Slices
Prepare
Thank Jesus that he never changes: he is the same, yesterday, today and for ever. Recall some of his characteristics you particularly appreciate.
Bible passage
In Thessalonica
17 When Paul and his companions had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. 2 As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and proving that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead. ‘This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah,’ he said. 4 Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few prominent women.
5 But other Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the market-place, formed a mob and started a riot in the city. They rushed to Jason’s house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd. 6 But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some other believers before the city officials, shouting: ‘These men who have caused trouble all over the world have now come here, 7 and Jason has welcomed them into his house. They are all defying Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus.’ 8 When they heard this, the crowd and the city officials were thrown into turmoil. 9 Then they put Jason and the others on bail and let them go.
In Berea
10 As soon as it was night, the believers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. 11 Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. 12 As a result, many of them believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men.
13 But when the Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God at Berea, some of them went there too, agitating the crowds and stirring them up. 14 The believers immediately sent Paul to the coast, but Silas and Timothy stayed at Berea. 15 Those who escorted Paul brought him to Athens and then left with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible.
Explore
How do you feel when change looms? Psychologists say that fear of change, metathesiophobia, is one of the biggest fears affecting people’s lives and it can paralyse and impede anyone. Change can indeed be scary; we prefer to remain within our comfort zones. Yet anything that doesn’t change becomes static or may even die.
So maybe we can sympathise with the rioters in these verses, to some extent. They didn’t want anything to change; they believed in the rightness of their beliefs and were not persuaded by Paul’s message. They were jealous of the attention Paul was getting and his influence on others. They were jealous and they were fearful, and they incited a riot. And so the pattern continues. Paul preaches, there is huge opposition often leading to imprisonment and torture, or Paul and his companions have to escape (vs 10,13).
Dr Helen Roseveare, a Christian missionary who was tortured for her faith in the Congo in the twentieth century, was asked if it was worth it. No, she replied, but he is worthy.
Respond
What would you do if you faced huge change in your life, especially if it involved opposition to your faith? Is it worth it? Pray for persecuted Christians around the world.
Bible in a year
Read the Bible in a year: Proverbs 27,28; 1 Thessalonians 5
Pray for Scripture Union
Pray for Mission Partner Wildfire Youth Project working across Winchester. Pray for the different projects and events that they run in schools, with young people and churches. Pray for their workers, Ellie and Adam, and their many partner youth workers.
