to Corinth

Good evening friends,
Today's reading brings us back to Acts and to the story of Paul's ministry in Corinth. Paul traveled a ton, so it's remarkable that he stayed in Corinth so long. That accounts for the emotional intensity of his letters to the church there, since he knew the community so well. We also see Paul leave the synagogue in frustration as the people there oppose him. What's fascinating is that after he leaves, the synagogue officials becomes a believer. Sometimes we get our message across much better by not trying to force it.

God bless,
Sam

Acts 18:1-11

After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. ²There he found 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, ³and, because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them, and they worked together—by trade they were tentmakers. ⁴Every sabbath he would argue in the synagogue and would try to convince Jews and Greeks.

5 When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was occupied with proclaiming the word, testifying to the Jews that the Messiah was Jesus. ⁶When they opposed and reviled him, in protest he shook the dust from his clothes and said to them, ‘Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.’

⁷Then he left the synagogue and went to the house of a man named Titius Justus, a worshipper of God; his house was next door to the synagogue. ⁸Crispus, the official of the synagogue, became a believer in the Lord, together with all his household; and many of the Corinthians who heard Paul became believers and were baptized. ⁹One night the Lord said to Paul in a vision, ‘Do not be afraid, but speak and do not be silent; ¹⁰for I am with you, and no one will lay a hand on you to harm you, for there are many in this city who are my people.’ ¹¹He stayed there for a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.

Thanksgiving in Corinth

Good morning and Happy Thanksgiving!
I'm grateful for the privilege of ministering with you at Laurelton. This is a special community and I treasure your gifts and our time together. Paul reminds the Corinthian church that God gives them possessions not for themselves but so they can share them with others. He encourages them to give thanks for what they have by giving generously. He also encourages them to give thanks for God's grace by sharing the gospel with others. Even the hardships the community faces provide an opportunity to glorify God through obedience and persistence.
May we use our gifts well to serve others and build up God's kingdom,
Sam

2 Corinthians 9:6-15

⁶The point is this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. ⁷Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. ⁸And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work. ⁹As it is written,
     “He scatters abroad, he gives to the poor;
          his righteousness endures forever.”

¹⁰He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. ¹¹You will be enriched in every way for your great generosity, which will produce thanksgiving to God through us; ¹²for the rendering of this ministry not only supplies the needs of the saints but also overflows with many thanksgivings to God. ¹³Through the testing of this ministry you glorify God by your obedience to the confession of the gospel of Christ and by the generosity of your sharing with them and with all others, ¹⁴while they long for you and pray for you because of the surpassing grace of God that he has given you. ¹⁵Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

Paul in Corinth

Good morning sisters and brothers,
This passage may be familiar from our time with First Corninthians, since this is the account of Paul's ministry in Corinth. It seems like one of the reasons Paul settled in Corinth at first was because he met up with a Christian couple in his trade. Pricilla and Aquila were important leaders in the church and we hear their names several times in Paul's letters. It's a good reminder how much the early church was a personal network in a lot of ways. We also see how Paul's trade was an important part of our ministry, which may help us think about how our work and our ministry fit together.

God tells Paul to work bravely in Corinth because there are many people who will be part of God's family there. It must have been hard to face as much opposition as Paul and his companions did, but at the same time all the new people coming to faith would have been very encouraging. Since Acts moves along at such a quick pace it's hard to have a sense for how much time is passing. We don't know how long Paul spent in most places. Still, Corinth seems to have been the exception with Paul spending a year and a half there teaching. I wonder if Paul found it refreshing to spend more time somewhere of if he preferred the frequent travel.

God bless your work this Friday,
Sam

Acts 18:1-11
After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. 2There he found 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, 3and, because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them, and they worked together—by trade they were tentmakers. 4Every sabbath he would argue in the synagogue and would try to convince Jews and Greeks. 5When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was occupied with proclaiming the word, testifying to the Jews that the Messiah was Jesus. 6When they opposed and reviled him, in protest he shook the dust from his clothes and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”

7Then he left the synagogue and went to the house of a man named Titius Justus, a worshiper of God; his house was next door to the synagogue. 8Crispus, the official of the synagogue, became a believer in the Lord, together with all his household; and many of the Corinthians who heard Paul became believers and were baptized. 9One night the Lord said to Paul in a vision, “Do not be afraid, but speak and do not be silent; 10for I am with you, and no one will lay a hand on you to harm you, for there are many in this city who are my people.” 11He stayed there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.