schneerson was the Messiah, a rabbi, a respected rabbi who died, but haven't resurrected. And they still believe that he is the Messiah. There are signs in Israel. Prepare for the coming of the Messiah. But Schneerson have died. And he was buried. And he haven't resurrected. But there is one that rose from among the dead. And his name is Jesus. His name is Yeshua.

This is the one that the scripture was speaking about. He is that promised Messiah. He is that one. He wanted them to recognize that, brothers and sisters. So he dialogued with them. He explained this to them. He reasoned with them. And he proved to them from the Hebrew scriptures that Yeshua is truly the Messiah. And that's why for us today, it's so important to stick to the scriptures, to the word of God. So we truly can explain to others concerning the person of the Messiah. Let me just one more verse to read here in connection with that. In Luke chapter 24, if you will turn to Luke chapter 24.

And Yeshua himself, before he left this scene, he spoke to his disciples there. And he said these words. Luke chapter 24, verse 25, 26, and 27. He said unto those two who went down to Emmaus. All fools and slow of heart. To believe all that the prophets have spoken. Art not the Messiah to have suffered these things? And to enter into his glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets. He expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. See, that's what Yeshua did in his life here on earth. Here is after his resurrection. Before his ascension, he shared with these two who went down to Emmaus very discouraged.

He said to them, listen, don't you think that the Hebrew scripture definitely speaks about the sufferings of the Messiah? Don't you realize that? He opened to them the scripture. He began to speak with Moses. Moshe Rabbeinu. This is the first five books of Moses. He went to the prophets, the Nevi'im, from Isaiah all the way to Malachi. Malachi, and he expounded to them the things concerning himself. Look at the next verses, verse 44 in Luke 24. And he said unto them, these are the words which I speak unto you while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which are written in the law of Moses, that's the law.

And in the prophets, that's the prophets. And in the Psalms, that's the writings concerning me. All these things that have been written in the Hebrew scripture spoke about Yeshua, the Messiah, his suffering, his rejection, the price he paid. And yet the second coming that will be yet in the future, at the end of the tribulation period, when the church age has ended and the tribulation period will happen. And at the end of the tribulation, he will come again to restore Israel, his people, back to himself. So it has to happen. And the apostle Paul reasoned with them in the synagogue in Thessalonica for three Shabbat days.

Maybe brothers and sisters, he took one Shabbat day, the sufferings of the Messiah. The second Shabbat day, the resurrection of the Messiah. And maybe the third Shabbat day, he says, this Yeshua is that Messiah. And he zeroed in on the fact that this Yeshua, that he's rejected, that he's preaching, is truly that promised Messiah. Today, what a joy to know that you and I have accepted him as our Messiah, as our Lord and as our Savior. But there are many today. Especially, I'm thinking about those of our own families who know the scripture, who read the Bible. And yet their eyes are being closed. Because they do not open their hearts to the person of Yeshua.

And that's why they can't see him. Paul said that until today, they have the veil of Moses upon their eyes in the reading of the scriptures in the synagogue, even today. Beloved brothers and sisters. So here we have the first three verses. The arrival of Paul to Thessalonica. The men in which he would go to the synagogue to share the word of God. And thirdly, the reasoning in the synagogue for three Shabbat days concerning the suffering, the resurrection, and that Jesus is truly that promised Messiah. Now, look at the response. Whenever you preach the message of the gospel, there is always more than one response.

The first response is very positive. Very nice to read because it says in verse 4, some of them believed. And they concerted with Paul and Silas. In other words, some of the Jewish people in that particular synagogue in Saloniki, in Thessalonica, they believed. Simply believed what he shared with them. They saw it from the word of God and they believed. Here are some Jewish people who believe in that city of Thessalonica. But not only some Jewish people, because apparently in that synagogue, there were some devout Greeks. Those were proselytes or God-fearers, Gentiles, who believed in the God of Israel, who attended synagogue meetings, learned the things of God from the Hebrew Scriptures.

And when Shaul Paul came and preached the word, they also have accepted that he was the Messiah, that Yeshua was the Messiah. And the third group that we find here in verse 4 is some chief women. And it's always taken note of it that women seem to open their hearts. We find it often in biblical history, in New Testament history, even in our own days, that many of the women, we often find much more women open to the things of God, attending meetings and listening to the word of God. And it's interesting to see that these women have opened their hearts and accepted the Messiah. It says chief women, not a few.

In other words, there were quite a few of the women that have accepted Yeshua, the Messiah. So this is the positive reaction to the preaching of the Apostle Paul. But oh boy, look at the next verse. Because the next verse shows us that there are those that responded in a very negative way. This, as you can see, it's the work of the enemy. The work of the enemy always blinding the minds of many. Because it says there in verse 5, But the Jews, which believe not. See, apparently there were various Jewish people who did not believe in the message of the gospel. They were moved with envy.

And they took unto them certain lewd fellows of a baser sort. And they gathered a company. And they set all the city on an uproar and assaulted the house of Jason. And they sought to bring them out to the people. Apparently, there are those who were envious. You see, they have seen that the message of the gospel affected many of their own brethren, the Jewish people. Many of the God-fearers Greeks who were there. And many of the women, so they were envious. And you know how Satan does that all the time. When the work of the Lord is going on. When the preaching of the gospel is continued forward.

The enemy comes right alongside and opposing the message of the gospel. It happened again and again in the preaching of the gospel. The enemies constantly come. Every time you sow a seed, the enemy come and sow another seed to cause confusion. To cause rejection of the word of God. Of the seed of God from growing. To cause havoc among those that belong to the Lord. So, there was envy and jealousy. Is that which has caused so much problems. So, what did they do? They apparently took unto them some lewd men. These are vile men. It says of a base of sword. They were rebels. They got themselves a few rebels.

A few evil men. And they used them to go to oppose the work that Paul and others have been doing in the city of Thessalonica. And brothers and sisters, you turn with me for a moment to 1st Thessalonian. I want you to see that Paul remind them of those things that have happened. In 1st Thessalonian chapter 2, Paul mentioning this in his letter. He says in verse 13. For this cause also we thank God without ceasing. Because when ye receive the word of God which ye heard of us. Ye receive it not as the word of man, but as it is the truth. The word of God.

Which affectually works also in you that believe. That's those who believe in Yeshua the Messiah. For ye brethren became followers of the churches of God which is in Judea. It are in the Messiah Yeshua. For ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews. Now, sometimes when we talk about the Jewish people who rejected the Messiah. It's hard to say it, but the Bible does say it. Those Jewish people who did not accept the Messiahship of Jesus. With envy they have opposed the message of the Gospel. And they end up, brothers and sisters, persecuting their own people and other believers that have followed Yeshua the Messiah.

It says in verse 15, who both killed the Lord Jesus and their own prophets and have persecuted us. And they please not God and are contrary to all men. Notice that he's saying very strong words. The Apostle Paul is speaking about his own Jewish brethren. Because of the fact that they have opposed the message of the Messiahship of Yeshua. They have caused them so much suffering because they have preached the message of the Gospel to the people in Thessalonica. And he's writing to these believers at Thessalonica in 1 Thessalonians 2 verses 13 to the end of the chapter. How they have suffered because of those who opposed the message of the Gospel.

So we learn here that those that opposed the message of the Gospel end up to do certain things that were not right. They hired or they took lewd men. They took rebels. And they gathered together. And they set the whole city in a pro. And they assaulted the house of Jason. Now this Jason was a very nice man because what did he do? He hosted Paul. He was the host of Paul and Silas who came to the city of Thessalonica. So they assaulted the house of Jason. Now we do not know whether he was a Jewish believer from the synagogue or whether he was not.

He may have been a Jewish person that hosted the Apostle Paul and Silas. And then because of his affiliation with the Apostle. Those Jewish people who did not believe in the Messiah caused a great uproar in Thessalonica and assaulted the house of Jason. And they sought to bring them out to the people. Can you imagine how Jason must have felt? When somebody come to his house. And trying to find out those apostles. Paul and those who preach with him the message of the Gospel. Somebody coming to your house. Entering in. Looking for those people that have caused all this problem. By sharing the message of the Gospel.

And then when they don't find them. Notice verse 6. What they do. They drag Jason and a certain brethren that were in his house. To the rulers of the city. To the central part of the city. And you notice what they say. In verse 6b. These have turned the world upside down. Have come also unto us. You see what they were saying? They were accusing Paul and Silas. And those who believe that Yeshua the Messiah. They are accusing them. For turning the world upside down. Now beloved brothers and sisters. This world is already upside down. This world is so messed up. With idol worship. With sin and corruption.

With rejection of the Word of God. This world is upside down. In fact what we can really say. That the preaching of the apostle Paul. Is setting the world right side up. Rather than upside down. And the apostle Paul. Was sharing the message. To bring people back to the Lord. In setting things in order. But they were accused. Of causing problems. And setting the world upside down. Really when you think about it. When God looked at this world today. You know Psalm 14 tells us. God looked from above. To see. If there is anyone that does good. And he found none. All have gone astray. All have gone their own way.

All have sinned. Their mouth is an open suppulker. In their feet. In their deeds. They done all kind of evil things. This world is truly upside down. And the only time. That this world will be right side up. Is when the Messiah himself. Is going to come. And set things. In order. So they rejected. Jason here. And a message of course. The apostle Paul. Now they took this. Man who. Was the host of the apostle Paul. Brought him out. And they. Drag him to the center of the city. Accuse him. To the rulers. Of the city. Crying to them. These men. Have turned the world upside down.

And then it says in verse 7. Jason. The one who received them. And these all. Do contrary. To the decrees of Caesar. Saying that there is. Another king. One. Jesus. One. Yeshua. You see. When Paul was speaking. And he was speaking about the Lord Jesus. The Messiah. He was speaking about his suffering. He was speaking about his resurrection. And we don't read here. But he probably spoke about his second coming. And you know what a precious thing. Concerning the second coming of the Messiah. When he's going to come to reign. As a king. Of kings. And lord of lords. You remember what they said. The accusation about the cross.

Where Yeshua. It says. This is Yeshua. The king. Of the Jews. That was his accusation. The king of the Jews. And so they. Even try to find. Fault. In this. By stirring up. Even the political realm. If you will. By saying. They say. That there is. Another king. Not Caesar. But there is another king. By the name of Jesus. In other words. That he's trying to shift. Or to move Caesar aside. And to take the place. As a king. That will. Produce. Persecution. By the political realm. Where the government. Will begin. To. Persecute. Those. Who believe. In Yeshua. The Messiah. You know. You and I.

Are still blessed today. To live in a country. Where we can still. Speak. The message. Of the word of God. Without to be afraid. Without to be taken. To prison. But you cannot do it. In every country today. Many. A country. That you're going to come. And you just begin. To speak. About Yeshua. The Messiah. And you're going to see. How long. Can you speak. Before they're going to take you. And place you in jail. And persecute you. And some lose their lives. Because they preach. The message. Of the gospel. Well. Here. They took him. They took Jason out. They said. The two-fold accusation. That they turned the world upside down.

And they claimed. That Yeshua is the king. And now notice. In the next verses there. We find out. Now. In those last verses. That they made. An arrangement. With Jason. It says. In verse eight and nine. They said. They troubled the people. And the rulers. Of the city. And they heard. These things. In other words. The rulers. And the people heard. What the Jewish people. From the synagogue. Who did not believe. Had said. Paul. Silas. And those who believe. And then finally. They made. An arrangement. And look at the arrangement. In verse nine. And when. They had taken. Security. Of Jason. And of the others.

They let them. Go. That expression. Here. For security. It's a promise. It's a pledge. A pledge. It's a guarantee. In other words. They asked. For Jason. To give. Them. A guarantee. That he. Going to remove. Those people. Out of his house. And send them away. And they're going to let them go. And apparently. Brothers and sisters. They received. This guarantee. This pledge. From Jason. Because it says here. They had taken. Security. Of Jason. And of the others. And they let. Them. Go. So. We learn. That the agreement. Came. And Paul. Had to leave. The city. Of Thessalonica. And the arrangement. Was. That he will not.

Come back. There anymore. Because. Jason. Signed. If you will hear. Give them. That security. That pledge. That promise. That he. Will. Send them. Away. Paul. Knew. That it was. The enemy. Thessalonica. And those. People. That were. Persecuting. The believers. Were actually. Doing. The work. Of. Satan. I'd like. To read. One more. Verse. In connection. With this. In the book. Of Thessalonian. If you please. Turn with me. Once again. To the book. Of first. Thessalonian. Chapter two. And I want you. To just. See. With me. This. Verse. Eighteen. That Paul. Chapter two. In verse. Eighteen. Paul. Said. Wherefore. We would have. Come. Unto you. Even. I.

Paul. Once. And again. But. Satan. Hindered. Us. First. Thessalonian. Two. And verse. Eighteen. In other words. Satan. Opposed. The message. Of the gospel. He used. Whomsoever. Will. To oppose. Paul. From coming. Again. And coming. Again. Back to. Thessalonica. And when. Jason. Gave them. This security. They let them go. And from here on. They finished. The ministry. In Thessalonica. Even though. The apostle Paul. Wrote. To the Thessalonian. But Paul. Had ended. Here. The ministry. Of Thessalonica. And he moved. On. Going. To the next. City. On his second. Missionary. Journey. And where does he go to now? Again. He's traveling. About 45. To 50 miles. Notice. It says. By night.

Verse. 10. And the brethren. Immediately. Sent away. Paul. And Silas. By night. Into. Or unto. Berea. You see. Here's again. Paul is going. He was assured. Out of Thessalonica. By night. The brethren. Helped him. You notice. When it's called. The word brethren. That suggests. That there was. An established. Assembly. Now. In Thessalonica. The brethren. The believers. In Thessalonica. That have heard. The message. Of the gospel. Establish. A local church. A local assembly. In Thessalonica. Four by night. To move out. Of Thessalonica. Now. To the next city. And the next city. Is about. 45 to 50 miles. Journey. And he's arriving. To another city. Called Berea. In Hebrew. It's called.

Broa. They have arrived. To another city. By the name of Berea. And again. The same principle. He does. Again. It says. In verse 10b. When he came there. He went into the synagogue. Of the Jews. Again. The principle. Romans 1:16. To the Jew first. And also. To the Greek. So he's going again. To the synagogue. And there. Brothers and sisters. There was a different experience. In the city. Of. Berea. In Thessalonica. Persecution. In Thessalonica. Rejection. Of the vast majority. Of the city. There were believers. But there was rejection. But look at. Berea. How different. It was. It says there. In verse 11a. There were. The nobility.

Of the Jewish believers. In the city of Berea. In the synagogue. Look at the nobility. It says. These. These are Jewish people. In the synagogue. These were more noble. Than those. Jewish people. Of Thessalonica. In that they received. The word. With all. Readiness. Of mind. When Paul. Came. To the city. Of Berea. And he went. Into the synagogue. Of his own brother. In his own nation. The Jewish people. And he presented. To them. The very same. Scripture. The Messiah. Suffered. Isaiah 53. The Messiah. Rose. Psalm 16. The Messiah. Is Yeshua. He is the Messiah. He is the Messiah. They received it. There were more nobles. It says here.

That word. Here. In verse. Eleven. The word. Noble. Is. A noble. Mind. Those Jewish people. According to verse. Eleven. A. They were the one. That had been. With more nobility. They had. Their mind. And their heart. Was more receptive. They were more open. To accept. And to acknowledge. And to listen. At least. They had dignity. In them. They listened. To the word of God. And you know. What they have done. And that is what. We all need to do. When somebody. Come to us. And say to us. Listen. I believe in this. And I think. This is the way. And I think. That he is the Messiah.

Or that what is going to happen. To do. Exactly. What the Bereans. Did. It says. In verse. Eleven. And the second. Part of verse. Eleven. They searched. The scriptures. Daily. To see. Whether these things. Were truly. So. They searched. The scriptures. Again. I would like. To remind you. Beloved. Brothers. And sisters. This is the Hebrew scriptures. The Tanakh. The Torah. Nevi'im. Ketuvim. Because no. New Testament. In existence. They opened. The scriptures. And they searched. That. Daily. I think. Of the men. Of old. That were sitting. In the home. And were searching. In the word of God. To find treasures. David says. In the song. Oh.

How I love. Thy law. Meaning. The word of God. It is my meditation. All the day long. All the day long. Searching. To find out things. In the word of God. There is gold mine. In this bible. Brothers and sisters. There is really gold mine. We don't realize that. But there is a gold mine. For the soul. The word of God. Is precious. You remember. Paul said to Timothy. Study. To show yourself approved. And to God. A workman. Needeth not to be ashamed. Rightly dividing. The word of truth. There is a gold mine. In the scriptures. So they were. Reading the scriptures. And you notice.

He met with them. On a Shabbat day. But they searched. The scripture daily. You see. It says here. They searched. The scripture daily. They didn't wait. For the Shabbat. Every day. You know. Sometimes. Do you feel like. You get up in the morning. And you know. You should read your bible. And you just kind of. Don't feel like. You say. I'm going to do this. And I'm going to. Just have some other activity. I'll pray later. I'll read a bit later. You know. I'm not going to do it right now. But Lord. Just wait for me. I'll do it later. And later come. And you don't do that.

And then. The time coming. And you're occupied. With your business. With your work. With your family. And suddenly. You know. A little bit more. Give me. I'll read a little bit later. And then you don't do that. And then sometimes. Days. And weeks. And months. Passes by. And we don't read. The word of God. The word of God. The scripture is able. To help us. The scripture is able. To instruct us. And to assist us. In various needs. In our life. And our pastor. Paul emphasized. So much. The importance. Of the reading. Of the word. Of God. The importance. He said to Timothy. All scripture is given.

By inspiration. Of God. And is profitable. For doctrine. For reproof. For correction. And instruction. In righteousness. That the man of God. May be mature. Thoroughly furnished. Unto all good works. And that's why. These. Berean. Were more noble. Than those. Of the Thessalonica. And I emphasize. The fact. That they were from. The Jewish synagogue. They were more noble. They were reading. The text. Of the Hebrew. Scripture. To find out. Whether. The Apostle Paul. Whatever he said. About Yeshua. The Messiah. Whether it was truly. Indeed. The word. Of God. So. Here is the result. From there. You see. In verse 12. You can see. That they were result.

Of the. Studying of the scripture. And listening. To what the Apostle Paul said. He said in verse 12. Therefore. Many of them believed. From among the Jewish people. From the synagogue. And then. In additional. To them again. You find out. The honorable women. This is like. We have had earlier. The chief women. And then. Also. In verse 12. At the end. And. Of the Greeks. Many men. Not a few. Apparently. Again. Jewish people. Gentiles. Women. Many. Have come to faith. In Yeshua. The Messiah. In the. City. Of. Berea. But now. Look at the conclusion. Here. What happened. In the end. Of the time. Of the Apostle Paul.

In Berea. Again. Opposition. But who is the one. Who opposed them. The Jewish people. Who came from. Tessalonica. Have heard. That things are going on. In Berea. Many become believers. We got to stop it. You see. We got to stop it. We cannot let this happen. So. It says in verse 13. Even. When. When. When. When. When. The Jews. Of. The Jews. Of. The Jews. Of. The Jews. Of. The Jews. Of. Now. Notice that. When. They had knowledge. That the word. Of. Of. God. Was. Preached. Of. Paul. At. Berea. They came. To. Berea. They came. Thither. Also. And. They stirred up. The people. I want. To.

Emphasize. Brothers. And. Sisters. Almost. All the time. You read. Of. The persecution. Of. The religious. Jewish. People. When. They persecute. They only persecute. Their own. Brethren. Because. They don't. Want. Their brethren. To believe. That Yeshua. Is. The Messiah. And. Apostle Paul. When he was persecuted. He was persecuting. His own Jewish brethren. Who became believers. It is generally. Persecuting. Their own brethren. And. Those who. Influence. Them. In faith. In a Messiah. And what they do. When they heard. That in the synagogue. In Berea. People came to faith. In Yeshua. The Messiah. They were opposing it. And they came all the way. To Berea. And they stirred up the people.

And verse 14. Conclude. With. The necessity. Of the apostle Paul. Immediately. To be sent. By the brethren. Away. From the city. Of Berea. It says in verse 14. And then. Immediately. The brethren. Sent away. Paul. To go. As it were. To the sea. But Silas. And Timothy. Abode. Their. Steal. So. What we find out. It is that Paul. Was the target. And that immediately. The brethren. Notice again. Apparently. Now. There was an establishing. Of a Messianic congregation. Or Hebrew Christian. Or Jewish. Messianic fellowship. If you want to call it. The church was founded. In Berea. And those brethren. Then. Now. Assisted Paul. To flee from there. To go away from there.

To be taken away. Because they were. Ready. To do whatever they could. To him. So he will stop. The preaching. Of the message. Of the gospel. That's what Satan does. He seeked to hinder. The ministry of the word of God. To spread. And someone has said. The more he opposed the message. The more the spirit of God. The more the spirit of God. Working in lives. Of men. Women. Boys and girls. And over the years. Look at the body of Messiah. Though the body. Is divided. Yet there are many. Who came to faith. In Yeshua. The Messiah. Both from among. Our Jewish people. As well.

As from among. The Gentiles. In this world. And we praise God. For that. We thank him. That many. Have come. To faith. In him. So brothers. And sisters. I'm going to close. With this remark. It is so precious. Again and again. To bear in mind. That the Messiah. Had to suffer. And the reason. That he suffered. Is because of your sins. And mine. He had to pay. The price. For sin. But he didn't stay. On the cross. He didn't remain. In the tomb. But God. Had raised him. From among the dead. And placed him. At his own right hand. Ready to come soon. To take his people home.

And to reign. As king of kings. And lord of lord. Can you say amen. For that? Amen.