Paul’s Work At
– Acts
Eighteen –
After Paul left
On the Sabbath days Paul reasoned with the Jews out of the
scriptures and persuaded both Jews and Greeks that "Jesus" is the
Messiah. "When Silas and Timothy came down from
Not all rejected Jesus: (1) Justus worshipped God, (2) Crispus
believed on the Lord, and (3) many of the Corinthians hearing, believed, and
were baptized.
With all the rejection Paul had faced it would have been easy for
him to become discouraged. The Lord told Paul not to be afraid. God wanted him
to speak with boldness. He promised Paul, "I am with thee, and no man
shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this
city." The Lord Jesus Christ had
not forgotten Paul nor would He forget him.
Paul was accused of causing people to serve
God in a manner that was contrary to the law. Gallio would not hear the matter
because he knew it was not a matter of wicked lewdness. Even when the Greeks
took Sosthenes and beat him before the judgment seat Gallio did not care! Later
Sosthenes would be a part of Paul's letter to
Paul stayed long enough to strengthen the brethren in
Paul made a brief stop at
Our attention is turned back to
Paul's
great success at
Every Sabbath day Paul went into the Jewish synagogue and reasoned with them out of the Scriptures. He proved that Jesus was the Christ. He taught them concerning the necessity of Jesus’ sufferings, death and resurrection. Many Jews and Greeks were persuaded by the truth Paul taught. When Silas and Timothy arrived Paul was stirred even more to preach Christ.
The rejection of the gospel by the Jews caused Paul to turn to the
Gentiles. He said, "Your blood be on your heads,
I am clean: from now I will go to the Gentiles." Paul meant what he said
because he left the synagogue he went into the house of a man named Justus, a
Gentile believer. Luke gave this simple account of conversions in
The Lord used a vision to encourage Paul to keep on preaching
Christ. He promised to be with him and to preserve him.
The
coldness of Gallio toward Paul – Acts 18:12-17: The Jews brought Paul
before Gallio's judgment seat saying, "This man is teaching the people to
give worship to God in a way which is against the law." Gallio said he
would have heard the case if it involved some wicked lewdness. He refused to be
a judge in spiritual matters. He literally drove them from his judgment seat.
The profane and unconverted Greeks beat Sosthenes. He was the
chief ruler of the synagogue. Likely he was chosen to this position after
Crispus became a Christian. Gallio cared for none of these things. Latter
Sosthenes would have a part with Paul in writing the letter of First
Corinthians. (I Corinthians 1:1)
Paul watered what he had planted – Acts 18:18-23: At Cenchrea
Paul shaved his head because of a vow he had made. One would be hard pressed to
prove that this vow was one peculiar to the Law, which it would be improper for
Christians to observe. We must remember Paul's refusal to impose the Law upon
Gentiles. It must not be inferred, from this that we are at liberty to make
foolish or wicked vows, that would be better broken
than kept.
Paul, along with
An
account of Apollo's spiritual growth – Acts 18:24-28: Apollos came to
Apollos desired to go into Achaia. The brethren helped him and sent letters to the disciples requesting them to take him in among them. He gave much help to the believers. He overcame the Jews in public discussion, and made it clear from scripture that Jesus was the Christ.
Being a Christian is a serious responsibility. To become a
Christian, you must hear the gospel (Romans