The first part of Acts 18 described the founding of the church in Corinth despite intense opposition from many Jews. These Jews even tried to convict Paul of wrongdoing before a local judge, but the judge would have none of it. It was a fulfillment of Jesus’ promise to Paul in verse 10: “for I am with you, and no man will attack you in order to harm you.” After a year-and-a-half of discipleship ministry in Corinth, Paul left Achaia-Greece and went eventually to the city of Ephesus on the coast of Asia Minor. He took Priscilla and Aquila whom he had met and ministered with in Corinth. After a brief ministry in Ephesus, Paul left Priscilla and Aquila there to take over while he continued on to Caesarea. The Ephesians wanted Paul to stay with them, but I believe Paul was weary from his many months of intense ministry, and wisely chose to spend a period of time with his home church in Antioch. Many men are leaving the pastorate and missionary force in our day – too many – and a major reason is burnout: physical, emotional, and spiritual. I am increasingly seeing the necessity of time away from the rigors of ministry in my own life. Sometimes we mistakenly begin to think that the work depends upon us. It never did, and it never will! God’s work depends upon Him – we are simply His available instruments, called to be faithful stewards of the gifts and calling He has given us, and through whom He desires to carry out His ministry.
I like that Paul did not even hurry back to Ephesus or to Corinth, but first went and strengthened the disciples in the churches he had helped to start earlier in Asia Minor. Besides, God took care of Ephesus until Paul could get there again through the powerful preaching ministry of Apollos. Even better, after preaching in Ephesus, Apollos went on to…you guessed it: Achaia (i.e., Corinth) where it says in Acts 18:27b-28:
He helped greatly those who had believed through grace; for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public [those who had vigorously opposed Paul] demonstrating by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.
In modern lingo, we would say: Don’t worry, God’s got this!