This Morning I want to talk about a Bible character that you might not be familiar with.  I’d like to talk about Jason.  Jason is probably not someone that you remember learning about in Sunday school when you were a kid.  The Jason’s of the Bible and the world play an incredibly important and vital role.  Let’s look at the story of Jason found in Acts 17 together today.

When Paul and his companions had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. 2 As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and proving that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead. “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah,” he said. 4 Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few prominent women. 5 But other Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city. They rushed to Jason’s house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd. 6 But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some other believers before the city officials, shouting: “These men who have caused trouble all over the world have now come here, 7 and Jason has welcomed them into his house. They are all defying Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus.” 8 When they heard this, the crowd and the city officials were thrown into turmoil. 9 Then they made Jason and the others post bond and let them go.

Three things come to mind in this brief story of Jason.  First when the “Christians” are causing trouble the officials immediately go to Jason.  This means that he was a known follower of Jesus.  They assumed that he would be at the center of whatever was going on with Paul and Silas.  Then we find out that in fact Jason was hosting them at his house.  He was willing to embrace Paul even when he knew of the possibility of trouble because of it.  Jason is arrested simply because the officials cannot find Paul there.  He is forced to pay bond.  Jason’s efforts enable Paul to bring the Gospel to Thessalonica and also allow him to leave and continue to carry to Gospel to other places as well.  We all have a tendency to focus on Paul and the Paul’s of the world.  With Jason’s Paul’s cannot accomplish what God has called them to.  So today and every day know that whatever role you play in sharing the love of Jesus is a crucial and important one.  Be a Jason and use your gifts to build God’s kingdom. 

In His Grip,
Pastor Dave