Monthly Archives: April 2026

ACTS THE SEQUEL…THE LONG WALK HOME – 41

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“Paul stayed on in Corinth for some time. Then he left the brothers and sisters and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. Before he sailed, he had his hair cut off at Cenchreae because of a vow he had taken. They arrived at Ephesus, where Paul left Priscilla and Aquila. He himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. When they asked him to spend more time with them, he declined. But as he left, he promised, “I will come back if it is God’s will.” Then he set sail from Ephesus.”

“When he landed at Caesarea, he went up to Jerusalem and greeted the church and then went down to Antioch.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭18‬:‭18‬-‭22‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Paul’s journey back to his home church in Antioch was not a quick two or three-hour flight. It was a long, tedious, even dangerous trip over land and by sea, with many stops and interludes to ensure that the fledgling churches were flourishing before he could report back to his home base. 

This was a feature of Paul’s missionary enterprise. He was not a loner. He had an obligation to his people in Antioch to keep in touch…to stay faithful to their confidence in him to do what he was called to do. Set apart as he was by the Lord Himself, he was also commissioned by the church, in obedience to the Holy Spirit, to fulfil that calling. 

It seems, according to Luke’s report, that there was much free movement of people from one place to another. Paul took his compatriots from Corinth…Aquila and Priscilla…with him to Ephesus. For what reason? Perhaps to help and strengthen the people’s faith in the truth which Paul, no doubt, would have built into this couple during his time with them in Corinth. He left them there while he continued on alone, always with one goal in view…to please his Lord, no matter what. 

So, Paul sailed on to Caesarea, then called in on the church in Jerusalem before reaching his final destination…Antioch. This was like taking a detour to London via Paris! This sounds like a day trip…or a week on the road. No so! Many weeks, perhaps even months had passed before he arrived in Antioch.

We have no idea, with our many ways of easy travel, what life was like in Paul’s day. He criss-crossed the Roman Empire on foot, by sailing ship…through every kind of terrain…facing hazards of every kind…sometimes travelling alone…sometimes in a company…many, many times, over thousands of kilometres. He could not call ahead to make a booking at a wayside inn, or even consult a travel agent for assistance. It was what it was!

Would we, whose lives are cushy by comparison, have persevered to the end of life as he did? Would we have pushed through every hardship to obey the Lord Jesus, no matter the cost? Would we have suffered persecution for the sake of the gospel as he did? Would we have faced death at the hands of hostile Jews or the Roman government rather than  deny our Lord as he did?

For Paul, it was his eye in the goal that kept him steadfast and immovable. Circumstances were not part of the mix. Grace gave him strength for every challenge as long as he kept going towards his appointed end. His weaknesses were not an issue…they were a qualification for supernatural power to endure and to overcome. 

How flabby, by comparison, are many of the people today who claim allegiance to Jesus. We give up…even turn on God at the slightest provocation…walk away when we don’t get what we want…sulk when we suffer…demand, advise, instruct when we pray. We question His love…doubt His goodness…mistrust His promises…all because we are insecure in our position in Him. Is this the calling of the Lord…the way of the kingdom?

When we confess Jesus as Lord, we surrender ourselves to His supreme authority, no matter what!

  1. “Am I a soldier of the Cross—

  A follower of the Lamb?

And shall I fear to own His cause,

  Or blush to speak His name? 

In the name, the precious name,

  Of Him who died for me,

Through grace I’ll win the promised crown,

    Whate’er my cross may be.

  1. Must I be carried to the skies

  On flowery beds of ease,

While others fought to win the prize

  And sailed through bloody seas?

  1. Are there no foes for me to face?

  Must I not stem the flood?

Is this vile world a friend to grace,

  To help me on to God?

  1. Since I must fight if I would reign,

  Increase my courage, Lord!

I’ll bear the toil, endure the pain,

  Supported by Thy Word.”

(Isaac Watts – source… hymnal.net)

To be continued

ACTS THE SEQUEL…ENTER AQUILA AND PRISCILLA – 40

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Dotted all over the known world, God had His people. So, on to Corinth…

“Corinth is a historic city in southern Greece, located on the isthmus connecting the Peloponnese to the mainland, about 80 km west of Athens…

“Inhabited since the Neolithic period, ancient Corinth was a major commercial center during the 7th–6th centuries BC. It was a dominant Greek city-state known for its naval power and as a “mother city” (metropolis) to many colonies…

“The Apostle Paul famously visited Corinth in the 1st century AD, spending 18 months there establishing a church.

The biblical books of 1 Corinthians and 2 Corinthians are letters written by Paul to the Christian community in this city. 

“Ancient Corinth Includes the 6th-century BC Temple of Apollo, the Roman Forum, and the Bema, where Paul was brought before the proconsul Gallio….” (Source: Google AI)

“Then Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. There he became acquainted with a Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently arrived from Italy with his wife, Priscilla. They had left Italy when Claudius Caesar deported all Jews from Rome. Paul lived and worked with them, for they were tentmakers just as he was.”

Priscilla and Aquila, two people who became  Paul’s close associates…fellow Jews…fellow believers…and fellow craftsmen.  Luke gives us a glimpse into Paul’s everyday life in Corinth. We sometimes use the term “tent making” to describe people who earn their own living as well as preaching the gospel.  Paul was one of these. He claimed not to be a burden to the churches by working to support himself rather than depending on the churches to fund him. 

So, he joined Aquila and Priscilla in their tent-making business, remaining in Corinth for at least eighteen months. This association must have led to close friendship with these two people. At the same time, he preached and taught in the local synagogue until, as usual, the opposition reached the point where he could no longer find an audience in the synagogue. 

“Each Sabbath found Paul at the synagogue, trying to convince the Jews and Greeks alike. And after Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul spent all his time preaching the word. He testified to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah. But when they opposed and insulted him, Paul shook the dust from his clothes and said, “Your blood is upon your own heads—I am innocent. From now on I will go preach to the Gentiles.”

‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭18‬:‭4‬-‭6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“Then he left and went to the home of Titius Justus, a Gentile who worshiped God and lived next door to the synagogue. Crispus, the leader of the synagogue, and everyone in his household believed in the Lord. Many others in Corinth also heard Paul, became believers, and were baptized.”

‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭18‬:‭7‬-‭8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Unlike his compatriots, the Jews, Paul found the Gentiles open to the gospel and willing to listen to his message. Once again, a church was born in Corinth, people who turned out to be spiritually gifted but immature and somewhat unruly. In more than one letter,  Paul had to address them quite severely for the childish behaviour of some. 

Paul became discouraged. I guess, after years on the road, battling the hardships of travel as well as the mixed reception he received from his hearers, and the care of new believers fresh out of paganism…he must have been exhausted. There was no such thing as “time out”…going home on furlough…or spending a few days at the beach!

So the Lord paid him a personal visit. 

“One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision and told him, “Don’t be afraid! Speak out! Don’t be silent! For I am with you, and no one will attack and harm you, for many people in this city belong to me.” So Paul stayed there for the next year and a half, teaching the word of God.”

In one of few recorded verbal encounters with the Lord, especially when Paul needed encouragement, God told him to persevere because He had many people in this city whom He had chosen. 

However, once again, the Jews rose up to make trouble for Paul.  Gallio, the newly appointed governor of Achia, refused to listen to their false accusations against him and dismissed them with contempt. 

“But when Gallio became governor of Achaia, some Jews rose up together against Paul and brought him before the governor for judgment. They accused Paul of “persuading people to worship God in ways that are contrary to our law.” But just as Paul started to make his defense, Gallio turned to Paul’s accusers and said, “Listen, you Jews, if this were a case involving some wrongdoing or a serious crime, I would have a reason to accept your case. But since it is merely a question of words and names and your Jewish law, take care of it yourselves. I refuse to judge such matters.” And he threw them out of the courtroom. The crowd then grabbed Sosthenes, the leader of the synagogue, and beat him right there in the courtroom. But Gallio paid no attention.”

‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭18‬:‭9‬-‭17‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Just for good measure, because they couldn’t get their way, the mob assaulted Sosthenes, leader of the synagogue…but Gallio was indifferent to their hooligan behaviour. He turned his back on them…

By this time, we would surely given up and gone home. Not Paul. His life was not his own. He had a calling…he had a commission…he was determined to remain faithful to the end. 

“For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.”

‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭4‬:‭6‬-‭8‬ ‭NIV‬‬

So, Paul soldiered on, his determined purpose to reach Rome itself, the centre of the “world” to which he was called to take the gospel.  

To be continued

ACTS THE SEQUEL…ATHENS – 39

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“But when the Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God at Berea, some of them went there too, agitating the crowds and stirring them up. The believers immediately sent Paul to the coast, but Silas and Timothy stayed at Berea. Those who escorted Paul brought him to Athens and then left with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭17‬:‭13‬-‭15‬ ‭NIV‬‬

The same pattern…the same result! The same battle lines! The hostile Jews in Thessalonica were not satisfied to get rid of Paul from their own city. They hounded him to Berea…stirring up a mob of hooligans like themselves. 

Once again, Paul had to flee for his own safety, leaving Silas and Timothy to follow when the coast was clear…And so, they finally reached Athens, another hotbed of idolatry and false worship. 

Paul was not idle while he waited for his companions to rejoin him. He found another opportunity to preach the truth…

“While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. So he reasoned in the synagogue with both Jews and God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there. A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to debate 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.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭17‬:‭16‬-‭18‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Of course…the synagogue…the first and best place to gather an audience. Jews and proselyte Greeks were willing to listen to him there and so did a gathering of philosophers in the market place, men who held opposing ideas about life. 

Paul dived in with all the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, preaching the message he loved best to share…Jesus….crucified and risen. 

…Then…

“A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to debate 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. 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? You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we would like to know what they mean.” (All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.)”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭17‬:‭18‬-‭21‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Well! That was the invitation Paul was waiting for.  Debate! There was nothing he could do better than debate the truth with those who were constantly looking for new ideas. Were these philosophers honestly seeking truth or were they only enjoying and honing their debating skills? 

Paul gave them more than they bargained for…he had his point of contact…the very idols he hated so much.  

“Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. 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. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship—and this is what I am going to proclaim to you.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭17‬:‭22‬-‭23‬ ‭NIV‬‬

The unknown god they included in their pantheon of gods, just in case they left one out… was the one he chose to introduce to them. The Unknown God…the Creator God…the self-sustaining God…the God who gives life and orders men’s affairs…this God is real. He is. the one who seeks and finds…

This is the God who will judge all people. He is not represented by an idol…and neither are we!

““LTherefore 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 human design and skill.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭17‬:‭29‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“It’s time, people of Athens!  God is here, now, calling on you to change your minds and turn back to His way. Judgement is coming and no one will escape.”

“In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. 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 everyone by raising him from the dead.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭17‬:‭30‬-‭31‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Paul finally dropped the bomb!  Carefully weaving his argument around the one whom God appointed as judge because He vindicated Him by raising Him from the dead, he had their attention! Resurrection! This was a brand new and startling idea. 

“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.” At that, Paul left the Council. Some of the people 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 ‭17‬:‭32‬-‭34‬ ‭NIV‬‬

This was a cliff-hanger…and Paul left them with it. The real ones…the ones who had taken the bait…the ones in whose hearts was hunger and hope…were the ones who wanted more. They went after him to find out about the truth…and they believed…

and so, the church took root in yet another city…regardless of conflict…opposition…war…the word of God prevailed again…the kingdom planted in human hearts!

God had added Athens to the growing list of towns and cities where the gospel had begun to take root. Seeds were sown…new life was beginning to sprout…despite jealousy, hatred, opposition, persecution…everything the enemy threw at them failed to stop them because the march of God’s kingdom was unstoppable. No matter how hard some of the soil might be,  the seed of truth would fall into good ground, take root and grow. 

To be continued

ACTS THE SEQUEL…ANOTHER CHURCH IS BORN – 38

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When Paul and his companions had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead. “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah,” he said. Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few prominent women.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭17‬:‭1‬-‭4‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Thessalonica…conflict and conquest! On and on went the foot soldiers of Jesus…sowing the powerful seeds of truth that would take root and grow in dark places. 

“Thessalonica (modern-day Thessaloniki) was a major ancient port city in northern Greece, located at the head of the Thermaic Gulf. Founded around 315–316 BC by Cassander, it became the capital of the Roman province of Macedonia, a crucial hub on the Egnatian Way (Via Egnatia), and a significant center for early Christianity visited by Apostle Paul.” (Source:,Google AI)

As was his pattern, Paul went first to the Jewish synagogue. He never lost his passion to share the gospel with his Jewish compatriots. 

“I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it through the Holy Spirit— I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people, those of my own race, the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption to sonship; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭9‬:‭1‬-‭4‬ ‭NIV‬‬

…And…once again…the battle lines were drawn. Some Jews believed the message and received the gift of eternal life.  Others not only resisted the message but also vehemently opposed the messengers. How true to life their reaction was! When the truth hits home, those who hate the truth will attack the ones who carry its message. They will use lies and violence to try to silence their own conscience. 

“But other Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city. They rushed to Jason’s house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd. But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some other believers before the city officials, shouting: “These men who have caused trouble all over the world have now come here, and Jason has welcomed them into his house. They are all defying Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus.” When they heard this, the crowd and the city officials were thrown into turmoil. Then they made Jason and the others post bond and let them go.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭17‬:‭5‬-‭9‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Well! That didn’t work either. The seed was sown. The church was born. The word of God had done its work in the soil of honest hearts. In the Bible, we have the written record of this church’s existence and growth, and, specifically, Paul’s immortal teaching about the second coming of Jesus in his letters to people who had become very precious to him. 

The ones who had believed had become steadfast and faithful followers of Jesus. Their love was real and strong…and Paul urged them to keep going more and more. They bore the real fruit in their lives of their faith in Jesus. 

“We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers. We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.”

‭‭1 Thessalonians‬ ‭1‬:‭2‬-‭3‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Those who resisted the gospel pushed back with violence and  lying accusations. 

“But other Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city.”

The situation became so dangerous for Paul and Silas that the believers in Thessalonica sent them away to Berea after dark. 

“As soon as it was night, the believers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. As a result, many of them believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭17‬:‭10‬-‭12‬ ‭NIV‬‬

What a difference! The Jews in  Berea were far more open-minded to receive the gospel than their counterparts in Thessalonica. Not only did they listen attentively to Paul’s preaching, but they also checked the Tanach to verify the truth of what Paul was telling them. 

What a model for us to follow! The Bereans got it right. This is the way to deal with the message modern-day preachers are delivering. Check it out against God’s word. Hold fast to truth and dismiss what is false and misleading. 

“Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil.”

‭‭1 Thessalonians‬ ‭5‬:‭20‬-‭22‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Against the backdrop of the honest search for truth of the Bereans, in his letters, Paul urged the Thessalonians to act in the same way. Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water but…don’t swallow everything you are told without verifying its truth against the Word. 

“As for other matters, brothers and sisters, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more.”

‭‭1 Thessalonians‬ ‭4‬:‭1‬ ‭NIV

How much error we would avoid if if we adopted the same attitude as the Bereans. 

To be continued 

ACTS THE SEQUEL…STINGS AT MIDNIGHT – 37b

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…So, they did just that! They began to sing. What did they sing? The songs they knew best…David’s songs…about God…about suffering…and trust…and victory…and God’s power over their enemies.

And it worked!

“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!”

Acts‬ ‭16‬:‭25-‭28 NIV‬‬

The other prisoners heard them singing…but they didn’t complain…they listened. 

The songs God’s prisoners sang were so powerful that they split open the prison walls…and opened the stocks…and broke the chains off the prisoners…and smashed open the doors! Wow! That shocked the prisoners so much that, instead of using the opportunity to escape, they couldn’t move. 

“The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household.”

Acts‬ ‭16‬:‭29- 34‬ ‭NIV‬‬

What began as a miscarriage of justice became victory for grace  when another whole family was rescued from paganism and catapulted into the kingdom of God.

One big lesson that keeps recurring in this story, as in many of the stories in the Bible…God is always up to something. When we trust Him without collapsing into a heap of despair…disappointment…disillusionment…when we give God the space He needs to finish what He started…we will discover that He never allows random or irrelevant circumstances into our lives. Everything works according to a predetermined plan. 

What may seem crazy to us makes perfect sense to Him. Injustice is a great teacher… Retaliation is never the way of victory. It only perpetuates more anger and hatred. Jesus’ way is the way of forgiveness. Forgiveness neutralises the poison, takes the heat out of the fire, and stops the downward spiral into hell. 

So, these two men, true sons of God and followers of Jesus…turned their pain into a paean of praise…and their reward was a free pass from prison. 

This story has a second unexpected outcome…

“When it was daylight, the magistrates sent their officers to the jailer with the order: “Release those men.” The jailer told Paul, “The magistrates have ordered that you and Silas be released. Now you can leave. Go in peace.” But Paul said to the officers: “They beat us publicly without a trial, even though we are Roman citizens, and threw us into prison. And now do they want to get rid of us quietly? No! Let them come themselves and escort us out.” The officers reported this to the magistrates, and when they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, they were alarmed. They came to appease them and escorted them from the prison, requesting them to leave the city. After Paul and Silas came out of the prison, they went to Lydia’s house, where they met with the brothers and sisters and encouraged them. Then they left.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭16‬:‭35‬-‭40‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Paul used his Roman citizenship as a lever to expose the injustice they had suffered…not as retaliation but as a lesson for those who were expected to dispense justice, not tyranny. The ex-prisoners walked away from that city vindicated, heads held high, leaving behind another family of believers to join the growing church in Philippi, for their trouble. 

To be continued