THE CORINTHIAN STORY
ACTS CHAPTER 18

The eighteenth chapter of Acts begins with a very startling statement. We are told that Paul went into business. Paul went into business with a man named Aquila—the tent making business. Perhaps the sign over the door read: THE A AND P TENT COMPANY. I suppose they carried a full line of tents—everything from circus to pup tents. Likewise, all accessories were available—stakes and ropes. We know of course that Paul will do well in the tent making business. If he uses the same zeal in business that he has used in the ministry, no doubt, he will become a multi-millionaire in this business venture.

However, as we read on, we see that this is only an interlude. This tent making business is only a means to an end. Jesus had said, "Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature, he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." To Paul, this meant that he would do the Lord's work the rest of his life, even if at times he had to make tents for a living. He reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath and persuaded Jews and Greeks. Paul spent more time preaching to the patrons, converting the customers, and baptizing those who were browsing around than he did making tents.

Actually, it wasn't as simple as all that. Paul has come to Corinth, the sin capitol of the world. It was known as a sensuous culture, the Paris of that day. It had a population of 700,000-200,000 free citizens and 500,000 slaves. It was noted for its immorality. Over 1,000 prostitutes were in business at the Temple of Aphrodite. In the heathen temple, they prayed to the gods to increase the number of prostitutes, and such traffic was not regarded sinful or disgraceful. A popular saying in the world at that time was, "live like a Corinthian," which meant live in luxury and immorality. If I had not mentioned Corinth, you would think I was referring to most American cities today.

So Paul comes to Corinth alone, penniless, not knowing anybody and what a predicament to be in. How do you think Paul felt about this situation? Later on, after he established the Church at Corinth, he wrote two letters to the Corinthians. In the second chapter of the first epistle he tells how he felt. And I was with you in weakness, and fear, and in much trembling. Now think about that, penniless, no job, in a strange city, nothing to eat, no place to sleep, and scared to death. His fear, however, was greatly augmented by the fear of failure to do what he came to do. He was an Apostle of Jesus and he knew it was  his job to start a Church in. Corinth. He did not want to fail the Lord Jesus. He had just left Athens, which was the intellectual capitol of the world, where he had failed to a great extent to do what he wanted to accomplish. They had referred to him there with the statement, "What would this babbler say?"

What kind of a message can be preached to such a culture as Corinth? Later on Paul would write a letter to the Corinthian Church reminding them of what he had preached. He said, "I determined to know nothing among you save Jesus Christ and Him crucified." It was easy to see from that first epistle, that Christ was first and foremost in his message. He used the name of the Lord Jesus Christ 19 times in the first chapter alone. Ten of those times that he mentioned Jesus, were in the first nine verses. That was the message that was needed by that hedonistic society then, and it is the only message that will change the same life style today—Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

Paul was aware that this message would not appeal to everyone. He had preached the gospel at Athens, and it did not appeal to most of the philosopher crowd. In his epistle, he reminded them that the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness, but unto them that are saved it is the power of God. You cannot prove the plan of salvation by science. You cannot prove there is a Heaven by science. You cannot prove hell fire by science. There is no mathematical equation that can explain how you meet Jesus in the water of baptism when you are buried with Him. All we have is the word of God on it. You accept it by faith in the inspired word of God, and that is all the proof you will get. Paul's statement, in his second epistle to Corinth, told them that we walk by faith and not by sight. Talk about Heaven, and the unbeliever thinks it is foolish. In his ignorance, he calls it "pie in the sky." To the unbeliever, this radio program is a bunch of foolishness. I spoke at a Bible College several years ago, and just before I preached, some one was called upon to pray. In his prayer he prayed, "0 Lord, we thank you that we can come here tonight and hear what this fool has to say." That was a better introduction than the complimentary one given after the prayer. Paul reminded the Corinthians of that appraisal of the world when he said; "We are fools for Christ's sake." I saw a bumper sticker that said, "I am a fool for Christ, whose fool are you?" You can be God's fool or the Devil's fool and that is your decision. For I determined to know nothing among you save Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

Then in the fifteenth chapter of the same book, he reminds them more vividly what it meant to preach Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Now I make known unto you brethren the gospel which I preached unto you which also ye received by wherein also ye stand, by which also ye are saved, IF ye hold fast the word which I preached unto you except ye believed in vain. He said he preached it, they received it, they stood by it, and they were saved by it. When he said you were saved by it, he inserted an IF. Saved IF what? IF ye hold fast the word which I preached unto you except ye believed in vain. Our salvation depends on our enduring unto the end. He said IF. Remember, God put the IF in the text. IF there was no chance that once saved you could ever be lost, why did God put the IF in the text? Then he told them what that gospel was. He said, I make known unto you first of all, that Christ died for our sins according to the scripture, and that He was buried, and that He arose the third day according to the scripture. That is the message Paul preached to a city that was not unlike ours in morals. That is the message that was needed then, and it is the message that is needed now. He preached the death burial and resurrection of Jesus, and then he told them about their proper response to that gospel. Many of the Corinthians hearing believed and were baptized.

One time a preacher came to see me to say that he did not agree with the sermons I preached on baptism. In playing down its importance, he cited where Paul said, in First Corinthians 1:14, "1 thank God that I baptized none of you save Crispus and Gaius lest ye say ye were baptized into my name." He said baptism must not be as important as you say it is, because Paul goes on to say Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel. I asked him to turn to this eighteenth chapter of Acts and read the eighth verse, "Many of the Corinthians hearing, believed and were baptized." I pointed out it says that they were all baptized. All Paul was saying is that he did not baptize himself. Others did this task for him. Baptism was so important, that Paul did not want anyone to think that it was done in his name. The preacher quietly closed the book and kept on arguing, ignoring what had happened at Corinth—MANY OF THE CORINTHIANS HEARING, BELIEVED AND WERE BAPTIZED.

Remember again what kind of a city Corinth was. Later on, Paul would comment on their character. Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with men nor, nor thieves, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the Kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye were washed, but ye were sanctified, but ye were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God. This was what it meant to preach Christ and Him crucified in a city known for immorality. If it worked then, the same message can work now, and it is the only message that will work now. The flower of the gospel of Christ can bloom on the manure pile of your life also.

The Lord had appeared in a vision to Paul in the night and told him to fear not. No man shall set on thee to harm thee so speak and hold not thy peace for I have much people in this city. Jesus knew that if the gospel were preached, there were people, even in Corinth, who would become Christians. Jesus still has much people in every city that will accept His gospel, if they ever hear it. The same charge is to us that was given to Paul, Fear not but speak and hold not thy peace for I have much people in this city. In other words, there are people in the bars of your town, there are homosexuals, drunkards, drug pushers, and prostitutes that would become Christians if they ever heard the gospel message. So be not afraid, but speak and hold not thy peace, the Lord still has much people in every city. It is an encouragement to this ministry to know that the Lord has much people in any city where we preach the gospel. That would include London, Jerusalem, Baghdad, Nigeria, San Antonio, Richmond, Louisville, Nashville, Indianapolis, Waterloo and many others. The Lord has much people in these cities. So fear not, but speak and hold not thy peace, for I have much people in this city.

After a year and six months, Paul was brought into court. He had the assurance from the Lord that he would not be beaten, but there was trouble of another kind ahead. They brought him to court and the charge was made that this man persuades men to worship God, contrary to the law.

It is with mixed emotions that I look upon Judge Gallio. As Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said, "Oh, ye Jews, reason would that I should bear with you if it were a matter of wrong or wicked villainy. But, if they are questions about words and names and your own law, look to it yourselves, for I am not minded to be a judge in these matters." He drove them from the judgement seat and the mob got mad and they beat Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue. Gallio did not stop the beating of Sosthenes, because he  probably thought he deserved it since he brought such a frivolous charge to his court. We are told that Gallio cared for none of these things.

I  cannot help but admire Judge Gallio for telling them he would not be a judge in such things as their laws. I feel the same way about a lot of the quibbling that is done. I am not minded to be a judge in such matters. If questions revolve around communion cups, instrumental music, whether it is scriptural to have a Bible College, or radio and television programs; like Gallio, I am not minded to be a judge in these matters. We need more judges like Judge Gallio today. Judges who will throw stupid, frivolous, law suits out of court. Look to it yourselves; I am not minded to be a Judge in these matters.

However, one can't help but note that Gallio came up on the short end here. Paul was about to speak when Gallio said, "I am not minded to be a judge in these matters." What he said applied to Paul also. He was not minded to hear the matters that Paul had to say. It was a mistake to tell Paul to shut up. Paul was about to say something that Gallio needed to hear and he missed his greatest opportunity. History records that both Gallio and his brother, a famous Roman by the name of Seneca, later committed suicide.

GALLIO CARED FOR NONE OF THESE THINGS.

Gallio did not care for the proposition of eternal life. Gallio did not care for the propagation of the Church of Christ and Gallio did not care for the proclamation of the Word of God.

Many belong to the Gallio Club today; they care for none of these things. Pass a car on the highway, if three feet is all that separates you from a head on collision, you are three feet from being able to hear the angels sing or from hearing the shrieks of the damned. Gallio cared for none of these things. Many like Gallio have no concern for the ongoing of the Church either. All you have to do to close the Church for one month during the year, is to miss four times during the year without a reason and as far as you are concerned it is closed. Eight misses during the year and, by your vote, services are cancelled for two months during the year. This is a terrible responsibility when you think of it, but I don't expect it to mean too much to most, because they belong to the Gallio Club. They care for none of these things. Many like Gallio are not concerned about the proclamation of the Word of God. What Paul or Peter or any of the inspired men had to say means nothing. It is what my denomination teaches, what my preacher says, what the majority think is right. The inspired men don't count. They are indifferent to their testimony. There is an old illustration that says it well.