Acts 18:1-19:10Sometimes it's good for us to see the atmosphere in which Paul, Silas and Timothy shared their witness. Notice in 18:2 that Paul is "tentmaking." The first disciples of Jesus may have left everything to follow Jesus, but Paul made his living "tentmaking" while he was in ministry. Bi-vocational pastors like my father (fuel and water treatment company owner during the week and United Methodist Pastor on the weekends) or Larry Springer of St. Luke's (insurance and investments during the week and then as available surving the congregation in Sudan) take their cue from Paul.
We've noticed it before, but notice the time and effort involved in what they did: 1)18:11 - "So Paul stayed for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God," 2) "Paul stayed on in Corinth for some time," 3)19:8 -[In Ephesus]"Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God," and 4) 19:9b - "He took the disciples with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. This went on for two years..." We live in such an "instant" society that we are no longer equipped to invest long-term in people's lives, possibly for mixed results. When Bishop Whitfield was here for our 50th anniversary, he shared that the United Methodist Church in The Congo says that they do not expect people to come to faith until after five years of relationship building. Today, they are starting a church every other day. Witness involves making long-term investment in people. Are we willing to do that? If not, we have a problem, and it is with Jesus himself.
Next, notice the aforementioned mixed results in this passage: 1) 18:6 -"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!'",2) 18:12 - "While Gallilo was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews made a united attack on Paul...", 3) 18:28 - "For he vigorously refuted the Jews in public debate, proving from the Scriptues that Jesus was the Christ.", and 4) 19:9a - "But some of them became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the way. So Paul left them." Sharing faith is not about being popular or well-received. The message we have to share is actually what Maurice Boyd calls "a lover's quarrel with the world," the way the it speaks, feels, and acts. The symbol of our faith is a cross, a symbol of rejection, false accusation, and brutality. Our message is inherently controversial, yet still we must speak, lest we deny Christ.
Since this passage has located us at Ephesus. I thought I would write a preparatory word for our study of Paul's letter to the Church there. On the same trip in which Tina and I went to Mars Hill in Athens, we also spent a day at historic Ephesus and contemporary Kushadasi, on the western coast of Turkey. What an amazing cosmopolitan city was there during the days of Paul. We saw the colisseum, which would easily have seated 2,000 people. The Three Tenors sang there, but beginning in 1990, they no longer have concerts with microphones and sound systems. After several high-powered rock groups performed there, damage of the ruins was noticed from the excessive volume. We saw what remained of a multi-story library, a courthouse, and several temples to the gods of the day. The most interesting site was the lavatory: a whole row of outdoor toilets with a paved circular area in front of it, where the orchestra played as the elite went to the bathroom. I know, we just pipe it in from MUSAK now, but it was interesting nevertheless. If I was to name a comparable city to Ephesus in Texas, it would be Austin. Picture Austin where the only Christian witness is a small fledgling church of probably less than 50 people. Surely, they will have no significant voice and no measurable impact. History says otherwise. Have a great day.
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