Paul had had
limited success in Athens.
00:01:37.00\00:01:39.63
He had been witnessing in
the synagogue of the Jews and
00:01:39.66\00:01:43.51
also in the marketplace
and was asked to come before
00:01:43.54\00:01:46.86
the Areopagus, the
Supreme Court of Athens.
00:01:46.89\00:01:50.44
That prestigious
30 member council.
00:01:50.47\00:01:54.43
He shared his belief in
the indivisible God and his
00:01:54.46\00:01:58.85
believe in the resurrection
of Jesus from the dead.
00:01:58.88\00:02:01.94
According to Acts 17, he
had limited success and yet the
00:02:01.97\00:02:06.79
Gospel pierced the very
council of the Areopagus.
00:02:06.82\00:02:10.96
Dionysius was converted
and became a believer in Jesus.
00:02:10.99\00:02:15.57
As a woman named Damaris.
00:02:15.60\00:02:18.39
Luke tells us in Acts
18:1, that Paul left Athens
00:02:18.42\00:02:23.26
and went to Corinth.
00:02:23.29\00:02:25.40
This is the ancient port
of Cenchraea Paul would have
00:02:25.43\00:02:29.66
sailed to this
harbor when he left Athens.
00:02:29.69\00:02:33.05
There is not much left of
the ancient harbor town today.
00:02:33.08\00:02:37.22
Most of the city
is now under water.
00:02:37.25\00:02:40.58
A few ruins are exposed
including some fabulous marble
00:02:40.61\00:02:45.48
columns and pieces of
marble facing a public building
00:02:45.51\00:02:49.10
or a temple.
00:02:49.13\00:02:50.18
The harbor can be
seen here off on the side.
00:02:50.21\00:02:52.99
This horseshoe harbor
would have permitted boats safe
00:02:53.02\00:02:57.17
anchorage in Paul's day.
00:02:57.20\00:02:58.74
As Paul got out from the boat
and began the 6 mile journey
00:02:58.77\00:03:03.58
to the city of Corinth, he
would've been impressed as we
00:03:03.61\00:03:07.50
are today with massive
Acrocorinth jutting some 1866
00:03:07.53\00:03:15.39
feet from the
plains surrounding it.
00:03:15.42\00:03:18.55
The steep natural walls of
the mountain on three sides,
00:03:18.58\00:03:23.29
reinforced with the man-made
construction on the top,
00:03:23.32\00:03:28.33
made this practically
an impregnable fortress.
00:03:28.36\00:03:32.74
In the Upper Pyrenees spring
provided a constant supply
00:03:32.77\00:03:36.59
of water during times of siege.
00:03:36.62\00:03:39.07
This made this an
ideal location for your city.
00:03:39.10\00:03:43.25
You can have your modern
civic city down at the bottom,
00:03:43.28\00:03:47.65
what a tremendous place
of refuge and safety during
00:03:47.68\00:03:51.83
times of siege on the top.
00:03:51.86\00:03:54.44
Acrocorinth dominated the
plains and can be seen for
00:03:54.47\00:03:58.83
miles and miles away.
00:03:58.86\00:04:01.27
Corinth was important to
Rome because of its unique
00:04:01.30\00:04:05.25
geography, you see Corinth
guarded the Isthmus between
00:04:05.28\00:04:10.58
central Greece in the north
and Peloponnese to the south.
00:04:10.61\00:04:15.25
This Isthmus was only 4
miles wide, but it separated the
00:04:15.28\00:04:20.20
Aegean Sea from
the Adriatic Sea.
00:04:20.23\00:04:23.08
Corinth was known as the
twin harbor city because it
00:04:23.11\00:04:27.73
maintained two
harbors, or two ports.
00:04:27.76\00:04:30.59
To the north it maintained
the port of Lechaion and to
00:04:30.62\00:04:35.64
the east it
maintained the harbor Cenchraea.
00:04:35.67\00:04:39.27
The port of Lechaion was on
the Gulf of Corinth and part
00:04:39.30\00:04:43.95
of the Adriatic Sea.
00:04:43.98\00:04:45.87
The port of Cenchraea
was to the east and part
00:04:45.90\00:04:50.99
of the Aegean Sea.
00:04:51.02\00:04:53.03
In ancient times
Mariners were very fearful about
00:04:53.06\00:04:56.53
sailing around the
southern Cape of Greece.
00:04:56.56\00:04:59.26
Storms were very frequent
and it was a very dangerous
00:04:59.29\00:05:03.14
route, so a system was developed
of sailing from the east
00:05:03.17\00:05:08.36
you will come to the port
of Cenchraea where your goods
00:05:08.39\00:05:12.06
would be unloaded and
transported over the Isthmus
00:05:12.09\00:05:16.28
where they would be reloaded
onto a ship that will continue
00:05:16.31\00:05:20.59
sailing to the West.
00:05:20.62\00:05:22.65
If you are
sailing from the West,
00:05:22.68\00:05:24.39
the process would be reversed.
00:05:24.42\00:05:26.79
Your goods would be unloaded
at Lechaion and transported
00:05:26.82\00:05:30.10
by land over to
the port of Cenchraea.
00:05:30.13\00:05:33.86
This paved slip way was
built in ancient times to permit
00:05:33.89\00:05:41.81
the transport of goods
from one harbor to the other.
00:05:41.84\00:05:47.64
If the ship was a small
vessel, the ship itself would be
00:05:47.67\00:05:52.01
transported over this road.
00:05:52.04\00:05:55.12
The Isthmus was really
an obstacle to shipping.
00:05:55.15\00:05:58.58
Alexander the great, Julius
Caesar, Caligula, all wanted
00:05:58.61\00:06:04.56
a canal dug to prevent sailing
around the southern Cape,
00:06:04.59\00:06:09.94
or having to unload the
ships and transport the goods.
00:06:09.97\00:06:13.04
The engineers of Nero
began work on the canal, but it
00:06:13.07\00:06:16.53
would not be till the end
of the 19th century when this
00:06:16.56\00:06:19.74
canal would be finished.
00:06:19.77\00:06:21.64
Only smaller vessels can
pass through the canal, for it
00:06:21.67\00:06:24.78
is only 75 feet wide.
00:06:24.81\00:06:27.36
It is a tremendous
spectacle to see the ships going
00:06:27.39\00:06:31.95
through this canal.
00:06:31.98\00:06:34.18
it connects the Aegean
Sea to the Adriatic Sea.
00:06:38.61\00:06:42.88
Because of its unique
geography, Corinth maintained
00:06:42.91\00:06:48.55
the trade routes between East
and West, and West and East.
00:06:48.58\00:06:52.69
As a result, the
commerce of this city
00:06:52.72\00:06:56.77
grew and developed.
00:06:56.80\00:06:59.42
Julius Caesar settled the
new city with Roman colonist
00:06:59.45\00:07:03.94
with Greeks, with Jews,
with Orientals, and of course
00:07:03.97\00:07:08.19
a great number of slaves.
00:07:08.22\00:07:10.36
To transport the ships
and their goods required a
00:07:10.39\00:07:14.82
tremendous amount
of brute strength.
00:07:14.85\00:07:18.14
So the population has swollen
to between 500 and 750,000
00:07:18.17\00:07:24.52
people in the time of Paul.
00:07:24.55\00:07:26.58
I'm walking on the
Lechaion way here in the city of
00:07:26.61\00:07:30.56
Corinth, this was
one of the two main
00:07:30.59\00:07:34.27
entrances into the city.
00:07:34.31\00:07:36.02
This road stretched from
the area of the forum all the
00:07:36.06\00:07:41.04
way down to the
harbor of Lechaion.
00:07:41.08\00:07:44.82
On the Gulf of
Corinth and the Adriatic Sea.
00:07:44.86\00:07:47.94
This paved the road, 2 miles
long, was paved with marble
00:07:47.98\00:07:53.67
and had colonnades on each side.
00:07:53.71\00:07:56.41
It would have been an impressive
site, coming from Rome,
00:07:56.44\00:08:00.13
entering the harbor of
Lechaion and walking up this
00:08:00.16\00:08:03.66
marble paved road
into the city of Corinth.
00:08:03.70\00:08:07.10
Yes, Corinth was a
fabulous city, decorated in a
00:08:07.14\00:08:11.70
splendid way by Rome.
00:08:11.74\00:08:14.54
It was the city of fountains
and theater's, the Odeon,
00:08:14.57\00:08:18.43
a tremendous city
of provincial splendor.
00:08:18.46\00:08:22.56
Luke describes how Paul
came to this city, not only
00:08:22.60\00:08:28.04
was it decorated with beautiful
public buildings, but here
00:08:28.07\00:08:32.00
where I am sitting, on the
top of Acrocorinth, was a fairly
00:08:32.03\00:08:35.92
unique temple, it was
the temple to Aphrodite's.
00:08:35.96\00:08:40.43
It is only about 16 m x 20
meters but it was here on the
00:08:40.46\00:08:45.01
top of Acrocorinth that
could be seen all the way to the
00:08:45.05\00:08:49.57
Adriatic and Aegean Sea,
to the ports of Lechaion,
00:08:49.61\00:08:53.80
and the port of Cenchraea.
00:08:53.84\00:08:55.44
This Acrocorinth could be
seen the temple of Aphrodite's,
00:08:55.48\00:09:00.16
where 1000 slaves were
maintained as the priestesses of
00:09:00.20\00:09:04.46
the religion, and in the
evening they would go down and
00:09:04.49\00:09:08.71
offer their bodies as
part of the immoral worship,
00:09:08.75\00:09:12.71
Corinth was a wicked city.
00:09:12.74\00:09:15.83
Strabo describes how
Corinth sponsored these Isthmus
00:09:15.87\00:09:20.35
games down on the
coast of the Aegean.
00:09:20.39\00:09:23.75
These games were part of
the Pan-Hellenic festivals that
00:09:23.78\00:09:27.56
were held here every two years.
00:09:27.60\00:09:30.04
They attracted both athletes
and gamblers betting on the
00:09:30.08\00:09:33.75
games, he went on to describe
this temple of Aphrodite's
00:09:33.79\00:09:37.43
that stood on the
site of Acrocorinth.
00:09:37.47\00:09:40.03
1000 women that were
maintained as priestesses of the
00:09:40.07\00:09:44.18
religion, how the religion
was really a religion of
00:09:44.22\00:09:47.89
immorality, every evening
they would go down into the
00:09:47.93\00:09:51.29
city to ply their trade
and there was a ready supply
00:09:51.32\00:09:54.65
of men to spend their
money upon these women.
00:09:54.68\00:09:58.29
Corinth attracted a tremendous
cross section of people.
00:09:58.33\00:10:04.41
It was a multicultural city
from the rich aristocracy of
00:10:04.45\00:10:09.72
the Roman colonist to the
dispossessed homeless, poor,
00:10:09.75\00:10:14.87
who as some describe it
had to follow around the bread
00:10:14.91\00:10:19.99
sellers and pick up
the crumbs in the city.
00:10:20.02\00:10:23.11
Paul walking the road
from Cenchraea would have been
00:10:23.14\00:10:28.34
praying about his
future ministry here.
00:10:28.37\00:10:31.69
He was alone, Timothy
and Silas were still up in
00:10:31.73\00:10:36.06
Macedonia and had
not yet joined him.
00:10:36.10\00:10:38.25
He enters into the suburban
known as The Cranium, as they
00:10:38.29\00:10:44.68
passed through that suburb
of The Cranium he must have
00:10:44.71\00:10:49.01
thought of Golgotha, that
hill in Jerusalem where his
00:10:49.05\00:10:53.72
Lord Jesus was crucified,
the Place of the skull.
00:10:53.75\00:10:58.35
As he entered into the gate
of the city to the Cenchraea
00:10:58.39\00:11:02.21
gate, he said I determined
to know nothing among the
00:11:02.25\00:11:07.33
Corinthians except Jesus
Christ and Him crucified.
00:11:07.36\00:11:12.41
Paul came to plant
the gospel in this city.
00:11:12.44\00:11:15.20
The gospel to deep root and
Paul would minister here for
00:11:15.24\00:11:20.20
18 months, one of the longest
places in ministry in his
00:11:20.24\00:11:25.16
entire career, 18 months.
00:11:25.20\00:11:29.34
People's lives would be touched,
00:11:29.37\00:11:31.70
people's lives would be changed.
00:11:31.74\00:11:34.00
He would visit the city on
three different occasions and
00:11:34.03\00:11:38.70
write two letters to it.
00:11:38.74\00:11:40.79
Let's read about his
tremendous ministry in
00:11:40.83\00:11:44.33
Acts 18:2-4.
00:11:44.36\00:11:48.17
The largest Jewish
community in Greece was here in
00:12:13.02\00:12:16.21
Corinth, it is estimated
that there were over 20,000
00:12:16.25\00:12:19.40
Jews living in this metropolis.
00:12:19.43\00:12:22.46
There are several evidences
of the Jewish community that
00:12:22.50\00:12:25.68
have been found
in the excavations.
00:12:25.71\00:12:28.02
This lentil was discovered
that stood above a doorway
00:12:28.05\00:12:33.41
and it says very clearly,
synagogue of a Hebrew, or a
00:12:33.45\00:12:37.97
synagogue of the Jews and
in addition this wonderful
00:12:38.01\00:12:42.76
piece was discovered with
three menorahs, or the seven
00:12:42.79\00:12:47.51
branch
candlestick carved into it.
00:12:47.54\00:12:50.63
Again evidence of the Jewish
community here in Corinth.
00:12:50.67\00:12:54.93
Now we do not know where
the Jewish synagogue was, but we
00:12:54.96\00:12:58.91
do know it was here in the
city as we can tell from the
00:12:58.95\00:13:02.86
evidence of these
archaeological discoveries.
00:13:02.90\00:13:06.17
Paul met Aquila and Priscilla,
two Jews from Pontius who
00:13:06.21\00:13:10.81
have been expelled from Rome
and came to live in Corinth.
00:13:10.84\00:13:15.41
Aquila and Priscilla
were tent makers as was Paul.
00:13:15.45\00:13:20.14
So Paul joined Aquila and
Priscilla making tents through
00:13:20.17\00:13:24.02
the week and going to the
synagogue and reasoning with
00:13:24.05\00:13:27.87
the Jews every Sabbath.
00:13:27.90\00:13:30.35
This had been Paul's
motif over and over again.
00:13:30.39\00:13:34.44
This time he has great
success in a synagogue.
00:13:34.48\00:13:38.49
We read on in verse 5.
00:13:38.53\00:13:40.86
Timothy and Silas joined
Paul, and when they joined him
00:13:51.39\00:13:55.13
he no longer works in
his trade as tent making but
00:13:55.16\00:13:58.95
devotes himself to
full time teaching.
00:13:58.99\00:14:02.08
Primarily teaching among
the large Jewish community city,
00:14:02.12\00:14:06.00
and of course teaching
that God fears that were here.
00:14:06.04\00:14:09.89
As it had happened in the
cities of Salonika, Berea,
00:14:24.85\00:14:29.92
Iconium, and
Derbe it happens again.
00:14:29.95\00:14:33.04
Again the Jews rise up in
opposition to what Paul is
00:14:33.07\00:14:37.04
teaching, he is teaching
that Jesus is the Christ,
00:14:37.08\00:14:41.01
or Jesus of
Nazareth is the Messiah.
00:14:41.05\00:14:43.84
Messiah of Bible prophecy.
00:14:43.88\00:14:47.15
Opposition rises against
Paul, he is no longer welcomed
00:14:47.19\00:14:50.61
at the synagogue and so
he shakes off his clothes in
00:14:50.64\00:14:54.03
protest and says, now
your blood be upon you.
00:14:54.07\00:14:56.74
I have come here to witness
and you have rejected it and
00:14:56.77\00:15:00.18
from now on I will
go to the Gentiles.
00:15:00.21\00:15:02.64
What a tremendous story!
00:15:17.88\00:15:20.26
Paul moves next door to the
synagogue, to the house of a
00:15:20.30\00:15:23.47
believer, a God fearer by
the name of Titius Justus.
00:15:23.50\00:15:27.46
He teaches there and Crispus,
the very synagogue ruler,
00:15:27.49\00:15:31.41
that is the
pastor of the synagogue,
00:15:31.45\00:15:33.45
the leader of the
Jewish community becomes a
00:15:33.48\00:15:36.19
believer in
Jesus as the Messiah.
00:15:36.23\00:15:39.02
This is a
wonderful development for
00:15:39.05\00:15:41.81
the church in Corinth.
00:15:41.85\00:15:44.30
Luke notes that many people
believed and were baptized.
00:15:44.34\00:15:48.93
While there was limited
success in Athens, only a few
00:15:50.62\00:15:53.89
believers, there was
not a church established
00:15:53.93\00:15:56.45
here in Corinth.
00:15:56.48\00:15:58.59
A number of Corinthians
believed including the
00:15:58.63\00:16:01.81
leader of the synagogue.
00:16:01.85\00:16:04.18
Paul's concern however, about
the opposition that is mounting.
00:16:04.21\00:16:07.80
He sees a storm looming
on the horizon, he remembers
00:16:07.84\00:16:12.37
what happened in Iconium.
00:16:12.41\00:16:15.04
He remembers what
happened in Derbe and Lystra.
00:16:15.08\00:16:19.37
He remembers what
happened in Salonika and Berea.
00:16:19.41\00:16:23.64
Paul is concerned, perhaps
the brothers came around and
00:16:23.67\00:16:27.41
said Paul it's time to move on.
00:16:27.45\00:16:29.80
Paul, it is time to go to a
new place and plant the gospel.
00:16:29.84\00:16:33.08
But there was such great
success happening in the city.
00:16:33.11\00:16:36.31
How could he leave
now? Paul was concerned.
00:16:36.35\00:16:39.75
He was
perplexed. He was praying.
00:16:39.78\00:16:42.97
What a tremendous assurance
of God's presence with Paul.
00:17:00.74\00:17:05.13
Paul don't be afraid, I
have many people in this city,
00:17:05.16\00:17:09.19
keep on teaching, Paul
don't leave under the cover of
00:17:09.22\00:17:13.21
darkness like you
did from Salonika.
00:17:13.25\00:17:15.77
Don't depart like you did
from Berea Paul, stay here I
00:17:15.80\00:17:19.13
have many people in this
city and no one is going to lay
00:17:19.16\00:17:22.45
his hand on you to touch you.
00:17:22.49\00:17:24.26
With this assurance of
God's presence Paul continues to
00:17:24.30\00:17:28.26
teach mightily here
in the city of Corinth.
00:17:28.29\00:17:31.30
He was teaching in the
marketplace, he was teaching at
00:17:31.33\00:17:34.64
the house of Titius Justus,
he was teaching and sharing
00:17:34.67\00:17:37.94
that Jesus was the Messiah.
00:17:37.98\00:17:40.19
That is that
Jesus was the Christ.
00:17:40.23\00:17:42.63
Many people were responding,
the church was growing and
00:17:42.66\00:17:46.84
touching people from
various stations of life.
00:17:46.88\00:17:49.76
They were coming
to believe in Jesus.
00:17:49.80\00:17:51.96
Paul stayed for a year and
a half, ministering this city
00:17:51.99\00:17:56.62
of Corinth and God
blessed them directly.
00:17:56.65\00:17:59.68
Verse 12 says.
00:17:59.72\00:18:01.59
Luke describes how the
Jews of the city came together
00:18:17.04\00:18:19.75
against the apostle Paul.
00:18:19.79\00:18:22.25
They charged him with doing
things that were contrary to
00:18:22.28\00:18:26.36
the law, they brought him
before the proconsul, Galileo,
00:18:26.39\00:18:30.43
who held court here in The Bema.
00:18:30.47\00:18:33.58
Galileo was a very wise
man, the brother of Seneca the
00:18:33.61\00:18:39.00
Roman philosopher.
00:18:39.04\00:18:40.72
He listened to the charges
and recognize they were not
00:18:40.76\00:18:44.22
major charges, or
even misdemeanors.
00:18:44.25\00:18:46.88
Before Paul could even make
a defense, Galileo dismissed
00:18:46.91\00:18:51.62
the charges and released Paul.
00:18:51.65\00:18:54.64
Luke provides a very interesting
comment that the people
00:18:54.68\00:19:00.33
in the Agora, Philip Sosthenes,
the synagogue ruler who
00:19:00.36\00:19:04.92
had taken the place of Crispus,
and was the main accuser
00:19:04.95\00:19:09.47
and beat him and Galileo
did nothing to intervene.
00:19:09.51\00:19:14.80
Amazing how the tables were
turned on the wily old devil
00:19:14.83\00:19:18.87
here by The Bema
in ancient Corinth.
00:19:18.91\00:19:22.27
A fascinating footnote is,
a church would be built here
00:19:22.30\00:19:27.62
on the site of The Bema
where Paul was judged and
00:19:27.65\00:19:30.93
declared innocent by
the proconsul Galileo.
00:19:30.97\00:19:35.04
Paul labored for 18 months
establishing a thriving church
00:19:35.08\00:19:40.09
in this city, but he had
upon his heart the desire to go
00:19:40.13\00:19:45.11
to Jerusalem, Acts 18:18.
00:19:45.14\00:19:49.86
Paul had a tremendous desire
to go to Jerusalem, and so
00:20:03.83\00:20:08.45
Luke describes how after
establishing a thriving church
00:20:08.48\00:20:13.02
here in Corinth, he returned
to the port of Cenchraea
00:20:13.06\00:20:18.41
and cut off his hair and
boarded a ship headed for Syria.
00:20:18.44\00:20:23.41
Paul had taken a vow, a
vow to go to the Jewish Temple.
00:20:23.45\00:20:28.04
There he would have his
hair burned as part of that vow.
00:20:28.07\00:20:32.63
Paul was Jewish
through and through.
00:20:32.66\00:20:36.37
Paul would return to this
metropolis on two additional
00:20:36.41\00:20:41.53
occasions, he was
here at least three times.
00:20:41.56\00:20:44.69
He would write two letters,
Pastoral in nature to this
00:20:44.73\00:20:48.58
city that had been
filled with wickedness.
00:20:48.62\00:20:51.23
The very word Corinth was a
synonym for immorality, and yet
00:20:51.27\00:20:56.23
the gospel had penetrated
the darkness of this port city.
00:20:56.26\00:21:01.19
Notice what he writes
in 1 Corinthians chapter 6.
00:21:01.22\00:21:05.91
After cataloging the immorality
of Corinth, Paul adds this
00:21:26.63\00:21:32.31
wonderful footnote, verse 11.
00:21:32.34\00:21:36.48
And that is what
some of you were!
00:21:42.05\00:21:44.45
Yes, you were in
darkness, you were caught up in
00:21:44.48\00:21:48.11
immorality and Paul writes
a letter of Pastoral concern
00:21:48.15\00:21:51.87
to the church filled with
so many problems in this great
00:21:51.90\00:21:55.58
pagan city, but then
he says, that is what some
00:21:55.62\00:22:00.23
of you were.
00:22:00.27\00:22:01.95
What a tremendous
testimony about the
00:22:10.90\00:22:13.07
church in this city.
00:22:13.11\00:22:14.93
They had come from all
kinds of backgrounds, immoral
00:22:14.96\00:22:19.82
backgrounds, sailors, farmers,
people working the docks,
00:22:19.86\00:22:24.47
public officials, the
gospel had penetrated into the
00:22:24.51\00:22:28.77
darkness of the city and
of such were some of you.
00:22:28.81\00:22:33.01
But you have been claimed,
you have been redeemed by the
00:22:33.04\00:22:35.78
blood of the Lamb.
00:22:35.82\00:22:37.31
Paul rejoiced in an as he
wrote back to them from Ephesus
00:22:37.34\00:22:40.34
assuring them of God's
love for them in this city.
00:22:40.37\00:22:44.47
I am standing here in the
theater of ancient Corinth.
00:22:46.27\00:22:50.44
2 very interesting inscriptions
were discovered here.
00:22:50.47\00:22:54.60
One inscription
said, for the girls.
00:22:54.64\00:22:59.68
Since women of culture
and social standing would not
00:22:59.71\00:23:03.79
attend the theater, doubtless
this inscription refers
00:23:03.82\00:23:07.86
to the girls that
lived up at Acrocorinth.
00:23:07.90\00:23:11.54
To the priestesses of
Aphrodite's who would come down
00:23:11.57\00:23:15.35
into the city and make
themselves available to both
00:23:15.38\00:23:19.12
the residents and visitors.
00:23:19.16\00:23:22.27
For the girls, the
Temple prostitutes.
00:23:22.31\00:23:26.13
There was another inscription
that was discovered here
00:23:26.16\00:23:29.81
on this plaza that confirms
a member of the New Testament
00:23:29.84\00:23:33.46
church at Corinth.
00:23:33.49\00:23:35.50
This inscription here on
the northern section of the
00:23:35.54\00:23:39.70
plaza of the theater
says, Erastus in return for his
00:23:39.74\00:23:43.85
Idolship, laid this
pavement at his own expense.
00:23:43.89\00:23:47.77
Isn't that amazing?
Erastus, we can see the letters
00:23:47.81\00:23:54.92
ERASTUS, what's unusual
is in Romans chapter 16:23,
00:23:54.95\00:24:00.64
Paul is writing from this
city to the church of Rome.
00:24:00.67\00:24:05.60
He says Erastus, the city
treasurer, the director of
00:24:05.64\00:24:09.88
public works sends his
greetings to the church of Rome.
00:24:09.92\00:24:14.20
The man who laid this
pavement accepted Jesus as his
00:24:14.23\00:24:18.47
Messiah and his
life was changed.
00:24:18.51\00:24:22.39
Yes the gospel reach for
the lowest levels of the Temple
00:24:22.43\00:24:27.02
prostitutes, and people who
were involved in all kinds of
00:24:27.06\00:24:31.30
immorality and drunkenness,
to the highest levels of Roman
00:24:31.34\00:24:35.55
society with Erastus.
00:24:35.58\00:24:38.07
Changed, powerfully changed
by the power of Jesus Christ.
00:24:38.10\00:24:44.04
The gospel touched
people who were in public life,
00:24:44.08\00:24:49.56
who had positions of
responsibilities as well as it
00:24:49.60\00:24:53.98
reached all the way
down to the slaves who were
00:24:54.02\00:24:58.36
here in this city.
00:24:58.40\00:24:59.96
There was one unusual
place, the city of Corinth where
00:24:59.99\00:25:04.50
both the rich and the
poor, the slaves and the free,
00:25:04.54\00:25:10.21
men and women could come
together and be equal as one.
00:25:10.25\00:25:15.51
That was in the church, it
is an amazing thing that as
00:25:15.55\00:25:20.45
people from various walks
of life come together in Jesus.
00:25:20.48\00:25:25.35
That there is no higher ground.
00:25:25.39\00:25:28.20
Erastus was not any higher
than a slave in this city who
00:25:28.24\00:25:33.72
would become a
believer in Jesus.
00:25:33.76\00:25:36.22
They were all one and
they would share the one common
00:25:36.25\00:25:40.15
meal, the earliest tradition
we have of the Lord's supper
00:25:40.18\00:25:44.18
comes from here in Corinth.
00:25:44.21\00:25:46.45
The church would come together
and share the Agape meal
00:25:46.49\00:25:49.52
here in the city of Corinth.
00:25:49.56\00:25:51.74
People from a high stations,
and people who were slaves.
00:25:51.78\00:25:55.81
People who were Greeks and
people who were barbarians.
00:25:55.85\00:25:59.38
People were Jews and
people who were Gentiles had all
00:25:59.41\00:26:02.91
been made one in Jesus Christ.
00:26:02.94\00:26:06.20
People who had a life of
immorality and people who had
00:26:06.24\00:26:09.27
a good life, they
all came together.
00:26:09.31\00:26:11.73
They have been washed in
the blood of the Lamb, they had
00:26:11.76\00:26:15.51
been sanctified by the
blood of Jesus, they had been
00:26:15.54\00:26:19.25
made one in Christ.
00:26:19.29\00:26:21.34
The church in Corinth is
powerful testimony to God's
00:26:21.38\00:26:25.59
grace reaching into the
darkness cultures of the time.
00:26:25.62\00:26:29.85
There were fabulous public
buildings that we have seen,
00:26:29.88\00:26:33.62
while there was a spectacular
fountain in the city.
00:26:33.66\00:26:37.29
Why the Lechaion way,
came up from the harbor with
00:26:37.32\00:26:40.92
its marble and colonnaded sides.
00:26:40.96\00:26:43.49
While there was a tremendous
Bema and Temple of Apollo.
00:26:43.52\00:26:46.52
Yet it was an immoral city, but
these people had been touched
00:26:46.55\00:26:51.20
by the power of God's grace.
00:26:51.24\00:26:53.57
They had forever been changed.
00:26:53.61\00:26:55.87
The gospel was planted
here and Christianity continue
00:26:55.91\00:27:00.94
to prosper, Paul encouraged
this community to believe in
00:27:00.97\00:27:05.97
Jesus, to know that
they would have life eternal.
00:27:06.00\00:27:09.22
Their lives were changed
and your life and my life can
00:27:09.25\00:27:14.07
be changed by the
power of the gospel as well.
00:27:14.11\00:27:17.22
Jesus sent assuring words
to Paul when he was concerned,
00:27:19.86\00:27:24.02
don't be afraid, and
Jesus says the same words to you
00:27:24.06\00:27:28.18
today, where ever you might be.
00:27:28.21\00:27:31.48
Don't be afraid
for I am with you.
00:27:31.52\00:27:34.75
Let's pray together.
00:27:34.78\00:27:35.97
Father what a tremendous
joy it has been to walk the
00:27:36.01\00:27:39.82
sites here in ancient Corinth.
00:27:39.86\00:27:42.97
To go out to Acrocorinth,
to think about Paul coming here
00:27:43.00\00:27:47.00
from great distances of
Athens and bring in the gospel
00:27:47.04\00:27:51.01
and planting it
deeply here in this city.
00:27:51.04\00:27:53.25
We thank you for the power
of the gospel and we thank you
00:27:53.28\00:27:55.94
for those words, as
such were some of you.
00:27:55.97\00:27:58.92
Indeed we thank you for
the sanctified presence of the
00:27:58.96\00:28:01.88
Holy Spirit, and we thank
you for the justifying blood
00:28:01.91\00:28:05.35
of Jesus and we pray You
will wash us as well and make
00:28:05.38\00:28:08.78
us whole and complete in You.
00:28:08.82\00:28:10.38
Enable us to live for You
by the power of Your grace both
00:28:10.42\00:28:15.17
this day in always we
pray in Jesus name Amen!
00:28:15.21\00:28:19.69
Luke tells us that Paul
left the city and went down to
00:28:19.73\00:28:24.46
Port of Cenchraea to
catch a boat to go to Syria.
00:28:24.49\00:28:29.43
He goes on to say that boat went
to Ephesus and that is where
00:28:29.47\00:28:34.17
we will be going in the
next chapter of this series.
00:28:34.20\00:28:38.07