Dwell in the Word: Acts 18:1-28

Consider these questions as you dwell in Acts 18:1-28:

1. Paul's bold declaration, "I am innocent. From now on I will go to the Gentiles," reflects a turning point in his ministry. How does this decision align with the broader theme of the gospel reaching all people, both Jews and Gentiles? What significance does Paul's shift in focus hold for the progression of the Christian message?

2. Apollos, a fervent speaker well-versed in the Scriptures, is introduced as someone who only knew the baptism of John the Baptist. How does Apollos' story emphasize the importance of comprehensive understanding and exposure to the gospel message? How can we ensure that we receive a full and accurate understanding of the Christian faith?

3. The core message that incites persecution in the book of Acts centers on the proclamation that "Jesus is the Christ," emphasizing His suffering, resurrection, and ascension. Why is this message so central to the early Christian faith? How does this message continue to be a focal point for believers today, and how can we ensure its preservation and proclamation in our own lives?

Transcript:

 So, we read a lot of text there today, reason being there's a lot of movement, but not much in the way of, of stuff to comment on. It's just keeping the story moving.  The things that I really want us to draw out, if you're watching on video, I have highlighted and we see that in verse six.  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. This has been something that we have seen flowing throughout the book of Acts that the gospel goes to the Jews Paul is in the synagogues, but he is rejected there. There are many who believe there's many who hear and believe that Jesus is the Christ But so many go against him.

And so here Paul is kind of at his end, right? He's just I'm done with you. I'm innocent. I've tried to give you the message of the truth of the gospel, it's on your heads. You, you do what you want to do. I'm going to the Gentiles. And so, we get this idea here that this is the continuing story of the book of Acts, the gospel going to all people.

Now, we see though, that right after this, Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord. So, it's not that all Hebrew people, all Jews are rejecting the gospel, but the majority uh, are, and they are. Opposing Paul.  And so, Paul receives a vision. We see in verse 9 and 10. Where God tells him in a vision, don't be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent for I am with you, no one will attack you and harm you for I have many in this city who are my people.

That is the motivation that Paul has to stay here in Corinth. That God is saying, there are many here who are my people. You have to proclaim the gospel so that they were here.  Here is the important thing that we see in this. that throughout the book of Acts, as I've drawn out before, who is the one doing the work?

Well, the word is being proclaimed by the apostles.  Paul and, and all the other guys are, are doing their job. But it is God who is bringing people to faith. Notice what God says here. I have many in the city who are my people. You have to go to them. He knows who they are already He is going to bring them to faith through the proclamation of the word And so we see here that Paul stays a long time in Corinth He's there a year and a half and he's teaching and some issues happen there, but Paul is there quite a bit this is a lot of um There's a there's a lot of passage of time here in these few verses, right?

Oh a lot of times you wonder how long all this is taking in acts We don't hear about it, but they're going from city to city on these missionary journeys, but here we see that Paul is in Corinth for a year and a half, but after he goes back to Antioch he continues to do what he has been doing throughout the book of Acts You see this in verse 23 after spending some time there He departed and went from one place to the next through the region of Galatia and Phrygia And what is he doing strengthening all the disciples?

So he's not just proclaiming the gospel To those who haven't heard he's also strengthening those who are already followers of Jesus those who are Disciples and so this is the continuing ministry of Paul that we are seeing here And then we finally meet someone new somebody whose name we find throughout the New Testament in In different spots talking about being in Paul’s letters.

He mentions Apollos and so now we see that he met him now Apollos is interesting because he's been instructed in the way of the lord. He's been Fervent in spirit. He spoke and he taught accurately things about Jesus, but he only knew the baptism of John the Baptist he had never come into contact With the gospel from the apostles or and obviously never come in contact with Jesus This is kind of shocking for us, right?

This isn't what we would expect based upon how it seems, you know, this isn't a very big piece of land all the believers seem to know each other How are we now just years later coming into contact with Apollos?  What a wonderful ordained event by God that this that this happened He was willing to speak boldly in the synagogue He had heard about Jesus, but he never met the specific this the apostles to teach him the specifics So here we have Priscilla and Aquila hearing him and going.

Hey, this guy is great, but we need to straighten some things out there and so apollos becomes Someone who knows the scriptures very well. He knows all about who Jesus is but they are straightening things out for him And he ends up to be a force for the gospel here We see this in verse 28 for he powerfully refuted the jews in public He's kind of the guy who's going to the mat for the gospel to show that Jesus is the Christ And we see here that he was showing by the scriptures that the Christ was Jesus He was going back to the Old Testament.

I've mentioned that before when it says they're going back to the scriptures or going to the scriptures. They're not looking at what Paul has written or what Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John has written or what? Uh, or they're not even looking at the letters of Peter. They're going back to the Old Testament And so Paulist knows the scriptures as it says he's competent the scriptures and so he is able to make the case Defending that Jesus is the Christ.

And so, what do we see through this whole big, long passage that I read from today? We see that the gospel is continuing to go forward and they are making the case that Jesus is the Christ now What I want to point out here from the scriptures that the Christ was Jesus Let's remember what is the message that is being proclaimed as we go through here.

They are not being Persecuted people are not coming against them because they are preaching a different moral standpoint of the world. That isn't what they're being persecuted for. They're being persecuted for claiming that Jesus is the Christ, for claiming that he is the way to salvation, for claiming that he suffered and died and rose again.

This is the apostolic preaching of who Jesus is. This is the gospel, that Jesus is the Christ, and that's connected to his suffering, it's connected to his resurrection and his ascension. This is the message that the book of Acts is focused on. This is the message that's going out, and it's the reason that they are being persecuted.

And so, our little application here for us today is that we have to be sure that we are sticking to that message as well. It may likely get us persecuted, but we have the freedom, praise God, we have the freedom to proclaim it.  But we must not be compromising on the gospel. We need to do what the apostles did here and continue to hold fast to the gospel of Christ and Him crucified and proclaim it to the people that we come into contact with and defend it because it is the truth.