2ND ANNIVERSARY UNCHAINED CHURCH

Acts 18:9–10 NKJV

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.”

Intro

Today we reach a major milestone at Unchained Church, and we are making history right here, right now! Today, we celebrate our 2nd anniversary! Our baby is growing!

But, what can we say to a 2 year old baby?

According to specialists, 2 years is a time of definition on language, transition of food, standing on tiptoes, it’s when they start to run and engage on social development, it’s also a time of “why, why?”, and also of some tantrums. But, with all of this, a 2 year old is still... a BABY!

So, in today’s message, we will use the context of a church that was just beginning, a newborn spiritual baby, and what the Lord had to say to its founder and spiritual father, using the lessons as a parallel with our own reality.

Context

The

Corinth flourished and became the administrative capital of the Roman province of Achaea.

The city of CORINTH, located today in Greece, flourished and became the administrative capital of the Roman province of Achaea. About the year AD 51, towards the end of his second missionary journey, Paul founded the Church in Corinth.

When the apostle Paul arrived, the Corinth he saw was little more than 100 years old, but it was five times as large as Athens, the city from which he had just come from. Paul stayed in Corinth for 18 months and was able to establish a beautiful church.

The apostle Paul had just come from Athens, after coming to Corinth, he had several disappointments with the Jews, and he stayed there for 18 months.

Nevertheless, facing great opposition and persecution from the Jews, the Lord Jesus Himself appears to the apostle Paul in a vision, bringing him comfort and assurance for the work in Corinth.

We will talk today about the 4 encouragement words the Lord had to say to Paul.

1. DO NOT BE AFRAID

The first thing the Lord said was: “Do not be afraid”.

This is the most frequent command in the Bible! Some say it is given 365 times in all variations, some say 300, but the fact is, this is one of the favorites phrases of the Holy Spirit while writing the Word of God.

“Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear.” – Mark Twain

Someone already said that “saying “I’m overwhelmed”, makes me sound busy and sophisticated when what I really want to do is crawl under my covers and hide”.

I’m overwhelmed makes me sound busy and sophisticated when what I really want to do is crawl under my covers and hide.

Acts: An Introduction and Commentary g. Corinth (18:1–17)

Perhaps we should also remember how Paul himself comments that on his arrival in Corinth he was ‘in much fear and trembling’ (1 Cor. 2:3)

1 Corinthians 2:3 NKJV

3 I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling.

Saying I’m “overwhelmed” makes me sound busy and sophisticated when what I really want to do is crawl under my covers and hide.

In the other hand, the apostle Paul (whose birth name was Saul) was certainly a no-coward, different from his ancestor with the same name, King Saul, (who hid from everyone when he was chosen to be king, and also would be terrified while Goliath insulted his nation for 40 consecutive days). In fact, the letter that the apostle himself wrote to this same Corinthian church, registered in , describing all the sufferings he endured for the gospel, proves that Paul was a very brave man.

In another episode in one of his missionary journeys (in Lystra/Iconium) we watch amazed his intrepid love for the lost, as well as several times where Paul showed great courage in the proclamation of the gospel.

In fact, the letter that the apostle himself wrote to this same Corinthian church, describing all his sufferings he endured for the gospel proves that. The episode in Listra/Iconium xxxxxxxxx, also shows that, as well several times where Paul showed courage in the proclamation of the gospel.

He fled from Iconium to Lystra to avoid being stoned to death – only to be stoned when he got there! He was dragged out of that city half-dead

But Paul was also human, and one time he wrote, also to the Corinthians:

1 Corinthians 2:3 NKJV

3 I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling.

Moses went through this same encouragement.

The command “do not be afraid” is very well known throughout the records of the Old Testament, and, more often than not, is followed by an action that God is, or will be taking. Here are a few such examples:

“Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today.” ()

“Do not be afraid of them; the Lord your God himself will fight for you.” ()

“Do not be afraid of them; I have given them into your hand. Not one of them will be able to withstand you.” ()

“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.” ()

As we meditate on this truth, a practical and pertinent question comes to our minds:

Does Unchained Church have to fear anything?

Does Unchained have to fear anything?

Maybe Attacks of the Devil? Criticism? People attending? Budget? Staff? Denominational Change? Buildings? Resources?

The promise of God stands, and no matter what we face, the command is very clear: do not be afraid!!

And not only that, but what is the implicit main reason to NOT be afraid?

The irrefutable answer is: the Lord’s resumé! What He HAS ALREADY DONE in and through our church, and His promise that “the God who started a good thing among us, it will take it to completion”, because “God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent!” That’s the reason!

Transition to second point:

But besides not being afraid, God says something else:

2. SPEAK AND DO NOT KEEP SILENT

Romans 10:14 NKJV

14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?

When Paul wrote this, He was probably remembering the words of the Lord.

como ouvirao, s

We are the voice of God, we have to preach!

The command is not only “speak”, but reinforced with “do not keep silent”, in the same way Paul would teach Timothy later.

3. I AM WITH YOU, NO ONE WILL ATTACK YOU TO HURT YOU

There is a big difference when a man makes a promise and when the Creator and Lord of the universe says something!

The Jews of the first century were fiercely persistent in persecuting the apostle Paul, all the time and everywhere. But in every single occasion, the Lord had delivered him.

Imagine their anger when Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue in Corinth, when he believed in the Lord with all his house. Besides, because of him, many of the Corinthians, when they heard, believed and were baptized.

Paul had been beaten in Philippi for example, and in his own words to the Galatians he wrote:

Galatians 6:17 NKJV

17 From now on let no one trouble me, for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.

The thing is, we are not harmed, not because of who we are, we are not harmed because of Who is WITH us!

Illustration

During the “6 Days War” between Israel against Egypt, Syria and Jordan (June 5, 1967 – June 10, 1967), after a fantastic victory of Israel, when the press asked the Syrians soldiers why they were so shamefully defeated, they answered: “It was impossible to fight them, because besides every Israelite soldier there were thousands of giant soldiers in a white uniform and with a sword ready to defend them!”

It’s noteworthy that the same promises Jesus made in Mathew 28, He was repeating here to the apostle Paul!

math 28:20

Matthew 28:20 NKJV

20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

Matthew 28:19 NKJV

19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

math 28:20

Also, being a Jew that knew the Scriptures, Paul was probably also remembering what the prophet Isaiah had said 700 years before:

Isaiah 41:10 NKJV

10 Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’

Therefore, Paul knew, and Unchained Church also knows that:

this is the God Who miraculously delivered His people from Egypt;

This is the God Who caused the moon and the sun to stand still for a whole day so His people might continue fighting Gibeon by daylight;

This is the God Who enabled Samson to kill by himself 1000 men with the bone of a donkey;

This is the God Who stood in the middle of the mighty Babylonian furnace with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and not even a single hair was burned;

This is the God Who promised that “when you go through the fire or through the waters, I will be with you;

This is the God Who guarantees: “I will never leave you, nor forsake you”;

This is the God Who guarantees: “I will never leave you, nor forsake you”;

This is the God Who comfort us saying: “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out”.

This is the God Who promises: “even if your mother or father forsake you, I will receive you”;

This is the God Who affirms that “I will be with you every single day, until the very end of the ages”;

This is the God Who has been faithful and present throughout countless generations;

this is the God Emmanuel, this is the God Who is, and will always be, in us, with us, and for us!!

4. I HAVE MANY PEOPLE IN THIS CITY

In every prayer, we ask the Lord to bring His people from the North, South, East and West.

Corinth flourished and became the administrative capital of the Roman province of Achaea.

Tulare is a very diverse city, and indeed, if we just look, the Lord has many people here.

Corinth was probably the same size as Tulare when Paul arrived, and we have to strategize to find those the Lord has chosen.

When Paul arrived in 51 CE, the Corinth he saw was little more than 100 years old, but was five times as large as Athens and the capital of the province.

They are in the grocery store, at Costco, at the bakery, in the fields, they are everywhere, they may be in your own house!

FINAL APPLICATIONS

We can summarize that this text brings us a message of:

Proclamation (“Speak, and do not keep silent”)

Promise (“I am with you”)

Protection (“No one will hurt you”)

Provision (“I have many people in this city”)

The church of Corinth, despite being a wonderful church in its beginnings, does not exist any longer… they were defeated not so much by external enemies, but mostly from inside issues. The Scriptures show us that they decided to continue as a baby church.

Today, March 15, 2020, at the age of 2 years old, we also, have 2 choices:

1. Continue just as a cute Baby church, allowing all sorts of fears and doubts to become the driving center of our lives, to continue always as an infant that cannot be fed with solid food and meat from Heaven...

OR ...

2. To become, day after day, a Thriving church that exercises its spiritual gifts, that is the channel that promotes true freedom in Christ and real changes in our city with its godly influence and strong Discipleship and that operates to spread the life of the Word of God, working tirelessly under the power of the Holy Spirit, while “the Lord adds to the church daily, those who are being saved”. YES, this is the church we want to be!

As we have learned, the Lord has “many people in this city”, and right now, we will pray for them! We will prophesy that dry bones will come from the North, South, East and West, and they will be revived by the Holy Spirit, here in this house! We will also pray for everyone who is in this building today. There is power in one accord!

As we have learned, the Lord has “many people in this city”, and right now, we will pray for them! We will prophesy that dry bones will come from the North, South, East and West, and they will be revived by the Holy Spirit, here in this house! We will also pray for everyone who is in this building today. There is power in one accord!

(On a personal note, in the same way the apostle Paul received the help of two beloved brothers - Silas and Timothy, who came from Macedonia to help him in Corinth, I also have the honor, blessing and privilege to have beside me two wonderful brothers and friends: John and Marcos, to whom I would like to invite to join me now).

Let’s pray together!

Let’s pray together!

Let’s pray together!

Let’s pray together!

(At this time I would like to invite every pastor present, every Unchained leader and all the members of the Church Plant Team of Tulare Community Church (our mother), to come to the altar and be led by a prayer from Pr. Bill Van Beek, so the Lord may fulfill all the He has in store for us)