Acts 18:9-11

Summary retelling of Acts 18:9-11

Jesus speaks to Paul.  The first thing He says is to not be afraid.  Paul is supposed to continue to speak and not be silent.  Jesus then promises that He will be with Paul.  Jesus then tells Paul that he will be safe and that there are many followers of His in the city.  After Jesus speaks to him, Paul stays in Corinth for a year and a half.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Jesus lays the smack down on Paul.  Let’s not mince words here.  Jesus comes to Paul immediately after Paul screws up and after he gets frustrated.  Jesus basically says, “Suck it up and get back on track.  This is my calling, not yours.  I know more than you do about Corinth and what I want you to do here.”  When we step up to be spiritual, we will occasionally make mistakes.  But when we make mistakes, we must expect Jesus and God to call us to task – especially those who are in leadership roles.  The more we lead, the more we should expect to be reprimanded so that we can get back on track more quickly.

How does it make you feel to see Jesus bring Paul to task?  Does it scare you at all?

Second Thought:

Jesus tells Paul to continue to speak and to not be silent.  Jesus tells Paul that there are more followers in Corinth than he can even imagine.  The reality is that we don’t ever see the whole picture.  We do not ever make the agenda; we follow it.  We do not ever determine the course of action; we listen to God hand out the orders.

Why is it important to remember that God is the director and we are the followers?

Third Thought:

In the end, Paul stays in Corinth for 18 months – perhaps the longest he ever stayed in any one particular place for setting up a church.  Paul recovers from his mistake well.  Once he is corrected, he gets back on task.

Have you ever been in a place where you have made a mistake and not done what God desired?  How did you get back on track?  What role did having someone correct you play?  How were you able to regain focus?

Passage for Tomorrow: Acts 18:12-17