Acts 18 Paul’s Second Missionary Journey Have U Evr Been Disillusioned w/ G? IL: Xian=EXCITED, Sharing -> PERSECUT! FAILD! IL: Young Ldrs=PWRFL / Fall Flat, PUBLIC! IL: Phil Robertson “Only Quoting Script!” IL: Me,Eldership=In/Out/In/Out/In/Out ~B Problem: ??Am I Serving?? “Me”=Disillus / “G”=OK Disillusioned
Previously… Acts 16ff “…That night Paul had a vision…” “the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them” “the Holy Spirit had prevented them…” “…That night Paul had a vision…” Luk @Paul: G=**Guides **EVRY **STEP ** @Corinth
God's Leadership!? At Philippi: At Thessalonica: At Berea: In Athens: “…they kept begging them to leave the city.” At Thessalonica: “These men who have upset the world have come here also!” At Berea: …they came there as well, agitating and stirring up the crowds. In Athens: …some laughed in contempt, but others said, “We want to hear more about this later.” An **unbroken **series **of **setbacks. ** G=Leading?!? \ (^SATAN!) IL: Read HANDOUT = Mass HYSTERIA
Paul’s Conviction All Alone! I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment…we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Romans 12:3-5 “Those escorting Paul went with him all the way to Athens; then they returned to Berea with instructions for Silas and Timothy to hurry and join him.” (17:15) We ~Know “Low Points” Like P!
BROKE! Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them. Acts 18:1-3 (NIV) Flat-Busted! In 49 AD, an edict by Claudius, “directed against the Jews in Rome to put down the riots arising within the Jewish community there at the instigation of Chrestus.” Seutonius, Life of Claudius (25.4)
An evil place: Stuck in a PIT! Swimming in wealth. Morally calloused. Center of Occultism. Corinth = Reputat: “Corinthian”=NY Eve $$ Isthmus Canal=HUGE!! $$ Orgiastic:Sailrs,Prty But STRATEGIC!
An evil place: Stuck in a PIT! Aphrodite’s Temple Swimming in wealth. Center of Occultism. Morally calloused. Occult=Temple=1,000 Prostitutes “Let’s Go WORSHIP!” \ ??Wives Feel?? Calloused ~Love, COLD World \ Day 2 Dy ** Clev=PIT \ GOSP: This=Ur Best Wrld? Clev ~Rock: IS ROCK (Cold) This=Ur Future? \ Sit Box \ $$=FLY AWAY
Uncertain, fearful, confused “I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling.” 1 Corinthians 2:3 P=Weeney Like U & I ! We Hv.Setbacks:Foreb, Oppressd, Depressed
Moses Joshua Elijah Not uncommon for God’s servants! All Alone! BROKE! Stuck in a PIT Uncertain, fearful, confused. Moses And Moses said to the Lord, “…What did I do to deserve the burden of all these people? …If this is how you intend to treat me, just go ahead and kill me.” Num. 11:11-15 Joshua Then Joshua cried out, “Oh, Sovereign Lord, why did you bring us across the Jordan River if you are going to let the Amorites kill us? If only we had been content to stay on the other side! Joshua 7:7 (NLT) Elijah Elijah sat down under a solitary broom tree and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors who have already died.” 1 Kings 19:4 IL: Coming 2 CLEVELAND
WHO is steering this ship!? =DISILLUSIONED \ Disoriented AP: Bros & Sis – KNOW Who=Steering U Will Reach This Point ** He.6=KNOW Ur Hope! This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast… Hebrews 6:19
Faithfulness: a character trait the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness… Galatians 5:22 G=Builds Men/Women, ~SPOILED Brats ** 1Fruit=LUV \ “Faithful” = BIG Part “Emotional” Types ~Get This
Faithfulness: find fellowship …He met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them. Acts 18:1-3 (NIV) Isolation/Wthdraw = Usual Course Licking Wounds \ “Feel Sorry 4 MEEE” ** ~Paul: Converts? Finds Fellowsh IL: Me @ Fed Reserve
Faithfulness: Get to Work! “Tent-Making” A “fallback” for God’s workers A good path for ministry For you recall, brethren, our labor and hardship, how working night and day so as not to be a burden to any of you, we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. 1 Thessalonians 2:9 …because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked… Acts 18:1-3 “So Sad..” =Excuse 2b LAZY ** ~Paul: TentMk=HARD ** 1Co.4 ** 1Th.2 =Above Reproach IL: ME ** “T-Making” = Common Phrase ** Nd. “Fallback” \ ~HELPLESS ** Ministry ~Excuse 4 LAZINESS …we toil, working with our own hands… 1 Corinthians 4:12
Faithfulness: a Stewardship A weighty responsibility. A need to be trustworthy. And he was reasoning in the synagogue every Sabbath and trying to persuade Jews and Greeks. Acts 18:4 Let a man regard us in this manner, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. In this case, moreover, it is required of stewards that one be found trustworthy. 1 Corinthians 4:1-2 ~Lost Focus: ** #1 Priority/Identity =Thankful Heart ** NeoXenos=Cool=RESPONSIB ** ~Save Wrld \ CAN B Trustworthy
Faithfulness: Helping wherever Paul keeps on serving. Conversations: just 1 on 1. Get Equipped! And he was reasoning in the synagogue every Sabbath and trying to persuade Jews and Greeks. Acts 18:4 P=Keeps On Keeping On \ ~BIG Show ** Simple: 1 on 1 \ =U & I \ Reason/Pers =Most Effective Way 2 REACH Ppl G=REASONABLE \ GOSP: Faith ~BLIND ** Is.1:18 = Reasonabl \ Gud Deal!! ~Not?? ** AP: Get Equipped: .ORG "Come now, and let us reason together," Says the LORD, "Though your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They will be like wool. Isaiah 1:18
Christian Faithfulness: If one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. 1 Corinthians 12:26 Fellowship! “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:34 Get to Work! “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Matthew 6:33 Be a Steward Our people must also learn to engage in good deeds to meet pressing needs, so that they will not be unfruitful. Titus 3:14 Be Helpful Faithf=Antidote 2 Disillus \ ** Commit 2 Relat. ** Wrk, ~B Depressd \ ** Stwrd, ~B Confusd! ** Helpf.=Mark of Xians \ IL: Phil Robertson “Try 2b Gud” = “Luv..G/Neighb” = EZ
Calm Before the Storm Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. 1 Corinthians 16:13 Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. 2 Timothy 4:2 “Disillus” = CALM/Rest/Strength ** 1Co.16 ** In/Out Season=EVERY1 Gets \ ~B Jealous! AP: Take Advantage “Slow Times”
Our Lows: Where God’s Power Begins Human Pride Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:10 R Lows=G’s Pwr \ ** 2Co.12 Low=Necess. Else: ~Know G’s Pwr We=FULL Rselves \ ~Admit NEED ** IL: M. Python: “Gum Me 2 Death?”
Relief Arrives! But when Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul began devoting himself completely to the word, solemnly testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ. Acts 18:5 Evryth. Changes – All-Out Nuke Strike ?? Why ??
Support Arrives! As you know, you Philippians were the only ones who gave me financial help when I first brought you the Good News and then traveled on from Macedonia. No other church did this. Philippians 4:15 (NLT) I robbed other churches by taking wages from them to serve you; 2 Corinthians 11:8 $$ Arrives – Phil= “Extrem Poverty” ** 2Co.=Regrets “Spoiling” Them IL: NeoX @ Bedford / Solon
Spiritual Harvest Paul began devoting himself completely to the word, solemnly testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ. But when they resisted and blasphemed, he shook out 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!" “Ur blood” ~Responsibl 4 Reaction “I am clean” – but felt STEWARDSHIP
Spiritual Harvest Then he left there and went to the house of a man named Titius Justus, a worshiper of God,. whose house was next to the synagogue Crispus, the leader of the synagogue, believed in the Lord with all his household, and many of the Corinthians when they heard were believing and being baptized. Acts 18: “house..next” – Shared same wall! ~GO FAR!! ** “leader..believed” – Listening thru wall? “many..believed” – NOW=TROUBLE!! BUT…
God’s Support And the Lord said to Paul in the night by a vision, "Do not be afraid any longer, but go on speaking and do not be silent; for I am with you, and no man will attack you in order to harm you…” Acts 18:9-11 “…for I have many people in this city.” And he settled there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. Acts 18:10-11 ” ?‘Mny Ppl’? In Guttr,Orgy,etc \ G=Sees Hrt. ‘Markd!’ Luk @Cor=‘My Ppl! Rescue!’ \ GSent P 4 ?? Mos, P.Workd w/o Knowl “Faithfulnss” = All Paul Had = Enough GOSP: G=Draws U Here 2 RESCUE \ G=Loves U ?? U b Faithful 2 ?? Cleveland ?? Ur Kingdom ?? U=Corinthian?? ~WORK!! \ JC=K.of Kings/Creator “We All Go 6 FEET…” = FACT \ U=Here 2 DECIDE
Strange Ending… But while Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews with one accord rose up against Paul and brought him before the judgment seat, saying, "This man persuades men to worship God contrary to the law.“ But when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, "If it were a matter of wrong or of vicious crime, O Jews, it would be reasonable for me to put up with you; but if there are questions about words and names and your own law, look after it yourselves; I am unwilling to be a judge of these matters." And he drove them away from the judgment seat. P=Sweating BULLETS!! ** G’s Promises=TRUE
Strange Ending… And they all took hold of Sosthenes, the leader of the synagogue, and began beating him in front of the judgment seat. But Gallio was not concerned about any of these things. Paul, called as an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother… 1 Cor. 1:1 For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone forth, so that we have no need to say anything. 1 Thessalonians 1:8 WEIRD \ Ppl=Frothing @Mouth SEE: “Mass Hysteria” Handout ** Sosth=SAVD ** ALSO @ This Time:
Faithfulness: Fellowship! Get to Work! Be a Steward Be Helpful If one member suffers, all the members suffer with it… 1 Cor. 12:26 Get to Work! “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself..” Matt. 6:34 Be a Steward “…seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added...” Matt. 6:33 Be Helpful …learn to engage in good deeds to meet pressing needs, so that they will not be unfruitful. Titus 3:14 Faithfulness: 1 Depends On Another…CHAIN-LINK G=Raising U UP \ “~B Unfruitful”