#6
The Lord Is With You Series
"THE LORD IS WITH YOU IN OPPOSITION!"
TEXT: Acts
17:32-18:17 1 Cor.
2:3
INTRO: No one
likes opposition, yet, as Christians we must face the fact that this will be a
real part of life at times. Why
does God allow opposition into our life?
What purpose does God see in our struggles with opposition? God usually helps us in one of two ways
when opposition strikes us: He may
shield us from the terrible storm or He may have us face directly into it! In either case He is trying to teach us
to hold on to Him ... we must adopt the strategy of the
vine!
ILLUS: THE
VINE HAS DEVELOPED ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL METHODS OF SURVIVAL IN
NATURE. IT IS CAPABLE OF DEVELOPING
IN ANY CLIMATIC CONDITION, IT IS ABLE TO GROW AS TALL AS THE TALLEST TREE
WITHOUT HAVING TO BUILD A HUGE TRUNK FOR SUPPORT, IT CAN SPEND IT'S ENERGY ON
GROWTH UPWARDS BECAUSE IT UTILIZES THE STRENGTH OF WHATEVER IT CLINGS TO, THUS
IT GROWS MUCH FASTER THAN THE VERY TREE IT ATTACHES ITSELF TO. WHY IS IT ABLE TO STAND ANY STORM FROM
ANY DIRECTION? IT WINDS ITSELF
AROUND IN A CIRCLE UPWARDS. IT DOES
THIS SO THAT NO MATTER WHICH WAY A STORM COMES FROM IT CANNOT BE SHAKEN OFF ...
EVEN THOSE VINES THAT GROW STRAIGHT UP ARE UNSHAKABLE ... WHY? IF A VINE GROWS ON THE NORTH SIDE OF A
TREE AND A STORM COMES FROM THE NORTH, THE WINDS WILL DRIVE THE VINE INTO THE
STRONG TREE, IT REMAINS IN POSITION THEREFORE, IF THE WINDS COME FROM THE SOUTH,
THE TREE ITSELF WILL SHIELD THE VINE FROM THE WINDS, AGAIN IT REMAINS UNMOVED
... EVEN THOSE THAT GROW STRAIGHT TEND TO WIND SLOWLY SO THAT ONE PART OF THE
VINE IS ALWAYS PROTECTED FROM A STORM IN ANY DIRECTION! THE VINE IS AS SAFE AND AS STRONG AS THAT
WHICH IT CLINGS TO.
SOURCE UNKNOWN
And
so we are to be like a vine clinging to Christ ... if opposition comes against
us head-on He is our shield; if it comes from the other direction it can only
drive us closer to Christ and so we still are safe! Like the vine, we are only as strong as
that which we really cling to ... so cling to the strongest thing in the
Universe which is God! Anything
else might give way eventually, cling to the best!
PROP.
SENT: The Bible teaches us
that in any type of opposition God has promised to be with us ... His presence
will enable us to survive any type of opposition ... in fact, not only survive
it but to actually continue growing in spite of it!
I. EMOTIONAL OPPOSITION Acts 17:32-34 1 Cor.
2:3
A. Disappointment
Acts
1. Paul was no stranger to
disappointments. In
2. He was sneered for his
convictions.
3. According to 7:34a only a few people responded to the call of
salvation.
4. It was not one of Paul's more
successful evangelism campaigns!
5. Before arriving in Athens Paul had
also had a rough time, agitators had created problems of opposition for him
before he got to
a. Paul was going from being harassed
by the Jews in Thessalonica to having few positive responses in
b. Even the godliest of people become
discouraged without some positive results
occasionally!
c. Unsuccessful ministry can bring
disappointment to the level of severe emotional discouragement ... even for
leaders who are normally very strong!
6. Paul's disappointing results of
ministry in Athens after having to run away from opposition in Thessalonica left
him quite vulnerable when arriving now here in
Corinth!
a. Of all cities to go to for
ministry, after a disappointing ministry in Athens he comes to a city with a
church full of conflict and a city full of sin and hostility to the Gospel and
his leadership!
b.
c. It was not an easy city to minister
in, preachers were not exactly welcomed!
d. Add to this a church that was
deeply divided and full of selfishness and not mature, and you can see why this
was a challenge emotionally. When
Paul arrives in Corinth he finds a church that was divided over which leaders
they were willing to follow, and there were groups within the church that
favored different leaders, they were deeply divided.
B. Drained!
1 Cor. 2:3
1. Paul gives us insight into his
emotional state when he arrived in Corinth in his own writings ... here Paul
states that when he arrived in town he did so IN WEAKNESS; AND
FEAR, AND WITH MUCH TREMBLING.
a. Clearly 3 tough situations in a row
had taken its toll on him, and he reflects honestly his response to the constant
opposition and hostility, not just from the world
but even from within the
church!
b. Paul was not exempt being drained
emotionally just like you and me!
c. Opposition can bring on emotional
bankruptcy!
d. A great man of God is honest about
his emotional nature ... he writes this to the church at
2. It was in this condition that Paul
first came and preached to the Corinthians!
a. Sometimes we minister from an
exhausted condition!
b. It is amazing how God enables us in
our weaknesses to still minister!
3. Perhaps today some Christians would
have questioned whether Paul had hidden sin in his life ... they would have
looked for some explanation for Paul's emotional state, at best they would have
questioned Paul's faith!
a. We need to be honest as God's
people, we all experience discouraging times!
b. Even the best can become
emotionally drained!
c. It is not always sin or lack of
faith that is at the basis of a saint's discouragement, it may simply be
the fact that they are human and worn out!
4. Paul was spent emotionally when he
arrived to minister in Corinth!
a. What does Paul do while in this
state of mind? THIS IS VERY
INSTRUCTIVE FOR US ... WHAT SHOULD WE DO WHEN DRAINED?
b. At such times we need to do 2
things:
(1. Get refilled
spiritually ...
ILLUS: "The
only way to keep a broken vessel full is by keeping the faucet turned
on."
SOURCE UNKNOWN
(2. Keep ministering
or seek someone else's need out, this is often where some
Christians miss out, they get refilled and then do
nothing!
ILLUS: THE
FAMOUS PSYCHIATRIST, KARL MENNINGER ONCE GAVE A LECTURE ON MENTAL HEALTH AND WAS
ANSWERING QUESTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE. ONE QUESTION WAS ASKED, "WHAT WOULD YOU
ADVISE A PERSON TO DO IF THAT PERSON FELT A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN COMING 0N." MOST PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE EXPECTED HIM
TO ANSWER, "CONSULT A PSYCHIATRIST." TO THEIR ASTONISHMENT, HE REPLIED, "LOCK UP
YOUR HOUSE, GO ACROSS THE RAILWAY TRACKS, FIND SOMEONE IN NEED, AND THEN DO
SOMETHING TO HELP THAT PERSON."
SOURCE UNKNOWN
5. Paul was not going to sit back
quietly when drained, emotional opposition only made him keep
going!
II. ECONOMIC OPPOSITION Acts 18:1-5
A. Deficits! Acts
18:1-3
1. Paul found himself economically
depressed when he arrived in Corinth!
a. He had no income or very little
from his unsuccessful ministry in
b. While he found himself struggling
emotionally, he also found himself
struggling economically!
c. He is forced to go back to his
secular employment in order to continue ministry.
2. Paul meets a couple by the names of
Aquilla and Priscilla who were in the same occupation he had been before
ministry ... he sets up shop with them!
Though he was an Apostle and could have expected the church in Corinth to
support him he chose to not be a burden to them, but to set an example and
remove any charges against him that he was there for money, so he accepts the
burden himself for economic support though he certainly deserved support from
the church, and could have received it from them, they were capable of giving
it.
a. Paul worked again as a tentmaker so
that he could minister on weekends.
b. It was tough enough being drained
emotionally, but now he was also economically!
3. At this point many Christians might
have raised some questions with God:
a. Why God are you
doing this to me when I have been faithful to serve
you?
b. "If this is
going to be the rewards of faithfulness Lord then what's the use serving you or
others?"
c. But Paul just keeps on going ... it
must have been rough on him to only be able to minister on weekends, or to
lovingly serve those in a church that was filled with conflict and resistant to
his leadership after he proved himself and his
sacrifices!
4. Paul accepted the opposition God
allowed and did the best he could with it!
5. This was not the ideal situation he
would have liked to be in ... but in his own words he had said, "I've learned to
be content in want or abundance."
B. Devoted!
Acts
18:4-5
1. Finally Silas and Timothy arrive
from
2. To his great delight Paul discovers
that they have brought an offering along for Paul ... a generous one that allows
Paul to give up his secular employment for full time ministry
again!
a. God proves Himself faithful to the
economic needs of His servant who continued to be faithful in the midst of
opposition!
b. Paul had learned to trust God and
keep going even when facing opposition!
c. Paul had also learned time and time
again that God will take care of His needs!
3. Paul returns full time to preaching
Jesus Christ, and as was his custom to the Jew first, then the
Gentiles!
4. Emotional and
economical opposition did not slow or prevent the message from getting
out!
III. ECCLESIASTICAL OPPOSITION Acts
18:6-17
A. Denounced!
Acts
18:6
1. Ironically, Paul's opposition
wasn't over ... emotionally, economically, and now the religious people oppose
him!
2. The Jews opposed him to the point
of being abusive! 18:6
a. This may have taken on the forms of
physical abuse as well as verbal abuse!
b. Paul had probably read the passages
about the Messiah in the Old Testament in the Synagogue and substituted the
words in the text that refers to the Messiah with Jesus' name, thus identifying Jesus as the Messiah of
God thus creating strong opposition to him by the Jewish
audience!
c. This hadn't sat well with these
Jewish worshippers ... they liked things the way it had always been, they
weren't looking for the Messiah, just comfort!
3. Paul experiences great opposition
... just what he needed after
4. Paul is denounced, and so he clears
himself of further obligation to these people so that he can continue ministry
to those who will receive!
a. At some point, ministry needs to be
evaluated and adjusted if there is no response.
b. Paul would move on by making
himself available to those who will respond.
5. There is something worse than being
denounced, that is quitting or just continuing to do something that is
unproductive over and over again!
B. Devoted!
Acts 18:7-11
1. Paul might have been tempted to do
less at this point in time, arguing to himself that things just aren't going
well, maybe he should do less ... he doesn't settle for less or second best
however, he just moves operations next door!
ILLUS: A
COMMITTEE ONCE ASKED THE GREAT SINGER ENRICO CARUSO TO SING AT A CONCERT THAT
WOULD BENEFIT A CHARITY. THE
CHAIRMAN SAID, 0F COURSE MR. CARUSO, AS THIS IS A CHARITY AFFAIR WE WOULD NOT
EXPECT MUCH FROM YOU, YOUR NAME ALONE WILL DRAW A CROWD AND YOU CAN MERELY SING
SOME SONG REQUIRING LITTLE OR NO EFFORT OF SKILL. CARUSO DREW HIMSELF UP AND REPLIED,
"GENTLEMEN, CARUSO NEVER DOES LESS THAN HIS BEST!"
SOURCE UNKNOWN
2. Paul's efforts were not totally in
vain though he is badly mistreated in the Synagogue, the ruler of that synagogue
responds to the message of Christ and he and his family receive Christ! 18:7
a. Crispus now also experiences
opposition, it is not popular for the ruler of the synagogue to get
saved!
b. Paul also experiences some
encouragement by the fact that many Corinthians also get saved! 18:7b
3. Paul's devotion to the ministry
pays off, even in the midst of religious
opposition!
4. Paul's faithfulness to minister in
spite of spiritual opposition results in the salvation of many
people!
a. Instead
of running away from opposition we must look for creative opportunities to
continue ministry.
b. God can use the worst of situations
in a positive way.
ILLUS: A
CHRISTIAN YOUNG MAN FOUND HIMSELF IN THE MILITARY. AS HE HAD ALWAYS DONE GROWING UP HE
WOULD KNEEL EACH NIGHT AT HIS BED TO PRAY.
IN THE BARRACKS HOWEVER THIS MADE HIM THE FOCUS OF OPPOSITION,
ESPECIALLY ONE MAN WHO TOOK PARTICULAR DELIGHT IN HARASSING HIM. AS HE WAS PRAYING ONE NIGHT AFTER A HARD
LONG MARCH THROUGH MUDDY FIELDS, ONE OF HIS TORMENTORS TOOK OFF HIS MUDDY BOOTS
AND THREW THEM AT HIM ONE AT A TIME HITTING HIM ON EACH SIDE OF HIS HEAD. THE CHRISTIAN SAID NOTHING AND CONTINUED
TO PRAY, HE TOOK THE MUDDY BOOTS AND SET THEM BESIDE HIM WHILE HE PRAYED ON AND
THE OTHERS WENT TO BED. THE NEXT
MORNING WHEN HIS TORMENTOR WOKE UP HE FOUND HIS MUDDY SHOES SPIT POLISHED TO A
CLEAN SHINE AND LAYING AT THE FOOT OF HIS BED, HAVING BEEN CLEANED AND SHINED BY
THE CHRISTIAN DURING THE NIGHT. IT
SO AFFECTED HIM THAT HE ASKED FOR FORGIVENESS AND AFTER A SHORT TIME HE TOO
BECAME A CHRISTIAN!
SOURCE UNKNOWN
5. Jesus Christ has a message for Paul
in the face of all this opposition ... and so in a dream Jesus appears to Paul
to tell him something important:
a. "Do
not be afraid, keep on speaking, do not be silent, for I am with you and no one
is going to attack and harm you."
b. Added to this is the reason: "I have many
people in this city" ... meaning that the Lord had plans for many
people to get saved in
c. God will guarantee Paul success in
ministry!
6. Armed with God's promise to be with
him in opposition Paul stays on in Corinth for a year and a half, the second
longest stay in one place for Paul in ministry that we know
of!
7. The tables of opposition are about
to be turned now ... Paul is about to experience a great deliverance from
opposition and those who opposed him are about to taste their own
medicine!
C. Deliverance!
18:12-17
1. The opposition didn't die down when
Paul moved next door to the synagogue for ministry; frustrated, the Jews took
him to court to tried to shut him down, arguing that what Paul preached was not
the officially sanctioned Jewish faith, but some new
cult!
2. New religions were against the law
in
a. Now Paul faces political
opposition!
b. Before Paul can get a word in for
his own defense the judge throws the case out of court, stating that he wasn't
about to get in the middle of a religious argument that involved a few word
changes, like "messiah" to "Jesus" in Paul's preaching and reading of the
Scriptures! 18:15
3. At this point something interesting
happens; those who opposed Paul suddenly are now the focus of being
attacked!
a. Those who opposed Paul and the
Gospel now find themselves the targets of opposition.
b. "Then
they all turned on Sosthenes the synagogue ruler and beat him in front of
the court, but Gallio (the judge) showed no concern whatever!"
18:17
(1. This was either the Greek citizens who
had become fed-up with these troublemakers and so took this occasion to have the
judge rebuke those bringing these frivolous suits
or
(2. It was the Jews from the temple
themselves who were angry at their own leader for failing to succeed in the law
suit and so they beat up their own leader for it!
(3. In either case, Paul goes free and finds
a new freedom to minister in Corinth that he would never have had before ... now
the local government made it official that it was ok what he was doing and
preaching, this aided the cause of Christ and the church in
Corinth!
c. Thus, God turned opposition into a great
opportunity!
4. As an interesting postscript to
this new synagogue ruler being beaten, this man Sosthenes replaced the one named
Crispus that got saved under Paul earlier ... but notice that the Corinthian
letter contains a greeting at the beginning of the book by Paul where he says,
our brother
Sosthenes. READ 1 COR. 1:1
a. The ruler named Sosthenes who is
beaten here may well have been the same man named here at the front of the book
he may have been saved after this court case
beating!
b. He comes on over to Christ as a
result of losing the court case and being beaten, possibly by his own brethren
in the synagogue!
c. Paul then witnessed 2 heads of the
synagogue get saved, they probably played a large role in the new church that
God raised up in
5. What a mighty God we serve ... one
that is always with us in opposition!
CONCLUSION:
Today's
opposition is tomorrow's opportunities! Though we will face opposition
throughout our lives, we won't be crushed!
God has given us His promise to be with us at such times ... we are not
alone even when we feel like it!
Hang in there saint, you will be the
winner!