SonLifeChapelBlog

A Time of Influence (notes)

sonlifechapel@gmail.com (Gil Garcia) — Sun, 6 Jan 2013 10:40:00 -0800

A Time of Influence

sonlifechapel@gmail.com (Gil Garcia) — Sun, 6 Jan 2013 10:39:00 -0800

2013 - The Power of The Prophetic (notes)

sonlifechapel@gmail.com (Gil Garcia) — Sun, 30 Dec 2012 10:39:00 -0800

2013 - The Power of The Prophetic

sonlifechapel@gmail.com (Gil Garcia) — Sun, 30 Dec 2012 10:38:00 -0800

2013 - The Power of The Prophetic this message was given on 12-30-12

The Gift 3 - The First Day of History (notes)

sonlifechapel@gmail.com (Gil Garcia) — Sun, 23 Dec 2012 10:52:00 -0800

The Gift 3 - The First Day of History

This Is An Exciting To Be Alive In History

The possibilities are…

The rapture or 2nd coming of Jesus.
The greatest revival in history.
The greatest harvest ever.
The greatest blessings upon the people of God.
The greatest breakthroughs in our local church.

Christmas is the first day of history. Why? Because it is the day that God came to earth in human flesh and became the savior of the world.

If The World Needed:

Pleasure God would have sent an entertainer.
Technology God would have sent a scientist.
A song God would have sent a composer.
Knowledge God would have sent a professor. But the world needed forgiveness so God sent a Savior.

Jesus Came

To save us from sin.
Deliver us from satan’s power.
Heal all sickness.
Heal our brokenness.
To prepare us for Heaven.

The Birth of Jesus

Joseph was from Royal lineage of Israel and went to David’s home town to be registered in the census.
The Roman Emperor had issued a decree for this to take place all over the empire.
You had to go to your home town to register.

The King of Glory is born in the city of David, the house of bread. There were shepherds. Shepherds were considered low life people, men who couldn’t be trusted yet the angel of the Lord appeared to them and God’s glory was all around them and caused them to be terrified. They knew their sinful condition.

The Angel of the Lord tells them, don’t be afraid. I have good news for you that will cause great joy for all people in every generation in every corner of the planet. The Gospel is good news for everyone in every time period in every place. The Savior is born. The only hope for humanity is Jesus the Savior of the world.

Let’s Go To Bethlehem and find Mary & Joseph and the baby lying in the manger. After seeing Jesus they spread the Word concerning what the angel of the Lord had said to them.

Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.

The shepherds returned glorifying and praising God for the events they had just experienced and what the Lord had said to them.

Our Job is to do what the shepherds did. Go and tell everyone what we have experienced. We need an experience with the Savior if we are going to be able to give this great gift away to hurting people, lost broken folks who need the good news.

The Gift 3 - The First Day of History

sonlifechapel@gmail.com (Gil Garcia) — Sun, 23 Dec 2012 10:51:00 -0800

The Gift 2 - The Story of Christmas (notes)

sonlifechapel@gmail.com (Gil Garcia) — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 10:37:00 -0800

The Gift 2 - The Story of Christmas

Amazing Grace

Let’s look at the word Gift and what it means.
Gift means Grace and Grace means Gift. The Greek word for Grace is Charis, the root word for Charismatic or Charisma. The Charismatic movement was an outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the Catholic Church and mainline denominations in the 1970’s and 80’s. I consider our church a result of that move of God.

The Gift

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

(NKJV)

We Believe

In the Charismatic gifts or Grace gifts. These are spiritual gifts mentioned in 1 Cor. 12 &14.
That the Word Grace defines who we are as a body of believers. The gifts are for us today and we totally embrace the move of the Spirit in our daily lives and in our church life.
Grace is God’s favor, which is not dependent on our earning power but on His power to accept us.

When We Know God accepts us, we also know all that God is and has is for us today. Every gift (grace) is for the church today. Healing, miracles, prophecy, faith, words of knowledge, words of wisdom, discernment, and tongues are all for us today because of Grace.

Grace Brings Us

Into God’s presence. Grace means that we don’t have to do anything but believe in what Jesus has done.
Grace also means that we belong to Him and He belongs to us. Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. It was written by a former slave trader (John Newton 1725-1807) an Englishman who became a poet and clergyman.

Grace is one of the major themes in the New Testament.

John 1:14-18, Romans 5:1-2, 15-17, 20-21, & 6:1-11.

Grace Invokes God’s favor when anyone calls upon the name of Jesus. Jesus was full of grace and truth. There is a grace in our lives because of His grace. When we see Jesus we see the Father.

We Are Justified By Faith

Let us grasp the fact that we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through Him we have confidently entered into this new relationship of grace, and here we take our stand, in happy certainty of the glorious things He has for us in the future. (Romans 5:1-2)

Grace Gives Us a gift and that gift is God Himself. When we get Him we get everything. Without Him we are empty, lost, and miserable. With Him we have abundant life, and we get all that God has for us.

On The First Christmas

God sent His Son, the free gift of grace and the result is justification before God. When we are justified before God nothing else matters but the fact that we are right with God.
During This Season Let’s
Concentrate on the greatest gift ever given to us. Salvation through the blood of Jesus Christ.
Ask God to give us an opportunity to give this gift to someone who does not have Jesus.

The Gift 2 - The Story of Christmas

sonlifechapel@gmail.com (Gil Garcia) — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 10:36:00 -0800

The Gift 2 - The Story of Christmas this message was given on 12-16-12

The Gift - The Story of Christmas (notes)

sonlifechapel@gmail.com (Gil Garcia) — Sun, 9 Dec 2012 10:35:00 -0800

The Gift - The Story of Christmas

The Greatest Gift Was Given To The World Around 2,000 Years Ago.

A gift is a thing given willingly to someone without payment, a present, a Christmas gift. An act of giving something as a present.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.

The Gift

John 3:16 (NKJV) For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

God

Gave the very best of Heaven, part of Himself, His only begotten Son.
Did not expect anything in return but because He is all knowing, He knew that the return would be the church, billions of people over the centuries will one day stand before the Lamb of God and give thanks to God for that great gift.

Who Ever Believes

In Him, will not perish but have everlasting life. The result of the gift is eternal life. God sent His Son Jesus Christ because of His love.
Lives because Jesus gave His life.

A Gift is given without expectation of payment. As believers we all understand that salvation is a gift, it is not earned but received by faith. It is by Grace, not of works.

When I think of Christmas I think of the greatest gift ever given to anyone, the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ the Savior.

Jesus came to give us abundant life as His gift of eternal life.

The Word Life is Zoe or life in the absolute sense. John 10:10 says that the thief steals, kills and destroys but Jesus came to give us life and life in the absolute. Life that is the very essence of Almighty God. This is what John 3:16 means.

When God Sent Jesus it was out of His great heart of love and generosity that He gave. We now have eternal life because of His great love. Eternal Life is the free gift of God to anyone who receives it by faith.

When We Talk about a gift in the Bible the Word is charis or grace. The gift of God is by Grace, it is not by working for it. We all know that when we work we get paid. We get educated, we go into a field to get paid. But when we come to God, we don’t need an education to get the payment God offers.

Eternal life is given by Grace not by works.

We Will Look At:

What the Word of God says about the coming of the Savior into the world. We will look at the circumstances surrounding the birth of Jesus. We will look at His parents, Joseph and Mary. We will look at what Heaven did when Jesus was born. We will look at the outcome of the coming of the Son of God into the World.
How the life of God works in us daily as a result of Jesus coming into the World and into our hearts.
The little town of Bethlehem. A town about 5 miles south of Jerusalem in the West Bank. A town today of about 14,000 people the native city of King David. It was known for its bread. Isn’t it ironic that the city where Jesus is born was known for its bread when Jesus said, I am the bread of life. John 6:35 If we come to Him we will never be hungry again.

The Gift of Salvation is for everyone who receives it. There is no way to put a price on salvation. Our eternal destiny was paid for by the blood of the Son of God. This is why the blood of Jesus is God’s number one priority. There is nothing more precious than the blood of Jesus. The Blood will never loose its power, it reaches to the highest mountain and it flows to the lowest valley. The blood was shed on Calvary that hill outside of Jerusalem.

Matt. 27:33

During This Season Let’s:

Concentrate on the greatest gift ever given to us. Salvation through the blood of Jesus Christ.
Ask God to give us an opportunity to give this gift to someone who does not have Jesus. It could be at the mall, at Walmart, at Safeway, at the office, to our neighbor or a fellow worker or an employee or a friend. Let’s give this gift away.

The Gift - The Story of Christmas

sonlifechapel@gmail.com (Gil Garcia) — Sun, 9 Dec 2012 10:35:00 -0800

The Gift - The Story of Christmas this message was given on 12-9-12

Acts 22-23 - Testimony (notes)

sonlifechapel@gmail.com (Gil Garcia) — Sun, 2 Dec 2012 10:33:00 -0800

Acts 22-23 - Testimony

sonlifechapel@gmail.com (Gil Garcia) — Sun, 2 Dec 2012 10:33:00 -0800

Acts 22-23 - Testimony this message was given on 12-2-12

Acts 22-23 - Trial of The Century (notes)

sonlifechapel@gmail.com (Gil Garcia) — Sun, 25 Nov 2012 10:26:00 -0800

Acts 23 - Trial of The Century

Paul

Goes before the Sanhedrin and is cross examined.
Acts as his own defense attorney.
Talks about the fact that he lived his life with a clear conscience before God.

The high priest

Ananias has Paul hit in the mouth and Paul responds with God will strike you, you white-washed wall! How dare you sit there judging me by the Law and give orders for me to be struck, which is clearly contrary to the Law?

Paul

Realizes what he had just said.
4 Those who stood by said, do you mean to insult God’s High Priest? 5 But Paul said, my brothers, I did not know that he was the High Priest, for it is written: you shall not speak evil of the ruler of your people.

Paul Knew

The Law because some believe that he was once a member of the supreme court of Israel.
Legal tactics, so he knew how to work within the legal system at the time.
Understood that by defending himself legally he had a better chance of making it to Rome.

Paul

Also knew the differences between the Sadducees and the Pharisees. The Sadducees didn’t believe in the resurrection nor in angels or spirits. The Pharisees did.
Speaks out. I am a Pharisee, the son of Pharisees. It is for my hope in the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial!

This Caused tension between the Pharisees & Sadducees. The Pharisees spoke out. 9b We find nothing wrong with this man! Suppose some angel or spirit has really spoken to him? 10 As the tension mounted the colonel began to fear that Paul would be torn to pieces between them. He therefore ordered his soldiers to come down and rescue him from them and bring him back to the barracks.

Jesus

Appeared to Paul and encouraged him. Take heart--for just as you have witnessed boldly for me in Jerusalem so you must give your witness to me in Rome. V. 11
There was a group (Over 40 men) of radical Jews who made a vow & went on a hunger strike until they killed Paul.
These men went before the chief priests & elders and told them tell the Colonel to bring Paul, that they want to examine his case more closely. They will ambush him on the way.

Paul had a nephew who found out about the plot and told Paul about it. Paul told one of the centurions to take his nephew to the commander (Colonel). He did and the Colonel told one of the centurions to get 200 soldiers, 70 horsemen and two hundred spearmen and take Paul to Felix the governor. The colonel wrote a letter to Felix.

The Contents of The Letter

Claudius Lysias sends greeting to his excellency the governor Felix. This man had been seized by the Jews and was on the point of being murdered by them when I arrived with my troops and rescued him, since I had discovered that he was a Roman citizen. Wishing to find out what the accusation was that they were making against him, I had him brought down to their Sanhedrin. There I discovered he was being accused over questions of their laws, and that there was no charge against him which deserved either death or imprisonment. Now, however, that I have received private information of a plot against his life, I have sent him to you without delay. At the same time I have notified his accusers that they must make their charges against him in your presence.

The Soldiers took Paul, riding through the night and brought him to Antipatis. The next day they returned to the barracks, leaving the horsemen to guard Paul. Then they went to Caesarea after delivering the letter to the governor, they handed Paul over to Felix. After the governor reads the letter he questioned Paul and asked what province he was from. Paul told him that he was from Cilicia. The governor told Paul that he would hear the case as soon as the accusers got there. Then he had Paul kept in Herod’s palace.

What We Can Learn From These Events In Paul’s Life:

Paul knew God was in control.
Paul knew his rights.
Paul used his brain.
Paul knew he had a destiny.

Acts 22-23 - Trial of The Century

sonlifechapel@gmail.com (Gil Garcia) — Sun, 25 Nov 2012 10:26:00 -0800

Acts 22-23 - Trial of The Century this message was given on 11-25-12

Acts 21 - The Heart of A Hero Guest Speaker

sonlifechapel@gmail.com (Gil Garcia) — Sun, 18 Nov 2012 10:22:00 -0800

***Guest Speaker, Jonathan Garcia Spoke Today 11-18-12***

Acts 20 - A Long Trip Toward The Jerusalem Jail (notes)

sonlifechapel@gmail.com (Gil Garcia) — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 13:07:00 -0800

Acts 20 - A Long Trip Toward The Jerusalem Jail

In The Last Chapters

Luke gives very little information about missiology, church planting or power ministries. He deals with the arrest and trails of Paul. In this respect Luke concludes Acts much like he concludes the Gospel of Luke.

Paul Spends

Much of his time in custody but that is where he writes. Lets look at what Paul accomplished in the City of Ephesus.

Paul wrote the first letter to the Corinthians.
Timothy succeeded Paul in Ephesus. Paul wrote 1st & 2nd Tim. to Timothy while in Ephesus. (I Tim. 1:3)
John the Apostle later took up residence in Ephesus & wrote 1st, 2nd and 3rd John from Ephesus as well as the Gospel of John. It is possible that Paul had Timothy & John as professors in the Seminary of Tyrannus at Ephesus.
Paul planned his future there.

Paul

Visited the established churches in Achaia (which included the capital of Corinth) & Macedonia (which included Philippi, Thessalonica & Berea) which was important for Paul. Paul wanted to go to Rome because of the churches that were planted there by other leaders. It was only a stopping point because he really wanted to go to Spain.

Some Believe

That Paul stayed in Philippi for a year and a half. He didn't have to work but stayed with Luke and Lydia. He did not have to work his normal job of tent making. He also wrote 2 Corinthians while there.

The Difference

Romans 15:22-24

And that is why it has taken me so long to finally get around to coming to you. But now that there is no more pioneering work to be done in these parts, and since I have looked forward to seeing you for many years, I’m planning my visit. I’m headed for Spain, and expect to stop off on the way to enjoy a good visit with you, and eventually have you send me off with God’s blessing.

(The Message)

When Paul

Left Philippi, it is likely that Timothy and Erastus accompanied him to Corinth. Whether he had also visited churches in Thessalonica and Berea while in Macedonia we don’t know. Paul then goes to Troas to preach and found an open door to the Gospel there.
Paul then sets out to Macedonia to the city of Philippi where he had sent Timothy and Erastus.

We Learn From

The second letter to the Corinthians that Paul was on way to Corinth to raise funds for the church in Jerusalem.

Principles About Fund Raising

Let Christians know what other followers are doing. 2 Cor. 8:3
Giving is like sowing seed. 2 Cor. 9:6-8
Giving causes joy. 2 Cor. 9:7

Paul

Then goes to Macedonia, to Philippi and holds a regional leadership meeting. Seven people from a variety of churches gathered to take the offering to Jerusalem. The seven continued on to Troas while Paul and Luke stayed in Philippimn,
On his way to Jerusalem Paul wanted to conduct a leadership training seminar for the pastors of the churches in Ephesus.

In Corinth

Society itself promoted sexual immorality. At the time of Paul to Corinthianize meant to fornicate.
Paul wrote 1st & 2nd Thessalonians in Corinth.
Paul wrote the letter to the Romans six years later from Corinth.
God gave the Apostle Paul some of the most powerful revelations to the church.
God added to the ministry team of Paul and they worked together spreading the Gospel to the Roman Empire & beyond.

Greek words Paul used in his leadership seminar:

Elders, presbyteros - The Presbyterian church.
Overseers, episkopos, bishops - Those who supervise a number of pastors, the Episcopal church.
Shepherds, poimen - Those who care for the sheep, Pastor.
Deacons, decones - Helpers under the pastors.

House Churches

Were the norm for almost 400 years until Constantine began erecting the first Christian Basilicas.
Peter Wagner says that there could have been over 200 house churches in Ephesus at the time Paul gave this seminar.
It was a one day six hour seminar.

What The Seminar Taught:

Striving for a servant’s heart. 20:17-21
Counting the cost of discipleship. 20:22-24
Guarding against counterfeits. 20:25-31
Turning the church over to nationals. 20:32-35

What God Is Saying To Us Today?

Acts 20 - A Long Trip Toward The Jerusalem Jail

sonlifechapel@gmail.com (Gil Garcia) — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 10:08:00 -0800

Acts 20 - A Long Trip Toward The Jerusalem Jail this message was given on 11-11-12

Acts 19 - Fight To Win (notes)

sonlifechapel@gmail.com (Gil Garcia) — Wed, 7 Nov 2012 11:40:00 -0800

Acts 19 - Fight To Win

We talked recently about the power of the Holy Spirit.

Today we will talk about a power encounter that happened in Ephesus

Ephesus was one of most pagan cities in the Roman world. The temple to Diana (Greek) or Artemis (Roman) was one of the ancient seven wonders of the World. The fetishes that were made in the city were used all over the Empire as a means of connecting people with the demonic realm. People could actually get possessed as a result of this means of contact.

We Also Saw

How the men who met with Paul were baptized in the Holy Spirit when Paul laid hands on the people who were there in the beginning of that Church of Ephesus.
Paul then goes to the Jewish quarter and for three months convinces many of the Jews that Jesus is the Christ. He also makes disciples of many of the leaders of the community but not all of them believed but rose against the way (Christianity).

Paul

Leaves this group and took those who did believe and went to a local school whose director was a man named Tyrannus. This lasted for two years and the ministry there was so effective that all the Jews and Greeks living in that province heard the Word of God. This school was open from 11 AM to 4 PM. And Paul was a guest speaker for that time.
Did extraordinary miracles by the power of the Holy Spirit so that handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick and their illnesses were cured and evil spirits left them.

The Demonic And Greed

In Ephesus Paul had to deal with the demonic influence through paganism and the greed of the people who were making money from the distribution of the fetishes.
Greed is still very much alive in today’s culture of materialism.

Paul is used by the Lord to see mighty miracles that even handkerchiefs or aprons that touched Paul were taken to sick people and they were healed and even evil spirits would come out of them.

Miracles are still happening today and God wants this to be part of our life as individuals and as a church.

The Seven Sons of Sceva

Are an example of what happens when people who do not have the power of God try to cast out demons.
The demon knew Jesus and Paul but did not know them and he jumped them and beat them up.
This caused the name of Jesus to be held in high honor. Many brought their sorcery books and burned them publicly and it was worth much money.
20 In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power.

Now

21 After all this had happened, Paul decided to go to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia. “After I have been there, he said, must visit Rome also. 22 He sent two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, while he stayed in the province of Asia a little longer.

A Silversmith

Named Demetrius complains about the way his business was hurt by the revival in Ephesus. The people of Ephesus was stirred but the city clerk quieted the crowd. He goes to the defense of the Christians and tells those involved to take it to court.
The city clerk did not want them to be charged with rioting. They calmed down and then he dismissed the assembly.

What can we learn from what happened in this situation?

In every revival there will be opposition stirred by the demonic realm.
We have power over sickness and the demonic realm.
We can see this happen here if we are desire God to move in our church and in our community.

Acts 19 - Fight To Win

sonlifechapel@gmail.com (Gil Garcia) — Sun, 4 Nov 2012 18:00:00 -0800

Acts 19 - Fight To Win this message was given on 11-4-12

Guest Speaker

sonlifechapel@gmail.com (Gil Garcia) — Sun, 28 Oct 2012 20:00:00 -0700

**Guest Speaker, Jerry Peyton Spoke Today 10-28-12**

Acts 18-19 - The Power Of The Baptism In The Holy Spirit (notes)

sonlifechapel@gmail.com (Gil Garcia) — Sun, 28 Oct 2012 11:37:00 -0700

Acts 18-19 - The Power Of The Baptism In The Holy Spirit

There Are Keys To Unlock The Power Acts

The name of Jesus.
The Holy Spirit.
The Word of God.
*Prayer in the Spirit.

Paul’s Third Missionary Journey

Starts in the latter part of Acts 18; the time period is AD 53 to 57.
C.P. Wagner says that we can trace our roots back to Pentecost (early 1906), to the Charismatic Movement (early 1960’s), The Third Wave to the New Apostolic Movement.
The missionary movement can be traced back to the Day of Pentecost and the missionary journeys of Paul and his teams.

When Paul

Left Corinth he had finished two of the first two Missionary Journeys. Barnabas was Paul’s companion on the first journey where they planted churches in Cyprus, Antioch, Pisidia, Iconium, Lystra and Derbe. While on furlough they returned to their home base of Antioch of Syria where their missionary headquarters was located. After the first journey they returned to Jerusalem for the Jerusalem Council.
On the second Journey Silas, later Timothy and Luke accompanied Paul.
On the third Journey they evangelized in Europe, planting churches in Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea and Corinth.

Paul Ministered in Athens and planned a short visit Ephesus before returning to Antioch. Silas & Timothy stayed in Corinth while Paul took Aquila & Priscilla. They remained in Ephesus while Paul visited Jerusalem & Antioch. Paul had desired to go to Ephesus two years earlier but was forbidden by the Holy Spirit.

Paul

Attended the synagogue and came to know the Jewish leaders in Ephesus. They asked Paul to stay longer but Paul had to leave but promised to return. A Nazirite Vow was a Jewish ritual of thanksgiving.
Was deeply grateful for the fruit of his second journey, the large church in Corinth and legal victory in Gallio’s court. During the vow Paul let his hair grow & abstained from wine according to Numbers 6:1-5.
Why did Paul make this vow? He was still a Jew and this was part of his culture.

This Is Why

Paul would always go to the Jewish Quarter when he arrived in any of the cities where he ministered.
This also shows the deep desire Paul had to win Jews for Jesus Christ.

Now

Apollos was from Alexandria, the second largest city of the Roman Empire. There was a large population of Jews there, some historians believe that there were more Jews in Alexandria than in Jerusalem. Ephesus was the third or fourth largest city in the Empire (about 250,000). Antioch was probably larger.
Ephesus was a city of elegant architecture. It was a free Greek city within the Roman Empire. It handled its own internal affairs under the jurisdiction of a Roman proconsul.
It was also the principle center of magic for the ancient world.

Ephesus

Had one of the most powerful churches in the early church. It was a port city with a very vibrant pagan culture. It was a major commerce center in the Roman Empire. It had one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, the temple to Diana or Artimus.
Apollos was at Corinth at the time Paul went to Ephesus. This is where Paul introduces them to the Holy Spirit.

The Baptism in The Holy Spirit

Is a regular theme in the book of Acts.
It is a promise of the Father. (Matt. 3:11, Acts 2:38-39)
The sign of the baptism. (Acts 2:1-4, 4:33, 5:12-16, 19:6)
Why tongues is important. (I Cor. 14:2-4, Acts 10:46, Rom. 8:26, Jude 1:20)

Acts 18-19 - The Power Of The Baptism In The Holy Spirit

sonlifechapel@gmail.com (Gil Garcia) — Sun, 28 Oct 2012 11:35:00 -0700

Acts 18-19 - The Power Of The Baptism In The Holy Spirit this message was given on 10-21-12

Acts 18 - A Powerful Church & Powerful Letters to the Church (notes)

sonlifechapel@gmail.com (Gil Garcia) — Sun, 28 Oct 2012 11:31:00 -0700

Acts 18 - A Powerful Church & Powerful Letters to the Church

Most People agree that Luke wrote Acts and the Gospel of Luke. In Acts he told how the good news about Jesus Christ spread to the world beyond Jerusalem. The book of Acts is a case study in world missions. It is also a model for Revival. If you study revival you will find that the book of Acts is relived and revisited in that outpouring.

Today we will be introduced to some individuals who became part of the ministry team that spread the Gospel, help plant churches all over the world and worked with Paul.

Since The City of Corinth is introduced in this chapter let’s take a look at this large city. It was a city state and located roughly half way between Athens and Sparta. It was a major commerce center, a port city that connected major trade routes. Corinth was also a very vile city.

The Difference Between Athens and Corinth

Athens was a small city of about 10,000 people while Corinth was a city of over 200,000 people.
Athens was an intellectual & cultural center while Corinth was a commerce center that had sea trade to the Ionian Sea on the West and the Aegean Sea on the east.
In Athens Paul ministered alone (except for a short visit by Timothy) but in Corinth he had a ministry team.
In Athens Paul focused on Gentile philosophers while in Corinth on Gentile God fearers.
In Athens Paul displayed brilliance in human wisdom in Corinth he ministered with displays of supernatural power.
In Athens the Word overshadowed deeds, but in Corinth deeds supported & confirmed the Word.
In Athens he produced little fruit while evangelistic ministry in Corinth produced a great harvest.

Paul Ministered in Corinth for about two years and he saw many people come to Jesus and established a powerful church there. Paul wrote two powerful letters to the believers in Corinth with some powerful revelations.

Strongholds That Existed In Corinth

Poseidon (Neptune in Latin) was also worshiped in Athens but more so in Corinth. This was the god of sea & Corinth had two sea ports located on an Isthmus (a narrow strip of land with sea on either side forming a link between two larger areas of land.) The sea was the source of it great wealth. Poseidon would have promised lucrative commerce in exchange for worship & sacrifice.
Aphrodite (Venice in Latin) the god of free love had a temple on top of an 1,800 foot high mountain in Corinth. It had 1,000 slave girls who served as temple prostitutes available to all who would glorify Aphrodite and agree to serve her.

In Corinth

Society itself promoted sexual immorality. At the time of Paul to Corinthianize meant to fornicate.
Paul wrote 1st & 2nd Thessalonians in Corinth.
Paul wrote the letter to the Romans six years later from Corinth.
God gave the Apostle Paul some of the most powerful revelations to the church.
God added to the ministry team of Paul and they worked together spreading the Gospel to the Roman Empire and beyond.

Timothy & Silas arrive in Corinth. The last time Paul had seen them together was when he was fleeing for his life from Berea. Athens was not on Paul agenda he just arrived there on ship after fleeing Berea. In Acts 18:5 it says that Silas & Timothy had come from Macedonia.

The Chief Centers

Of Christian ministry were in Philippi, Thessalonica and Berea. Silas & Timothy brought two things, money from those churches and good news. (2 Cor. 11:9).
The Lord used the Macedonian churches to be of great encouragement to Paul, with their offerings and how they were progressing in the Lord.

The Reason the Jews would get so upset with the message of Paul was because they were taught the Law, you have to do all these things to be right with God. The message of the Gospel is that you don’t have to do anything but believe in Jesus Christ to be welcomed into God’s presence.

Three Key

People became followers of Jesus Christ at this time. Crispus, Justus (Gaius) and Sosthenes the one who succeeded Crispus as president of the Synagogue. Paul baptized all of these three men.
God spoke to Paul, “don’t be afraid, but speak, don’t keep silent; for I am with you, and no one will attack you or hurt you; for I have many people in this city.”

Acts 18 - A Powerful Church & Powerful Letters to the Church

sonlifechapel@gmail.com (Gil Garcia) — Sun, 28 Oct 2012 11:21:00 -0700

Acts 18 - A Powerful Church & Powerful Letters to the Church this message was given on 10-14-12

Acts 17 - Planting Churches (notes)

sonlifechapel@gmail.com (Gil Garcia) — Sun, 28 Oct 2012 11:18:00 -0700

Acts 17 - Planting Churches

One of the main

Roles of the apostle Paul was to plant churches throughout the Roman Empire.

In This Chapter

Paul and his team end up in Thessalonica, a city in Macedonia just west of Philippi where Paul & Silas lead the Philippian jailer and his family to the Lord.

Paul Went To The Synagogue

And for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the scriptures, explaining and giving evidence that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead and saying, “This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the Christ.” and some of them were persuaded and joined Paul & Silas, along with a large number of the God fearing Greeks and a number of leading women.

There was opposition to Paul and his team

The Jews became jealous and took some vile men from the market place, formed a mob and set the city in an uproar and attacked the house of Jason. They didn’t find Paul and took Jason and some believers before the city officials and told them that they had upset the people by saying that there was another king other than Caesar named Jesus.

The Message says

They made Jason and his friends post heavy bail and let them go while they investigated the charges.

What Paul Said About The Believers in Thessalonica

I Thess. 1:7-10 Do you know that all over the provinces of both Macedonia and Achaia believers look up to you? The word has gotten around. Your lives are echoing the Master’s Word, not only in the provinces but all over the place. The news of your faith in God is out.

Everywhere Paul Went

Either a revival broke out or a riot. This is because the Gospel is the great separator. It separates all other religions from the truth.
There is no other way to God.
Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under Heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

The amazing Berean believers are mentioned here:

Acts 17:11 Lexham English Bible (LEB) Now these were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica. They accepted the message with all eagerness, examining the scriptures everyday to see if these things were so.
Therefore many of them believed, along with a number of prominent Greek women and men. 13 But when the Jews of Thessalonica found out that the word of God had been proclaimed by Paul in Berea also, they came there as well, agitating and stirring up the crowds. 14 Then immediately the brethren sent Paul out to go as far as the sea; and Silas and Timothy remained there.

Athens

Is the next stop but here Paul sees the intense idolatry of the city. But he went to the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews and the God fearing Gentiles and in the market place everyday with anyone who was there. Paul also talks with the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers. Paul preached Jesus & His resurrection.
The message of the Gospel is always the best way to destroy spiritual strongholds in a community.

The Areopagus

Is the result of Ares, northwest of Acropolis in Athens. In classical times functioned as the high Court of Appeals for criminal cases in Athens. Ares was supposed to have been tried here by the gods for the murder of Poseidon’s son Alirrothios. In Greek the word pagos means big piece of rock. Later, the Romans referred to the rock hill as “Mars Hill” after Mars, the Roman god of War. It was here that the alter to the Unknown God was.

They Took Paul

Into custody and brought him to the council on Mars Hill. What is this new teaching? Can we learn what you are talking about? Paul then talks about the altar with the inscription, “To An Unknown God.” And preaches the Gospel of Jesus Christ to them. (Acts 17:22-31) Some believed among them were Dionysuis the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.

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