[The Reasoning of the Holy Spirit]
Acts 17:2-9
It is said that Paul followed the strategy of the Holy Spirit and his custom. He went into the synagogue and reasoned from the Scripture for three weeks. Through this speech, the church in Thessalonica was founded. Let us think of the reasoning of the Holy Spirit.
First, it proves the redemption history with the Bible.
Paul stayed in Thessalonica for three weeks. He did not have his own strategy. He only followed his custom and reasoned from the Bible. He would not have entered the synagogue if it were a strategy of a man, but he went to the synagogue 'as it was his custom'. He made himself follow the custom to be holy. He denied himself. It is said that he did not preach about the Bible, but he reasoned from it. He took the Book as the basis and as the textbook for reasoning another thing. He proved what he knew was a fact rather than persuading anyone. He must have proved Jesus redemption history using his own redemption history. He testified that the Lords crucifixion and ressurection happened for his sake. And it is the reasoning of the Holy Spirit to testify that Jesus redemption history is a story of ours, not others. And it also is about realizing that our life does not belong to worldly history, confessing Gods redemption history, testifying, and proving. Therefore, self-denial is necessary to do this reasoning of the Holy Spirit.
Second, there are 'superglue' believers.
The synagogue was a place for the gathering of the Jews. Even if there were God-fearing Greeks, it would not have been in more number than the Jews. Many of the Greeks there joined Paul. The word 'joined' can be interpreted that the believers were portions of Paul and Silas given by God. Paul and Silas now had superglue believers. As Pauls reasoning was right, there came the followers of the Holy Spirit. A person who is persuaded with the explanation of the redemption history will have a changed standard. He will live for godliness, repenting and having the strategy of the Holy Spirit. The one who follows on the same team will also take up the Lords cross. One team shares sufferings and sacrifices with the teammates, not only the victory. There were prominent women as there were in Antioch of Pisidia. But the women in Antioch were provoked by the Jews they persecuted and drove Paul out. I thought of what made the difference between them. Maybe the prominent women in Thessalonica suffered from their corrupt husbands. Their lives must have been in vain and lonely. There was a man named Jason who also followed Paul. Some gangsters harassed Jason and the brothers. They were taken to the court, nearly put to a prison, and they dealt with all the riots the provoked citizens started. They were released only after they had paid a large amount of bail. Because they were moved by the reasoning of the Holy Spirit and certain that they were on the same team with Paul and Silas, and even Jesus, they voluntarily made this amazing application as their custom. But there is nothing to boast for Paul and Jason because all was given by God. God makes and not makes the superglue believers only for the Gospel.
Third, there are the Jews who start a riot out of jealousy.
The word jealous in this passage carries the meaning 'zealous' and 'having feelings against'. The Jews not only had jealousy, but they became extremely aroused to stand against Paul and his people. Jealousy and competitive feelings have the same root. It is greed believing something belongs to us. The more we think that we have to get recognition from work and church, we become more jealous when others receive the very recognition. The Jews used dirty means to stand against Paul. The Jews are the ones who come to church, but the evil has no limit when there is no faith. They paid thugs to start a riot. They shouted that traitors had come to the city, and they assaulted Jason who provided accommodation for Paul and his people. When they found out that they had missed Paul, they captured Jason and other believers at the house instead and accused them of being traitors. Jealousy ensues with riots. They did not listen to the sermons of redemption history which proved Jesus. They criticized the church for defying Caesar, but they defied God. We have seen how much the Jews harassed Paul and interrupted him. Paul even risked his life and prayed because of the schemes of the Jews. The Jews said that they believed in God, but they did not in reality.People believe in salvation based on good acts. People think that everything would go perfectly well if they just pray. Because they do not have faith, they do not know sin. They get jealous of the healthy ones when they get sick. The way of salvation is narrow. We have to listen to the reasoning of the Holy Spirit with a desperate heart. Keeping morals, having an ethical life, and observing a traffic light does not make one to be saved. We have to pray for the one person who has to be saved. When we grieve and cry for that soul, God makes other things work on their own. This is the conclusion of the reasoning of th eHoly Spirit. There are always believers who start a riot. We just have to accept that it is nothing unnatural because God just let them be.
