Everybody, what is going on? You know what time it is. You're listening to join the Journey podcast with your host, Emma, daughter.

Thanks for joining. Did you know there's a guy named Jason in the Bible? I've read Acts 17 before, but for some reason, when I think of the name Jason, I don't think about a Bible character. I think about Jason's deli or kids I grew up with.

So who is this Jason and why should we take notice of him? When I was growing up in the students

ministry at my church, we had a weekend retreat that was called D-Now, very similar to what we do at

Watermark, D-Town for our students. And at this retreat, we all stayed in host homes with families who would open up their houses,

their homes, to house for the weekend a small group of students.

Again, very similar to what we do here at Watermark.

But what's interesting, as I'm looking at Acts Chapter 17, is that Jason, he's a great example of a host home.

He used his home to host Paul and Silas.

But Jason, he had a very different experience hosting than my parents did back when I was growing up at these retreats.

Because he hosted Paul and Silas, he was attacked by a

mob at his home, dragged to the city authorities, and had to pay them money simply because he had

been a benevolent host to two faithful men of God. What a legend. I read that story and all I could think is, why does no one ever talk

about Jason? I mean, sure, Acts 17, it's filled with some iconic moments like the Bereans

searching the scriptures and Paul at the Ariopagus. But this, a well-meaning host, he didn't actually say anything, he just hosted,

was dragged out of his home for associating with Christians. That's crazy. But what might be even

crazier is what the mob said about Paul and Silas. Starting in verse 6, the mob was shouting, crying out,

these men who have turned the world upside down have come here also, and Jason has received them,

and they are all acting against the decrees of Caesar saying that there is another king,

Jesus. And the people and the city authorities were disturbed

when they heard these things, and when they had taken money as security from Jason and the rest,

they let them go. And all I can wonder is, why have I never spent time meditating on the story

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