Exposition of Acts: Friendship in the Work
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A Sermon by Dr. Bob Griffin, Teaching Elder at Sovereign Grace Church
I. FELLOWSHIP IN EVANGELISM
A. JOINT EFFORT
>>1. CROSSROADS
Acts 18:1 After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.
>>2. COMPANIONS
Acts 18:2-3 And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had expelled all Jews from Rome. He went to see them, and because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade. (Rom 16:3-4; I Cor 9:7-18)
B. JUXTAPOSITION IN PREACHING
>>1. CONVINCE
Acts 18:4 And he had dialog in the synagogue every Sabbath to convince both Jews and Greeks. (I Cor 2:2)
>>2. CO-WORKERS
Acts 18:5 When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was burdened in the Spirit, testifying to the Jews that the Messiah was Jesus. (I Thes 3:6-7; II Cor 11:7-9)
C. JUSTIFICATION OF GENTILE EVANGELISM
>>1. CURSE
Acts 18:6a And when [the Jews] resisted him and blasphemed, he shook out his garments and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. (Ezek 3:16-19; 33:1-9)
>>2. CALLING
Acts 18:6b From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” (Rom 1:16; Mt 7:6)
II. FOCUS ON PROVISION
A. JUBILATION IN CHURCH GROWTH
>>1. COURSE
Acts 18:7 And he left there and went to the house of Titius Justus, a gentile worshiper of God, which shared a common wall with the synagogue.
>>2. CHRISTIANS
Acts 18:8 Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, put his faith in the Lord, as did his entire household. And many of the Corinthians hearing Paul believed and were baptized. (I Cor 1: 14, 26)
B. JESUS’ PROMISE
>>1. CONTINUE
Acts 18:9 One night the Lord said to Paul in a vision, “Stop being afraid. Continue speaking. Do not be silent, (I Cor 2:1a, 3; Mt 28:20)
>>2. CONFIDENCE
Acts 18:10 for I am with you. No one will attack you to injure you, for I have many in this city who are My people.” (Ps 56:3,11)
C. JOB OF PREACHING
>>1. CONTENT
Acts 18:11a And he stayed eighteen more months [in Corinth], (II Cor 10:4-5)
>>2. CONVERT
Acts 18:11b teaching the word of God among them. (John 3:16 Mt 28:19-20)
III. FAITHFULNESS IN MINISTRY
A. JEWISH OPPOSITION
>>1. COURT
Acts 18:12 But when Gallio was Governor of Achaia, the Jews made a unified attack on Paul and brought him before the judgment seat,
>>2. CHARGE
Acts 18:13 saying, “This man is persuading people to worship God contrary to Torah.”
B. JUDGMENT
>>1. CONCERN
Acts 18:14 But when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of wrongdoing or unlawful crime, O Jews, I would have reason to accept your complaint.
>>2. CONCLUSION
Acts 18:15 But since it is a matter of questions about words and names and your own law, see to it yourselves. I refuse to judge these matters.”
C. JEOPARDY
>>1. CAST OUT
Acts 18:16, 17b And he dismissed them from the judgment seat. Gallio showed no concern for any of this.
>>2. CONSIDERATION
Acts 18:17a Then the Jews seized Sosthenes, the ruler of their synagogue, and beat him outside the judgment seat. (I Cor 1:1)