"Relentless"

Overview

Relentless

Thomas Edison famously said he didn't fail a thousand times in inventing the light bulb—rather, the light bulb was an invention with a thousand steps. He was relentless in his mission to bring physical light into the world. In Acts 17:10–15, we encounter a different and greater relentlessness: Paul, Silas, and Timothy carrying the light of Jesus Christ from town to town, refusing to be silenced by opposition.

After being run out of Thessalonica by an angry mob that dragged Jason before the authorities for "turning the world upside down," the believers sent Paul and Silas by night to Berea—an out-of-the-way town with little political or cultural significance. There, Paul went straight to the synagogue, as was his pattern. The Bereans were "more receptive than those in Thessalonica," welcoming the message eagerly and "examining the scriptures every day to see whether these things were so." The word examined means to scrutinize and investigate; they tested Paul's claims not by political or cultural standards but by Scripture itself, approaching God's Word without bias. And the chips always fall on Jesus—the whole Old Testament points to Him as the Messiah. As Jesus Himself said in John 5:39, "You search the scriptures…and it is they that bear witness to me." Many Bereans believed, including prominent Greek women and men. But the Thessalonian Jews followed, stirred up the crowds, and Paul was sent on to Athens while Silas and Timothy stayed to strengthen the new church.

This is the pattern throughout Acts: the Word goes forth, the darkness pushes back, the missionaries are driven out—but the seed remains, the church grows, and the gospel advances. We sometimes romanticize the early church as if missionary work was easier then. But Paul's own testimony in 2 Corinthians 11:24–27—lashes, beatings, stoning, shipwrecks, hunger, sleeplessness—reminds us that persecution has always followed the gospel. It followed Christ Himself. It still follows us today, often in subtler forms: the temptation to keep silent at work, with a friend, on social media. The darkness is relentless. But so is the light.

We are relentless only because God has first been relentless toward us. Christ was relentless in love as He carried the cross up the hill, stretched out His arms to be nailed for us, bore the Father's wrath, declared "It is finished," and rose victorious over the grave. As 2 Peter 3:9 tells us, the Lord is patient, "not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance." John 1:1–5 declares that in Him was life, "and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it." We don't have to look far to find darkness—in the world, and honestly, in ourselves. But no darkness, including our own, is too much for the light of Christ. Like the Bereans, search the Scriptures daily. Like Paul, Silas, and Timothy, be relentless in bearing witness. The light you carry is Jesus Christ Himself—and the darkness cannot overcome Him.

Transcript

We're all familiar with Thomas Edison. 0s

We know who that is, a famous inventor, famous, possibly most famous for inventing the 3s

light bulb. 10s

Right? 11s

We enjoy the fruits of his invention in our modern world. 12s

And he was on a real mission to bring light into every home and business. 17s

Here, not only in this country, but truly around the world. 23s

He was on a very direct mission. 26s

And he worked really long and really hard at that. 28s

He took a thousand attempts to create the light bulb. 33s

It was a long time coming. 38s

He actually used over or tested 6000 different fibers for the carbon filter. 41s

He worked really, really hard on that. 49s

A reporter asked him at one point asked, how did it feel to fail one thousand times? 51s

To which Edison replied, I didn't fail one thousand times. 59s

The light bulb was an invention with 1000 steps. 63s

He worked really hard at getting this right. 70s

And he would not give up. 73s

He was relentless in his mission to bring light to this world. 74s

In our text today, we see our missionaries, Paul, Silas, and Timothy. 80s

We see them also very relentless in their mission to bring light to this world. 86s

But it's a different kind of light. 93s

Let's recap what we've learned so far from chapter 17. 96s

So as the chapter began, Paul, Silas, and Timothy found themselves in Thessalonica. 101s

They were in Thessalonica and they were in the synagogue, every Sabbath for three weeks in a row, 106s

proclaiming the message of Jesus. 114s

In verse 9, it says that Paul was explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Messiah to suffer 116s

and to rise from the dead, saying, this is the Messiah Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you. 124s

He was in a constant, not argument, but constant defense of Scripture, continually using Scripture to support 129s

and prove and explain how Jesus is the Messiah, how Jesus was the one who brought forgiveness into our world. 140s

And the Jews in Thessalonica were in constant discussion for three weeks in a row on the Sabbath. 151s

They would find themselves in the synagogue discussing this and Paul proving through Scripture 158s

that Jesus indeed was the Messiah. 164s

Some people were indeed brought to faith through those discussions. 168s

We did see that some people were brought to faith, but there were also many Jews who didn't like what he had to say. 173s

They got very upset and angry and they incited a crowd, a mob, they gathered a mob together. 181s

And they went to Jason's house, the Jason who was a believer who was hosting Paul and Silas. 188s

He went to, or the crowd went to their house, drug Jason out because Paul and Silas weren't there. 196s

They brought Jason and the other believers before the authorities and they accused Paul and Silas and the other believers 202s

of turning the world upside down. 212s

They were very angry at the message that Paul would dare to bring to Thessalonica. 217s

They eventually let Jason and the other believers go after they had paid a bail. 225s

And this is exactly where we're picking up. 232s

In verse 10, look with me please. 235s

That very night, the believers sent Paul and Silas off to Beria. 238s

So they knew for their own safety, for Paul and Silas is safety, they needed to be away. 244s

They most likely sent them during the night who avoid any further public disturbance. 251s

They didn't want another mob forming. 258s

They wanted Paul and Silas to be safe. 261s

So in the middle of the night, or in the night, they sent Paul and Silas on their way. 264s

When they arrived, this is Paul and Silas, when they arrived, they went to the Jewish synagogue. 270s

This should be no surprise. 277s

What is their pattern? 279s

Every time they enter a new town, they end up in the Jewish synagogue. 281s

Interestingly, Beria is about 60 miles from Thessalonica. 287s

Beria is an out of the way town, and it's not very important. 292s

It's not important, historically, it's not important politically, unlike Thessalonica, 297s

Beria didn't hold a significance in the culture. 304s

But Paul and Silas went to the synagogue, and the Berians heard what they had to say. 310s

And they were very open to what these men had brought them, 315s

continuing in verse 11, these Jews were more receptive than those in Thessalonica. 320s

There's a difference of the cities, but there's a difference of the people, as well, isn't there? 328s

The Jews in Beria are much more receptive. 333s

They're much more open to hearing the word that Paul is bringing to them. 337s

The NRSV translates that word as receptive. 343s

But other translations use the word noble or noble-minded instead of judging Paul's message 347s

on political or cultural criteria. 357s

They're testing the truth of Paul's words with scripture. 362s

Verse 11 again, these Jews were more receptive than those in Thessalonica 368s

for they welcomed the message very eagerly and examined the scriptures every day to see whether 373s

these things were so. 381s

The Berians Jews were eager. 384s

They wanted to learn more. 387s

In Thessalonica, the Jews would come back to the synagogue every week, three weeks in a row, 389s

and they would argue it out, reasoned it out, discuss it out, having Paul prove from the scriptures. 396s

Here, these Berians are so enthralled. 402s

They're so eager to learn that they go back to their homes, and they search scripture for themselves. 406s

They are doing the work. 412s

They are finding what scripture has to say every single day. 414s

They're not leaving it for once a week. 420s

They're not leaving it for the Sabbath for Paul alone to tell them what scripture says. 423s

They're finding it out for themselves. 431s

They met with Paul to dialogue. 434s

They met with Paul to find out what exactly was going on. 437s

The word examined in here, it actually means to scrutinize, to investigate. 444s

They were looking through the scriptures, investigating what scripture had to say, 452s

and they were approaching it without bias. 458s

They were open to the truth that scripture had to offer. 461s

Let the chips fall where they may, and we know that the chips always fall on Jesus. 469s

The whole of the Old Testament points to Jesus Christ as the Messiah. 478s

That is what they were searching. 484s

They were searching through scripture, which at that time was our Old Testament. 486s

We like to separate and we like to make this delineation between the Old Testament and the new 492s

of the Old Testament God versus the New Testament God. 498s

Or we don't have to think about the Old Testament. 502s

It doesn't really apply or matter to us because we're people of the New Testament. 505s

Indeed, we are people of the New Testament that the Old Testament directs us to. 511s

We're called to look at all of scripture. 521s

It is all unified pointing to the same direction, which is Jesus Christ as the Messiah. 525s

So these Jews in Beria were very receptive to the message that Paul was bringing. 537s

They were thinking critically about it. 543s

They were examining using scripture to interpret the words that he was bringing to them. 545s

Today, as Christians, we also are called to use scripture to interpret scripture. 555s

We are called to turn the pages, search it, investigate it, seek the truth, allow for the truth 562s

to be told throughout all of scripture. 571s

And we know it's there. 577s

In Thessalonica Paul was reasoning and he was explaining and he was proving and proclaiming and 581s

waiting while in Beria, the Jews were just ready to hear it. 587s

They were eagerly hearing, listening, seeking and receiving what Paul had to bring. 594s

Johann Albrecht Bendell, Ben Galset, a characteristic of the true religion, 604s

is that it suffers itself to be examined into and it claims to be so decided on. 609s

We are called to search the Old Testament. 617s

Luther himself said, we must go back to the Old Testament and learn to prove the New Testament 620s

from the Old. 627s

There we shall see the promise concerning Christ as Christ Himself declares in John the 5th chapter. 629s

You search the scriptures and it is they that bear witness to me. 636s

Likewise, if you believed Moses, you would believe me for he wrote. 642s

Of me, the scriptures tell of Christ and we are invited and exorided and called to search God's 647s

word for truth about himself. 660s

Let us continue in verse 12. 664s

Many of them, therefore believed, including not a few Greek women and men of high standing, many 667s

and many Gentiles, not just the God fearing but pagan Gentiles, were called into belief. 675s

And then the uproar and it can never be left alone in the church, continuing in verse 13. 684s

But when the Jews of Thessalonica learned that the Word of God had been proclaimed by Paul in 693s

sight crowds. 703s

This is not a new story. 706s

This is the pattern. 707s

Paul and Silas go to a town. 710s

The Jews get very angry. 712s

They incite the crowds. 714s

Paul and Silas get run out of town. 716s

They go to a new town. 718s

They speak to the Jews in the synagogue or the place of prayer. 720s

The Jews get angry. 723s

They incite a crowd. 725s

Paul and Silas get run out of town. 726s

It's a pattern that we've seen over and over. 729s

Think of Acts 14 when the Jews from Anniac followed them to Leistra, to Econium, to Derby, 732s

constantly trying to shut down the Word that Paul and Silas were bringing to the people. 740s

We continue in verse 14. 748s

Then the believers immediately sent Paul away to the coast, but Silas and Timothy remained behind. 750s

Those who conducted Paul brought him as far as Athens and after receiving instructions to have 757s

Silas and Timothy join him as soon as possible, they left him. 763s

Over and over, Paul was driven from the towns that he was going to. 768s

The towns where he was planting the seed of God's Word, the towns where churches were being established. 774s

He was driven away. 784s

The darkness was trying to stop. 787s

Any forward momentum of the gospel. 790s

But God's Word had taken hold. 795s

These churches were planted. 797s

The seed was becoming fruitful. 800s

The believers were banning together. 802s

They were not left wanting. 804s

They were not left without faith. 807s

They were not left without God's Word. 810s

They were strengthened and they were gathering together. 814s

And they were growing and they were searching the scriptures together. 819s

And they were praying together. 823s

We think that darkness will overcome. 826s

We think that darkness can possibly stop the forward movement of the gospel from reaching the ends of the earth. 829s

But it can't. 838s

And it won't. 840s

The darkness seems relentless. 842s

But the light is also relentless. 845s

The hostility of the Thessalonian Jews, it was predominantly directed toward Paul. 849s

So, for his safety, they sent him to Athens. 856s

They sent him away. 861s

And he encouraged Silas and Timothy to stay there. 862s

They were staying there to help the believers, to help those new believers that knew church 865s

that had been established. 871s

And then they would soon join him. 872s

Paul and Silas and Timothy were constantly driven from different towns. 876s

But the words stayed and the word grew. 883s

And those churches continued to grow. 888s

Paul left Buria but not before the word had been rooted. 892s

This sermon really honestly could have been. 901s

And it almost was titled, here we go again. 904s

It is the same thing that we read about in Acts over and over again. 909s

The word is going forth. 915s

Someone gets really upset about that. 918s

And the darkness comes in and tries to stop it and end it right then and there. 921s

And so the light is brought to a new town and it's followed by the darkness. 927s

But it persists and it won't stop. 934s

A lot of times we as a modern church think it must have been so much easier to be a missionary 939s

in the early church. 945s

The early church had it, is no one knew about Jesus yet. 947s

So everywhere they went, there were open ears, there was a possibility for proclaiming 951s

the word and we romanticize how nice this early church must have been and how easy these missionaries 956s

must have had it because there were open ears everywhere they went. 966s

But I want to remind you that the majority of the apostles were martyred for their faith. 971s

Paul himself wrote in 2 Corinthians, five times I have received from the Jews, 979s

the 40 lashes minus one. 985s

Three times I was beaten with rods. 987s

Once I received a stoning, three times I was shipwrecked for a night and a day I was a drift at sea. 991s

On frequent journeys in danger from rivers, danger from bandits, danger from my own people, danger 997s

from the Gentiles danger in the city, danger in the wilderness danger at sea, danger from 1004s

false brothers and sisters in toil and hardship through many as sleepless night, hungry 1009s

and thirsty, often without food, cold and naked. 1017s

Persecution follows the gospel. 1025s

If followed the gospel, when Christ Himself was here, when He was the living gospel walking this earth, 1029s

darkness persecuted Him, chased after Him, tried to stop Him in His tracks. 1037s

When Paul and Peter and the other missionaries were bringing that word to the ends of the earth, 1045s

they were persecuted. 1054s

It is the same pattern even today, oftentimes when we bring that word of Jesus Christ 1057s

the Messiah who forgives sins, there's darkness that tries to swore it. 1067s

I can't talk about it at work. I can't talk about it to this person. They might not be my friend. 1076s

I can't put this out on social media and we step back. 1082s

But that's not what we're called to do. We are called to be relentless. Persecution, the darkness, 1090s

it is absolutely relentless and it will always be chasing after the light trying to stop it, 1099s

trying to shut it down. So we like Paul, like Silas, like Timothy, all the missionaries, 1106s

we too are called to be relentless in continuing to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ. 1114s

But we cannot do that of our own power. We are relentless because first God has been relentless. 1122s

God has been relentless in His love and mercy for you. 1133s

Jesus Christ was relentless in His love for you as He walked 1139s

with a cross on His back up a hill. He was relentless in His mercy for you as He stretched His arms 1146s

on that cross and they were nailed to those pieces of wood for you. 1156s

He was relentless in His mercy and love as the Father turned from the sun and poured out His 1163s

wrath upon the sun for you. Christ was relentless in His love as He said it is finished and died. 1175s

And then Christ was relentless in the power over death when He rose from the grave 1190s

and came back to show Himself alive defeating any darkness that thought it had prevailed. 1198s

Christ was relentless. Christ is relentless. Christ will always be relentless in His love for you. 1209s

I think about second Peter, the third chapter where it says the Lord is not slow about His promise 1222s

as something of slowness but His patient with you not wanting any to perish but all 1226s

to come to repentance. He's relentless in His love because He wants us all to be with him eternally. 1235s

Thomas Edison wanted to bring light into this world. He was relentless in bringing light into 1252s

this world and the light He gave us is really nice. It's very handy. We use it every single day 1258s

and I'm grateful for it but we are called as missionaries to bring the light into this world. 1266s

The light, the living light who is Jesus Christ in John the first chapter it says in the beginning 1278s

was the word and the word was with God and the word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things 1285s

came into being through Him and without Him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in 1294s

him was life and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness and the 1301s

darkness did not overcome it. Though the darkness will push and pursue and try relentlessly 1310s

to stop the light it absolutely cannot. The light can never be overcome by darkness. 1321s

The light which is Jesus Christ has already prevailed has already overcome the darkness that is. 1330s

We don't have to look far to find darkness. Certainly we can look anywhere outside these walls. But if we're being honest, 1342s

I can look at myself and find darkness. You can look at yourselves and find darkness. 1356s

And a lot of times we think that our darkness surely it's too much. Surely my darkness is too much 1368s

to be overcome too much to be forgiven. But the darkness does not overcome the light. 1379s

The light is Jesus Christ who died for you who rose for you to be the first born of the 1394s

resurrection. That is the light that we have been given. That is the light that is yours. 1407s

That is the light that you as missionaries are called to be relentless in bringing to this world. 1419s

Thomas Edison was great. Wonderful. He brought a wonderful light. 1432s

But you, my brothers and sisters, you have the light and you have the word of the light which is 1438s

the truth, the light. Oh, sugars. Hold on. The life, the truth. I'm going to mess it up. 1448s

You know what I'm saying. Jesus Christ is the light. He is the truth. He is the way. You have 1455s

Him in you and you have been called to bring that light into this world. We live in a dark world. 1465s

But the light can and will overcome it. And so I encourage you as you go forth this week. 1476s

Take that light. Grasp it, hold it and then shine it forth. 1485s

Bearing witness relentlessly to the grace and mercy and truth that is in Jesus Christ. 1491s