Finding Freedom from Fear… Forever

ACTS: 18 FINDING FREEDOM FROM FEAR…..FOREVER

“After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.” V. 1

BACKGROUND FACTS

WELCOME TO CORINTH –THE ORIGINAL SIN CITY

GREAT LOCATION:

• Attractive – Geographical Center of Greece

• Affluent – Business Center of Greece – a wealthy place to do business; Athens was the intellectual center; Corinth was the business center

• Heavily Populated – “Corinth …was a wide-open boomtown. San Francisco in the days of the gold rush is perhaps the most illuminating parallel.”

• Sexually Saturated – Like most ancient Greek cities, Corinth had an acropolis (lit. “a high city”), rising 2,000 feet, used both for defense and worship. Its most prominent edifice was a temple to Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love. Some 1,000 priestesses (“religious” prostitutes), lived and worked there and came down to Corinth in the evenings to offer their services to male citizens and foreign visitors

• Entertainment Center – Had a stadium where athletic games were held every other year (Isthmian Games) – held in the spring of A.D. 50, Paul may have attended.

After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.

2 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 Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, 3 and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them. 4 Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks.

5 When Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah. 6 But when they 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 innocent of it. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”

7 Then Paul left the synagogue and went next door to the house of Titus Justus, a worshiper of God. 8 Crispus, the synagogue leader, and his entire household believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard Paul believed and were baptized. 9 One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. 10 For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.” 11 So Paul stayed in Corinth for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God. 12 While Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews of Corinth made a united attack on Paul and brought him to the place of judgment. 13 “This man,” they charged, “is persuading the people to worship God in ways contrary to the law.” 14 Just as Paul was about to speak, Gallio said to them, “If you Jews were making a complaint about some misdemeanor or serious crime, it would be reasonable for me to listen to you. 15 But since it involves questions about words and names and your own law—settle the matter yourselves. I will not be a judge of such things.” 16 So he drove them off. 17 Then the crowd there turned on Sosthenes the synagogue leader and beat him in front of the proconsul; and Gallio showed no concern whatever.

ANTIDOTE TO FEAR —

GET STRONGER

23 After spending some time in Antioch, Paul set out from there and traveled from place to place throughout the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.

GOD STRENGTHENS US WHEN WE…

1. Believe There Are No (2-6)

HOPE

“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 Jews to leave Rome….When Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah. But when they 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 innocent of it. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.'” VS. 2-6

2. Quit

Because of Critics

FOCUS

“But when they 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 innocent of it. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.'” V. 6

3. Listen for the

PURPOSE

“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 in Corinth for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God.” VS. 9-11

4. Make and Keep

COMMITMENT

“Before he sailed, he had his hair cut off at Cenchreae because of a vow he had taken.” V. 18

5. Are Saturated by the

DIRECTION

“So Paul stayed in Corinth for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God.” V. 11

For every fear that we have there is a corresponding attribute of God – something about His character, his nature that corresponds to each and every fear. All of our fears come from not understanding or trusting aspects of God’s character. If we want to get over our fears the secret is to get to know God. Because when we understand what God is like – we discover that we don’t have anything to be afraid of!