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The development of the soul and spirit is essential for a full life.
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2 MISSION AND THE CHURCH AT CORINTH ACTS 18:1-17
The Corinthian Church was born in mission. Mission was a top priority of Paul. The Church began through the efforts of one man, Paul (Acts 18:1). Rarely does God commission a committee to found a church. It is much more likely to emerge from one dedicated individual. Paul; was a zealous man. He was earnest and uncompromising, whole hearted and fervent in spirit. He was consumed by one thing, and that is to please God. Whether he lived or died, rich or poor, in sickness and health, praised or rejected, he burns for one thing, to pleases and glorify God. He is contented when he does the work God appointed him to do. He was a brilliant man and could not live in the smug complacency of religion or the philosophies of the Greeks.
He
was enthused with the gospel and felt compelled to preach it everywhere.
He made great sacrifices for it.
His whole life centered round it.
It was the centre of God’s plan.
He had moved across from Athens to the capital city, Corinth. It was
a mixed community at Corinth, greedy for power, dedicated to pleasure,
fascinated by rhetoric and knowledge. Paul came and preached the gospel
during his second missionary journey in the Autumn of 50 A. D.
His preaching was supported by Aquila and Pricilla, and was very
successful. He stayed there
more than 18 months, before moving back to Antioch.
Meanwhile a man named Apollos would be converted, be built up by
Aquila and Pricilla (who had by then moved to Ephesus) and came to Corinth,
where he made a great impression on the Church (Acts 18:27).
Later on Paul came back and spent the winter months of A.D. 56-57,
during which he wrote his epistle to the Romans.
Paul
Was Alone and Discouraged and God Sent Him Encouragement
Vs 1 Church planting at Corinth. Vs 1 “And after these things Paul departed from Athens and went to Corinth.” Paul had been in Athens alone waiting for Timothy and Silas to come and join him and to bring reports from the churches in Berea and in Thessalonica. He had given a great speech to the intellectuals of the city and they were impressed with his keen mind genius but not many turned to Christ. His ability to adapt to any situation and communicate was fantastic. After his missionary thrust in Athens Paul goes on his journey to Corinth. He had witnessed the brilliance of the pagan philosophers in Athens but it did not dent his prophetic unction from God. He may have been disappointed by his experience at Athens. There had been a culture shock in Athens, and now he experienced moral shock in Corinth. It’s sweat and smells, it’s activities and immoralities smothered his righteous soul, and he became depressed. He became discouraged, fearful and insecure. But God was going to come in and encourage him.
He
left Athens for more receptive fields and did not even wait for Silas and
Timothy. He was alone and need
fellowship and encouragement. We
are the same we are not an island we need each other in the Church.
He must have felt a little dejected as he walked the 50 miles from
Athens to Corinth. Since coming
to Europe, he had suffered a terrible beating in Philippi, civil rejection
in Thessalonica and Berea and indifference in Athens. It is recorded for us
in 1 Corinthians 2:1-3 “And when I
came to you brothers, I did not
come with eloquence or superior power,
as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God…I came to you in
weakness and fear, and in much trembling.”
He had it rough and it was showing.
Paul
Meets a Dynamic Couple Who Encourage Him – Aquila and Pricilla
Vs 2 Sharing the work together. “And he found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently from Italy with his wife Pricilla (because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome); and he came to them.” In the city of Corinth he found this Jewish couple recently come from Rome. Aquila (Eagle) and Pricilla, (one of the names of the great families of Rome) was forced to move their business to Corinth. The reason they had left Rome was because of anti-Semitism which had rolled like a wave over the earth. She was related to some great people in Rome. She was a very gifted woman. Both had come to Christ and into Paul’s life. They were a great encouragement to Paul. In Romans 16:3-4 Paul calls them his “fellow workers in Christ Jesus”, saying that they even “risked their lives” for him. They were close friends, towers of strength.
Because Paul was of the same trade they got acquainted and brought him in to their home to stay. Paul shared the gospel with them and they were saved and along with some others in the synagogue.
During the Roman Empire this happened several times. At this time Claudius commanded Jews to leave Rome. Among those were this wonderful couple Percilla and Aquila. The same evil spirit that was in Haman, and Hitler and the extreme Muslims has always been and will be until the Lord Jesus Christ comes to deal with Satan and his allies.
Paul was no individualist. He was the one who took the initiative in evangelism but as the work of God continued he saw the need of partnership. A team can demonstrate the good news together. He saw how it important it was to work with others. Teamwork can bring both blessings and problems. With good mature Biblical love, understanding each others gifts and abilities, instruction and application the problems can be sorted out. Every pastor, minister, missionary thanks God for people like Pricilla and Aquila, people with hands, hearts and homes dedicated to the work of the Lord.
Paul
was a great missionary but how much would he have accomplished alone?
He had friends like this couple and Timothy and Silas, and the
generous believers at in Macedonia, who made it possible for Paul to serve
the Lord effectively. His
Christian friends, new and old, encouraged him at time when he most needed
it. We should be reminded to encourage our friends in the work of the Lord.
Humanly speaking we would have no church in Corinth were it not for
the devotion and service of many different people. It is one thing for God
to use one person to start a church but quite another for Him to use a team.
Tent
Making- Funding for God’s Work
VS 3 Sharing the same home together. “So, because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them and worked; for by occupation they were tentmakers.” Paul had waited at Athens for Timothy and Silas to come, but they didn’t show up. While he waited in Corinth he found it necessary to support himself by making tents. He had no missionary support coming through and so he put himself to work to supply in order to pay for the necessities of life.
In evangelical circles today the term “tentmakers” is used of a missionary who goes to another country and gets a job to help support himself. It is getting more like that because many countries will not accept you unless you come to work or give some practical help or expertise.
Tent making in missionary terms means the missionary may not be able to get full financial support from back home and they support themselves by working in the economy of that country. Missions have been heading that way for a while now
Tent making (teaching, nursing, doctor, community worker etc.) may be the only way to get into a country. There is also the problem of the world economy making it increasingly expensive to support the growing number of missionaries. Paul had managed before when the prosperous church at Antioch sent him out with sufficient money and supported him. Other churches also supported him. We know that because he writes about it in his letters , thanking them for their help. When he got to Corinth he ran out of money and was in need. Aquila and Pricilla had come to Corinth and started business there. They opened a shop, and one day there came to their little shop a Jew who had traveled all the way from Antioch.
What do you suppose they talked about? Well. Paul led them to Christ the Lord. In the same synagogue there were others who also turned to the Lord. However, there was great opposition against Paul among the Jews.
He teamed up with Aquila and Percilla and worked in their business. The threesome shared professional interests together and had similar backgrounds; this led to sharing the same home together. When Christians share their home it often becomes a place of blessing for others, of fellowship with others, a place where people may be saved, built up and encouraged
But
now Silas and Timothy they came to him in Corinth and bring the report from
the churches in Macedonia. We
know that the church at the prosperous city of Antioch had supported him but
now his support was not getting through.
He tells us in his second letter he was not a burden to the church in
Corinth because he was eventually set supplies from the Christians in
Macedonia “The brother came form Macedonia ad supplied what I needed.”
(2 Cor. 11:9). The church at Phillipi, Thessalonica and Berea thought abut
him out on his own with no money, food and shelter, he would have to make
tents and that would take away form his preaching. He
does not complain but talks of his condition positively, he does not
indicate a period when he lacked funds. The first epistle of the
Thessalonians was written during this period, after he had received
Timothy’s report.
REJECTION
AT THE SYNAGOGUES
Vs
4 Paul was invited to speak in the synagogue. “And he reasoned in the
synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded both Jews and Greeks.” He had
earned the right by waiting and worshipping there.
But when the opportunity came he used it powerfully. On occasions it
may be possible to speak in a liberal church or to a group of unbelievers
and we should take the opportunity. You
may not be asked back but at least take the opportunity. He devoted himself
to preaching to the Jews but they rejected him and the gospel.
So Paul went to the gentiles, and he preached the message of the
cross to them also.
GOD
SENT SILAS AND TIMOTHY TO ENCOURAGE PAUL
Vs 5 Encouragers in the work. “When Silas and Timothy had come from Macedonia; Paul was compelled by the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ.” Paul was compelled, thrilled, and gripped with the message of the gospel. Paul had been waiting for his two friends to join him from Athens. From there he sent Timothy back to Thessalonica (1 Thess. 3:1-6). He set sail to somewhere in Macedonia, possibly Philippi (Phil. 4:15; 2 Cor. 11:9). It is so important to encourage those who are leading the battle into enemy territory. They would have shared the Word of God together, had a mutual desire to see the lost saved; they would also have encouraged one another. Paul needed encouragement and so do we.
Silas
and Timothy now arrived from Berea. They
brought a report form the churches in Macedonia. They encouraged Paul.
When you see someone carrying on without a great deal of
encouragement, do what you can to encourage or help them.
There is a certain amount of loneliness when anyone is doing anything
worth while, they may feel in a lonely position.
Speak a good word to them.
God
Sent Good News From The churches To Encourage
Paul.
Silas and Timothy brought two things with them. One was good news about the Thessalonian church their faith and their love was standing firm (1 Thess. 3:6-10,) and a missionary gift offering from Philippi (2 Cor. 11:9; Phil. 4:14-15) so that Paul was free to “hold himself to the word”. All this was in addition to the blessing of reunion with the faithful Silas and Timothy, whom Paul called “my son.”
God
Encouraged Paul Financially
Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia with help form the churches. The brethren in Philippi must have been thinking about him and his needs. Sometimes we are not aware that the Lord has put us and our needs on some believer’s hearts. In Thessalonica and Berea they were also thinking about him and they responded practically. They said, “Lets take a collection and have Timothy and Silas take it to Paul.” Oh how it must have melted his heart. It lifted his spirit. It renewed his faith in the Lord and His people.
Vs 6 “But when they opposed him and blasphemed, he shook his garments and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads; I am clean. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” He went to the Jews first “first for the Jew, then for the Gentiles” (Rom. 1:16). He had special concern for his people but they abused him. That would be enough to make anybody go home but not Paul. He could have said, “I have had enough, I am going home.” “Look they are abusing me and rejecting me and the next thing will be they will stir up the Greeks against me. I will be beaten and hauled into court, I give up, I’m going to quit.” No! He feels he must speak out, and testify that Jesus is the Messiah. He held his opponents responsible for blaspheming Christ and rejecting his message.
Whenever
God is blessing a ministry, you can expect increased opposition as well as
increased opportunities. Satan
gets angry when we invade his territory and liberate his slaves and so he
causes much opposition. Such
opposition only made Paul more determined to stay there and get the job
done.
Paul’s
Decision to go to the Gentiles
Vs 6 “But when they opposed him and blasphemed, he shook his garments and said to them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean. From now on I will go to the gentiles.” Verse six was the time that Paul made the break that took him to the Gentile world. He faced opposition at Corinth. And in the midst of this he fell prey to fear and discouragement. Apparently it was at this time that Paul made a break that took him to the Gentile world. It would seem from this point Paul’s ministry was largely to the Gentiles. He preached the message of the cross which was a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Greeks. In shaking his garments he was saying, “You have had the opportunity, but now its over.” To “have blood on your hands.” This means a person is responsible for another’s death because they were not faithful to warn him, you were to blame for your own judgment. Paul was not guilty of this his hands were clean (Acts 20:26). The image comes from the watchman on the city walls whose task it was to warn of coming danger (Ezk. 3:17-21, 33:1-9).
Vs 7-8 “And he departed from there and entered the house of a certain man named Justus, one who worshipped God, whose house was next door to the synagogue. Then Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with his household. And many of the Corinthians, hearing and believed and were baptized.” This began a great cultural spread of converts. It was a wise decision because it gave him a continued contact with the Jews and Gentile proselytes; and as a result even the chief ruler of the synagogue and his house were converted. He cared for the building and the services that went on there making sure they were held in a regular and orderly manner. This was the Lord’s great commission in action. “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. Paul went and won people to the Lord, baptized them and taught them.
God
Gave a Vision to Encourage Paul
and Give him Assurance.
FEAR
NOT - Don’t Be Afraid vs.
9-10
1.
Vs 9
“Do not be afraid, keep on speaking, do not be silent.
For I am with you and no one is going to attack or harm you, because
I have many people in this city.”
Yes the great saint was afraid. He must have been afraid because God
does not waste his words in telling him not to be.
He must have been afraid of the hostility of the Jews because of what
might happen to him. No doubt the Jews would be furious with Paul and wanted
to silence him and get rid of him. Perhaps
he thought about leaving the city but God came to him and told him he was
needed there.
Yes
the great apostle was afraid and God gave him a vision to encourage him.
This was the man who was beaten and thrown into prison at Philippi
and sang songs at midnight along with Silas.
The tensions, the tiredness, the attacks, the battle had hammered him
into the ground. The recent
months had caught up on him. He
had not had sufficient time to rest and recover.
He probably felt like Elijah, tired and discouraged.
In the midst of his despondency God ministered to him.
He was in the thick of the battle and sends some encouragement, some
new strength, and some new hope. In
the midst of his darkness, his hopelessness, when feeling his lowest, God
had something to tell him, God was to send him encouragement.
In the midst of his fear and discouragement God was going to meet his
need. Poor Paul was
worrying about troubles he was facing.
This is a terrible habit to engage in.
Christ said “Fear not” He calmed the storm in Paul’s heart in
the midst of the cruel circumstances. The
presence of the Lord makes the difference. The Lord had told him at his
conversion he would suffer many things for His names sake now it was
happening. .
Many
of us feel harassed, we feel something dreadful is about to happen.
We are waiting for it to happen but if we turn to God he will send us
encouragement. Some of us fear
the worst, loosing our home, our job, our heath, about what people think,
about how much we have in the bank. We
go through a thousand tribulations we are never meant to undergo- and
probably never will.
God
took the initiative to encourage Paul not to fear.
This showed God’s love for him and how much he cared for him.
Is it not the same with each one of his saints?
Yes!
“There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear” (1 John 4:18). The simple words in Paul’s vision filled Paul s heart with God’s love, and fear was put to flight. Time and time again the scriptures tell us to fear not-to stop worrying about tomorrow, to stop borrowing trouble-because we are divinely loved, and God’s love is enough.
Corinth was the last place you would expect the Lord to “have much people”. It is the same for Belfast, Dublin, Londonderry, London, Glasgow, Paris, Amsterdam, New York, Las Vegas, Mexico, and Tokyo. It is same the in the small towns and villages of the world. In the deserts or the forests of the world God has a people for Himself. When you look at these cities, the immorality, the crime, the filthy way of life, the vast crowds, we should remember the Lord has much people there. We see the negative, the evil, the works of Satan, the ways of the world, the lusts of the flesh, but He sees much people there. It is good to see our city from God’s perspective.
Paul
was already in this city he could feel the atmosphere, see the sin,
experience the evil presence but God had plans for this city. Perhaps Paul
thought about leaving the city when he received much opposition and go to a
less cruel or evil city. God
tells him not to fear. God is
an encourager. Paul had
experienced persecution in Pisidian Antioch, Lystra, Philippi, Thessalonica,
Berea and in its own way Athens. He
had been knocked down so many times. Hurt
so many times. He was abused
often. His preaching caused riots. Here
he was contemplating what trouble lay ahead. He felt harassed and perhaps
was panic was beginning to set in as he thought of a thousand tribulations
that may await him. God took
the effort to encourage Paul not to fear. “There is no fear in love.
Love casts out all fear.” Scripture tells us time and time again
not fear because we re divinely loved.
God loves us and that is enough. The Lord detained him and tells him,
“I have much people in this city.”
He wanted him not to worry about the future but leave it to God.
KEEP
ON MINISTERING
2.
Vs 9 “Keep on speaking, do not be silent.”
Paul was tempted to be quiet. Did he think his preaching was bearing
no fruit? Was it fear made him afraid to speak.
He needed encouraged to break the silence that could imprison him.
He felt weak. This is
the best place to be for it is there in that position we find the strength
of the Lord God. If you are
feeling weak and fearful, praise God! Now
is the time to speak and not be silent, relying on Him, His power to make is
made perfect in your weakness. Perhaps you are tempted to try something
different from preaching the gospel. Maybe
drama, music or an emotional approach will save people!
No! No! NO! It is the preaching of the gospel that saves people.
God told him to keep on speaking, keep n preaching.
Why? Because, “Faith
comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of
God” (Rom.10:17).
GOD’S
PROTECTION
3. Vs 10 “For I am with you.” God promised to never leave or forsake His people “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Deut. 31:6; Heb. 13:5). Did Paul feel abandoned or forgotten by God? Did he feel so low that he thought God did not care for him? Do you ever think God is not with you or that He does not care about your situation? Take heart He is with every believer.
4. “No one is going to attack or harm you.” No hurt would come to Paul in Corinth because God was with him. God protects His saints and will not permit hurt or harm will come to them unless He permits it. He has permitted some of his saints to go through martyrdom but He brings something positive out of it all (Rom. 8:28). God’s protection does not mean we will be free from difficulties, but God will never allow us to face more than we can bear. No ultimate harm will come to us. No eternal damage can befall us. ”
The converts seemed to come from every background in the city. A ruler of the synagogue, the city treasurer, a Roman citizen, the rough element in the city, the prostitutes, homosexuals, idolaters, drunks, nobodies were converted (1 Cor. 6:9-11) That’s the way it should be. It should be a classless church. Education should not be criteria, money and social standing should not be the issue, colour should not be the preference, and the gospel is for everyone.
Divine election is a great encouragement to the preaching of the gospel. Salvation is of the Lord, He is not willing that any should perish. We have Paul’s responsibility to preach and take the gospel and Gods responsibility to save sinners. We are also to obey the great commission and not wait around expecting God to do it. He has chosen people to do it. Paul did not spend his time speculating about divine sovereignty and human responsibility, the way some believers do today, he got busy and tried to win some souls to Christ. Some silly believers even discuss election with the lost but scripture tells us the natural man does not know the things of God, or spiritual things, because they are spiritually dead.
We find now the Lord speaks to Paul because he is coming into a great new dimension of his missionary endeavour. Paul had cause to be discouraged but at his point of need God intervenes in several ways.
Vs
12. This judgment seat is the bema
seat. It’s the Bema Paul
spokes about in the Epistle of Corinthians.
They brought Paul to the bema seat, and there they sought to bring a
charge against him.
Vs
13. They charged him with
speaking contrary to the Mosaic Law.
Vs
14-17. Gallio
was the first person to make a statement regarding the church and state.
He told them to deal with if the matter was concerning religion or
some religious thing, and then they should take it and handle it themselves.
He was a Roman magistrate and he was concerned with enforcing Roman
law. But when the case did not
involve Roman law, he would not interfere.
He told them to handle religious matters themselves.
He adopted a “hands off” policy.
He separated church and state and did not stop Paul from preaching in
the city of Corinth. Corinth
was a city of freedom including religious freedom.
Since the issue had to do with religion, he asked them to deal with
it themselves.
Interference from Westminster, or a monarch, or a civil body in church matters is wrong unless state laws that are according to God’s standard are broken. Then the state has a right to apply the law of the land upon the offenders. Christians have a right to pray, they have a right to free speech, and they are to have freedom of religion. They have a right to spread the gospel as commanded by Christ. The state should stay out of church affairs. Gallio was a secular magistrate and did not try to settle church debates or arguments and that is the way it should be. Church problems are not the states business unless it breaks the law.
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Robert Hunsdale (Pastor/Founder) |
