WEBVTT 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:06.220 I want to invite you this morning to Acts chapter 18, where we're going to be together today, Acts chapter 18. 00:00:06.560 --> 00:00:13.980 And this is a wonderful chapter for those of us that really might be in a season of discouragement or knowing that eventually 00:00:13.980 --> 00:00:15.650 you're going to be in a season of discouragement. 00:00:16.180 --> 00:00:23.520 And so what is it God would want me to know whether I'm walking through that now, or I might be looking at it in the future and we're 00:00:23.520 --> 00:00:27.820 going to we're going to examine this together as we look at Paul's second missionary journey. 00:00:27.880 --> 00:00:35.100 In fact these 22 verses of Acts, chapter 18, we're going to look at today, Acts verse 22 is the end of Paul's 00:00:35.100 --> 00:00:36.160 second missionary journey. 00:00:36.160 --> 00:00:43.380 And it's on your screen here tells us at the end of Paul's journey, he landed at Caesarea, which was a port city where Paul 00:00:43.380 --> 00:00:50.620 would usually get on a ship to travel wherever he went on his missionary journeys, whether to or from, and he went to from 00:00:50.620 --> 00:00:51.120 Caesarea. 00:00:51.380 --> 00:00:55.690 It tells us he went up and greeted the church in Jerusalem, and then he went down to Antioch. 00:00:56.620 --> 00:01:02.200 It's when you look at it on a map, you would think that Antioch would be south because while Paul's traveling down. 00:01:02.320 --> 00:01:09.700 But really it's talking about elevation that from Caesarea to Jerusalem, since Caesarea is a coastal city and Jerusalem is further 00:01:09.700 --> 00:01:13.500 inland, he travels upward in elevation. 00:01:13.560 --> 00:01:20.610 And then when he wants to go to Antioch, even though Antioch is north of Jerusalem, Antioch is the church where Paul was sent out of on his missionary journeys. 00:01:21.240 --> 00:01:28.190 He goes down in elevation to the town of Antioch, where he continues to minister and report all the things that God's done. 00:01:28.560 --> 00:01:31.340 Verse 22 is where his second missionary journey ends. 00:01:31.640 --> 00:01:35.660 Verse 23 is where his third missionary journey begins. 00:01:35.660 --> 00:01:38.760 So we had more of a pause in between his first and second journey. 00:01:39.040 --> 00:01:46.040 In between his second and third journey, there's really no pause at all before Paul just is like he had a minute to just take a breath, wash his clothes and get going again. 00:01:46.060 --> 00:01:50.320 He immediately went back out and did his third missionary journey. 00:01:51.240 --> 00:01:56.690 But in this, in the second missionary journey, we're looking at the tail end of the final cities that Paul visits here. 00:01:57.040 --> 00:02:03.420 And what's interesting as we look at this last particular city where Paul Paul stops on his way back to Jerusalem. 00:02:03.420 --> 00:02:11.460 He temporarily stops in Ephesus, but just for a moment on his travels home, he actually stops in Corinth to conduct ministry. 00:02:11.820 --> 00:02:19.380 And in Corinth, being his last rural city on his on his second missionary journey that he ministers in, he spends a 00:02:19.380 --> 00:02:25.720 longer amount of time in this city, really, than any other city that he encounters on his second missionary journey. 00:02:26.180 --> 00:02:29.820 And he spends at least 18 months in this city. 00:02:30.040 --> 00:02:37.540 Now, knowing he just came from Athens and now he's going to Corinth, I can't help but just acknowledge that these 00:02:37.540 --> 00:02:43.580 are probably two of the most opposite cities that Paul could have gone from one city to the other. 00:02:43.720 --> 00:02:50.140 When we looked at Athens together and even Corinth, one thing that unites them is that they were prominent cities among the Greek Empire. 00:02:50.820 --> 00:02:54.460 Right now, Paul is ministering under the Roman Empire. 00:02:54.520 --> 00:02:57.410 So Greek Empire has been defeated by the Roman Empire. 00:02:57.680 --> 00:02:58.800 But under the Greek Empire. 00:02:59.180 --> 00:03:05.190 Athens was the capital and Athens a very prominent city, 100,000 or more people in the city. 00:03:05.680 --> 00:03:11.000 It was known as the intellectual city, the academic city, the philosophical city. 00:03:11.000 --> 00:03:12.340 We looked at this last week. 00:03:12.400 --> 00:03:16.940 This is where L and Socrates and Plato were from, right? 00:03:16.940 --> 00:03:22.160 Very influential in how it taught the world. 00:03:22.420 --> 00:03:27.640 But now that it's under Roman Empire, this once prominent city has become a shell of its former self. 00:03:28.100 --> 00:03:35.240 By the time Paul gets there, it's likely about 5000 people, but it's still known for its influence in the 00:03:35.240 --> 00:03:36.590 academic world. 00:03:36.900 --> 00:03:41.770 I compared it last week to the idea of all the Ivy League schools balled up into one, and that would be Athens. 00:03:42.880 --> 00:03:45.940 And now, when Paul leaves Athens for Corinth. 00:03:46.800 --> 00:03:53.940 Corinth is unique in and of itself, still part of the former Greek Empire, very 00:03:53.940 --> 00:03:56.430 prominent city in its population. 00:03:56.640 --> 00:04:03.680 There are some people that estimate that the population of Corinth got upwards of well above half a million somewhere, maybe even 00:04:03.680 --> 00:04:05.660 as much as 700,000 people. 00:04:06.060 --> 00:04:09.770 I tend to think it's probably closer to 2 or 300,000 people in Corinth. 00:04:10.500 --> 00:04:10.880 But. 00:04:10.880 --> 00:04:13.630 But Paul is going to a city of a heavy population. 00:04:14.540 --> 00:04:21.170 But by the time he gets there, because it's been defeated by the Romans, it's somewhere closer to about 100,000 people. 00:04:21.720 --> 00:04:27.300 But the thing that makes Corinth unique is actually how sinful this city is. 00:04:28.260 --> 00:04:33.040 In fact, during the first century, to refer to someone as a Corinthian was an insult. 00:04:34.000 --> 00:04:34.860 It's it was. 00:04:34.900 --> 00:04:37.830 It was known as a city of gross immorality. 00:04:38.960 --> 00:04:46.300 And even in classical Greek literature, the word Corinthian was used as a verb to refer to 00:04:46.300 --> 00:04:47.440 immoral people. 00:04:48.380 --> 00:04:55.900 So here Paul goes from the academic intellectual town to the Corinthian town, and Corinth made Vegas 00:04:55.900 --> 00:04:57.540 look like amateur hour. 00:04:57.980 --> 00:05:03.120 This is how much a debauchery was found within the city of Corinth. 00:05:03.120 --> 00:05:06.800 And you can imagine being the Apostle Paul traveling to the city. 00:05:07.060 --> 00:05:09.440 How daunting it may look to him. 00:05:11.060 --> 00:05:18.220 He walks into this place being a devout Jewish man, have walking, have walked a much different road in life, and now 00:05:18.220 --> 00:05:20.300 he sees a city of many people. 00:05:20.300 --> 00:05:27.770 And you can't help but imagine Paul would be somewhat overwhelmed thinking, Lord, how can you possibly use me here? 00:05:28.760 --> 00:05:35.960 Not only, not only does Paul have the challenge of figuring out how to do ministry in Corinth, but when you add on top of that the experiences of 00:05:35.960 --> 00:05:38.120 the Apostle Paul leading into the city. 00:05:39.040 --> 00:05:46.440 I mean, we've studied and Paul's missionary journeys, how he's gone from Philippi to Thessalonica to Berea to Athens, 00:05:46.660 --> 00:05:47.620 and now to Corinth. 00:05:48.300 --> 00:05:55.880 And everywhere that Paul went, what we continued to see was persecution and mobs 00:05:55.880 --> 00:05:57.520 just rising up against him. 00:05:58.020 --> 00:06:05.060 In fact, the first town I mentioned, Philippi, we know Paul was not only brought up against persecution, but he was 00:06:05.060 --> 00:06:07.380 beaten within an inch of his life and he was thrown into prison. 00:06:08.360 --> 00:06:16.460 Once he was released, as he continued on from town to town, he continued to receive much of the same treatment as he did in the previous cities, and 00:06:16.460 --> 00:06:19.220 by the time he gets to Corinth, he's got to be worn out. 00:06:20.200 --> 00:06:27.140 I think now he's about to enter into a new city, and he he's just thinking of all the challenges he's experienced, really everywhere he's gone. 00:06:28.300 --> 00:06:32.560 And now he's ministering in one of the most immoral cities in all of Rome. 00:06:33.600 --> 00:06:40.780 You know, when I look at a situation like this, one of the things that I think is wonderful to consider as Paul begins his missionary journey, 00:06:40.880 --> 00:06:48.260 here is how the gospel has typically been received from people 00:06:48.260 --> 00:06:52.680 in life who others might be, who might dub the most sinful. 00:06:53.520 --> 00:06:57.450 What I mean by that is when you study the Gospels and the way that Jesus did his ministry. 00:06:58.500 --> 00:06:59.200 It's interesting. 00:06:59.200 --> 00:07:04.600 Some of the most challenging individuals that Christ encountered weren't the sinful people. 00:07:05.400 --> 00:07:06.690 It was the religious people. 00:07:06.800 --> 00:07:11.240 Now, let me just acknowledge everyone as sinful, whether you want to admit it or not. 00:07:12.400 --> 00:07:17.840 But the reason Jesus found himself challenged by the religious people, it was because they were. 00:07:17.960 --> 00:07:22.560 They were the ones who boasted in their performance and in their performance. 00:07:22.560 --> 00:07:26.360 It caused their hearts to become callous because they rested in their pride. 00:07:27.340 --> 00:07:29.710 Of course, if God's going to love anyone, he's going to love me. 00:07:30.080 --> 00:07:31.080 Look at what I've done. 00:07:32.260 --> 00:07:39.500 And Jesus constantly preached to them in such a way where in order for them to be saved, they had to first become lost because 00:07:39.500 --> 00:07:43.060 they didn't understand how much they truly needed the grace of God in their life. 00:07:44.220 --> 00:07:50.920 But it was those that society would look at as the sinners that when Jesus pronounced who he was, to them, it was. 00:07:51.220 --> 00:07:58.580 It was that category of people that were more ready to receive Jesus because they wanted the forgiveness and grace that Jesus offered 00:07:58.580 --> 00:07:59.430 them. 00:08:00.020 --> 00:08:07.740 So while Corinth, in a sense might look overwhelming, I think it's a beautiful place that when you consider it in terms of Scripture, that 00:08:07.740 --> 00:08:14.820 God's message speaks beautifully into their lives, that Jesus has pursued us, that God offers forgiveness to us by 00:08:14.820 --> 00:08:16.920 dying for us on the cross. 00:08:16.980 --> 00:08:18.220 And it's not about what we do. 00:08:18.220 --> 00:08:19.800 It's about what he's done for us. 00:08:20.080 --> 00:08:21.590 No one's loved us like Jesus. 00:08:21.680 --> 00:08:26.920 And so in that type of message, we find the hope that only God can bring. 00:08:27.760 --> 00:08:35.880 But nonetheless, Paul comes to this moment, no doubt likely worn out emotionally, physically, 00:08:36.440 --> 00:08:43.539 looking at a new city and likely being overwhelmed by the debauchery that takes place 00:08:43.539 --> 00:08:43.919 here. 00:08:45.740 --> 00:08:46.660 And how do you move forward? 00:08:49.080 --> 00:08:50.940 Maybe we could ask it for us this morning. 00:08:52.740 --> 00:08:56.220 When life's got you beat down, discouraged. 00:08:57.860 --> 00:09:04.860 How can you possibly find the encouragement to move forward, to not just survive, but 00:09:04.860 --> 00:09:05.490 to thrive? 00:09:07.260 --> 00:09:10.890 What is it God would desire for us to know as we look at a passage like this? 00:09:11.480 --> 00:09:18.700 Understanding what Paul encountered well in Acts chapter 18, let me just read the first four verses to us. 00:09:18.700 --> 00:09:19.400 It says. 00:09:19.400 --> 00:09:26.860 After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth, and he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently 00:09:26.860 --> 00:09:34.080 come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome, and he went to see 00:09:34.080 --> 00:09:40.720 them, and because he was of the same trade, he stayed with him and worked with him, for they were tentmakers by trade. 00:09:41.440 --> 00:09:47.230 And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and tried to persuade Jews and Greeks. 00:09:48.220 --> 00:09:53.250 Not only is Paul going through some difficult experiences, but we're also learning in this passage. 00:09:54.100 --> 00:09:57.230 So does this couple named Priscilla and Aquila. 00:09:57.840 --> 00:10:00.640 In fact, it reverses their names here Aquila and Priscilla. 00:10:00.640 --> 00:10:02.220 Most other places in the Bible. 00:10:02.220 --> 00:10:05.530 When it mentions their name, they become very prominent figures in the New Testament. 00:10:05.780 --> 00:10:08.020 It usually starts with Priscilla's name, but. 00:10:08.120 --> 00:10:09.420 But Paul meets both of them. 00:10:09.420 --> 00:10:15.580 And here's an interesting story they're telling about us, is that they too, have also been kicked out of their home. 00:10:16.720 --> 00:10:19.430 And the reason they were kicked out is because of the Emperor Claudius. 00:10:20.340 --> 00:10:27.440 In AD 49, Claudius wrote a law banning all Jewish people from the city of Rome, and 00:10:27.440 --> 00:10:30.940 because of that, Aquila and Priscilla were forced to leave. 00:10:31.780 --> 00:10:36.420 And so they've got some difficulty in their past, and so does the Apostle Paul. 00:10:36.420 --> 00:10:43.660 And when the Apostle Paul is encountering them, while that law was passed in the city of Rome in 1849. 00:10:44.100 --> 00:10:51.130 You'll find later in this passage, starting in verse 12, and on that Paul is brought before the leader of Corinth, who is Gallio. 00:10:51.820 --> 00:10:56.380 And Gallio was actually leader in Corinth for just one year. 00:10:56.400 --> 00:11:03.140 He became in power in the summer of 51 A.D., and by the spring of 52 A.D. 00:11:03.160 --> 00:11:04.030 he was gone. 00:11:04.800 --> 00:11:10.580 So we know that the Apostle Paul is likely this particular event is happening right around A.D. 00:11:10.580 --> 00:11:11.800 51. 00:11:11.980 --> 00:11:18.600 And here you've got Priscilla and Aquila going through some difficulty, and here you've got the apostle Paul going through some difficulty. 00:11:19.020 --> 00:11:21.960 But the Lord uses this relationship beautifully. 00:11:23.000 --> 00:11:30.340 In fact, they note, or at least Luke is noting for us that Priscilla and Aquila come from a Jewish background, which Paul is familiar with. 00:11:30.540 --> 00:11:37.580 But more than that, they have both found identity in Jesus, and they're sharing Christ in 00:11:37.580 --> 00:11:38.780 Corinth. 00:11:39.540 --> 00:11:46.590 When it comes to understanding how the Lord desires to encourage us or bring courage to our life when we're discouraged. 00:11:47.140 --> 00:11:52.020 Number one, in your notes, we've got to recognize is that God provides People. 00:11:54.000 --> 00:11:55.620 God provides people. 00:11:55.680 --> 00:11:59.270 Now, I want you to know I kept the answer kind of generic. 00:11:59.540 --> 00:12:01.980 I'm only going to give you one one word for each of your responses. 00:12:02.820 --> 00:12:10.080 I feel like I need to elaborate on that a little bit because if you've been around the block once or twice, you know that God, 00:12:10.340 --> 00:12:13.000 God can really use people to encourage you. 00:12:13.580 --> 00:12:19.360 And also, some of the most discouraging things that happen in your life happens through people, right? 00:12:19.360 --> 00:12:23.840 So it's not to say just go to people, right. 00:12:23.860 --> 00:12:30.960 And honestly, when we talk about the importance of people, I want you to also recognize the true solution 00:12:30.960 --> 00:12:32.620 isn't in people, in and of themselves. 00:12:33.780 --> 00:12:40.840 And what I mean by that is, we should all recognize this morning that as people, the purpose of our existence isn't 00:12:40.840 --> 00:12:43.590 found within us and it's not found within others. 00:12:44.240 --> 00:12:50.840 Meaning, if I realize I'm made for more and I try to look for that deeper within me, I'll never find it because I didn't create me. 00:12:51.880 --> 00:12:54.280 And in that void of my life and realizing I'm made for more. 00:12:54.280 --> 00:13:00.980 If I try to make someone else satisfy that eventually people will disappoint me and people aren't made to. 00:13:01.160 --> 00:13:06.080 To truly, fully satisfy me in the way that I'm designed or the way that you're designed. 00:13:06.460 --> 00:13:10.260 So to put that on someone else is to put something unhealthy on somebody. 00:13:11.240 --> 00:13:17.240 But rather, what I need to discover is the purpose for my existence is not is not found by someone else validating me. 00:13:17.240 --> 00:13:19.220 Someone else giving me purpose or meaning. 00:13:19.620 --> 00:13:19.760 It's. 00:13:19.880 --> 00:13:22.490 It's found in someone greater, which is the Lord. 00:13:23.800 --> 00:13:32.020 But people become this incredible conduit of God to help me recognize that in seasons when I get discouraged because 00:13:32.020 --> 00:13:39.380 our tendency as people, when we get discouraged, is retract within ourselves and sometimes search within ourselves for some sort of answer. 00:13:40.420 --> 00:13:47.420 And God has this wonderful way in the midst of our challenges helping us intersect in our lives with 00:13:47.420 --> 00:13:54.440 not just people, but honestly healthy, godly people that allow us to take our 00:13:54.440 --> 00:13:58.660 eyes off ourself for a moment and remind us of the greatness of who God is. 00:13:59.300 --> 00:14:02.640 And Priscilla and Aquila are working that way for Paul. 00:14:02.980 --> 00:14:05.960 And Paul is being that source of encouragement for them. 00:14:07.060 --> 00:14:12.140 And so one of the ways that God is encouraging Paul in this moment is by helping him find community. 00:14:12.420 --> 00:14:19.680 In fact, when you look at Paul's missionary journeys, one of the things you discover about the Apostle Paul is how 00:14:19.680 --> 00:14:26.380 quickly he moved towards developing community in every town he went to. 00:14:26.500 --> 00:14:33.600 And in fact, not only did Paul seek to establish community, as he went from town to town, he traveled with 00:14:33.600 --> 00:14:34.820 a community in place. 00:14:35.840 --> 00:14:43.380 And it speaks to the importance of people in your life that God would use as vessels of encouragement to point you to the greatness of 00:14:43.380 --> 00:14:44.720 who he is. 00:14:45.320 --> 00:14:46.470 And it only makes sense. 00:14:46.620 --> 00:14:51.580 I mean, when you think about who we are as people were made in the image of God. 00:14:52.540 --> 00:14:56.910 And when you when you're a believer, you're recreated through the cross. 00:14:57.300 --> 00:15:04.570 I mean, who better to point you to the greatness of what God desires to do in you and through you than people who know the Lord? 00:15:05.420 --> 00:15:11.940 And so Paul is communicating to us the significance of community and why that should matter to us. 00:15:13.460 --> 00:15:21.020 Maybe I would say it like this for you as a believer, if you're operating right now as an isolated Christian. 00:15:22.420 --> 00:15:25.680 And I get it, you're here this morning and I'm glad that you're here. 00:15:26.740 --> 00:15:34.040 But if your Christian journey really just looks like showing up on a Sunday morning and putting a butt in a seat and not really 00:15:34.040 --> 00:15:39.220 integrating yourself into a body, not your actual body, but the body of Christ. 00:15:39.300 --> 00:15:47.100 In case that's confusing into community to understand the significance of community, can I tell you, if 00:15:47.100 --> 00:15:54.820 you're on an island unto yourself, you're in a position where Satan can isolate you and isolating you, discourage you and 00:15:54.820 --> 00:15:58.190 discouraging you pick you off from the body of Christ. 00:16:00.380 --> 00:16:04.420 God created community for a reason, and all of us need it. 00:16:04.440 --> 00:16:11.560 Not not just to survive, but to see how a collective group of people with one missional mindset can work together for his 00:16:11.780 --> 00:16:12.600 purpose in the world. 00:16:13.980 --> 00:16:21.260 And it speaks to the importance of community, to develop relationship, to get integrated in the lives of others as 00:16:21.260 --> 00:16:23.400 we seek to point one another to Christ. 00:16:24.620 --> 00:16:31.800 So one of the reasons Paul was able to be successful, despite going through tremendous adversity, was his ability to find healthy 00:16:31.800 --> 00:16:34.480 community, to move together in the Lord. 00:16:35.580 --> 00:16:42.960 One of the things that tells us in this passage I should probably highlight for us, it tells us one of the ways Paul developed community was through Tentmaking. 00:16:43.780 --> 00:16:46.620 He met Priscilla and Aquila and found out they had this. 00:16:46.820 --> 00:16:48.730 They both had this similar trade. 00:16:48.900 --> 00:16:56.040 And I would say like that for us to be able to form community, one of the things that really is helpful is to be shoulder to shoulder with one another and what we're 00:16:56.040 --> 00:16:57.200 doing for the Lord. 00:16:57.820 --> 00:16:59.300 And so Paul finds this in the area of Tentmakers. 00:16:59.940 --> 00:17:04.619 Now, I don't think this is a mandate that all of you have to get a new career in Tentmaking, right? 00:17:04.760 --> 00:17:08.470 I don't know, in my life I've ever met someone that says my profession is making tents. 00:17:08.579 --> 00:17:11.730 That's, that is more of a definitely a first century thing. 00:17:12.140 --> 00:17:15.010 And this was honestly a way of referring to leather workers. 00:17:15.900 --> 00:17:19.130 One of the things leather workers did that was prominent was make tents. 00:17:19.420 --> 00:17:23.630 But Paul, his more broad trade was to be a leather worker. 00:17:24.140 --> 00:17:31.260 And one of the things I love about this is that, as the apostle Paul would travel, sometimes churches would take up a collection and donate 00:17:31.260 --> 00:17:35.840 to the Apostle Paul so he could focus all of his attention on just teaching the Word of God. 00:17:36.480 --> 00:17:41.620 But then there came some times in Paul's life where he got so far from being connected to the church. 00:17:41.640 --> 00:17:48.360 And for Paul in this season, it was because of persecution, kept driving him from town to town that it took a moment for a donation to the church to get there. 00:17:48.360 --> 00:17:55.720 You're going to see that happen in verse five in just a minute where Paul's friends finally arrive to where he's at to help 00:17:55.720 --> 00:17:57.830 him out financially so he can continue to teach. 00:17:58.440 --> 00:18:05.720 But I think it's important here to recognize, we have this kind of this idea of putting putting the world in two buckets 00:18:05.720 --> 00:18:06.720 in a religious sense. 00:18:06.760 --> 00:18:13.780 We'll say there's the sacred and then there's the secular, and here I am in the sacred on a Sunday morning gathering and 00:18:13.780 --> 00:18:15.560 worshiping God's people. 00:18:15.560 --> 00:18:18.410 And then on Monday, I'll go back to my secular job. 00:18:19.640 --> 00:18:22.570 But can I, can I tell you before the Lord, those two buckets don't exist. 00:18:24.840 --> 00:18:27.600 Everything is sacred to the Lord because it all belongs to him. 00:18:28.840 --> 00:18:35.880 And even the job that you might find yourself doing on Monday morning, whether it's care for the kids at home or leaving to some 00:18:35.880 --> 00:18:41.750 place of employment, all of it is sacred to the Lord, and all of it can be used for his glory. 00:18:42.540 --> 00:18:48.960 And God has you in a place where community can be experienced and encouragement can be given. 00:18:49.800 --> 00:18:52.280 And so for Paul, this is this is where it started. 00:18:52.360 --> 00:18:57.480 Because in our discouragement, it speaks to the importance of people in our life to encourage us. 00:18:58.940 --> 00:19:05.440 Number two, Paul goes on from here, and he and he learns this, that God also speaks peace. 00:19:06.000 --> 00:19:09.280 So God provides people and God speaks peace. 00:19:09.300 --> 00:19:13.530 And this becomes important for the apostle Paul, especially in the midst of what he's experiencing. 00:19:14.000 --> 00:19:15.110 I gotta tell you this. 00:19:15.280 --> 00:19:16.680 I skipped an illustration. 00:19:16.820 --> 00:19:18.650 Let me let me give you an illustration before I tell you this. 00:19:19.460 --> 00:19:22.490 When you think about moving forward in the in the difficulty of life. 00:19:23.500 --> 00:19:27.220 One of the people that stands out in church history is a man by the name of CT Studd. 00:19:27.880 --> 00:19:33.040 Ct Studd, if you just judge by his outfit here, I want you know he was not a milkman. 00:19:33.420 --> 00:19:34.000 Okay? 00:19:34.180 --> 00:19:38.550 Ct Studd was a cricket player, and he was one of the most famous cricket players in the world. 00:19:39.720 --> 00:19:45.380 But he shocked the world when he gave up his profession as really being. 00:19:45.440 --> 00:19:48.700 He was very famous in this profession. 00:19:48.780 --> 00:19:54.670 But he shocked the world when he abandoned his position as a cricket player to go serve the Lord as a missionary. 00:19:55.360 --> 00:19:59.340 In fact, he said this someone to live within the sounds of church or chapel bell. 00:19:59.380 --> 00:20:02.460 I want to run a rescue shop within a yard of hell. 00:20:03.800 --> 00:20:07.260 I don't know many people that sign up for that, right? 00:20:07.260 --> 00:20:12.250 Like, to me it sounds like he's saying I could have an easy life, but I'm going to take the hardest one. 00:20:12.560 --> 00:20:12.960 Right. 00:20:12.960 --> 00:20:16.000 Like, how does someone get to a position like that? 00:20:16.960 --> 00:20:24.080 One of the things I think is important in recognizing in CT studs life is that he was he was actually a part of a group of people that they dubbed 00:20:24.080 --> 00:20:25.260 the Cambridge Seven. 00:20:26.220 --> 00:20:32.200 The Cambridge Seven were made up of all famous cricket players that had prominent, well-to-do jobs in society. 00:20:32.200 --> 00:20:35.680 They were well off and to the shock of the world, not only did C.T. 00:20:35.680 --> 00:20:39.320 Studd give up his position, but the entire Cambridge Seven group of people. 00:20:40.260 --> 00:20:44.460 They left the comforts of this world and they all pursued missions to serve the Lord. 00:20:45.360 --> 00:20:47.220 Ct stud served in China. 00:20:47.320 --> 00:20:49.880 He served in Africa and India. 00:20:50.660 --> 00:20:57.440 But one of the reasons I think CT stud was able to move so boldly is because he had an incredible, encouraging group of people around him. 00:20:59.460 --> 00:21:06.480 So the idea of God providing people is important because number two, God uses that to really remind 00:21:06.480 --> 00:21:08.370 us of the peace that only he can bring. 00:21:08.560 --> 00:21:12.200 And the Apostle Paul certainly needs that. 00:21:12.200 --> 00:21:19.400 You see, in verse five, it tells us when Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was occupied with the word, testifying to the Jews that 00:21:19.540 --> 00:21:20.900 the Christ was Jesus. 00:21:20.900 --> 00:21:22.220 So here, here's Silas. 00:21:22.280 --> 00:21:23.620 And Timothy finally caught back up with Paul. 00:21:23.680 --> 00:21:24.610 But look at this verse six. 00:21:25.320 --> 00:21:31.570 And when they opposed and reviled him, he shook out his garment and said to them, your blood be on your head. 00:21:31.780 --> 00:21:36.980 This is a really a cultural Jewish way of saying, I've done what I can do. 00:21:36.980 --> 00:21:38.800 Your heart's not willing to receive it. 00:21:38.980 --> 00:21:43.280 You're responsible for your decisions because I've tried to minister to you. 00:21:44.480 --> 00:21:45.760 But he says, I am innocent. 00:21:45.840 --> 00:21:47.710 From now on I'll go to the Gentiles in verse seven. 00:21:48.160 --> 00:21:53.020 And he left them and went to the house of a man named Hideous Justus, a worshiper of God. 00:21:53.720 --> 00:21:55.320 His house was next door to the synagogue. 00:21:55.340 --> 00:22:02.840 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. 00:22:03.560 --> 00:22:09.800 So here you see some people coming to know the Lord, but reminded again of just how they received the Apostle Paul. 00:22:09.800 --> 00:22:13.220 Initially it says they opposed and reviled him. 00:22:15.280 --> 00:22:16.620 Could you imagine if you're Paul? 00:22:17.460 --> 00:22:24.730 He's gone to multiple cities on this missionary journey, and we have yet to read one city where it said, and they really loved this guy. 00:22:24.760 --> 00:22:29.760 You know, they received him with open arms and he was a welcomed guest, even though he was an outsider. 00:22:30.080 --> 00:22:31.320 You know, none of that. 00:22:31.940 --> 00:22:32.860 Not one time. 00:22:33.760 --> 00:22:37.980 And here, Paul, of all places in Corinth, anything goes. 00:22:38.500 --> 00:22:38.720 Anything. 00:22:38.720 --> 00:22:45.120 If there's going to be one city where you're just going to kind of skate under the rug a little bit, it's got to be Corinth, but not even Corinth. 00:22:46.620 --> 00:22:51.440 And here, the apostle Paul, in this moment, you would just maybe throw up your hands and just say, are you kidding me? 00:22:53.300 --> 00:22:57.080 Like, how many times am I are people going to fight against this? 00:22:57.120 --> 00:23:04.280 That here is a message of a God who loves him, who gave everything for them, that they could find forgiveness in his grace and new 00:23:04.280 --> 00:23:07.420 life and relationship and being reconciled. 00:23:07.980 --> 00:23:15.000 And nobody, nobody comes to Paul receiving this with open arms, but rather they war 00:23:15.000 --> 00:23:16.260 against him. 00:23:16.400 --> 00:23:17.720 But here's the interesting thing. 00:23:17.720 --> 00:23:23.040 In the in the midst of these challenges over and over again, here's what God says to Paul, verse nine. 00:23:23.700 --> 00:23:30.240 And the Lord said one night to him in a vision, do not be afraid. 00:23:32.280 --> 00:23:33.300 Do not be afraid. 00:23:35.460 --> 00:23:37.100 Do you know why God said this to Paul? 00:23:39.280 --> 00:23:39.920 Because he was afraid. 00:23:41.700 --> 00:23:43.080 It's not rocket science, is it? 00:23:43.080 --> 00:23:43.660 Visit. 00:23:43.760 --> 00:23:48.000 He didn't just pick it out and he's like, I'll just I'll just probably randomly tell Paul this for no reason. 00:23:48.780 --> 00:23:55.860 He said this because Paul's afraid, which I find interesting, because if someone were to ask you know, you as a Christian, out of all 00:23:55.860 --> 00:23:58.900 the Christians to ever exist, who do you think is the best Christian? 00:23:59.040 --> 00:23:59.950 You can't pick Jesus. 00:24:00.020 --> 00:24:00.460 Okay. 00:24:00.580 --> 00:24:01.770 Who do you think is the best Christian? 00:24:02.220 --> 00:24:04.030 I mean, most of us would probably go, Paul. 00:24:04.200 --> 00:24:05.820 I mean, look at what this guy did. 00:24:05.820 --> 00:24:08.360 Do you even know what his second missionary journey was like? 00:24:08.420 --> 00:24:10.680 This guy was the brave of the brave. 00:24:10.780 --> 00:24:13.360 I mean, nothing rattled the apostle Paul. 00:24:13.560 --> 00:24:15.640 And here I am now, telling you that. 00:24:15.900 --> 00:24:18.760 That God is telling Paul not be to not be afraid. 00:24:18.960 --> 00:24:20.360 Because Paul's afraid. 00:24:20.580 --> 00:24:21.580 And some of you could challenge that. 00:24:21.580 --> 00:24:26.060 You could be you could look at the passage and be like, well, it never actually tells us, pastor, that Paul's afraid here. 00:24:26.100 --> 00:24:27.580 So how do you even know that Paul's afraid? 00:24:27.780 --> 00:24:28.800 You might just be assuming. 00:24:29.180 --> 00:24:32.030 And I will tell you the reason I know that is because I read the Bible. 00:24:32.380 --> 00:24:38.040 And in first Corinthians, when Paul writes the letters to Corinth, he says this to the Corinthians. 00:24:38.060 --> 00:24:43.240 He says, and I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling. 00:24:45.720 --> 00:24:46.420 Paul was afraid. 00:24:48.320 --> 00:24:53.140 And guys, can I just tell you, this teaches us such an incredible lesson in the Christian life. 00:24:55.040 --> 00:25:01.020 And honestly, it's one of the most relieving things that you can have as a, as a believer to understand this statement. 00:25:01.580 --> 00:25:02.460 Do not be afraid. 00:25:03.580 --> 00:25:06.230 Now it's critical in this moment. 00:25:06.360 --> 00:25:09.800 You know, God says this and we should ask the question, well, how do I not do that? 00:25:09.820 --> 00:25:10.040 Right? 00:25:10.040 --> 00:25:10.900 Like, what? 00:25:10.900 --> 00:25:12.860 Do I just pull myself up by my bootstraps? 00:25:13.820 --> 00:25:15.920 Like, how do I all of a sudden I'm discouraged? 00:25:16.300 --> 00:25:16.760 I'm afraid. 00:25:16.760 --> 00:25:18.160 How do I just not become afraid? 00:25:18.260 --> 00:25:19.240 Well, God said, don't be afraid. 00:25:19.240 --> 00:25:20.370 I guess I just won't be afraid. 00:25:21.100 --> 00:25:22.240 Like, where does that come from? 00:25:23.840 --> 00:25:27.120 And when you understand not only that God is saying this, but. 00:25:27.200 --> 00:25:27.900 But why? 00:25:27.900 --> 00:25:29.300 We're able to not do this as believers. 00:25:29.800 --> 00:25:35.240 The reason it becomes incredibly freeing is because it liberates you from putting the pressure on yourself. 00:25:36.560 --> 00:25:43.020 Because our tendency as from a secular world mindset, when we say, don't you know, don't, be discouraged. 00:25:43.020 --> 00:25:43.500 Don't be afraid. 00:25:44.100 --> 00:25:46.860 We just dig deeper in ourselves and we put our heels down. 00:25:46.860 --> 00:25:48.240 We're like, oh, I'm tough, right? 00:25:49.320 --> 00:25:50.960 But Christianity does not teach you that. 00:25:52.540 --> 00:25:59.680 Rather, what Christianity says is rather than try to impress the world with who you are, acknowledge before a holy 00:25:59.680 --> 00:26:00.780 God that you're weak. 00:26:03.300 --> 00:26:09.920 It's not about impressing people with who you are, but rather it's about resting in the greatness of who he is. 00:26:12.060 --> 00:26:19.160 See, for the success of the Christian life, it's not about getting out here and doing anything in your own strength, because for God to do 00:26:19.160 --> 00:26:21.750 something, it takes a work of the Lord to do it. 00:26:22.020 --> 00:26:24.410 And that's not something that you can do in and of yourself. 00:26:24.700 --> 00:26:27.120 It's the Spirit of God working in you. 00:26:27.440 --> 00:26:29.780 It's the Spirit of God working through you. 00:26:29.840 --> 00:26:32.220 It's the Spirit of God working in the hearts of other people. 00:26:32.700 --> 00:26:35.460 That's not you, but it's him. 00:26:36.600 --> 00:26:41.100 So when we think about, well, how in the world do I find the peace of God? 00:26:41.100 --> 00:26:41.850 How do I find encouragement? 00:26:42.380 --> 00:26:48.900 Well, when you read the rest of the passage, God says it like this do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent. 00:26:48.920 --> 00:26:53.640 Look at this, for I am with you. 00:26:54.540 --> 00:26:55.920 Amen. 00:26:57.300 --> 00:26:59.580 The power is not about the Apostle Paul. 00:27:01.500 --> 00:27:06.180 The power is about the God who has gone before him, a God who walks with him. 00:27:07.260 --> 00:27:11.280 So when you look at Paul's life, we would stand back and say, how can anything great happen? 00:27:11.320 --> 00:27:12.160 I mean, Paul. 00:27:12.160 --> 00:27:13.340 Challenge after challenge. 00:27:13.340 --> 00:27:14.020 When is enough? 00:27:15.280 --> 00:27:22.560 And what Paul is learning experientially and what Paul is learning in the truth of who God is that there is a God who sustains 00:27:22.560 --> 00:27:29.580 him in every storm of life, that he doesn't have to worry about what awaits him because he 00:27:29.580 --> 00:27:33.140 knows the God who goes before him, and the God who goes with him. 00:27:33.860 --> 00:27:37.640 And so for Paul, even though he confesses to the Corinthians he's weak. 00:27:38.340 --> 00:27:45.620 He realizes that there's still no concern in that, because for anything to take place in the hearts of people, 00:27:45.620 --> 00:27:47.170 it's not going to be about Paul anyway. 00:27:47.460 --> 00:27:56.220 All that he becomes is this vessel that's willing that the strength of God would be made known through him. 00:27:56.640 --> 00:27:59.880 God speaks peace. 00:28:02.040 --> 00:28:04.420 I am with you, and I love. 00:28:04.940 --> 00:28:07.780 If you read a little further into verse 12 what it says here. 00:28:08.400 --> 00:28:08.940 But when. 00:28:09.160 --> 00:28:09.660 Gallio. 00:28:09.680 --> 00:28:11.440 This is the ruler in 51 A.D. 00:28:11.480 --> 00:28:13.300 in Corinth was proconsul of Achaea. 00:28:13.580 --> 00:28:17.860 The Jews made a united attack on Paul and brought him before the tribunal. 00:28:19.880 --> 00:28:27.000 Even though God is with the Apostle Paul, Jesus's promise of Paul's safety doesn't mean it won't 00:28:27.000 --> 00:28:28.250 be without opposition. 00:28:29.900 --> 00:28:32.350 And this is important for us to think of in terms of peace. 00:28:33.700 --> 00:28:40.560 When the Bible talks about peace in the life of the believer, I want you to know it does not mean the absence of trouble. 00:28:40.600 --> 00:28:48.000 And when you hear the word peace, if that's the promise that you think that God is giving to you, you're going to be waiting your entire life to. 00:28:48.320 --> 00:28:51.460 To pursue something that you're never truly going to discover. 00:28:51.840 --> 00:28:54.460 Because get this you live in a broken world. 00:28:55.920 --> 00:29:02.720 And so as we walk through life, there are going to be seasons where we're going to experience joy and seasons where we're going to experience hardship. 00:29:02.760 --> 00:29:06.220 And most of the time you're going to experience both of those things at the same time. 00:29:06.900 --> 00:29:14.280 And if I equate peace with the absence of trouble, I'm never going to discover that 00:29:14.280 --> 00:29:15.320 kind of peace. 00:29:15.540 --> 00:29:20.430 And I have a misunderstanding of what the Bible is referring to in biblical peace. 00:29:21.080 --> 00:29:27.740 Now, one day there will be the absence of trouble when Jesus restores all things. 00:29:28.920 --> 00:29:32.280 But for the life of the believer, God still delivers us peace today. 00:29:32.280 --> 00:29:33.280 And the question is how? 00:29:35.640 --> 00:29:39.810 For us, we discover peace in what Scripture refers to as wholeness. 00:29:39.900 --> 00:29:47.000 When the Bible talks about peace, it's really referring to this idea of wholeness, God restoring things in the way they 00:29:47.000 --> 00:29:48.340 were intended to be. 00:29:49.100 --> 00:29:55.800 And the first place that Jesus brought peace on earth isn't through removing all sinfulness. 00:29:55.800 --> 00:30:02.060 He'll do that one day, but the first place he established peace get this is in his relationship with you and me. 00:30:04.160 --> 00:30:05.120 God restored. 00:30:06.560 --> 00:30:07.470 God brought wholeness. 00:30:08.520 --> 00:30:09.680 God brings forgiveness. 00:30:10.780 --> 00:30:12.880 God brings a future and a hope. 00:30:13.220 --> 00:30:15.500 God brings us himself. 00:30:15.500 --> 00:30:19.460 Right now, God sustains us. 00:30:20.720 --> 00:30:27.860 So Paul knows that no matter what he goes through, there is a God who promised to walk with him, to 00:30:27.860 --> 00:30:31.120 sustain him in every circumstance of life. 00:30:32.000 --> 00:30:34.550 Because when you read throughout the New Testament, that's what you discover. 00:30:36.280 --> 00:30:39.780 Will his people depend on him to be enough. 00:30:41.420 --> 00:30:48.740 And so the apostle Paul is discovering this peace of God, and he's walking through the challenges of life to 00:30:48.740 --> 00:30:53.040 again learn experientially, over and over again that Jesus is enough. 00:30:54.500 --> 00:30:57.380 Jesus meets me where I'm at, Jesus sustains me. 00:30:57.960 --> 00:31:00.980 The question is, will you depend on him in that way? 00:31:01.720 --> 00:31:04.760 And when we do, it brings us to this last point together. 00:31:05.460 --> 00:31:07.880 God reveals purpose. 00:31:09.440 --> 00:31:11.380 God reveals purpose. 00:31:12.120 --> 00:31:17.280 And you find this in the Apostle Paul and at the second half of verse ten and verse 11. 00:31:17.460 --> 00:31:24.880 But let me read all of verse ten and verse 11, it says, God says, for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you. 00:31:25.620 --> 00:31:28.130 For I have many in this city who are my people. 00:31:29.060 --> 00:31:33.090 And he stayed a year and six months teaching the Word of God among them. 00:31:34.880 --> 00:31:42.060 And one of the beautiful things that Paul discovers when he sees the sufficiency of Christ, his purpose greater than himself. 00:31:43.440 --> 00:31:48.960 And this really helps us determine as people, if we're if we're resting in the Lord. 00:31:48.960 --> 00:31:55.960 Because our tendency when we're struggling with anxiety, when we're playing the what if game. 00:31:56.220 --> 00:32:03.260 I'm worried about the future, when we're depressed, when we're concerned, is to start to retract 00:32:04.800 --> 00:32:11.840 and we start to worry within ourselves, and we just kind of surround ourselves for the protection of ourselves because we're worried we're not going 00:32:11.840 --> 00:32:13.590 to have enough for ourselves. 00:32:16.220 --> 00:32:23.420 But when you know you've got the supply of what you need and your life is filled up, when you find your purpose 00:32:23.420 --> 00:32:30.540 and identity and worth, when you know that your future is taken care of, you don't have to walk with 00:32:30.540 --> 00:32:32.820 that sort of anxiety and play those games. 00:32:33.040 --> 00:32:40.240 But now you can take your eyes off yourself and look beyond yourself because you know what's sustaining yourself and it's 00:32:40.240 --> 00:32:41.320 not you. 00:32:41.480 --> 00:32:45.000 And the one who is sustaining you never runs dry. 00:32:45.580 --> 00:32:53.080 And because of that, then you're able to minister with a greater purpose in life because you have found your life resting 00:32:53.080 --> 00:32:55.180 in the one who holds the future. 00:32:56.100 --> 00:33:03.460 And so this is what's taking place for the life of the Apostle Paul as he's walking into Corinth, as overwhelming as Corinth might look 00:33:03.460 --> 00:33:06.260 to him, and how daunting the city may be. 00:33:06.680 --> 00:33:13.860 Paul, resting in the strength of the Lord, gets, gives him the opportunity to take his eyes off of himself and looking deeper in himself to the greatness of 00:33:13.860 --> 00:33:18.340 what God desires to do through him, because he knows the one he's trusting in. 00:33:20.840 --> 00:33:27.920 Doesn't mean Paul's strong in and of himself, but it does mean Paul's become strong and the one who carries the true 00:33:27.920 --> 00:33:28.380 strength. 00:33:30.340 --> 00:33:34.720 You think about our lives and being encouraged in the Lord. 00:33:34.740 --> 00:33:37.750 How does how does God give us courage to the discouraged? 00:33:38.240 --> 00:33:45.620 I mean, that story again and again, told over and over, is the opportunity we discover to recognize man. 00:33:45.640 --> 00:33:48.200 Here I am in a moment again, thinking I'm the answer. 00:33:48.200 --> 00:33:48.740 I'm the source. 00:33:49.020 --> 00:33:50.060 I've got to control this. 00:33:50.060 --> 00:33:50.840 I've got to do this. 00:33:51.040 --> 00:33:52.110 I've got to put this on my shoulders. 00:33:52.420 --> 00:33:57.580 But all along, I failed to recognize the greatness of the one. 00:33:57.580 --> 00:34:05.120 My life truly depends on his love for me, his care for me, his strength 00:34:05.120 --> 00:34:09.440 over me, and knowing that God loves me. 00:34:09.440 --> 00:34:13.500 If that God stands before me, what can this world bring against me? 00:34:15.440 --> 00:34:19.810 As Paul rests in that he moves in the greatness of God? 00:34:20.760 --> 00:34:22.040 I need to close with this. 00:34:22.100 --> 00:34:26.139 There is a man in the 18th century known as Charles Spurgeon. 00:34:26.199 --> 00:34:26.780 Ain't he a doll? 00:34:27.960 --> 00:34:31.300 Charles Charles Spurgeon, he was known as the Prince of Preachers. 00:34:31.659 --> 00:34:35.800 And one of the things I love about Charles Spurgeon, I mean, he very influential. 00:34:36.280 --> 00:34:43.460 On Sundays, his church was averaged somewhere between 5 to 6000 people, and in fact the local newspapers, 00:34:43.659 --> 00:34:50.860 when they wanted to write stories of what was happening in the city, they would start with going to Charles Spurgeon Church on Sunday, because it made such an impact in the 00:34:50.860 --> 00:34:53.520 community that they it gave them fodder for writing. 00:34:53.520 --> 00:34:55.630 And sometimes they were nice to him, sometimes they weren't. 00:34:56.100 --> 00:35:01.970 But Charles Spurgeon City made a or excuse me, Charles Spurgeon Church made a tremendous impact in the city. 00:35:02.200 --> 00:35:09.620 But one of the things I think that made Charles Spurgeon so influential that people would gravitate to listen to this man, was that it was known 00:35:09.620 --> 00:35:15.600 of Charles Spurgeon that not only did he have significant health struggles, but he also battled with depression. 00:35:17.060 --> 00:35:24.240 And I think those personal battles he had in his own life caused him to dive deeper into God's word, to see the sufficiency 00:35:24.240 --> 00:35:27.860 of who Christ was so he could apply the gospel to his life. 00:35:29.300 --> 00:35:33.500 And in so doing, it became ointment to the souls of people around him. 00:35:34.000 --> 00:35:40.350 Because as he walked in a dark path it and looking for the light of Christ, it helped other people discover that too. 00:35:41.780 --> 00:35:49.100 One of the reasons that they think Charles Spurgeon struggled with depression so severely is early in his ministry, when he was still in his 20s. 00:35:49.580 --> 00:35:52.420 As he was preaching, someone in the crowd cried out fire! 00:35:53.360 --> 00:35:55.450 And there was this massive stampede out of the building. 00:35:56.180 --> 00:36:00.600 28 people were injured severely and seven people lost their lives. 00:36:01.980 --> 00:36:05.840 And he carried the sorrow of that all of his days. 00:36:08.460 --> 00:36:10.380 In finding the Lord in that struggle. 00:36:11.800 --> 00:36:15.740 It helped Charles Spurgeon become an incredible instrument for the Lord. 00:36:16.780 --> 00:36:18.520 Because can I even say that to you this morning? 00:36:19.740 --> 00:36:24.020 I mean, sometimes we might look at our lives and it feels like it's falling apart into a thousand pieces. 00:36:25.080 --> 00:36:30.380 Sometimes we might look at the brokenness of our past, and we could say to ourselves, how could God possibly use this? 00:36:31.560 --> 00:36:38.560 And I would say to you, that's exactly what the Lord wants to use because he doesn't want people 00:36:38.560 --> 00:36:40.020 to see how great you are. 00:36:40.200 --> 00:36:42.220 He wants the world to know how great he is. 00:36:43.780 --> 00:36:50.400 And in so doing, we find the beauty of who we are because of a God who loved us so graciously in him. 00:36:51.580 --> 00:36:55.040 Charles Spurgeon in that journey he said this in his life. 00:36:55.040 --> 00:37:02.140 He said, never trust your courage when you feel courageous, but trust your God when 00:37:02.140 --> 00:37:03.030 you're discouraged. 00:37:03.920 --> 00:37:09.300 I have learned to kiss the wave that throws me against the Rock of ages. 00:37:10.860 --> 00:37:18.320 He finds the challenges of life, teaches him the sweetness of who Christ is, and in so doing, 00:37:18.720 --> 00:37:20.680 gives him the courage to move forward.