Series: Acts
Preached at: Eden Prairie, with campuses in Chaske, Pocatello, Egan, and Online
Date: June 21, 2026 (Father’s Day)

A Sermon Summary — Acts 19:1–20

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Opening: Father’s Day

Pastor Troy opened the service by recognizing Father’s Day and asking the congregation to honor the fathers present. He led the men in prayer, asking God to bless them with courage, provision, and leadership, and to help them feel loved, valued, and esteemed by their families. He also celebrated that Grace baptized 409 people the previous year.

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Quick Recap: Acts 19:1–10

Before diving into the main text, Pastor Troy revisited three earlier verses in Acts 19 that he said often lead to confusing or "wacky" interpretations.

Acts 19:2–5 — Paul asked a group of disciples in Ephesus, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" They replied, "We have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit." Paul then explained that John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance pointing forward to Jesus. "On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus."

• This group was not embracing heresy — they were simply confused, their spiritual foundation tied to the teaching of John the Baptist (like Apollos from the previous week) rather than to the death and resurrection of Jesus.
• Paul helped them pivot from John to Jesus, tying their outward profession and baptism to the inward, empowering work of the Holy Spirit.
• Key takeaway: Every true believer in Jesus Christ is indwelt by the Holy Spirit the moment they trust in Him. People who are simply confused — not defiantly heretical — deserve grace.

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Paul’s Extraordinary Miracles — Acts 19:11–12

Acts 19:11–12 — "And God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were carried away to the sick, and their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them."

• Calling a miracle "extraordinary" is itself an extraordinary statement — miracles already override natural law, so this signals something especially phenomenal happening in Ephesus.
• Paul was not present for these healings; he did not stage a spectacle or turn it into a show.
• Clarification: This passage is not a template to imitate. It is not an endorsement of a "miracle handkerchief" ministry, and there’s no command to buy or sell such items. Luke is not prescribing a method — he is recording a moment in redemptive history where God authenticated the gospel in Ephesus through extraordinary signs.

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The Sons of Sceva — Acts 19:13–16

• Itinerant, vocational exorcists were common in Paul’s day — people who made a living casting out demons and practicing magic arts.
• Acts 19 introduces seven brothers, sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva, who worked as professional exorcists.
• Word had spread about Paul’s healings and deliverances, and the sons of Sceva saw a financial opportunity. They began tracking Paul to learn the source of his power.

Acts 19:13 — "Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists undertook to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits."

• They tried to copy Paul’s language, attempting to "bottle up" his power as a formula — invoking, "I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims."

Acts 19:15–16 — "But the evil spirit answered them, ‘Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?’ And the man in whom was the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered all of them, and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded."

• The demon recognized Jesus (with fear) and recognized Paul (because of his genuine relationship to Jesus) — but had no regard for the sons of Sceva, who had no authentic standing with Christ.
• The result was a violent beat-down: the seven brothers fled the house naked and wounded. As one commentator (Alistair Begg) put it, "the seven sons of Sceva became the seven streakers of Sceva."

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The Aftermath: Fear, Confession, and Repentance — Acts 19:17–20

Acts 19:17 — "And this became known to all the residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks. And fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was extolled."

• News of the encounter spread through the city, and the result was not fascination with the demonic — it was that the name of Jesus was lifted high. Respect for Jesus surged.

Acts 19:18–19 — "Also many of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices. And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver."

• Fifty thousand pieces of silver represented roughly 50,000 days’ wages — about 135 years of earnings. This repentance was costly and consequential, not a symbolic gesture.
• This was not censorship — it was repentance: believers publicly turning their faces to Christ and their backs on their former way of life.

Acts 19:20 — "So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily."

• The contrast is clear: counterfeit power versus genuine, authentic power — the power of the word of God.

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Application: Three Truths from Acts 19

1. Be Aware of Spiritual Darkness — But Not Obsessed With It

• The biblical posture toward the demonic is: don’t ignore it, and don’t hype it. Don’t deny its presence, and don’t find a demon under every rock.
• Illustration: A sound technician once blamed shrill microphone feedback on "the demon of technology" rather than poor speaker placement — a caution against seeing demons everywhere.
• The opposite extreme is becoming too sophisticated to believe evil spirits exist at all — which is, in effect, becoming too sophisticated for the worldview of Jesus, Paul, and the early church, all of whom acknowledged a real spiritual darkness.
• Balance is key: Don’t be obsessed with the dark side — be obsessed with Jesus. Pursue Him; pour time, effort, and energy into knowing, following, loving, and obeying Him.

2. Revere the Name of Jesus — Don’t Misuse It

• We are called to esteem the name of Jesus, not to leverage it for our reputation, status, position, or bank account.
• The sons of Sceva didn’t love Jesus — they wanted to use His name for financial gain, power, and status, operating on "borrowed faith," a secondhand relationship. God knows the difference.
• This text closes the door on a market-driven, transactional approach to God — using Him to get rich, build a platform, or build a brand. Jesus is not a lucky charm or a self-help formula for success.
• True spiritual authority belongs only to those who actually belong to Jesus.
• Searching question: Do we love Jesus, or do we just want something from Him?

3. Demonstrate Repentance — Don’t Simply Manage Your Old Life

• How do you know if repentance is genuine? True repentance is sorrow for offending God — not mere regret over getting caught or facing consequences. Sorrow over consequences is selfish regret, which only adds to the original sin.
• Thomas Brooks: repentance is "the vomit of the soul" — a violent rejection of sin.
• A genuine Christian can struggle with sin, but a genuine Christian will never make peace with sin, redefine sin, or simply manage it. A genuine Christian repents — turning their face to Christ and their back on sin.
• The Ephesian believers demonstrated genuine repentance publicly and at real cost (the burned books, valued at 50,000 days’ wages) — proof it was real, not mere censorship.
• Scripture always presents repentance as a path to liberation, not condemnation. The Ephesians didn’t burn their scrolls because Jesus made their lives smaller — they burned them because Jesus had become greater to them than magic, power, control, or money.
• Cultural contrast: Tolerance is the modern, satanic counterfeit of repentance. Repentance says, "I am wrong, and I need to change." Tolerance says, "You’re not wrong — just accept yourself." Demanding that sin be celebrated rather than repented of robs people of the grace, freedom, and liberation that could be theirs.
• Repentance is the way to life, truth, and freedom — it’s how we experience genuine new life. Christ offers a brand-new life, not a way to manage the old one.

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Closing Exhortation

• Jesus must be worshipped, not used.
• Darkness must be acknowledged, not feared or ignored.
• Sin must be renounced, not managed or redefined.
• Repentance must be demonstrated, not simply stated.
  "That’s where life change happens."

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Closing Prayer Themes

Pastor Troy prayed that the congregation would:

• Worship Jesus rightly, understanding who He is and loving Him even when it’s hard
• Stay balanced — acknowledging spiritual darkness without fear, since the One in us is greater than the one in the world
• Avoid the trap of sophistication that quietly rejects the worldview of Jesus, the apostles, and the early church
• Learn to truly repent of sin rather than manage or redefine it, recognizing repentance as a gift and a demonstration, not just a statement
• Reject the cultural lie of tolerance over repentance
• Receive the brand-new life Christ offers — all sins forgiven, past, present, and future — purchased by His love demonstrated on the cross

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Scripture references cited: Acts 19:1–20

Overview

This week’s message continues the Acts series, moving from Paul’s mixed reception in Athens (Acts 17) into Acts 18 and the city of Corinth. Pastor Troy welcomed a group of visitors from Foundation Church in Hutchinson before diving into the text.

The central question of the sermon: by the time Paul reaches Corinth, he is exhausted, beaten down, and emotionally vulnerable. So how did God help him stay the course? The sermon walks through five ways God strengthened Paul in Acts 18, framed as a pathway for believers today who feel like they’re ready to "tap out."

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Setting the Scene: Paul Arrives in Corinth Weary

• By Acts 18, Paul has been through "the meat grinder": blinded for three days, ambushed, stoned and left for dead, severely beaten, imprisoned, run out of Thessalonica, run out of Berea, and met with a mixed response in Athens.
• He then travels 46 miles west to Corinth — described as a wealthy, strategic, but morally depraved city.
• Historical note: Between roughly 49–52 AD, Paul traveled an estimated 2,000 miles on foot and 1,000 miles by boat — comparable to walking the distance between Minneapolis, MN and San Francisco, CA — all while nearing 50 years old.

Acts 18:5–6 — A Turning Point

• When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul (as was his custom) went to the synagogue and testified that Jesus was the Christ.
• When the Jewish opponents continued to oppose and revile him, Paul shook out his garments and declared, in effect, "Your blood be on your own heads — I am innocent. From now on I will go to the Gentiles."
• This wasn’t a petty or vindictive act — Paul had done everything he could; he had reached the end of the road with that group and redirected his efforts to people who were open to the gospel.
• Paul arrives in Corinth admitting (1 Corinthians 2:3) that he came "in weakness and fear and trembling."
• Interpretive question for the sermon: How do you find the strength to stay the course when you’re disillusioned, fearful, exhausted, or ready to quit?

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Five Ways God Helped Paul Stay the Course

1. God Provides Community — Acts 18:1–4

• Paul connects with Priscilla and Aquila, a married couple recently expelled from Rome by Claudius, who were also tentmakers and deeply gospel-focused.
• Paul moved in with them, and they built him up and encouraged him during a low point.
• Application: We need deep, shared spiritual friendships to anchor us during seasons of trial. God uses people to refresh us and spur us on.

2. God Gives Timely Encouragement — Acts 18:7–8

• Paul left the synagogue and went to the house of Titius Justus, a worshiper of God whose house was next door to the synagogue — a relationship deep enough that Paul could stay there.
• Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord along with his entire household, and many Corinthians believed and were baptized.
• Application: Seeing tangible "stories of impact" — people coming to faith — is one of the most life-giving sources of motivation in ministry. When you’re weary, sharing the gospel and seeing someone respond can renew your strength.

3. God Gives Assurance in the Dark Times — Acts 18:9–11

• The Lord spoke to Paul in a night vision: "Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, for I am with you… for I have many in this city who are my people."
• God reassures Paul that there are more people on "team Jesus" in the city than he realizes — just as there are more in Minneapolis/St. Paul than any of us realize.
• As a result, Paul stayed in Corinth eighteen months teaching the Word.
• Application: Hang on to what God speaks to you in "dark night of the soul" moments — a word from God in a vulnerable season can carry you through.

4. God Uses Unexpected Means — Acts 18:14–16

• Jewish leaders dragged Paul before Gallio, the Roman proconsul, accusing him of persuading people to worship God contrary to the law.
• Before Paul could even speak in his own defense, Gallio dismissed the case as a Jewish religious dispute rather than a criminal matter and drove the accusers from the tribunal.
• Gallio was a highly respected, level-headed Roman official — brother of the philosopher Seneca.
• R.C. Sproul’s observation (referenced in the sermon): this ruling effectively gave Paul and the early church roughly ten more years of legal breathing room to preach the gospel.
• Application: God can use even unlikely or "ungodly" people — including government officials — as instruments to protect His mission and advance the gospel.

5. God Keeps the Mission Moving — Acts 18:18–28

• Paul stays in Corinth a while longer, then sails for Syria with Priscilla and Aquila, having cut his hair to fulfill a vow (v. 18) — a sign that, even amid the mission, Paul maintained ongoing personal devotion to God.
• Paul deploys his best leaders (Priscilla and Aquila) to Ephesus to prepare the ground for future ministry rather than keeping them with him.
• Despite people begging him to stay, Paul declines: "I will return to you again, if God wills" (v. 21) — Paul follows God’s call even over good opportunities and close relationships.
• Paul circles back through Jerusalem and Antioch (the sending church) before launching his third and final missionary journey (v. 23), focused on strengthening the disciples — a reminder that staying the course means nurturing existing ground, not only breaking new ground.
• Apollos is introduced (vv. 24–28): an eloquent man, "competent in the Scriptures" and fervent in spirit, who taught accurately about Jesus but had an incomplete understanding (he knew only the baptism of John).
• Priscilla and Aquila privately and graciously took Apollos aside and "explained the way of God more accurately" — without embarrassing or undermining him publicly.
  • Pastor Troy shared a personal story of being publicly corrected mid-sermon as a young pastor (age 25–26), contrasting that experience with the wiser, private approach modeled by Priscilla and Aquila.
• Apollos then traveled to Achaia (Corinth) and became a "massive asset," powerfully refuting the Jews and showing from Scripture that Jesus was the Christ.
• Full-circle application: God kept Paul’s work in Corinth thriving through a leader — Apollos — whom Paul had never even met.

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Three Applications to Encourage Endurance

1. Following Jesus is not a solo sport.

   • Pastor Troy shared a personal reflection: the older he gets, the more he’s tempted to "go it alone" spiritually — but isolation is exactly what the enemy wants, because an isolated sheep is a vulnerable sheep.
   • Like Paul, we need people who know more than us to feed us, and people who know less so we can invest in them.
   • Self-check: Are you connected to people? Do you have a "house you could go to" if you were struggling?

2. A godly marriage can help you (and others) endure.

   • Priscilla and Aquila modeled a "dynamic marriage" — always mentioned together, mobile, hospitable, and consistently used to bless others and build up the church.
   • A healthy marriage is a key support for a flourishing Christian life; a divided or hard home life can drain and isolate believers — something the enemy exploits.

3. The mission doesn’t depend on you.

   • When Paul left Ephesus and later Corinth, God continued the work — including through Apollos, a man Paul had never met.
   • God even used "ungodly" government officials (like Gallio) to extend the gospel.
   • Encouragement: The mission is God’s; He doesn’t need us, but He graciously uses us — so the focus stays on Jesus receiving the glory.

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Communion / The Lord’s Supper

The sermon transitioned into a communion time, with the following themes:

• Communion centers on remembering the person, work, and sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who "inaugurates the mission by giving his life for us."
• It’s a time to examine our lives — to evaluate whether we are taking God’s commands and Word seriously, fully obedient, and actively sharing the gospel.
• It’s a time to confess and repent of sin, and to recommit to sharing the gospel until Christ returns.
• The Bread: representing the broken body of Christ, broken for us.
• The Cup: representing the shed blood of Christ, guaranteeing the forgiveness of sins and freedom from the power, penalty, and presence of sin.
• Closing prayer themes: gratitude that God loved us while we were unlovable, forgave us while we were sinners, died in our place, and rose three days later, defeating death itself.

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Key Takeaways

1. Staying the course in ministry and life is not a matter of willpower — it’s a matter of God’s provision. God strengthened Paul through community, timely encouragement, assurance in dark moments, unexpected (even secular) means, and by keeping the mission moving forward.
2. You are not meant to follow Jesus alone. Community is essential to endurance; isolation is a primary tool of the enemy.
3. A godly marriage is a significant source of strength — both for the couple and for those they serve.
4. The mission belongs to God, not to any individual. He doesn’t need us, but He graciously chooses to use us — and He will continue His work with or without any one person, so that His Son receives all the glory.
5. Correction should be handled with humility and privacy, following the example of Priscilla and Aquila with Apollos — equip and encourage rather than embarrass.

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Scripture references covered: Acts 18:1–28 | 1 Corinthians 2:3

Acts 17 – Making the Unknown God Known

Series: Acts
Preached at: Eden Prairie, with campuses in Chaske, Pocatello, Egan, and Online
Date: June 7, 2026

A Sermon Summary — Acts 17:16–34

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Overview

Pastor Troy opens by reflecting on the Apostle Paul as arguably the most influential church planter and missionary in human history. Several factors distinguished Paul: his willingness to travel (over 10,000 miles across the Roman Empire), his prolific writing (13 of 27 New Testament books), his ability to contextualize the gospel without diluting it, and his extraordinary toughness in the face of persecution. Yet beyond all of these, Pastor Troy points to one core motivator: a spirit provoked by idolatry and lostness.

Scripture Foundation

Acts 17:16 — "Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols."

• Paul had been driven out of Thessalonica and then Berea, ultimately arriving in Athens — the elite cultural and intellectual center of the Roman Empire.
• What struck Paul first was not the architecture, beauty, or history of Athens. It was the rampant idolatry.
• The word "provoked" (Greek) means: to spasm, to feel something sharply in the core of who you are, to be stirred and twisted up on the inside.
• Paul did not see Athens like a tourist. He saw it like a missionary.

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Paul’s Engagement in Athens

In the Synagogue and Marketplace

Acts 17:17 — "So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and also in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there."

• Paul’s daily itinerary included:
  • The synagogue — reasoning with those who had a basic understanding of Scripture
  • The marketplace — engaging those with no knowledge of the Bible at all
• This reflects Paul’s remarkable flexibility and range in evangelism

The Epicureans and Stoics

Acts 17:18 — "Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also conversed with him."

• Epicureans:
  • Believed gods (little "g") existed but were unconcerned with human affairs
  • Did not believe in the afterlife
  • Embraced a fatalistic, hedonistic materialism — "Eat, drink, and be merry; for tomorrow we die"
  • Called Paul a "babbler" — literally "seed picker," a small bird pecking at fragments; they dismissed him as a collector of half-truths
• Stoics:
  • Pantheists — believed God existed within all created things
  • Their highest virtue was stoic resignation: "grin and bear it," "suck it up"
  • Were intrigued by Paul’s message of Jesus and the resurrection
• Key observation: Both worldviews left people without resurrection hope

The Areopagus

Acts 17:19–21 — "So they took him and brought him to the Areopagus… ‘May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting?’… Now all the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there would spend their time in nothing except telling or hearing something new."

• Being invited to speak at the Areopagus was a significant honor — a serious civic and intellectual forum
• Presenters could speak for two to three hours
• The Athenians were drawn by novelty — but Paul was about to offer them something truly new: new life in Jesus Christ

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Paul’s Address at the Areopagus: The Christian Worldview Presented

Acts 17:22–23 — "Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘To the unknown god.’"

• Paul opens with courtesy and a compliment — he does not come in aggressively
• History records approximately 30,000 altars across Athens, including altars to abstract concepts like justice, modesty, and virtue
• The altar "To an Unknown God" traces to an ancient plague in Athens: a man from Cyprus advised letting a flock of sheep wander; wherever they stopped, they were sacrificed. If no altar existed nearby, one was built and dedicated to "the unknown god." The plague lifted, but the altars remained.
• Paul brilliantly uses this altar as his opening line, then declares:

Acts 17:23b — "What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you."
Paul then proceeds to dismantle their idolatry by revealing the character of the one true and living God:

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1. God Is the Creator

Acts 17:24 — "The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man."

• God made it all and is over it all
• God cannot be contained in a structure, statue, system, or temple
• God cannot be domesticated or reduced by human beings
• The Bible (Romans 1) teaches that God has made Himself known through creation — unbelief is not due to lack of evidence, but suppression of truth
• "You can pull down our steeples, but you can’t pull down the stars."
• No one has any excuse; creation always points to a Creator

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2. God Is the Sustainer of Life

Acts 17:25 — "Nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything."
Colossians 1:17 — "He is before all things, and in him all things hold together."

• God does not need people; we need God
• God is entirely self-sufficient — He needs no oxygen, no sleep, no food
• A.W. Tozer: "God needs no one, but when faith is present, He works through anyone."
• This truth would have stunned the Stoics and Epicureans — God is distinct from creation yet intimately involved in sustaining it

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3. God Is the Ruler of the Nations

Acts 17:26 — "And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place."

• Every nation came from one man: Adam
• Therefore there is one human race — multiple ethnicities, but one race — and all humans share the same dignity, origin, and value
• God places people in specific eras and specific locations — He is sovereign over all of history and geography
• You were born when you were born, and you live where you live, by the providence and sovereignty of God

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4. God Is Knowable — and Near

Acts 17:27 — "…that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us."

• In contrast to Epicurean teaching (gods are detached and uncaring), Paul declares God’s purpose in creating humans was that they might pursue and find Him
• Paul introduces the doctrine of sin here: sin’s effect is like blindness — humans grope toward God in the dark
• James Boyce illustration: The Greek word for "feel" or "reach out" is the same word Homer used in the Odyssey for the blinded Cyclops groping in the cave — "In our sin, we are as unseeing as the blinded Cyclops. We instinctively know God is there via creation, but because of sin’s blinding effects, we need divine grace to give us new spiritual eyes to see Him."
• God is not detached, disinterested, or disengaged — He is near. But we need the work of Jesus Christ to know Him and be made right with Him.

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5. God Is the Source of Our Life and Existence

Acts 17:28 — "For ‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are indeed his offspring.’"

• Paul quotes their own poets — a model of cultural engagement
• Every breath we breathe comes from God
• Every movement, every second of existence is only possible because we are sustained by God
• The "offspring" reference is a reminder that humans are created in the image of God, made by God and made to know, love, and worship God
• Therefore: it is illogical to worship lifeless idols that cannot think, move, or help you breathe

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6. God in Christ Is Both Judge and Rescuer

Acts 17:30–31 — "The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead."
Hebrews 9:27 — "It is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment."

• "Overlooked" does not mean God ignored sin or turned a blind eye — God has always taken sin seriously
• It means: in His great mercy, God did not immediately hammer humanity with the judgment they deserved
• With the coming of Jesus, everyone everywhere must now repent or face God’s judgment
• God has revealed Himself through creation (Romans 1), and then took it further by sending His Son into time, space, and history
• The extraordinary good news: the appointed Judge is also the crucified and risen Savior — turn from sin and idolatry to Jesus Christ, and He pays for your judgment by giving His life for you

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The Three Responses to the Gospel

Acts 17:32–34 — "Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked. But others said, ‘We will hear you again about this.’… But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them."
The gospel always produces one of three responses:

1. Mockery — scoffing, dismissal, writing it off
2. Interest — curiosity, wanting to hear more
3. Belief — conviction of sin, repentance, and faith in Jesus Christ
   "That is always the response when the gospel is preached."

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Application: Five Dangers to Avoid as Faithful Witnesses

Pastor Troy closes by asking: How do we apply this to our lives? What should we avoid if we want to be faithful witnesses like Paul in a world full of idols?

1. The Danger of Apathy
   • Seeing idolatry and lostness without being moved
   • Paul’s spirit was provoked — not apathetic
   • Assessment: Have you grown spiritually dull toward the lostness around you?
2. The Danger of Isolation
   • Being so angry at lost people for behaving like lost people that you withdraw from culture entirely
   • Lost people act, speak, vote, and respond in lost ways — none of this should shock us
   • Apathy can lead to angry isolation rather than compassionate engagement
3. The Danger of Cultural Ignorance
   • Paul quoted their poets, understood Epicurean and Stoic ideology, and connected with their culture
   • Good witnesses exegete the text, exegete the audience, and exegete the culture
   • We need cultural savvy — understanding the spirit of the age and what people around us actually believe
4. The Danger of Lacking a Christian Worldview
   • Knowing Bible verses is not enough — we must understand how the Bible answers the four fundamental worldview questions:
     • Origin — Where did we come from? (Created by God, not random chance)
     • Meaning — What is our purpose? (Found only in Christ)
     • Reality — What is true? (Revealed by God; we need new eyes and a new heart to see it)
     • Destiny — What is the future? (Secure forever in Christ)
   • An evolutionary/secular worldview robs life of purpose, value, and meaning — and offers no certain destiny
5. The Danger of Skipping Hard Truths
   • Preaching love without also preaching repentance, judgment, and the resurrection
   • Paul did not pull up short — he declared that God commands everyone, everywhere to repent
   • We must not leave out the last ten percent

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Closing Exhortation

"Our world is not less religious — it simply has different altars: career, pleasure, politics, identity, comfort, technology, success. All of them promise meaning and reality. But none of them can save."

• Paul gathered the scattered pieces of Athenian culture and showed them the picture they were missing: "You are religious, but you are not redeemed."
• This is our calling too — to enter the world with burdened hearts, open eyes, cultural awareness, and the courage to declare that God has made Himself known in Christ Jesus
• He is Creator. He is Sustainer. He is Judge. The time for excuses is over. Repent and trust in Jesus.

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Closing Prayer Themes

Pastor Troy prayed for the congregation to be freed from:

• Apathy toward lostness
• Isolation and anger toward lost people
• Cultural ignorance
• A shallow, verse-only faith without worldview understanding
• The temptation to skip hard truths about repentance, judgment, and the resurrection
  And to be filled with:
• A Paul-like provocation and burden for the lost
• Cultural awareness and engagement
• Courage to make the unknown God known in Christ Jesus

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Scripture references cited: Acts 17:16–34 | Romans 1 | Colossians 1:17 | Hebrews 9:27

“World-Changing Faithfulness” — Acts 17

Content creation date: 2026-05-31 10:57:26

Opening and Framing

• Pastor Troy welcomed worshipers and directed everyone to read from Acts 17.
• Central tension introduced: Phrases like “be a world changer for Christ” may sound inspiring, but they can skew priorities toward performance and self-importance rather than faithfulness to Jesus.
• Key thesis: Impact is God’s to give; our aim is faithfulness. The Apostle Paul did not set out to “turn the world upside down”; he set out to preach the Scriptures, make disciples, and plant churches. The “world changer” label in Acts 17:6 was given by opponents, not adopted as Paul’s mission statement.

Text: Acts 17:1–15 (Thessalonica and Berea) leading toward Athens

• Pastor Troy traces Paul’s pattern:
  1. Reason from the Scriptures.
  2. Recognize Jesus as the center of Scripture.
  3. Remain courageous under pressure.

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1) Paul Reasoned from the Scriptures

• Scripture: Acts 17:1–2 — Paul, “as was his custom,” went to the synagogue for three Sabbaths and “reasoned with them from the Scriptures.”
• Explanation:
  • Paul began with those who already had a baseline understanding of the Old Testament.
  • “Reasoned” indicates dialogue, persuasion, and engagement—not one-way lecturing.
  • Paul’s method: open the Word publicly, explain, and invite thoughtful interaction.
• Application:
  • Faithfulness looks like opening the Bible with people and helping them see what it says.
  • Christians today can imitate this by patiently explaining Scripture and connecting passages rather than merely quoting verses.

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2) Paul Recognized Jesus as Central

• Scripture: Acts 17:3 — “Explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, ‘This Jesus whom I proclaim to you is the Christ.’”
• Theological emphasis:
  • “Necessary” underscores God’s plan: Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection were not Plan B. They fulfill Scripture and address human sin and death.
  • Possible OT backgrounds (not specified in the text here, but consistent with Paul’s approach): Psalm 16; Psalm 22; Isaiah 53.
  • Paul told the storyline (metanarrative) of Scripture: the Old Testament points forward to Christ; the New Testament reveals Christ; Acts and beyond show Christ’s impact through the Church.
• Response in Thessalonica:
  • Scripture: Acts 17:4 — “Some of them were persuaded… as did a great many of the devout Greeks, and not a few of the leading women.”
  • Note the breadth: Jews and Greeks, men and women, including those of influence. The Gospel gathers a diverse people.
• Application:
  • Make Jesus the hero of every conversation about the Bible.
  • Show the flow of redemptive history; help people see how all Scripture climaxes in Jesus.

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3) Paul Remained Courageous Under Pressure

• Scripture: Acts 17:5–9 — Jealousy stirred a mob. They attacked Jason’s house; failing to find Paul and Silas, they dragged Jason and others to the authorities and accused them of treason: “These men who have turned the world upside down… saying that there is another king, Jesus.”
• Clarification:
  • The accusations were exaggerated but not entirely wrong: the Gospel does upend the status quo—yet not through political revolt, but through allegiance to King Jesus.
  • Jason was forced to post security; likely a guarantee that unrest would stop or that Paul and Silas would leave.
• Moving to Berea:
  • Scripture: Acts 17:10–12 — Paul and Silas sent by night to Berea. The Bereans are described as “more noble” because:
    • They received the Word with eagerness.
    • They examined the Scriptures daily to verify the message.
  • Result: “Many of them therefore believed,” including prominent Greek women and men.
• Renewed Opposition:
  • Scripture: Acts 17:13–15 — Opponents from Thessalonica traveled ~50 miles to agitate in Berea. Paul was sent toward the sea and brought to Athens; Silas and Timothy remained, then were summoned to join Paul.
• Application:
  • Expect both fruit and opposition when the Word advances.
  • Courage sometimes means redeployment, not quitting.
  • Berean nobility = eager hearts + open Bibles. Eagerness without examination becomes gullibility; examination without eagerness becomes cynicism. Biblical testing is humble submission to Scripture, not prideful suspicion.

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Transition: Preview of Athens

• Paul arrives in Athens (cultural, intellectual, religious center; home of Socrates and Plato). Pastor Troy will cover Paul’s Areopagus sermon next week.

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How God Works and Who We Are in Light of Acts 17

• Who God is and how He responds:
  • God advances His purposes through His Word and by exalting His Son.
  • God gathers a diverse people to Himself when Christ is preached.
  • God assesses churches by their treatment of His Word (eagerness and examination).
  • God sovereignly grants impact as His people remain faithful.
• Who we are and how to live:
  • We are a people under Scripture, eager to hear and diligent to examine.
  • We are disciples whose highest allegiance is to King Jesus over any earthly power.
  • We are called to faithfulness—open the Bible, point to Jesus, endure opposition with courage.

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World-Changing Impact: Two Essentials

A) Take God’s Word Seriously

• Observations from Paul’s approach:
  • He “reasoned,” “explained,” and “proved” (Acts 17).
  • Reasoning: dialogue and persuasion.
  • Explaining: interpreting and unfolding meaning so people say, “Oh, that’s what that means.”
  • Proving: showing fulfillment across Scripture.
• Berean model:
  • “Received the Word with eagerness” and “examined the Scriptures daily” (Acts 17:11).
  • Healthy merger: “I can’t wait to open God’s Word” + “I will pay careful attention to every word.”
  • Do not outsource your Bible to pastors, podcasts, or authors—read it yourself. Reorder your life to understand Scripture so you can explain it to others.

B) Talk About Jesus Accurately

• Jesus as centerpiece:
  • Paul consistently pivots theology, history, and morality to Jesus’ life, cross, and resurrection.
  • In Thessalonica: Jesus is the promised Messiah (Acts 17:3). In Berea: Jesus is the true King over Caesar.
• Counterfeit “Jesuses”:
  • “Jesus of the cults” diminishes His deity.
  • “Jesus of the culture” centers human desires, making Jesus a means to self-fulfillment.
  • Remedy: know the Jesus of the Scriptures.
• Scripture: Philippians 2:9–11 — “Therefore God has highly exalted him… that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow… and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
  • Universal exaltation, submission, and confession. Get Jesus right now—today is the day of salvation.

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Practical Applications for Today’s American Context

• Aim at faithfulness, not fame or impact metrics.
• Build daily habits:
  • Read Scripture with eagerness.
  • Examine Scripture with care and humility.
  • Join a community that values expository preaching and Berean testing.
• Speak of Jesus biblically:
  • Affirm His full deity and Lordship.
  • Center conversations on His death and resurrection.
  • Declare allegiance to Jesus above all earthly authorities.
• Maintain the posture:
  • Not gullible: test teachings by Scripture.
  • Not cynical: receive the Word with joy.
  • Courage under pressure: when opposition rises, keep proclaiming and, if needed, redeploy.

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Key Points (as articulated by Pastor Troy)

1. Don’t chase impact; be faithful. Impact belongs to God.
2. Don’t outsource your Bible; read it for yourself with eagerness and examination.
3. Don’t be gullible (excited but undiscerning) or cynical (critical but unloving).
4. Read the Word carefully and consistently; talk about Jesus accurately.
5. Give your highest allegiance to King Jesus to leave a lasting mark.

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Invitation and Next Steps

• Salvation call:
  • Confess Jesus as Lord; believe in His death and resurrection; turn from sin and trust in Christ.
• If you prayed to follow Christ:
  • Visit the church’s prayer resource center to share your decision and receive next-step guidance.
• For ongoing growth:
  • Establish a Bible reading plan and commit your best energy to engage God’s Word.
  • Study the Jesus of Scripture to discern cultural counterfeits.
  • Prepare to hear the next sermon on Paul’s message in Athens.

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Scripture References Highlighted

• Acts 17:1–15 — Paul in Thessalonica and Berea: reasoning, explaining, proving Jesus is the Christ; Berean eagerness and examination; opposition and redeployment.
• Acts 17:6–7 — “These men who have turned the world upside down… saying there is another king, Jesus.”
• Acts 17:11–12 — Bereans’ noble character; daily examination; many believed.
• Philippians 2:9–11 — The exaltation and universal Lordship of Jesus Christ.

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Summary Sentence

World-changing impact is God’s outcome when we, like Paul, faithfully open the Scriptures, center everything on Jesus, and persevere with courageous, humble, Berean-like devotion.