Pages

Tuesday 29 June 2010

Acts 18:1-8

Corinth was the chief commercial city in Greece at the time, having ideal trade connections. Claudius had expelled the Jews from Rome because of riots. Aquila met Paul, and had presumably already converted to Christianity. Aquila and Priscilla were tentmakers like Paul, and Paul worked with them. Note that Paul was quite happy to work for his living. As in other cities, Paul went to the synagogue to expound the gospel. Paul went to the places where he could get a hearing. What are the best places for us to get a hearing today?
After Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia Paul was able to devote himself entirely to preaching about Jesus. There is no hard and fast rule about whether preachers should be fully employed in preaching. The key is to take the opportunities as they present themselves. When Paul had to work he preached on the Sabbath, when it became possible to devote himself entirely to preaching he did so.
As usual there were Jews who objected and abused him and it became impossible for him to preach in the synagogue. So Paul declared he would go to the Gentiles.
"So Paul went next door". I love this verse, Paul was thrown out of one place, so he simply went next door and preached there, and the whole family got saved, along with many others, and so were baptised. What counts above all are not strategies, but the condition of our hearts. May God give us the same attitude that Paul had.

No comments:

Post a Comment