Sunday Morning Bible StudyActs 17 — Paul Turning the World Upside Down for Jesus
- Ken Kalis
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
Key Verse
“These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also.”— Acts 17:6
📖 Introduction
Acts 17 gives us one of the clearest pictures of how the early church engaged the world with the Gospel. Paul and his companions enter three very different cities — Thessalonica, Berea, and Athens — and in each one, the response to the Gospel reveals not only the state of the human heart but also the power of Jesus Christ to save.
This chapter displays what happens whenever the Word of God is preached faithfully:
some resist,
some receive,
and some rejoice.
Most importantly, Jesus is proclaimed as King, not Caesar, and that message always overturns the old life.
📍 1. Thessalonica — Boldness in a Hostile City (Acts 17:1–9)
Paul begins as he always does —“opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus… is Christ.”
Three Sabbaths in a row, he reasons from the Scriptures.
And what follows?
Some believed
Some opposed
Some stirred up trouble
Some protected the believers
The opponents accuse Paul and Silas of “turning the world upside down.”What a description of the Gospel. The truth is that the world is already upside down because of sin — Jesus comes to set it right again.
Application:In your own “Thessalonica,” whether family, friends, or coworkers, remember: Your task is not to win arguments but to lift up Jesus, crucified and risen. He will turn hearts right-side up.
📍 2. Berea — Noble Hearts and Open Bibles (Acts 17:10–15)
The Bereans were different.
Luke says they were “more noble” because:
They received the word with all readiness of mind
They searched the Scriptures daily to see whether Paul’s teaching was true
They did not resist Paul —but they did not idolize him either. They tested everything by the Word of God.
This is the mark of a healthy Christian.
Many believed — and through their belief, Jesus established a strong, stable church.
Application:Let Berea become your model. Take the sermon home with you. Search the Scriptures daily. Ask, “What is Jesus saying to me today?” Your faith will grow deeper, steadier, stronger.
📍 3. Athens — The Unknown God Made Known (Acts 17:16–34)
Paul now enters one of the most intellectual cities in history. Its streets and temples were filled with idols. Philosophers debated endlessly but lacked truth. Paul’s spirit was stirred —not in anger, but in grief.
Paul's
sermon on Mars Hill is a masterpiece of Gospel communication:
1. He begins where they are
“You are religious — but you do not know the true God.”
2. He proclaims the Creator
God is not made by human hands.He made us.
3. He declares God’s nearness
“He is not far from every one of us.”
4. He announces repentance
“God… commandeth all men everywhere to repent.”
5. He proclaims the resurrection
Jesus is the Judge and the Savior,and God proved it by raising Him from the dead.
Some mocked,some postponed,but some believed — including Dionysius and Damaris, whose names the Holy Spirit gave us for all time.
Application:Your Athens may be a skeptical friend,a resistant family member,or an unbelieving world. Do what Paul did:
begin where they are,
lead them to Jesus,
and leave the results to God.
🙏 Closing Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ,Give us the boldness of Paul in Thessalonica,the eagerness of the Bereans who searched Your Word,and the compassion he felt in Athens when he saw a city lost in idols.Turn our world right-side up through the Gospel. Open our hearts, open our mouths, and open the hearts of those around usto receive the truth of Your resurrection and the hope of everlasting life.In Your holy Name, Amen.
❓ Discussion Questions
Where do you see the spirit of Thessalonica, Berea, or Athens in your own life?Which one best describes your current spiritual season?
What idols—ancient or modern—still compete with Jesus today?How does the resurrection speak to them?
🙌 For Your RPH Gathering
Here is a brief note you can say before serving communion:
“As Paul reminded the Athenians, God is not far from every one of us.And today, at this table, Jesus draws near.Let us receive Him with the nobility of the Bereans and the humility of those who hunger for the Bread of Life.”
Ev’rybody ought to go to Sunday School,
To Sunday School, to Sunday School;
The men and the women and the boys and the girls,
Ev’rybody ought to go to Sunday School.