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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