What's the mood…the atmosphere…the character of our beloved Southeastern Minnesota? You know what I mean: When folks from New York City visit, with what impressions do they leave? And how does a native of Southern California feel after a stopover in Brownsdale or Taopi? Well, I’ve lived in California and I’ve lived in rural Minnesota. Believe me. They’re two entirely different mission fields!
I think the Apostle Paul went through a much greater sort of culture shock when he left Athens and headed to Corinth. Athens was the intellectual capital of the Roman world. It’s where they had that entire amphitheater called Areopagus set aside just for intellectual and philosophical debate. Now Corinth is a beautiful city located about fifty miles west of Athens. It’s situated on a narrow neck of land between the Adriatic Sea and the Aegean Sea. And there was a great temple on Acrocorinth (the hill behind the city). Sounds magnificent, right? Here’s the not-so-magnificent part: Every evening a thousand-some priestesses would come down into the city streets to carry out their trade, indulging in lasciviousness, immorality, and depravity. The city of Corinth had the reputation throughout the whole Roman world as the center of sensuality.
Remember how troubled and offended Paul was over the worship of idols in Athens? Imagine his distress over the open depravity in the streets of Corinth? This was a definitely a low point in Paul’s life and ministry. He was alone on this trip. He longed for the companionship of Silas and Timothy. He was short on finances and had to enter the workforce as a tentmaker working with leather. He was becoming more and more aware of Jewish opposition to the Gospel. And he had just left Greece – an area he felt was an unproductive area for the message of Christ. Remember too that Paul grew up in a very religious and strict Jewish home. So he had to have been quite appalled and disturbed over the evil perversion running rampant in the streets of his newest mission field.
But let’s look at the text of Acts 18:9-10: “Then the Lord spoke to Paul in the night by a vision, ‘Do not be afraid, but speak and do not keep silent; for I am with you, and no one will attack you to hurt you; for I have many people in this city.’” Know what? Paul stayed another eighteen months! And if you know your New Testament Books, you know that the two longest Pauline Epistles were written to the people of this depraved city of Corinth. People were actually saved in Corinth.
Is there a lesson in this for us? Of course. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the same no matter where you go and to whom you speak. Californians need the Gospel of Salvation no more and no less that us Midwesterners. Never predict the outcome of your witness (intentional or unintentional). Just go ahead and share it!
I think the Apostle Paul went through a much greater sort of culture shock when he left Athens and headed to Corinth. Athens was the intellectual capital of the Roman world. It’s where they had that entire amphitheater called Areopagus set aside just for intellectual and philosophical debate. Now Corinth is a beautiful city located about fifty miles west of Athens. It’s situated on a narrow neck of land between the Adriatic Sea and the Aegean Sea. And there was a great temple on Acrocorinth (the hill behind the city). Sounds magnificent, right? Here’s the not-so-magnificent part: Every evening a thousand-some priestesses would come down into the city streets to carry out their trade, indulging in lasciviousness, immorality, and depravity. The city of Corinth had the reputation throughout the whole Roman world as the center of sensuality.
Remember how troubled and offended Paul was over the worship of idols in Athens? Imagine his distress over the open depravity in the streets of Corinth? This was a definitely a low point in Paul’s life and ministry. He was alone on this trip. He longed for the companionship of Silas and Timothy. He was short on finances and had to enter the workforce as a tentmaker working with leather. He was becoming more and more aware of Jewish opposition to the Gospel. And he had just left Greece – an area he felt was an unproductive area for the message of Christ. Remember too that Paul grew up in a very religious and strict Jewish home. So he had to have been quite appalled and disturbed over the evil perversion running rampant in the streets of his newest mission field.
But let’s look at the text of Acts 18:9-10: “Then the Lord spoke to Paul in the night by a vision, ‘Do not be afraid, but speak and do not keep silent; for I am with you, and no one will attack you to hurt you; for I have many people in this city.’” Know what? Paul stayed another eighteen months! And if you know your New Testament Books, you know that the two longest Pauline Epistles were written to the people of this depraved city of Corinth. People were actually saved in Corinth.
Is there a lesson in this for us? Of course. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the same no matter where you go and to whom you speak. Californians need the Gospel of Salvation no more and no less that us Midwesterners. Never predict the outcome of your witness (intentional or unintentional). Just go ahead and share it!
- Pastor Mark
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