Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus,
who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla because Claudius had ordered all the
Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them and because he was a tent maker as they were,
he stayed and worked with them. Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue trying to persuade
Jews and Greeks. When Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself exclusively to
preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ. But when the Jews opposed Paul and became
abusive, he shook out his clothes in protest and said to them, your blood be on your head.
I am clear of my responsibility. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.
Then Paul left the synagogue and went next door to the house of Titius Justice, a worshipper of God.
Crispus, the synagogue ruler, and his entire household believed in the Lord, and many of
the Corinthians who heard him believed and were baptised. 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. So Paul stayed for a year and a half
teaching them the word of God. While Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews made a united attack
on Paul and brought him into court. This man, they charged, is persuading the people to worship God
in ways contrary to the law. Just as Paul was about to speak, Gallio said to the Jews,
if you Jews were making a complaint about some misdemeanour or a serious crime, it would be
reasonable for me to listen to you. But since it involves questions about words and names and your
own law, settle a matter yourselves. I will not be judge of such things. So he had them ejected from
the court. Then they all turned on Sosthenes, the synagogue ruler, and beat him in front of the court.
But Gallio showed no concern whatever. Well, let's pray and ask for God's help as we look at his word
together. Father, we thank you for this great record of how a church began. And we pray that it would
not just be a story, an event that happened in the past, but that this true story and God's work
in people's lives and through the church would also shape us.
shape us into the kind of church you have called us to be. And we pray that through this morning
that we will all leave as people who are sent, sent to bring your good news wherever we are.
So please encourage us and help us, we ask in Jesus' name. Amen.
Well, today is the greatest day, I think, in the life of this church. It's the greatest day so far
because we as a church family, for the first time, are sending people to help plant a new church. We have
helped by sending gifts and we have prayed about other church plants, but this is the first time
we have actually sent people. And in partnership with the church in Bandon and Douglas, we're sending
Ian, Jan, Amy and Kim to join with 14 others, as we saw on the screen a moment ago, to start
a new church in the town of Kinsale. Their mission, should you choose to accept it, their mission,
and you have accepted it, is to reach out with the good news of Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit
so that churches are established, not just in Kinsale, but also beyond.
In Acts 18, we see something of the same thing going on. So what's going on in Kinsale is not new,
it's been going on right from the beginning of the New Testament. In Acts 18 there, we see that Paul
is nearing the end of his second church planting trip. He's been moving to different locations and he's
been sent out by his home church in Antioch, which is in southeast of Turkey, and he has now reached all
the way across to mainland Europe to a place called Corinth, which is in Greece. And there he continues to
preach the gospel and establish new churches. Now I'm sure we all know a little bit about Paul,
and that he saw many people become Christians, he saw many churches planted, and we can get the
impression as we read through Acts that, well this is easy, I'm sure anybody could go off to Kinsale or
anywhere else. That's not really that difficult. But it's really not like that. Being sent to go and plant
a church is a daunting and a difficult task. It's no wonder then that when Paul would actually write to
this church that he established, he would write a letter to them and he would remind them of what it was
like when he first arrived. He says, I came to you in weakness and fear and much trembling. In fact, aware of
Paul's great fear, look at verse 9 of chapter 18.
Acts 18 verse 9, aware of Paul's fear, 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.
Now as Jan and Ian and Kim and Amy are being sent out to Kinsale, there's also a sense, and I'm sure if
you were to ask them where they feel weakness, a bit of fear, and I'm quite sure a bit of trembling.
What if people don't listen? What if this whole church plant doesn't work?
What happens if people oppose us? What happens if people leave?
Well, as Paul starts his church planting work in Corinth, there are four great promises that we can take with us and that
those who are going to Kinsale specifically are to take with them. And here's the first, the first great big
promise that we can take from God. That God rules his mission to Kinsale.
It's a very small statement, but it has a huge significance. Look at verse 1, the very first verse.
After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. Now it doesn't seem much, it's a little bit of a travel
detail telling us where he's been and where he's going. But behind all of that stands God's rule over his mission.
Because before he ever arrived in Corinth, he was travelling in other places and where he travelled was really, really tough.
So when he was in Philippi, Paul faced beatings and imprisonment.
In Thessalonica, he had to hide from a rioting mob who were out to get him.
In Berea, he had to run for his life because there was opposition and it was closing in.
When he arrived in Athens, he arrived there on his own, without any help, and he was ridiculed as a babbler.
But in each circumstance, in each town that he went to, his life was spared.
And so we read in 18 verse 1, after this, after all of these trials, after all of these difficulties,
Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.
You see, God rules over his mission.
Not even prison.
Not even beatings.
Not even rioting mobs.
Not even loneliness can hinder all that God intends to do in his world.
It's as if Paul was never meant to plant a single church, the opposition that he faced.
But as we read through Acts, the message is so crystal clear that God will see his message preached,
his messenger will be preserved, and his mission will prevail.
Nothing and no one can stand in God's way of all that he is going to do.
Now I think you'd be very thankful to know that I don't think you're going to face imprisonment when you go to Kinsale,
or rioting mobs.
But you will face hardship and opposition.
And so you need to know two things.
The first thing, God rules over your life.
God's in control over every detail of our lives.
Being sent to Kinsale is because God has ordered your life in this particular way.
If you're in this church, you're here because God has ordered your life in a particular way.
Yes, of course we make decisions and choices, but they are all under the ruling hand of God.
That means God will only allow in your life what he wills and what he permits.
And second, he doesn't just rule over our life.
God rules over the town of Kinsale.
He rules over every person that you will meet and over every power that there is.
Whatever objection you may face, nothing and no one can stand in the way of God's mission.
God has made his promise and God will keep his promise.
God will see that his message is preached, that his messengers are preserved,
and that his mission will prevail.
So that's the first thing that we can take with us,
that God rules his mission to Kinsale.
The second is this.
God provides his gospel partners for Kinsale.
Look at verse 1 again, verse 2.
After this, Paul left Athens and he went to Corinth.
There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus,
who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla,
because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome.
Now the Jews were well known for rioting in Rome.
Rome was the capital.
They were the ones in charge.
The Jews didn't like it.
And they rioted.
In fact, they'd become such a headache to Claudius, who was ruling there,
he kicked them all out.
It was a form of ethnic cleansing.
So politically speaking, Aquila and Priscilla had become refugees,
kicked out of their house, no home and no work.
However, missionally speaking,
they were all part of God's provision to Paul to partner in his work,
because they arrive in Corinth.
Look at verse 3.
Paul went to see them,
and because he was a tent maker as they were,
he stayed and worked with them.
Every Sabbath, he reasoned in the synagogue,
trying to persuade Jews and Greeks about the Lord Jesus Christ.
You see, they had joined Paul as partners in the work that he was doing.
In fact, when Paul would write to another church,
he would say how great Priscilla and Aquila were.
He called them my fellow workers in Christ Jesus,
who risked their lives for me and for the churches.
So church planting is not to be a solo effort.
It is meant to be a partnership.
And those who are going to Kinsale have their partners first in Kinsale.
We saw that great picture.
Isn't it wonderful?
Four people here,
and another 14 other people,
including children,
18 in all,
who will be there to encourage and support each other in this task.
God has gifted each one of them,
so that together as a church,
they can reach out to Kinsale with the good news of Christ.
Church planting isn't something we do alone.
It is working together with the people that God puts around us.
And it's the same for this church.
Look around you.
The person that is sitting there with you is God's gift to you to support you and encourage you in the work of the gospel.
But you just don't have partners in Kinsale.
We want you to be encouraged that you have got partners in Carigaline.
Look at verse 5.
When Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia.
So isn't that amazing?
There's even more provision of people.
Paul and Silas,
or Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia,
and Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching,
testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ.
You see, God knows the needs.
And he provides all the people that are needed and necessary to accomplish the task.
For a number of years, the McLennahans, the family in this church,
were able to be a part of those early stages.
And God provided other people who did similar things.
And just as Silas and Timothy came for a short time to support Paul in his work,
be assured that God will continue to partner you by providing people for the task that you are sent to.
And let me speak especially to those of us who will not be going to Kinsale.
To the church here in Carigaline.
We have a responsibility to go on supporting and caring for Ian and Jan and Amy and Kim.
We have a responsibility.
We are to provide ongoing practical care.
Ring them up.
Visit them.
Or as they even said,
we would go to them on a church,
to a Sunday service,
to support them and encourage them in the work that they are doing.
Starting off is going to be difficult.
They will need financial support.
And so as a church,
we will be giving a gift towards that work.
But this is something that must go on.
Yes, we are sending them.
But we are also partnering them.
We might not be going physically to Kinsale.
But never ever lose sight of the fact that we are part of God's provision to that work.
We are not simply observers watching other people go and do something.
We are partners in the work that goes on.
So God provides his gospel partners for Kinsale.
And third, another great promise.
God empowers his church for Kinsale.
Look at verse 5.
Let's read it again.
When Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia,
Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching,
testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ.
Now what kind of response did he get from the crowd
as he began to explain and teach about the Lord Jesus?
Well, look at verse 6.
But when the Jews opposed Paul and became abusive,
he shook out his clothes in protest
and said to them,
Your blood be on your own heads.
I am clear of my responsibility.
From now on, I will go to the Gentiles.
It was difficult.
There was a closed door.
People didn't want to know.
They refused to accept that Jesus Christ was God's saving King.
There's no story of repentance.
There's no story of faith.
And so we're left wondering,
How is anybody ever going to become a Christian in this city?
And maybe that's the question we ask about Kinsale.
How long is it going to take?
How long will it be until the first person from Kinsale becomes a Christian and joins that church?
How long is it going to be until the first person from Kinsale?
Well, have a look at 1 Corinthians chapter 2.
Keep your finger in Acts 18.
And go to 1 Corinthians, which is,
you've got Acts, then Romans,
and then 1 Corinthians chapter 2.
So it seems there's a closed door.
How are they ever going to break through, as it were, to see people changed?
Well, in this letter, which Paul wrote a few years later,
he remembers the very first time he arrived in that city.
And here's what he says.
Chapter 2, verse 1.
When I came to you, brothers and sisters,
I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom,
as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God.
For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you,
except Jesus Christ and him crucified.
I came to you in weakness and fear and with much trembling.
My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words,
but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power,
so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom,
but on God's power.
You see, it's not about being a great speaker in Kinsale.
It's not about your clever arguments.
It's not about the right program
or organising the right events for the town.
It is simply proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ
depending on the power of God's Holy Spirit.
Because that is always how God works.
The Spirit of God takes the gospel of God
to do the work of God.
The Spirit takes the gospel of God
to do the work of God in people's lives.
Which reminds us, reminds all of us,
that none of us can make people believe.
You see, none of us here can make anyone become a Christian.
None of us can make our friends and our families believe.
Our responsibility is to simply share Christ with others.
That's why Paul says,
back in Acts chapter 18, verse 6,
he says,
Your blood be on your heads,
I'm clear of my responsibility.
We're not responsible for how people are going to respond,
what their reactions might be.
We simply, with gentleness and love,
bring the good news of Christ.
The offer of salvation,
the warning of judgment to come,
the need to be right with God.
But we do all of that in prayerful dependence
upon the Spirit of God who moves in power.
We can't do it.
But second,
let's remember that it is God who makes people in Kinsale believe.
Look at verse 7 of Acts chapter 18.
Having been refused by others and been rejected by others,
verse 7,
we're told,
Then Paul left the synagogue
and went next door to the house of Titius Justice,
a worshipper of God.
So just somebody's house.
And who was there?
Crispus, the synagogue ruler.
And his entire household
believed in the Lord.
And many of the Corinthians who heard him
believed and were baptised.
Paul's message didn't change.
He said the same thing to one group
and he said the same thing to another group.
So why did Crispus and his family
and other people believe?
Well, it simply shows us that salvation
is God's work
and not our work.
It's the Spirit of God
taking the Gospel of God
and doing his work
in people's lives.
And so we are to speak
the message.
But perhaps more importantly,
we are to pray for God's Spirit
to cause people to believe
and be baptised.
If we are to see that in Kinsale,
we as a church in Carragalline
are to pray for God's Spirit
to be at work.
So third, God empowers his church.
And the last great big promise
is God will save his people
in Kinsale.
Look at verse 9.
This is a fabulous 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.
Now that's a great promise,
isn't it?
But,
we have to be very careful
that we don't claim too much
from this promise.
For example,
verse 10 says,
For I am with you
and no one is going to attack and harm you.
So there's Paul thinking,
right,
nobody's going to attack or harm me.
But,
we only need to read on
a couple of chapters.
In chapter 20,
verse 22,
we read this,
that Paul,
compelled by the Spirit,
said,
I'm off to Jerusalem,
not knowing what will happen me there.
I only know that in every city
the Holy Spirit warns me
that prison and hardships are facing me.
So was God going to protect him
or was he not?
Well,
I think it's quite clear
that this promise
was quite specific
to the town of Corinth.
That no harm would befall him
in Corinth.
But this promise
is still very encouraging
for Paul
because it renews
his confidence,
verse 11.
Paul stayed there
a year and a half
teaching them
the word of God.
With God's promise
that God was going to
keep him and protect him,
he stayed there
for a year and a half
teaching and encouraging
the people.
Now here's our big question.
How much is verse 9 and 10
a promise for those
who are going to Kinsale?
And how much is that
a promise for you and me?
Well, the promise is
first and foremost
a promise for Paul.
But through the promise,
God has revealed truth for us.
Look at verse 10 again.
He says,
I am with you.
No one is going to
attack and harm you
because I have many people
in this city.
So I think the principle
behind the promise
is this.
A promise that we can
take to Kinsale.
A promise that we can
keep for ourselves here.
And here it comes.
It comes in two parts.
Here's the first part.
God has people
whom he will save
through you.
God has people
whom he will save
through you.
Now isn't that
an amazing encouragement
for our lives?
This means that
the people we
work with,
the people we go
to college with,
the people we hang out with,
the people that we
spend our time around
are not coincidences.
It's not by chance.
God has us
in those relationships
and with those people
because God knows
who his people are
and who is going
to believe.
And so verse 9 we read,
Do not be afraid.
Keep on speaking.
Do not be silent.
God has people
whom he will save
through you.
Now for those in Kinsale,
that doesn't mean
when you go around
next Christmas
delivering invitations
to the carol service
or inviting people
to some particular event,
you don't knock on the door
and say,
here we have this.
By the way,
are you elect?
Are you predestined
by any chances?
Has God chosen you?
Be an odd thing to say,
wouldn't it?
The fact is,
they don't know,
we don't know,
but God knows
who his people are.
And God knows
the ones that he will save.
That is his business.
God's grace is great
and it is big.
And God has you
in relationships
with the people
that he has you with
because there are those
that God will save
through you.
That is the encouragement
that we can take.
And here's the second
big encouragement.
encouragement.
That God will keep you
until they are saved.
God will keep you
until they are saved.
The encouragement is,
God will save people
through you
and he is going to keep us.
Because that's the ultimate purpose
of why we are here.
Why we are in relationship
with God.
Why we are in the communities
that we are in.
God will keep your life.
He will preserve your life
until he has brought salvation
to all those
that he will save
through you.
No harm will come to you.
Nothing will happen
to your life
that will distract you
from accomplishing that task
until God says so.
Isn't that exactly
what happened to Paul
as we read on
in the following verses?
Verse 12,
while Gallia was
proconsul of Achaia,
the Jews made an attack
on Paul
and brought him
into the court.
I thought God said
he wouldn't be harmed
or nothing would happen.
This man they charged
is persuading the people
to worship God
in ways contrary
to the law.
They want Paul's life.
But what was the outcome?
Verse 16,
he had them ejected
from the courts.
to judge
through the case out.
And Paul
was let go
without being harmed
and able to carry on
his work.
So let me encourage us all
that God will preserve
your life.
Not all the time,
not every time,
but he will do so
until all those
whom he will save
through you
are saved.
We take those promises
with us.
So going to Kinsale,
we may feel weak.
There's fear.
There's trembling.
Being a Christian
in our workplace,
in our family,
we may feel weak
and afraid.
But we have these
great big promises
from God.
God rules his mission.
He provides
his gospel partners.
He empowers
his church
and he saves
his people.
So in our weakness,
we are encouraged.
In our fear,
we are confident.
And in our trembling,
we are assured.
Do not be afraid.
Keep on speaking.
Do not be silent.
For I
am with you.
Let's pray together.
Father,
we are amazed
at the work
that you have done
in a town,
a city like Corinth
all those years ago.
And you are the same God
who has done
the same kind of work
in this town,
in Carragaline.
causing people
to believe,
providing partners,
workers,
empowering your church
by your spirit
and fulfilling
your promise
to bring people
to faith.
We thank you
that we stand here
this morning
as testimony
of that very fact,
God's work
work in this town.
And we thank you
that we too
can take these promises
and send
Ian
and Jan
and Kim
and Amy
with these same promises,
knowing that God
will be faithful
to them
and that God
will build
his church
in that town.
That people
will come to love him
and trust him.
And we pray
that the work
will not stop there,
but that very church
would also have
an occasion
like this
when they
send out
others
to bring the good news
of Christ
to a world
in need.
Father,
you are good
and you are faithful
and we entrust
one another
into your good care.
In Jesus' name.
Amen.