Acts chapter 18.
I'm not massively into surprises.
! I'm not most surprises anyway.
!
You know those texts that you get?
Can we get together for a chat sometime?
How do you feel when you get them?
Let me tell you as your minister.
Oh, they're leaving.
Or they're unhappy or something like that.
I'm someone who knows.
Who likes to know what to expect.
I think surprises are overrated.
One of the reasons I love the Bible
is because the Bible is very interested
in letting you and I know what to expect.
And both now and in the future.
I love that the Bible tells us
what God is aiming to do
in my life every day by His Spirit.
I love that the Bible tells me
what is it going to be like
to persevere with Jesus Christ
for the years ahead.
I love that the Bible tells me
what it's going to cost me
and what it will reward me.
I love that the Bible tells me
some of the things that will happen
when I die.
It tells you what it will be like
to be with Jesus in His heavenly kingdom.
And reading the Bible
eliminates lots of surprises.
And that's one of the reasons
that I want you to love Acts chapter 18.
Because it shows you and I
what we should expect.
The shape of our expectations
in the area of telling people
about the Lord Jesus
of gospel ministry.
That is, God wants you and I
to know what it's going to be like
when we share the good news
of the Lord Jesus with others.
And one of the things God
uses the book of Acts in
is that He shows what happened
to the first Christians,
those first century Christians.
He shows us the pattern,
the emerging pattern
of what life should be like
so that we will have
our expectations shaped.
And what we see in Acts
is affirmed by the rest
of the New Testament
that we can expect
certain things to happen
as they happened back then.
And so I want to look at Acts 18
because we see the shape
of gospel ministry
as clearly there
as anywhere.
That's it.
Go for it.
And there's four key elements.
All right?
And the point is this.
What happened 2,000 years ago
will shape our expectations today.
What will happen this week
when you tell people
about the Lord Jesus?
If we were to talk
about the Lord Jesus
with our nearest and dearest
and our friends and neighbours,
what will happen?
Well, four things.
All right?
Firstly, let's pay attention
to the nature
of the apostolic work,
of the work of the apostles.
Paul is regarded as an apostle
and some of his friends
and colleagues in Acts 18,
they're not apostles,
technically,
but they are helping Paul
with his mission.
And so let's pay attention
to the apostolic work,
the apostolic mission,
this work of sharing Jesus.
And one of the pictures
that you find in Acts 18,
I don't know whether you picked it up
in the reading,
is wonderful collaboration
in the work of sharing Christ.
You see,
Paul's relationship
with the husband and wife,
Priscilla and Aquila,
who he meets
for the very first time
in this chapter,
but they become
lifelong companions
in gospel work.
Then there's Apollos,
who we meet
for the very first time
in this chapter,
but he came to be regarded
as a really important contributor
to the work of the gospel.
It's wonderful
to read about
that collaboration.
Paul was not
a one-man band.
But what about
the work that they do?
What do they consider
their responsibilities to be?
Just follow with me
for a moment if you can.
And let me point to you all,
point out all the main verbs
used in this chapter.
What is a verb?
A doing word.
That's right, isn't it?
It's an action.
Listen to the verbs.
I want you to see
the interesting thing.
So verse 4,
can you see it?
Paul reasoned
with the people
in the synagogue
as he tried to
persuade them
that the gospel is true.
Verse 5,
testifying
that Jesus is the Messiah.
Verse 11,
Paul has spent
a year and a half
teaching
God's word
in Corinth.
When Paul gets to Ephesus,
verse 19,
what does he do?
He reasons
with people in the synagogue,
just like he had
in Corinth,
verse 4.
Verse 23,
we read about him
travelling around
strengthening disciples
in various places,
no doubt by the things
that he said.
And he taught.
that are the verbs
that describe
Paul's ministry
in this chapter.
What about Apollos?
Verse 25,
we find him
joining in on the act.
It says he was
speaking fervently,
teaching
about Jesus.
Verse 26,
he speaks
boldly
in the synagogue.
When he gets to
Achaia,
in verse 28,
he is vigorously
refuting
his opponents.
Now,
just one little
side note.
Look at verse 24.
Apollos is described,
isn't it,
as someone who has
a thorough knowledge
of the Bible.
Quite literally,
Apollos was somebody
strong
in the Scriptures.
I think that's an
amazing thing
to say about someone,
isn't it?
Imagine somebody
described you,
what are they like?
They say,
well, actually,
they're really,
they're strong
in the Scriptures.
I would hope
all of us
who are believers
in the Lord Jesus,
we would aspire
to be like Apollos
in this.
If you're a young person,
if you're somebody
who's a teenager
and people endlessly
ask you,
what do you want to do?
What do you want to be?
What are your plans
for A-levels
and then university?
What do you think
after university?
What's your ambition
for your life ahead?
Let me give you
an ambition
which is more precious
than many of the other things
that people go on about.
It would be
of infinite value
to you children
and to you young people
if you were able to say,
what I want to be
is strong in the Scriptures.
What a great ambition.
Now back to the apostolic work.
We've talked about the verbs
that Paul used
to describe his own work.
We've talked about Apollos
but look at Priscilla
and Aquila
who we hear about
in verse 26.
They hear
apostles teaching ministry
and they discover
that Apollos only knew
about the baptism
of John the Baptist.
So they get him
round for lunch,
they get him
together with him
and they tell him
everything else
that he needed to know.
Presumably things like
the day of Pentecost
and the baptism
of the Holy Spirit.
And the verb
that is used
of them
in verse 26
is they explained.
They explained
to Apollos
and they made sure
that he had
a full understanding.
Now can you see
the pattern
that's emerging
from Acts 18?
almost all the verbs
that he used
to describe Paul
and his companions
are verbs
of speaking.
The heart
of apostolic ministry,
the shape
of New Testament
ministry
is that people
open their mouths
to make Jesus known.
speaking,
teaching,
testifying,
refuting,
explaining,
strengthening.
And so is it
any wonder
when Jesus
turns up on the scene
in a vision
we read about here
in verse 9,
one night,
what's the main
exhortation
of verse 9?
What's the big message
for Paul?
Keep on speaking.
And Jesus
is the one
they speak about.
And what Paul
and his companions
are seeking
to convince people of
is that Jesus
is the king,
Jesus is the messiah.
If you want to know
the content
of their message,
Acts 18 underlines
again in verse 5
and then in verse 28,
what is the apostolic
message?
It is convincing people
that Jesus
is the messiah,
Jesus is the king.
And you and I
today who have
bowed to Jesus'
kingship,
continue to exercise
this ministry.
Jesus is Lord.
And so our message
is this really,
isn't it?
Jesus is Lord
and what are you
going to do about it?
And if you're somebody
who's maybe here
and we're really
thrilled that you're here
but you haven't
bowed your knee
and confessed
with your mouth
that Jesus Christ
is king,
what are you going
to do with him?
The second thing
in Acts 18
it shows us
about the shape
of gospel ministry
is that speaking
about Jesus
will produce
some opposing
reactions,
opposing responses.
And that certainly
happens in this chapter
just like we've seen
it happen all the way
through Acts.
In verse 5
we learned
what we Paul
is preaching
to the Jews
in Corinth
very kind of
devotedly
and then in verse 6
we see how they reacted
and it says
they opposed Paul
and literally
they became abusive.
He shook out
his clothes
he says to them
your blood be
on your own heads
I'm innocent
from now on
I'll go to the Gentiles.
As a Jew himself
it was Paul's habit
to go first
to his own people
in the synagogue
wherever he went
to a new city.
And the same
is true here
but they respond
abusively to him.
And so Paul
has got no qualms
from turning away
from the Jewish ministry
at this point
in order
to take the good news
to the Gentiles
the rest of the world.
And verse 7
tells us that
he went next door
and he starts
sharing with a man
who had a very Roman
named
Titus
Justice.
And there's a strong
reaction against Paul.
Verse 12 and 13
says when
Galio was
proconsul
of Achaia
the Jews
made a united
attack on Paul
and they brought him
before the tribunal
they dragged him
into court
saying this man
is persuading people
to worship God
contrary to the law.
And Galio
is a wise owl
you can see
this is a frivolous
lawsuit
as far as
the Roman law
is concerned.
So he chucks
him out of court.
But once again
can you see
the determination
of people
to stop
the apostolic
work
even through
the courts.
And I think
that's a pattern
that continues
right to this day
but of course
wonderfully
the opposite
is true too.
And here's
the third thing
Acts points out
to us
the shape
of gospel ministry
it provokes
an opposing
response
but can you also
see it leads
to a welcoming
response too.
It's most notable
I think
verse 8
let me read
that to you
again.
Do you remember
the Jews
had gone
Peter had gone
to the
Paul had gone
to the synagogue
to speak to the Jews
what had the Jews
done?
They kicked him
out of the synagogue.
Verse 8
Crispus
the ruler
of the synagogue
believed in the Lord
together with
his entire
household
and many
of the Corinthians
hearing Paul
believed or
baptized
even though
Paul had
turned his
back on the Jews
who'd opposed him
verse 6
it isn't the
whole story
because the
synagogue leader
becomes a
Christian
and his
household.
I can
imagine
that
Paul
this
cat
Crispus
would have
been in this
category of
people
that Paul
would have
been forgiven
for thinking
they'll never
become a
Christian
that
they'll never
become a
Christian
they're so
unlikely to
turn to
Jesus Christ
the very
leader of
the synagogue
where Paul
is kicked
out of
as if he
would ever
become a
Christian
but here
he is
listening to
God's
word as
one who
believed
he and all
his household
we used
to do
some of us
men
we'd meet
with people
from the
mosque
and the
imam at
the mosque
for meetings
about better
understanding
one of us
would speak
on a topic
and the
imam would
speak and
we'd have a
bit of a
discussion
they weren't
particularly
profitable
but the
one person
who I
thought would
not be
converted
is the
imam
and yet
here we
see
in a
similar
context
they're
so angry
these Jews
and yet
the ruler
of the
synagogue
is converted
verse 8
tells us
there were
many others
that believed
with him
also
I think
you see
the same
response
in Apollos'
ministry
Apollos is
already a
Christian
he comes
to Ephesus
and he
welcomes
the correction
of both
Priscilla
and Aquila
they want
to help
him to
learn more
and he's
humble enough
to receive
it
so can
you see
chapter 18
is reminding
us what
we see
repeatedly
in the
book of
Acts
that the
gospel of
Jesus
always divides
people
there are
those who
are hostile
to its
message and
messengers
and there
are those
who receive
and accept
it
and there
are other
kinds of
responses
as well
but the
accumulative
effect of us
working through
Acts on me
has been
that we should
always expect
these two
things
some opposing
some
welcoming
so the
fourth
thing
that
chapter 18
of Acts
tells us
about the
shape of
gospel ministry
is alongside
the apostolic
work
and threaded
through the
different
responses of
rejecting
and accepting
there's a
divine work
as well
and so
God is
working here
and I want
you to
see the
dimensions
so look
at verse 9
again
because in
verse 9
we see that
God is at
work there
to encourage
the people
who are
doing the
apostolic
work
he appears
to Paul
in a vision
and he urges
him do not
be afraid
keep on
speaking
as a result
Paul stays
in Corinth
for about a
year and a
half
that's quite
a long
time for
him
but it's
very important
for you and
I to see
what Jesus
goes on to
say in
verse 10
in this
vision
let me read
it to you
I'll read
from verse 9
the Lord
said to
Paul
one night
in a
vision
do not
be afraid
go on
speaking
do not
be silent
for I
am with
you
and no
one
will attack
you
or harm
you
for I
have many
in this
city
who are
my people
so first
of all
there's a
promise of
protection
there isn't
there
and of
course that
isn't a
promise that
God makes
to everyone
we know
don't we
we pray
for Christians
who are
suffering
terribly
all over
the world
because of
their faithfulness
to Jesus
Paul went
to other
cities and
he was
attacked and
he was harmed
and he was
beaten up
we've seen
that so it
seems that
here there's a
special arrangement
God made in order
to prolong Paul's
ministry
in order to
prolong it
but can you see
the other part of
the encouragement
that Jesus gives
in verse 10
he tells
him that
he has
many people
in this
city
that's an
interesting
phrase
isn't it
I don't
think that
Jesus is
talking about
people who've
already become
Christians
no I think
what he's doing
there is he's
encouraging Paul
to keep speaking
the gospel
because Jesus
has more
people in
Corinth
who are
going to
respond
positively
to the gospel
he's speaking
about that
group of
people that
the Bible
elsewhere calls
the elect
the chosen
those who
are chosen
by God
to respond
to the gospel
with faith
so do you
remember
Jesus said
in John 10
and I have
other sheep
that are not
of this fold
and I must
bring them in
also
and they
will
listen to
my voice
so there
will be
one flock
one shepherd
and I think
here in act 6
Jesus is
reminding Paul
that behind
every conversion
is divine
election
Jesus the
good shepherd
has his
sheep
those who
will
welcome the
gospel
when Paul
shares it
those whom
God has
chosen and
called
so the
divine work
here
is the
setting
of side
of people
for faith
for salvation
and so
Paul
is encouraged
keep sharing
the gospel
keep telling
others
because
there are
those in
Corinth
whom God
has chosen
to be saved
who have not
yet responded
it's an amazing
encouragement to say
Paul you're not
on a fool's
errand
it's not up
to you
there are
those whom
God has
chosen
you go
and preach
the gospel
and there
will be
people
that respond
there's one
other reminder
of God's
sovereignty
in the
apostolic
work
it's in
verse 27
and I'm
just going
to read
it to
you
can you
hear it
it's at
the end
Apollos
it's a really
simple thing
when he
arrived
what did
he do
he greatly
helped
those who
through grace
had believed
let me
just spend
a little bit
of time
on that
verse
for a
moment
Apollos
greatly
helped
those
who
through
grace
had
believed
how
did
the
people
in
Achaia
come to
believe
the gospel
from that
verse
can you
see it
so there
are two
answers
on that
the first
answer
is this
Apollos
helped
them
how did
Apollos
help
them
well
presumably
he did
so by
speaking
the gospel
of Jesus
refuting
false
ideas
reasoning
with them
persuading
them to
trust in
Jesus
how did
the people
in Achaia
become
Christians
Apollos
helped
them
what's
the second
reason
they
believed
the gospel
because of
God's
grace
God's
grace
do you
see that
there
it
says
doesn't
it
by
grace
they
had
believed
and the
same
could be
said
for
anyone
who's
believed
the
gospel
how did
Paul
Levy
first
come to
believe
the gospel
of Jesus
Christ
there's
two
answers
to that
the
first
answer
is that
people
like
Alan
and
Mary
people
like
Hugh
and
Brian
helped
me
my
parents
Alan
and
Mary
taught
and
modeled
the
gospel
to
me
Hugh
and
Brian
taught
me
in
Sunday
school
and
prayed
for me
that
I
would
learn
about
God
and
so
that's
the
first
answer
it
was
people
like
Alan
and
Mary
and
Hugh
and
Brian
but
there's
a second
answer
isn't
it
the
grace
of
God
is
the
second
answer
God
made
sure
I
heard
the
gospel
God
opened
my
mind
so
I
could
see
the
truth
of
it
God
granted
me
strength
to
turn
away
from
my
sins
and
stop
living
for
myself
God
helped
me
to
trust
in
him
and
he
did
all
of
that
though
I
don't
deserve
any
of
it
and
if
you
are
a
Christian
here
this
morning
if
you
are
somebody
who's
trusted
in
the
Lord
Jesus
your
story
is
the
same
as
mine
how
did
you
come
to
believe
the
gospel
there's
two
answers
one
a
person
or
some
people
helped
you
and
secondly
the
grace
of
God
was
at
work
in
you
a
divine
work
you
might
not be
like
me
at
all
you
might
really
like
surprises
and
that
is
fine
the
Bible
thankfully
wasn't
written
for
people
with
personalities
like
mine
not
all
of
it
anyway
you
might
really
like
surprises
whether
you
like
to
have
really
clear
expectations
or
you're
happy
to
roll
with
whatever
life
throws
at
you
God
thinks
that
it
is
good
for
us
to
know
something
in
advance
so
whether
you
like
to
have
a
really
clear
expectation
or
whether
you're
happy
to
roll
with
whatever
life
throws
at
you
God
thinks
it
is
good
for
you
to
know
some
things
in
advance
!
and one
of
those
things
that
God
wants
you
to
know
this
morning
is
when
you
speak
the
gospel
that
you
will
know
what
is
coming
it's
important
isn't
it
when
there
are
opposing
responses
that
you
know
what's
coming
already
it's
a
great
help
when
people
oppose
the
gospel
that
we
are
not
taken
by
surprise
and
God
is
not
taken
by
surprise
and
it
shouldn't
surprise
us
either
the
New
Testament
tells
you
and
I
that
persecution
is
normal
and
people
being
hostile
to
Christianity
is
normal
and
people
speaking
out
about
Christian
belief
is
not
new
it
is
not
unique
in
our
moment
in
history
and
we
should
expect
it
and
in
fact
knowing
we
should
expect
it
should
be
a
great
help
to
us
it
means
that
when
persecution
comes
to
this
church
and
it
comes
to
you
mustn't
think
the
wheels
are
falling
off
having
clear
expectations
assists
us
but
I
want to
stress
this
morning
having
clear
expectations
can
grow
inside
of us
what
we
might
call
expectancy
expectations
are things
that you
possess
expectancy
is something
that you
feel
expectancy
is the
anticipation
of
something
good
happening
and
those
who are
expecting
babies
you are
expectant
those who
are engaged
you are
looking forward
in
expectancy
it's the
anticipation
of something
good
happening
and it
seems to
me that
the book
of Acts
has been
designed
and has been
written
to prepare
us for
the hard
moments
in speaking
the gospel
but also
to stir
up
expectancy
because when
the gospel
is spoken
people don't
just respond
with opposition
some respond
with a
welcome
and not
only that
but God
is working
in Acts
to remind
us that
God's grace
comes to
people to
help them
believe
and God
has people
God has
people whom
he's chosen
and who
he will
call
but who
aren't yet
believers
God has
people like
that
and so
let me ask
you
and those
of us
who are
regulars
here
let me
ask
you
do you
believe
that
do you
really
believe
that
and if
so
are you
expecting
to see
God at
work
is your
heart
expected
I have
to admit
that my
heart is
often
something
else
sometimes
my
heart
is
impatient
sometimes
my heart
is
pessimistic
sometimes
when I
think about
God's
work in
the world
particularly
in the
UK
I'm
sceptical
and it's
very easy
it seems
to me
to look
all around
at the
opposition
to the
gospel
and see
that we're
surrounded
by not
just
hostility
but
widespread
apathy
the apathy
is worse
than the
hostility
and find
it really
disheartening
and if
you're
anything
like me
you find
that it's
very easy
to see
your own
failures
in sharing
the gospel
I seem
to be a
master
at missing
opportunities
and I
don't pray
as earnestly
for people
as I wish
I did
and I
sometimes
frankly
don't care
about people
being lost
in the way
that I
should
I also
find it
really easy
just to see
how people
happy people
seem to be
living without
Jesus
when I
think about
the neighbours
that live
on my
street
whom I
know
my friends
who don't
believe
their lives
in many
cases
don't appear
on the
surface
to be
all that
broken
and I
find it
hard to
believe
that actually
they need
Jesus
more than
anything
else
and for
me it's
easier
to see
all of
those
things
so much
that I'm
prone to
forget
what God
tells me
in his
word
I'm
prone to
seeing all
those
things
that I've
just
described
more
clearly
than what
the Bible
teaches me
about
God's
work
and of
course
the evidence
that exists
for what
God tells
me is
all around
us in
the world
people are
becoming
Christians
and people
are welcoming
the message
of Jesus
and God
has not
packed up
and gone
home
he is
still
graciously
at work
in our
world
in his
sovereign
purpose
choosing
people to
belong
to him
and he
has many
people in
our city
too
presumably
he has
people in
Ealing
in Hanwell
in Greenfoot
in Northolt
presumably
he has
people in
your school
and at
your
workplace
in your
family
amongst your
neighbours
and friends
he has
people who
don't yet
believe
but one
day
will
as it
were
they are
waiting for
someone to
come and
share the
gospel with
them
and that
is a
tremendous
encouragement
isn't it
and I
need to
keep
reminding
myself
of that
that God
might grow
expectancy
in my
heart
and maybe
you need
that as
well
that you
and I
as the
church here
in IPC
in Ealing
we have a
continuing
part to
play in
the apostolic
work
we are not
apostles
of course
but the
apostolic
gospel has
been passed
down to
us
and it
hasn't
changed
and Jesus
is still
the Messiah
he is still
the king
that they
proclaimed now
then that we
proclaim now
he is the
king who
died for his
people
the king who
came back to
life to
rule forever
and one day
he will come
back to judge
and between
now and
that day
the work
of God
the divine
work continues
and God
continues to
use people
to help
others
see him
and turn to
him
and he uses
people like
you and
people like
me
and we
ought to
expect that
he will
we ought
to expect
him to do
his work
around us
in the people
we know
and we ought
to repent
of our
pessimism
and our
doubt
I need
to
and we
ought to
keep coming
back to the
pages of the
Bible so
that our
hearts would
be stirred
again
stirred to
expectancy
by his
sovereign power
and his
irresistible
grace
verse 8
christmas
to his
friends
the ruler
of the
synagogue
believed in
the lord
and together
with his
entire
household
and many
of the
corinthians
hearing paul
believed
and were
baptized
and the
lord said
to paul
one night
in a
vision
do not
be afraid
but go
on speaking
and do
not be
silent
why do
you need
to be
told
to go
on speaking
and do
not be
silent
because
what's
the
temptation
the
temptation
is to
stop
speaking
and to
be
silent
jesus
says
for i
am with
you
and no
one
will
attack
you
to
harm
you
for
i
have
many
in
this
city
who
are
my
people
let's
pray