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Even Apostles Get Discouraged

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Even Apostles Get Discouraged Even Apostles Get Discouraged Acts 18:1-22 Arrival in Corinth “After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.” (Acts 18:1, ESV) A Strategic Location “Even Apostles Get Discouraged” Temple of Apollo & Acrocorinth “Even Apostles Get Discouraged” 1 Corinthians 2:3 “And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling.” (ESV) “Even Apostles Get Discouraged” Reason to Be Afraid •Persecution has taken its toll. “Even Apostles Get Discouraged” Reason to Be Afraid •Persecution has taken its toll. •Corinth is known as a wicked city. “Even Apostles Get Discouraged” Reason to Be Afraid •Persecution has taken its toll. •Corinth is known as a wicked city. •Paul is all alone. “Even Apostles Get Discouraged” Encouragement in Corinth Acts 18:2-11 Acts 18:2-4 “And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. And he went to see them, and because he was of the same trade he stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade. And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and tried to …” “Even Apostles Get Discouraged” Acts 18:4-7 “persuade Jews and Greeks. When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was occupied with the word, testifying to the Jews that the Christ was Jesus. And when they opposed and reviled him, he shook out his garments and said to them, ‘Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.’ And he left there …” “Even Apostles Get Discouraged” Acts 18:7-9 “and went to the house of a man named Titius Justus, a worshiper of God. His house was next door to the synagogue. Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord, together with his entire household. And many of the Corinthians hearing Paul believed and were baptized. And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, ‘Do not be afraid, but go on …’” “Even Apostles Get Discouraged” Acts 18:9-11 “‘speaking and do not be silent, for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people.’ And he stayed a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.” (ESV) “Even Apostles Get Discouraged” Three Events Which Strengthen Paul •Paul meets Aquila and Priscilla—fellow Christians “Even Apostles Get Discouraged” Three Events Which Strengthen Paul • Paul meets Aquila and Priscilla •Timothy and Silas arrive with gifts from the Macedonian churches (2 Cor 11:8-9; Phil 4:15-16) “Even Apostles Get Discouraged” Acts 18:5 “When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was [became] occupied with the word …” (ESV) “When Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching …” (NIV) “Even Apostles Get Discouraged” Occupied (synecho) •To be devoted to, to be absorbed in, to be urged on. “Even Apostles Get Discouraged” Reasoned (dialegomai) •To discuss or argue facts •Word from which we get “dialogue.” “Even Apostles Get Discouraged” Testified (diamartyromai) •To witness boldly, sternly. “Even Apostles Get Discouraged” Reviled (blasphemeo) •Slander, abusive speech, blasphemy. •Either the Jews were denying that Jesus is the Christ or they were accusing Paul of blaspheming God. “Even Apostles Get Discouraged” Acts 18:6-7 “And when they opposed and reviled him, he shook out his garments … ‘From now on I will go to the Gentiles.’ And he left there and went to the house of a man named Titius Justus, a worshiper of God. His house was next door to the synagogue.” (ESV) “Even Apostles Get Discouraged” Acts 18:8 “Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord, together with his entire household. And many of the Corinthians hearing Paul believed and were baptized.” (ESV) “Even Apostles Get Discouraged” Three Events Which Strengthen Paul • Paul meets Aquila and Priscilla • Timothy & Silas arrive with gifts •Paul receives a vision •“And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, ‘Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people.’” (Acts 18:9-10, ESV) “Even Apostles Get Discouraged” Verdict in Corinth Acts 18:12-17 Acts 18:12-15 “But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews made a united attack on Paul and brought him before the tribunal, saying, ‘This man is persuading people to worship God contrary to the law.’ But when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, ‘If it were a matter of wrongdoing or vicious crime, O Jews, I would have reason to accept your …’” “Even Apostles Get Discouraged” Acts 18:15-17 “‘complaint. But since it is a matter of questions about words and names and your own law, see to it yourselves. I refuse to be a judge of these things.’ And he drove them from the tribunal. And they all seized Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him in front of the tribunal. But Gallio paid no attention to any of this.” (ESV) “Even Apostles Get Discouraged” Two Important Names •Gallio—Lucius Junius Gallio Annaeanus “Even Apostles Get Discouraged” Two Important Names •Gallio •Sosthenes “Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and our brother Sosthenes.” (1 Cor 1:1, ESV) “Even Apostles Get Discouraged” Departure from Corinth Acts 18:18-22 Acts 18:18-21 “After this, Paul stayed many days longer and then took leave of the brothers and set sail for Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila. At Cenchreae he had cut his hair, for he was under a vow. And they came to Ephesus, and he left them there, but he himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. When they asked him to stay for a longer …” “Even Apostles Get Discouraged” Acts 18:21-22 “period, he declined. But on taking leave of them he said, ‘I will return to you if God wills,” and he set sail from Ephesus. When he had landed at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the church, and then went down to Antioch.” (ESV) “Even Apostles Get Discouraged” Application •Even Apostles get discouraged. “Even Apostles Get Discouraged” Application •Even Apostles get discouraged. •It is too difficult to do life alone. “Even Apostles Get Discouraged” Application •Even Apostles get discouraged. •It is too difficult to do life alone. •There is room for all different types of ministries. “Even Apostles Get Discouraged” Application •Even Apostles get discouraged. •Life is too difficult to do alone. •There is room for all different types of ministries. •Vows can be useful if they help us focus our attention on God. “Even Apostles Get Discouraged” Even Apostles Get Discouraged Determine in difficult times that you will follow God, no matter what..
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