When I studied the passage in Acts 18, the truth of God working came a lot closer to me.
If you have had a conflict this past week, God is working.
Acts 18 is about God working, but it is also about a man who has learned how to get in on that work and be a part of it. Paul has a mindset
that has been transformed, but is also bolstered by his continued ministry and life experience.
And isn't that exactly what we want?
Let me set this up for you in a more revealing sort of way of what I am getting at--take a look at this passage from a Light vs. Darkness
perspective.
HOME COURT: CORINTH, assumed property of Darkness.
HOME TEAM: DARKNESS and Coach Satan, various government mouthpieces--both Jewish and Gentile (after the resurrection, the Jewish system becomes a part of the false, disbelieving realm of darkness). Dark jersey = Rags.
VISITING TEAM: God brings His called out team wearing THE LIGHT jersey = Paul is pointguard (or QB if you prefer), Aquila, Priscilla, Silas, Timothy.
DARKNESS: The Enemy is nervous and on the
lookout for LIGHT to show up in Corinth; continues to work hard and practice at keeping its people in the dark.
LIGHT: God calls his servant Paul and he boldly goes into the
darkness at Corinth.
DARKNESS: Claudius orders
Aquila and Priscilla to leave Rome.
LIGHT: God relocates Aquila & Priscilla who arrive in Corinth
and meet up with Paul; because Paul was a tentmaker as A&P
were, he stayed and worked with them
[the strength of Godly fellowship].
THE GAME IS ON! THE BOARD IS SET! COIN FLIPPED! JUMP BALL!
LIGHT ATTACKS, FIRST MOVE: In the synagogue, and on every Sabbath Paul reasons* persuasively* to Jews and Greeks in darkness.
DARKNESS: Has a strong foothold in the minds of the Corinthian people. Scoring won't be easy. Light must fight hard for what it wants!
LIGHT SUPPORT & NEW STRATEGY: 5 Jewish Silas and Gentile Timothy come and sub-in; Paul now devotes himself exclusively to preaching
= Testifying* to the Jews that Jesus
was the Messiah.
DARKNESS SEES HOLE & ATTACKS: 6 Jews OPPOSED Paul and became ABUSIVE
LIGHT ANSWERS: Paul speaks, and delivers a Joshua "Choose you this day whom you will serve," speech and says, "You have chosen poorly! Time for the
Gentiles to hear!
LIGHT COUNTERMOVES: 7 Paul leaves synagogue [light counter move] and goes right next
door to the home of a Gentile worshipper of God
LIGHT SCORES: A synagogue leader and his entire household believe
in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard Paul believed and were
baptized.
COACH CALLS TIMEOUT & GOD SPEAKS: The Lord speaks to Paul in
a vision: Keep on speaking!
LIGHT DIGS IN & KNUCKLES DOWN: Paul teaches the Word of God in Corinth for a year and a
half!!
DARKNESS ANSWERS & COUNTERS: Government of Corinth makes a united
attack on Paul = brings him to the place of judgment
DARKNESS CALLS TIMEOUT & SATAN SPEAKS: 13 “This man,” they charged, “is persuading the people to
worship God in ways contrary to the law.” [Enemy’s accusations]
DARKNESS IS CONFUSED & CALLS A FOUL ON ITSELF: Gentile Gallio speaks, tells Jews to get out.
DARKNESS SCORES: The crowd turned on the
synagogue leader, Sosthenes, and beat him right in front of Gallio who really doesn't care.
LIGHT'S TENACITY & RIPPLE EFFECT:18 Paul continues to stay in Corinth. Sosthenes later comes to know Christ and even visits Paul in Ephesus and helps him write a letter to the Corinthian believers (1 Corinthians 1:1).
God has an undeniable and unthwarted plan for infiltrating the darkness! Can you see this in Acts 18?
One of the biggest things we need to see in this passage is how God takes what we call coincidences and turns into God-incidences!
The worldly government under Claudius (as in John's Revelation) ordered the Jews to
leave Rome, but God uses Jewish Aquila & Priscilla in Corinth.
God can do the same for you--regardless of how the world orders you around, God is at work behind the scenes to put you into a place for good and benefit for the kingdom! THIS NEVER ENDS! For God is ALWAYS at work doing this!
Where could there be God-incidences in your life right
now?
The key of this passage is what the Coach told his point
guard: Keep on speaking!
Paul is giving the word about the Living Word = JESUS!
To the Jews, Jesus is the Word of God from all of the Old Testament in the
flesh, killed, but resurrected!
To the Gentiles, like us, Jesus is the Pain-taker,
the Way-maker, the Prison-shaking Savior, the Chain-breaker! In a word, Jesus
is the Light to the nations, the promise of Abraham for all peoples!
One of the key moments is when Paul, after going to the
synagogue decides to go to the Gentiles. Do you remember why?
The Jews made a
choice to not accept the Word of God. You have a choice too. The longer you wait the harder and more
callous your heart gets.
Have you really made a decision to trust Jesus?
Are you really being faithful to keep on speaking for Jesus?
Light is ALWAYS at work around you, AND YOU CAN GET IN ON IT!!
Look at how God moved around Paul for the sake of the people of Corinth! You
cannot deny God wanted Corinth to hear the Gospel of His Son! God wants the people around you to hear the Gospel too! He is
moving, putting things in place JUST FOR YOU!
KEEP ON SPEAKING! That's that's the key for you today!
What does that mean?
See God working in
your life and around you and share what you know to be true.
Testify!
Somebody
testify!
Will it be YOU!?