“ALL THE USUAL SUSPECTS”
[A sermon by the Rev. Dr. George Gray
Toole]
Texts: Isaiah 43:8-13 and Acts 17:1-9
St. Andrew’s Christian Community,
August 19, 2007
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INTRODUCTION:
I
was sitting on the “settee” (couch) in my cousin’s living room in
“HE WAS IDENTIFIED FROM AN IDENTITY
PARADE.”
It
broke me up! On the screen there was
what we would call a “police line up”. I
couldn’t contain my laughter. My cousins
looked at their weird American cousin and wondered why I would be laughing at
such a serious matter.
But
for this American an “identity parade” conjured up suspects sashaying past to
the accompaniment of beauty pageant music.
[“A Pretty Girl Is Like A Melody”.]
………………………….
Those
of us who are fans of “Law And Order” know that when a
particular crime occurs the first thought of the police is to
“ROUND UP ALL THE USUAL SUSPECTS”.
That
is all those who have been involved in similar crimes in the past.
Jason ended up in the “identity parade” at
the Thessalonica police station. What
events had led to his being picked up?
Paul had made his way there from Amphipolis and Apollonius.
Luke, the author of Acts as well as his
Gospel, is reminding us of the distances Paul and his companions typically
walked as they spread the Gospel. We are
talking about a 100 mile trip.
At
any rate, the charges were brought against Jason. The charges were:
1) disturbing
the peace and 2) treason.
What
had he done?
He
had permitted Paul and his companions to stay at his home during their visit.
SO?
The
Jews were upset with what Paul was teaching, and being influential with the
city authorities, the Jews brought them before the local magistrate.
What
had upset them?
1)
They
disagreed with what Paul taught, namely that Jesus was the promised Messiah,
even though He had died the disgraceful death on the cross and had been raised
from the dead by God.
2)
They
were miffed that a number of their synagogue members had been converted by
Paul. Moreover, they were embarrassed by
the fact that even some of the Gentiles (the God-fearers), who attended
synagogue regularly but hadn’t become Jews, had been convinced by Paul.
In
addition, not a few of their women also believed what Paul taught and decided
to become followers of this Christ (Messiah), causing discord both in the
synagogue and their families.
In
short, they were both jealous and envious of Paul’s effectiveness.
Their
actual complaint was,
“THESE MEN
WHO HAVE TURNED THE WORLD
UPSIDE DOWN
HAVE COME HERE ALSO . . .”.
They
had heard reports from other towns, and had dreaded the day when Paul would
show up in their synagogue.
And
Paul not only showed up, but he spent three Sabbaths discussing and teaching
them about Jesus Christ, drawing from the Scriptures they all knew and
loved. (We call them “the Old
Testament”.)
By
the way, the synagogue served two purposes:
1) it was a place of Sabbath worship, and
2) it was a place of the Sabbath school,
which often lasted for hours.
However,
they knew that the Roman court would not be interested in an internal affair of
the synagogue, so they brought the charge of treason, which was always guaranteed
to get the magistrates’ attention.
“….THEY ARE ALL ACTING
AGAINST
THE DECREES OF CAESAR.
SAYING THAT THERE IS
‘ANOTHER
KING, JESUS’.”
The
magistrates knew that would bring
But,
what was the basis for the charge and who would appear to make the charge? Men were hired/bribed
to come to court and to attest to the truth of the charges.
Where
were such men to be found? The answer is
found in the colorful word used in the New Testament Greek. The market place was where folks gathered to
do business, to socialize, and to spend their time.
There
the perfect men were found. The Greek
literally calls them “market loafers”.
You know the kind of men Luke is describing. Every town and city has them.
But wait a minute!
If they are upset with Paul, how come it’s Jason and some of the other
local believers who are dragged into court with much shouting and commotion?
The answer is:
During the previous night, Paul and his companions
skipped town, sensing what was brewing.
You see, it had all happened in other towns.
Now, having shaken up Jason and the other believers,
they made them post bail and told them not to disturb the peace or engage in
treason again.
…………………….
UPSIDE DOWN!
THIS IS THE CHARGE
BROUGHT AGAINST CHRISTIANS
THROUGHOUT HISTORY.
Just
as Paul and Silas were sharing and living the greatest treasure the world has
ever known, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, so we are called to do the very same
thing.
Therefore,
the real and urgent question before us is:
CAN WE BE SUCCESSFULLY
ACCUSED OF
“TURNING THE WORLD UPSIDE DOWN?”
ARE WE CHRISTIANS
“THE USUAL SUSPECTS”
IN OUR WORLD?
ILLUSTRATION
John
Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement in 18th century
One
of his sermons that impressed me (NOT IN PERSON, BUT IN PRINT) was based on
this passage and this particular verse.
The
people were simple country folk and usually illiterate. Therefore the sermons had to be both simple
and portable, so they could absorb the message and take it with them.
Here
is his sermon outline:
I.
Because
of sin, this world is already “upside down”.
II.
Jesus
Christ came and turned it “upside down” again.
III.
That
means, that it is finally right side up again.
…………………..
ILLUSTRATION
As
a college student, my minister was David Crawford. He made the ministry so attractive that I
finally gave in to the call to ministry.
He was energetic, intelligent, had a great sense of humor, was an
athlete, and was a powerful preacher.
There
are many things he said, but one I shall always remember. He asserted that the familiar hymn,
“BLESSED ASSURANCE, JESUS IS MINE”
should sometimes be reversed, so that it is
“BLESSED DISTURBANCE, I AM HIS!”
That’s
the blessed disturbance of turning the world upside down.
HOW
DO WE MEASURE UP
AS THOSE WHO
“TURN THE WORLD UPSIDE DOWN?”
HERE
ARE SOME OF THE THINGS
“TURNED UPSIDE DOWN” BY JESUS
AND HIS FOLLOWERS,
YESTERDAY
AND TODAY.
EQUALITY
FOR WOMEN.
When Jesus and Paul preached in the synagogue, the women were
required to sit separately from the men.
They either had to sit on one side away from the men, or they had to sit
in the balcony (if there was one).
Moreover, they were forbidden to speak up in the discussions
during classes. Rather, if they were to
be instructed at all, it was to be by their husbands at home.
But many women as well as men were followers of Jesus. His conversation with the Samaritan woman at
the well was revolutionary. His healing
of women as well as men, displayed His acceptance and celebration of them.
When Paul ordered women not to speak up in worship,[1]
it was not because he thought them to be unworthy. Rather, with the exhilaration of their
new-found freedom women experienced in Jesus, they were so excited as newcomers
to the faith, that they interrupted the teachers constantly with their
questions and fresh insights, to the extent that the speakers found it
difficult to make their point!
In the cultures of that day, women were the property of their
fathers, and then of their husbands when they got married.
Also in the centuries that followed, their equality was lost,
and women were subjugated again.
Gratefully, the world is being turned upside down again, as women are
regaining their rightful place.
Bring in “the usual
suspects” . . . the Christians!
LAW
AND GRACE
Paul frequently recounts
how he felt imprisoned by the Law, which he could not keep perfectly. He confessed that others saw him as an
example of a Law-keeper, but he knew that, humanly, he could not keep the law
completely. He felt failure and guilt.
In Jesus he discovered
that God’s “love with no strings attached” (that’s what grace is) included
forgiveness of his sin and a new freedom to live life to God’s glory. Therefore, Paul later reminded the Colossians
and us,
“. . . AS THE LORD HAS FORGIVEN YOU,
SO YOU MUST FORGIVE.”[2]
This world is turned
upside down when it sees the power of Christian forgiveness.
CHARITY
+ HOPE =
One of our most familiar
quotations is only half stated. We hear,
“CHARITY
BEGINS AT HOME!”
and it seems to be telling us that we
should rightly just take care of our own.
BUT, the complete quote provides the reverse
of that as it sarcastically declares,
“CHARITY
BEGINS AT HOME, AND USUALLY STAYS THERE!”
Jesus extends His love
and caring to those He didn’t know and even to those who may not be believers
in Him. On one occasion Jesus was
approached by a Roman centurion, who asked Jesus to heal his servant, a
non-believer, who was ill and at home some miles away. Jesus agreed, and upon returning home, the
centurion found his servant completely healed.[3]
Paul commended the
Christians in
And how many
organizations have been founded and supported by Christians over the centuries.
The mission efforts of
this congregation continue that tradition.
Charity alone is
admirable, but charity plus the message of hope found in Jesus Christ is healing
and strengthening. Its name is mission.
It
must be those Christians again! Bring in
all the usual suspects!
JUSTICE
Again and again,
Scripture urges us to do justice to all people.
For example, one is expected to extend hospitality even to strangers. Survival in the desert can be a very tenuous
thing. Even someone being pursued by an
enemy is to be given hospitality and protection.
So familiar is the 23rd
Psalm that we often miss the words,
“. . . YOU PREPARE A TABLE BEFORE ME
IN THE PRESENCE OF MY ENEMIES. . .”[5]
Doing the right thing is
basic to our Biblical faith.
Often when justice is
done, it’s those darn Christians again, turning the world upside down!
THE
WORLD’S CONSCIENCE
The world really gets bent
out of shape when Christians “stick their noses into other people’s business!”.
That usually means into
business and government. And yet, the
founders of our nation believed that we should be the whistle blowers who call
each to do what is ethical.
It’s those trouble-making
Christians again. Those usual suspects
are turning the world upside down.
CONCLUSION
THE QUESTION FOR US IS:
HAVE WE BEEN SUFFICIENTLY
CHANGED AND EMBOLDENED
TO GO INTO OUR WORLD
AND
“TURN IT
UPSIDE DOWN”
FOR
THE GLORY OF GOD,
NO
MATTER HOW UPSETTING IT
MAY
BE TO OTHERS?
MAYBE BY DOING SO,
OTHERS MAY SUSPECT THAT WE
HAVE BEEN WITH
JESUS
AND SAY,
“LOOK OUT, HERE COME THOSE CHRISTIANS AGAIN!”
Amen