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THE BOOK OF ACTS

               CHAPTER 17


               THE MACEDONAIN TOUR

               THE CHALLENGE OF CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

               Jesus instructs us to “go into all the world” to preach the gospel, and we must not allow
               opposition to stop us from sharing the gospel.  We have opportunities in the world around us
               daily to share the gospel of Jesus Christ, and like Paul, we should meet people where they are
               at in their understanding of the true God.  As born-again believers, we should be living
               supernaturally in obedience to the guidance of the Holy Spirit and whether that obedience
               results in thousands or just one finding Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, obedience is the key.
               Every life matters to God.

               PAUL REASONS WITH THE THESSALONIANS (1-4)

               Paul and Silas have arrived in Thessalonica, and for three days, Paul reasons from the scriptures
               with the Jews who are gathered in the temple.  Some Jews are persuaded, and many Greeks
               and leading women of Thessalonica join Paul and Silas, receiving the message of the gospel.

               THE EGNATIAN WAY

               Act 17:1  Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to
               Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews.

               Paul and Silas are now trampling on the Egnatian Way and will travel from Philippi to
               Thessalonica through Amphipolis and Apollonia.  They will leave the highway and go on to
               Berea.  The Egnatian Way is a 500 mile highway joining the Adriatic Sea at Dyrrhachium to the
               Aegean Sea at Neapolis.

               Thessalonica is a gulf city.  Today it is the modern city of Salonica.  It was the largest and most
               important city in Macedonia, and was the name of a very famous woman: a sister of Alexander
               the Great.  Since a Jewish population has existed in Thessalonica for some time, there is a
               synagogue where the Jews gather for worship.

               PAUL’S MINISTRY TO THE JEWS AT THESSALONICA

               Act 17:2  Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with
               them from the Scriptures,


               And Paul, as his manner (custom) was, went in unto them, and three Sabbath days reasoned
               (dialegomai: dispute) with them out of the scriptures.
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