For the second time, Paul stays in one place for a long time, twice as long as the first time. He served in Corinth for a year and a half, then in Ephesus for three years. The only other lengthy stays he experienced during his ministry were in prison.
While most of what happens in church is not reflected in this chapter, the role of the pastor is put on display. And in a clear case of what’s good for the goose is good for the gander, what is required and expected of the pastor is largely the same for every member. So what does God expect of your pastor, and you?
Let’s look at how Paul carried the cross and built bridges. They were built almost singularly with one tool. It is a key attribute of God and God’s greatest commandment, love.
The Berean believers leave us a lasting legacy of what a legitimate loving and saving relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ looks like.
Make no mistake about it, Paul’s missionary journeys were not meant to spread Christmas cheer, open coffee shops, or start yoga groups. Paul was in the world to plant churches, God-centered, biblical churches, which the world needs now much more than ever.
Chuck Colson had to go to prison to find peace with God. He was Ivy League smart (Brown University), but his intellect drew him away from the Lord. He was military grade tough (a U.S. Marine), but his heart was hardened to the gospel.
This text shows us some things, hard things, we should emulate in order to catapult our congregation from being a good church into being a gospel church, from merely enjoying one another to bringing others to Jesus Christ.
We see a lot of partnerships in the book of Acts. They include Jesus and the Apostles, Peter and John, Paul and Barnabas, Paul and Silas, and now Paul and Silas and Timothy.
God in His providence puts people together to accomplish His purposes. His purposes are to build up His church and bring more people into His church.
It should go without saying that Christians should be together for the gospel, for it is the gospel that brings us together with Christ.
