UPSIDE DOWN WORLD

1. Pursue King Jesus (or Jesus as King)

Acts 17:7 (NLT) – “And Jason has welcomed them into his home. They are all guilty of treason against Caesar, for they profess allegiance to another King, named Jesus.”

Ephesians 6:12 (NLT) – “For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.”

James 1:27 (NLT) – “Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.”

 

2. Pursue the Word

Acts 17:11 (TPT) – “They found that the Jews of Berea were of more noble character and much more open minded than those of Thessalonica. They were hungry to learn and eagerly received the Word. Every day they opened the scrolls of Scripture to search and examine them, to verify that what Paul taught them was true.”

 

3. Pursue People

Acts 17:1-3 (NIV) – “As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 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.”

Acts 17:4 (NIV) – “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.”

Acts 17:24 (NIV) – “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands.”

Acts 17:25 (NIV) – “And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.

Acts 17:30b-31 (NIV) – “But now He commands all people everywhere to repent. For He has set a day when He will judge the world with justice by the Man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising Him from the dead.”

 

4. Pursue Unity

Acts 17:26 (TPT) – “From one man, Adam, He made every man and woman and every race of humanity, and He spread us over all the earth. He sets the boundaries of people and nations, determining their appointed times in history.”

 

WE VALUE UNITY OF THE BODY THROUGH THE BLOOD OF JESUS

We believe that God can take people from different nationalities, different ethnicities, different cultures, and different ages and make us one through the blood of Jesus Christ.

Acts 17:11a (NIV) – “Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness.”

Matthew 5:3 (NLT) – “God bless those who are poor [or poor in Spirit] and realize their need for Him, for the Kingdom of heaven is theirs.”

Matthew 18:3-4 (NLT) – “Then He said, ‘I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.’”

 

Discussion Questions:

1.  What do you think needs to change in our lives for us to turn the world upside down like Paul did?

2. Describe what Jesus as King means for you in your life? 

3. Does something need to change in your life for Jesus to be the King?

4. What does “pursue the Word” look like in your life?

5. Share how you are pursuing people for the Kingdom. If that’s not happening, share ideas of how you could start pursuing people for the Kingdom.

6. Why is unity so important to Jesus in John 17:21?

7. Why is it difficult to sometimes walk in unity in the Body of Christ or in our own families?

8. If unity is a gift from God, what are some steps we can take to guard that gift, keep it, and cherish it?