May 20 - Acts 18 - "Gospel Teamwork"

This time last week Lou and I were at a little church in New Zealand. A church plant in the Acts 29 network; Redeemer Church in Tauranga.

Before we went I took a look at their Web site. To find out a little bit more about their leadership team. And on their staff page under the heading our leadership it said this...

I mean, sure, Anthony and his wife planted the church three of four years ago. And sure they've got some elders and overseers. But they wanted to remind everyone that the head of the church is Jesus Christ as the chief shepherd. Which makes him... the senior pastor. No matter who else is up front.

Look, that's a good sentiment. Although there might be some other higher titles you could use too. Like on this very royal weekend, that he's lord and king. Of his church.

In a way that maybe should capture our attention a little more than it does. And no matter who's up front on a Sunday morning, no matter who's at the Board of Elders meetings, no matter who's steering our management committee, as our vision statement puts it,

As we get a glimpse of the church in Corinth this morning, there's a very clear reminder whose church it actually is. In a way that when you catch it, is both a huge encouragement. And a warning.

And friends, it might not quite feel like the royal wedding here this morning; but it's something just as exciting. You mightn't have had an invitation to Windsor castle; but you've been called together and personally invited to something far better. By someone far higher. So don't be discouraged. And don't take it for granted.

We're in Acts chapter 18. Where Paul arrives in Corinth; an impressive city. In a geographical odd kind of spot

In New Zealand we were reading that at its narrowest point, just out of Auckland, you can actually walk across New Zealand from east to west in just under five hours.

But look, Corinth was built on a strip of land you could cross in just over an hour. Ten kilometers, from side to side. A sea port either end. Which meant the city of Corinth was the hub of the whole area. Rich. Busy. Famous. Full of tourists in their bright Hawaiian shirts.

TENTMAKING

When Paul gets there in Acts 18, a couple called Aquila and Priscilla are there already; a husband and wife team from Rome who make tents. Paul's a tentmaker as well; interesting background fact. And so they form a double partnership. Partners in the gospel. And partners in tents as well.

And so according to verse 4, Paul's there stitching tent flaps through the week. But every Saturday, he's in the Synagogue putting his case. Reasoning in the Synagogue, trying to persuade the Jews. And the God-fearing Greeks. As a weekend preacher.

In other words, he's a weekend preacher. Until Silas and Timothy rejoin him from Berea with money from the churches in Macedonia; at which point Paul goes full time as a preacher again; not having to work a day job making tents.

And so in verse 5, devoting himself exclusively now to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah. The carpenter from Nazareth that they crucified; now risen. And ruling as king of the universe. In other words, that Jesus; the one who died for sin is King.

ABUSE AND BELIEF

Because in the usual way, verse 6, the Jews just won't have it. They not only oppose him. They abuse him. And so he says, okay, you guys have had first offer. From now on I'm talking to the Gentiles.

And so he walks out of the Synagogue, and goes next door to the house of Titius Justus. And starts preaching here.

But look, don't miss this little astonishing detail. Because Verse 8. look who comes with him.

Just imagine it for a minute. In the midst of the abuse and the name calling and the cat-calls in the Synagogue as Paul's picking up his bag to walk out. Crispus. The synagogue ruler. Quietly packs up and walks out with him.

Because he's heard what Paul's been saying something clicks. He knows it's true.

And in spite of the heckling; and in spite of the social consequences. And in spite of the cost. Crispus and his whole family head off next door as well. And a whole lot of Corinthians who hear Paul, they believe, and they're baptised as well.

You know, maybe sometimes you're thinking the days of Christianity are numbered. Maybe sometimes you're thinking there's no way anyone - ever again - be turned around like that by the message of Jesus.

I mean, you hear the statistics. You read it in the media. shrinking churches. Loss of influence. Even owning up to the fact you're a Christian, there's a cost to it, isn't there? In the office. At school. On social media. How much worse for Crispus, ex-synagogue ruler.

How much worse for Paul. How tired of it he must be feeling. Thessalonica. The centre of a riot started by the Jews. Accused of making trouble by saying there's another King, this guy called Jesus.

Athens. The educated debaters at the Areopagus. sneering at him. Laughing. They call him literally a chicken seed pecker. Idiot!

You reckon you've got it tough as a 21st Century Christian here in Brisbane? Paul's got riots; he's got opposition; Paul's got slander; and sneering. He's been in prison, he's been beaten, he's been shouted down and abused in every place he's ever been.

I know someone said a while back, it's okay back in Acts, but these days it's really hard to talk about Jesus. Well, let me tell you exactly how Paul's feeling his first few weeks in Corinth. Because he's actually spells it out later on when he writes a letter back to them; he says, 1 Cor 2:1-3:

Which is why it's so timely, here in verse 9, that Paul receives a direct message from Jesus; a word of encouragement. In a vision.

I said earlier there's an encouragement in the fact that Jesus is king of his church. Well here it is; Jesus in person. Speaking to Paul in the night...

You might be scared. But I'm bigger than they are. You might think you're on your own. That no one ever listens. But looking back, at every place there's been opposition... there's been belief as well. Just look at Crispus. And there are going to be plenty more. Keep speaking. Don't be silent. Because nobody's going to touch you.

Now there's a problem with that, isn't there, if you just want to take those words from the page and say they're kind of a guarantee for us today. For all Christians everywhere.

Martha Djumari turned up for church last Sunday morning in Surabaya. On welcoming duty. Wednesday was her funeral. Blown up by a suicide bomber. Who she greeted at the church door.

The fact is, there's no guarantee from Jesus there'll never be opposition or harm. Not for her. Not for Paul. Not for us.

Back in Philippi, Jesus didn't say to him no one's going to attack and harm you. Paul got beaten up and thrown in prison as he was back there, which last time I checked is definitely harmful. And what's lying up ahead for him in Jerusalem; Paul's going be warned in the next couple of chapters that there are people already waiting. To attack him and harm him. And he's going to go there anyway.

It's just that here in Corinth, the King of the Universe, the one who's got the future of church in the palm of his hand says Paul take a break... and let the adrenalin calm down a bit.

When it comes to actual fear of harm; the encouragement is, Jesus says to Paul, right here, right now; here in Corinth; safe.

There's a bigger encouragement though, in what Jesus says; that at first glance you may not have noticed. An encouragement that I think does stand for all time.

And that is, if you think there's nobody anytime anywhere who's going to listen and respond to the gospel; you're wrong. Because Jesus is the king of his church. And he's already got his church members planned and hand picked. And there are heaps of 'em.

That there are people everywhere he's already got his hand on. See his words? The end of verse 9:

All Paul's got to do is to keep speaking and not be silent. As Jesus through the gospel calls them out. One by one. Now that's both a difficult doctrine to get our heads around. But also a very comforting one, isn't it?

Difficult because it raises the whole question of human autonomy. Of who's responsible. Whether I choose Jesus or whether Jesus chooses me. I mean, who does Jesus think he is, to say he's already got his hand on people in advance?

And it's interesting, this whole chapter is loaded with references to our own human agency; to the way Paul's reasoning with people and persuading people in the synagogue; the way the gospel gets proclaimed and people one way or another respond.

And yet at the same time, whenever someone responds... when a synagogue ruler takes off his Jewish ceremonial hat tassels and says, I'm coming next door with you to hear more about Jesus; whenever that happens... there's more going on than you think. There's a miracle going on in his heart. And it's a reminder that while we keep on preaching, the thing that gives us reassurance is that Jesus by his spirit is in control. Of what happens next.

Do you really think he hasn't got many people in the city of Brisbane? Ready to hear the gospel and respond? Our job is just to keep talking to our friends, to keep listening to their questions, to keep holding out the offer; lending a book, inviting to a food for thought dinner or a Christian movie; and to not be intimidated into silence.

Because ultimately, scattered among all the negative responses in Corinth, Jesus has got many people. Just waiting to respond. Whether Paul can see them or not.

Again, later on. Listen how Paul describes it when he writes back to the Church in Corinth. The Jews, they wanted proof. The Greeks, they wanted deep philosophy... but ultimately, the simple gospel kept doing its work. Because God is doing the calling...

Is that how it was for you? Something about Christ that's kind of magnetically attractive? You might not quite be at the point of surrender yet. But in spite of the fact he was crucified; in spite of the fact he was humiliated; in spite of the fact that he's on about forgiveness instead of performance; you're attracted by what you hear anyway. And it's the most powerful and wise thing you've ever encountered.

PROTECTED IN CORINTH

And look, if you watch things play out in Corinth, you can see Jesus keeping his promise. Verse 11, Paul stays on for eighteen months; a year and a half. teaching them the word of God. Which is a record. That long in the one place without getting thrown out of town.

And when the Jews do drag him in front of Gallio the local governor in verse 12... things go astonishingly well.

I heard on ABC news the other day Anwar Ibrahim was pardoned in Indonesia. Let out of jail after 8 years on trumped up charges. And the reporter says, Anwar's standing on the courthouse steps surrounded by soldiers and police. Who for the first time ever, weren't there to arrest him. But to protect him. Because of the political turnaround.

Same for Paul. This is a first. Here's Paul in court. Again. The Jews bring their accusations. And in an astonishing turnaroud, because Jesus has promised it, they're thrown out. And instead of Paul copping a beating, the crowd turns on Sosthenes from the synagogue instead.

Jesus said, don't be afraid. No one's going to harm you. I've got plenty of people in the city of Corinth. Be encouraged. Because he's actually king. And in control of the way things unfold.

We should be encouraged by that. As we keep on that same mission here where we are. On the north side of Brisbane.

A WARNING (V18-27)

I said though, when it comes to the authority of Jesus; when it comes to the question of whose church is it; there's a warning for us as well. That's going to unfold in Corinth later on. As the church grows and gains momentum.

Verses 18 to 27, you can follow Paul and Aquillas and Priscilla around the map as the build a team. And spread their gospel network around the map.

So Paul heads across from Corinth to Ephesus with Aquilla and Priscilla. and leaves them there to lead the church.

Verse 21 and 22, he heads back via Jerusalem to home base. Antioch. Where he started.

But Verses 24 to 28. Back in Ephesus, Priscilla and Aquila meet a guy called Apollos who's come up from Egypt. Interesting guy. He's really sharp. Except he's only got part of the story. He's heard about all the stuff Jesus did and said back in Galilee. His teaching and his miracles. But not his death and resurrection; and the coming of the Holy Spirit.

So Priscilla and Aquilla invite him round to their place in verse 26; and they fill him in on the details. And Apollos, he's like, "Wow" and he gets it straight away. Look at the words used to describe this guy. Verse 24.

He's Learned.

He's got a thorough knowledge of the Old Testament Scriptures.

He's a great speaker. Which Paul wasn't. Speaks with great fervour.

He teaches accurately.

He speaks boldly.

This guy's a potential super-pastor. And the next thing you know, they're shipping Apollos back to Corinth. To lead the church there that they've left behind. And when he gets there, verse 27, he's a great help to those who by grace have believed, because he's so vigorous in the way he takes on his Jewish opponents.

Well, here's the warning. You can forget that Jesus is king of the church. And the rest of us are just members of the team.

Here's what Paul says when he writes back later in 1 Corinthians 1 verse 10. Because I don't know if it's tragic or if it's comical. This church Jesus himself has protected. On the brink of self destruction over factions.

Will you notice if you've used that last pious sounding line yourself, it doesn't cut it. Because it's not about setting your own personal allegiance to Jesus over and above or against your church leaders; it's getting that we're not competitors. It's all a team.

Because even though Paul and Apollos are very different, they're not setting out to be competitors at all. So he says, don't try to set us up that way. It's incredibly immature of you to do that.

1 Corinthians chapter 3. Still on the same issue. Paul says to them, this stuff just proves that you're not spiritual at all. Since there's jealousy and quarrelling among you... are you not acting like mere men? For when one says "I follow Paul," and another "I follow Apollos," are you not mere men?"

That's not what Christians do. That's what the world does. That's what mere men do.

You can have your factions and your preselection battles in the Liberal Party or the Labor Party or at the office or in the tennis club. But not in the church.

Because Paul says, Apollos and I, we're just servants. Not super stars. Read it for yourself in detail later on in 1 Corinthians 3.

We're just God's fellow workers. He says, I planted the seeds there in Corinth, Apollos came and watered them, and God gives the growth. It's his church. Not Paul. Not Apollos and his superstar preaching.

Exactly like we already saw in Acts 18; Paul and Apollos are on exactly the same team. There's no competition at all. And Jesus is king of it. It's his church. And if you're part of it, you're part of something great. The warning is, don't take that for granted. And don't mess with it. And damage its unity.

LESSONS TO LEARN

Let me draw the threads together and see if there are things for us to be encouraged by. And warned by. As we remember whose church it is that we're part of.

Can I say to you, I think sometimes we've lost a sense of the privilege of that. A bit like Meghan Markle's dad maybe, you're invited to the most glorious event of the decade and you maybe sometimes can't even be bothered turning up to be part of it.

Or maybe just dispirited. A bit discouraged. In such a hostile world. Maybe you're tired of standing out as a Christian. And taking the cost of that. Maybe you've kept trying and trying to be a faithful witness. And no results. Maybe you're tired of church. Or just don't like the leadership much. Or prefer one leader over all the others.

There's always the danger of that, isn't there? With "I follow Phil." Or "I follow Doug." Or "I follow Dan." Or "Micah's better than all you guys." So abominably predictable. So devilishly destructive.

Just to let you into a little secret: team ministry, anywhere you see it, it's incredibly hard to pull off. Without the added complication of a church family turning it into a competition.

Sure Apollos preaches better than Paul. Fluent, vigorous. How do you reckon Paul feels about the comparisons? And isn't there maybe a better way they can encourage Apollos than stoking up his ego that way; the hand on the shoulder... you know, we really prefer you. To old Paul.

Can I encourage you; encourage us as leaders at MPC. By loving us all the same way. By valuing us for our teamwork. More than for our individual performance. Encourage us for the way we use our gifts together. More than the way we use our gifts apart. Encourage not by comparing.

Acts 18 tells the story of the start of a great church in a way that's got all kinds of encouragement for us. That in a world that's always pushing back against the gospel; Jesus has still got his hand on the wheel. Still got people who are his. Ready to hear and respond. That as we plant and water, God's still going to give the growth.

Because Jesus is not just Senior Pastor, he's king. He's called us together. And invited us in to something great. Here's Paul's last word on the issue from 1 Corinthians 3. Remember what you've got. And be thankful. He says,