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Paul in Corinth
1Paul left Athens and went to Corinth, 2where he met Aquila, a Jewish man from Pontus. Not long before this, Aquila had come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Emperor Claudius had ordered the Jewish people to leave Rome. Paul went to see Aquila and Priscilla 3and found out they were tent makers. Paul was also a tent maker, so he stayed with them, and they worked together.
4Every Sabbath, Paul went to the synagogue. He spoke to Jews and Gentiles and tried to win them over. 5But after Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, he spent all his time preaching to the Jews about Jesus the Messiah. 6Finally, they turned against him and insulted him. So he shook the dust from his clothes and told them, “Whatever happens to you will be your own fault! I am not to blame. From now on I am going to preach to the Gentiles.”
7Paul then moved into the house of a man named Titius Justus, who worshiped God and lived next door to the synagogue. 8Crispus was the leader of the synagogue. He and everyone in his family put their faith in the Lord. Many others in Corinth also heard the message, and all the people who had faith in the Lord were baptized.
9One night, Paul had a vision, and in it the Lord said, “Don't be afraid to keep on preaching. Don't stop! 10I am with you, and you won't be harmed. Many people in this city belong to me.” 11Paul stayed on in Corinth for a year and a half, teaching God's message to the people.
12While Gallio was governor of Achaia, some of the Jewish leaders got together and grabbed Paul. They brought him into court 13and said, “This man is trying to make our people worship God in a way that is against our Law!”
14Even before Paul could speak, Gallio said, “If you were charging this man with a crime or some other wrong, I would have to listen to you. 15But since this concerns only words, names, and your own law, you will have to take care of it yourselves. I refuse to judge such matters.” 16Then he sent them out of the court. 17The crowd grabbed Sosthenes, the Jewish leader, and beat him up in front of the court. But none of this mattered to Gallio.
Paul Returns to
18 After Paul had stayed for a while with the Lord's followers in Corinth, he told them goodbye and sailed on to Syria with Aquila and Priscilla. But before he left, he had his head shaved at Cenchreae because he had made a promise to God.
Reflect
We travel easily nowadays; we call the agents, plan ahead, book online, happily piling up our frequent flyer points. But how did Paul manage his constant travels? Would you have liked to be his travel agent?
Acts is a travelogue, and this chapter, which is our lead-in to our section on 1 Thessalonians, sees Paul collecting more frequent walker points from Athens to Corinth where he plies his trade with new friends and follows his vocation as a preacher and persuader before moving on to Syria.
His tentmaking was probably easy enough but the preaching bit met conflict, harassment and insult. So what a fabulous gift of encouragement came from the arrival of Silas and Timothy from Macedonia (which includes Thessalonica). How much we all value colleagues in ministry, and their good news.
Paul preaches on, responsive to God’s encouragement (“Don’t be afraid”) and command (“Go on speaking”). And in his spare time, he writes a letter to the church in Thessalonica.
I’ve just mailed a letter and it will be on a plane tomorrow. But Paul’s is carried by hand to Thessalonica. And that’s where we are going for the next ten days.
We live in a fast-paced mobile world. We are always on the move: by our own choices or not. Because of school, university, work, relationships. Remember: God is with us, and overall there is the goodness and purpose of God. Time and space are in his hands: so are we.
Hear the Lord’s words: “I have many in this city who are my people”. You meet them everywhere, round the next corner, in the next city, in the next job. We’re promised the surprise of a global fellowship, an overground community, a spiritual rush hour, all the other believers travelling on the Christian Expedia.com.
Respond
Lord God, you are the still point of my turning world. As all things change around me; as friends and family move to new worlds; as I wonder myself about where to go next and what to do next, grant me a profound sense of stillness – in you.
Michael Pountney
From the Merchant Navy to Moldova, Michael’s career has had a transatlantic diversity. High School language teacher and youth leader in the UK; IVCF staff at universities in BC and Divisional Director in Ontario; Parish Priest in Montreal and Toronto; Principal of Wycliffe College at the U. of T; IFES staff working with leaders in the former Soviet Republic. Retired in Victoria, Michael continues to help plant Anglican Network churches and mentor young leaders. Publications: Bob Goethe and Michael Pountney: “Mars and Venus Go To Church” (2010: Faith Today); Michael Pountney, “At A Distance: Encouragement For Cautious Christians” (2006: Essence Publishing, Belleville, Ontario); “Searching For Home” (2003: GLIA Moldova); Don Posterski and Michael Pountney; “Reconciliation: Seeking Restored Relationships” 2000: Institute For Christian Leadership Formation, World Vision International, Monrovia, California); Michael Pountney, “Getting A Job” (1984: InterVarsity Press, Downers Grove, Illinois)