Give It Time
Opening Prayer
Thank God for his plan to spread Jesus’ message throughout the world, and for including you in carrying out his plan.
Read Acts 18:1-17
[1] After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. [2] There he met 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, [3] and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them. [4] Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks. [5] When Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah. [6] But when they opposed Paul and became abusive, he shook out his clothes in protest and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent of it. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” [7] Then Paul left the synagogue and went next door to the house of Titius Justus, a worshiper of God. [8] Crispus, the synagogue leader, and his entire household believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard Paul believed and were baptized. [9] One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. [10] For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.” [11] So Paul stayed in Corinth for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God. [12] While Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews of Corinth made a united attack on Paul and brought him to the place of judgment. [13] “This man,” they charged, “is persuading the people to worship God in ways contrary to the law.” [14] Just as Paul was about to speak, Gallio said to them, “If you Jews were making a complaint about some misdemeanor or serious crime, it would be reasonable for me to listen to you. [15] But since it involves questions about words and names and your own law-settle the matter yourselves. I will not be a judge of such things.” [16] So he drove them off. [17] Then the crowd there turned on Sosthenes the synagogue leader and beat him in front of the proconsul; and Gallio showed no concern whatever. Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
What did God promise Paul, and how did God keep his promise?Reading Acts can be exhausting–city, preach, hassle, travel, next city, preach, hassle, travel…. Actually, if we look closely, we’ll see that Paul often spent a long time in places he visited (4,11; 19:8,10)–unless or until he was kicked out, or just decided to move on. Paul got involved with local life, often earning his keep and staying long enough to get to know people (3). In Corinth he spent time, first with the Jews and, then, when it became clear they weren’t interested, with the Gentiles (6,7). Every day for the rest of this series in Acts, ask yourself these questions: • In these Bible verses, who is living the Good News, and how? • Who is telling the Good News, and what are they focusing on? • Who do I plan to meet today or tomorrow, and how might I best communicate the Good News of Jesus to them? There may not always be obvious answers in the Bible verses, and it may not mean you simply have to do the same! But this is a good exercise, nonetheless.
Apply
List friends and relatives near you with whom you’d love to share the Gospel. Keep the list handy for prayer.
Closing prayer
Pray for patience and courage to keep demonstrating and telling friends and relatives the Good News, even if it takes years.
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