Welcome everyone.
Recording, my name is Fred and this is. February 20 eighth And the big news is. Is that tomorrow is February 20 ninth.
Okay.
And we are studying through the book of Acts at, Walletto's, the Bible Chapel.
And we're happily in Acts chapter 18 tonight.
Really interesting portion, I think. And hope the Lord will. Bless it to us as we read from Hacks.
Chip.
Except for 18. And we'll read with glasses on. So if you're in the eighteenth chapter, if you just go back a couple of verses.
Into, 1731. And this is a little phrase from. When Paul is at Athens, this city of culture, not too far from his next stop, it's, it's Athens and He, is talking about in Acts chapter.
17 verse 31, the second half. It says he is appointed. A day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man.
By the man whom he has ordained. For he has given assurance of this to all by raising him.
From the dead. And I forgot to read the earlier part I meant to read. From the second half of verse 30.
But now, commands, God overlooks these times of ignorance, but now God commands all men everywhere to repent.
Because he's appointed a day. And which she. Well, judge.
So, a little theme of repentance in chapter 18. And. And I'd like to have you know that this is the second half.
Of the second. Missionary Germany that Paul And I put the old trip on there. I would imagine as a pretty daunting set of, traveling and he would have started from
Antioch somewhere and up through here down through over there and I want to show you where we're going to start.
We are going to start.
Yeah. We just read a portion from Athens. And then Paul left there and he goes to Corinth.
So most of this is about Corinth. And then quickly at the end, he goes to Ephesus.
Down over here to Centria. To Cesarea, possibly Jerusalem. And back to Antioch.
Hearing I guess. Map doesn't quite have all the territories, but it does mention Galatia here and figure is in here.
And, so on. So please read with me from Acts chapter 18 verse one.
After these things, Paul departed from Athens. And went to Corinth. And you found a certain Jew named Aquila.
Born in Pontus. Pontus is up here on the Northern part of Turkey. Morning Pontus who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome.
And he came to them. That would be Paul came to. Equal and Priscilla. So because he was of the same trade.
He stayed with them and worked. For by occupation they were tent makers. Any reason in the synagogue with every Sabbath.
And persuaded both Jews and Greeks. This is the Apostle Paul. When Silas and Timothy had come from Macedonia.
Paul was compelled by the Spirit and testified to the Jews. That Jesus is the Christ. But when they opposed him and blasphemed, You shook his garments and said to them, Your blood be upon you and on your own heads.
I am clean from now on. I will go to the Gentiles. And he departed from there and entered the house of a certain man named justice.
Tissue is justice I believe is a full name one who worship God whose house was next door to the synagogue.
Then Christmas. The ruler of the synagogue believed on the Lord. With all his household. And many of the Corinthians hearing.
Believed. And we're baptized. Let's pause right there and ask Lord to bless this time.
Finally, thank you for the Word of God. And the ability to hear it. And believe it and to be fully immersed in it being baptized.
Believers. And so we thank you for the Apostle Paul. And you're leading him to this.
City of Corinth and and such an important
Name in the scriptures. And so help us to understand a little bit more.
About that about that city and the the mission of the gospel in Corinth. Pray in Jesus.
So.
It was from Athens to Corinth. The city of culture. A city of sin, you could say.
And. It was it was kind of a trade city so a port city and and you could have the world going through Corinth and all the evil of the world.
As well. But the interesting thing here is that the Claudius. Caesar Claudius.
Way back when had. Evicted and expelled the Jews from Rome. Why did he do that?
And I'm not sure, but apparently more likely they were quarreling in their synagogues and stirring up trouble in Rome.
And, he evicted them.
Maybe some of them were Christians because they had. They had been part of the The Jewish diaspora and Peter certainly writes to some of them in his epistle.
Aquila and Priscilla. They were Jewish couple born in Pontus.
And they recently come from from Rome because they were expelled. And so here they are in. Corinth, propitious time because Paul comes and and meets them and realizes that they're believers in the Lord Jesus.
And that they have the same trade. And he was pretty much alone at that point coming from Athens.
And, and so he worked with him and he stayed with him. And this couple really. Helped him administer to him.
And we can learn much about Priscilla and Aquila and I'd like to. A little bit about that toward the end.
Yeah, but every Sabbath day, he reasoned and persuaded both Jews and the Greeks.
How about the gospel of of The Lord Jesus Christ. On the other hand, when Finally, Timothy and Silas come from Macedonia.
They were bearing a gift, I believe. And so they had some ability to help Paul in his livelihood.
And so. Paul was compelled in the spirit. Know, to preach and to testify to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ.
No. There's always the opposition. The enemy is always wanting to stop the preaching of the gospel that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah.
The Messiah and so . 6 of chapter 18. But when they had opposed them.
And blasphemed, he shook his garments and said to them, You're blood be upon your own heads.
I am clean. From now on, I will go to the Gentiles.
And he departed from there and entered the house of a certain man named Tishius Justice. One who worshiped God.
So this was a believer, I believe, and. I think not only is it sort of remarkable that Paul would meet up with Aqua and Priscilla.
Who had the same occupation and the same faith. But here we have this man. This man, justice.
Worship God and the true God and and was right next to the to the synagogue. So.
Jewish synagogue, Christian household. Next to each other. And what an opportunity for the gospel for Paul to, even though he was.
Being, I guess, accused of blasphemy and, and he had to leave. You shook his garments.
And Was went next door? Just next door. So much so that he could affect the the belief of Christmas.
Who is the ruler of the synagogue. Who believed on the Lord with all his household.
I'd like to step back and just say that this, this.
Thing that Paul did on in verse 6 where he said said to them, your blood be upon your own heads.
And I am clean. For now, and I will go to the Gentiles. Paul said this a number of times.
In his travels and when he would go to synagogues and be rejected he would say I'm and he was the apostle to the Gentiles so but he would start with the synagogue because that's where That's where he was trained and that's where.
His people, the Jewish people were meeting. And it would provide a forum for. For explaining. About the coming of the Messiah, the true Messiah, Jesus Christ.
To look at X, 13 verse 46. I had that.
On verse 44 it says on 13 on the next Sabbath almost all this is the Sabbath in in where.
Not sure. Antioch where he started. The whole city came together to hear the word of God.
But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy. Hey, contradicting and blaspheming, they suppose they oppose the things spoken by Paul.
And that was a consistent rebuff that he had all the way through. The last missionary journey and then.
Taken prisoner in in Jerusalem and and sent to Rome. Then Paul said to Barnabas.
Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said, It was necessary that the Word of God should be spoken to you first.
But since you rejected and judge for yourselves. And judge yourselves. Unworthy of everlasting life.
Behold. We turn to the Gentiles, Paul and Barnabas.
So the Lord has commanded us. So they were to turn to the Gentile, but seem like he's he's a bit stronger here.
And in this chapter 18. How about anyone? To answer this spam call? Hey.
No, inclined.
Yeah, yeah.
I think that was a bad one. You guys getting a lot of spam calls these days?
I'm just getting played with him just in the last few weeks. And I bet you had nap a dozen today.
Is that you, Neil? You seem to be taking a special politeness.
Sorry for the distraction.
Continuing in verse 8 of 18. And many of the Corinthians. Hearing, believed and were baptized.
So this is following on the belief of. Of Christmas the Jew who was leader of the synagogue he left the synagogue presumably went to the house next door in his in his worship.
And many of the Corinthians hearing believed and were baptized. No, I think this is an interesting sequence and I'm particularly Happy it's here.
It reminds me of. That sequence at the end of chapter 2 an axe where it says that they continued steadfastly in the Apostles doctrine.
Well, this is after they heard the Word of God preached and they were baptized. And next chapter 2 verse 40, 41 and then 42 it says this is what they did after that.
They continued with the Apostles doctrine as we're doing today studying the Word of God, they continued in fellowship.
As we are here together in fellowship. They continued in the Lord's Supper week to week as we rightly do and honorably do every week here at Waltz the Bible Chapel and then also they continued in prayers.
So this abbreviated version. Is really important. Hearing. Believing and then they were baptized as believers and I think this this is talking about water baptism of believers that we practice in your wallet towards the Bible temple.
No. World of Christendom. I think the sequence is more like this. You're christened.
You're catechized. And you're confirmed. And. And then.
You're part of the church. And, but I'll really do want to draw attention to the fact that the True sequences, hearing the Word of God preached.
Being repentant. Believing, believing it's true that Jesus Christ is the Messiah as Paul was teaching, Jesus is the Christ.
And, and then being obedient and being willing to testify to that by being baptized.
In in a biblical way. So may the Lord help us remember verse. 18.
Chapter 18 verse 8. Many of the Corinthians. Hearing believed and were baptized.
In the Corinthians, you know, they At least 2 letters. I think one letter was lost that Paul sent back to the Corinthians, but 2, we have in our scriptures.
And really important. Elements of the of the New Testament. Press Corinthians, second Corinthians.
So many of them hearing believed that were baptized. And those are the part of the people that Paul ultimately wrote to and instructed in godly living.
And, and Christian service.
Then comes the chapter, 18 verse 9. Where it says now the Lord spoke to Paul. In the night by a vision.
Do not be afraid, but speak. And do not keep silent.
Brian with you and no one will attack you in hurt you, for I have many people in this city.
I spoke a little on this on Sunday at the Lord's Supper alluding to this passage which in in the but in the new king germs, James's version is printed in red so indicating that The Lord Jesus.
Spoke it and and and told
Alright.
And told. Paul to comfort him to not be afraid and not be afraid but speak. What a promise.
What a strong promise that still pertains to us today, that we should not be afraid of our our, of, of the, of man, the fear of man, but we should speak the truth.
Of the Lord Jesus that Jesus Christ is the Messiah and and that God will protect us and nothing can.
Harm us that is not within the permitted will of God. So that is a great comfort. As you know, there are a number of passages in the scriptures, I think, of X, 28.
I'm sorry, Matthew, 28 where Jesus said going into the world and preach the gospel in law.
I'm with you always even to the end of the Age. And. And then the one in Hebrews chapter 13 or It's quoted there.
That God said.
Somebody should look that up for me. 13 verse 5 or 6. But also a comforting verse that God is always, always with us.
And what a good comfort this one is. In Acts chapter 18. I am with you. The Lord would say, and no one will attack you or hurt you.
For I have many people in this city. One of the translations, if and someone has the New, I mean the English standard version could someone quote just how that phrase comes out in the English standard version Mike, you've got it.
Yeah. Where I have many in the city more money. Alright, says who is God says, Jesus says, I have many in this city who are my people.
That kind of gets obscured in the in the translation in the King James aversion. Just says, there.
I have many people in the city, but. The English standard version says I have. My people. And of course the people of God.
Of the Old Testament or the Jewish people. And in a sense they still are his people today, we believe.
But in the day of grace. It's those who have. Come to Jesus Christ by faith. And by repentance.
And and they are joined to the body of Christ. Gentiles and Jewish people. They're all one body.
In this day and age, he can say, I have many people, I have my people in the city.
I mean, I hope the Lord can say that about even our city here in Milwaukee that he has my people.
In the community. Did you have that anniversary?
No, I'm sorry. I was thinking it was at Hebrew versus Yeah. Yeah.
That's all right.
Yeah, that's the one I was trying to bring up. I will never leave you or for sake you.
So. 3 times as promised, many promises in the Old Testament. As well. And so we have an insurance.
Of the Lord's presence and that he is going to guard us through all our days. And we can be comforted by that.
So what did it do for Paul? Percy 11, he continued there a year and 6 months.
Teaching the Word of God among.
Galileo said to the Jews in verse 14. If we're a matter of wrongdoing or wicked crimes or Jews, there would be reason why I should bear with you.
But if it's a question of words and names, and your own law, Look to it for yourselves.
Brian do not want to be a judge. Of such matters. And he drove them from the judgment seat.
Then all the Greeks took Sophonies, the ruler of the synagogue. And be him and beat him before the judgment seat.
But Galileo took no notice. Of these things. So this is a change of events that Paul was rescued from the attacking Jews and taken in front of a Gentile, Gallio.
Must have been a new governor. I'm wondering whether they didn't wait. And tell us new guy came in.
And and to try him home side is he going to be on? And unfortunately, Southanese lived to regret it.
Because he was, he was beaten. Before Gallio and at the judgment seat. And Gallio didn't pay any attention to it.
A bit of a shock, but I thought Christmas was a ruler of the synagogue. Well Christmas got converted.
Remember and affiliated with the House of Justice? And probably was no longer the ruler of the synagogue and Sothanese was his replacement and being young and and probably unwise.
And anti. Christian went after. Paul. And praise the Lord, this man Gallio made a sensible decision.
I mean, you shouldn't have let the guy get beaten up. And there's certainly another expression of anti-Semitism in which we see still.
Prevalent in our day and age of persecution of Jewish people. But Galileo said this is not a decision that the Rome needs to make.
It's your decision. One of the thoughts in the. I was reading is that that there's some idea that that if you were an established community in the Roman world.
Established community and Jews were. That, they, would, the Romans wouldn't bother you, maybe the Jewish people were trying to separate off the Christians.
So that they wouldn't be an established authorized community and they'd be more persecuted by the Roman government and certainly Christians were persecuted and in in those days and days after as Many were martyred.
But in any case. That was, that was the vindication of.
Of Paul and his.
His ministry. There in Corinth. So we continue.
Verse 18. So Paul still remained a good while. He still remained a goodwiller in Concurrent.
Then he took leave of the brethren. And then this is where it speeds up for Pauli.
Leaves Corinth. Goes across the. Straits there to To leave the brethren, went to Syria.
And sail for Syria and Priscilla and Aquila were with him. Okay, here's one.
And he had his hair cut off. At Centuria. For he had taken a vow.
Who's got a good footnote on that one? I, I never came up with anything on that.
And I'm curious to know. But vow and when and where. But maybe he said I'm not cutting my hair until I get back to Syria.
But. I can't explain that one.
Verse 19 and he came to Ephesus. He left them there, but he himself and in the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews.
So he's still, even though he said, just blood be, be upon you. Went back to the Jewish synagogue and in Ephesus.
And when they asked him to stay a longer time with him, he did not consent. But he took leave of them saying, I must by all means.
Keep coming, keep this coming feast in Jerusalem.
Yeah, but I will return again to you, namely to Ephesus. God willing. And he sailed from Ephesus.
So it's interesting that.
The the Lord Paul puts himself at the disposal of God to say God willing, you want me back in Ephesus and if God wants it, I will come back.
And ultimately, he did come back on the next missionary journey, the third one, and believe he spent about Here's in Ephesus.
So it was long, it was as long as placed, maybe the second longest place was Corinth.
But he did come back to Ephesus and it was in the will of God.
Whereas 22 when he landed at Cesarea and gone up. And greeted the church. He went down to Antioch.
So in here, there's one city that's missing, and that would be Jerusalem. Caesarea is part of.
Part of. Israel over here. That's Cesarea and then he Says he went to Antioch, but he probably went.
You probably went to Jerusalem. And then he went down because everything is down from Jerusalem to Anya.
So. I'm sure if he wanted to keep the feast he would have gone to Jerusalem and that was his trip.
So thus ends Paul's second missionary journey.
They spend some time there, to bend over after that in verse 23. He departed and went over to Galicia and Figra.
In order in strengthening the disciples. So now he's on the third missionary journey. But we have a little sequel inserted in the scriptures after that at verse 24.
Which talks again about Ephesus and Corinth. And it says, now a certain Jew named the Palace.
Born in Alexandria. Alexandria is way down here in Egypt. And was a center of learning.
And, and so a policy is a Joe, a Jew. He was an elegant man and mighty in the scriptures and he came to Ephesus.
And this man had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit. And being fervent in spirit.
He was fervent in spirit. He spoke and he taught accurately the things that the Lord Though he knew only the baptism of John.
So the baptism of John is a baptism that that was to announce the coming of the Savior by John the Baptist in the wilderness and it was a baptism of repentance to the Jews and so his theme was I'm I'm announcing the way of the coming of the Messiah.
And he was able to point out that Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world, but his baptism was one of repentance.
It goes back to what I was reading. In the first chapter or the first in the beginning from Hanks chapter 17 but about being to repent.
Unless you repent. And so it's it's important for someone who wants to become a Christian to know they're a sinner to realize that been guilty and to repent of it and turn from their ways and and turn to the Lord Jesus.
Not that, heard from their ways, but parents to the Lord Jesus for forgiveness. Would you freely?
Grants in this day of age. Day of Grace, Grace.
So we began verse 26 to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Equil and Priscilla hurt him.
They took him aside and explained to him. The way of God more accurately.
I've always liked this little passage here. Was it Aquila and Priscilla and how they could take the knowledge that they gained from.
From their Christian experience. From the time they spent with all. In Corinth. And they were able to explain to.
Apollo say you know a lot. But you don't know it all and you don't know it accurately completely.
So he explained to him the way they explained to him the way of God more accurately. And what's the way of God?
Well, we heard in the middle of this discussion. The Corinthians heard, they believed, and were baptized.
I guess this is why it's important to me because I think that the normal. Christendom way is to be christened.
To be catechized and to be confirmed. And for me, the way of God. To understand it more.
Accurately was to realize no as being hearing the Word of God, knowing the Word of God. In believing.
In the Word of God. Believing in Jesus Christ as is the Messiah. And we're baptized.
So some part of that they that Palace didn't have. But it was important that he did.
No this more accurately because verse 27 it says when a policy desired to go to Acha the brethren wrote.
Exhorting the disciples and atcha that area and that area is where Corinth is.
Yeah, and when they received him, he arrived. And to exhorting the disciples to receive him.
And when he arrived, he greatly helped. Those who had believed. Through grace. And so it's not a works.
Maybe, maybe that was what. Apollo didn't understand as accurately. It's not doing this and doing that.
It's believing through grace. Okay, for by grace you're saved. And it's not of yourselves, it's a gift of God, unless anyone should boast.
And, and so you can imagine if Paul had gone there. To Corinth without. This kind of knowing it accurately.
He would have confused all those people that Paul taught so accurately. Himself for 18 months when he was in Corinth.
First 28, for he vigorously refuted the Jews publicly, showing from the scriptures, showing from the scriptures that Jesus is the Christ.
And that's the verse that was repeated from, verse. 5 where it says that Paul was compelled by the Spirit and testified to the Jews.
That Jesus is the Christ. So the book ends of this. Chapter really are the. They're teaching and preaching that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the promised one.
And, the only way. The only way to have our sins forgiven to know God personally and to have eternal life.
And praise the Lord for a palace. What a commendable man he must have been and he was amenable to teaching and to understanding more accurately from an older couple.
And instead of being self-righteous and saying I, I know it all and and confusing people.
He was well. Submit to, well, good teaching from. This wonderful couple couple. Aquila and Priscilla.
So can I continue just one more verse in the? Into chapter 19. And so it, as it happened, while a palace was in Corinth, the policy was in Corinth.
That Paul having passed through the upper regions. Came to Ephesus. So all I don't think really intersected with.
Palace, but Paul started in Corinth in this chapter and a policy is finishing. In Corinth and they're both preaching the same truth.
Accurately. And Paul is in circulating in a little part of the territory away from where a policy is, but when he writes to the Corinthians, he says, and they were struggling in current currents about who's who's their leader and who are they.
You know, modeling after I'm a disciple of Paul or I'm a disciple of a palace.
And Paul's, Paul. Refuted that kind of teaching. But, quoting it because Palace was obviously an important teacher in Corinth.
And Brace the Lord, he did it because of Aquila and Priscilla.
The New Testament when you look at the New Testament, you don't see many. I don't know if you see, well I suppose you see other couples but The Christian couple that is really the model of the New Testament apart from the metaphorical model of Christ in the church.
For a marriage is. Aquila and Priscilla. Hi, they were mentioned about half a dozen times.
They had the church in their house. They were hospitable. They taught. Sometimes their names are interchanged, used interchangeably.
In different order and kind of showing the complementary aspect of them. They're equal, different roles.
And, and so Paul. Acknowledges them in the Roman book to the Romans for their hospitality.
And their, their unity and really It's just a great model that that, Christian couples should aspire to to take.
Lessons from Equal and Priscilla to be able to teach the Word of God to be able to work for a living.
To be together, to be willing to travel. To open their household. They have.
To show hospitality. And they're really honored in the New Testament. They're never mentioned separately.
They're always mentioned together. And they were a wonderful couple for us to. To learn from. So.
With that, I wonder, do you have any? Questions? Are any any answers for me at this point?
The reason why I said the reason why I Cause the, lot. Well, they, they made a vow in, in the, I guess the evidence that I have, I'm under a vow as I have long hair, I suppose.
But I don't know why he, how would he have accomplished the vow? It's not really clear what What, what happened to him that he said, okay, I did the vow.
And now I can. Shave my head is kind of what I'm interpreting out of it.
Just start me with that.
Oh pilot was trying to get there. I washed my hands of this innocent man and But no.
Jesus Christ needs to die for a sense.
No.
All right, well, Father, we bless our Bible study tonight. We thank you that we can teach the Word of God we trust accurately.
And with. Enthusiasm as a polis did fervently. And we pray, Lord, for Many to be saved in these.
In these days in the way of. What we learned tonight, hearing. Believing. Following, being baptized.
And and going on in in into the whole world. Even to Corinth and Athens.
And, and that region, the utmost parts. Plus our assembly here. We know we would like to pray for many matters and we Thank you for bringing us together in fellowship.
We pray for. Pray for those in need with health needs and we will soon list them and and trust them to you or Jesus Christ.
Hey, man.
Jim, was there a prayer list?