March 22, 2007 . . . Dr. Scott opened with a story about a colleague at Mary Baldwin who has entered into hospice care for his wife, who is dying of cancer. The man related the intensity, the intimacy, the immediacy, and the surrender of being with his wife at this time. Dr. Scott reflected on this man’s spiritual journey, talking about how there’s just no getting over death, just getting through it. And here’s the key question: Can you have joy in the face of death?

Faith can embolden you in the face of death, even in the face of your own death.

The reason this story’s apt is that we’ve just finished Acts chapter 17, wherein the last word in Paul’s mouth before he left Athens was this business of resurrection.

Acts 18

In today’s study, we encounter death, persecution, beatings, contention--in fact, enough of all this that you’d think Paul would have given up.

In Corinth

“After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius [the emperor] had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them. Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks.” (Acts 18:1-4)

Let’s talk today about "making tents": Dr. Scott enthusiastically remarked on our successful Women's Day on Sunday, 3/18/07, about the work and service shared together in the church, the worship that carried on all day long. When you look at what Paul was doing in city after city, you can see that our own experience isn't much different. Don't we have a Paul-like experience here at Allen?

So Paul went to see the tentmakers, who worked together.

"When Silas and Timonthy came from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ. But when the Jews opposed Paul and became abusive, he shook out his clothes in protest and said to them, 'Your blood be on your own heads! I am clear of my responsibilty. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.' " (Acts 18:5-6)

"Then Paul left the synagogue and went next door to the house of Titius Justus, a worshipper of God. Crispus, the synagogue ruler, and his entire household believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard him believed and were baptized." (Acts 18:7-8)

"One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: 'Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.' So Paul stayed for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God." (Acts 18:9-11)

"While Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews made a united attack on Paul and brought him into court. 'This man,' they charged, 'is persuading the people to worship God in ways contrary to the law.'

"Just as Paul was about to speak, Gallio said to the Jews, 'If you Jews were making a complaint about some misdemeanor or serious crime, it would be reasonable for me to listen to you. But since it involves questions about words and names and your own law--settle the matter yourselves. I will not be a judge of such things.' So he had them ejected from the court. Then they all turned on Sosthenes the synagogue ruler and beat him in front of the court. But Gallio showed no concern whatever." (Acts 18:12-17, emphasis added)

But for those who know, the "name" makes all the difference in the world: Jesus. Over and over again, the Scriptures lift words and names as matters of the greatest consequence. "At the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow," for example. 

"Paul stayed on in Corinth for some time. Then he left the brothers and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. Before he sailed, he had his hair cut off at Cenchrea because of a vow he had taken. They arrived at Ephesus, where Paul left Priscilla and Aquila. He himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. When they asked him to spend more time with them, he declined. But as he left, he promised, 'I will come back if it is God's will.' Then he set sail from Ephesus. When he landed at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the church and then went down to Antioch.

"After spending some time in Antioch, Paul set out from there and traveled from place to place throughout the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples." (Acts 18: 18-23)

"Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was  learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. He had been instruced in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John. He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately.

"When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. On arriving, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed. For he vigorously refuted the Jews in public debate, proving fro the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ." (Acts 18: 24-28)

Acts 19

Paul in Ephesus

"While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples and asked them, 'Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?'

"They answered, 'No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.'

"So Paul asked, 'Then what baptism did you receive?'

" 'John's baptism,' they replied.

"Paul said, 'John's baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.' On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. There were about twelve men in all." (Acts 19: 1-7)

"Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God. But some of them became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way. So Paul left them. He took the discples with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord.

"God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them.

"Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, 'In the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.' Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. One day, the evil spirit answered them, 'Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?' Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.

"When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, they were all seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor. Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed their evil deeds. A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas. In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power." (Acts 19:8-16, emphasis added)