Acts 18:5 When Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ. 
 
WHEN the Jews ascended the Temple Mount to worship, they would sing a song of ascents: Psalms 121:2 My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. How does God help us? He has sent his Helper. John 14:16 (Jesus said), “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper – Counselor, Advocate – to be with you forever.” The Bible teaches us God’s people cannot do God’s work without God’s help. The apostle Paul certainly knew this to be true. We  have learned Paul needed help when he entered Corinth in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. (1 Corinthians 5:3). The Spirit helped Paul by sending Aquilla and Priscilla for companionship. For a time the three worked together as tentmakers.
   The Helper then helps Paul financially. Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia. Their arrival meant Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ. Paul no longer had to work at tentmaking because his co-workers had brough financial help from Macedonia. We know this because Paul wrote of it in 2 Corinthians 11:9 And when I was with you and needed something, I was not a burden to anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied what I needed. I have kept myself from being a burden to you in any way, and will continue to do so.  
   Third, the Helper encouraged Paul’s gospel teaching. Paul learned his peaching was changing lives in Thessalonica.  1 Thessalonians 3:6 But Timothy has just now come to us from you and has brought good news about your faith and love… 7 Therefore, brothers, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith. 8 For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord.
   God’s workers need help. When you are faithful to the Bible’s teachings, the Helper will strengthen you in your needs. When the opposition seems overwhelming, the Father wants you to know his help comes from heaven into your life to sustain, encourage and empower you. Paul understood and experienced God’s financial, emotional and spiritual help to effectively fulfill God’s mandate for his life. Paul needed to continually know the Helper’s help because opposition would not stop.
   You need help, too. To confess, “Jesus is my Lord and Savior.” exposes your life to many challenges. You can be separated emotionally or physically from people you love. You may find less opportunities for employment. Perhaps you encounter some form of spiritual opposition. Evil can attack with doubt, weariness or complacency. Jesus has sent his Helper for you. Pray and seek his strength. Be encouraged. Know the God of heaven and earth is always with you when you confess and teach, “Jesus is he Christ.”
 

Acts 18:2-4 In Corinth, Paul met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all the 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.
 
WE are reminded Jews were welcome in some Roman provinces and banned in others. Emperor Claudius had commanded Jews to leave Rome about 41-54 AD. Some historians say it is because Jews were often having public gatherings in response to Chrestus, which could mean they were demonstrating for Christ. Aquila and Priscilla, tentmakers, went to Corinth, a very busy, wealthy trading city, to find work. They may not have been Christians yet. At some point, perhaps through their relationship with Paul, God called them and used them mightily to help Paul advance the gospel.
   Paul needed help. We must remember that Paul had been through some very difficult stresses. And it seemed he was functioning with little rest. As we have done before, we’ll go to one of his letters to understand the emotions and challenges Paul faced as he entered Corinth.
 
1 Corinthians 2:1 When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God.  2 For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3 I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. 4 My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, 5 so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God’s power.
 
Paul went to Corinth alone. Being and traveling alone can take much from a man whose passions poured into his preaching. He needed someone to talk to and walk with. We all do.
   Paul may have also been apprehensive about what would happen in Corinth. If you have been jailed, beaten or assaulted, you know the fear you face, entering a new community. While Paul knew he was anointed to the Lord’s work, he also knew that anointing included suffering. As God spoke about Paul’s ministry to Ananias, “I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” (Acts 9:16).
   Paul knew the obstacles before him. Sin was very deep in Corinth. Even in a world hardened to decadence, Corinth was seen as worse than many cities. To enter Corinth was to enter into the depth of Satan’s stronghold. When one is weary of the battle, it is easy to feel weak, be fearful and to tremble. Paul would have been very glad to meet Aquila and Priscilla to have companionship in their tentmaking business. God is very good to give us who and what we need to do his work.
   We may be surprised Paul knew tentmaking and working with leather. It was common then for even the most educated men to know a particular skill, so they could work to support themselves. This is a good lesson for all who think being a pastor eliminates them from working at another job.     
 

Acts 17:29 “Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image made by man’s design and skill. 30 In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. 31 For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead.” 32 When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this subject.” 33 At that, Paul left the Council. 34 A few men became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others. Acts 18:1 After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.
 
GOD created the family to have a husband who is a father and a wife who is a mother. They are to unite in marriage and have children. The children are to live under the authority of their parents. This is God’s will. Godly parenting reveals God’s righteousness because God is a Father over the entire world. We are God’s offspring. What do we to do? With his common use of “therefore”, Paul tells the Athens men and women how they must respond to God, the Father.
   They needed to know God is a living Deity. He is not a gold or silver statue. He cannot be and is not something you have created in your own mind. God created you. Just as it is not possible for your child to create you to be his parent, it is not possible for you to create the Almighty God.
   Paul also teaches the LORD God has been patient with mankind for centuries. He has held back final judgment of their idolatry while he prepared to unveil his Savior to you. Paul is very specific to also warn them. He tells them the God of Creation, the Authority of all mankind, has set a day when he will judge the world with justice. He will require people to have faith in the man he has appointed. They will know who that man is because God has given proof of this man by raising him from the dead.
   Jesus’ resurrection is a powerful proof of God’s existence. The empty tomb fulfills thousands of years of prophecy. It points to an eternal God, who speaks his Word and completes his Word. The resurrection also establishes God’s plan for Jesus to return. We know what God has said. We know what God has done. We know what God says about the future. We know God will complete his future decrees just as he has already fulfilled his past promises. All Scripture hinges on Jesus’ resurrection. The evidence has been repeatedly proven through many sources. There is no excuse to say, “Jesus is dead.”
   Still, some of them sneered, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this subject.” Paul had done what he needed to do. He proclaimed the Truth.
   As he left the group, some men and women believed and walked with him. Surely God used them to advance his gospel.
   It was time for Paul to go to Corinth, one of the world’s most famous cities. God had prepared another platform for Paul to proclaim and defend Jesus is the Christ. 
 

Acts 17:22-23 Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. 23 For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you.
 
DEAR Christian, I see in every way you are very firm in your reverence to God.
   Does this affirm, honor and encourage you?  Are you pleased someone recognizes you are faithful to God? Yes, I want you to know God is pleased with your diligence to know and use his Word as the guiding power in your life.
   Affirmation was Paul’s method to gain a listening ear among Athens’ intellectuals. When he complemented them as being very religious, they were likely pleased to know he observed them as men devoted to their objects of worship. They were so religious, they even worshiped an unknown god! But in his words of praise, Paul began to condemn their devotion to evil spirits. How is it possible to worship an unknown god? It’s not.  Why are they devoted to gods that originate in man’s mind and even some possible god that may not exist?
   Were they afraid? We can say these idolaters worship fear. The Athenians are uncertain what the evil spirits require of them. What will happen if the gods are displeased?
   Fear grips those who worship evil spirits. Missionaries and evangelists have found this fear everywhere the gospel is first preached. Demonic rule wraps people’s minds in a fear of retribution if they do not appease the gods. We see this in the worship of Baal, Ashtoreth and Molech in Israel. Fear of these demonic spirits caused priests to cut themselves and parents to sacrifice children into fire. Many cultures have sacrificed humans to please the gods they created out of their own sin nature. These gods’ deadly influence came from the devil corrupting mankind’s own ideas of guilt and judgment.
   When people do not know the true God, they always find something to worship – physical pleasure, wealth, carved images, plants, animals, planets, stars, mountains and anything else the corrupt mind conceives. (There is a group of people in the U.S. that worships a particular small mountain as their god.)
   God gave Paul a platform to teach these men about the God they did not know. How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? (Romans 10:14)

Acts 17:19-21 Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to him, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? 20 You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we want to know what they mean.” 21 (All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.)
 
THE apostle heard the philosophers he had met in the marketplace ask, “May we know?” Even though they thought Paul a babbler (v 18) they invited him to the Areopagus, Athens’ center of religion and education. This was a good place to discuss and debate Paul’s words they heard as strange ideas. Strange means the philosophers were receptive to learn more, willing to consider what Paul said. They had heard some interesting words in Paul’s preaching and wanted “to know what they mean.” Luke tells us these men spent their time listening to the latest ideas. The gospel was definitely the latest idea they had heard!
   In truth, the gospel is not the latest idea – concept, proposal or thing. The gospel is the eternal revelation of God’s goodness. Are you a Christian? Then you can know and be glad that in eternity past God wrote your name in his Book of Life. Jesus tells this truth: Revelation 13:8 “and all who dwell on earth will worship the Beast, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the Book of Life of the Lamb who was slain. 9 If anyone has an ear, let him hear.” (ESV) This tells us of God’s just condemnation and ordained salvation. Each name of those saved into eternal life has been known and written before God laid the earth’s foundations.
   Paul also taught God’s eternal gospel in Ephesians 1:4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us to be adopted as his children through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will.
   The Spirit very plainly tells us the good news is older than the earth. We sing of God’s Amazing Grace, and we extol his majesty to consider How Great Thou Art. Yet God’s grace and majesty grows eternally brighter in your heart when you stop to think: “Almighty God chose me in eternity past and wrote my name in Jesus’ eternal Book of Life! Before time began he declared my eternal home is with him!
   The gospel is old and it is new. It is God’s eternal news that passionately breaks through sin’s thick, deep restraining dam to flood God’s church with Jesus’ lifeblood. Satan’s worshipers believe they are safe, free of God’s commands. But they are bound into eternal fire because their names are not written in the book of Life.
   We might ask, “Why does God not save everyone?” Perhaps the more relevant question is, “Why does God save anyone?” He certainly doesn’t need us in heaven. He doesn’t even need us in the world.
   But he planned this world. He put you here to glorify his name. And he planned your redemption. Go and tell ‘the old, old story of Jesus and his love” (from hymn I Love to Tell the Story) to those who have ears to hear. 

Acts 17:18 A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to dispute with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others remarked, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.
 
PAUL was preaching the gospel. To preach means he declared the specifics of mankind’s existence and purpose based on God’s redemptive plan and fulfillment in Jesus the Christ. He told the truth about sin and everyone’s need for a Savior. Paul used Scripture to affirm his words. God’s Word came to Athens through God’s chosen apostle to the Gentiles.
   In response, the trained philosophers who commonly debated questions of human existence and purpose labeled God’s messenger a babbler. The philosophers who sought an orderly understanding of human nature were unable to believe that Jesus, a man from Nazareth in Galilee of Judea, could he be named “Son of God.” How could it be the Son of God was horribly crucified as a Roman insurgent? Surely he did not rise from the dead and ascend to heaven! Even more, how could this ascended man send the Holy Spirit of God to the world? Where is this Spirit who changes minds to know this Jesus? Did this babbler really say these things happened because God, the Father, loves us? Did this Father cause all this to happen, so we can be saved? What does it mean to be saved?
   A babbler is one who gossips and talks with trickery. Paul’s preaching in the marketplace seemed full of trickery to these educated, methodical men. Even though Paul would have given historic evidence of the gospel, the truth seemed to be the rantings of a strange philosophy no one could or would understand. Who in the world had ever spoken such things?
   Still today many missionaries and evangelists encounter the same response to the gospel. Some of you may encounter this very often as you enter into tribes, villages or regions where no one knows God’s gospel. Your gospel talk may sound as if you are trying to trick them. The human mind is very reluctant to reject ancient traditions and philosophies that hold us tightly to restrictive, even demeaning rules. Human nature believes God’s gracious love is much too good to be true! Family members, neighbors and the culture in general believe the gospel is babble.
   Still, the Spirit was working in Athens. The philosophers did not chase Paul away, beat him or jail him as others had done. They wanted to hear more.
   Yes, from the very beginning Satan has hidden the truth. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 4:4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. The barriers to truth stand tall, but God’s grace is higher, wider, longer and deeper. Be ready to speak, so what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. (Romans 1:19)
 

Acts 17:16-17 While Paul was waiting for Silas and Timothy in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. 17 So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there.
 
WE recall violent men from Thessalonica had traveled to Berea to stop Paul’s preaching. Some Bereans took Paul to Athens to be safe. For some reason Silas and Timothy stayed in Berea. Perhaps they could continue their evangelism in a less public method than Paul normally did. We thank God he has and does use many people in many ways to advance the gospel in families, neighborhoods and villages, even as people oppose Jesus’ good news.
   Athens was meant as a safe haven for Paul. He would perhaps find some rest while awaiting Silas’ and Timothy’s arrival. But Athens quickly became Paul’s next mission field.
   In the U.S. we call police, fire fighters and medics “First Responders” because they are the first to help people in distress. Paul is God’s First Responder in Athens. He quickly saw Athens was in spiritual distress. Beautiful art forms, architecture and a world-famous university gave Athens the reputation as a center of art and education. But many temples, statues and worship spaces glorified the man-made god images Satan had given to the depraved mind. What could a man of God do but help the blind to see and the deaf to hear? It was time for Jesus’ mind-transforming gospel to rescue Athens. They needed immediate help!
   Paul, the practiced First Responder did what he always did. He went to a synagogue. As we have seen in Philippi, there were some Roman communities where Jews were persecuted and even banned. In many cities and regions, though, the Jews were tolerated. Some were even encouraged and honored as good citizens. Their lawful lives and religious practices were seen as a model to good citizenship and productive life. Certainly the faithful Jews who attended synagogue spoke of Yahweh as Creator and law giver. They followed God’s commands to protect themselves from the idols. After all, idolatry had destroyed their ancestors’ land.   
   Thus Paul found Jews and God-fearing Greeks in the synagogue. Luke doesn’t tell us how these synagogue members responded. We can believe there was, as always, a mixed response to the gospel. Some would believe and rejoice! Others would reject and dismiss Jesus and Paul’s heart to help them.
   First Responders anticipate a call for help and are prepared to immediately act to save lives and protect people from further harm. This, dear Christian, we must have that “First Responder” mindset, too. We all know people who need help to be saved from eternal destruction. Let’s be prepared to act when the Spriit calls us. 

Acts 17:13-14 When the Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God at Berea, they went there too, agitating the crowds and stirring them up. 14 The brothers immediately sent Paul to the coast, but Silas and Timothy stayed at Berea. 15 The men who escorted Paul brought him to Athens and then left with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible.
 
WHAT were the Jews from Thessalonica thinking? Paul had preached God’s love and grace to send a redeeming Messiah to them. These Jews not only refused to see the gospel truth in the Scriptures, they violently resisted Paul to force him to leave. Now these same hateful unbelievers traveled 100 miles to aggressively oppose Paul. Once more, their aggression forced Paul to move on.
   We can wonder why the Berean Jews and Gentiles, who had come to believe the gospel, did not defend Paul. Were they afraid of the opposition? Did the gospel embarrass them?  Did they not fear God? Could the Berean residents not restrain the agitators from Thessalonica? The Thessalonians’ threats were apparently too frightening to oppose.
   Is this an example of the modern church? The church has given way to God’s hateful opponents for a long time. When God’s enemies have threatened to remove Christian literature from schools, courthouses and other public places, the church has often avoided the battle and accepted the oppositions’ demands. Sin has boldly entered the public domain because the church has quietly stepped aside. We wouldn’t want anyone to be offended by the truth of God’s righteousness, would we? Is the gospel only real on Sunday morning?
   Scripture reveals sin is intolerant, angry and deadly. Its destruction begins with God cursing the ground to produce thistles and thorns and killing animals to clothe Adam and Eve and then (Genesis 3:17-21). We then read of murderous intent in Genesis that forces God to flood the world. Sin drives Jospeh’s brothers to capture and enslave him. Evil intent separates many in Israel from the God who delivered them from Egypt’s furnace. Sin killed the prophets and destroyed Israel and Judah. Sin killed the Savior. The opposition to God has destroyed millions of his faithful believers and continues its persecution.
   The sinner has no room in his heart for truth. He will not be satisfied until Jesus’ church is as the spiritually dead Israel once was: Judges 21:25 In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit.
   We can wonder why the Sovereign Lord tolerates this evil in his world. But then we can be thankful he has kept us safe until the day he renewed us to believe in Jesus and be saved. As we await the day God will destroy all evil, our prayer must be that God will deliver us from sin’s attacks. Our LORD God commands us to stand firm to exalt his name. Paul would later write to the faithful in Thessalonica: 2 Thessalonians 2:15 So then, brothers (Remember this is everyone in the church.), stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.   
 Be thankful for the church’s history to overcome the opposition. We must be faithful to protect the church for future generations.               

Acts 17:10 As soon as it was night, the brothers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. 11 Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. 12 Many of the Jews believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men.
 
PAUL never allowed opposition and danger to stop him. This was his life to which Jesus had called him. From the beginning of his ministry, sudden departure from danger even at nighttime was common (Acts 9:25). Paul’s response was to continue seeking opportunities to teach Jesus is the Christ. The synagogue in Berea is his next gospel platform.
   God has prepared an open-minded congregation. Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians. How did the Bereans show this?
   First, they received the message with great eagerness. Yes, we should always be excited and eager to hear the good news Jesus is Savior. To know he is the Way to Life Everlasting must stir our hearts to joy and thanksgiving.
   Then the Bereans next did something every Bible student and church should do. They examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.
   We have read in Acts the apostles’ gospel preaching method was to teach the Old Testament Scriptures as God’s plan of salvation fulfilled in Jesus. They taught of God’s grace to create a covenant with Abraham to bless the nations. The apostles gave evidence that Jesus is the Christ, the fulfilment of prophecy throughout Israel’s history. His humble life, powerful ministry, horrible death, glorious resurrection and inspiring ascension prove the Scriptures.
   In response to hearing the preaching and reading the Scriptures, many of the Jews believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men. The gospel is for all. There must never be any thought certain people do not deserve to hear the gospel, or God does not want certain nations or tribes of people in heaven with him.
    Once again, the Spirit has planted a new church. Seed by seed the church is growing. It’s future strength will depend on the believers’ commitment to the gospel. Opposition will come against them as it has confronted the evangelists. Will the new church persevere to continue on as Paul has done?