カテゴリー: Acts

In verse 1 we are told, “While Apollos was at Corinth Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus.” On the second mission trip when Paul was leaving Ephesus, he said, “I will come back if it is God’s will.” (18:21) It was the will of God and now he is returning once again to Ephesus. When Paul returns to Ephesus, he meets up with some brothers who are a little strange. They were Christians, but they had a limited understanding of the gospel. Paul asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” (2) To receive the Holy Spirit means that their relationship with God is renewed, that they received eternal life, in other words, that they are saved. The Holy Spirit is a central teaching of Christianity and an important theme. However, there are many cases besides this one of not really understanding about the Holy Spirit. Today let’s look at 3 aspects of receiving the Holy Spirit

I. Did you receive the Holy Spirit? (vs. 1-3)
First let’s look at the importance of receiving the Holy Spirit. When Paul returned to Ephesus, he met some disciples. The word “disciples” means disciples of Jesus Christ and refers to Christians. For Paul to ask Christians if they had received the Holy Spirit or not, seems a little rude. This is because I Cor. 12:3 says, “no one can say, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ except by the Holy Spirit.” Therefore, it would be impossible for someone to accept Christ as their Savior and believe in Him, and not to have received the Holy Spirit. Anyone that is a Christian has received the Holy Spirit. Paul probably asked this question because he sensed something was a little different about them. They answered his question with, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” (2) If they were Christians, they would have repented of their sin, believed that Jesus Christ had died on the cross for their sins and 3 days later rose again, and would have received forgiveness and eternal life. At that time they would have received the Holy Spirit. In other words, they had received the Holy Spirit, but they didn’t realize it. This was because they didn’t know anything about the Holy Spirit. In other words, they believed in Christ, but they didn’t understand the Gospel fully.
They had received “John’s baptism” (3) ２ weeks ago we looked at John’s baptism when we looked at Apollos who had “a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures”. (18:24) Even though he was such a learned man, like these disciples, he only knew about John’s baptism. Not only that, but Apollos was here in Ephesus. Perhaps these disciples had received their teaching from Apollos himself in his earlier state of partial understanding. John’s baptism was the water baptism that John performed at the Jordan River. It was a baptism of repentance in preparation for the coming of Jesus. Therefore, it was different from the baptism of the Holy Spirit in the name of Jesus Christ. John’s baptism was based on repentance rather than on faith in the finished work of Christ. Therefore, they didn’t know the grace and joy of salvation through the Holy Spirit.
“There were about twelve men in all.” (7) Possibly they were single men, but we don’t know. Since they were all men it is possible that they were living a life of like John eating locusts and honey and wearing clothes made of camel’s hair. His lifestyle was a visual protest against self-indulgence and many of his followers also lived a simple self-disciplined lifestyle as a sign of repentance. It may have been this lifestyle and the lack of the joy and other fruits of the Spirit that caused Paul to ask if they had been baptized with the Spirit or not. This is not teaching what Pentecostals teach as “the second experience”. These men had a limited understanding of the gospel like Apollos. Anyone who repents of their sins, and believes that Jesus died on the cross for their sins and rose 3 days later receives forgiveness of sins and eternal life. At that time they also receive the Holy Spirit. In other words they had received the Holy Spirit, but they just didn’t understand that fact.
This is something we see quite often. Many people believe that Jesus is God. They believe that if they believe in Christ that they can go to heaven and that they are saved. However, they don’t realize that the Holy Spirit gives joy, peace and thanksgiving. They don’t fully realize what it means to believe in Christ and so they live like non Christians. This is like the 12 disciples. To these people Paul is asking, “have you received the Holy Spirit?”
How about you, have you received the Holy Spirit? In John 7:37 and 38, Jesus said. , “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me as the Scriptures has said streams of living water will flow from within him.” The living water is the Holy Spirit. Any one who comes to Jesus and drinks, in other words, believes in Christ “streams of living water will flow from within him.” The Holy Spirit will flow from within him. He will experience not superficial joy and peace, but joy and peace and the fruit of the Spirit from deep within.
When we believe in Jesus Christ as our Savior, the Holy Spirit is given to us. The important thing is to come to Jesus and drink from him. Then you will have living water, the Holy Spirit, flowing from the innermost part of your heart.

II. Baptism in the name of our Lord (4,5)
After the people said that they had received the John’s baptism, Paul said, “’John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.’ On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.’” (4,5)
A baptism into the name of the Lord Jesus Christ is a baptism of those who believe that Jesus is their Savior. In other words, it is not just repenting of sin, but involves in accepting Jesus as your personal Savior and believing in the work of salvation in the cross and resurrection. It is accepting Jesus as your savior.
Romans 6:3-8
It is not just repenting of sin, but accepting and believing that Jesus was put on the cross and died for those sins and then rose 3 days later. Those who believe this have eternal life and forgiveness of sin. This type of person is baptized in the Holy Spirit. He is baptized into the name of Christ. Water baptism symbolizes this. Just as Jesus dies on the cross we die to ourselves and are buried in the water. Just as Jesus rose from the dead, we rise out of the water to a new life in Christ. We have the life of Christ and can begin living a new life in Him. Therefore, if we have been baptized, we are saved and it is not necessary to be baptized again.
There are some groups like the Anabaptists that teach if you aren’t completely immersed when you are baptized or there was something about the baptism that isn’t in keeping with the denomination that you must be baptized again. However that isn’t necessary. In this case they were baptized again because they had not been baptized into the name of the Lord. If you have been baptized into the name of the Lord then it is not necessary to be baptized again.
Also sometimes we are depressed and worried about many things, and at times we wonder if we really didn’t have faith when we were baptized. We think that maybe we should be baptized again. However that is not necessary. That’s not a problem with the baptism, but a problem with faith. We need to not be controlled by our emotions, but by the Word of God.

III. The Holy Spirit came on them (vs. 6)
Lastly, let’s look at the result of being baptized into the name of the Lord. After being baptized into the name of the Lord, “the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.” (6) Speaking in tongues and prophesizing were 2 of the gifts that were prominent in the early church.
I Cor. 14:2,3
In other words, these 12 disciples left their strict life of discipline and had joy, were changed into Christians who praised God, and witnessed to others. This is the result of Paul’s good news. When a person is born anew by the Holy Spirit, they will be changed into a life like these men experienced.
Have you received the Holy Spirit? Is Jesus the Lord of your life? If so you will be changed into a person who sings with joy and earnestly witnesses. If this is not so, there is a reason. It is said that in the church there are two types of people. There are Christians by name and by custom and there are Christians whose faith and life are unified. There are those in the church that worship God out of custom and there are those who worship God in Spirit and in truth. There are those who give their hearts to the world and those who give their hearts to God. There are some people who believe in the Bible and earnestly strive to follow the Bible and there are those who don’t. To be born again is to live in the life of God. In other words, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” This is a question about rebirth. It is a challenging message to us to be changed into a new being. It is the most important question in our lives. Have you received the Holy Spirit?
The key for having victory over sin in our lives is being filled with the Holy Spirit. If we are filled with the Holy Spirit, then we can overcome sin. Through the Holy Spirit, we are able to have new strength, and want to do what is right. The Holy Spirit gives the strength to put these things in our lives. When the Holy Spirit works in our lives, we become more and more like Christ.
The power of God can change our broken hearts to joy. By walking with God we can have peace. That is how people who are filled with the Spirit are. For example if we are sad, then we have peace that prevents us from being totally pushed out of shape by sadness. Have you received the Holy Spirit? Do you have new life through the Holy Spirit? Let’s walk together with the Holy Spirit in this new life.

When Priscilla and Aquila heard Apollos speaking, they invited him to their house and explained the way of God more adequately to Apollos.  Apollos accepted their message, and later went to Achaia and proved through the word of God that Jesus was Christ and greatly encouraged the Christians there. Today let’s look at 3 things that we can learn from Priscilla and Aquila’s ministry of explaining the way to God more adequately.

I. The defects in Apollos’ faith (vs.24,25)
Paul returned from his second missionary journey, greeted the church in Jerusalem and then went to the Antioch church where he stayed for some time.  Then he left on another missionary trip.  This is the third missionary trip which is recoded from here until 21:16 and on. This trip was thought to be three and a half years.  On this trip he spent most of his time in Ephesus. This missionary trip’s purpose was to strengthen all the disciples.  Therefore, he went around to the churches in Asia Minor and then went on towards Ephesus.  His stay in Ephesus is recorded in 19:1 and on.  While he was going to Ephesus, something happened in Ephesus which is today’s passage.
Apollos, a learned man, a Jew from Alexandria came to Ephesus.  He had a “thorough knowledge of the Scriptures” (24), “taught about Jesus accurately” (25), spoke with great fervor in the Spirit, “and was instructed in the way of the Lord” (25). A learned man didn’t just mean that he spoke eloquently, but meant that he had enough knowledge and training, and learning. Also “a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures”(24) didn’t just mean that he had knowledge of the Bible, but that he was well versed in the Bible.  Not only that, He was very enthusiastic towards evangelism, and with great fervor in the Spirit he spoke about Christ boldly.  He was smart and spoke eloquently. Also he spoke not timidly, but boldly and at the same time calmly and composed.  He was this type of a person so probably he was able to reach out to the hearts of many people.  In fact, later when he evangelized in Corinth there were people who said “I belong to Apollos”.  He had that much appeal.
However, that did not mean that he was without faults.  Apollos was versed        in the Bible, but he only knew about the baptism of John.  John’s baptism was the baptism that John received and refers to the baptism of repentance.  This is written about fully in Luke chapter 3.  John said that the person that came after him was so powerful that he wasn’t even worthy of tying his shoes.  John preached that to prepare for Jesus’ coming everyone needed to repent of their sin and be baptized.  This baptism was for the forgiveness of sins, a baptism for repentance. Apollos only knew about John’s baptism.   However, to believe in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, and to be baptized in the Name of our Lord Jesus, is in essence different.  Apollos knew the Messiah prophesized about in the Old Testament was Jesus Christ, and that he was coming and to be prepared for that we must repent of our sins.  However, he didn’t know well that Jesus was put on the cross and died, and by being raised back up 3 days later those who believe are given the blessings of forgiveness of sin and eternal life. In other words, he didn’t know about the baptism of the Holy Spirit very well. He didn’t know well that when the Holy Spirit came on Pentecost, the Christian church was born.  What he knew was that Jesus of Nazareth was the Christ. This was not wrong, but it wasn’t a full understanding.  It is a little strange that Apollos who was well versed in the Scriptures, and taught well the way of the Lord, wouldn’t know this type of basic things.  The Bible wasn’t completed like it is today, so everything was passed by word of mouth.   Therefore, it was difficult to understand everything perfectly.
However, now that the Bible has been completed and every individual person can read it, anyone who wants to know more about the Bible, can know more about it.  However, sometimes even if we have enough knowledge and training, we have little interest in spiritual things or the opposite we are really interested in things of the Spirit, but have little knowledge of the Bible. In order to be used as a worker of the Lord, a correct knowledge and enthusiasm towards the Bible, both are needed.  Therefore, let’s make every effort to gain a correct knowledge of the Bible.  Next let’s see how Apollos overcame his defects.

ＩＩ． The love of Priscilla and Aquila
It was Priscilla and Aquila who were used to help Apollos to overcome his defects. Apollos like Paul went to the Jewish synagogue and began to boldly speak. It is thought that he spoke eloquently based upon his learning and knowledge of the Bible.  The crowd who heard him was deeply moved.  However, when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they realized that there was a huge defect in his message. Therefore, they invited Apollos to their house and ”explained to him the way of God more adequately.” (26)   Priscilla and Aquila appear in 18:2,3.  When Paul evangelized in Corinth he made tents with them.  When Paul went to Antioch they went with him as far as Ephesus.  Paul was in a rush to bring the offerings from the Macedonian churches to Jerusalem so he left, but Priscilla and Aquila stayed and Ephesus and continued evangelizing.
It was quite a thing that they realized that there was a defect in Apollos’ message, but more than that is their willingness to invite Apollos to their home and teach him.  That’s not something that is easy to do.  Probably because they had evangelized with Paul and Paul had taught them the way of God, they realized that there was a difference between what Apollos was teaching and what Paul was teaching.  They invited Apollos to their home and ”explained to him the way of God more adequately.” (26) Here we can see their actions of building him up.  For example, when a young pastor evangelist with little experience is called to a church, it is difficult for those who have been true to their faith for a long time, and those who know the Bible well to accept the new pastor or evangelist. They think that maybe the new pastor or evangelist may have studied the Bible more or less, but when it comes to experience in the faith and the way to run the church they know more.  They find defects even in an experienced pastor so with young pastors and preachers they really find the defects.  Whether in public or in private, it’s easy to criticize. At such times it’s difficult to be like Priscilla and Aquila and invite the pastor or evangelist to your house, and teach the way of God more adequately to him.  They didn’t in the synagogue or in their home criticize Apollos.  They kindly and politely taught him so that Apollos would become even more used of God as an evangelist.
We should notice that they did this in their home.  If they did this in front of the congregation, it probably would have ruined Apollos.  They thought about Apollos and how to support him. In other words, this was their love towards Apollos.  They thought as much of Apollos as they thought of themselves.  This is because they loved the Lord.  A person who loves the Lord loves the church.  Such a person always takes care in building up the church.

III. Apollos who was a great help to the believers. (vs. 27b-28)
“When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him.”  Therefore, Apollos when went there where “he vigorously refuted the Jews in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.” (28) As a result “he was a great help to those who by grace had believed.” (27)  We can see the type of work he did in the letter that Paul wrote to the Corinthian church. “”I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow.”(I Cor. 3:6)  In other words, Paul planted the church, but Apollos worked to help the Christians to grow spiritually.  Of course it was God who made it grow.
Apollo’s greatness was when in the Corinthian church some people began to say, “I belong to Apollos.” Apollos slipped away to Ephesus.  He didn’t want to be exalted.  Instead, when he was faced with such a situation, he slipped away and no matter how much he was asked to, he never went back to Corinth.  That’s how much Apollos had grown.  The ministry of love that Aquila and Priscilla had helped him to grow up wonderfully into a blooming flower.
When you think about it if Priscilla and Aquila hadn’t invited him to their house and “explained to him the way of God more adequately”, then he would not have had this kind of a ministry.  Because they taught him, he was able to have such a ministry. No one ever dreamed of this.  It was just because Priscilla and Aquila did what the Holy Spirit showed them to do that a seed was planted in Apollos and it caused him to grow greatly.
We may not be anyone special.  We may never make any special records.  We may be like Priscilla and Aquila and stand behind the stage. However, we can have an influence like Priscilla and Aquila.   When we study the Bible well, understand it correctly and use the gifts faithfully that we have been given, we will be used greatly to build up the Kingdom of God.  For us that is our greatest joy.

Words can greatly encourage and be a strong support to us in our lives.  We have experienced being able to go through trials and difficulties by holding onto one such word.  The words that Paul received from God in verses 9 and 10 supported Paul throughout his 1 and half year stay in Corinth. Because of the support he received from these words, Paul was able to continue his ministry in Corinth.
In today’s passage there is an event that testifies to the trustworthiness of these words.  “While Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews made a united attack on Paul and brought him into court.” (12) However, Gallio thought that their charges were not legal ones, only religious one so he didn’t take up their issues.  Here the word of God was trustworthy.  What the Lord says always happens.  As the Lord had said, no one was able to hurt him.  Anyone who lives by the encouragement of the Lord’s words will have a blessed life.  Today let’s look at three things about Paul’s life who lived by the will of God.

I. God who guides by his will (vs.12-17)
In Corinth as a result of Paul’s evangelism, many people believed and were baptized.  Some Jews were burning with jealousy over this and “made a united attack on Paul and brought him into court” (12) before Gallio. “’This man,’ they charged, ‘is persuading the people to worship God in ways contrary to the law.’”    This “law” was not the Old Testament law.  It was the Roman law.  If it was the Old Testament law, then there was no meaning in bringing him before the proconsul.   They were saying that the religion that Paul was evangelizing was not accepted by the Roman government so the Roman law should stop it.
Up until now Paul has been accused many times, but this time it had a comparatively much more important meaning to it.  He was accused in Philippi and Thessalonica too, but in Philippi Paul was brought before the magistrates and in Thessalonica he was brought before the city officials.  However this time is different.  This time he is brought before the Roman proconsul.  Before when the Jewish priests and teachers accused Jesus before Pilate, it was the same proconsul.  It was different than being brought before the magistrates or the city officials.  Whatever sentence that Roman proconsul gave it was affective not only in the state that was in his jurisdiction but also became precedent for all other sentences that were given by other proconsuls in other states.  Therefore, it was very important.  If Paul would have been sentenced to his disadvantage, then it would have influenced Christian history.  It was that big of an event.
Verses 14 to 16 tells us how Gallio responded to the Jews accusations.  “Just as Paul was about to speak, Gallio” responded to their accusations. The reason that they were accusing Paul of was about words and their own Jewish law, and about things of faith.  If they were accusing Paul of something that he had done contrary to Roman law, then he could bring up the accusation, but what they were accusing Paul of was not that type of problem, but a problem that had to do with their religion.  Therefore, they should solve the problem amongst themselves.  This wasn’t the type of case they should be bringing before a notorious court.   The proconsul, Gallio distinguished between what kind of cases he should hear and which ones he shouldn’t hear.   He was not only a judge, but also a politician.  He understood the limitations of his position. Therefore, he avoided politics invading the realm of religion.
Just because Gallio responded to the Jews accusation against Paul  saying that Paul had not done anything against the Roman law does not mean that Gallio himself was supportive of Christianity.  It just means that he did not want to have anything to do with the problem.  Even if he stuck his neck out into something that he didn’t know anything about, he wouldn’t be able to make good judgment. Also he knew that his position was to deal with things pertaining to Roman law.  Also in 18:2 the Jews were all expelled from Rome by Claudius. This was the result of the friction and uprising that occurred as a result of Christianity being preached in the Jewish society.  Therefore, Gallio thought that the best thing to do was to have nothing to do with this type of problems.  However、if you look at it another way, God was leading the decisions that Gallio made.  Gallio’s decision put both the Jewish and Christian faith under the safe keeping of the Roman law.  Up until the persecution of Christians by Nero 12 years later in A.D.６４　the Christian Gospel was not in conflict with the Roman law.  It was the leading of the Lord that kept the Gospel free from conflict with the Roman government.
God sometimes like in this case used unbelievers to fulfill　His will.  When Jesus was born, the same was true.  Micah prophesized that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem.  Joseph and Mary lived in Nazareth in Galillee. Nazareth and Bethlehem are about 50 kilos away. In order for Jesus to be born in Bethlehem God used the decree of Ceasar Augustus for all people to return to their home town for the censure of the population. Therefore, Joseph and Maria went to Jerusalem because Joseph was of the Davidic line.  God used Ceasar Augusts’ edict to bring them there
The Lord who follows through and does what he says.  Therefore, we need to always keep our eyes focusing on God even when we are facing difficult probleｍｓ．　God misses nothing and works for the good of those who believe in Him.  When we understand this, then all of our problems seem so small.  What we need to look at is not the problems that are in front of us but the God who moves all people and all of history.

II. If it is the will of God. (18-20)
After a long stay of a year and a half in Corinth, Paul went with Aquila and Priscilla to Syria.  Syria is where the Antioch church that sent Paul out was.  After 2 years Paul was ending his second missionary journey.  They left by boat from the Eastern side of Corinth from the port of Cenchrea. Before Paul “sailed, he had his hair cut off at Cenchrea”. Paul had made a vow and now the vow is over so he cut his hair.  This vow is thought to be the Nazarene vow taught about in Deut. 6:2-5.  A Nazarene vow is a vow to be the Lord’s and be separated and holy to Him.  Therefore, you cannot drink. Also during the duration of the vow, you must not shave.  Paul had a strong dedication, a strong longing for something to have made such a vow.  That something is not written here, but we can assume that it had something to do with evangelism.  Now that the evangelism is over in Corinth, he cut his hair and is leaving for Syria.  He had that much of a strong dedication towards the ministry in Corinth.
When they arrived in Ephesus, Paul left Aquila and Priscilla and “went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews.” (19)  The Jews asked “to spend more time with him” but Paul declined.  “But as he left, he promised, ‘I will come back if it is God’s will.” (21)
Ephesus was the capital of Asia. Before when Paul evangelized there, it was open to the Gospel. At that time, the Holy Spirit forbid them to preach the Word of God.  All at once they changed their course and went to Macedonia. (16:6)  Now finally they came to Ephesus.  Not only that but the response from the people was good and they were enthusiastic. They even wanted Paul to stay longer and they wanted to hear the Word of the Lord. Even so Paul announced his departure and set sail.  I don’t think it was because he was a rush to get back to Jerusalem and Antioch because Paul soon after that begins his 3rd missionary trip and comes to Ephesus where he evangelizes for 3 years.  Therefore, there must have been some reason that Paul needed to go back to Jerusalem and Antioch.
The Bible says, “If it is the Lord’s will I will come back.” (21) These words are words of putting all decision in the hands of the Lord, and following Him no matter where he leads.  It is the willingness to do anything that God asks.  At this point Paul may have been trying to decide whether to go on to Jerusalem or to stay in Ephesus.  Paul based his decision upon what was the Lord’s will. The Lord’s will for him was to go to Caesarea to Jerusalem and report to the churches and then go to Antioch.  Paul had wanted to go to Ephesus for a long time. When he finally got there he was welcomed and the people wanted to know more about the Bible.  Therefore, it is only natural that Paul would want to stay there.  Any one in his shoes would want to stay there.  However, Paul wanted to do the Lord’s will and he realized that the Lord’s will was not to stay in Ephesus , but to go to Jerusalem and so he made a decision to do so.  He probably felt that he had to go to Jerusalem to bring offerings to the poor Christians there.  The Antioch church had already collected money to send to the poor in the Jerusalem church, but Paul did this throughout his life as part of his work.  Therefore, even though the ministry in Ephesus had started to bloom, Paul left Ephesus and went to Jerusalem because that was the Lord’s will.
Paul was not moved by his own desires or other people’s kindness.  For him what was the will of God was the number one thing.  He lived by what God wanted.  If returning to Ephesus was the Lord’s will then he would return. Where he went, what he did, everything was according to the will of God.
This is what our Christian life should be like.  What are you looking at as you live this life?  What is the base upon which you commit your life?  Let’s keep our eyes on God and follow the will of God.

III. A person who serves in the church (vs. 22)
Last let’s look at how we can know the will of God.  It is by the Word of God that we know the will of God.  What the Bible says is the base upon which we know what the will of God is, what God wants.  However another thing we must consider is what we should do as a person who serves in the church.
From Acts 15:36 Paul for 4 years has been on the 2nd missionary trip and it is now nearing the end.  Paul left on a boat from Ephesus going to Caesarea to Jerusalem and reported to the church and then to the Antioch church that sent him out.  He also needed to take the offerings for the poor to Jerusalem which was another reason for leaving Ephesus and going to Jerusalem.  However, he was not just going to take the offering, but the Bible says, “he went up and greeted the church”.
Greeting the church is not just saying “Hello”. When it says greet the church it refers to a fellowship of love.  It also meant reporting about the 4 year evangelistic trip.  Paul gave such greetings not only in the Antioch church, but also the Jerusalem church.  Here we can see how Paul served the church.  In other words, Paul’s evangelistic trip wasn’t a one man job. The church sent Paul out.  Paul was a representative of the church to do the work of the church.  When his job was finished then Paul returned to the church and reported all that God had done. Paul always had in his mind that he was a servant of the church. Also this was the principle upon which he determined what the will of God was. In other words, he didn’t go where he wanted to go and avoid going where he didn’t want to go, or just go where people accepted him, and avoid going where he was not accepted, but as a person called by God, as a person who serves in the church, he decided what the will of God was and did it.
Our Christian life isn’t a one man thing.  Through the fellowship of God’s family, the church, we need to seek out the Lord’s will.  That is why Paul didn’t stay in Ephesus. When Paul thought of the whole of God’s kingdom, he realized that there was something more important.  That was the offering and taking it to Jerusalem.  By taking the offering, they would benefit from the grace of fellowship. He also wanted to share with those who sent him out, prayed for him, and supported him.  This was because Paul’s work wasn’t his own work, but the work of the church.
I Cor. 11:26,27
When one part of the body hurts, then the whole body suffers.  If one part rejoices, then all parts rejoice.  We are all the body of Christ.  When we decide on what the will of God is, we need to think about how we should be as a member of the whole family. A mature man of faith does what God wants him to do.
James 4:13-15
God wants us to live by the will of God, not by what we want to do or by what other people are desiring. We do things because it is the will of God. Let’s keep this as the base of our lives.

After leaving Athens, Paul went on to Corinth.  Corinth was about 60 kilos (48 miles) Southwest of Athens. Under the Romans, it became the seat of government for Southern Greece or Achaia and was noted for its wealth.  If you look at the map you can see it was a city-state on the Isthmus of Corinth, the narrow stretch of land that joins the Pelponnesus to the mainland of Greece.  To the west of the isthmus lie the Gulf of Corinth, to the east lies the Saronic Gulf.  I was an important port city and the isthmus was traversed by hauling ships over the rock ridge on sledges so it was an important city for transportation on the land and sea. Therefore business and trade prospered immensely.  However, in places like this where business is developed and prospers almost always morals are lacking. Corinth to morals were lacking and especially sex was misused.  It was so bad that the phrase “Be like the Corinthians” meant “have free sex”.  Paul was in this city and evangelized there for one and a half years.  There aren’t very many examples of Paul being in one city that long.  Today let’s look at why Paul stayed in Corinth for so long.

I. Encouragement of love (vs. 1-5)
When Paul arrived in Corinth, he went to the home of Aquila and Priscilla.  Aquila and his wife had just recently arrived from Rome, having been expelled with all the Jews by Claudius. They were tent makers like Paul so Paul lived there because he though that they could work together while evangelizing. Actually it seems strange that such a top notch teacher of the law like Paul would have the same trade as Aquila and Priscilla, making tents.  Actually it was the custom at that time for the Jewish rabbis to be bivocational so that they would not have to charge for their teaching which they thought was not right to do.
II Thess. 2:9
Paul worked day and night as well as evangelizing.  That must have been very hard on him. However, he did this so that he wouldn’t be a burden on anyone.  He also may have wanted to show the new Christians the importance of working hard. And what a person who preaches the Gospel is really like.
I. Cor. 9:11
This seems like a conflict.   First he says that he works day and night.  Then he says that those that work for the Lord should receive their wages.  He is saying that those who serve in the church have a right to be supported by the church.  However, Paul didn’t use that right. It was because he didn’t want to do anything that might “hinder the gospel of Christ”. (I Cor. 9:12) In the Corinthian church there were some people that thought Paul was using evangelism as an excuse to take money from people and some thought that Paul was deceiving people and taking money.  Normally Christian workers have the right to be supported by the church, but Paul didn’t receive support because he didn’t want to be a stumbling block.  Therefore, Paul received no pay and while working himself, he evangelized. God intended for those who preach the Gospel to be paid.  They have that right.  However, Paul thought that if even 1 person stumbled because he used that right then he shouldn’t use the right.  Therefore, look at verse 5.  “When Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching” Silas and Timothy brought offerings from the Church in Macedonia so even if Paul didn’t get any money from the Corinthians, he could still devote “himself exclusively to preaching”. (5) He tells us about this in II Cor. 11:8,9
Here Paul says, “I robbed other churches” Paul is being sarcastic.  In the church there were some people that complained about Paul that he was taking money.  That is why he made such a sarcastic remark.  He hadn’t taken any money from anyone.  He worked as well as evangelized so that he wouldn’t be a burden on anyone.  However, Silas and Timothy when they came from Macedonia, they brought an offering from the Macedonia churches sent from the believers in Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea so he had the necessary money he needed to live on.  Therefore “Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching.” (5)
Even so, it must have been so difficult to continue the Lord’s work in the midst of so many complaints and hurting words.  He must of wondered why people talked about him that way; or why only he had to have so many difficulties. He probably suffered unexplainable frustration. The presence of the couple, Aquila and Priscilla, who invited Paul to their house, lived with him, and worked together with him must have been a great strength of support to his ministry. Also even though they were separated, the Macedonian churches encouraged Paul through their faith and love and by their offering participated in the spread of the Gospel.
Here Aquila and Priscilla are introduced as Jew “who had recently come from Italy…because Claudius had ordered all the Jew to leave Rome.” (2)  Since no mention is made of a conversion and since a partnership is established in work, it is likely that they were already Christians.  Probably they saw Paul in the same town enthusiastically sharing the Gospel and wanted to do something to help.  Then when they found out that they both had the same job, they invited Paul to their home, and then lived together and worked together and supported his ministry.  For Paul who probably felt uncertain about his future lifestyle, their presence must have been a huge help.  If you look at verse 18 you can see that when Paul left for Syria he was “accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila.” (18)  Later they stayed in Ephesus and did a good work there.  In Romans 16:3,4 we are told that “they risked their lives for” Paul (3) and took care of Paul and helped him.  More than that they supported Paul’s disappointed heart
Also the offering that the Macedonian church sent through Silas and Timothy  was also a huge support.
Philippi 4:16
For Paul the offering showed their love and faith.  For an evangelist how great a joy that must have brought.  The offering from the Macedonia church was a great encouragement to Paul.  A family following the Lord, supporting the church,  and supporting the pastor is a precious thing. The presence of believers like this who do what they can do to participate in evangelism builds the church up strongly.

II. Many people are saved. (vs.6-7)
Silas and Timothy brought the offering from Macedonia and as a result “Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ.” (5) In other words, he was clearly preaching that Jesus was the Savior that was promised in the Old Testament.  Then “the Jews opposed Paul and became abusive”, so Paul “shook out his clothes in protest and said to them, ‘Your blood by on your own heads!  I am clear of my responsibility.  From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” (6) This is the same thing as when Jesus sent out disciples to evangelize, if the people didn’t accept it, they were to shake the dust off their feet and go on to the next town. (Matt. 10:14) In other words, those who have the responsibilty of preaching the Gospel need to  fulfill that responsibility.  However, whether the person accepts the word or not is the responsibility of the listeners, not the preacher.  Therefore, next Paul says, “I am clear of my responsibility.” (6) This is from the Old Testament in Ezekiel.  Israel’s fall, Israel herself made.  It was not God’s responsibility.  So then from now own Paul changes his emphasis from the Jews to the Gentiles. This was God’s plan to bring the Gospel to all the world.
However, even in the midst of the Jewish opposition, there were some people who believed in the Lord according to verses 7 and 8.  After Paul said, “I will go to the Gentiles,” (6) “Paul left the synagogue and went next door to the house of Titius Justus, a worshiper of God.”(7) Paul was so criticized and opposed that you would think Paul would leave and go to a different town, but he didn’t.  He just moved 1 house down the street.  Then “Crispus, the synagogue ruler, and his entire household believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard him believed and were baptized.” (8)
For Paul who had suffered from criticism and opposition, to see so many fruits of salvation, must have been a huge encouragement.  It is said that for an evangelist to  continue the work he needs one of the two following things: to see a lot of fruit or a steady pay.  No matter how poor you are, you can overcome if you see many people being saved.  However, if you don’t have both, it is very difficult to continue.  There are many Japanese pastors who are continuing without both of them.  It’s wonderful that they are just continuing.  No matter how terrible a situation he was in, these kind of fruits of spiritual salvation gave him joy and hope I’m sure.

III. God’s encouragement (vs. 9-11)
However, the greatest encouragement was God’s encouragement.  Paul continued evangelizing in Corinth and an Angel appeared to “Paul　in a vision :”Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent.  For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you.” (8,9) First the angel said, “Do not be afraid”.  What do you suppose Paul was afraid of.  He had already received 2 people to co-operate with him in evangelism, Aquila and Priscilla. He had also received encouragement by the offerings from the Macedonian churches. Even in the midst of opposition, Crispus’ family believed and many Corinthians believed. It seems like there could be no greater encouragement than this.
One thing Paul was probably afraid of was the Jewish opposition. Therefore, God says in verse 10 “For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.”
Secondly, the other thing Paul was possibly worried about was anxiety about when he was going to fall off the mountain top that he was climbing to. When Paul received the offering from the Macedonia churches, he was able to devote himself　exclusively to preaching”. (5) When a person is really struggling, he doesn’t worry about falling.  However, when things are going well, then he tends to have anxiety and fears. However, we can overcome such fears.  Let’s look at how God encouraged Paul.
1. First God promised to be with Paul in verse 10. That must have been a huge encouragement to Paul who was filled with fears.  No matter how strong the opposition or how much he is suffering, he is not alone.  God is with him. A Christian always has God with them no matter what they are suffering. You are never alone. Even if you are suffering from being single, God is always with you.  He is a friend of love.  He will never leave you.
Psalms 23:4
2. Next God promises Paul, “no one is going to attack and harm you” (10)For Paul who faced a lot of opposition, this was a great promise.  The Lord answers us with promises that are a clear answer to the anxieties that we have.
3. Then God says, “I have many people in this city.” (10)  Lot’s of Corinthians were saved, but still there are many of God’s people in the city.  Just because some people were saved doesn’t mean to be content.  God  still has a lot of people in the city.  There’s still a lot of people waiting to hear the Gospel.  Therefore, we need to continue sharing the Gospel.  To hear that there are still God’s people in the town is a great joy for evangelists and pastors to hear.  God’s people are still in the city so we need to continue preaching the Gospel. “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent.” (9)
Sometimes we worry. Sometimes we’re sad. Sometimes we are depressed.  When we are in the midst of such times God sends good Christian friends to encourage us.  Also he encourages us through the word of God.  Therefore, we need to not fear, but continue to preach the Gospel. Our job is to preach the Gospel.  Salvation is the work of God.  Even though there was heated opposition, Paul stayed in this city for a year and a half and continued to preach the Gospel. This is because Paul heard the encouragement.  May we hear such encouragement and continue preaching the word of God

Paul went from Berea to Athens and looked around the city. “He was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there.” (16, 17) Paul preached that Jesus is the Savior. “(All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.)” (21) So some people wanted to know what the new teaching that Paul was proclaiming so “they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus.” (19) Then they asked to know more about the new teaching that he was presenting.  Today’s passage is the famous sermon that Paul gave at the Areopagus. This is an example of an evangelistic sermon preached to a purely Gentile audience so it has implications for us today. Therefore, today let’s look at 3 implications from this passage.

I. To the unknown god (vs. 22,23)
To answer the Athenian request, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting?” (19) “Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: ‘Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious.’” (22)  Just before this sermon, Paul “was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols.” (16) However, now, he shows no sign of being greatly distressed, now does he cut down the Athenians for being worshippers of idol, but in a composed voice and showing respect, he says, “Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious.” (22) This way of talking is different from how he usually talks to the Jews.  When he spoke to the Jews, first he spoke from the Old Testament showing that the Messiah, the Savior that was prophesized in the Old Testament was Jesus Christ whom they had put on the cross and killed.  Therefore, they need to repent and believe in the Savior Jesus. This message is different because the listeners are Greek, in other words, Gentiles.  They didn’t have such a great knowledge of the Old Testament.  Therefore, they didn’t know what the Old Testament was teaching about the Messiah.  Therefore, Paul emphasized their burning, zealous religious heart.
Here when Paul talks about their religious heart, he is talking about the heart that all humans have. No matter what religion a person is, all people have this heart of faith.  For some people this heart isn’t for god, but philosophy or values or money, or power, but all people have this religious heart.
Genesis 1:26, 27
When God made man, He made him in the image of God.  “In the image of God” means the reasoning, morality, and the religious spirit that man has. In other words it is the spirit of man that reaches out to something greater than man. It is “the heart of prayer”. All humans have such a heart.  Therefore, even if you do what you want to do, eat what you want to eat, live however you want to live, etc. it doesn’t mean that you are content.  When we reach out to something greater than ourselves, the God who made us and worship Him, pray to Him, fellowship with Him, etc. we are able to have real contentment.  The French mathematician, physicist, inventor, writer, and Catholic philosopher, Blaise Pascal said, “Until I rest in you, my heart is moving.”  By our hearts reaching out to God, praying to God, and by fellowshipping with God, we are able to have real peace. This is because we were made in the image of God.  Paul spoke to the Athenian who had such a religious heart.
He did this by talking about the “Unknown god”.  In verse 23 we can see that when Paul walked around Athenian, he saw people praying at the altar of the “unknown god”. Though there are a number of reports of such altars, only Diogenes Alerts in the “Lives of the Philosophers” gives a reason for their origin. According to Alerts, once when Athens was plagued by pestilence in the sixth century B.C. and the city rulers had exhausted all their strategies to abate it, they sent to Crete, asking the prophet Epimenides to come and help.  His remedy was to drive a herd of black and white sheep away from the Areopagus and, wherever they lay down, to sacrifice them to the god of that place.  The plaque was stayed and Diogenes Laertes says that memorial altars with no god’s name inscribed on them may consequently be found throughout Attica.
When Paul went to Athens, one of these altars was still standing there.  People were fervently worshipping there. The Greecians thought that no matter what god, if you didn’t show interest to that god, that god would get angry.  This feeling is easy for us Japanese to understand.  When you think about what to do to keep the god from getting angry, of course worshipping the god is the most sensible thing to do. It is said that at that time in Athens there were more than 3,000 religious buildings or monuments there.  Plus there were altars to “The unknown god”. More than being the zealous religion of the Greeks, it was more a lack of peace spiritually.  They really didn’t care about what they were worshipping.  They just wanted to appease the god’s anger.
Towards this situation, Paul said, “Now you worship something unknown I am going to proclaim to you.” (23)  Paul is saying that God is not an unknown God, but a God that we can know.
Psalms19:1
All of nature which was made by God is a finger print of its creator, God.  However we can only dimly see God through nature.  Through nature we can see that something greater than ourselves made this world, but we can’t see what this god is like.  To know who the creator is, to know who the unknown god is, we must look at Jesus Christ.  Also we must look at the Bible which reveals Jesus Christ and is the greatest present that God has given us.  Therefore, next let’s look at who God is.

II. Knowing the unknown god.  (vs. 24-31)
1. (vs.24,25) The real God is “The God who made the world and everything in it”. (24)  In other words, He is “the Lord of heaven and earth” (24) Therefore He needs no help nor requires nothing to exist.  He gives life and breath to all living things.
Isaiah 42:5, 6; 44:24; 45:18
The real God made heaven and earth.  He gives life to all living creatures. He takes our hand and leads us.  He makes us part of his chosen people.  He is the Lord.  There is no one else. Last week we saw that the Stoics taught that a man’s happiness consisted in bringing himself in harmony with the course of the universe. They thought that nature and God are identical.  The Universe is the only thing deserving the deepest kind of reverence.  They do not believe in a personal god or creator. They promoted the idea that god is better understood as a way of relating reverentially to nature and the universe. Nature itself is sacred. Paul here is telling them that the real God is different.  The real God made the whole world. God is completely dependent from all things.  God can exist by Himself. Even the heavens can’t contain Him. Therefore, no matter how large the Pantheon is it could never contain God.
2.      (vs. 26) The Lord of creation, the Great God has a personal relationship with each person. God controls history and in each age what countries there are, which countries will be strong, what kind of cultures will be there, and how history will flow is all determined by God. From the beginning of history, God has always been a part of it, and history is moving according to God’s plan. If you look at the Jewish history recorded in the Old Testament you can see this clearly.  God didn’t just create the world, but even today is leading through history.  Even us who live in this age, God is leading each individual one of us.
Paul says this again in verse 28. This is a quote from a Greek poet.  In 600 B.C. Epimenidus said this in his poem “Cretica”. In 300 B.C. Atatus said the same thing in his poem “Phaenomena”. Paul quoted these poems to share that God isn’t far from each of us.  He is close, in fact, He is living in us. God is not a being that is far from us.  The real God is the creator of the world, the Great God and even heaven can not contain Him, but at the same time, He is within us.  We live within Him and move and have our being in Him.
3. Paul gives his conclusion in verses 29-30 We were made by God, and are the offspring of God. “For in him we live and move and have our being.” (28) so therefore, it is unthinkable that God is “made by man’s design and skill” of gold or silver or stone. (29) A child can’t make anyone he wants his father.  A child’s father is his father.  In the same way, we were made by God and are the offspring of God so we can’t just make some other god to worship.  We need to worship the real God that created the world and us.
Next let’s look at why the Greeks missed seeing God
1.      (vs.27) They really didn’t seek God. If they would have sought God and reached out to Him, then they would have found Him. If we seek God, we will find Him.
Matt. 7:7-11
Are you really seeking God?  Are you really searching for God?  No matter who you are, if you seek, you will find Him.
2. 2.      (vs. 30)  If you are really seeking and don’t find God, it is because you are searching in the wrong place.  “Ignorance” means that the problem is not          that God did not introduce himself enough. The problem is on man’s side that he doesn’t know what he should naturally know.  “In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.” (30) The reason is given in verse 31.  Man can become righteous by believing in Christ who died for our sins and rose again.  He is inviting us to look to the cross and return to Him and repent.
Do you know the story, “The blessed yellow handkerchief” by Matsutake?  His wife miscarried and he couldn’t take it, got drunk and then got in a fight and killed the other person.  As a result he was arrested and put in jail.  Finally his sentence was over and he was released.  He bought a post card and wrote it to his wife saying that if she was still waiting for him to put up a yellow handkerchief. If there was no handkerchief hanging then he would never go near her again.  When he approached the place on the bus he was so scared to look outside that he asked other people riding on the bus to look for him. The other riders were astonished to see tens of yellow handkerchiefs hanging.  That was the message of love from his wife.
God like the yellow handkerchiefs has put up many crosses throughout the world.  He is telling us to look at them.  God loved us so much that he was willing to give up his son to die on the cross and this God is waiting for you.  You may even be seeking God, but you have not found him because you are searching in the wrong place.  It’s no good just to have a religious heart.  If you are trying to find God by your own strength, you won’t find Him.  Man seems to always be making other things gods, rather than looking towards the real thing.  Rather than searching for the real God, they make themselves the center, and they search for gods that fit their own personal needs.  There is no other way that we can know the real God but by the Bible which tells us about Him.
John 14:6
“I” is Jesus Christ.  There is no other way to know God, but through Jesus Christ.  Jesus is the only truth.  Also he is the only way to life and salvation.  He is the only name by which we can be saved. (Acts 4:12) What is important is not how much we believe or how deep a faith we have, but who we believe in and what we believe.
God “has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed.  He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead.” (31) Therefore, we need to believe in Him.  “Sin” means missing the goal.  Our aim is off.  We need to change and aim at God.  This is repentance. Even “now he commands all people everywhere to repent.” (30) Return to God. Believe in God. Fear God and obey his commands.  This is everything.

III. Seeking the real God. (Vs. 32-34)
In other words, we need to seek the true God.  In verses 32-34 tell us the response of the Athenians to Paul’s message.  There are three different responses and in all ages men make the same type of responses toward the Gospel.
1.   “some of them sneered” (32) Some people hear that Jesus rose and they sneer because they think it is impossible.
2. Others say, “We want to hear you again on this subject.” (32) This type of person tries not to get involved. They want to just look on.  This type is quite common among us Japanese because we don’t like to argue.  This type of person, when he hears the Gospel, he won’t say that he disagrees; he just finds many different excuses for running away. “My kids are still small so I‘m too busy.”  “When I find the time, I’ll come.” etc.  These excuses always make believing in the future tense.  In reality no matter how long you wait they never believe.
3. “A few men became followers…and believed.” (vs.34)  The Bible tells us that there are some who did believe and followed Christ. There were a lot of people who sneered and some that refused to take any real interest, but there were some who did believe and followed Christ.  It was a small group, but even so, some people did believe in Christ, and followed Him. Here Dionysius and Damarius are mentioned.  Dionysius was a member of the Areopagus so he was used to listening to cases and always looked at whether there was proof for what was being said.  However, the important thing is not whether there is proof or not, but whether a person’s heart is prepared or not. In other words, whether a person has prepared his heart by repenting or not is what is important.
According to church history Dionysiu became the first pastor of the Athens church. In the 2nd and 3rd century, many great Christian leaders were a part of the Athenian church.  The influence that they had was greater than we will ever know.
We are living under the same circumstances as Athens.  There are few people that respond to the Gospel when we preach it.  There are those that sneer and others that make excuses.  The closer we get to the end times, the more and more these types of people will increase.  Even so, there are some who believe and follow Christ.  God is not an unknown god, but a God that can be known. Those who search for Him will find Him.  The important thing is whether we are searching for him or not and whether we are searching in the right places or not.  God has made us righteous through Jesus Christ who died on the cross for our sins and rose 3 days later. Jesus shows us God and is the way to God and salvation.  We need to have only an open heart towards Him. We need to search after him. Open your hearts to the only true God. Seek Him and believe in Him.
II Cor. 6:2
Now is the time.

As a result of the persecution caused by the Jews from Thessalonica, Paul went from Berea to Athens.  Upon arriving in Athens, Paul “was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there.” (16, 17) Athens had a history of being a cultural town of art, and learning.  Therefore, people couldn’t accept Paul’s teaching easily.  Even under those conditions, Paul preached about Jesus and the resurrection.  Today let’s look at Paul’s evangelistic spirit and 3 things that we can learn from him through the Athens evangelism.

I. Holy distress (vs.16)
As a result of the persecution caused by the Jews from Thessalonica, Paul fled from Berea to Athens.  Athens was about 320km from Berea. However, it was the cultural center of world.  Philosophy, ideologies, art, everything was born and flowed out of Athens to even the present day world. The Parthenon as well as the many structures built on the acropolis, as well as the outdoor theaters, music halls, many other structures speak to the fact that Athens was a town or architecture and art. The Areopagus or Areios Pagos is the “Rock of Ares”, north-west of the Acropis, which in classical times functioned as the high Court of Appeal for criminal and civil cases in Athens.  They also investigated corruption there.  It was a free state and practiced democracy. Athens was a town where the people were intellectual and learned in the classical Greek great philosophies and ideologies of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle.  When Paul came to Athens the time of her greatest glory was gone, but its influence was still there.  In classical Greece, Athens was representative of the beautiful towns of that period.  While Paul was waiting for Silas and Timothy who were in Berea, he probably thought he would look around this beautiful town.  He walked around the town.
As he walked around the town he noticed the many idols and “he was greatly distressed” (16) There was the Parthenon temples which was sculptured by Pheidas and Praxiteles. In the town square there were statues of famous Athenian citizens like Conon. To be sure these were made by human technique and planning and they are outstanding pieces of art.  However, they are nothing more than idols made for festivals of other gods.  They weren’t made by the real living God, but they are idols made by man’s hands.  This is the greatest insult to the real living God.  Therefore, Paul who saw this and “he was greatly distressed” (16) The word “distressed” is often translated as “burning with anger”.  It is used 2 times in the New Testament.  One is here and the other is I. Cor. 13:5.  Here it is translated “easily angered” and Paul is saying that one of the fruits of spirit is “not easily angered”.  Paul also tells us in other places that we should not be angered. (Ephesians 4:31, Gal. 5:20)  Even so Paul here in today’s passage is burning with anger.  Let me explain this paradox.  Christians as a rule are not to be angry.  When they feel anger coming on they should remember that love patient and kind and through the encouragement and help of the Holy Spirit have victory over the flesh, and strive to please the Holy Spirit. However, there are times when a Christian must get angry. We should be angry at times like what Paul is experiencing now when God’s righteousness is being insulted. When God’s name is not praised but insulted.  At those times Christians shouldn’t be quiet about it.  In cases like that Christians should be angry. In other words, Paul’s anger was a holy anger coming from the righteousness of God.
How about us?  Are there not times when we take the position of “See no evil. Speak no evil”?  Are there times when we are quiet and do not stand up for what we believe in, and are just conformed to the world?  In Matt 5:13 Jesus said that we are the salt of the earth.  When salt looses its saltiness it is of no use.  Jesus said, “You are the salt of the earth.” (Matt. 5:13)  He didn’t say “Try to become the salt of the earth.” Or “You will become the salt of the earth.”  He said, “You are the salt of the earth.” (Matt. 5:13)  Salt gives flavor and preserves.  We are salt.  Therefore, we need to allow God just to work through us to give flavor and preserve our society.  When God’s name is being insulted, we shouldn’t be still, but like Paul, we need to be distressed.
Paul “was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols.” (16)  For hundreds of years people had been coming to Athens and probably very few people looked at the idols and were distressed.  Let’s think about what is the difference between those people and Paul.
The biggest difference was the way they looked at things was different.  Most people thought that they had come to a great cultural city and they looked at the magnificent buildings, architecture, and sculptures and were amazed and thought “wonderful!” “wonderful!”.  Paul was different.  He came to this cultural city and looked at many art objects, but he looked at them through God’s eyes.  He looked at them thinking about how God thought about them.  Therefore, no matter how great a piece of art, they were only idols.  Also no matter how great a philosopher was speaking, it was only a discussion void of God.
How about you?  What type of eyes are you looking with? By looking at things through the eyes of God, we are able to have holy anger like Paul.  In Japan too we can see many historical buildings connected with Buddhism.  These idols too are great Buddhist art, but if we look at them in the same way as other people do then we won’t have the holy anger like Paul did here.  Only by seeing things as God sees them can be able to not be conformed to this word and walk in life as salty Christians giving flavor and preserving the world.

II. Preaching Jesus’ resurrection  (vs.17-18)
Verse 17 starts with “So he…”  This means that Paul “was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols.” (16) and therefore, he … The rest of the verse tells us what he did.  “He reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and with the God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there.” (17)  In other words, Paul’s holy anger led him to preach the Word of God..  When he saw that the city was full of idols he felt he had to do something about it, so he preached the Word of God.
When we realize how wonderful the salvation is that God’s Word teaches us about, and we want many people to know about this great grace, then we want to share God’s Word.  Here is another way we are motivated. We are motivated when we see people living so far from God that we feel we have to do something about it, and thus feel motivated to preach the Word of God.  Therefore, Paul “reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and with the God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there.” (17)
Then “A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to dispute with him.  Some of them asked, ‘What is this babbler trying to say?’ Others remarked, ’He seems to be advocating foreign gods.’” (18) The Epicureans were started about 300 B.C by the philosopher, Epicuris. This school of philosophy, called Epicureansim, denied a future life entirely and taught that the purpose of life was to attain the happy tranquil life, characterized by peace and freedom from fear and the absence of pain, and by living a self-sufficient life surrounded by friends. Their motto was, “enjoy life”.
The Epicurean and Stoic philosophers were representatives of two of the three major philosophical schools of thought in Paul’s day. The Stoics also began about 300 B.C. and was started by a man named Zuno from the island of Cyprus. Zuno taught that a man’s happiness consisted in bringing himself in harmony with the course of the universe.  His disciples were taught to bear evils with indifference and to be independent of externals.  Materialism, pantheism、and fatalism were the leading features of this philosophy. Their motto was, “endure life”. Zeno taught in the Stoa (Porch) so his teaching came to be known as Stoicism.
Some of the philosophers called Paul a “babbler” (18)  The word babbler originally meant “gathering seeds”.  It was used for birds picking up seeds.  It came to be applied in Athenian slang to one who gains a hand to mouth living in the markets by picking up anything that fell off the loads of merchandise that was carried about.  Thus it began to mean someone who picks up bits of information and repeats without really knowing what it means.  A babbler is someone who talks idly with no purpose.  In verse 28 Paul is preaching to the Greecian philosophers.  Possibly they saw Paul’s wisdom as lacking in comparison with themselves and saw Paul as a babbler quoting others like the poets in verse 28.
Then others remarked, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” (18)  The reason they were saying this is given at the end of verse 18. “They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection. Paul was originally a Jew so he believed in only one God.  However, when the Greeks heard Paul teaching that Jews was God and the Father who was God raised Jesus, they understood this to mean that Paul was preaching about a new God.  They themselves believed in many different gods so they thought that he was preaching about a new religion that was just one of many.
The Greeks were so full of wisdom, but they couldn’t understand the simple message that God sent his world and died on the cross for our sins, and 3 days later rose again and anyone who believes in this will be forgiven of all their sins and will receive eternal life. Later Paul wrote I Cor. 1:20-24 to another Greek church in a different town, Corinth.
We can’t know God through the wisdom of man.  God uses the preaching of the Word of God to save those who believe. For people who rely on the wisdom of this world, Christ on the cross seems stupid.  However, for those believe Christ is the wisdom of God, the power of God. Thus the message that we need to share is words of the cross.
Therefore, Paul in Athens where the air breathes of wisdom spoke to the top intellectuals and philosophers about the same way thing that he always talks about, the words of the cross.  He shared about Christ and the resurrection.  We will look at that message next week, but if we look at verse 28 we can see that Paul shared about Jesus with the philosophers in a way that they could understand by using quotations made by poets and philosophers of that time.  However, the center of his message was Jesus, the cross and the resurrection.  He spoke the Gospel straight even though the philosophers had complained that his level was low. Sometimes we try molding our message to meet the thinking and values of the person that we are sharing with and make it so that it is easy for the other person to accept. As a result the message sometimes becomes lopsided, missing important points like sin.  However, we need to be like Paul and preach the Gospel straight forward.
Sometimes we worry that it is difficult for people to be interested in the Bible so we fail to share about the Gospel, but talk about what people want to hear.  More than sharing the Gospel, we think up events and programs to try to get people to come.  However, when do things to just get people to come and it lacks the Gospel, then it lacks taste. The Gospel is different that joke shows or something that you hang out to talk about.  The Gospel message is life. It is by the Gospel that we are saved.  We need to think in our hearts that now we are sharing the Gospel and share the Gospel straight forward.

III. The new teaching (vs.19-21)
After the philosophers complained that Paul was a babbler and that he was advocating foreign gods, next “they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to him, ‘May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting?” (19) They said this not because they wanted to believe in Christ or were interested in Christ, it was because they are always wanting to hear new ideas and they wondered what was so unusual about Paul’s teaching. This was because “All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.)” (21)  They would here a new ideology or religion, accept it and then some new one would come around and they would give up their last one and accept the new one.  They were always giving up old ideas for new ones.  Actually there are a lot of people like this.  They think that new is best.  They are interested in the fads.  The Athenians were like this.  Therefore, no matter how much Paul told them about the resurrection of Jesus Christ, they weren’t able to understand the meaning of what he was saying. They were only interested because it was new.  Therefore, they were not able to comprehend the grace of salvation of God nor were they able to experience the wonderfulness of God’s kingdom.  The important thing is listening to and accepting God’s Word which never changes, and living by it.  If we do that we will be able to experience the love of God which never changes and we will be thankful and praise God daily.
The words that Paul spoke about the Jesus’ resurrection were for the Athenians new.  However this was not the new teaching that they were searching for.  They were looking for new news new news like the journalist puts out.  When a magazine comes out it is really news, but after sometime it becomes old news. However, the newness of the Gospel is not like this.  The gospel is really a new teaching.  It is not by the wisdom of God, but is by the revelation of God that it is a new teaching. It is a teaching of eternal life.  God’s Word never changes.  It never ends.
What are you living for? Are you living for this new teaching, the real word of God?
II Tim. 2:13
Let’s trust in this trustworthy Christ, and live a new life.

No matter what, let’s trust in God.
Duet. 33:27
Let’s believe in the real teaching of the Gospel and we will live the blessed life.

When Paul and Silas were in Thessalonica, the Jews out of jealousy persecuted Paul and Silas and shortly after they left Thessalonica and went to Berea.  Today’s passage tells us the results of Paul preaching the Gospel there.  The Bereans “received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.” (11)  Also many people were saved.
To listen to the Word of God eagerly and to examine the Scriptures every day is the base of our Christian life.  It is the most important thing for having a blessed Christian life.  With a little help of dictionaries, commentaries, etc. any one can understand the Bible.  Through the Bible we will be blessed abundantly.  Therefore, today let’s look at 3 aspects of examining the Bible.

I. From Thessalonica to Berea (vs.10)
After Paul and Silas were persecuted in Thessalonica, the Christians there secretly snuck Paul and Silas out of Thessalonica and sent them away to Berea. Berea was a prominent city at the foot of the mountains which would make it a good place to flee too.  Berea was about 80 kilometers east of Thessalonica. It would have taken Paul and Silas 2 or 3 days to get there.  As soon as they arrived in Berea they went to the Jewish synagogue.  They didn’t even rest.  More important to them than keeping themselves safe or taking a rest was to preach the Gospel.  Therefore, they went directly to the synagogue.  Paul went there to do as he did in Thessalonica, to dispute the Scriptures.  There was a great possibility that by doing so they would again be arrested and sent out.  Even though Paul had experienced this many times, he didn’t stop preaching the Gospel.   The reason is given in 20:32.
Paul said these words when he met with the Ephesian elders at the port of Miletus and was preaching his farewell address to them.  He is saying that he is committing the important Ephesians and all the people that were saved on his missionary trip “to God and the word of his grace”.  This is because God and the word of God can build them up and give them an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. Therefore, Paul did not stop preaching the Gospel.
In fact, after this in verse 15 Paul and Silas are persecuted here too and end up going to Antioch.  The second missionary trip started from Philippi with Paul and Silas.  At Lystra Timothy joined the group and at Troas Luke joined the group making it a 4 member group.  However, in 17:1 Luke changes from “we” to “they” meaning that Luke stayed in Philippi and didn’t go to Thessalonica.  Paul, Silas and Timothy were sent away to Berea.  Paul was thrown out of Berea too. From there he went to Antioch by himself.  In other words, Luke was in Philippi, Silas and Timothy stayed in Berea, and Paul only went on to Antioch.  That means there was no one in Thessalonica.  There must have been great concern about the new Christians there. However, Paul’s attitude was, “Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.” (20:32)
We never know when the pastors, evangelists, and teachers are going to be taken from us so we need to always study the Bible.  We have to read the Word of God by ourselves. We don’t know when a persecution like that of Berea or Thessalonica will occur.  It’s difficult to imagine that the pastors and evangelists will be thrown out of the church.  However, there is a huge possibility of the opposite happening.  In other words, laymen are pulled away from the church.  An example of this is a person being pulled away from Sunday worship by their boss at work.  We are sometimes not given a choice and sent away to another town by being transferred in our jobs. In such cases we keep our faith by the word of God.  We need to read the Bible individually every day and find the will of God.  If we fail in doing this, then we will fail in our Christian life.
Jesus said that he was the shepherd and we are the sheep in John 10:2-4.  Our shepherd, Jesus, knows the names of his sheep, us. The sheep (us) need to know the voice of their shepherd, Jesus.  If you don’t know the voice of your shepherd, you follow the wrong shepherd.  Therefore, the sheep have to be able to distinguish their shepherd’s voice.  Therefore, through the Bible we need to listen to our Shepherd’s voice and learn His will.  The Holy Spirit will through the Bible give us the ability to hear our Shepherd’s voice.

ＩＩ． Eagerness for the Word of God (vs.11)
Verse 11 tells us how the Bereans examined the Word of God.  This is a short statement, but one that leaves a strong impression in our hearts.  This passage gives us 3 characteristics of the Bereans.
1. “The Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians.” (11)  The original meaning of noble was “gentle, docile”. In other words their minds were free. They weren’t like the Jews who wouldn’t accept any other ways of thinking.  They were open to the truth. To have such a soft, gentle heart is difficult especially for elders who have their experience to base things upon. We may think we are not like the Jews, but in reality we close our hearts to others that think differently than we do. Of course it is important to have confidence in what we believe in.  We shouldn’t waiver from the basics.  However, it is dangerous to insist that your ideas are the only ideas and not accept anything else on the perimeters.  In the case of the Berean Jews, they had confidence that the creator of this world, and the one and only God who controls all things would send the Savior to this world. However, they didn’t know who this Savior was.  When they heard about the Savior from Paul, they weren’t like the Thessalonians who said, “That can’t be!”  Instead they questioned if that could be or not, and examined the Bible to see.  Because they had an open heart they “were of more noble character than the Thessalonians.” (11)
2. “They received the message with great eagerness.” (11)  “Great eagerness” means “take an interest in”.  They didn’t just listen to the message, but they listened deeply with eagerness, and with interest.  This resulted in the third characteristic.
3. They “examined the Scriptures every day.” (11) When we think of “examining the Scriptures”, we usually think of something that specialists like Pastors or seminary students do.  However the Bereans heard Paul’s preaching and then once more “they examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.” (11)  In an age where people didn’t individually own a Bible, this was quite a feat. This shows their endurance and eagerness to know the truth.
It is important that each person in the church reads the Bible, examines it, and be built up by the Word of God. The Bible is called Spiritual milk.  Just as babies grow by drinking milk, Christians grow by reading the Bible.  As we grow, we need solids too.  Therefore, we need to study the Bible more deeply so that we will be able to grow and share the Word with others.  Those who eagerly accept and examine the Word of God are blessed.  Next let’s look at the blessings they receive.

III. Many people entered the faith. (vs. 12-15)
Many of the Berean Jews who eagerly listened to the Word of God and “examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true”, (11) entered the faith.  Not only that, but “When the Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God at Berea, they went there too, agitating the crowds and stirring them up.”, but the Berean Jewish Christians were able to immediately send Paul on to Antioch.  Paul who was putting his life on the line to preach was taken care of by the Berean Jewish Christians who put their lives on the line to help him.  It was probably very difficult for them, but they took care of Paul and thus shared in the work of God.  Their faith was at work within them.  By faith they became one and they prayed for each other and supported each other.  That type of faith was born in their hearts because they were eager for the Word of God and “examined the Scriptures every day.” (11)  They lived that much by the Word of God.  The foundation of their faith was also laid by the leadership of Silas and Timothy who remained there.  In Acts 20:4 the name Sopater appears.  Sopater is thought to have become a leader in the Berean church.  He went with Paul on his third missionary trip and helped support the work. That was because even after Paul left, he continued to accept the word of God and everyday examine it, and followed the Word of God.  Therefore, no matter what persecutions came his way, no matter what troubles he was in, he was able to continue, he was able to stay rooted in the Word of God and could be built up firmly.  It all came from the Bereans eagerness for the Word of God.
An abundant staff, plenty of money, lots of good plans will not bring church growth.  Neither will a grand church building or having a pastor who is at the church all day create church growth.  The key is each individual being tied to the Word of God and growing by it.  It is by listening to the Word of God, and distinguishing the only true Shepherd’s voice and following the Shepherd, our Lord.  Then the Lord will leave us to an abundant place to graze.  This Shepherd was so faithful that he gave His life for the sheep. We will not be mistaken by following Him.
II Tim. 2:13
Therefore we need to read the Bible daily.  The Word of God is called a sword, but a sword is no good unless we hold it up with our hands  Therefore, we need to pick up the Bible, read it, use it and follow the real Shepherd, Jesus Christ’s voice, In this way we will continue to be on fire and have an zealous spirit.

              After leaving Philippi, Paul went to Thessalonica, the capital of Macedonia. There was a synagogue in Thessalonica.  He was there preaching the gospel for about 3 weeks.  Some people at last accepted the Gospel and repented and entered the faith.  Some did not. Verse 5 tells us that the Jews did not accept the Gospel.  “The Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city.” (5) Then “They rushed to Jason’s house in search of Paul and Silas” (6), but they weren’t able to find Paul and Silas.  Therefore, “they dragged Jason and some other brothers before the city officials, shouting: ‘These men who have caused trouble all over the world have now come here, and Jason has welcomed them into his house.  They are all defying Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus.’” (6, 7)  Here there are 3 charges.

1.               They have “caused trouble all over the world” (6)

2.               They are “saying that there is another king.” (7)

3.               “They are all defying Caesar’s decrees” (7)

Christians are in some respects cause trouble all over the world, say that Jesus is another king, and follow something different that this world. In what way do Christians cause trouble all over the world? In what way do they follow another king, Jesus? Today let’s look at this  

I.            Reasoning from the Bible (vs.1-4)

In 16:10 Luke all at once starts using “We”, but here again Luke returns to “they”.  “We” ends in 16:17 so it is thought that Luke remained in Philippi.  Possibly Paul got better so Luke was not needed or possibly Luke was needed in Philippi to teach the new Christians. We don’t know the reason, but probably Paul left Luke in Philippi and Paul left and went to Thessalonica on his mission trip.

Thessalonica was about 160 km. Southeast of Philippi.  Since it was the capital of Macedonia, it was full of Jews.  Paul, as he always does, went to the synagogue and for 3 Sabbaths, he reasoned with the Jews from the Bible. The word “reason” means to arrange, display, or enumerate.  In other words, they arranged the teachings of the Bible and displayed them and used that as proof that Jesus was the Savior. This is what evangelism and preaching should do.  

After Jesus rose, two disciples were on their way to Emmas and Jesus joined them asking what it was that they were discussing.  They answered that they were talking about Jesus of Nazareth that had been crucified and that there were rumors that he had resurrected.  Then Jesus explained that all these things were taught in the Old Testament that Jesus must die on the cross and then 3 days later rise again.  Then he explained to them all the Old Testament teachings about Christ.  Jesus showed them through the Bible that Jesus was the Savior.  This is what it means to reason from the Bible.

Let’s look at how Paul reasoned from the Bible.  Here Paul is explaining simply from 3 points that Jesus is the Christ, the Savior.

1.               According to the Bible the characteristics of the (Messiah) Christ are that he “had to suffer and rise from the dead.” (3)

2.               Jesus modeled these characteristics in his death and resurrection.

3.               The conclusion is “This Jesus…is the Christ.” (3)

It was a very simple message.  This is the nature of argumentation that Paul used when he evangelized the Jews. Japanese have no background in the Old Testament so it may require more explanation, but evangelism in Japan is basically the same.  Explain, prove, and then conclude.  When we follow these 3 steps, then people will be saved.   Verse 4 testifies to this.

Paul’s message was very simple, but even so it reached people’s hearts and some of the Jews believed and followed Paul and Silas.  Especially notice that “a large number of God-fearing Greeks” also believed.  These were not Jews, but Gentiles that worshipped the God of the Old Testament and came to the Synagogue every Sabbath.   When they heard Paul’s message, they were saved and were the first people to start the Thessalonica church.  When the cross is preached, there are always people who are saved.

I Cor. 1:18, 21-24 

God decided to use the preaching of the Word of God to bring people to salvation.

When we evangelize some times we use wisdom or intelligence, and fervently

debate, trying to persuade the other person.  However the important thing is upon what we base our debate.  It must not be upon wisdom, intelligence, or zeal.  It must be based upon the Bible.  That is because “the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (I Cor. 1:18)

If we reason from the Bible, then the Holy Spirit will work, and through the Word will lead that person to salvation.   

II.              People who have “caused trouble all over the world” (vs. 5,6)

When the Jews brought Jason and some of the other brothers before the city officials, they shouted that these men “have caused trouble all over the world.” (6)  The literal meaning is “they upset everything under the heavens.”  In other words, “they turned the world upside down.”  This is an over exaggeration, but Christians in all ages are turning the world upside down.  The dynamite of the Gospel changes families and societies and causes revolutions.  It is actually strange for the Gospel to be preached and for no change to take place. 

When we believe in Christ we are able to experience a peace that we had never experienced before.  That is the deep peace of God we receive as a result of our sins being save. It is the peace of having Jesus living in our hearts. Not only do we experience this peace in our lives, but it has the power to turn our families, county and the world upside down.  By believing in Christ a revolution takes place in our lives.  It’s a revolution of love. Let’s take the Gospel of Jesus who causes revolutions and preach it everywhere.  Just as they were called, people who have “caused trouble all over the world”, may we live up to the same title.

III.            Jesus is another king (vs.7-9)

Another reason that the Jews gave for bringing Jason and some other brothers to the city officials is given in verse 7. They are “saying that there is another king.” (7)

Yes, Christians have another king and we are the citizens of his kingdom so we want to follow his leadership and obey Him.  We want to obey him because he is the ultimate authority.  He is what we base our life and action upon. However, Jesus is not in this world so he has given us people in authority over us and so we are to follow them.

I Peter 2:13-15

These authorities are ordained by God “to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right.” (I Peter 2:14)  It is the will of God what we follow these authorities.  The problem is when these worldly authorities request us to do something that goes against what God would want. In that case we must say like it is written in this passage, “There is another king, one called Jesus,” (7) and stand up for what we believe.

Before we saw in Acts that one day when Peter and John were going to the temple for prayer at 3:00 pm, there was a lame man begging.  They healed the man who became so excited that he leaped up and danced praising God.  He went with Peter and John into the temple.  Therefore, when Peter preached many people believed in Christ.  The Jewish leaders didn’t know what to do so they arrested Peter and John.  They asked Peter and John by what authority and by whose name they had healed the man.  Then they boldly proclaimed that it was by the authority and name of Jesus Christ and there was no other name by which man can be saved.  The Jewish leaders were left wordless, but they didn’t want the Christian faith spreading so they said to Peter and John that they were not to speak in the name of Jesus Christ.  Peter and John’s answer is recorded in Acts 4:19, 20

This principle applies to present day Christians too.  Usually we must follow the authorities. However, if they require that we go against our King, Jesus Christ then we need to choose to follow the other king, Jesus Christ.  This is because all authorities are ordained by God.  If however, an authority requires us to do something that goes against God it means that the authority has overstepped the authority that God has given him and is making himself god.  In that case the Christian must decide that the authority is under the power of Satan and choose to follow Christ.

This is a clear principle, but the way we put it into practice is very difficult.  In present day Japan it’s difficult to know how far we should obey the people above us.  Therefore, one more thing we need to think about is why Christians would go that far to follow the other king, Jesus Christ.

The answer is clear.  That is because Jesus is our Savior.  His name is the only name by which we can be saved.  As we saw earlier, according to the Bible the characteristics of the (Messiah) Christ are that he “had to suffer and rise from the dead.” (3) In our long human history no one except Jesus has done this.  Jesus suffered and died.  However that suffering was for us.  He died on the cross in exchange for our sin.  He also rose for us.  That is why He is another King.

Is there any other king that has suffered for us?  Is there another government that showed its love by suffering and being shamed to the point of death? What cabinet died on the cross for us? There isn’t anyone.  Only Jesus Christ died on the cross and 3 days later rose.  Therefore, we want to give our final vote to Jesus Christ. 

In Japan’s history there were many Christians who were martyred.  The reason they refused to follow any other god and they gladly gave their life was because  they knew the love of Christ.  They knew that Jesus had died for their sins and then rose again.  When we know the love and grace of God then we can choose to die for this King

Romans 5:6-8

When we are touched by the love of Christ on the cross, then we are able to sacrifice our lives.  Please open your hearts up to him.  May the love of Christ fill your hearts. Then no matter what we will be able to follow the other king, Jesus Christ.

             Paul in the name of Jesus Christ cast the spirit out of the slave girl who was a fortune teller.  She was helped, but her owners were not happy.  They had Paul and Silas put into prison.  However, when Paul and Silas were praying and singing songs in the middle of the night, all at once there was a huge earthquake.  The doors of the prison opened and the prisoner’s chains all fell off.  The conversation between Paul and the guards is very interesting because in the conversation the way to be saved is asked and the answer is given.  Today let’s look at their conversation and what is necessary for salvation.

I.                Singing and praying in the middle of the night (vs.19-26)

After Paul cast out the evil spirit from the girl slave fortune teller, “the owners of the slave girl realized that their hope of making money was gone”. (19) Therefore, “they seized Paul and Silas” (19) and “brought them before the magistrates.” (20)  When we share the Gospel, the way it is done maybe different, but we always face such opposition.  The natural man thinks of only himself.  He wants to gain profit for himself only.  It is the gospel that can change a person from a self centered person to someone who can love others as they love themselves.  In reality the more self centered a person is the less he is open to the Gospel.  This is true of the girl slave fortune teller’s owners too.  When Paul cast out the evil spirit from the girl slave fortune teller, the owners of the slave girl realized that she could no longer tell the future and “that their hope of making money was gone”. (19) Therefore they began to see Paul as an enemy.  A girl was set free from an evil spirit, but they didn’t rejoice, but complained to Paul.  For them the casting out of the evil spirit was ruining their business. “Was gone” means “left”.  Therefore, when the evil spirit left the girl their hope of making money also left.  Therefore the owners brought Paul and Silas “before the magistrates and said, ‘These Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice.  The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten.” (20-22)

To be treated that way Paul and Silas must have felt terrible.  They must have felt uncertain about their future.  However, they didn’t complain.  They also didn’t give excuses for themselves.  In the midst of these painful and inconvenient circumstances “Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God”. (25)  Suddenly there was a huge earthquake.  Miraculously “all the prison doors flew open.” (26)  More miraculous was that Paul and Silas could pray and sing in the midst of these circumstances.  They came to Macedonia by the leading of the Holy Spirit so they probably anticipated that God was going to do a great work there.   Therefore when in reality it wasn’t so you would expect them to have uncertainties and to complain. However, they didn’t complain, but sang and praised the Lord with thankfulness.  They were able to do this because they trusted in God.  No matter what circumstances they found themselves. They believed that God would work for their good.

Their prayer must have been a prayer of trust and obedience.  If not, their prayer would not have naturally led to singing. Hymns can be sung no matter what circumstances we are in.  No matter if we are in the pits of life we can sing hymns to God.  Gospel, the Christian songs of the blacks are an example of this.  When the blacks were struggling in slavery they sang Gospel songs. The Gospel songs were songs of the soul so the songs were able to lift up the depths of their hearts. Even in the depths of struggles their slave owners were not able to put chains on their souls. Through Gospel songs they were able to praise God and have freedom in their souls.  Paul and Silas who were in chains in prison were the same.  No matter how strong a prison, they weren’t able to shut out the joy of Christ in Paul and Silas’ life.  Even if not a ray of light entered the prison cell, there was no way they could make Paul and Silas’ heart dark.  By their prayer and singing they made the prison a heavenly place of worship.  The light that filled their hearts shone in the “midnight” darkness of the prison. The prison full of curses and uneasiness rang with joyful voices of praises to God and the other prisoners listened quietly to them.  A special characteristic of Christians is that they are not controlled by circumstances, but control the circumstances and have the power to change things.  Christians can experience that much joy. 

Romans 8:35-39

There is nothing that can separate us from the love of God.  There is nothing that can take away our hope.  We are victorious no matter what circumstances we are in. Even if we are in the darkness of a prison, those who believe in and live in Christ always have the love of God flowing in their hearts.  We have the power to change the pain and struggles in the deep parts of our soul to prayer and hymns. Let’s remember this and at all times look to heaven and pray and sing.

II.              Believe in the Lord Jesus (vs.27-32)

Next let’s look at what we must do to be saved.  While Paul and Silas were praying and singing to God, “suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken.  At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody’s chains came loose.” (26)  The jailer who saw this thought that all the prisoners had escaped and drew his sword to commit suicide.  According to Roman law, if a prisoner escaped the jailor was given the same sentence as the escapee had.  Therefore if he was going to be sentenced to death, he thought it was better to commit suicide.  Therefore, “he drew his sword and was about to kill himself”. (27) But Paul shouted to him, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!” (28) 

It is amazing that even though the prison doors opened and the chains fell off the prisoners, not one prisoner escaped.  Probably the other prisoners looked at Paul and Silas’ attitude and realized there was some king of amazing power at work.  The jailor shone his light on the prisoners and all their chains were off and they could easily escape, but not one prisoner had run away.  He was so shocked that he “rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas.” (29) Then the jailer brought Paul and Silas out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” (30)

Paul and Silas answered, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved-you and your household.” (31)

The jailer addresses Paul and Silas, “Sirs”, a very respectable title and one definitely not used towards prisoners.  Through these 2 evangelists the jailor felt God and was amazed that they could stop the prisoner’s desire to escape.  For most people the desire to be saved comes from the respect and trust the person has towards the person who is sharing the Gospel.  

Then the jailer asks Paul and Silas, “what must I do to be saved? (30)  By this question we don’t know how much the jailer wanted to be saved spiritually and how much he wanted to be saved from the situation that he was in.  However, Paul and Silas answered, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved-you and your household.” (31)

Paul and Silas’ answer was something that they had real confidence in daily.  That is that by believing in Jesus Christ that you will be saved.  Even if the jailor wanted to be saved from the present situation, Paul and Silas are answering about what he needed to do to be saved spiritually.  By believing in Christ you are saved spiritually and set free from all sin which is the root of all problems that we face in life. The way to salvation is through believing in Jesus Christ.  The problems that the jailor was facing were very difficult ones that seemed like there was no answer for them.  However, by believing in Jesus Christ not only would the jailor receive spiritual salvation, but believing in Jesus Christ is also the basic solution for solving the problems that we face in daily life.  If we believe in Jesus Christ then we are saved. This is salvation from sin, the salvation of our soul, but also is the solution for each individual problem that we face in life. 

To “Believe in the Lord Jesus” means to leave everything in His hands.  The words “Believe in the Lord Jesus” actually mean “Believe on the Lord Jesus”.  In other words, we are to put ourselves on top of our Lord Jesus and let Him carry us through life.  We leave everything up to the Lord. 

If we make a decision to believe in Christ, but we can’t leave everything up to Jesus, then we won’t really be able to experience salvation.  To be really saved we need to believe “on” the Lord Jesus, ride on His shoulders, and leave everything in His hands. If we believe in Christ, we are saved spiritually and we are given strength to be victorious in all areas of our lives.  No matter what comes our way unexpectantly we are able to stand firmly without being shaken.  That is because we have been saved spiritually and because of our faith.

III.            The happiness and joy of believing in God as result of the whole family believing in God  (vs.33-34)

Finally let’s look at the result of the jailor’s conversation with Paul and Silas over what he needed to do in order to be saved.  Paul and Silas told the jailor, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved-you and your household.” (31) Then Paul and Silas “spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house.  At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his family were baptized.” (32, 33) Then the jailer brought Paul and Silas to his home and fed them. The jailor “was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God-he and his whole family.” (34) It happened as Paul said it would.  If you “Believe in the Lord Jesus,” then “you will be saved-you and your household.” (31)

Just as Paul said, when the jailor believed in Jesus, both the jailor and his family were saved.  From this we get the idea that if one person in the family is saved then automatically everyone in the family will be saved.  However, that isn’t what this passage is teaching.  It is said that this passage’s translation is not clear. The NIV translation of verse 31 is “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved-you and your household.” (31) A literal translation of this verse is, “Believe in the Lord, Jesus. Then you will be saved. You also. Your family also.”  Any one who believes will be saved.  However, if you don’t believe then you won’t be saved. If someone in your family is saved and you do nothing else, then everyone will not be automatically saved.  In verse 32 we can see that the jailor’s family as well as the jailor listened to the Word of God.  Then both the jailor and his household were baptized. Then the jailor was filled with joy because his family as well has himself had believed and were saved.  However, when one person in the family is saved, that salvation influences the whole family.

This should challenge the way we live out our faith.  In other words, our faith shouldn’t be one fishing pole, but a net in which the whole family should be saved.  We should pray that not only we will be saved, but that our whole family will be saved.

“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved-you and your household.” (31) To be saved the only thing we need to do is believe in our Lord Jesus. We don’t have to study anything.  Of course studying the Bible is important, but the most important thing is believing。God’s son who became man, Jesus Christ died on the cross to forgive us of our sins. Three days later he rose and completed the way to salvation.  What is important is whether we have accepted this salvation or not.

John 6:47

Do you believe in Jesus Christ?  If there is anyone here who doesn’t believe, this morning please believe in Jesus Christ.  Is there any one here that has family members who have not saved?  Let’s pray for their salvation.  And then like the jailor let’s have joy because our whole family is saved.

              Timothy joined Paul and Silas in Lystra and then Luke joined the group in Troas. The group realized that God was calling them to Macedonia so immediately they set sail from Troas for Samothrace.  The next day they went on to Neapolis. From there they traveled on to Philippi.  There they met 2 women.  One “was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira”. (14)  The other was “a slave girl who had a spirit by which she predicted the future.” (16)  Both of these women teach us the importance of having our hearts opened by the Lord.  The Lord opened Lydia’s “heart to respond to Paul’s message” and she believed in the Lord and was baptized. (14)  She was so overwhelmed with joy that she invited them to her house and showed hospitality to the group. On the other hand, the fortune teller seemed to recognize the evangelism of Paul, but in reality she didn’t. That was because she didn’t have a relationship with Christ nor was she saved. Therefore, having our hearts opened is so important so today let’s look at 3 aspects of the Lord opening our hearts.

I.                Lydia who had her heart opened by the Lord

First let’s look at Lydia who had her heart opened by the Lord.  Paul who had been led by the Holy Spirit to go to Macedonia first went to Philippi, which was the major city in Macedonia.  This was the way Paul always evangelized.  He always went to a major city and then from there went to large cities, then smaller cities, and then towns, and then villages. The capital of Macedonia was Thessalonica.  Paul probably chose Philippi because it was only around 10 Km. from Neapolis where the ship had landed.  Not only was it near Neapolis, but it was a major city and it was a “miniature Rome,” under the municipal law of Rome and governed by two military officers, the duumviri, who were appointed directly from Rome. Philippi was established by the King of Macedon, Philip II so the city was called Philippi. In 41B.C. Mark Antony and Octavian were victorious in the final battle.  They released some of their veteran soldiers, and colonized them in the city. In 30 B.C. Octavian became Roman emperor, reorganized the colony, and established more settlers there gradually making it into a “miniature Rome”.  For Paul who was striving to evangelize in Europe, this “miniature Rome” was a town that he really wanted to evangelize in.

After staying their several days, on the Sabbath they went outside the city gate to the river where there was a place of prayer, “sat down, and began to speak to the women who had gathered there.” (13)  At this time, there was barely a Jewish community and there was no synagogue.  Those Jews present met by the river, a common meeting place in the absence of a synagogue.  If there are 10 Jewish men, they could build a Jewish synagogue, but the Jewish population was so small that there was no synagogue.  In verse 13 men are not even mentioned.  Paul spoke to the Jewish women.  This shows us how strong the Roman influence was in Philippi and how small the Jewish population was. 

Therefore, the meager Jewish population met at a place of prayer down at the river every Sabbath.  It was to this group of women that Paul spoke.  In the group of women there was a woman named Lydia “who was a worshiper of God.” (14)  To be called a “worshipper of God” meant that she was not Jewish, but she believed in the one and only God which the Jews believed in, and she worshipped God every Sabbath.  She probably entered the Jewish faith while she was in Thyatira.  Even though she was probably extremely busy as a business woman, she made the worship of God the center of her life.  This day too was the Sabbath so she took the day off and went to the place of prayer and worshipped God.  She desired to worship God and that is why she went to the place of prayer.  It was this desire to worship God that led her to Paul.

Paul “sat down, and began to speak to the women who had gathered there.” (13) This “worshipper of God” Lydia listened intently to what Paul was saying and “The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message.” (14)  This is a really important thing.  There were other women there.  Everyone there probably believed in the God of the Old Testament.  They all prayed.  They all heard the message.  However, the person who was saved by the message was only the person whose heart was opened by the Lord and responded to the message.  Even though all heard the same message, not all believed.  Only those who had their hearts opened by the Lord were saved.

This “opened heart” (14) is the same as “their eyes were opened and they recognized him” in Luke 24:31 and “opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures” in Luke 24:45.  In other words, for a person to really understand the Word of God, our hearts need to be opened when we read the Bible and listen to the sermon.  The Bible was written by God’s Spirit in order to tell us about God. Therefore, to understand it we must ourselves read it and listen to messages and at the same time have God open our hearts to it.  Those who have their hearts opened to God, receive new grace daily from God as they read the Word of God.     

We often say that we meet the Lord in worship.  By this we mean that we understood the message of the Word of God that was being preached.  Our eyes are opened and we realize that the passage is about Jesus Christ.  For example it is the experience like Joseph who slept using a stone for a pillow.  When he woke up, he proclaimed, “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I was not aware of it. How awesome is this place!  This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven.” (Genesis 28:16, 17)  It is to know that God is here. It is like the experience of the 2 disciples on the way to Emmas when they recognized Jesus.  We too when we hear the sermon or read the Bible we come to the realization that this is Christ or Christ is our savior.  It is times like this that our hearts have been opened by the Holy Spirit. We need to seek to meet the Lord and be touched by the Lord’s hand as we read the Bible and listen to the message.

Jesus told the parable about the sowing of the seeds to teach about this type of heart.  In this parable Jesus is teaching us that sometimes the Word of God is snatched right out of our hearts.  In other cases the Word of God never takes root so that person is o.k. for a short time, but when problems or persecution comes, that person falls away.  For others their hearts are hard and the things of this world keep the Word of God from taking root and bearing fruit.  The word of God which is planted in good soil grows up and bears much fruit, 10 times, 30 times and 100 times over.  (Matt. 13:19-23)  In other words, the way we listen is of very big importance. 

When the word of God is spoken through the message and there is “response” in our hearts, the Lord will always work and will open our hearts. In other words, a person that hears a message and is not moved at all has a heart that is closed hard. That type of person needs to pray for the Lord to break up their heart until the soil is soft. Our hearts need to be soft when we hear the Word of God.  Then God will work and save our souls.

II.              “A believer in the Lord” (vs. 15)

When the Lord opened Lydia’s “heart to respond to Paul’s message”, Lydia “and the members of her household were baptized.” (14, 15)  For Lydia who worshipped the one and true Jewish God, and who had entered the Jewish faith to be baptized meant she believed that Jesus was the Savior that they had been waiting and waiting for. Even if a person believes in the all powerful God of the Old Testament, if he doesn’t believe that the Messiah is Christ, then that means that he really doesn’t believe in the God of the Bible.

John 10:30

John 12:44

We must believe in Jesus Christ in order to be saved.  To believe in Christ means to believe that Jesus is Messiah.  Lydia accepted Christ as the Messiah, her Savior.  Not only that, but she led her whole family and those who worked in her home to Christ, and they were all baptized.

After the baptism she said to Paul, “If you consider me a believer in the Lord…come and stay at my house.” (15)  She said “If you consider me a believer”  because it means that Lydia too would be taking part in the ministry of sharing the Gospel and that she too like Paul would be making many sacrifices and facing many troubles.

Paul did not from the beginning make plans for going to Europe.  Therefore, he probably didn’t have all the money he needed for the trip. When he went to Corinth he made tents to support himself.  Lydia realized the greatness of the Gospel and therefore, she too wanted to live for the Gospel.  She wanted to be a part of the ministry of sharing the Gospel and help Paul who led her to a wonderful salvation. She did this by being hospitable to Paul and the missionary team.

This wasn’t just an emotional commitment for a moment.  We can see that Lydia’s commitment continued by Paul’s words in Philip. 1:5. Lydia’s service came from love and dedication that sprang up from belief in Christ.  “From the first day until now” (Philip. 1:5) Lydia continually shared in the ministry of the Gospel. It wasn’t just a one time commitment.  She must have been overflowing in joy as a result of being saved.  This was the root of the Philippian evangelism and as a result a great Church was built up.

Today we often hear people complain that the church is full of women only and there are few men.  However, women have always been a huge strength in the Christian church. Women have supported and help up the church.  For example, Romans 16:2, 4, 13.  Probably Lydia too helped Paul but understanding him, co-operating with him, by being like a mother and friend to him.  She was someone who lived a life of a beautiful faith.

However, in the Church being a man or a woman makes no difference.  Both men and women can be considered as believers and help and minister.  They both can dedicate themselves and help set the foundation of the church and help build up the church.

III.            Being touched by God’s love (vs. 16-18)

Paul evangelized in Philippi for some time after Lydia was saved. During that time another amazing episode occurred. Another time when Paul and the team were going to the place of prayer they met “a slave girl who had a spirit by which she predicted the future.” (16)  This girl followed Paul and team, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” (17)  This happened not just one day, but “She kept this up for many days.” (18)  Finally Paul got so frustrated with her that he cast the spirit out of her.  The question is why Paul cast out the spirit.  It doesn’t seem like what she was doing was bad.  She was shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” (17) That’s the purpose that Paul and the team came to Philippi to do.  Especially when you consider that Philippi was a “miniature Rome” so probably no one was really interested in what Paul was saying.  Therefore, it would seem to be to Paul’s benefit that a good fortune teller would be shouting to everyone, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” (17) More people would be apt to listen to Paul.  Therefore, you would think that Paul would be happy for her help.  However, Paul cast the spirit out.  Why did he do that?

1.                                  “Paul became so troubled” (18) The girl who had a spirit was so loud and disturbing.  What she was saying was not wrong, but why she was saying it was wrong.  Satan wasn’t concerned with the contents.  He just wanted to disturb and disrupt Paul. If what she was doing was right, then she herself should have believed in and followed Christ.  However, in her heart she had no intention of doing so.  This proves that her words were not from the Holy Spirit, but from Satan.  In this age, this is one thing that we must be careful about is the thinking that if the contents are good, then no matter who says it or for what purpose they say it, it is good.  Doctrine needs not only to be correct, but the motive of the person who is speaking it is also important.  If the person is not following his own doctrine, then it can’t be doctrine at all.

2.                                  As long as a heretical fortune teller is spreading, “the way of the Most High God”, those who hear her would assume that “the Most High God” was a god, not the God of the Bible. In fact, the name “the Most High God” was used for Roman and Greek gods.  “Salvation” was also talked about in Greek and Roman religions.  Therefore, the fact that this girl followed Paul and team, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” (17) could have been a source on confusion making people think that Paul was preaching about other gods.

Therefore, what the slave girl who had a spirit was saying was not wrong, but it was a big problem.  It was because what she was saying had no content to it.  She had no salvation.  She did not open her heart to the Lord. When she said, “the Most High God” (17) her meaning was much different than Paul’s meaning of the Savior, Jesus Christ.

Lydia was the same.  Before she was a “worshipper of God”.  Before she met Paul she believed in the God of the Old Testament, the creator of heaven and earth.  However, just knowing about God wasn’t enough.  There was no salvation.  In order to be saved, she had to have her heart opened by Jesus Christ. She had to believe in Jesus Christ.  We receive the Christian faith by meeting Christ and being touched by him.  There are a lot of people who say that they believe in god.  The difference in believing in god and having faith in Jesus Christ is when we have a relationship with Christ believing that Jesus died for me on the cross, paying the price for my sin. Jesus rose for me.  That’s how much Jesus loves me. When Lydia entered the faith, the reason she dedicated herself and wanted to minister so much came for the realization that Jesus loved her so much and died for her.  Therefore, she was overflowing with thankfulness and was willing to give herself and her home to the Lord.

Romans 5:7, 8

God loves us so much that he was willing to die for us sinners.  Therefore, we should be willing to give ourselves and our home to the Lord who loved us so much that he died for us on the cross and touched our hearts.

Lydia was touched by the love of Christ.  We have been touched too.  We are really changed when we realize how much Christ has done for us. When we realize that Jesus died on the cross for us and loves us then we will be changed and be willing to give are all to Christ.  May the Lord open our hearts. May the grace of salvation from the love of the Lord’s cross be abundantly upon each person here today. Then our lives will be completely new.