Unstoppable ChurchНамуна

Overview of Week Three

Acts 18:18-21:15 NKJV

This week covers the following ways in which the members of God’s Church can grow in their faith as God grows His Church:

1. Giving guidance graciously and taking advice with humility.
2. A beautiful portrait of how the Gospel spread to all types of people who lived both pre-cross and post-cross!
3. Use every available means to reach every available person at every available time with the Gospel!
4. No matter how hard people try to thwart the providence of God, God’s will always prevails!
5. If goodbyes are difficult, it means you care.

An Overview of Acts 18:18-21:15

Paul stayed in Corinth after he was exonerated in court from any wrong- doing after Sosthenes attempted to imprison him for preaching the Gospel (Acts 18:18). After which, Paul, Aquila, and Priscilla traveled to Ephesus (Acts 18:21b). Paul then left Aquila and Priscilla in Ephesus as he continued to travel to Galatia to “strengthen the brethren” (Acts 18:23b NKJV). While Aquila and Priscilla ministered in Ephesus, a good and spiritual man named Apollos visited Ephesus in hopes to join the believers there to assist in continuing the spread the good news (Acts 18:24). Excited to meet another believer who was eager to join them in proclaiming the Gospel to the Gentiles, they noticed that the Lord had blessed Apollos with helpful gifts and talents that would serve them well in effectively communicating the Scriptures. Hearing that Apollos was a follower of John the baptizer, Aquila and Priscilla lovingly updated Apollos on all that had happened in the coming of the Holy Spirit in light of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. Apollos took the instruction with humility and continued to preach the Gospel!

In Acts 19, Paul engaged twelve disciples of John the baptizer in a very similar way to how Aquila and Priscilla engaged Apollos in the previous four verses (Acts 18:23-26). Afterward, Paul withdrew from the Synagogue as hostilities grew, and he rented a lecture hall within the city to teach during the day for two years (Acts 19:10). During this time, the Lord empowered Paul to perform many miracles (Acts 19:11). This drew the attention of many jealous people who wanted to be known for wielding that kind of power. But they did not know Jesus the way Paul knew Jesus. So, when they attempted to mimic what Paul did to cast out demons, it was not successful (Acts 19:11-16). The word spread of what the Lord brought about in that moment, and many people accepted Christ (Acts 19:17-20).

Riots broke out in Ephesus, and many people protested to their local government leader that Paul’s teaching should not be allowed in their city. The governmental leader calmed them down, and Paul and his friends left Ephesus (Acts 19:21-41).

Paul traveled to Greece, then to Troas, and then to Miletus (Acts 20:1-16). While at Miletus, Paul invited the Ephesian elders to meet him, and he had a tender time of reflection with them. He warned them of people who would rise up from among them to attempt to scatter the believers, and encouraged them to remain vigilant. Then they had an emotional farewell with heavy tears (Acts 20:17-37).

On his way to Jerusalem, Paul was cautioned by many well-intended believers to avoid Jerusalem because of the persecution that he would inevitably experience. But after they talked with Paul on a couple of occasions, they sensed it was the will of God that Paul travel to Jerusalem, “So when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, “The will of the Lord be done” (Acts 21:14 NKJV). And “after those days we packed and went up to Jerusalem” (Acts 20:15 NKJV).