Overcoming Jealousy (Chantilly Sermon)

Proverbs 27:4 MSG – “We’re blasted by anger and swamped by rage, but who can survive jealousy?”

Acts 17:1-4 CSB – After they passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. As usual, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Messiah to suffer and rise from the dead: “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah.” Some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, including a large number of God-fearing Greeks, as well as a number of the leading women.

Acts 17:5a CSB – “But the Jews became jealous, and they brought together some wicked men from the marketplace, formed a mob, and started a riot in the city.”

Acts 17:5b-15 CSB – ” Attacking Jason’s house, they searched for them to bring them out to the public assembly. When they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city officials, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here too, and Jason has welcomed them. They are all acting contrary to Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king – Jesus.” The crowd and city officials who heard these things were upset. After taking a security bond from Jason and the others, they released them.

As soon as it was night, the brothers and sisters sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. Upon arrival, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. The people here were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, since they received the word with eagerness and examined the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.

Consequently, many of them believed, including a number of the prominent Greek women as well as men. But when the Jews from Thessalonica found out that the word of God had been proclaimed by Paul at Berea, they came there too, agitating and upsetting the crowds. Then the brothers and sisters immediately sent Paul away to go to the coast, but Silas and Timothy stayed on there. Those who escorted Paul brought him as far as Athens, and after receiving instructions for Silas and Timothy to come to him as quickly as possible, they departed.”

Jealousy blinds us to blessings.

Acts 17:7 CSB – “They are all acting contrary to Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king – Jesus.”

Mark 8:35 CSB – “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me and the gospel will save it.”

Exodus 20:5A CSB – “Do not bow in worship to them, and do not serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God;”