“Paul, spent three Sabbaths reasoning with the Jews from the Scriptures, explaining that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, saying, “THIS JESUS WHOM I PREACH TO YOU IS THE CHRIST.” Some were persuaded; a great multitude of Greeks, and leading women, joined Paul and Silas. The Jews who were not persuaded, becoming envious, saying…These who have TURNED THE WORLD UPSIDE DOWN (to miraculously change lives completely, that’s what Jesus does) have come here too.” (Acts 17:2-6)
On the Day of Pentecost, 120 believers were gathered together when the Holy Spirit was poured out. Everywhere they went, they were ridiculed and opposed and persecuted and physically assaulted for their beliefs. Some were even put to death. Yet within a period of about 30 years, this original group of 120 and their converts came to be known as those who turned their world upside down.
A lot of research points to a waning of Christianity in North America. Church attendance is becoming less frequent. Perhaps your local church is declining. Ample support for pessimism exists. However, pessimists are never leaders. The point of leadership is TO TAKE PEOPLE TO A BETTER PLACE. Are you ready to turn the world upside down? You’ll need to be an optimist, and you’ll TO BELIEVE JESUS who says, “MOST ASSUREDLY, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do HE WILL DO ALSO; and GREATER WORKS THAN THESE HE WILL DO…And whatever you ask in My name, THAT I WILL DO, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I WILL DO IT.” (John 14:12-14)
THIS CERTAINLY WILL TURN THE WORLD UPSIDE DOWN…
-Bill Stockham