PAUL THE TENTMAKER                  (The Acts of the Apostles – Part 19)

The Teaching Ministry of Rick Trice

Trinity Fellowship

Raton, NM

October 30, 2005

Scripture References:

Acts 18:1-23

Acts 13:48

2 Thessalonians 3:7-31

PAUL IN GREECE

(Read Acts 18:1-4)

AFTER HIS GREAT SERMON, “THE UNKNOWN GOD,” PAUL LEAVES ATHENS AND TRAVELS ABOUT 50 MILES SOUTHWEST TO THE CITY OF CORINTH.

NOW CORINTH IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT CITIES IN THE WORLD AT THIS TIME. IT IS ON AN BUSY TRADE ROUTE, AND HAS BEEN CAPTURED AND RECAPTURED SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE CENTURIES. IN PAUL’S TIMES, IT IS UNDER ROMAN OCCUPATION, AND CONTAINS ABOUT 200,000 CITIZENS, INCLUDING NOT ONLY GREEKS, BUT ITALIANS, ROMAN SOLDIERS, BUSINESSMEN, GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, PEOPLE FROM THE NEAR EAST, A LARGE NUMBER OF JEWS, AND A LARGE NUMBER OF SLAVES.

IN OTHER WORDS, IT’S A BUSTLING METROPOLIS.

BEING GREEK AND ROMAN, THE CITY ALSO THRIVED IN COMPETING RELIGIONS. IT’S CHIEF “GOD” WAS THE GODDESS APHRODITE, WHO WAS WORSHIPPED BY IMMORAL SEXUAL PRACTICES. IN FACT, IN PAUL’S TIME, THERE WAS A WELL-KNOWN WORD IN THE LANGUAGE CALLED “CORINTHIANIZE,” WHICH MEANT TO BE SEXUALLY IMMORAL.

SO PAUL HAD A JOB BEFORE HIM. AND WAS PROBABLY MORE THAN A LITTLE INTIMIDATED.

THE TENTMAKERS

(V 3-4) HERE WE ARE INTRODUCED TO AQUILA AND HIS WIFE PRISCILLA, WHO ARE ROMAN CITIZENS, AND SHARE THE SAME TRADE WITH PAUL, THAT OF TENTMAKING. AND WE ARE TOLD THAT BECAUSE OF THIS, AND BECAUSE THERE IS MUCH PREACHING TO BE DONE, PAUL SETS UP SHOP WITH AQUILA AND PRISCILLA. WE SEE LATER THAT HE STAYS WORKING WITH THEM AND MINISTERING IN THE SYNAGOGUE FOR A YEAR AND A HALF.

I ALWAYS FIND THIS INTERESTING: HERE IS PERHAPS THE GREATEST EVANGELIST IN HISTORY, RESPONSIBLE FOR ALLOWING GOD TO SPREAD THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST THROUGH HIM TO THE GENTILE WORLD; RESPONSIBLE FOR WRITING 2/3 OF THE NEW TESTAMENT, AND THEREFORE PROBABLY RESPONSIBLE FOR US EVEN BEING HERE TODAY; SO THEREFORE ONE OF THE FEW PEOPLE WHO COULD LEGITIMATELY LAY CLAIM TO BEING IN “FULL TIME MINISTRY.”

AND YET, HE STILL SEES THE NEED TO WORK WITH HIS HANDS IN THE CRAFT HE HAD LEARNED TO MAKE A LIVING WITH.

MANY PEOPLE COME UP TO ME (MANY OF THEM OTHER PASTORS) AND ASK ME HOW CAN I BE A “PART TIME” PREACHER, AND STILL HOLD A JOB OUT “IN THE WORLD”?

AND I JUST POINT TO PAUL.

(READ 2 Thessalonians 3:7-12)

“…TO BE AN EXAMPLE TO YOU…”

PAUL PLANTS A CHURCH

(V. 5-11) JUST AS IS HIS CUSTOM, PAUL BEGINS BY SHARING JESUS IN THE SYNOGOGUES (SO GOD’S CHOSEN PEOPLE ARE WITHOUT EXCUSE IE. “YOUR BLOOD BE UPON YOUR OWN HEADS, I AM CLEAN.”).

AND HE GOES NEXT DOOR TO JUSTUS’ HOUSE AND STARTS A CHURCH!

AND JESUS SPEAKS TO PAUL THAT NIGHT IN A VISION, TELLING HIM TO NOT BE AFRAID!

NOW I DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT I NEVER THOUGHT OF PAUL AS BEING AFRAID! BUT I GUESS HE WAS, BECAUSE JESUS NEVER WASTED ANY UNNECESSARY WORDS. IT SEEMS PAUL MAY HAVE BEEN AFRAID FOR HIS LIFE!

(V12-17) JESUS TELLS PAUL HE WILL PROTECT HIS LIFE, AND HE PROVES IT HERE WHEN THE JEWS DRAG HIM BEFORE THE ROMAN PROCONSUL, GALLIO. AND GALLIO PRETTY MUCH TELLS THE JEWS TO NOT BOTHER HIM WITH SUCH PETTY THINGS, AND ALLOWS THE LEADER OF THE SYNAGOGUE TO BE BEATEN BY THE GREEKS!

GOD’S ELECT

LET’S LOOK AGAIN AT V10, WHERE JESUS TELLS PAUL “I HAVE MANY PEOPLE IN THIS CITY.”

NOW, THIS IS STRANGE, BECAUSE PAUL JUST GOT HERE. AND THERE ARE FEW CHRISTIANS AT THIS TIME. WHAT’S JESUS REFERRING TO? I BELIEVE HE’S REFERRING TO THE PEOPLE THAT HE KNOWS ARE GOING TO RESPOND TO HIM IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

THE BIBLE TEACHES A TOUCHY SUBJECT CALLED “ELECTION AND REPROBATION.” “ELECTION” MEANS “FORECHOSEN” AND “REPROBATION” MEANS “CONDEMNED TO THEIR SINS.”

IT’S TOUCHY BECAUSE IT ASSUMES THAT GOD HAS PREORDAINED SOME PEOPLE TO BE SAVED AND SOME TO DIE LOST. (READ ROMANS 8:28-30), AND IT’S ONE OF THOSE HARD DOCTRINES THAT CHRISTIANS HAVE DEBATED FOR CENTURIES.

BUT IT IS IN THE BIBLE, AND WE NEED TO ADDRESS IT TODAY, BECAUSE I THINK IT IS A SOURCE OF COMFORT AND WISDOM FOR PAUL AT THIS CRITICAL TIME.

NOW YOU CAN ARGUE THAT IT SIMPLY MEANS THAT GOD KNOWS IN ADVANCE WHO IS GOING TO ACCEPT OR REJECT HIM; OR YOU CAN ARGUE THAT HE ACTUALLY MADE CHOICES AMONGST US.

BUT THE DOCTRINE OF “ELECTION” HAS JUST AS MUCH TO DO WITH GOD’S GRACE AS IT DOES TO HIS SUPREMACY.

IN OTHER WORDS, THINK OF IT AS A PROMISE OF GOD’S COMMITMENT TO COMPLETE YOU. “.. WHOM HE PREDESTINED, HE CALLED…” HE DREW YOU TO HIM AND HIS WORD FOR YOUR SALVATION; “…WHOM HE CALLED, HE JUSTIFIED…” HE SAVED YOU “.. WHOM HE JUSTIFIED, THESE HE ALSO GLORIFIED…” HE IS COMPLETING YOU.

“HE WHO BEGAN A GOOD WORK IN YOU WILL BE FAITHFUL TO COMPLETE IT. “

PETER FURTHER TELLS US IN 2 PETER 1;10 TO BE “DILIGENT” TO MAKE OUR CALL AND ELECTION SURE.” IN OTHER WORDS, TO BE KNOWN TO BELONG TO GOD, BECAUSE OF OUR FRUITS.

AND THIS IS THE PROMISE THAT JESUS GIVES PAUL IN HIS VISION IN CORINTH, WHEN HE IS AFRAID FOR HIS LIFE…”KEEP THE FAITH, PAUL…THERE ARE MANY OF MY CHOSEN WHO NEED TO HEAR FROM YOU.”

AND I THINK IT WAS THAT KNOWLEDGE THAT KEPT PAUL IN CORINTH FOR OVER A YEAR AND HALF.

ARE YOU IN A PLACE WHERE YOU’RE WONDERING IF GOD IS WORKING ANYMORE? OR MAYBE YOU SHOULD CHUCK IT ALL IN AND GO FIND SOME OTHER FIELD OF MINISTRY, SOME OTHER WORK, SOME OTHER LIFE?

EVER FEEL LIKE RUNNING AWAY?

MAYBE GOD NEEDS YOU TO “STAY THE COURSE” FOR AWHILE. TO TAKE COMFORT THAT HE IS INDEED IN THE PROCESS OF COMPLETING YOU.