As it may please Almighty God to bless us together this evening, I will speak to you from the Acts of the Apostles, chapter 17, and we'll read verses 1 to 4. The Acts of the Apostles, chapter 17, and reading from verse 1 to 4. So the Acts of the Apostles, chapter 17, verses 1 to 4.

Now, when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews. And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three Sabbath days reasoned with them out of the Scriptures. opening and alleging that Christ must needs have suffered and risen again from the dead, and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.

And some of them believed and consorted with Paul and Silas and the devout Greeks, a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few. Well we can observe in these few verses and indeed in many places in the Acts of the Apostles the zeal of the Apostle Paul to set forth Christ to the people. And this account here is the Apostle desiring to speak to those of Thessalonica. We see he passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia. In God's sovereign purpose and will, it was that the Apostle should not stop there, but come to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews. And it was very encouraging that this morning Paul Rasbottom preached about the declaration that the Apostle made to those in Rome. And here we have the declaration that the Apostle Paul made to those in Thessalonica. And we see very clearly what his manner was. And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three Sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures. How fundamental that was then, how fundamental it is today that our religion rests on the word of scripture. It doesn't rest on the word of man, it doesn't rest on the thoughts of man, it rests on what is spoken in the scriptures.

And it is a great and sure foundation. It's a blessed foundation. And it's a very encouraging foundation. And we're told that what he did was to open an alleging. Opening an alleging really means explaining and demonstrating how necessary that was then, how necessary it is still today. opening and alleging, explaining and demonstrating that Christ must needs have suffered. It wasn't just something abstract.

It was so powerful that Christ must needs have suffered and risen again from the dead. And this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ. So we see the apostle here really setting forth the blessed doctrines of the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. He says that Christ must needs have suffered and he must have risen again from the dead and that this Jesus whom I preach unto you is Christ. How fundamental all those points are to true religion. And how good it is if you and I, as we read the Word of God, can meditate on these things.

Now we shouldn't forget that the Apostle Paul didn't have any New Testament. He only had the Old Testament. And of course, there were variations in the Jewish Bible to the one that we're familiar with today. But nonetheless, he was able to speak powerfully from the word of God and to bring out all those wonderful prophecies which are included in the Old Testament. And they were fundamental and important so that the Jews who were familiar with what they had read, but now there's this different view of it because it points them so clearly to Christ. They were no doubt familiar with the various prophecies about the Holy Spirit, had not directed them to realize it refers specifically to the Lord Jesus Christ.

And so here we have the Apostle Paul, set before them with that great commission to show them Christ in the Scriptures. Must have been a very pleasant and joyful occupation for him. But also, not easy, there were many adversaries. He didn't have an easy life, the Apostle Paul. But nonetheless, he didn't stop, he pressed on. And so we're told he got to Thessalonica, And there was a synagogue there. And we're told, and as his manner was, he went in unto them. And that's a good testimony, isn't it? He got to a place, there was a synagogue.

What did he do? Did he dawdle around? No, he didn't waste any time. The three Sabbaths, he reasoned with them out of the scriptures. He didn't look anywhere else. he didn't look to natural situations he reasoned with them out of the scriptures the blessing was that of course the scriptures are true absolutely 100% and therefore he was on this good foundation and was able to point these Thessalonians to this great truth the many truths and the principle truths when we read this, that Christ needs have suffered.

What an important consideration that is. To think of the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, he must needs have suffered. There was no escape. It was his Father's will that he should offer himself as that complete sacrifice for the sins of his people. And how wonderful, therefore, to realize that he was willing, the eternal Son of God, willing, so willing to suffer for his people, and to suffer that most difficult death, that difficult life, we shouldn't pass over it, to think how solemn it was, Of course, a couple of days ago we remembered the crucifixion of Christ, the most terrible death that anybody can have, to be crucified and left hanging on the cross until they die. And the Saviour was willing to endure all the indignation, all the laughter, all the cursing, He didn't retaliate. We know he could have brought 10,000 angels to fight for him, but it was his father's will.

This was the great and glorious plan of salvation, a plan that was agreed before the world was created. It wasn't anything haphazard. It wasn't anything that they just suddenly thought about. No, in the divine providence of God, it was agreed in eternity past that the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, should come into this world and pay the enormous price of giving his life as a satisfactory sacrifice to atone for the sins of all his church.

What a blessing if you and I have the evidence. That death was carried out on our behalf so that we can understand that Christ must needs have suffered. How humbling it is to consider that the Lord of life and glory, the eternal God himself, was willing to come and suffer for the likes of you and me. What do we see?

Surely, amazing love. Amazing love. Nothing in us, naturally, to warrant any blessing, to warrant any salvation. and yet the Saviour willingly came to suffer on that cross. Now, the Apostle Paul, therefore, and we haven't got time and I haven't got all the detail, but you can do this, you can find many texts in the Old Testament which prophesies so clearly about the Lord Jesus Christ. How wonderful to think about.

I will just turn to one of the most beautiful parts, and that's in Isaiah, where we read that wonderful account in the 53rd of Isaiah, which speaks about the wonderful work of the Saviour, perhaps just from verse 7, let me read. He was oppressed and he was afflicted.

So it wasn't any light thing that the Saviour endured. He was oppressed and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth. He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment. And who shall declare his generation?

For he was cut off as the land of the living. For the transgression of my people was he stricken. Just 33 years of age. 33 years of age is normally the best years of our lives when we're fit and well and strong. And the Saviour was cut off in his life, not for his sake, but for his people. For he was cut off out of the land of the living for the transgression of my people was he stricken.

Surely the Apostle Paul would have gone through this and pointed To the Thessalonians, what a clear, clear state it was and how wonderful it was. And so we're told, and he made his grave with the wicked. He was numbered with the transgressors on our behalf. He was pure, sinless, and yet he was willing to bring himself to that situation where he was numbered with the transgressors. Well, he was taken from prison and from judgment and who shall declare his generation? So we read, and he made his grave with the wicked and with the rich in his death because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.

Purity, purity. This was the Son of God. And my friends, he has to live that perfect life. He had to be that glorious, pure person in order to satisfy the holy demands of the law of God, to pay the price for people like you and me to receive the great and glorious gift of eternal life.

And he made his grave with the wicked. and with the sick in his death, because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. Yet it pleased the Lord, pleased his Father, pleased our Father, to bruise him. He hath put him to grief. When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed. He shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. To think that almighty God should look upon us unworthy sinners as his seed, and bless God for it. He shall see the travail of his soul and shall be satisfied.

By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many, for he shall bear their iniquities. Well, we know how true that is and how wonderful it is to think that the blessed Lord Jesus Christ, the second person in the Trinity, no less than almighty God, was willing to suffer in our place to bear the punishment instead. And so here we see this account Apostle Paul in Thessalonica explaining and demonstrating why it was that Jesus had to pass this way and so that Christ must needs have suffered this was the plan of Almighty God and we should rejoice today I hope we do rejoice that we have such a Savior such a willing saviour and none less than God himself to redeem our souls, to set our feet upon a rock. Well it must have been a most pleasurable occupation that the Apostle was able to do at Thessalonica and speak here to those people and describe to them that Christ needs, must needs, have suffered.

Well, that was one side. And he died. And he died. He had to die. Laid in the tomb. Quite clear, the blessed Saviour had died. He'd given his life. A life they could not take away. how willing was Jesus to give. Wonderful truth, isn't it? And so we see the apostle going through this to these at Thessalonica and telling them why Christ must need to suffer.

And then he goes on and says, and risen again. My friends, if Christ had not risen, there would be no hope for you and me. But we can thank God that Christ did rise from the dead. And how did he rise from the dead? The power of God. The power of God rose, gave the Savior that strength to rise from the dead. He rose from the dead as a conqueror, as a conqueror. No doubt Satan thought he'd gained the victory. Christ was dead, so he thought. He didn't realize the power of God. He didn't realize what God could do.

And so we know that on the third day after his death, he rose again. conqueror over sin, death, hell and the grave. We can think, can't we, of Paul preaching to them, having laid before them the blessed God dying and now turning and pointing to his wonderful resurrection. And of course it didn't stop there, did it, because we know he rose from the dead, And then, of course, he was taken into glory, ascending into glory, there to be our glorious high priest with his Father in heaven. And what a mercy to think that that still carries on today. After all these 12,000 years or so, Jesus is the same. the same yesterday and today and forever. He never fails. He's never too weary. He's never tired. He waits to answer prayer.

And so what a blessing it is if you and I have faith to come to this glorious Saviour and always to remember that when we come to our Father in prayer, It has to be for Jesus Christ's sake. That is the only acceptable way to the Father. You and I, as sinners of the earth, cannot approach unto the majesty on high, only through our blessed Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. And because of his sacrifice, he is worthy. And you and I are accepted in the Beloved.

It's a wonderful truth, isn't it? And so here we have the apostle explaining and demonstrating to these Jews Thessalonica and telling them this glorious truth that Jesus was raised from the dead. Well, I hope such a wonderful Truth echoes in our heart that we rejoice in it today, that we don't worship a dead Christ, but we worship the living, the risen Christ. What a wonderful thing it is to know that that blessed Saviour is alive forevermore, no more to die. Now he's satisfied the holy law of God. and he's taken his place on the right hand of the father there to intercede for his people. Well we can imagine can we not in some measure the apostle going through the Old Testament and pointing out the text which referred to this coming to pass and then able to confirm that it had now come to pass. because Christ was risen, and there were many people that could confirm that, had seen the empty tomb, the fact that Christ had risen from the dead. What a wonderful truth that is, and how necessary for you and me to know today.

And as we come to God in prayer, we come through a risen Savior, a risen Savior, one who's paid the price to take away our sin, the one who has redeemed our soul, that one who's gone to repair a place for us in glory, that one who said, I will see you again and your heart shall rejoice in your joy. No man taketh from you. It's a wonderful prospect to the true living church of God. And so he is here, the apostle. out of the Scriptures. That sounds so relevant, isn't it? And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them in three Sabbath days, reasoned with them out of the Scriptures.

Let us not forget that. It's a very simple statement. But our reasoning must always come back to the Scriptures. Our thoughts, our considerations must always be judged by the Scriptures. It's a very safe foundation to look to, to realise, as we think perhaps on our own testimony, our own experience, to know that it is God's power, just like the power required for Christ to rise from the dead. Power belongeth unto God.

Well, I hope you and I can really rejoice in it and praise God for it. And so we're told that this Jesus whom I preach unto you is Christ. How wonderful that is, isn't it? There were many people called Jesus, but this was Jesus Christ. the only begotten Son of God. And here it is that we need to know as our Saviour, we need to know that He has redeemed our soul and that He has given us that grace to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. Well, it would be a wonderful blessing if God has given you and me that desire and that favour to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. You know, the Apostle said, for as much then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold or silver or stone, graven by art or man's image.

And the times of this ignorance God winked at. But now commandeth all men everywhere to repent. We can't get round that, can we? It's a very straight word. It's a command of Almighty God that everyone must repent. Now, by ourselves, we don't have the ability, but we have one who can give us the ability. And therefore how necessary it is that you and I come to our God in prayer, earnest prayer, praying that he will give us that repentance. And that means to be sorry for our sins, to truly desire that they may be washed away in the precious blood of the Saviour." Oh, what a truth that is, to think that Jesus shed His precious blood, His vital blood, which signified His death, that you and I, by His grace, might possess the wonderful gift of eternal life.

Well, I'm sure we have to stand and say, with John Newton, amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now I'm found. Tis grace has set me free. What a wonderful thing tonight. If you and I can look into our hearts and find now the wonder of God's grace shining there, which has given us the strength and the ability to confess our sins.

The Word of God tells us, if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins. and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. These are the true words of God. They're not the poor words of man. They are the words of God. So, my friends, may you and I earnestly plead that God will give us that grace to confess our sins.

None of us should ever think we're in a situation where we don't need repentance, where we don't need confession. We do. And it's vital that you and I are blessed with those gifts before we pass out of time into eternity. We don't want to be unforgiven.

We need to be those who are washed in the blood of the Lamb. Those in the Saviour died, and in dying He redeemed their souls, so that today by His grace it is well with our souls. Well, wonderful it is to realise this, but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent. Well, what a blessing if God has given you and me grace to repent. And we must never pretend that's happened if it hasn't. We must plead with God. For Jesus' sake, he will give us the gift of true repentance so that we can bow down and worship the ever-living and true God.

And as we know in the days of the Apostle Paul, of course, people mocked. We come to the end of this chapter and we're told, And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked, and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter. So Paul departed from among them. Howbeit, certain men claimed unto him, and believed, among the which were Dionysius and the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.

Well it's good isn't it to to have a record that there are those who did believe because we've read in this in the earlier verses of the 17th chapter but the Jews which believed not you think how could they not believe with all the evidence clearly set before them, but they lacked faith, they lacked the gift of God. And so we are told that here is this situation, the Jews which, believe not, moved lendly, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the base of sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar and assaulted the house of Jason and sought to bring them out of the people.

We see the enmity of the natural heart. The enmity of the natural heart says this, I will not have this man to reign over me. And so what a blessing for you and me if God has given us that willing spirit to bow down before our God, confessing our sins. God knows whether that's occurred in our lives or not, whether we've acknowledged the Lord as the great and holy God, and we as unworthy sinners, and to thank him for the grace given to us to come before him and bow down and acknowledge that he is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords."

Well, what a mercy then to be there. And we're told, and some of them believed and consorted with Paul and Silas and the devout Greeks, a great multitude. So although this was preached more directly to the Jews, there were a great number of Greeks and of the chief women, not a few. How wonderful, we see God's grace is not limited to colour or creed, it's sovereign grace and we should rejoice in it.

Well, I'm sure we can understand this wonderful declaration that the Apostle was able to make to these people, to declare the glorious details of the work of the Lord Jesus Christ on this earth and also to declare the wonderful death that he died to redeem our souls and also to declare the glory of the resurrection.

Death could not hold him. It was impossible. He completed the work of his father and he rose from the dead. And my friends, today we have a risen saviour. A risen saviour. And on this day, more particularly, we remember the risen saviour. And what a blessing it is if you and I, in our own hearts, know the power of the risen saviour. Because that power transcends everything else. It's almighty. And what a blessing it is to be favoured and to rejoice in what Christ has done.

Well, let me just read these verses again. Now, when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, the place that God had ordained in eternity past, to stop, where there was a synagogue of the Jews, and Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three Sabbath days reasoned with them out of the Scripture. And we can recognize that as a declaration he made. And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas, and the devout Greeks, a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few. Well may God enable us to search the Scriptures, search the Old Testament, and see what wonderful evidence there is that the Word of God is true, which demonstrates how glorious Christ is. Amen.