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Acts 18:1-11 NKJV– Paul Arrives in Corinth for the First Time:

Everyone Needs Encouragement, Give it Freely

Encouragement can be delivered in many forms – words, one’s presence, and even through a gift. Then, there are encouragements that only God can give. In I Corinthians 18:1-11, Paul desperately needed encouragement because of experiencing a lot of opposition and persecution for sharing the Gospel. Fortunately, he received all the encouragement he needed from God and God’s people.

Prior to arriving in Corinth in Acts 18, Paul had been traveling and passionately sharing the Gospel. Unfortunately, at every turn, he experienced persecution. Hostile people who hated Paul’s message followed him from town to town, attempting to silence him and/or even physically injure him (Acts 16:16-24 in Philippi; Acts 17:5-9 in Thessalonica; Acts 17:13-15 in Berea; Acts 17:32 mocked and ignored in Athens). So, when he arrived in Corinth, he needed his spirit to be lifted and given assurance that God was with him in this difficult season of his life and ministry. This pain is seen in the letters he wrote to the believers in Thessalonica while in Corinth. Paul cautioned them against feeling the same feelings he was grappling with, “But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good” (II Thessalonians 2:13 NKJV). Paul also wrote the Letter to the Galatian believers to persuade them to heed the exact same advice, “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart” (Galatians 6:9 NKJV). Paul needed encouragement.

Paul entered a very well-known city named Corinth (Acts 18:1). He connected with Jewish friends, Aquila and Priscilla, who had relocated to Corinth because of an edict by Emperor Claudius that all Jews and Jewish Christians should leave the city of Rome (Acts 18:2).

Because Paul was low on ministry funds, he joined Aquila in making tents while he actively continued to minister as much as he could, even though he could not currently minister full-time due to finances. He shared the Gospel with both Jews and Gentiles (Acts 18:3-4). Ultimately, the Jewish people had had enough of Paul’s message that Jesus was the Christ/Messiah (Acts 18:5) and began to oppose Paul and blaspheme Christ. It was at this moment that Paul declared that he would focus his primary attention on sharing the Gospel with the Gentiles (Acts 18:6). Upon making this declaration, many people who, despite the Jews’ boisterous opposition, continued to listen to Paul’s Gospel message and came to faith in Jesus Christ - both Gentiles and some Jews (Acts 18:7-8)!

That night, the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision, gave him a specific command, and provided him with specific encouragement. His commandment was to not be afraid, to not be silent, but to continue speaking the Gospel message (Acts 18:9). His specific encouragement to Paul was that God was with him and no one will be allowed to harm him (Acts 18:10). Then God reminded Paul of His sovereign knowledge and plan when He informed Paul that He had many people in the city of Corinth who would come to faith in Him (Acts 18:10). Paul obeyed with confidence and remained in Corinth for one and a half more years both sharing the Gospel and discipling the new Christians (Acts 18:11).

Notice three ways in which God delivered his encouragement to Paul in Acts 18:1-11.

1. The presence of Christian friends (Acts 18:1-4).
2. The gifts from distant Christian churches (Acts 18:5).
3. The salvation of new Converts (Acts 18:7-8).

Paul received encouragement from his good Christian friends Aquila and his wife, Priscilla (Romans 16:3; I Cor. 16:19; II Tim. 4:19), who generously opened their home and
gave him a job that provided for him until he could again receive funding that would allow him to minister full time (Acts 18:3; see I Thessalonians 2:9 and II Thessalonians 3:8). They lived out the selfless care and love for Paul that resembled the Lord Jesus Christ Himself (see Philippians 2:4-5).

Paul also received encouragement from the gifts from distant Christian churches that allowed him to return to full-time ministry involvement once again. Acts 18:5 says nothing about gifts being given to Paul. It only says that Silas and Timothy came to Corinth to see Paul “from Macedonia.” But after reading some additional New Testament Scriptures (Acts 17:15-16; I Thessalonians 3:1-2; Philippians 4:15 NKJV), one can see that Silas and Timothy came to Corinth from Macedonia with a financial gift, “And when I was with you and did not have enough to live on, I did not become a financial burden to anyone. For the brothers who came from Macedonia brought me all that I needed” (II Corinthians 11:9a, NLT). And this financial gift allowed Paul to immediately return to full-time ministry work! Notice that Paul was a tentmaker; he had a work schedule, but he still ministered when and where he could as much as his schedule would allow, “Each Sabbath found Paul at the synagogue, trying to convince the Jews and Greeks alike” (Acts 18:4 NLT). But when he received the necessary financial support from the Christian churches, “Paul spent all his time preaching the Word” (Acts 18:5b, NLT)! As a result of the encouragement, Paul regained his boldness and energy.

Still, Paul received the most impactful encouragement from God Himself through seeing the salvation of new converts (Acts 18:7-8) – A gentile (non-Jewish) man named “Justus” (Acts 18:7), the ruler of the Jewish synagogue, Crispus, and his entire household (Acts 18:8a), and many more citizens of Corinth (Acts 18:8b). God put his saving power on open display for Paul to see so that he would never doubt that God was still at work in his life regardless
of how he interpreted his circumstances! Paul was reminded that God is not affected by discouragement; He never stands in a state of doubt, nor is He hindered by what seems to be difficult circumstances. As a result, Paul spoke this encouraging truth to his own heart the same way the Psalmist spoke to his once discouraged heart, “Why are you downcast, O my soul...put your hope in the Lord” (Psalm 42:11a NKJV)! As a result, Paul was encouraged to stay in the very same environment and preach the Gospel with renewed energy, as “he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them”
(Acts 18:11 NKJV).

And after experiencing all these encouragements, the Lord summarized the spiritual take away that Paul needed to hide away in his heart and pull out every time he felt discouragement in the future, “Now the Lord spoke to Paul in the night by a vision, ‘Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent; for I am with you, and no one will attack you to hurt you; for I have many people in this city’” (Acts 18:9-10 NKJV).

Ponder & Pray Today…

Reflect on a time that the Lord delivered you through a season of discouragement. Attempt to return to that moment in your mind in order to remember vividly how you felt before you experienced God’s deliverance. Then, reflect on how you felt when God delivered you out of that challenging season and restored your joy.

Pray a prayer of thanksgiving to God for delivering you out of that challenging season of discouragement. Then, recommit to God that in the future, you will try to never forget that He is always with you and that you will trust in Him.