The Word Made Plain

Announcer: Welcome to The Word Made Plain with Senior Pastor Tony Clark of Calvary Chapel Newport News in Virginia. Currently, Pastor Tony is teaching a study in the book of Acts. Please open your Bible to Acts chapter 18, verses 3 through 6.

Tony Clark: All right, let's dive into the word of God. Turn with me in your Bibles to the book of Acts, chapter 18, as we continue our verse-by-verse study through the book of Acts on Sunday mornings. And I'm so thankful to be back in 1 Samuel on Wednesdays, and we'll pick it up in chapter 6 on Wednesday, going through the Old Testament on Wednesdays, the New Testament on Sundays, and we find ourselves here in the book of Acts chapter 18.

And Father, thank you so much for this tremendous opportunity and honor to share your word with your people. And dear God, we just pray you would give us ears to hear. May the spirit of God speak into our hearts, reveal the secrets of our hearts, and Lord, I pray that the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer, in Jesus' name. Amen.

Acts chapter 18, we're going to be looking at verses 3 through 6. And the title of this message is "Alone, Discouraged, and Depressed, Part Two." Now, in part one of the study, we saw how Paul came to the city of Corinth alone, discouraged, and perhaps depressed. We know this because 1 Corinthians 2, verse 3 says, "I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling."

In this condition, what did he do? He looked for other believers for companionship and encouragement. And he found it in verse 2, in a couple named Aquila and Priscilla. This couple happened to be in Corinth because the Emperor Claudius commanded all the Jews to leave Rome according to verse 2. Now, where did they meet Paul? Look what it says there in verse 3.

"So because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them and worked, for by occupation, they were tentmakers." Now, Paul found Aquila at work. By occupation, Paul and Aquila were tentmakers. See, all Jewish boys were expected to learn a trade, no matter what profession they might enter. The rabbis taught this: "He who does not teach his son to work, teaches him to steal."

And fathers and single parents, what are you teaching your children, especially your boys? Are you teaching them to play video games only? Are you teaching them the Scriptures, how to be a man of God? Are you teaching him how to treat a lady by being a gentleman? Opening up the door for her and letting her in the car first. Are you even around to teach them anything?

Well, we taught our boys that you get nothing for free in this life. You must work for it. So when they were growing up, whenever they needed money, they knew that they had to go cut some limbs down off of some trees or something. Clean some gutters out. They had to do something. Rake some leaves. They had to do something. Clean up the house, mop, do something.

Nothing is free. And all Jewish boys had to learn a trade. And Paul was a tentmaker. Parents, your children need chores around the house. Let them know this thing ain't free. Let them know they have to work to earn something. They have to work, if it's nothing more, if you can't afford to give them an allowance, let them know they have to work to earn their keep at home. That this isn't a privilege to have a roof over their head and food, looking into a full cabinet and saying there's no food in here. Let their stomach touch their back a couple of times and they'll realize they'll appreciate some things.

Well, Pastor Tony, you said nothing is free. Well, salvation is free. Oh, okay, you want to go there then. Salvation is free, yeah, but you must work out your soul salvation with fear and trembling, Philippians 2:12 says. On top of that, James 2:26 says faith without works is dead. So yes, your salvation is free, but don't think you're just going to freeload on the Lord. You got to work. You got to work out what God has worked in. The Bible says be urgent to maintain good works, Titus 2:14 says. So even though salvation is free, don't think it's just free for you to just sit around. No, you have to do something. Do something for the Lord.

So Paul made tents to support himself until Silas and Timothy could come to bring financial support so he could preach the gospel full-time. Now, the Greek word for tentmaker is *skēnopoios*, and it means a leather maker. So yes, it includes making tents that were made of leather, but it also included anything that was made of leather as well. They were skilled in this leather-making thing. They were skilled in making things out of leather.

Look what it says there in verses 4 through 6. It says, "And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath and persuaded both Jews and Greeks. When Silas and Timothy had come from Macedonia, Paul was compelled by the Spirit and testified to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ. But when they opposed him and blasphemed, he shook his garments and said, 'Your blood be upon your own heads. I am clean. From now on, I will go to the Gentiles.'"

In these verses, we see Paul continues his custom of going into the synagogue in verse 4 and reasoning with the Jews and Greeks on the Sabbath day. Now, let me bring something to your attention. Paul worked and he did ministry. In other words, Paul didn't allow his job to keep him from doing what God called him to do. Well, Pastor Tony, that's easy for you to say while you're full-time. Oh, don't think I've always been full-time.

Let me just give you a little history. When I was in the Marine Corps, I had to drive an hour from where I lived to the part of Camp Pendleton that I was on. I had to drive an hour. And then once I got out of the Marine Corps, I worked for the cable company that was another 10 to 15 minutes further up the road. Now, that would mean I had to drive an hour 15, hour 20 minutes depending upon traffic. And I still came back and was at church every Sunday, every Wednesday, and during the week, just in case they needed me for something.

So you're not listening to someone who doesn't know what it is to have a full-time job and to do and serve at the church. Oh, let me take it a step further. When I first started the church, way back in the day, I'd get a little salary. But then there were a group of people driving about 45 minutes from here, and then a guy came out and wanted to start a church there. I said, "Y'all go over there and help that church get going." Offering went down. I had to go back to my tent-making job. Back to the cable company here. Now, I'm here now. I'm already pastoring the church because I got a wife and three little bitty boys that's looking to me and saying, "Daddy, are we going to have a roof over the head and food in the house?"

And I worked full-time at the cable company, doing sermons in between jobs. I got commentaries on the steering wheel. I'm trying to write and stuff. And then some Wednesday nights, I came in with my cable uniform on and said, "Turn with me in your Bibles to the book of Leviticus." And then right after church, I had to go back and do another job sometimes. So I know what it is to have a full-time job and to serve. Paul did not allow his job to keep him from doing what God has called him to do. And I just wonder, are you using your job as an excuse of why you can't get involved in serving and doing what God has called you to do? Are you saying, "Well, you know, I work. I got a job." Well, don't we all?

But are you using that as an excuse? Paul didn't use it as an excuse for him. Now, let me just take the time to thank those of you who work full-time and come and serve here at the church. Now, keep in mind, there's only one to two people on the worship team that are full-time. Mike Banks and my wife. The rest of them got full-time jobs. And they come and lead you in worship for four services. Four services. Then we got some back there in the media. We got folks in the parking lot, in the children's ministry, dealing with your bad kids, serving so you can come and hear the word of God unhindered in here.

And they serve in all over the place. There's people you come in, it's smelling good and all that kind of stuff. You got stuff stocked in the rest room. There are people who come in after working all week long, and they come in the evening time and do that for you. These people, I just want to thank you. Those of you who are serving, God bless you. You're a blessing to me and to this church. The ushering, the parking lot, the children, they're working in the youth, back there in the kitchen so the cafe can have some smoke cookies for you.

All that stuff. These folks not full-time. These folks got full-time jobs and they come to serve. So God bless you. I so appreciate you. You're a great blessing. You enable me to do this unhindered. And God bless you.

Now, also Paul didn't, I want you to catch this too, Paul didn't allow his personal circumstances of being lonely, discouraged, or depressed to keep him from the ministry God had called him to. He didn't allow that either. We see that God used Paul's new friends, Aquila and Priscilla, to encourage him, but also used his old friends as well because verse 5 says that Silas and Timothy finally arrived in Corinth from Macedonia.

Now, we know that Silas and Timothy met Paul in Athens according to Acts 17 and verse 15. However, from 1 Thessalonians 3 and verses 1 through 6, Paul sent Timothy to Thessalonica and Silas perhaps to Philippi. But now they are meeting up together in Corinth. The generous gift of the Macedonians brought by Silas and Timothy allowed for Paul to stop his tent-making job and do ministry full-time.

Verse 5 says that Paul was compelled. Notice that, by the Spirit. The Greek word is *synechō*, and it means to compel, to arrest, to constrain, to hold. In other words, Paul was compelled by the Spirit, held as a prisoner by the Spirit, arrested by the Spirit to do what? To testify to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ. Oh, I have to ask us this morning, what is the spirit of God compelling, arresting, holding you as a prisoner to do for him?

I want you to notice whatever it is that God wants you to do for him, you won't be able to shake it. You'll wake up every day thinking about it. Every moment that you're not doing it, you're vexed by it. You'll be compelled. It's like you're held as a prisoner to what God has called you to do. And what is that for your life? You won't be able to shake it, whatever it is. It's not like, "Well, I think I'll do this for the Lord." And next thing you know, tomorrow, "No, I don't want to do that." No, it won't be that. You will be compelled. You'll think that you're held as a prisoner until you do that particular thing.

Notice how God will always, don't miss this, he will always compel us to do something that has to do with speaking for him. In Paul's case, it was to testify to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ. This is what Jesus said, the power of the Holy Spirit will enable us to do: speak for him.

Acts 1:8 says, "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you." To do what, God? "And you shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, in all Judea, and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." In other words, the spirit of God will empower us to speak for him, to be a witness. I just wonder, are you a witness in your Jerusalem? That means your home. In your Judea, maybe your workplace. In your Samaria, maybe around the city as you go to the store and stuff, and to the ends of the earth.

The purpose of the power of the Holy Spirit is not so we can do bizarre things in church and run around and flip and flop and do bizarre things. No, the purpose of the Holy Spirit is to empower us to speak for him, to testify, to be a witness for him. Hey, it's confirmed also in Acts 4 and verse 31. "And when they had prayed," the place where they were assembled together was shaken.

When we pray, God shakes things up. That's what we have to see. This is why we're trying to turn the temperature up in prayer because we want to see God shake some things up in our homes, shake some things up in our city, in the 757, in our nation. We want to see God shake things up. And he shakes things up when we pray. And it says when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. To do what? And they spoke the word of God with boldness.

How do we get this power? How can we get this boldness? It's just ask for it through prayer. Luke 11:13 says, "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?" So asking for the power of the Holy Spirit is a good gift to ask God for. If you, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will Heavenly Father give to those who ask?

So to ask for the power to speak boldly for him is a good gift to ask God for. I just saw that this morning and I was like, "Lord, that's good. I had to jot that down." I've read and quoted that verse so many times, and then it just hit me today. It is a good gift because if you, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children—those bad kids that make those bad grades, you know—and you still give them good gifts, how much more will God give the Holy Spirit to those who ask? It's the power of the Holy Spirit. When you're saved, we have the Holy Spirit, but this is the power of the Holy Spirit to speak, to speak for him. I love that. Just ask in prayer.

Isn't that what we just read in Acts 4:31? It says and when they prayed, they were filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word with boldness.

What happened next? Well, what happened in every city Paul visited, the Jews opposed him in verse 6. So this means expect opposition when you open your mouth to talk about Jesus Christ. You can talk about sports, you can talk about your favorite team, you can talk about your favorite college team, you can talk about your favorite pro team, how it stinks and all that sort of stuff. And you can talk about the weather and the hurricane, you can talk about whatever you want to talk about, and it's all good.

But when you open your mouth for Jesus Christ, expect opposition. Don't be weirded out by it. Don't be ashamed of it. Don't be afraid of it. It's going to happen when you open your mouth for Jesus Christ. So they opposed him. The Greek word for opposed is *antistassō*, and it means to resist or oppose. It literally means this: to arrange in battle array. Meaning that they organized themselves to fight Paul's teaching to the point where they started blaspheming the name of Christ.

Well, we know this from verse 5 because Paul said he was testifying that Jesus is the Christ. When Paul heard this, he shook the dust off of his garments to signify his rejection of their blasphemy. And this is what he said, "Your blood be upon your own heads. I am clean." Now what Paul was saying to them was, "You're responsible for what you're doing. I did my part by sharing the word of God with you."

Now, there is a huge difference between the two statements "blood on the hands" and "blood on the heads." In Ezekiel 3 and verse 18, as well as chapter 33 and verse 6, the Lord said this to Ezekiel. He said, "If you don't warn people and tell them the truth, their blood will be upon your hands." The idea came from the watchmen who were in the tower looking out for the enemy. If he saw the enemy coming and didn't warn the city, if anyone was killed as a result of his negligence, their blood would be on the watchman's hands.

And so too we are the watchmen of this world. It is our responsibility as Christians to share the gospel with people and warn them of the coming judgment. If we don't or refuse to warn them, their blood will be on our hands. And this should bring a sense of urgency and fear in our hearts to warn people of the judgment to come. There is judgment to come. Don't think that God, who made the eye, is blind to the evils that's going on in our world today. There is judgment to come.

Well, why isn't he bringing it? Because he's giving people time to repent. He's giving people time to repent. That's why he hasn't brought that judgment. We've been crying out for 30-some years, "God come, Lord come, bring your judgment, Lord come." And if he had answered our prayers 30-some years ago, how many of you would have been saved or born?

See, there is judgment to come and the Lord, he hears our prayers, but he's giving people time to repent. Are you in here today? Because there's the last person that will repent and the rapture will happen and we'll go be with the Lord in heaven. Are you in here? Maybe one of you. You're the last one holding us up. You better repent, get right. Ready for the Lord to take us out of here. You holding us up.

And so it's our job to warn people of judgment to come. Now, the statement "blood upon the head" that Paul is using in verse 6 means you brought judgment upon yourself. We see this illustrated in Joshua 2 and verse 19 with the two spies who went in to spy out the city of Jericho right before the Israelites came in to destroy it because they were coming into the Promised Land. Jericho was the first city. They sent two spies to spy out the city.

They came to the house of Rahab. And they came to her house and the word had gotten out, "Hey, these are some spies, couple of guys came in from the Israelites camp. We got to go capture them." And Rahab protected them. And so they said, "Well, since you protected us from being captured, we will protect you when the armies of Israel come to destroy the city." And they went on to tell her to gather her family and anyone else she wanted to save into her house and that she wanted protected. But if anyone went outside of the house, here it is, their blood will be upon their own heads.

Therefore, because Paul was faithfully sharing the gospel with the Jews in Corinth, their blood will not be upon his hands, but it will be upon their heads. Oh, this is a serious responsibility to all of us who call ourselves Christians. Our job is just to share the gospel. The gospel is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Letting people know that they can be forgiven through the cross of Jesus Christ, that they no longer have to carry the weight of their sin and their guilt. That Jesus Christ paid it all, and all to him we owe.

And that's our job, to share the gospel. The results we leave to God. How people receive the message is up to them. If they reject it, their blood will be upon their own heads. If we refuse to share and they die in their sin, their blood will be upon our hands. Oh, how are you receiving the word today? Are you receiving it? Are you rejecting it? It's my job just to share the word. It's up to you how you receive the word. I'm sharing the word, I'm doing my part. If you reject the word, your blood will be upon your own heads. And I pray that it's not. I pray that you'll receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your soul.

Remember, the boldness to share Jesus with people is given by the Holy Spirit. Boldness is a characteristic of being a Christian. Proverbs 28 and verse 1 says the righteous are as bold as a lion. So boldness comes out of righteousness or right living. In other words, when we aren't living right, we will lack the boldness to share Jesus Christ with those around us. So if you're lacking boldness to talk to people about Jesus Christ, evaluate your life. 2 Corinthians 13:5 says examine yourselves to see whether you're in the faith. Prove yourself. Do you not know yourself, unless you fail the test? Examine your heart.

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