Acts 18:18-26
Notes
Transcript
Paul Returns to Antioch of Syria
Paul Returns to Antioch of Syria
We are going to pick up tonight after Paul spends a year and a half in Corinth sharing the Message of Jesus Christ. I want to remind us tonight that Paul was a brilliant man, highly intellectual, trained under the top Rabbis, and a man who hated Jesus Christ and all Christians at one point. Jesus Christ changed His heart. Paul gave all of it up to share the hope of the Messiah. Everything Paul did after his Damascus Road experience was to share the Gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ.
We have the same opportunities as Paul. We all came from different places, we have all done different things in our lives, but there is no doubt that Jesus Christ pruned our hearts and our minds. Like Jesus Christ, and like Paul, we can meet people where they are in this life. The experiences you have, the valley and the mountain top experiences are there so that you may glorify Him. Jesus Christ said:
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
That is the reason we are here tonight. Not to be my witness, not to be your witness, but to be a witness unto Jesus the Messiah. Lets pick it up in Acts 18:18.
18 Paul stayed in Corinth for some time after that, then said good-bye to the brothers and sisters and went to nearby Cenchrea. There he shaved his head according to Jewish custom, marking the end of a vow. Then he set sail for Syria, taking Priscilla and Aquila with him.
Paul said goodbye to His brothers and sisters in the faith. He traveled East to the village port of Cenchrea. Luke drops in that Paul shaved his head according to Jewish custom, marking the end of a vow.
Scripture does not tell us exactly why Paul cut his hair. Here is what we know about Paul: He continued as a practicing Jew who fully believed in Jesus Christ. Paul was a Messianic Jew. Cutting his hair may have marked the end of a Nazarene vow he had made earlier on. This goes back to what the LORD said to Moses.
5 “They must never cut their hair throughout the time of their vow, for they are holy and set apart to the Lord. Until the time of their vow has been fulfilled, they must let their hair grow long.
Some scholars believe that Paul took a vow in Corinth, seeking the LORD’s protection, and shaved his head marking that God fulfilled that request bringing an end to that particular vow.
Paul was leaving Corinth where we was comfortable in order to fulfill the LORD’s call in his life. He was not called to be the leader of a local church, but to be a missionary.
Some things to consider as we leave Corinth with Paul tonight:
How Many Turn Away From God’s Call because of:
Friends and Family
Success and Acceptance
Position and Prestige
Possessions and Materialism
Security and Safety
I am not saying we are all called to be missionaries. What I am saying is that the heroic believer refuses to miss God’s will and call for his or her life. The believer takes up the cross daily and follows Christ, no matter where it takes them.
19 They stopped first at the port of Ephesus, where Paul left the others behind. While he was there, he went to the synagogue to reason with the Jews.
We know that Paul brought Priscilla and Aquila with him to Ephesus. Ephesus was one of the largest cities and a thriving port. There were roughly 250,000 people living there. This is the same city that Paul would write the “letter to the Ephesians.”
Paul left Priscilla and Aquila in Ephesus to build and edify the believers in Ephesus. And as always, Paul went to the synagogue to share the message of Christ with the Jews and Gentile proselytes. Those who did not believe Jesus to be the Messiah.
20 They asked him to stay longer, but he declined.
21 As he left, however, he said, “I will come back later, God willing.” Then he set sail from Ephesus.
Strange, right? Paul is being asked to stay and he refuses. This passage is what leads some scholars to believe that the hair cut was the start of a new vow to get back to Palestine, get back to Jerusalem before the Passover Festival that he may preach the Word of Christ.
His comment upon leaving was a promise to come back but only if it was in God’s will. This is a perfect picture of honoring God while showing honor to other believers. Paul was speaking to the leaders in the synagogue, he remained gracious in his actions and in his words.
We must show honor to other believers always, no matter:
We must show honor to other believers always, no matter...
how important God’s call
how significant our gifts are
how important people view us
how busy we may be
If we lose sight of “loving each-other as He loved us first,” we fail. We are, in humility, to remain humble and honorable before others.
22 The next stop was at the port of Caesarea. From there he went up and visited the church at Jerusalem and then went back to Antioch.
This is a recreation of Herod’s Temple based on archeological excavations. Herod did not build this temple to glorify God, he built it to glorify himself. He wanted to reach fame through his efforts in construction. Pretty cool, right! God will use who and what He decides to bring glory to Him!
Paul apparently did not spend much time in Jerusalem. We know he went there because the text read “went up” meaning up Mount Moriah to the Jerusalem Temple.
Paul now returns to Antioch of Syria. The church where the term “Christian” was used for the first time. Recall that the term “Christian” began as a derogatory term used to describe believers. What man meant for evil, God used for good! This is the church that launched Paul’s second missionary journey, the church where his second missionary journey ends.
Even though Paul visited Jerusalem, as it was the mother church of Christianity, he called Antioch his home church.
We all need that kind of attachment. A place where we bond, where we share God’s amazing works and His glory with others. That is why Paul was so desperate to get back to the church at Antioch. To share the wonderful things that had happened during his missionary journey throughout the world. To glorify God in the name of Jesus Christ.
23 After spending some time in Antioch, Paul went back through Galatia and Phrygia, visiting and strengthening all the believers.
Paul did not stay long. This begins his third missionary journey. He went to Galatia, the same Galatia he wrote “Letter to the Galatians.” He then went on to Phyrgia. Now, we something here with Paul. He had already been to Galatia and Phyrgia. He went back to edify and build the believers up.
We can not be in the habit of thinking that when someone becomes a believer that our responsibility ends. We are called to continue walking with those who are young in the faith. Discipleship is ongoing for all of us. We need to be available and ready to come up beside those who are new believers as well as mature believers. The body works together to care for each part of the body.
24 Meanwhile, a Jew named Apollos, an eloquent speaker who knew the Scriptures well, had arrived in Ephesus from Alexandria in Egypt.
Almost as an after thought, Luke adds this text to scripture. He talks about Apollos. There are only three places in scripture that Apollos is mentioned: in Acts, Titus, and 1 Corinthians. Luke refers to him as eloquent, meaning “learned.” This would make sense as Apollos grew up in Alexandria. This would have been like growing up at Harvard or Yale. There are a large number of scholars who believe that it was not Paul, but Apollos wrote the letter to the “Hebrews.”
Luke hones in on the fact that Apollos knew the scriptures. He spoke boldly and fervently when it came to Jesus Christ. He loved Jesus Christ, no doubt!
I love this! I know people in this very room, at home, and all around this county that are intelligent, full of common sense, and live humble lives. When they start talking about the LORD, there is Holy Spirit led fire, love, and prayer. That is what Apollos was like.
25 He had been taught the way of the Lord, and he taught others about Jesus with an enthusiastic spirit and with accuracy. However, he knew only about John’s baptism.
Apollos taught with accuracy about Jesus, yet he was familiar only with Jesus’ baptism by John the baptist. What we can surmise is that Apollos’ knowledge of the gospel and the Messianic truth of Jesus came through John the Baptist’s disciples. This would have limited his understanding to what occured pre-Pentecost.
We see this today from preachers, ministers, and disciples. Sometimes what is left out of discussions and teachings is due to an inadequate understanding of Christian truth.
That is the very reason we all come together and talk about the Bible, study the Living Word of God, and we do not forsake ourselves from meeting with one another. To learn from one another and to share in each others knowledge and wisdom.
Who better equipped to teach Apollos than my favorite married couple, Priscilla and Aquila.
26 When Priscilla and Aquila heard him preaching boldly in the synagogue, they took him aside and explained the way of God even more accurately.
Now there is the mark of two mature Christians. They did not attack Apollos for not knowing what occured after the baptism of Jesus. They took Apollos under their wings and taught him! They shared the stories from Rome to Corinth and from Corinth to Ephesus. How the LORD worked in their lives, how they were able to share and glorify Jesus.
They did this privately. Out of ear shot of other people. Given the context, we can be sure that they brought Apollos into their home and taught him more about our Savior, Jesus Christ. It was not about pride, ego, or what they thought best for Apollos. It was about growth, understanding, and sharing the full message of Jesus.
Do you all see this! Again, no coincidences with God! Priscilla and Aquila remain behind, they instruct a young preacher, the young preacher would later accompany Paul, both full of the Holy Spirit.
As disciples, we must be bold in sharing the Good news of Jesus Christ. We must also remain teachable. Our minds and hearts always open to the Holy Spirit with a desire to learn from Him and to learn from others who are witnesses for Christ Jesus. There is not a man or woman alive who has recieved the full knowledge and wisdom of God. We can share with one another in humility what we have learned. God Bless you tonight.