God's Power and Encouragement
Theme: Living by Faith in Christ Alone
Theme Verse: "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Galatians 2:20 NIV
Readings: Acts 18
Memory Verse: "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.'" Acts 18:9-10
Background: this is one of the more datable chapters in Acts. The Roman Emperor, Claudius ordered all Jews out of Rom in 49 or 50 AD. (See NOTE 1) Gallio was the Roman Proconsul in Corinth in 51 AD. Aquila was from Pontus on the northern coast of Turkey.
Aquila (means eagle) and Priscilla had been driven out of Rome. This event is parallel to the church in Jerusalem being dispersed by Saul's persecution and God using for good, what others meant for evil. God provided immediate friends and support for Paul who seems to be alone in Corinth. Since they had the same trade (tent-makers), Paul stayed and worked with them. (See NOTE 2) At that time Paul was arguing for the gospel every Sabbath in the synagogue, going, as was his custom, to his fellow Jews first. There he persuaded many Jews and Greeks (probably God-fearers) to believe. He was persistent and never stopped.
When Silas and Timothy arrived, Paul was able to concentrate on his preaching and testifying that Jesus was the Christ (Messiah). It literally says Paul was "compelled by the Spirit" (pressed, constrained by the Spirit). Word received: How I long for all My people to be directed by My Spirit as Paul was. (Paul tells us about his early days in Corinth in 1 Corinthians 2:1-4)
Then those Jews who didn't believe "opposed and reviled him and he shook out his garments and said to them '…from now on I will go to the Gentiles.'" We are not required to pound away at those people who are opposed to the message of the gospel. We can just leave and find people who are more receptive. Paul left the synagogue with those who believed and went next door to the house of a Gentile believer, Justus. The ruler of the synagogue, Chrispus and his family were among the many who believed and were baptized.
The Lord spoke to Paul one night in a vision and encouraged him. He said, "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." Even Paul was afraid after all that had happened to him and needed to be encouraged. Word received: Pray that many will hear My words of encouragement that I AM speaking to them.
These words of the Lord are for us too. We don't need to be afraid about speaking up for Jesus. He is always with us. Even though it may seem that we are alone, we never are. Remember how Elijah, who after winning the battle with the priests of Baal on Mt. Carmel, fled for his life from the wicked Queen Jezebel and cried out to God, "I, even I only am left and they seek my life." (1 Kings 19:14) God assured Elijah that he had 7,000 in Israel who had not worshipped Baal. We will have support from other Christians and we need to give support to other Christians. Paul stayed there 18 months, building up the church and winning new converts. The vision from God encouraged him to stay put. Word received: I want you to speak about Me like Paul did. Do not be silent. I protected Paul and I will protect you.
Then, evidently, when there was a new Roman proconsul about 51 AD, the Jews of Corinth made a united attack on Paul and brought him to court. Gallio refused to pay any attention to the charges they brought against Paul and even refused to intervene when they beat up the ruler of the synagogue, Sosthenes! (Sosthenes appears later in Paul's first letter to the Corinthians 1:11.) Word received: You have seen in your own day the hostility that rises up against My faithful witnesses.
Paul was able to stay "many days" longer before going to Ephesus on his way to Syria. He was able to "reason" with the Jews in Ephesus who wanted him to stay longer. He said no but said he would return if it was God's will. Notice how Paul was guided by God's will. Are we?
While Aquila and Priscilla were in Ephesus, Apollos, a Jew, arrived from Alexandria, Egypt. He was very well educated in the Scriptures and instructed in the Way of the Lord and was teaching and preaching accurately about Jesus and with great enthusiasm. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him they were impressed but recognized that he didn't know the whole story (just the baptism of John). So they took him privately to their home and told him the rest of the "Way of God" (The Way was the early name by which the Christians identified themselves.) Notice how they both corrected him and respected him. Here we see Christians mentoring newer Christians again.
We too need to be teaching each other and increasing our own understanding of the Way of God. We are a Body and God gives to each, insights to share. Prayer: Lord, help me to be a lifelong student of your way.
The believers in Ephesus encouraged Apollos to go to Corinth where he was a great help to the believers there for he could accurately and vigorously debate in public about Jesus being the Messiah. Later Paul said of him, "I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow." (1 Corinthians 3:6)
(Notice how Paul had made and completed a vow. (See NOTE 3). Paul did not discard all the Jewish law. He participated in this again in Jerusalem later.)
Meanwhile Paul traveled to Caesarea, Jerusalem, Antioch and back to Galatia and Phrygia going from place to place, strengthening all the disciples. Word received: I want you to make it your mission to strengthen your fellow disciples.
Look at how God used many different people to spread his word and how he moved them around. Are you ready to be moved about if God so chooses? Are you ready to witness like all these different people did?
NOTE 1 on expulsion of the Jews from Rome by Claudius about 49-50 AD: At that time Romans, Jews and Christians agreed that what was taking place was a conflict among Jews. As long as things were relatively orderly, Romans preferred to stay out of such matters. But when there was a riot or any disorderly conduct, they intervened to restore order and sometimes punished the disorderly.
A good illustration of this was the expulsion of Jews from Rome by Claudius. Suetonius, a Roman historian, says that Jews were expelled…for their disorderly conduct 'because of "Chrestus". Most historians agree that was "Christus" and that Christian proclamation by unknown evangelists caused so many riots among Jews that the Emperor expelled the lot. (Source: p.32, The Story of Christianity by Gonzalez, vol.1.)
NOTE 2 on tents: Jewish men were usually taught a trade as well as being educated in the Scriptures. Because of the importance of Israel's wilderness experience, tent imagery continued to be used after they lived in permanent buildings. "Tent" is also used symbolically in Scripture. Paul spoke of his body as a "tent" (2Corinthians 5:1) and Peter also speaks of "putting off my tent" (2 Peter 1:13) . Growth of a household was made room for by adding sections to their tent and so represents prosperity (Isaiah 54:2). I John 1:14 it literally says, "the word "tented" among us...God's glory tabernacled in Jesus just as God's glory sometimes filled the tabernacle in the desert.
In the wilderness period, God's presence with them was the "tent of meeting" (or tabernacle). Solomon build the first temple building. The tentmakers, Paul, Aquila and Priscilla were laboring together to build a tabernacle, a place of worship, for God among these Gentiles. Paul talks elsewhere about our bodies being the temple of God.
NOTE 3 on vows: a temporary Nazirite vow which can also be seen in Acts 21:23-24. Could have been in thanksgiving or a prayer for protection. See Numbers 6:1-21.
Teaching Ideas for Lesson 22
Please read the Study Guide first. Go over Memory Verse to make sure the children understand it and then if they have memorized it.
Remind them their parents need to sign a report slip monthly if they have read the lessons, so they will get credit at the end of the year.
Make sure they know what happened in the story. Get them to tell you.
Basic points of the lesson for little ones:
1.Jesus loves us and wants to guide and care for us and encourage us.
When you need help just say, "Jesus, help me!"
2. Jesus wants us to encourage each other.
3. One way Jesus does this is through friends who love Jesus.
4. Jesus wants us to show our love for him by being willing to talk about Him to other people.
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