Acts 18

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The Kingdom of God is at hand

This week we celebrated Christmas - it was a tough week as two people I know passed away before Christmas. One of which I am sure is in heaven and the other I am hopeful that he recieved Christ before he passed away. Yet we still celebrated the Good News of Jesus, stepping down from heaven and into a manger. But this is a reminder to me that The Kingdom of God is at hand and God has given us, His servants, the responsibility to take the Gospel everywhere we go.
The news travels fast.
Our engagement news.
Isaiah 52:7 ESV
7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.”
who are the messengers that bring good news? The church. (Acts 1:8, Matt 28:18-20 , Mark 16:15-16)
What is good news? What is the gospel?
brings peace to the soul
it brings joy through restoration
It affirms Salvation through Jesus
It confirms the sovereignty of God

15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.

The first messengers were the shepherds.
Shepherds were a tough brutal lot.
Shepherds would spread news across villagers.
The shepherds message included
The Angels message to them concerning the Messiah
Their witness of meeting Jesus
The recipients began to wonder what the news means
The next messenger is John the Baptist
Mark 1

4 John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

John lays the pathway for the come King
What happens before the King arrives
What happens before the President arrives
John is laying the pathway for King Jesus.
John 1

29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ 31 I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” 32 And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. 33 I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”

John confirms the deity of Jesus
John confirms is purpose
John confirms Jesus Purpose
John confirms the baptism of the Spirit.
Mark 1:14–15 ESV
14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”
Jesus went into the desert for 40 days and then proclaimed the Kingdom is God is now.
The next 3 years Jesus ministered and preached this message prior to his Death, Burial, and Resurrection.
Out next witness brings us back to where we left off in the book of Acts.
Acts 18:1–4 ESV
1 After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. 2 And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. And he went to see them, 3 and because he was of the same trade he stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade. 4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and tried to persuade Jews and Greeks.
You might recall that when we left acts Paul left Athens after sharing the Gospel
Here we see that he moves to Corinth where he makes tents with Aquila and Priscilla.
They pick up the habits of speaking in the synagogues on the Sabbath and then in then in the market places throughout the week. They were bringing the Gospel to Jews and Greeks.
Acts 18:5–11 ESV
5 When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was occupied with the word, testifying to the Jews that the Christ was Jesus. 6 And when they opposed and reviled him, he shook out his garments and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” 7 And he left there and went to the house of a man named Titius Justus, a worshiper of God. His house was next door to the synagogue. 8 Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord, together with his entire household. And many of the Corinthians hearing Paul believed and were baptized. 9 And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, 10 for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people.” 11 And he stayed a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.
Paul’s response to the rejection of the Good news
Take the news to those eager to receive the Gospel.
God’s instruction on witnessing in the face of opposition.
Don’t fear
Keep Speeking
I am with you
God’s people are among you
This ministry continued another 18 months.
Acts 18:12–16 ESV
12 But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews made a united attack on Paul and brought him before the tribunal, 13 saying, “This man is persuading people to worship God contrary to the law.” 14 But when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of wrongdoing or vicious crime, O Jews, I would have reason to accept your complaint. 15 But since it is a matter of questions about words and names and your own law, see to it yourselves. I refuse to be a judge of these things.” 16 And he drove them from the tribunal.
After 18 months, Paul fell under persecution from the Jews again.
We will see Paul continue his Missionary Journey next week
What are the things we should take away from today’s message.
We are commanded to bring the Good News
It will not always be easy to do.
God is with us
Not all who hear will welcome the news
God’s people are among those who do hear the news.
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