February 25, 2023 -- Acts 18:5-8 -- The Acts of the Apostles: Preaching Christ in tumultuous times

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When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was occupied with the word, testifying to the Jews that the Christ was Jesus. 6 And when they opposed and reviled him, he shook out his garments and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” 7 And he left there and went to the house of a man named Titius Justus, a worshiper of God. His house was next door to the synagogue. 8 Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord, together with his entire household. And many of the Corinthians hearing Paul believed and were baptized.
Acts 18:5-8 ESV

Paul first preached to the Jews. They are the ones who have the covenant, the knowledge of God through the Old Testament, and the Patriarchs. It echoes what one reads in John 1, Jesus "came to His Own people did not receive Him. But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His Name, He gave the right to become children of God" (John 1:11-12). The majority of the Jewish people in Corinth rejected the Good News of Jesus. But that is not the end of the story.

Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, and his family, in fact, his entire household, believed. What beautiful evidence that all who are appointed for eternal life will come to God the Father and find in Him great grace and salvation.

What a raucous group those Corinthians were. This brief reading in Acts helps one to know why. Paul shook out his garments against them—it is a declaration he’d have nothing more to do with them. They were under the judgment of God. The Corinthian Jewish population, the great majority of them did not follow Jesus. And they resented Paul. Those few Jewish families who did follow Jesus were now intermingled with the non-Jewish people, Gentiles. There’d always been hostility among the Jews against “outsiders” and now very different people are brought together in Christ. And the Corinthians lived in a society that was radically secular and sexualized. All these factors show why the Corinthians believers had a tough time.

Dear family in Christ, it explains why believers today have a difficult time as well. The majority of people around us have not grown up going to church, or even knowing the basics about the Christian faith. The world around us is radically secular and sexualized. Bringing in new believers means the established Christian community will have much to learn and must have much patience. This requires intentional discipleship. It is the work of Christians to make disciples for Christ who make disciples for Christ. And to do this while the world opposes your mission, the Devil hates Christ and hates you and hates all believers so he will scatter seeds of fighting and dissension among you.

Our Father in heaven, hallowed and blessed be Your Name. Great are You and wonderful are all Your works. Thank You, that from the beginning of time, the Bible displays Your great love and powerful purpose in bringing people to Yourself through the work of Jesus, Your Son, our Savior. Thank You that the Devil’s schemes and confusions will never stop Your plans and purposes. Thank You, Mighty God for the powerful Spirit, given to preserve believers in the way of Jesus Christ. Help us, God of Glory, so that guided by Your Spirit Who directs us in ever deeper understanding of the Word, we will face every opposition and declare the Good News of Christ our King. Lord Jesus, by Whom the dividing walls of hostility are broken down, direct Your Spirit within us so that we can be peace-makers within the community of believers and that the world around us will see Your beauty, which is the radiant display of the Father’s great love. Amen.

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