January 21, 2024
Evening Service

The City of Corinth: A prominent and important city in the Greek state of Achaia

·      A prosperous metropolis due to its two seaports on the Aegean and Adriatic Seas (Map)

·      Most sea traffic from the Eastern Mediterranean headed to Rome would stop here at their port.

·      Its sister city of Athens was intellectual center of Greece, but Corinth would today be compared to the Las Vegas; stimulating your senses and encouraging sexual indulgences.

·      A common saying for living an indulging and unrestrained life was “living like a Corinthian.”  It was a rich, affluent, immoral city that lived with no self-control.

·      The city was filled with pagan temples and shrines with the most prominent one being the Temple of Aphrodite which sat 1800 feet above the city visible from everywhere.  Aphrodite was “the goddess of love” and the temple made free use of over 1,000 consecrated prostitutes encouraging a frivolous and unrestrained life style.

·      It was a city of over 700,00 residents with almost two thirds of them being slaves.

·      Indeed, the picture this history paints for us is a city that needed the gospel message, but were so consumed with their indulgent lifestyle that it would difficult to get them to listen.  It would be a city a Christian would make it a point to avoid, not try to begin a ministry.

·       On Paul’s 2^nd missionary journey, he visited Athens and there in Chapter 17 of Acts, he spent time listening to the philosophy there and wisely patiently waited for a chance to speak to these “religious” people as he called them.  It was there he spoke on Mars Hill and expounded to them the identity of their altar to the “Unknown God.”   He preached to them Jesus with a mixed reaction as some believing and some mocking his words of Truth.  From Athens he heads south to Corinth where he will stay for the next 1 ½ years.

  Act 18:1-4 After these things Paul departed from Athens and went to Corinth.  (2)  And he found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla (because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome); and he came to them.  (3)  So, because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them and worked; for by occupation they were tentmakers.  (4)  And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded both Jews and Greeks.

·      Met Aquila and Priscilla who were tent makers and later came to be fellow ministers (Rom. 16)

o   Notice Paul sought out work and led him to these two fellow believers (God provides).

·      Began teaching in the synagogue right away; reasoning and persuading them

o   He is laying the foundation for what will be his “come to Jesus moment.”

 

Act 18:5-6 When Silas and Timothy had come from Macedonia, Paul was compelled by the Spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ.  (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."

·      So we can deduct from this that up to this point Paul had only spoke of the Law and prophets to those in the synagogue and when compelled by the Spirit he testified to them that Jesus was the Messiah he spoke of.

·      He did not get ahead of God and push Jesus at them without building a foundation first.  The same for us as we are looking to share Jesus, it is good to build a foundation of friendship first before proceeding.  Wait upon the Lord, let the Spirit compel you at the right time then be ready and willing when it is God’s time.

·      Notice Paul calls them out to the choice they are making; “let your blood be on your own hands.”  It is our calling to share the message and it is the choice of those who hear to accept or reject.  They are not rejecting you, but are rejecting God.  Do your part faithfully and then hand it over to God to do the rest.  It is not your choice of words or presentation that they will accept or reject it will be the Spirit’s call that pulls them in or drives them away.

·      Now we see God continuing to be faithful to Paul.

 

Act 18:7-11 And he departed from there and entered the house of a certain man named Justus, one who worshiped God, whose house was next door to the synagogue.  (8)  Then Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his household. And many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed and were baptized.  (9)  Now the Lord spoke to Paul in the night by a vision, "Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent; (10) for I am with you, and no one will attack you to hurt you; for I have many people in this city."  (11)  And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.

o   They worshipped in the house of Justus, nest door to the synagogue (God provides).

o   Crispus, a ruler in the synagogue, believed.  “Narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life and there are few that find it.” (Matt. 7:14)

o   The Lord speaks out to Paul, “Do not be afraid.”

o   Do you find that odd that God felt He needed to do that?  Paul was a strong man and purposely fulfilled his calling with all that he had; but God felt he needed reassurance.

o   Notice what God tells him to remove the fear; “for I am with you.”  The exact thing He told Moses, Joshua, Gideon, and the apostles.  He reassures each one of us as well with that fear rebuking promise.  “I will be with you!”

o   Do you know that?  Do you feel the comfort of His presence?  When fear comes, let this be your go to promise.  “I will never leave you or forsake you.”  “I will be with you always even to the end of the age.”

o   As David puts it; “Thy rod and thy staff comfort me.”  His presence bring us peace.

o   Trouble brewed as Paul is brought before the magistrate for disrupting the chaos of the city.

 

Act 18:12-17 When Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews with one accord rose up against Paul and brought him to the judgment seat, (13) saying, "This fellow persuades men to worship God contrary to the law."  (14)  And when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, "If it were a matter of wrongdoing or wicked crimes, O Jews, there would be reason why I should bear with you.  (15)  But if it is a question of words and names and your own law, look to it yourselves; for I do not want to be a judge of such matters."  (16)  And he drove them from the judgment seat.  (17)  Then all the Greeks took Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgment seat. But Gallio took no notice of these things.

o   Though God promised His presence, He did not shield Paul from troubles.  We are promised the presence of God in our lives, but are not promised the freedom from trials, troubles, and persecutions.  We know to receive them with joy knowing God will use them to make us stronger (James 1:2)

o   This trial turned out to be nothing, but Paul moved on taking Aquila and Priscilla with him setting sail for his home base of Antioch through a stop in Ephesus.

o   It was on his third missionary journey that he returned to Ephesus spending 2-3 years there.  While there he received word that the church he had established in Corinth was struggling.

o   He had successfully established a church in Corinth, but it was extremely difficult to keep Corinth out of the church.  The pagan lifestyle had begun to spill over into the church and Paul writes to letters to them to address these issues. 

o   In this first letter, he addresses uses his authority as an apostle to set things straight about divisiveness, immorality, lawsuits, selfishness, abuses of the Lord’s supper, spiritual gifts, and the Resurrection.

o   Through this letter of discipline, we are able to establish our Fellowship upon the foundational truths that Paul proclaims here.  As we study our way through these letters, always keep this fact in mind.

 

1Co 14:37 If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I write to you are the commandments of the Lord.

          Written by Paul the apostle, but inspired by the Holy Spirit within him for our benefit and knowledge.