Men so there in Acts chapter 18. We're just kind of continuing on more with Paul's
Missionary journeys here going from place to place and we'll pick it up there in verse 1
It says after these things, of course the events of Acts 17
He departed from Athens and came to Corinth and found a certain Jew named Aquila born in Pontus lately come from Italy with his wife
Priscilla because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to part out to part from Rome and came unto them and
Because and because he was of the same craft he abode with them and brought for by their occupation there were tent makers
so, you know, we don't get a lot of glimpses into some of the
Characters in the Bible about their personal lives. You don't get a lot of you know, maybe the finer details
But you know here we do see that Paul is somebody
You know that was a tent maker, you know, it's it's that's kind of what he did as an occupation
That's how he made money. Okay. Now just real quickly
I'd like to point out here the fact that Paul was not a pastor. You have to keep this in mind that Paul
Obviously was ordained of God. He was an apostle
He was establishing churches
But he himself was not a pastor as we know it today
obviously a pastor is somebody that has to be married and has to have
Children and so on and so forth amongst other things and those are two things that Paul did not did not have
He did not have a wife
He did not have children and therefore he was never really qualified to be a pastor
But you know that really wasn't what he was called to obviously this is the beginning of the church
He had a real specific mission
Given to him by God to God actually established churches and ordained elders and to help that that that early church to take
To take its you know foothold
So that's not really what he was called to but all the same we see in Paul's life
there were times when he did and did not take wages from the church and that's important to point out because sometimes people will point to
Apostle Paul and say see pastor should not be paid. But what they failed to realize is that he wasn't a pastor
He's not a good example
Okay
Now he is actually an example somebody who did take wages at times and at other times did not take wages if you would
go over to
2nd Corinthians chapter number 11
I'll just remind us of 1st Timothy 5 where it says that the elders
That rule well be counted worthy of double honor and the honor that it's referring to there is
Financially taking care of their needs financially because
You know pastors people who are in the work of God full-time that are devoted to the ministry
You know that they have to live of the gospel, you know, they that preach the gospel should also live of the gospel
It's ordained that they would be supported by the local church if possible and he's saying that the elders that rule
Well should be counted worthy of double honor. See how do you know that's talking about?
Finances well if you get into 1st 1st Timothy 5 that's kind of the context of the scripture
It's talking about taking widows into the number, you know, you know providing for your own
You know how to care for widows and other things it's speaking financially providing for their needs physically in this in this world
So that's kind of the context of 1st Timothy 5
So we know that when it gets down to verse 17
It says let the elders it will well be counted worthy of double honor
Especially they who labor in the word of doctrine
For the scriptures say it thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn and the labor is worthy of his rewards
He was referring back to the Old Testament example
That they were not to muzzle the ox that treaded out the corn being at the auction be able to eat of the work
Right that the husbandman was to be first partaker of the fruits that he was that kept the flock should also
You know take be able to eat of the flock as well. Okay, so
Paul again is an example of somebody who did and did not take wages at different times in his life here
In acts 18 we see that he wrought with his hands, you know, because he was a tent maker
He was providing he had a means by which to support himself when it was necessary. Obviously there was times in his life
When that's what he needed to do. There was no one there to support him
There was no church established or maybe that church wasn't able to provide for him or whatever
He was able to work with his hands and had a skill, right and obviously
You know, this is kind of a sub point that I'm just kind of making up the cuff here
But I think it's a good principle too is that we don't want to be people who are just one-sided. Okay a lot of times
You know people will be really good in one area
But not so good in other area and what I what I where I get that is that when you think about Paul Paul is
Obviously a very learned man
He's a very scholarly man. He was brought up at the feet of Gamaliel. I mean he knew his stuff, right?
He knew the Bible is very intellectual, right? He was very learned
Okay, but also he's a tent maker which is a very manual basic labor kind of job
I think it's very good especially as young men that we get an equal balance of that
We don't want to be all blue-collar and no white-collar, you know, we should know how to change a tire
We should know how to change a battery in a car. We should know how to you know use hand tools and things like that
I'm not saying you got to be some master craftsman
But as the joke goes that they can't find you handsome. They should at least find you handy, right?
That's that's kind of the joke that's out there those of you that you know, no red-green
You know where that joke comes from, but you know that that one always stuck with me, right?
if they can't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy because
You know if you can't wow them with your looks you might get them with your you know
Your utility right your your ability to to do things. Okay, and
I think that's a good point here to make is that Paul was somebody who yes was very smart very intellectual very intelligent
You know had a lot of skill in that area
But also had some very practical skills that helped him to just survive in the world
You know just to be able to make it day by day and to be able to provide for himself and obviously Paul is also
a very unique
Individual not exactly somebody we should look to as an example of how to you know, treat pastors
Necessarily when it comes to paying them because the fact that he didn't have a wife because he wasn't a pastor
He was able to travel
Freely, you know, he was able to his needs were obviously a lot less
I mean he's making tents who know it's not like he had to turn out a hundred of these things
You know to provide for a family of eight or something. He's just providing for himself. Okay?
but again, he is somebody that
You know did from time to time take wages if you look there in 2nd Corinthians chapter number 11
He says in verse 7 have I committed offense and abasing myself that you may be exalted because I have preached to you the gospel
Of God freely. I robbed other churches. Obviously. He's being sarcastic here. He didn't literally rob churches
But he's saying I robbed other churches taking wages of them to do your new service
He's saying I took what they supplied and did you service I didn't do them service. So that's like the Rob there
That's kind of like the sense of how he robbed them. Maybe in a way. He's saying it to them like you're kind of making it
That you know that I had to rob these people so that I could come and help you right because you're not doing your end
I robbed other churches taking wages of them to do you service and when I was present with you and wanted meaning
Had need I was chargeable to no man. I didn't go around begging. I didn't go around asking for money
For that which was lacking to me brethren which came from Macedonia supplied and in all things that kept myself from being burdensome unto you
And so will I keep myself?
so obviously he's talking specifically to the Corinthian people here, but he's saying I didn't wasn't charged with you because my
Needs were being met by those of Macedonia. So there were times we see where he was
Receiving wages from other people he's being taken care of by the Macedonians here and other times relabored such as in Acts chapter 18
And if you want to go over to see where you're at, you're there in second Corinthians. Why don't you head over to?
Second Corinthians chapter number three second, excuse me second Thessalonians chapter number three second Thessalonians chapter number three
He said first Thessalonians to remember brethren our labor and travail for laboring night and day because we would not be chargeable unto you
So there were times when Paul labored night and day there were times where he took wages of from the church
He said a verse
Excuse me
Philippians chapter 4 now withstanding you've done well that you did communicate with my affliction and that communicate there is about it's time about giving
money
Right, like he's told like Paul told Timothy in 1st Timothy 6 that the rich that those that that that are rich that they be
That they be ready to communicate willing to distribute laying up store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come
Right, they that that have wealth should do good to be rich and good works ready to distribute willing to communicate meaning use their wealth
To lay up for themselves and store a good foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold on eternal life
He's saying they shouldn't just hoard riches to themselves and just you know
Just please themselves, but that they should communicate there. Okay, so that's what he's saying in Philippians
I know that's not where you are
But he said no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving but she only for in Thessalonica
You sent once again. It's my necessity. So again, there's just another example where he is taking wages of the church
You're in second Thessalonians chapter 3 look at verse 5 and the Lord direct your hearts and the love of God into the patient waiting
For Christ now we command you brethren in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that you draw yourselves from every brother that walketh
disorderly
Pay attention that word disorderly. It comes up several times in this passage
And not after the tradition which you have received of us and what is the tradition that they have received?
That they should people should work and they should provide for themselves. So there were times when Paul
Elected not to work to make himself an example to other people
Because sometimes and for example in Thessalonica there were people that were not working
So he said I'm gonna make myself an example to you and I'm bringing all this up because people like to turn to Paul
and say see
Pastors and and church workers should not be paid, you know, they shouldn't be paid. Well, there's a reason behind
What behind what why Paul did what he did?
Right. He didn't just it wasn't that he always did one thing or the other. Sometimes he did take wages
Sometimes he didn't you have to look at the the context
He says in verse 7 for yourselves know how you ought to follow us for we behaved not ourselves
Disorderly, so there's that word again among you neither
Did we eat man any man's bread for naught but we wrought with labor and travail night and day that we might not be
chargeable to any of you
So he's saying again, what's the disorderliness here? It's it's when you are not working, right? We didn't behave ourselves disorderly
We didn't eat any men's bread for not we labored night and day
Not because we have not power to make ourselves in a sample
Excuse me, not that we because we have not power
He said we could eat bread of other we could eat other men's bread. We have that power. We have the power to
Receive wages of the church
He's saying neither do we any man's bread for not but we brought with labor travel travail night and day not because we have not
Power but to make ourselves in a sample unto you to follow us, right?
What's the problem is that some people are walking disorderly? So when he's there he says we're not gonna receive wages
We're gonna show people how it ought to be done
For even when we were with you this we commanded that if any would not work
Neither should he eat now make a bumper sticker out of that
Slap that verse in the back of your car, you know and and and go down to these these turnpikes and things like that
These off ramps if any that should not work neither should he eat, you know
And the principle here is that sometimes people need to hit rock bottom
And that's when they'll start to get their life together and start to get their act together
You know people might not like to hear it
but I'm telling you one of the worst things you could do for these people that are banging on side of the road is give
them money and
There's been people that have been in that position that I've heard from who said exactly that
They said the worst thing that people did for me when I was in that position was give me money
It wasn't till I hit rock bottom and I realized I was gonna either have to get my act together
Or I was gonna starve to death. Okay, and the Bible says if a man doesn't work neither. Should he eat? Okay
Verse 11 for we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly working not also not at all
So what's the disorderliness here? It's the failure to work. They're not in order. They don't have their house in order, but our busybodies
Now they that are such we command into an exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ that with quietness
They work and eat their own bread. So that is the disorderliness that they weren't working and
Just you know to remedy that he said that they need to work and eat their own bread with quietness
So again, this is just all
To make my first point that Paul is unique
He's not somebody really want to look to to say hey should a pastor be paid or not paid
Because of the fact that there he did both right? He was paid and not paid
There's times where he took wages times when he didn't times when he was bivocational times when he received wages of the church
And the fact that he just wasn't a pastor
He's not the model that we look to
He did command as I quoted earlier in first 75 that the late that the elders at Ruel should be kind of worthy of double honor
And I don't want to preach that whole sermon and I think everybody gets that but you know, it's there
You know the Bible's giving us these details
He has this in common with Priscilla and Aquila that they were tent makers. That was their trade showing us that he was somebody
Who could not only you know preach and do these these, you know intellectual type of work
But also work with his hands when he needed to
What else happened there when he was?
It come into Corinth we'll look at verse 4
he said he reasoned in a synagogue every Sabbath and persuaded the Jews and Greeks and
Again, I pointed this out last week that this is just how he's conducting himself in the ministry
This isn't the only place he preached as we just saw last week in acts 17. He was in Mars Hill
Preaching to the Stoics and the epicureans and others going in the marketplace
But this was a practice that he had we've seen it consistently throughout the book of Acts that he would go into the synagogues
Not because he's hung up although we are gonna see some things that he's having a hard time letting go of some of
The things of Judaism that he he's he's making mistakes
But he's going in there because people are getting saved in the synagogues. People are going in there the Greeks and the Jews both
He goes and he persuaded the Jews and the Greeks. Okay, so he's going in there for a reason not to observe
Their religion to go in there and to convince them that Jesus is the Christ
Okay
in verse 5 it says and when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia Paul was pressed in the spirit and
Testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ and when they opposed themselves and blasphemed
He shook his raiment and said of them your blood be upon your upon your own heads
I am clean from henceforth. I will go into the Gentiles now. That's a statement he's made before and
We can debate whether or not how consistent he was about that but go to 2nd Timothy chapter number 2
It's kind of reminding me a few other passages and we kind of see
You know Paul's I believe I just he had a discernment here, you know
His motives and his discernment of when to call it quits with people, you know at a certain point. You just have to let people
You know
They've made their own bed. They got sleep in it kind of a thing. Okay
When he went in there, it says he was pressed in the spirit
Okay, and it doesn't say the Holy Spirit pressed upon him. It says it was his spirit. He was pressed in his spirit
He was burdened to go into the synagogue and to go in there and to testify to the Jews of Jesus Christ
So he had a burden. We know he had a great burden for his kinsmen in the flesh the Jews
So that's a good thing. Right the Bible tells us in 2nd Timothy chapter number 2
And look at verse 24. It says the servant Lord must not strive but be gentle unto all men
You know, that is how we are to conduct ourselves in this world. We want to be gentle unto all men
App to teach patient patient and meekness instructing those that what opposed themselves, which is the exact same language
We just read back in Acts 18 when they opposed themselves
When they're resisting the truth, okay, there comes a point. Yes. We want to be meek. We want to be gentle
We want to instruct you want to teach but when people begin to oppose themselves
And it's interesting it uses that language that they're opposing themselves
We like to think that they're opposing us but really what they're fighting their own their own selves, right? They're really fighting
The the calling the pulling and of the Holy Spirit in their own hearts, right as Christ said to Paul
It's difficult for thee to kick against the pricks
Right when there was the prodding the Holy Spirit the moving
In his own heart, you know, he resisted that he opposed himself
Okay, and a lot of times when people resist us to really they're opposing themselves
So they're you know, people are their own worst enemy. It's kind of another way to say that
Right, and that's something to keep mind when you're you know, trying to when you are in meekness
Trying to instruct and teach other people, you know, your heart is in the right place your spirits in the right place
You have a burden
You know and and they might even you know, uh, and treat you badly, you know, they might they might treat you poorly
But you have to remember that they haven't rejected you. They've rejected Christ, okay
And he says in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth
And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil who are taken captive by him at his will okay
And you know, this is kind of ties in with what we see here
In acts chapter number 17 if you want to keep something in second timothy go to titus chapter 3 again
You'll see some similar language
So paul, you know, he's pressed in the spirit
I believe he's going into the synagogue to testify to these jews that jesus is christ. He's doing it probably with gentleness
He's going in there with meekness instructing those that oppose themselves
But you know there comes a point in that story. It says that they oppose themselves and blasphemed
So now they're blaspheming christ. They're they're full on rejecting what it is that he's teaching them
And he says that he shook his raiment quite literally. He's he's doing this, you know, this is just
Something that they did back then, you know, they you know, it was symbolic, you know
Like they used to you know, they would a lot of times you'll hear how they rend their clothes. They rent their clothes
Obviously that was very a dramatic gesture to show that you were upset his clothing had such you know
It was so much more valuable back then
You know, it's not like hull kogan just like, you know, he just gets another t-shirt, right? So
Um that you know, that's kind of the example there he's and he's kind of doing that symbolically like i'm shaking you out of my lap
You know, like we might do look at it like something like that, you know, it's kind of a a dismissive gesture, right?
So that's the stuff what he I believe is going on there
Uh when he says that he shook his raiment
And he said to them your blood be upon your own heads. I am clean. He said, you know what I tried
I went I tried to teach you I tried to instruct you. I tried to show you that jesus was the christ
And not only did you reject it and resist it that you blasphemed. Okay
And when people begin to blaspheme christ, you know, that's when you're well on your way to becoming a reprobate
That's when you're you know, god's going to you know, you want to resist god and not retain him in your knowledge
And and and you know god's going to end up giving you up giving you over
Okay
But notice there I should have had you read but in second timothy chapter number two i'll just read to you it says in verse 23
Of course, we want to be gentle. Of course. We want to be meek
We want to instruct that people may recover themselves, but that passage begins with this statement but foolish and unlearned questions avoid
Knowing they do gender stripes. Okay
Now I don't know that any of us is going to run into you know, a group of blaspheming jews today
We're gonna go into some synagogue and try to instruct them and then we're gonna be happy to the point
We're at the shake out our raiment and say your blood be upon your own heads. Okay
Here's what might happen is we might go out in meekness instructing others
And then you start to hear all the foolish and unlearned questions, right?
It might not even be the blaspheming that takes place
But we're gonna start you you'll start to hear people
Of course, you'll hear scoffing and mockery and ridicule and other things
But a lot of times when you're preaching the gospel people will just start they want to talk about everything else
You know, they want to bring up their foolish and unlearned questions. Now. It doesn't say avoid all questions. It says unlearned questions, right?
Sometimes people ask questions that you know, they they're not you know, they're not trying to learn anything
It's just it's just kind of speculation
Doesn't the bible say or what about you know, they it's unlearned, you know
An alerted question be one where you're trying to figure out something in the scripture you you're wrestling with something
You're you're trying to get to the bottom of something you understand some concept and you're looking for some deeper insight
So i'm not trying to say avoid all questions. Obviously not there's nothing wrong with questions. It's the foolish and unlearned ones
Well, I mean could god make a rock so big that he couldn't lift it
You know, well who cares so that's a foolish question
You know, it's a hypothetical
It's stupid. It's unlearned
Okay, avoid it
You know some but there's some people they want to they want to go down that rabbit trail. Okay, he's saying avoid these things. Okay
Look at titus chapter 3 verse 9, but avoid foolish questions. What else and genealogies
Okay, this would have had a lot more relevance back then when they were you know
Would actually perhaps even be able to prove some kind of a bloodline
and contentions
You know some people just they want to fight and strivings about the law
Okay
For they are unprofitable and vain so when we're out there and meekness instructing those
That oppose themselves, you know, we don't want to get wrapped up in some of these things
We want to make sure that we want to proverbially, you know at some point know when to shake off our arraignment
And as jesus said, you know to shake the dust off our feet and to move on to the next place
Because a lot of times this is what people they people get hung up on these things they get a new contention
They want to prove that what they know about the bible. They they hear some foolish or unlearned question
And they know the answer to that and they want to
They want to prove this person wrong. They want to show what they know
But you know, it's unprofitable and it's vain because that person that's asking that foolish or unlearned question
They're not trying to gain knowledge. They're not they're not they're not you know, they're not sincere
They're just going to pull out the next one, you know
They're just going to pull out their next supposed contradiction or whatever it is their next foolish or unlearned question
They'll they'll just it'll like the answer will go one in here out the other
And meanwhile, we're there caught up
Trying to you know instruct and teach somebody who has no desire to really learn
It just wants to contend
You know, there's some poor soul down the street who actually wants to hear and know the truth and would get saved
So this is why it's important to understand this when to just walk away
I'm, not saying you have to be as dramatic as paul here. It's you know, your blood be upon your own heads, you know
We could still obviously paul's being very dramatic for a very
Specific reason okay?
You know, we could still politely excuse ourselves say have a nice day
Hit him with a god bless you on the way out. You know, they you don't know how they'll take that sometimes
And just move on go find the next guy, right?
Verse 10 titus 3 it says a man that is an heretic after the first and second admonition reject
You know, someone's just denying christ denying some you know
doctrine some essential
You know, uh
Doctrine they're they're teaching some damnable heresy
You know, they get one or two admonitions at the most and then it's reject that person
Why knowing that he is that he that is such one that is a damn, you know as a heretic
Is subverted
And sin it being condemned of himself. He opposes himself. He's condemned himself
Look, there's some people unfortunately, we just can't reach in this world. Well, we can't help
And it's not because god, you know, uh, can't save them it's because they oppose themselves
And sometimes we just have to accept that there's going to be some people that just they're their own worst enemy
Did I have you keep something in second timothy
I should have go ahead and continue to keep something there. We'll go back to acts chapter number 18 ruban's story
so he you know has his uh, his tearful goodbye his is his
Hallmark moment there in the synagogue, you know his sweet little adieu
With the jews, you know telling them. Hey your blood's on your own head
And he departed thanks for seven and and entered in a certain man's house named justice one that worshiped god
whose house joined hard to the synagogue and I believe it's just talking about the fact that
His family or his house was somebody that was very deeply involved with that synagogue there
They were joined hard to it and crispus the chief ruler of the synagogue believed in the lord with all his house
And many of the corinthians hearing believed and were baptized
And again, thank you know that ties right into what I was just saying
that if we learn when to say enough and just
Shake our arraignment
And move on from people that are their own worst enemy that oppose themselves. There's other people
That are ready willing and able to be saved right and notice who is getting saved
It's people that are in a similar situation
As the people in verses four through six, right?
They were jews in the synagogue and here you have justice and crispus the chief ruler of the synagogue, right?
So we can't we don't want to just write people off because of a particular circumstance or demographic that they're in
Okay, you have to take people on an individual basis
But he's saying, you know if we learn to do like paul did recognize that some people are opposing themselves
We can go find the people that aren't opposing themselves and get things to get something done
The chief ruler of the synagogue believed with all his house and many of the corinthians hearing
About crispus and the things that paul taught
They they believed and were baptized, right?
but what if paul had just stayed in there with those blaspheming jews and just continued to try to
Preach christ to them
You know, I mean what would have happened?
But what it would uh justice and crispus and all these corinthians believe and gotten out of the church
you know if he would just decided to stay in there and just you know,
And just beat his head against the wall
with these people
No, of course not. So again, it all ties in second timothy titus
We need to
recognize when people are their own worst enemies
Reject them knowing that they're subverted
And are condemned of themselves
Look at verse nine. It says then spake the lord to paul in the night by a vision
Be not afraid but speak
And hold not thy peace now
This is so interesting to me that god had to come and tell paul this. What did he tell him?
Basically, he's saying don't be afraid right be not afraid speak and hold not thy peace because you'd think
That at this point what does paul have to be afraid of you know, maybe he understands
More than others what that there really is something to be afraid of
When he's being beaten and imprisoned and stoned and everything else
You know, but sometimes we can read this and just get this idea that paul's just this
You know, obviously he was very bold and he was very courageous in the holy spirit
Right, but we can have this idea that he was some kind of superhuman
Right like that. He was
You know that he wasn't, you know a man of uh, of like temptations right that he wasn't like us in some way
But he was
You know, he he was a man just like the rest of us. He was flesh and blood just like the rest of us
The proof is is that god had to come to him and bolster him and say be not afraid, right?
Why would god have to say that if paul wasn't afraid?
It'd be it'd be stupid
I mean god's just like, uh paul, uh
Um, uh, I don't know be not afraid like he's just trying to like he doesn't know what to say in the moment
No, he's showing up in a vision tonight and and telling him this for a very specific reason because paul was afraid
Okay, so we don't want to we don't want to you know
Put paul on a pedestal and think that he's some kind of some kind of superhuman
Obviously, he's a great man of god
Obviously he's greatly used by god
But he's still flesh and blood as he said he had we had just like us we had this treasure in earthen vessels
He still has flesh and blood. He still has weakness. He still has faults. He still has shortcomings
He still has doubts. Yay. He even has fears. That's why god's coming and telling him to be not afraid
Even paul is somebody that could fear
I'll just read you in ephesians chapter number six
He said in verse 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication the spirit and watching there in two with all perseverance and supplication
For all saints he's saying here's I want you to pray for all the saints
Verse 19 and for me he's saying pray for me
That utterance may be given unto me and that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel
For which I am an ambassador in bonds that therein I may speak boldly as I ought
to speak
He's saying I know I ought to speak boldly
He's saying but I could I still need your prayers so that I will speak about boldly as I ought to
He's saying pray for me that I can open up my mouth and speak boldly
You say why does he have to be prayed for that? Why do you why is he asking prayer for that because
It's not as easy as it might look sometimes. I don't know that I make it look at all that easy
Right, but it's just a reminder to me that even great bold men of god, you know, they need that prayer
A large part of the reason of why they speak boldly
Is because they have been the cells been in prayer and others are praying for them
It's not an easy thing to get up and preach boldly as you ought to
Which is why there's a there's a dearth of that in our land
That's why bold preaching just stands out today because there's so little of it left. Okay
And again, it's is he he's saying pray for me that I should say the things that I should
The problem today is not what's being said. It's what's not being said
That's the problem today
It's real easy to get up and be the charismatic nice guy and just be sweet and charming and entertaining
and tell the jokes and
and just make everybody feel good and scratch the backs and and everything else and
And just talk about all the nice things in the word of god, you know
But there's a lot of other things that need to be covered
There's a lot of other things that are very pertinent today
to the day and age that we're living in that the bible addresses that a lot of people don't want to touch with the
Touch of the 10-foot pole because they know it'll make people mad
Because it'll know it'll get them on the 11 o'clock news
Because they know that you know, it'll it'll thin the crowd in the church house, right?
But you know what?
We should not be afraid of those things
as god's preachers
You know and and and when you have a bold preacher pray for a bold preacher
You know, I I thank god that you know when i'm I listen to the prayers when you know what i'm getting up here
And often that's what I hear, you know help the deacon
to preach boldly
And I say amen help me. I need that prayer
You know every man of god does
Even paul needed that I mean he's literally asking for it in effusions
Pray for me that I may open my mouth boldly and make known the mystery of the gospel
You know, that's one thing to preach in the pulpit, you know, but even god's people mean that when they're out soul winning
To to make your open your mouth and make known the mystery of the gospel
It takes boldness to walk up to someone's door
And knock on it and say good morning
Where are you going when you die?
That's people don't wake up in the morning going. I wonder if someone's going to ask me that, you know
That's the farthest thing from their mind
Right, it takes boldness to walk up and confront somebody about their soul
Okay, and obviously, you know as we do it we get more comfortable with that. We use tact
Maybe we could you know, everyone has their own way of doing things
I'm not saying there's one size fits all for for how that ought to be done
But however you do it, does it not take boldness?
It takes boldness to go out there and knock doors and and try to present the gospel to people. Okay?
So pray for one another that you that we all have boldness in the church
Pray for men of god pray for me pray that you know more men of god more men of god who know the truth would preach it
Because here's the thing folks these guys that aren't preaching it. It's not because they're stupid
You think these people don't know what the bible says
You think they've never read genesis 19 judges 19. They think they don't know what leviticus 18
leviticus 20
And all these other passages they just want to kind of hop right over and never talk about
Do you think they really you really think they don't know what romans one says jude second peter two
They you think they don't know that it's they're not stupid. That's not the problem. They're intelligent people
It's if they're not stupid they're scared is what it is, okay
And look I I have obviously there's no excuse for it. There's no excuse at all
for shying away
But I can understand humanly speaking because it is a scary thing. It requires boldness. It can be intimidating
Okay
Look, it can be if it can be an intimidating thing to get up and pre and you know
you're going to preach something that's going to just
Hit someone right between the eyes, but it's got to be preached
Anyways
Uh, you know another great thing that we can learn from this passage where he says be not afraid
Speak and hold not thy peace again. The fear that he's having is not saying the things that he ought to
And and to to rather hold his peace. He's saying don't hold your peace
And you know and and he's and he's saying this to the apostle paul
Who is a very seasoned preacher at this point, I mean he's a bold man of god
He's going into the synagogues. I mean we're deep into his ministry
He's not some you know, johnny come lately
He knows what he's doing and he's still even this, you know at this advanced stage in his christian life having to be told this basic truth
to fear not to not be afraid
What that tells me is that and you're all going to love this the christian life doesn't get easier
You know, if you're hoping that the christian life at some point is just going to kind of plateau and get easy it's not going to
It gets harder
What happens is is we get stronger
You know we get bolder we're able to take on more of that load we're able that you know, we're able to uh,
To bear up more. Okay, we're able to endure more
You know, it's it's like a strength training regimen, you know, that's how you get stronger
You know, that's how you get stronger
Not by looking at the weight, but by picking it up, you know and lifting
And you don't pick up 500 pounds right away. You know, you started lighter weights and you gradually
Get there right you do the you do the step loading you slowly increase the weight
You know, maybe you do the soviet style step loading right where you stick with one weight that's really hard for a long time
And then you make a big jump to a heavier weight after it gets easy, right?
Stick with one weight for and that's kind of the christian life
It starts out hard and then it starts to get easier
And then once it's kind of easy
It's like then it gets really hard again and then it gets easier and then it gets really hard again
Maybe that's the way it's supposed to go and it's not you know, maybe it's not necessarily just this constant linear progression of just
Increasing difficulty it's hard. It gets easy. It gets harder. It gets easy. It gets harder. It gets easy
That's kind of the christian life
You know once we're stronger mature
More we grow more we put on that spiritual muscle. We're able to handle the spiritual meat
You know, we have our senses exercised
To discern good and evil then god gives us a little bit more so that we can bear up more
It's not all at once
That's what I see in this passage. I mean he's coming to the apostle paul
And saying be not afraid, okay
It also shows us that you know
Again christian life doesn't get easier until until the end the end being when you die, okay
When's the finish line in the christian life death?
You know when whereas the finish line is heaven, right? That's why paul was able to say i've finished my course
You know, uh, i'm ready to be offered the time of my departure is at hand. He's talking about dying
And that's when he says I have finished my course. I have kept the faith
When he's when he's reached the end of his life
Now when he's you know gotten through his second or first missionary journey said well I did everything I was supposed to do
No, he served god all the way to the end. Okay, and that's that's how we have to look at the christian life
Obviously when we're younger, you know, we had the physicality maybe to do
The more physically demanding things in the christian life going out of the highways and byways as we get older that you know
It's probably going to taper off a little bit
But we could still do great things for god no matter what age we're at
No, we can still pray we can still pray for the people that are able to go out and that they would be bold
So anyway, let me move on in the story here
So again, he's saying fear not what he's saying to speak and hold not thy peace
He told timothy I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of god, which is in thee by the putting on my hands
For god has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and a sound mind
Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our lord
Even he's having to remind timothy don't be afraid of the testimony of god don't be afraid to preach the word of god
Okay
What I love about the story
Is that you see that there was no reason to fear, okay?
So he said, uh in verse 10 I am with thee and no man shall set on need to hurt thee
For I have much people in this city. He's saying they're not going to touch you paul
And look when the lord shows up says that you can bank on it
Okay, the angel of the lord encampeth round about them that fear him
You know that should give us peace, right?
That should give us peace because if god allows something to come into our life
There's a reason for it if god allows us to go through some trial or tribulation
We know that all things work together to good for good to them that love god to them that are called according to his purpose
And if you know, it's up to god what he's going to allow us to suffer and what he's not and in this instance
He's saying no one's going to touch you
Other chapters people were allowed to lay their hands on him other chapter, you know and in the future
We'll see there's going to be time when god is going to allow him to be imprisoned
He's going to be
Shipwrecked and other things like he has suffered physically. He he said I bear in my body the marks of the lord. Jesus christ, literally
he had the beatings the scars the the
the marks in his body to prove
You know what? He had suffered for christ's sake but in this instance god saying i'm with thee no man
Shall set on thee to hurt thee
For I have much people in this city
He's saying it's more important for me to me that you reach the people
That you need to reach and he continued there a year and six months
Teaching the word of god among them
So he was bold look at verse 12 and when galileo or excuse me. Galio was the deputy of a ki
The jews made insurrection. So, you know, it seems like when they got their guy in office
That's when they decided to spring their trap
With one accord against paul and brought him to the judgment seat
So they're saying okay now we're going to do something about it
Saying this fellow pursueth, excuse me persuadeth men to worship god contrary to the law
and I love verse 14 because paul's like
You know paul, I don't know. What do you I wish I would have known he was going to say, you know
And when paul was about to open his mouth
You know, that's when uh galio
Said unto the jews if it were a matter of wrong or wicked lewdness
Like if it was if he had broke some kind of civil law
Or he was being lewd in some way some kind of public indecency or whatever. Oh ye jews reason would that I should bear with you
You know, I I would listen to what you had to say if it was actual civil infraction
That I had some kind of authority over is basically what he's saying
But if it be a question of words and names and of your law look ye to it
You know if you're upset because he's preaching a gospel that's kind, you know, he's preaching a different religion
He's like that's not my wheelhouse
I'm here to maintain law and order
Okay
Would to god we had some more galios and you know
You know these types of guys in you know places of of uh authority
Because a lot of these guys say are getting strong-armed into you know, if you know if it was some city council today
They would they would
Say have at paul, you know, they'd imprison them. They'd kick him out of his property, you know
They they'd uh, they'd run him out of town on a rail
But back then at least in this instance, he's saying you know what?
Look ye to it. I will be no judge of such matters
You know, he pretty much put them in their place and he drove them from the judgment seat
So he wasn't having it, right?
Then I let then in verse 17 then all the greeks took soft saustanese the chief ruler of the synagogue
So the the kind of like the ringleader
And beat him before the judgment scene. So paul's just kind of sitting back going man
You were you're right lord. I had nothing to be afraid of no man was set on you to hurt thee
And paul's just seeing it
Flesh out so to speak right in front of his very eyes
He's he's watching it happen. He's watching this guy that was going to try and have him beat get beaten, right?
So god is always able to turn things, you know against our enemies if he so chooses
And galio cared for none of those things. So it wasn't like he was approving of that either. He's just like whatever
very dismissive
And paul tarried after uh tarried after the excuse me and paul after this tarried there yet a good while
And then took his leave of the brethren and sailed thence to syria and with him priscilla and aquila who he picked up
In uh verse one having shorn his head and centria for he had a vow now
I I want to make a point here because this I think this is a a
A good lesson to learn here is that again as I said earlier, you know paul
We saw it was somebody had to be told not to be afraid right a very seasoned preacher
And paul, I believe at this point is still struggling with letting go of some of the old things of judaism
He's letting he's having a hard time letting go of some of the old testament practices. Okay?
Because it says there at the end he had a vow. Okay now notice the wording having shorn his head meaning it's already done
For he had a vow meaning he didn't make a vow he didn't shave his head saying i'm making a vow
He's saying I had a vow and he ended the vow by shaving his head
Now that's you know, i'm not gonna take all the time to go back to numbers chapter six
But that is how you would have ended
The nazarite vow that was part of that when that vow ended they were to shave their head
They were to you know, they let their the locks of the hair grow long
Amongst all the other things that came along with that vowel and then when it was done they would shave their head. Okay?
So but notice that the bible just doesn't isn't that specific
It doesn't just say he had a nazarite vow, you know, he took a bow of a nazarite
He just said he had a vow so notice how the narrator of scripture
Is telling us what paul did but he's kind of he's not trying to like
Emphasize it. Does that make sense? He's not saying
Paul did this great thing, you know paul took his vow because he's so holy, you know, he believed in christ
But you know, he's still gonna go do this vow in the old testament that's been done away in christ
That whole vow that whole vow of the nazarite is actually it's you know, it's part of a main purpose
Was to be a foreshadowing of christ, you know, that's a whole nother sermon right there
But you know the the narrator in scripture in acts chapter 18 is saying yeah paul did that but it's not saying and it was
A good thing. It's just saying that's what paul did
And I think that's why it's kind of vague about the vow. It kind of leaves us up to us to figure it out
Because he's not trying he doesn't want us to think like that was a good thing that paul did
I mean first timothy, excuse me, act 16 when he took to motheus
He circumcised them because of the jews that were in those quarters
Right after acts 15 where he'd literally helped carry a letter from jerusalem saying that certain that they were not to circumcise
Right, so you could see how even paul the great man of god that he was was still mixed up on things
okay, and the lesson to be learned from this is that
Paul had to learn and grow just like anybody else
You know and none of us should think that we've arrived in the christian life like we know everything and we should never think that
about somebody else
If you would go over to uh, go to ephesians chapter four go to ephesians chapter before
You know, we don't want to think more highly of men
Than that which is written, okay
You know, that's that's a problem. Look i'm all for you know, making sure we respect the man of god
That we honor as as paul wrote, you know
He rebuked not an elder but treat him as a father
You know, let the elders that be real well be kind of worthy of double honor. Okay
And there's many examples throughout scripture of making sure that we don't mistreat men of god and god's people as well
You know touch not mine anointed the bible says
But we also don't want to put people so high up in a pedestal where we think they can never do anything wrong
Because all we're really doing at that point is setting ourselves up for disappointment
Because newsflash and those of you that have been around me any length of time my wife can attest to this know that i'm i'm
I'm not perfect. I'm close. I'm just kidding
Nowhere near nowhere near perfect, okay
And you know if was permitted unto women to speak that'd be the lot. No, I'm just kidding. I'm thinking she hates when I do this
Right, she'd be the loudest amen that you've ever heard
I'm kidding. She wouldn't
I'm, just teasing right?
I shouldn't do that. But here's the thing, you know, even a guy like paul we see in acts is making mistakes
Right and we can kind of understand why because he's been something just so deeply entrenched
In old that old testament religion, right? He's been practiced these things. He's been brought up in these things
This was the culture this is what they were doing until christ came and these were things that were commanded of god
These are things that they were practicing
You know in his lifetime and it was right to do
So you can see even still how he had problems letting go some of these things
But again notice how the scripture puts it here. He had a vow
It's it's not it's not emphasizing the fact what vow it is. It's not suggesting it's something that we do
It's just saying this is what paul did
You know, and that's I know i've said it and i've heard it many times before but I will continue to say it
Every chance I get every time I see an example of it. We must learn when we're reading our bibles
to distinguish between the statement and the story
You know, there are some statements that are
Prescriptive and there are statements that are descriptive
There are some things that we should prescribe to our lives. We should apply to our lives and there's some things that are descriptive
They're just telling us what happened the bible records lots of things that people did
We don't want to do everything that everybody did in the bible
Just because the bible records them doing it
Otherwise we could all go hang ourselves
like judas
right
Well judas hung himself, you know, you know, maybe we should go do that too
All right, just because somebody did something in the scripture doesn't mean it's right
And I don't think that you know in my opinion paul is just kind of hung up still
Okay, because something and we'll see more of that here in coming chapters
Look, you know, uh, I should have I know you went to uh, would you go to effusions?
I'll just read you back there. If you've got a finger back there in acts in 18
We'll see more of this and he said and he came to ephysis and left them there per se on aquila
But he himself entered in the synagogue and reasoned with the jews
Even though he just said, you know, I go to the gentiles
When they desired him to tear longer time with them
He consented not but bade them farewell saying I must by all means keep this feast that cometh at jerusalem
Feast that cometh at jerusalem
So he's even trying to get to the feast in jerusalem the feast the passover
And later in the book we'll see where the holy spirit's trying to forbid him from going saying don't do it
And then what happens when he gets there?
Okay
So this is a major flaw that they had back then they had a hard time letting go of
These old testament practices and paul I believe he had that part about him having a vow
I mean shaved his head because he had a vow that's just one example of it
It will it the bible's kind of foreshadowing
and kind of hinting at
The problem that paul had and we're going to see it, you know, really come to the surface and really
uh in later chapters here
So what paul did
And what he wrote sometimes are almost at odds, you know, you could go read books, you know
Galatians 5 where he's talking about how circumcision circumcision of bailiff nothing
You know if you keep the law you're you're a debtor to keep the whole law
Right, so he understands what's right, you know, it's just that in his flesh. He's still doing some things that he shouldn't be doing
and the and the uh, the application is you know,
No matter how great we might be no matter how far we mature in this christian life
There's still always going to be things that we get wrong
Still things that we have to learn and grow in, you know
People are going to make mistakes
and you know, we should be
I'm, not saying we should excuse people when they do things that are wrong, but we should definitely be understanding
And you know and the good thing about paul as we know from his epistles is eventually he got it, right?
When you start reading his epistles of how he he was coming from the right place and it seems like at the end of his life
You know, he he understood fully that he had to let go of all these other things. He learned from his mistakes
That's the important thing
Everyone's going to make mistakes folks. We all know that
The problem is when people dig in their heels because that's called being stubborn. That's being stiff necked
You know, i'm not i'm not uh worried about people when they when they do things wrong or they make mistakes
As long as they're willing to admit it
As long as they're willing to admit what they did was wrong and get it right
That's really a good thing
Because that's an opportunity for people to learn and to grow
And to and to get things right it's the problem is when people they dig in like this and they resist
Right, like the jews that we just read about
Right, they oppose themselves, okay
And then ultimately they're condemned themselves as well. Okay
Did I have you go to fusions 4?
Look at verse 11 and he gave some apostles and some prophets some evangelists some pastors and teachers
For the perfecting of the saints for the work of the ministry for the edifying the body of christ now notice the verbiage here
Till you all come in the unity of the spirit
Or the unity of the faith, right? No till we see how paul's including himself in this
Till we all come in the unity of the faith and knowledge of the son of god into a perfect man
Under the measure of the stature of the fullness of christ. He's not saying i'm he's not saying i'm not the perfect man
I haven't measured up to the stature of the fullness of christ
You know, I still have the flesh
I still have the old man
You know, there's still things in me that want to do, you know, i'm carnal sold under sin
I know that in me that is in my flesh there dwelleth no good thing. That's what paul said
That's why he's including himself in this he's saying that we until we all come in the unity of faith
Look at verse 14 that we henceforth be no more children
Tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine slight of men by cutting crack from this whereby they lie in wait to see
and you could see even in acts how
You know, we wouldn't certainly wouldn't call paul a child of these things
But in some ways he was still tossed to and fro a little bit, wasn't he?
When it come to these things of taking these old testament vows and other things
And he had that's something he had to grow out of
He said in verse 15, but speaking the truth and love may grow up into him in all things, which is the head even christ
So paul's saying hey i've got to grow up in the head, which is christ
You know and that's true for all of us if paul can admit that and we can see that in paul's life
We should never think that none of us or any other man or woman
Isn't in that same position that they also have some growing to do we all do okay
None of us has arrived
Bible says and i'll just read to you in first corinthians four
That you might learn in us not to think above men that which is written
You know, obviously paul is a great man of god
But you know what? He was a man of god, okay
Let's go back to acts and we'll wrap this up real quick. He says in verse 22
And when he had landed at caesarea and got up and saluted the church he went down to aniok
And after he spent some time there he departed went over all the country of galatia
and phrygia in order strengthening all the disciples
And a certain jew named apollos born born at alexandria an eloquent man and mighty in the scriptures came to ephysis
This man was instructed in the way of the lord and being fervent in the spirit
He spake and taught diligently the things of the lord knowing only the baptism of john
And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue
whom when aquila and priscilla heard they took him unto them and expounded to him the way of god more perfectly
Now I don't have a lot of time to develop this I might do it in a later sermon, but I love apollos because apollos
he's just
You know
It says that he's an eloquent. He's mighty in the scriptures. He's got a lot of good things going for him, doesn't he?
Knowing only the baptism of john but he's preaching christ, you know, he's he's fervent in the spirit
He's a powerful speaker
But one of his greatest attributes is that he's he's humble
And he's not so he's not lifted up with pride. Okay
And you can see how somebody the description there
It's very possible that somebody that had those kind of attributes could be lifted up with pride
you know
Somebody who's a very eloquent man. Somebody who's very mighty in the scriptures someone, you know some silver-tongued orator could just be so
Impressed with his own ability to speak and to to sway people
You know, I mean I certainly don't have that ability. I don't have that gift
I mean, yeah, I could preach some things from the word of god
The word of god is powerful quick and sharper than a two-widget sword
You know preaching the word of god quoting scripture, you know can move people's hearts
But you you know, and I know
I'm no apollos up here
I'm, not an eloquent man. Okay
I think that's kind of more of a
You know person that's kind of like something that you either have or you don't you're either a more eloquent speaker or or you're not
Okay, that's just a personality thing, but we can all be as mighty in the scriptures
There's nothing stopping any of us from being mighty in the scriptures
We could all read study memorize and share that in common with apollos. Okay, we might not all be eloquent
But you know what? I don't if a guy's super eloquent could speak well
But there's very little scripture or he never touches the scripture. So it doesn't want to preach certain things
You know
give me the guy who stutters and stammers and and you know, give me the give me the guy who just like
Vomits word salads. I don't think that just just you know, it just comes out kind of like what i'm doing right now
You know just kind of just whatever it just falls out
It's not the most eloquent stuff but man if it's got scripture in it if it's biblical truth
if it's edifying, you know, i'd take that over just
You know some guy that wants to just tickle my ear
You know
But the good thing about apollos is both
You know when you get both, that's great
You got a guy who's both eloquent and mighty in the scriptures
And he's fervent in spirit, but his greatest attribute is the fact that he's humble
It's because it says there that aquila and priscilla had heard they heard him speaking
Boldly in the synagogue they took him under them. They said hey afterwards come here and they expound the way of god more perfectly
They kind of shored him up on some doctrine
That they'd learned from paul
right
And they expounded the way of god more perfectly and when he was disposed meaning he was let go to pass into aki
The brethren wrote exhorting the disciples to receive him whom when he was gone helped them much which he believed through the grace
had believed through grace
So his whole purpose, you know, he had this he was an eloquent man fervent spirit this great orator this great speaker
But you know what he used his skills and abilities to the glory of god
That's the great lesson about apollos. He's such a great example in the scripture
I'm, not really doing him justice tonight by just throwing him here at the end at the end
But you know, he's somebody who was there to help ultimately that's what his his burden was
And look we might not be eloquent
We might not be a lot of these other things but you know, we all have something that we could offer in service to god
You know, whatever it is, whatever strength we do have whatever ability we do have
Whatever whatever thing we've developed, you know in in whatever makes us mighty, you know, whatever thing we have
We can offer in service to god. God will use it. Okay, that should be the uh,
The goal that we have in our lives and also to be humble, you know, somebody else can come to us
And say hey, you're good here. But let me shore you up on this. We should be ready to receive that, you know
We should be really able to receive instruction and to you know to and to improve
it all goes back to what I've kind of been saying they
Never think that we've arrived paulus certainly didn't
And look at verse 28 for he mightily convinced the jews and that publicly
Showing by the scriptures that jesus was christ
And that was his ultimate
Goal in life was to just bring people to christ
To expound the scriptures and to get people saved to mightily convince others that jesus is christ
You know, we could all do that, you know, we might not do it just like apollos
We might not be as eloquent as he is
But if we're mighty in the scriptures and we're humble
And we just offer what we do have to god, you know, god will use us in spite of ourselves
He used paul, you know and paul obviously didn't start out great. Did he?
You know paul was somebody who persecuted the church
you know
for simothy one
He went out and he was somebody who was a persecutor a blasphemer and injurious
But you know, but he obtained mercy because he did it ignorantly in unbelief
To my I think it's for some into
It's one of those students. It's first timothy. Okay, the point is is that he didn't start out great either. Did he?
You know, but god used him mightily in spite of himself. Hey, why not us?
These are just ordinary people flawed
Not perfect. Maybe they have certain strengths, you know, as long as they have humility
As long as our heart's in the right place
You know god can use any one of us
In some way shape or form let's go ahead close the word of prayer