How to stay encouraged Acts 18:1-17

Introduction

Truett Cathy said this about encouragement “How do you know when someone needs encouragement? They’re breathing” Even the great apostle Paul battled discouragement as we will see in this chapter, but God encouraged him in three ways that we will see this morning.

The main point of this passage is when we battle discouragement God always gives us good Christian friends, His word, and his protection to encourage us.

Paul’s Discouragement vs. 1, 4-6

After Paul finishes his work in Athens, where he introduced the people there to the Unknown God, who is Jesus Christ, He heads to Corinth.

Just as his practice has been he heads from one major city to the next.

Corinth is about a 53 mile walk from Athens. In one commentary it says that between the years 49-52 Paul travelled approximately 2000 miles by foot and about another 1000 miles by boat.

That means as Paul is nearing 50 years old he walked the equivalent of the distance between Stephenville, TX and Seattle, Washington.

When I think about all that Paul went through to spread the good news of the Gospel, it encourages me to go on no matter what I face and it should encourage you as well.

As Paul gets settled in Corinth, he heads to the synagogue and reasons with the Jews and the Greeks.

This was a staple of what Paul did, if there was a Synagogue in the city Paul would start there.

He reasoned for the faith with them

They had questions and Paul had answers. While Paul was working, on the sabbath he spent it trying to reach Jews and Greeks with the Gospel.

While Paul is in Corinth the Macedonians send Timothy and Silas to him and Paul is pressed or urged in the Spirit to tell the Jews that Jesus was Christ.

Paul had been reasoning with them and now he was urged by the Spirit to reveal who Jesus is and that Is the Christ, The Messiah, the saviour of the world.

He is the one who died for our sin so that the price we could never pay was paid in full

The immediate reaction of the Jews was to oppose him and blaspheme.

There were still a lot of Jews who believed that Jesus wasn’t the real messiah because he didn’t throw off Roman oppression and take the throne.

Instead the Messiah laid down his life for sinners like you and I so that we could have eternal life.

Then we see their reaction caused Paul to get discouraged

In almost every city Paul went to he was met by opposition, here was no different. Pauls reaction was different though, normally he would keep on preaching till they stoned him or threw him out of time but this time he

Shook his raiment

This was a cultural thing that the Jews did.

Jews returning from Gentile land customarily shook the dust off their sandals, an act which became a symbol of their hatred for non-jews.

Mccarthur said this “Pauls act symbolizing his rejection of the Jews— an infuriating act to them by one of their own. It also showed his abhorrence of their blasphemy: he did not want any dust from the synagogue where the blasphemy had taken place to cling to his clothes.

The he tells them their blood is on their own heads; he is clean

Ezekiel 33:1–7 KJV 1900

1 Again the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, 2 Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman: 3 If when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people; 4 Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head. 5 He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul. 6 But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman’s hand. 7 So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me.

Paul had done what he could do and that was share the Gospel, he had warned them and they didn’t take heed to his warning, therefore their blood was on their own head.

We can be encouraged by Godly friends vs. 2-3, 7-8

As Paul arrived in Corinth he was all alone. Silas and Timothy were still in Macedonia and it seems as though he came to the city alone.

In verse 2 and 3 we are introduced to a couple that will greatly help Paul in the ministry, but the first thing we see is that they encouraged him in this new city.

Isn’t it amazing how God will put the right people in our lives at the right time? I can think back to many times where God put the right friend in my life at just the right time.

Here we find Aquila who is a Jew that moved from Italy with his wife Priscilla because Claudius who was the emperor of Rome commanded all the Jews to get out.

They were here in Corinth as Paul comes to town and they had the same profession which was a tent maker, so while he was in Corinth he abode or resided with them and wrought or worked.

While in a new city alone God gave Paul friends to encourage him, as Christians we should encourage other Christians like Aquila and Priscilla did for Paul

Then we see Paul find another friend named Justus

The Bible tells us that Justus was one who worshipped God

After Paul preaches the Gospel in the Synagogue and they oppose him and blaspheme, he leaves the Synagogue and doesn’t go very far in fact Justus’ house was attached to the Synagogue.

Notice, while he is there Crispus the chief ruler of the synagogue is there. Remember Paul had just said he was done with the Jews and headed to the Gentiles, but God has a sense of humor, and Crispus accepts Christ as his saviour and so does his house.

Imagine the shockwaves that went through the Jewish community there as the chief leader of the synagogue gets saved and his house, and then revival breaks out in Corinth and many of the Corinthians heard the Gospel, believed, and were baptized.

God encouraged Paul through Godly friendship and He will encourage us as well

We can be encouraged by God’s word vs. 9-11

After Crispus gets saved and a revival breaks out we move to Paul having a vision from the Lord in the middle of the night.

In that vision God spoke to him and told him not to be afraid to preach the Gospel, because he has much people in that city.

I’m sure Paul knew that the opposition he faced was only the beginning of the opposition He would face as he stayed in Corinth.

God tells him not to worry about the opposition because He has many people in the city.

I’m thankful for the safety and encouragement we can find in God’s word. God might not be speaking to us in visions any more but he left us his word, and we can be encouraged by it.

As a Christian we don’t need to fear man, because God takes care of us

Psalm 56:3–4 “3 What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. 4 In God I will praise his word, In God I have put my trust; I will not fear What flesh can do unto me.”

Psalm 56:9–11 “9 When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: This I know; for God is for me. 10 In God will I praise his word: In the Lord will I praise his word. 11 In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid What man can do unto me.”

Psalm 34:4 “4 I sought the Lord, and he heard me, And delivered me from all my fears.”

Isaiah 41:10 “10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: Be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; Yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”

I could list a hundred more verse where God’s word encourages us but I’ll give us one more from King David

Psalm 37:25 “25 I have been young, and now am old; Yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his seed begging bread.”

We can be encouraged by God’s Protection vs. 12-17

The opposition of Paul was coming to a head as the Jews went to Gallio who was the deputy of Achaia which was a province that included most of southern and central Greece including Corinth.

The bible tells us they made insurrection or open opposition against Paul.

They took Paul before Gallio and told him that Paul was persuading people to worship God contrary to the law

Paul was getting ready to open his mouth to defend himself, but instead Gallio spoke to the Jews about this matter

While some rulers would be pushed around by the Jews, Gallio wasn’t one of them.

Gallio tells the Jews

If it were a matter of wrong or wicked lewdness I would help you

But if it has to do with words, names, or your law, you guys handle it

He drave them out of the judgement seat.

All of the greeks took out their frustration as they beat Sosthenes the new chief ruler of the synagogue before the judgment seat.

Gallio didn’t interfere in the matters of the Jews.

While Paul could’ve been beaten or killed by the deputy of Achaia, God protected him.

God is still protecting us from our enemies as well

Side note Sosthenes ends up becoming a believer 1 Corinthians 1:1 “1 Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,”

Conclusion

Maybe this morning you are discouraged in the Christian life, let God encourage you this morning through good Godly friends, His word and His protection. God always has our best interests in mind.

Maybe your’e here this morning and you have never trusted Christ as your saviour, come today and we can show you from God’s word how you can be saved.