Ambassadors for Christ

“And the Lord spoke to Paul in the night by a vision, Do not be afraid, but speak, and be not silent. For I am with you, and no one shall set on you to hurt you, for I have many people in this city.” (Acts 18:9-10)

Paul had been preaching every Saturday in the synagogue in Corinth to both Jews and Greeks. (Acts 18:4) The Corinthians were Greek since Corinth is in Greece. The Bible mentions that Paul was pressed or preoccupied with preaching the Gospel, but they were resisting. “And they resisting and blaspheming, shaking his garment, he said to them, Your blood is on your own heads. I am pure from it. From now on I will go to the nations.” (Acts 18:6) When Crispus the chief ruler of the synagogue believed, many Corinthians who were non-Jews believed. Scripture doesn’t tell us the turn of events and how this happened to influence the Corinthians, just that this was the sequence of events. But verse 7 tells us that Paul went to the house of Justus who is also known as Titius Justus a God-fearing Gentile (non-Jew and a Greek). The house was next to the synagogue and became a meeting place for the early Corinthian Christians where Paul expounded the Gospel.

Now God speaks to Paul reassuring him. This tells us that he might have been having doubts about what he was doing. We can’t imagine that of Paul, but in this Scripture, the Lord comforts Paul in his efforts to obey the Lord’s mandate for him. The Lord tells him not to be afraid to speak. I never thought Paul had that problem, but obviously he did for some reason because the Lord wouldn’t have told him to speak and to not be afraid to do so. In verse 6 we learn that the Jews were resisting and blaspheming. But nothing is mentioned about violence in Corinth. Paul had the vision after Crispus believed and many Corinthians believed. While there was certainly hardships in sharing the Gospel because many believed, there is no mention in the Bible of severe persecution as in Philippi where he received stripes or like in Lystra where he was left for dead or where he was imprisoned for the Gospel. It may have been that he was dreading that happening in Corinth.

Today, we’re afraid to share the Gospel in the United States because we’re afraid of rejection.  It seems one can speak any vulgarity and share any foreign belief but speak the Name of Jesus and there is certainly persecution, although it may not be overt or violent, unless the witness is with lots of attention, then we might see violence such as what happened to Charlie Kirk. And there are also laws about holding gatherings in public places without a permit. There always seems to be a reason or excuse for our resistance to be radical for Jesus. Oh, that we would have a fire in our hearts for the Gospel.

Paul was radical. He knew what the Lord wanted him to do. And he was obedient. He wrote to Timothy, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith. Now there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that Day; and not to me only, but also to all those who love His appearing.” (2Timothy 4:7-8) So you say, “But Paul was different....” Yes. His personality was zeal. When he was a Pharisee, he was a zealot for Judaism and hunted down Christians to bring them to Jerusalem to be tried and imprisoned. But when he believed on the Lord, he was zealous for the Gospel. What he did, he did with all that he had. And if we look at all the apostles’ lives, we see the same zeal for the Gospel. All were martyred except John. We are the recipients of their zeal, dedication and obedience to their calling.

As recipients, we’re not to sit and just enjoy the fruit of the labor of those who suffered to bring the Gospel to us. We are to do the same. I hope that the Lord is speaking to those reading these words just as He is speaking to me. Can we ask the Lord, how can I share Your Gospel? Can we ask for zeal? Time is slipping away fast. And soon the Lord will return. And like Jesus told Paul, “I have many people in this city,” He tells us “I have many people in this city” who need to hear the Gospel and for whom I am waiting.

Concluding, we see that Paul’s work in Corinth was to preach the Gospel regardless of what he encountered. He was encouraged by the Lord and he was obedient. We also have the mandate. “And all things are of God, Who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation, whereas God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and putting the word of reconciliation in us. Then we are ambassadors on behalf of Christ, as God exhorting through us, we beseech you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.” (2Corinthians 5:18-20) The Lord doesn’t send us out empty handed. He’s given us the ministry of reconciliation. He’s given us the words to bring men and God together.

Let us pray:

Father God, You are so merciful to me and have blessed me abundantly. I do ask You my Lord, how can I share Your Gospel? I need Your zeal to run the race which You have given me. I need Your zeal to fulfill the ministry of reconciliation. Let the fire of the Holy Spirit stir within me. (Matthew 3:11) Lord, I know that You are coming soon. And I know that there are future brethren that need to hear the Gospel. Forgive me for being too involved with my life in this world, too preoccupied with living and too comfortable to make an effort to share Your Gospel. Forgive me for any fear and reluctance to suffer rejection, ridicule or scorn for You and Your Gospel. Forgive me for not willing to be inconvenienced for You and Your Gospel. Father, only You can make these changes in me through Your Holy Spirit. I love You Lord. And I enjoy too many blessings to keep Your love, mercy, grace and blessing all to myself when others are suffering without You. Thank You Lord for hearing my prayer. In the Name of Jesus I pray, amen.