Acts 18
COMMENTARY:
: 5 And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ. (4912 “pressed” [sunecho] means engrossed, to hold together, to compress, devoted entirely, keep on doing, devoted exclusively, occupied, be taken with, to urge or to hold completely.)
DEVOTION: When Paul first arrived in Corinth from Athens, he worked at his craft of tent making. On each Sabbath he would go to the synagogue and present Christ to those who would listen. He gave reasons why Jesus was the Christ or Messiah for which the Jews were waiting.
When Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, he was able to spend all his time preaching to the Jews. Apparently, they had brought money from Macedonia, so that, he didn’t have to make tents for a living. Hence, we call pastors who have to work part or full time while caring for a church – tentmakers.
The Holy Spirit got hold of Paul’s spirit so that he could do nothing but preach. Once someone is called of God, he can’t do anything but preach the word everywhere he goes. Paul couldn’t go anywhere where the Holy Spirit wouldn’t give him the words to say to help people understand the word of God.
The Jews didn’t want to hear the message. So Paul wiped the dust off his feet and moved on to minister to the Gentiles. He could state that he was clear of their blood because they refused to hear him.
Even those who don’t have the gift of pastor/teacher can share their faith with others. The Holy Spirit is involved in all those who are faithful their witness for the LORD. Isn’t it great when the Spirit tells us what to do? Keep in touch with HIS SPIRIT so that our spirit can act when HE tells us to. HE is just as active today as HE was in Paul’s day. If the Holy Spirit tells us to witness to someone – we need to do it or we are committing the sin of omission or quenching the Holy Spirit.
CHALLENGE: Support your pastor to the point that his finances don’t prevent him from working full time to reach people for the LORD. The local church is our first defense against our enemy (Satan and his fallen angels [demons]) who is working overtime to hinder the work of the LORD.
: 8 And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized. (752 “chief ruler” [archisunagogos] means ruler of the synagogue, leader of the synagogue, president of the synagogue, synagogue official, administrative officer supervising the worship or director of synagogue services.)
DEVOTION: One of the usual events in Paul’s preaching was that many became followers of the LORD. Most of these individuals were normal people or regular people who were occupied with common trades. They were the workers or servants of his time. There were many who followed the LORD. On different occasions it was stated that many women followed the LORD.
On this occasion we find that one of the leaders of the synagogue became a follower of Jesus. This was unusual, he was someone who seemed to be the one who kept the worship service orderly. He picked the ones who participated in the service. He kept the service going in the direction he felt the LORD wanted them to follow.
Now he left the synagogue to worship in the house of Gentile because he believed what Paul had taught. Not only did he believe but his whole household became followers of Jesus. It caused quite a stir about the believers and the Jews.
Today we need to realize that the LORD doesn’t want just the common man or woman to follow the LORD, HE wants people from all walks of life to become believers.
HE wants to see leaders of other religions to become followers of HIM. We are not to stop witnessing because someone is a pastor or teacher of another religion. We are not to just witness to the poor of the world. We can witness to those who have great wealth. They need the LORD too. Too often we think that we can’t reach some people because of their standing in this world. We are wrong to think that way. Doctors, lawyers and millionaires need the LORD. Who is going to reach them if we don’t? We can have a conversation even with our boss if it is not during working hours about the importance of Jesus in our life.
Never exclude someone because we think it is impossible to reach them with the Gospel. Ask the LORD for direction but witness to all of those in your world.
There was a woman whose husband needed brain surgery who told the doctor “I believe in Jesus.” The doctor didn’t think much of what she was saying but said that her husband needed surgery and that he would probably not live through the surgery and if he did he would be a vegetable. That man is alive and recovering well and the doctor calls him his “miracle.” We know he was God’s miracle but it was a witness to this doctor who didn’t believe.
CHALLENGE: During times of stress we need to always include our belief in Jesus in front of those who are not believers. To help them see that God can still work miracles today.
: 21 But bade them farewell, saying, I must by all means keep this feast that comes in Jerusalem: but I will return again to you, if God will. And he sailed from Ephesus. (2309 “will” [thelo] means would, desire, have in mind, to feel or have a desire for, want strongly, want, purpose, or delight.)
DEVOTION: One of the habits we can develop is independence from God after we become a believer. We can do what we think is right without praying and waiting on the LORD for an answer regarding whether we should do it or not. I am not talking about whether we should go to work in the morning or eat some food during the day but on what we should do for a ministry for the LORD.
We find many people who covet gifts that they don’t have and think that the LORD will bless them if they just go out and do something HE hasn’t gifted them in. Also we sometime misuse our gift to think that we are indispensable. That is not the right attitude with the gift we are given by the LORD.
Here we find Paul making a statement about a return trip to Ephesus to help the believers there. He was saying “goodbye” to them with the idea that he might return to give them further instructions in the way of God.
He adds a little phrase “if God will” to his statement. He realized that the LORD was in control of his life. He had to follow the LORD’S directions. He wasn’t sure if the LORD wanted him to return but he would if the LORD allowed him to. In the book of James we find the same idea. He states “For that you ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or do that” (James 4:15). This is the attitude the LORD wants to find in our life.
We should always believe and tell others that we believe that all we are going to do is what the LORD allows us to do for the time period HE has us on this earth after we become a follower of HIM. HE is in control of our actions. Our prayers help us understand, what HE wants us to do and doesn’t want us to do.
I have needed to learn this the hard way. There are many times I try to run ahead of God. I think I can fix things that only HE can do in HIS time. I offer to help but some people take more time than I like to take me up on the offer. That is me trying to run ahead of God. Watch out for that in your life.
Wait on the LORD even when it is very hard to wait. My heart aches for some people who are suffering but I have to wait for the LORD to work. That takes a lot of prayer on my part. But sometimes I have tried to help the wrong people and it has been a disaster. I can’t help everyone only the LORD can.
CHALLENGE: Ask the LORD what HIS will is regarding every situation. We all have to learn to wait on the LORD!!!
: 26 And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him to them, and expounded to him the way of God more perfectly. (1620 “ektithemi] means to give an account and clarify the meaning of something through discourse, to make clear, manifest, to set forth, or explain.)
DEVOTION: Young believers have a lot of energy to witness for the LORD because they want to share the new life they have with others. Many don’t wait for instruction in the Word of God. They just go out with what they know and confront people. It is great to watch their excitement but some of their answers to questions about the Bible can be interesting.
God wants HIS followers to study the Word of God and learn as they grow in the LORD. When they have questions they need to find people who are genuine believers and ask them for guidance. They need to develop tools in their library to help them in their study of the Word of God. This can be done with CD’s of the Bible and books if they are not readers. I have found many individuals who don’t like to read but will listen to CD’s to help them grow in the LORD.
Once they have found a way to learn they need to keep adding good books or CD’s to their library. Always making sure they ask a mature believer which ones are best. To just look at a title or go to a Christian bookstore doesn’t mean they will find the best material.
Here we find a couple watching a new believer witness for the LORD. He only understands teachings up to the ministry of John the Baptist. He doesn’t know the teachings of Jesus. This couple Aquila and Priscilla take this man, Apollos, under their wings and instruct him.
They know what he needs to know to be a better witness for the LORD. This needs to be the practice of every mature believer when they see someone who needs further instructions in the Word of God. There are many people who want to take someone under their wings that are not mature believers but think they are and this can cause some problems. Make sure if you are a new believer that you ask a Biblical pastor for someone to teach you a better understanding in the Word of God.
CHALLENGE: Many pastors don’t have the time to help everyone but they have men and women in their churches that can help in this area. Young believers need to allow them to help.
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