Lessons From Acts – Lesson 31
After a fast paced 1st missionary journey and then the 2nd journey also being fast passed God slows things down once Paul gets to Corinth.
Acts 18:11 And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.
So Paul does what God says and stays for a year and a half teaching the word of God. Paul is clearly in the will of God here and doing what God told him to do.
God is completely faithful. You can count on God and you can trust Him. And He will keep every single promise to you. The problem some Christians get into is that they think that God has promised them something that He never promised.
They can focus on God’s love and protection and do that so much that they lose sight of other truths. And somehow get this idea that God promised them peace in this life and smooth sailing all the time.
You will never find those kinds of promises in the Bible. God never made those promises. They are something that was invented by those who want to believe that.
In fact God promised quite the opposite.
1Th_3:4 For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass, and ye know.
2Ti_3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
But God also promised.
Heb_13:5 … I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
Mat_28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
What God promised is that in this life you will have tribulation. And in the words of Jesus.
Joh 15:18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
Joh 15:19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
One of the effects of getting saved and walking contrary to the world is that the world will not love you.
Joh 15:20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.
Some want and expect a smooth ride after they get saved. That is not only not realistic and never promised. But expecting that is expecting more than Jesus got. In a way it is thinking that you are greater than Jesus; that you deserve better treatment.
That is actually sin. The servant is not greater than his lord. And Jesus tells us why they hate us.
Joh 15:21 But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me.
Joh 15:22 If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin.
Joh 15:23 He that hateth me hateth my Father also.
Jesus took the cloke of their sin away. He exposes their sin. They love darkness rather than light and they hate God.
We see a good example of all of this next in Acts.
Act 18:12 And when Gallio was the deputy of Achaia, the Jews made insurrection with one accord against Paul, and brought him to the judgment seat,
Act 18:13 Saying, This fellow persuadeth men to worship God contrary to the law.
They wanted Paul gone, more than that they wanted him punished. Paul’s preaching was the tool God used to save the man who was in charge of their synagogue. And then Paul went next door and preached every week.
And as was Paul’s way during the week he would be reasoning with anyone who would listen.
The Jews who refused to believe all got together made a plan and a big deal and made insurrection with one accord against Paul. And they captured Paul in some way.
They brought him Paul to the judgment seat. This was the civil government, the deputy of Achaia. And they state their charge.
Act 18:13 Saying, This fellow persuadeth men to worship God contrary to the law.
And Paul is ready to defend himself but does not even get a word out of his mouth.
Act 18:14 And when Paul was now about to open his mouth, Gallio said unto the Jews, If it were a matter of wrong or wicked lewdness, O ye Jews, reason would that I should bear with you:
Act 18:15 But if it be a question of words and names, and of your law, look ye to it; for I will be no judge of such matters.
Act 18:16 And he drave them from the judgment seat.
God always works ahead. I believe that. Absolutely. Can you see here that this deputy of Achaia, has had previous dealings with them. He says if this was a matter of wrong or wicked lewdness, O ye Jews, reason would that I should bear with you:
Bear with you. As in put up with you. Accommodate you people who cause me and others trouble. Just bear with you to keep things calmer. I just get that impression.
I believe that God had been working in months and years prior so that these Jews and this deputy had interactions before, and worked it so that the relationship was such that when they bring Paul that the deputy has zero patience with them.
He never even fully heard the case. Never let Paul speak. He just said I will be no judge of such matters and he drave them from the judgment seat.
Ran them all out. The Greeks then take the chief ruler of the synagogue and beat him. Kind of as a statement I think to not bring these kind of things to the deputy again. But the beating was not on order from the deputy. He did not like it.
Act 18:17 Then all the Greeks took Sosthenes, the chief ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgment seat. And Gallio cared for none of those things.
Anyone who faithfully puts out the word of God will sooner or later have attacks come their way. That is what is normal because we live in a sin stained world full of people who love their sin and hate Jesus.
We get attacked. Last week again. Some guy attacked because he thinks salvation is based on Character. I just smile to myself and praise and thank the Lord. In fact when I get worried is when we go too long without some kind of pushback.
So God allowed the Jews to harass Paul. God allowed them to bring Paul before the deputy. But Paul did not go there alone. God was there that day with Paul and God worked on the deputies heart that day,
But I believe God was working months and years ahead to get the relationship between those Jews and that deputy just were it was.
Yes God lets tribulation and hard things come into our lives. He even promised that they would come. But He also promised to never leave nor forsake us. And that is what we see here in Paul’s case.
And God has grace to help in time of need. God gave Paul the help and strength and grace to take it properly.
And so Paul does not let this stop him. And Paul does not seek revenge or try to get them back. Verse 18 tells us that after this Paul stayed in Corinth a good while. He just keeps doing what God wants him to do and where God wanted him at the time.
And after a year and a half, I guess it is time to leave. I must admit, I have changed my thinking on this some.
If you read 1st Corinthian’s, your heart almost breaks. These poor people. Spiritually they were in no shape to be left. Listen to Paul’s description of them in 1st Cor.
1Co 3:1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
That is talking about when Paul was there for that year and a half. He could not speak to them as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal. They were in Christ but just carnal babes in Christ.
1Co 3:2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
He says you are not able to bear it now just like you were not able to bear it then.
1Co 3:3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
Now if you only look at the issue of Paul leaving from only the need of those people, you can think like I used to. Paul should have never left. And one of the reasons Paul leaves at this time is so that he can make a feast in Jerusalem.
Paul has not learned yet what he will write in Colossians.
Col 2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
Col 2:9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
Col 2:10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
Paul learns and will write many years later that we are complete in Jesus. You don’t need holy days or rituals.
Col 2:16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
Col 2:17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.
Col 2:20 Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,
Col 2:21 (Touch not; taste not; handle not;
Paul will learn and later write about all those Jewish ordinances, touch not; taste not; handle not.
But he is not there yet. Paul is still involved in what they call their Jewishness. O’ Paul has stood up against that false teaching that you had to be circumcised to be saved.
And Paul stood up to Peter and all those who quit eating with the gentiles in Antioch when those from James showed up. So give Paul a lot of credit. He is just not made the total journey to where he will be when he writes Colossians.
So while one of the reasons Paul is leaving is not a good reason. To make a feast in Jerusalem. That does not mean that it was not God’s time for Paul to leave.
If Paul stayed in Corinth, we would not have had the 3rd missionary journey. We would not have the book of Ephesians. If you look at the issue with only looking at the Corinthians you can think Paul should not have left.
But if you look also at the people in Ephesus and all the other places Paul goes and helps on the 3rd journey, then you start to look at it a little differently.
Another thing that indicates that it was time to move on is that God does not tell Paul to stay. There is zero indication anywhere that God was upset with the timing of moving on.
And if we look at the pattern that Paul set on the 1st Journey. We see he always left leadership in place.
Act 14:22 Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.
Act 14:23 And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.
If you remember Paul was ran out of town, went to the next town saw more people saved and then was ran out of town. After being stoned and left for dead he quietly returned to those towns he was ran out of and made sure they understood salvation and set up leaders in every church and commended them to the Lord and went back to Antioch.
I believe Paul would have done the same thing in Corinth. He would have setup some leadership before he left.
Act 18:18 And Paul after this tarried there yet a good while, and then took his leave of the brethren, and sailed thence into Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila; having shorn his head in Cenchrea: for he had a vow.
Another indication that Paul is still doing some Jewish ordnances and rituals. He cut his hair for he had a vow. That would be a type of Nazarene vow. The hair was cut after a certain amount of time. The place you cut your hair did not matter. Time was up and he was in Cenchrea so he cut his hair there.
And he takes Priscilla and Aquila with him to Ephesus. And those two will stay in Ephesus.
Act 18:19 And he came to Ephesus, and left them there: but he himself entered into the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews.
Act 18:20 When they desired him to tarry longer time with them, he consented not;
Act 18:21 But bade them farewell, saying, I must by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem: but I will return again unto you, if God will. And he sailed from Ephesus.
Notice how Paul words it. I must by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem. I must. No Paul. There is no must on that. He will get to that truth eventually but right now he thinks it is a must.
Notice God does not get after Paul for it. God is very longsuffering and patient. It takes people time to get over some things. People have to go thru things and grow.
He makes a couple of very quick stops. Ships would stop at many ports. These are not really missionary stops.
So this is the end of 2nd Journey.
Paul goes to the Jewish feast celebration in Jerusalem. And then talks to believers there.
Act 18:22 And when he had landed at Caesarea, and gone up, and saluted the church, he went down to Antioch.
Now starts the 3rd missionary journey.
Act 18:23 And after he had spent some time there, he departed, and went over all the country of Galatia and Phrygia in order, strengthening all the disciples.
So Paul spends some time at Antioch. Most likely the brethren there wanted to hear about his trip. And then Paul will leave and start the 3rd journey strengthening all the disciples which was important and would not have happened if Paul stayed in Corinth.