SCRIPTURE: ACTS 18
Bible Verses:
“One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.” (Acts 18:9-10)
IN CORINTH (vs. 1-17)
Paul left Athens and went to Corinth where he met the couple Aquila and Priscilla. He stayed and worked with them as tentmaker. Every Sabbath, he went to synagogue to preach that Jesus is the Christ. Paul also went to the house of Titius Justus, a worshiper of God. Crispus, the synagogue ruler, and his entire household believed in the Lord and many of the Corinthians who heard him believed and were baptized.
The Lord spoke to Paul in a vision affirming his presence and not to be afraid. So Paul stayed for a year and a half there teaching the Word of God.
While Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews brought Paul into the court and charged him for persuading people to worship God in ways contrary to the law. But Gallio did not entertain the Jews and told them to settle their matter themselves.
PRISCILLA, AQUILA AND APOLLOS (vs. 18-28_
Paul accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila left for Syria. They arrived at Ephesus and Paul preached at the synagogue. Then he left Ephesus and set sail himself to Caesarea and went to Antioch. He spent sometime there and set out traveling from place to place through the region of Galatia and Phrygia strengthening the disciples.
There was a Jew named Apollos who had knowledge of the Scriptures. He spoke boldly in the synagogue and Priscilla and Aquila invited him to their house. Then he went to Achaia and refuted the Jews in public debating and proving from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ.
THOUGHTS:
- Paul was trained in tent making to carry his livelihood with him. He worked hard to support himself and his associates in their ministry. He worked so that they unsaved could not accuse him of preaching the gospel to make money. His sacrifice to further the gospel is worth us to emulate.
- Aquila and Priscilla were important workers in the early church. They opened their house to Paul and helped Apollos understand the gospel. They gave us an example to open our heart, hands and homes to the ministers of God.
- Paul travelled from place to place to witness for Christ. The Lord gave him this promise: ” I am with you”. This is also the promise for those who labored for him either in the battle field or on the harvest field.