How Not to be a Corinthian, Acts 18:1-11

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I typically show a good worship song here to begin our service, but today I have selected something a bit different. It is a fun song to help you get acquainted with Paul’s travels. As you watch it, pay attention to what was travel by land and what was by sea.

The Journeys of Paul Song

I am opening our service with a familiar Psalm.  As I was preparing for today’s sermon, I realized that this is a great Psalm for today’s message as it exemplifies well Paul’s experiences.

Opening Scripture:

Psalm 23 NIV

1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Prayer

Worship Set

Prayer

Worship Through the Word:

How NOT to be a Corinthian!

The Barbary Coast in San Francisco was centered on a three-block stretch of Pacific Street, now Pacific Avenue, between Montgomery and Stockton Streets. It emerged during the California gold rush and was characterized by lawlessness, gambling, administrative graft, vigilante justice, and prostitution. The area was home to various establishments, including dance halls, brothels, and bars, and was a hub for criminal activity.

As I read the history of Corinth, the Barbary Coast came to my mind. I could just picture dark evenings with drunken sailors roaming about and prostitutes hanging around hoping to lure the sailors into their boudoirs. During the day, there would have been a lot of activity as ships were loaded and boarded. I visualize pick pockets slipping through the bustling crowds ready to divest passengers as they walked by.

If you have not caught on yet, Corinth did not have a great reputation aside from one of disdain and disgust because of the crime and loose living. It was considered an insult if someone referred to you as a Corinthian. To make such a remark was to invite another to a battle of fisticuffs.

On the upside, Corinth was a busy place of commerce due to the two ports it provided. You see, Corinth was flanked on each side by a different gulf. In fact, Corinth provided a perfect land bridge between these two gulfs. [2 MAPS] Sailors would literally carry boats across this land bridge from one gulf to the next. This made Corinth a popular place with lots of commerce and travelers.

It was probably a great place to visit, much like fisherman’s warf with its markets and food vendors. However, not a place you would wish to hang out at after dark. We often prefer NOT to spend a great deal of time in such places, yet Paul spent the greater amount of time in Corinth during his second missionary journey. It is in Corinth where Paul finds some temporary rest, makes long-lasting friendships, while establishing a church that will later bring him to tears in frustration and anguish.

Before we jump into the letter of 1 Corinthians, today I want us to look at where and how the Corinthian church began. This will set the backdrop for this letter, as well as acquainting us with some important people.

My text this morning is Acts 18:1-11.

Acts 18:1–11 NIV

1 After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. 2 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 Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, 3 and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them. 4 Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks. 5 When Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah. 6 But when they opposed Paul and became abusive, he shook out his clothes in protest and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent of it. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” 7 Then Paul left the synagogue and went next door to the house of Titius Justus, a worshiper of God. 8 Crispus, the synagogue leader, and his entire household believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard Paul believed and were baptized. 9 One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. 10 For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.” 11 So Paul stayed in Corinth for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God.

The Word of God for the people of God. Thanks be to God!

Father, please bless this Word which you have provided and which we now receive. Amen!

I. Rest, Fellowship & Ministry Acts 18-19:7

Paul was a busy man. He spent a great deal of time moving from place to place, starting churches as he went. He covered a lot of miles in a time when the main mode of transportation was by foot or boat. We know this was not easy for Paul as he writes in one of his letters about a physical issue he struggles with. We do not know for sure what his “thorn in the flesh” was, but it was surely something that would make travel extra difficult.

Paul was converted in 37 A.D. and spent 3 years in Arabia in ministry preparation. In 40 A.D. he met the apostle Peter and began preaching and ministering in the region of Tarsus. It was approximately 44 A.D. when he undertook his first missionary journey with Barnabas. This journey lasted 1-2 years and then he attended the Jerusalem Council in A.D. 50 (keep in mind all these dates are approximate).

The Jerusalem Council was for the purpose of trying to establish some doctrinal guidelines regarding a blending of Judaism and Christianity. They took time to pray and discuss what things were meant only for the Jews and which items of exercise were meant for all peoples of faith.

After this important council, Paul set out again around A.D. 51. This trip would be a longer one, lasting some 2 1/2 - 3 years. In most places, Paul stayed 2-3 months. However, Paul settled in at Corinth for 18 months. While there, Paul sent word for Silas and Timothy to come join him there. While he waited in Corinth, Paul found time to relax and rest from his travels. You see,

A. Everyone Needs Rest Breaks in Their Service. Acts 18:1, 11

Paul was no exception. Paul had most likely been travelling for about 6 months at this point. His journey would have entailed approximately 155 days on foot and around 20 days at sea. He would have covered approximately 2800 miles. Now, I do not know how old Paul was at this point. We are told he was a young man when Stephen was stoned, which was approximately 15-20 years earlier. Of course, in their culture, I am not sure what was considered young or old. I do know that Paul’s active years in ministry are suggested to be around 31-33 years, which I find interesting since that correlates with the approximate age of Jesus when he died. This may not mean anything, but I find it interesting since the Bible is full of amazing time correlations. Numbers and times are very significant in the Bible.

No matter how old Paul was, he still needed a break after so much travel. Traveling is exhausting. Your brain and your body both need to settle down and find space to rejuvenate after any lengthy travel. Corinth gave Paul this opportunity. God knows we need rest, and God always has the perfect time and place for us to get the rest we need. It was difficult for Paul to stay anywhere too long because wherever he went, conflict arose. However, here in Corinth, God encouraged him to stay and minister here for a time promising Paul that he was safe. So, Paul stayed in Corinth for 18 months giving him a break from all the travel.

Jeremiah 31:25 NRSV

25 I will satisfy the weary, and all who are faint I will replenish.

There have been three times in my lifetime that I felt I needed this kind of break from my ministry schedule. The first time I really felt this need, I had been working nearly non-stop (aside from the normal 2 wk vacation breaks) for about 10-11 years. I had been debating about seeking a new position just because I was so tired. It was the only way I knew how to get a break (though most of my ministry changes did not provide a break more than a week. I usually began my new position within a couple days of unloading the moving truck). In this case, I was praying about what to do when circumstances moved me to end that position prematurely. In time, I came to see that as a blessing. I was unemployed for 6 months or more before I even felt like seeking a new ministry position. However, after about 6 months, I began feeling ready to look for a new position which I found fairly quickly once I began to look seriously.

I came to realize that God knew I was in great need for a change and rest. He provided me with the time and the finances to get that rest.

However, it is not just pastors that need these kinds of breaks. Laymen need to take breaks as well. Not just from the normal family/work activities, but from ministry activities as well. It is trickier in small churches due to the lack of workers, but it is still important. It is good to intentionally give yourself space to relax and breathe every few years. I have encouraged the board members to do so by taking a year off after three years’ service as a board member. At that time, I recommend stepping back from all ministries for at least 3 months just to take stress off and relax for a time. Then they can step in for other things.

Even though a small church often struggles to have enough workers, if you periodically step back from the ministry of the church for just a month or two, the church will survive, and you will probably be a better worker in the long run. You will feel refreshed and better able to do the work you are called to do.

Now, before everyone immediately responds to this advice, let me encourage you to be strategic about it. If your ministry is summer lawn care, summer is not the time to take your break. However, the first month or two when that task ends is a great time to allow yourself time to just breathe and rest for a bit. If you are involved in a ministry that runs year-round and you are involved with others, coordinate with each other how best to give each other rest bits. Ask God to show you the best time and the best way. He will be your champion as He knows the value of rest. That is why He instituted a Sabbath for us. Did you know that the Christian faith is the only religion that does so? Sabbath rest is a Christian thing established by God for His people.

We all need rest, but there is another thing we all need. We all need close friendships that help to nourish us. They help provide mental rest. They give us someone to unload on at times and help provide guidance and encouragement when needed. God is good at providing such friends when we need them and that is exactly what God did for Paul. Because God knows that...

B. Deep Friendships Help Nourish Our Soul. Acts 18:1-3

Notice how God provides this for Paul. Keeping in mind he has been traveling for about 6 months now.

Acts 18:1–3 NIV

1 After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. 2 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 Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, 3 and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them.

Good friendships are often developed due to things you have in common. I often seek to find what I have in common with people. Sometimes I think I take it too far and people may think I am competing with them. I do not mean to compete, but I feel a kinship with people based on all the things we have in common.

Paul had something in common with Aquila and Priscilla. They were all tentmakers. Paul was waiting in Corinth for Silas and Timothy to join him as they were bringing much needed funds. The common skill of Aquila and Priscilla allowed Paul to work with them and bring in some income while he waited. I am sure Aquila offered Paul this opportunity to help Paul financially, but it gave them time to get acquainted.

This would have also offered Paul more rest. Ministry is a heavy load and sometimes it is nice to do something to get away from the mental stress that often accompanies the ministry. It probably felt good for Paul to be able to put down the books and study to do something physical with his hands. Hobbies can provide pastors with this kind of break as well. I enjoy gardening some. I do not have a great deal of time, and my garden is so small that I do not yield more food beyond a week or two. However, it gets me out of the home and office to enjoy the outdoors. It helps get my mind off the heavy thoughts and on the beauty of God’s green earth. It is healthy for pastors to have some skillset or hobby that they can enjoy giving them a mental break. It helps if they have friends that enjoy those same tasks.

It also helps if those friends have the same deep faith. Aquila and Priscilla had a deep faith in God which also drew them and Paul together. When it came time for Paul to leave, Aquila and Priscilla packed up and went with him. This is an indication of the relationship that had been built between them.

On a side note, I think it is worth mentioning an interesting detail that shows up here. When they first meet, Aquila is mentioned first but from there on, Priscilla is typically mentioned first. This was rare in their culture, and it probably speaks of a woman who was the more dominant partner. Perhaps she was the better ministry leader or the better business partner. Paul’s listing her first indicates a deep respect for her and acknowledges her as a leader. Paul is often misquoted and given a bad rap about his attitude toward women, however, misquoted is the operative word. Paul often shows a great deal of respect for women throughout all his writings. It is typically a misunderstanding of the cultural context that leads people to misunderstand Paul about women. Paul wrote to various women addressing them in the cultural term for pastor and each time he shows great respect for these women.

Aquila and Priscilla became such good friends with Paul that from here forward, we find them traveling with Paul a lot. He is often found referring to them in his letters.

Everyone needs friends like this. People they can bond with and share their deep thoughts with. As Christians, these kinds of friends should be found within the church since these friends are meant to give encouragement and advice. As a Christian, we want such advice to be Godly in nature. The church is the best place to find these deep friendships due to the common experience of faith in God. However, the more you have in common, the deeper your relationship usually goes just because of familiarity. You have a better understanding of each other due to your common experiences. But the commonality of faith is the deepest of all. (Actually, finding such common ground is a good way to minister and share the gospel with non-Christians).

God’s Word is full of scriptures regarding the blessings of good friendships.

Psalm 133 says...

Psalm 133 NASB95

1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brothers to dwell together in unity! 2 It is like the precious oil upon the head, Coming down upon the beard, Even Aaron’s beard, Coming down upon the edge of his robes. 3 It is like the dew of Hermon Coming down upon the mountains of Zion; For there the LORD commanded the blessing—life forever.

Proverbs 27:9 NIV

9 Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of a friend springs from their heartfelt advice.

And who can forget Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

Ecclesiastes 4:9–10 NIV

9 Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: 10 If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.

However, Paul never lost sight of his calling which was ministry because...

C. Ministry Never Stops Acts 18:4-5

Paul was able to sit back and relax. He was able to take up his old skill of tentmaking and enjoy a bit of a break, however, come Sabbath where do we find Paul? Look at verses 4-5.

Acts 18:4–5 NIV

4 Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks. 5 When Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah.

Paul rested but Paul continued to share his faith and the gospel of good news with others. That is what gospel means. It is literally, “Good news.” And Paul was always ready to declare that good news to those around him.

We should as well. We may take a break from the work of the church, but that does not mean we stop all aspects of faith. We still need to take time to pray, read scripture, and be ready to share the gospel if an opportunity arises. There is never an excuse for not sharing our faith with others, no matter how tired we are.

There are two things we can learn here about ministry from this passage in Acts. The first has to do with...

1. Should a Pastor be Part-Time or Full-Time ? VV 3, 5

I have often heard people use Paul’s tentmaking as an argument for pastor’s being bi-vocational. However, I would point out that Paul only did so when he was short of funds due to the lack of giving on the part of others. It is hard to accomplish what needs to be done when you only serve part-time. Paul only did so in this account until Silas and Timothy arrived. Why? Because Paul was short of funds. When Silas and Timothy arrived, they came with offerings from other believers that provided Paul with the funds he needed. Once those funds were provided, he gave himself exclusively to preaching and serving the church.

A second thing, which I hope will not offend anyone here. But…

2. It is Often Harder to Preach in a Local Congregation Than on a Mission Field. Matthew 10:5-6, 9-10, 14; Acts 18:5-11

In this account, Paul struggled with the Jews rejecting him, while the Gentiles welcomed him. I really see reflections of Matthew 10 in these verses from Acts 18. I am sure this is because Paul studied the words and actions of Jesus. Paul’s study was not through the written word as the first New Testament gospel was not written until a good 10-20 years after this time. However, Paul spent time with the apostles. He would have heard them share of Jesus instructions the first time he sent them out on mission work. Allow me to take you to three short passages from that text.

Matthew 10:5–6 NIV

5 These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. 6 Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel.

Matthew 10:9–10 NIV

9 “Do not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your belts—10 no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff, for the worker is worth his keep.

And finally,

Matthew 10:14 NIV

14 If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet.

While in Corinth, Paul began by going to the Synagogue and addressing the Jews first. They did not receive him or accept his message. This is probably why we find him working as a tentmaker to provide for his keep. Aquila and Priscilla evidently received him and provided for him in their home, yet he worked alongside them to help with the finances, so they did not carry the burden alone.

When the Jews made such a scene that it was impossible for Paul to continue, look how Paul responded.

Acts 18:6 NIV

6 But when they opposed Paul and became abusive, he shook out his clothes in protest and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent of it. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”

Paul didn’t have far to go. Acts 18:7 NIV

7 Then Paul left the synagogue and went next door to the house of Titius Justus, a worshiper of God.

I suspect Titius Justus had not been received at the Synagogue either. However, he quickly received Paul. It is difficult to know how he came to be a believer, but all believers were new in the faith at that time. They eagerly received others who could help them grow in their understanding and faith. The result was salvation among both Jews and Gentiles. Look at verse 8.

Acts 18:8 NIV

8 Crispus, the synagogue leader, and his entire household believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard Paul believed and were baptized.

It is amazing that often people that are ignorant of the gospel are far more receptive than those who are familiar with scripture. The reason is that so many who are familiar often have wrong ideas about it. The Jews had God’s Word which pointed perfectly to Christ, yet they refused to believe. People are often blinded to the things we are most familiar with, usually because of misconceptions about those things. A bible may be in their home, but they listen to what others tell them about the Bible more than they study it for themselves. They are quick to believe things about God’s Word that are not correct, or things that are completely misconstrued. However, those who have never heard of God can come in and hear for the first time and instantly believe. They seem to recognize the truth because they are not as biased.

It amazes me how often we see churches in the U. S. become ingrown. What I mean by that is that they become so familiar with each other, that they create a barrier to anyone new coming in. It is one big clique that no one else can penetrate. They are comfortable with what they have and have no real desire to see their church grow. They become apathetic to the spiritual needs of others. Meanwhile, churches in 3rd world mission fields grow like wildfire. They hear the Word and instantly want to rush out and share the Gospel with others, even in places where they know they face possible persecution or martyrdom.

I am not saying all U.S. churches are like that, but there are a lot of those out there. This Corinthian synagogue seems to have this apathetic issue. This kind of conflict was not new to Paul and was part of the reason he was constantly moving. However, in this situation, God calls Paul to stay put for a time.

Acts 18:9–11 NIV

9 One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. 10 For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.” 11 So Paul stayed in Corinth for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God.

And the church of Corinth was born. However, their story is not a victorious one. Paul will leave Corinth excited for what has begun, yet a few years later he writes.

2 Corinthians 2:1-2 NIV

1 So I made up my mind that I would not make another painful visit to you. 2 For if I grieve you, who is left to make me glad but you whom I have grieved?

So, what brought Paul to such grief about Corinth? For that answer, you need to return as we continue our series in 1 Corinthians! :-) You are welcome to jump ahead of me by reading the book for yourself, or you may wish to read a chapter a week as we progress through the series).

But at least now, you have the background and have perhaps learned a few tips to live by as we did so.

Prayer

Precious Lord,

Thank you for your Word. Thank you for the lessons we learned today and the many yet to come. Help us not to get so cocky in our knowledge that we refuse to listen or seek to learn such as the Jews in the Corinthian Synagogue did. Help us be wise in selecting our friends and to nurture those friendships, thankful for the strength and encouragement they provide us. Help us to know when we need to take a rest and not be afraid to speak up when we need one. As a church, help us to serve each other, and to encourage each other, and learn how to have balance by working when needed but taking turns in resting as well that we do not become disillusioned or discouraged, but instead can work in delight as we serve you and the church.

In Your Blessed Name Jesus we pray, Amen!

Worship Set

Benediction