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I want to invite you this morning to Acts chapter 18, where we’re going to be together today, Acts chapter 18. And this is a wonderful chapter for those of us that really might be in a season of discouragement or knowing that eventually you’re going to be in a season of discouragement. And so what is it God would want me to know whether I’m walking through that now, or I might be looking at it in the future and we’re going to we’re going to examine this together as we look at Paul’s second missionary journey. In fact these 22 verses of Acts, chapter 18, we’re going to look at today, Acts verse 22 is the end of Paul’s second missionary journey. And it’s on your screen here tells us at the end of Paul’s journey, he landed at Caesarea, which was a port city where Paul would usually get on a ship to travel wherever he went on his missionary journeys, whether to or from, and he went to from Caesarea. It tells us he went up and greeted the church in Jerusalem, and then he went down to Antioch. It’s when you look at it on a map, you would think that Antioch would be south because while Paul’s traveling down. But really it’s talking about elevation that from Caesarea to Jerusalem, since Caesarea is a coastal city and Jerusalem is further inland, he travels upward in elevation. And then when he wants to go to Antioch, even though Antioch is north of Jerusalem, Antioch is the church where Paul was sent out of on his missionary journeys.
He goes down in elevation to the town of Antioch, where he continues to minister and report all the things that God’s done. Verse 22 is where his second missionary journey ends. Verse 23 is where his third missionary journey begins. So we had more of a pause in between his first and second journey. In between his second and third journey, there’s really no pause at all before Paul just is like he had a minute to just take a breath, wash his clothes and get going again. He immediately went back out and did his third missionary journey. But in this, in the second missionary journey, we’re looking at the tail end of the final cities that Paul visits here. And what’s interesting as we look at this last particular city where Paul Paul stops on his way back to Jerusalem. He temporarily stops in Ephesus, but just for a moment on his travels home, he actually stops in Corinth to conduct ministry. And in Corinth, being his last rural city on his on his second missionary journey that he he he ministers in, he spends a longer amount of time in this city, really, than any other city that that he encounters on his second missionary journey. And he spends at least 18 months in this city. Now, knowing he just came from Athens and now he’s going to Corinth, I can’t help but just acknowledge that these are probably two of the most opposite cities that Paul could have gone from, from one city to the other.
When we looked at Athens together and even Corinth, one thing that unites them is that they were prominent cities among the Greek Empire. Right now, Paul is is ministering under the Roman Empire. So Greek Empire has been defeated by the Roman Empire. But under the Greek Empire. Athens was the capital and Athens a very prominent city, 100,000 or more people in the city. It was known as the intellectual city, the academic city, the philosophical city. We looked at this last week. This is where L and Socrates and Plato were from, right? Very influential in in how it taught the world. But now that it’s under Roman Empire, this once prominent city has become a shell of its former self. By the time Paul gets there, it’s likely about 5000 people, but it’s still known for its influence in the academic world. I compared it last week to the idea of all the Ivy League schools balled up into one, and that would be Athens. And now, when Paul leaves Athens for Corinth. Corinth is is unique in and of itself, still part of of the former Greek Empire, very, very prominent city in its population. There are some people that estimate that the the population of Corinth got upwards of well above half a million somewhere, maybe even as much as 700,000 people.
I tend to think it’s probably closer to 2 or 300,000 people in Corinth. But. But Paul is going to a city of a heavy population. But by the time he gets there, because it’s been defeated by the Romans, it’s it’s somewhere closer to about 100,000 people. But the thing that makes Corinth unique is actually how sinful this city is. In fact, during the first century, to refer to someone as a Corinthian was an insult. It’s it was. It was known as a city of gross immorality. And even in classical Greek literature, the the word Corinthian was used as a verb to refer to immoral people. So here Paul goes from the academic intellectual town to the Corinthian town, and Corinth made Vegas look like amateur hour. This is how, how, how much a debauchery was found within the city of Corinth. And you can imagine being the Apostle Paul traveling to the city. How daunting it may look to him. He walks into this place being a devout Jewish man, have have walking, have walked a much different road in life, and now he sees a city of many people. And you can’t help but imagine Paul would be somewhat overwhelmed thinking, Lord, how can you possibly use me here? Not only, not only does Paul have the challenge of figuring out how to do ministry in Corinth, but when you add on top of that the experiences of the Apostle Paul leading into the city. I mean, we’ve studied and Paul’s missionary journeys, how he’s gone from Philippi to Thessalonica to Berea to Athens, and now to Corinth.
And everywhere that Paul went, what we continued to see was was persecution and mobs just rising up against him. In fact, the the first town I mentioned, Philippi, we know Paul was, was not only brought up against persecution, but he was beaten within an inch of his life and he was thrown into prison. Once he was released, as he continued on from town to town, he continued to to receive much of the same treatment as he did in the previous cities, and by the time he gets to Corinth, he’s got to be worn out. I think now he’s about to enter into a new city, and he he’s just thinking of all the challenges he’s experienced, really everywhere he’s gone. And now he’s ministering in in one of the most immoral cities in all of Rome. You know, when I look at a situation like this, one of the things that I think is, is wonderful to consider as as Paul begins his missionary journey, here is how the gospel has typically been received from from people in life who who others might be, who might dub the most sinful. What I mean by that is when you study the Gospels and the way that Jesus did his ministry. It’s interesting. Some of the most challenging individuals that that Christ encountered weren’t the sinful people. It was the religious people.
Now, let me just acknowledge everyone as sinful, whether you want to admit it or not. But the reason Jesus found himself challenged by the religious people, it was because they were. They were the ones who who boasted in their performance and in their performance. It caused their hearts to become callous because they rested in their pride. Of course, if God’s going to love anyone, he’s going to love me. Look at what I’ve done. And Jesus constantly preached to them in such a way where in order for them to be saved, they had to first become lost because they didn’t understand how much they truly needed the grace of God in their life. But it was those that society would look at as the sinners that when Jesus pronounced who he was, to them, it was. It was that category of people that were more ready to receive Jesus because they wanted the forgiveness and grace that Jesus offered them. So while Corinth, in a sense might look overwhelming, I think it’s a beautiful place that when you consider it in terms of Scripture, that God’s message speaks beautifully into their lives, that Jesus has pursued us, that God offers forgiveness to us by by dying for us on the cross. And it’s not about what we do. It’s about what he’s done for us. No one’s loved us like Jesus. And so in that type of message, we, we, we find the hope that only God can bring.
But nonetheless, Paul comes to this moment, no doubt likely worn out emotionally, physically, looking at a new city and likely being overwhelmed by the debauchery that takes place here. And how do you move forward? Maybe we could ask it for us this morning. When life’s got you beat down, discouraged. How can you possibly find the encouragement to move forward, to not just survive, but to thrive? What is it God would desire for us to know as we look at a passage like this? Understanding what Paul encountered well in Acts chapter 18, let me just read the first four verses to us. It says. After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth, and he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome, and he went to see them, and because he was of the same trade, he stayed with him and worked with him, for they were tentmakers by trade. And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and tried to persuade Jews and Greeks. Not only is Paul going through some difficult experiences, but we’re also learning in this passage. So does this couple named Priscilla and Aquila. In fact, it reverses their names here Aquila and Priscilla. Most other places in the Bible. When it mentions their name, they become very prominent figures in the New Testament. It usually starts with Priscilla’s name, but.
But Paul meets both of them. And here’s here’s an interesting story they’re telling about us, is that they too, have also been kicked out of their home. And the reason they were kicked out is because of the Emperor Claudius. In AD 49, Claudius wrote a law banning all Jewish people from the city of Rome, and because of that, Aquila and Priscilla were forced to leave. And so they’ve got some difficulty in their past, and so does the Apostle Paul. And when the Apostle Paul is encountering them, while that that law was passed in the city of Rome in 1849. You’ll find later in this passage, starting in verse 12, and on that Paul is brought before the leader of Corinth, who is Gallio. And Gallio was actually leader in Corinth for just one year. He became in power in the summer of 51 A.D., and by the spring of 52 A.D. he was gone. So we know that the Apostle Paul is likely this this particular event is happening right around A.D. 51. And here you’ve got Priscilla and Aquila going through some difficulty, and here you’ve got the the apostle Paul going through some difficulty. But the Lord uses this relationship beautifully. In fact, they note, or at least Luke is noting for us that Priscilla and Aquila come from a Jewish background, which Paul is familiar with. But more than that, they have both found identity in Jesus, and they’re sharing Christ in Corinth. When it comes to understanding how the Lord desires to to encourage us or bring courage to our life when we’re discouraged.
Number one, in your notes, we’ve got to recognize is that God provides People. God provides people. Now, I want you to know I kept the answer kind of generic. I’m only going to give you one one word for each of your responses. I feel like I need to elaborate on that a little bit because if you’ve been around the block once or twice, you know that God, God can really use people to to encourage you. And also, some of the most discouraging things that happen in your life happens through people, right? So, so it’s not to say just just go to people, right. And honestly, when we talk about the importance of people, I want you to also recognize the the true solution isn’t in people, in and of themselves. And what I mean by that is, you know, we should all recognize this morning that as, as people, the purpose of our existence isn’t found within us and it’s not found within others. Meaning, if I realize I’m made for more and I try to look for that deeper within me, I’ll never find it because I didn’t create me. And in that void of my life and realizing I’m made for more. If I try to make someone else satisfy that eventually people will disappoint me and people aren’t made to. To truly, fully satisfy me in the way that I’m designed or the way that you’re designed.
So to put that on someone else is to put something unhealthy on somebody. But but rather, what I need to discover is the purpose for my existence is not is not found by someone else validating me. Someone else giving me purpose or meaning. It’s. It’s found in someone greater, which is the Lord. But but people become this incredible conduit of God to help me recognize that in seasons when I get discouraged because our tendency as people, when we get discouraged, is retract within ourselves and sometimes search within ourselves for some sort of answer. And God has this wonderful way in the midst of our challenges helping us intersect in our lives with not just people, but honestly healthy, godly people that allow us to take our eyes off ourself for a moment and remind us of the greatness of who God is. And Priscilla and Aquila are working that way for Paul. And Paul is being that source of encouragement for them. And so one of the ways that that God is encouraging Paul in this moment is by helping him find community. In fact, when you look at Paul’s missionary journeys, one of the things you discover about the Apostle Paul is how quickly he he moved towards developing community in every town he went to. And in fact, not only did Paul seek to to establish community, as he went from town to town, he traveled with a community in place.
And it speaks to the importance of people in your life that God would use as vessels of encouragement to point you to the greatness of who he is. And it only makes sense. I mean, when you think about who who we are as people were made in the image of God. And when you when you’re a believer, you’re recreated through the cross. I mean, who better to point you to the greatness of what God desires to do in you and through you than people who know the Lord? And so Paul is communicating to us the significance of community and why that should matter to us. Maybe I would say it like this for you as a believer, if you’re operating right now as an isolated Christian. And I get it, you’re here this morning and I’m glad that you’re here. But if your Christian journey really just looks like showing up on a Sunday morning and putting a butt in a seat and not really integrating yourself into a body, not your actual body, but the body of Christ. In case that’s confusing into community to understand the significance of community, can I tell you, if you’re on an island unto yourself, you’re in a position where Satan can isolate you and isolating you, discourage you and discouraging you pick you off from the body of Christ. God created community for a reason, and all of us need it. Not not just to survive, but to see how a collective group of people with one missional mindset can work together for his purpose in the world.
And it speaks to the importance of community, to develop relationship, to get integrated in the lives of others as we seek to point one another to Christ. So one of the reasons Paul was able to be successful, despite going through tremendous adversity, was his ability to find healthy community, to move together in the Lord. One of the things that tells us in this passage I should probably highlight for us, it tells us one of the ways Paul developed community was through Tentmaking. He met Priscilla and Aquila and found out they had this. They both had this similar trade. And and I would say like that for us to be able to form community, one of the things that really is helpful is to be shoulder to shoulder with one another and what we’re doing for the Lord. And so Paul finds this in the area of Tentmakers. Now, I don’t think this is a mandate that all of you have to get a new career in Tentmaking, right? I don’t know, in my life I’ve ever met someone that says my profession is making tents. That’s, that’s, that is more of a definitely a first century thing. And this was honestly a way of referring to leather workers. One of the things leather workers did that was prominent was make tents. But but Paul, his his more broad trade was to be a leather worker.
And one of the things I love about this is that, you know, as the apostle Paul would travel, sometimes churches would take up a collection and donate to the Apostle Paul so he could focus all of his attention on just teaching the Word of God. But then there came some times in Paul’s life where he got so far from being connected to the church. And for Paul in this season, it was because of persecution, kept driving him from town to town that it took a moment for a donation to the church to get there. You’re going to see that happen in verse five in just a minute where Paul’s friends finally arrive to where he’s at to to help him out financially so he can continue to teach. But but but I think it’s important here to recognize, you know, we have this kind of this idea of putting putting the world in two buckets in a religious sense. We’ll say there’s the sacred and then there’s the secular, you know, and here I am in the sacred on a Sunday morning gathering and worshiping God’s people. And then on Monday, I’ll go back to my my secular job. But can I, can I tell you before the Lord, those two buckets don’t exist. Everything is sacred to the Lord because it all belongs to him. And even the job that you might find yourself doing on Monday morning, whether it’s care for the kids at home or leaving to some place of employment, all of it is sacred to the Lord, and all of it can be used for his glory.
And God has you in a place where community can can be experienced and encouragement can be given. And so for for Paul, this is this is where it started. Because in our discouragement, it speaks to the importance of people in our life to encourage us. Number two, Paul goes on from here, and he and he learns this, that that God also speaks peace. So God provides people and God speaks peace. And this becomes important for the apostle Paul, especially in the midst of what he’s experiencing. I gotta tell you this. I skipped an illustration. Let me let me give you an illustration before I tell you this. When you think about moving forward in the in the difficulty of life. One of the people that stands out in church history is a man by the name of CT Studd. Ct Studd, if you just judge by his outfit here, I want you know he was not a milkman. Okay? Ct Studd was a cricket player, and he was one of the most famous cricket players in the world. But he shocked the world when he gave up his his profession as really being. He was very, very famous in this profession. But he shocked the world when he abandoned his position as a cricket player to go serve the Lord as a missionary.
In fact, he said this someone to live within the sounds of church or chapel bell. I want to run a rescue shop within a yard of hell. I don’t know many people that sign up for that, right? Like, to me it sounds like he’s saying I could have an easy life, but I’m going to take the hardest one. Right. Like, how does someone get to a position like that? One of the things I think is important in recognizing in CT studs life is that he was he was actually a part of a group of people that they dubbed the Cambridge Seven. The Cambridge Seven were made up of all famous cricket players that had prominent, well-to-do jobs in society. They were well off and to the shock of the world, not only did C.T. Studd give up his position, but the entire Cambridge Seven group of people. They left the comforts of this world and they all pursued missions to serve the Lord. Ct stud served in China. He served in in Africa and India. But one of the reasons I think CT stud was able to move so boldly is because he had an incredible, encouraging group of people around him. So, so the idea of God providing people is important because number two, God uses that to to really remind us of the peace that only he can bring. And the Apostle Paul certainly needs that.
You see, in verse five, it tells us when Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was occupied with the word, testifying to the Jews that that the Christ was Jesus. So here, here’s Silas. And Timothy finally caught back up with Paul. But look at this verse six. And when they opposed and reviled him, he shook out his garment and said to them, your blood be on your head. This is a really a cultural Jewish way of saying, I’ve done what I can do. Your heart’s not willing to receive it. You’re you’re responsible for your decisions because I’ve tried to minister to you. But he says, I am innocent. From now on I’ll go to the Gentiles in verse seven. And he left them and went to the house of a man named Hideous Justus, a worshiper of God. His house was next door to the synagogue. Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord together with his entire household and many of the Corinthians, hearing Paul believed and were baptized. So here you see some people coming to know the Lord, but but reminded again of just how they received the Apostle Paul. Initially it says they opposed and reviled him. Could you imagine if you’re Paul? He’s gone to multiple cities on this missionary journey, and we have yet to read one city where it said, and they really loved this guy. You know, they received him with open arms and he was a welcomed guest, even though he was an outsider.
You know, none of that. Not one time. And here, Paul, of all places in Corinth, anything goes. Anything. If there’s going to be one city where you’re just going to kind of skate under the rug a little bit, it’s got to be Corinth, but not even Corinth. And here, the apostle Paul, in this moment, you would just maybe throw up your hands and just say, are you kidding me? Like, how many times am I are people going to fight against this? That here is a message of a God who loves him, who gave everything for them, that they could find forgiveness in his grace and new life and relationship and being reconciled. And nobody, nobody comes to Paul receiving this with open arms, but rather they they war against him. But here’s the interesting thing. In the in the midst of these these challenges over and over again, here’s what God says to Paul, verse nine. And the Lord said one night to him in a vision, do not be afraid. Do not be afraid. Do you know why God said this to Paul? Because he was afraid. It’s not rocket science, is it? Visit. He didn’t just pick it out and he’s like, I’ll just I’ll just probably randomly tell Paul this for no reason. He said this because Paul’s afraid, which I find interesting, because if someone were to ask you, you know, you as a Christian, out of all the Christians to ever exist, who do you think is the best Christian? You can’t pick Jesus.
Okay. Who do you think is the best Christian? I mean, most of us would probably go, Paul. I mean, look at what this guy did. Do you even know what his second missionary journey was like? This guy was the brave of the brave. I mean, nothing rattled the apostle Paul. And here I am now, telling you that. That God is telling Paul not be to not be afraid. Because Paul’s afraid. And some of you could challenge that. You could be you could look at the passage and be like, well, it never actually tells us, pastor, that Paul’s afraid here. So how do you even know that Paul’s afraid? You might just be assuming. And I will tell you the reason I know that is because I read the Bible. And in first Corinthians, when Paul writes the letters to Corinth, he he says this to the Corinthians. He says, and I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling. Paul was afraid. And guys, can I just tell you, this teaches us such an incredible lesson in the Christian life. And honestly, it’s one of the most relieving things that you can have as a, as a believer to understand this, this, this statement. Do not be afraid. Now it’s critical in this moment. You know, God says this and we should ask the question, well, how do I not do that? Right? Like, what? Do I just pull myself up by my bootstraps? Like, how do I all of a sudden I’m discouraged? I’m afraid.
How do I just not become afraid? Well, God said, don’t be afraid. I guess I just won’t be afraid. Like, where does that come from? And when you understand not only that God is saying this, but. But why? We’re able to not do this as believers. The reason it becomes incredibly freeing is because it liberates you from putting the pressure on yourself. Because our tendency as, as from a secular world mindset, when we say, don’t you know, don’t, be discouraged. Don’t be afraid. We just dig deeper in ourselves and we put our heels down. We’re like, oh, I’m tough, right? But Christianity does not teach you that. Rather, what Christianity says is rather than try to impress the world with who you are, acknowledge before a holy God that you’re weak. It’s not about impressing people with who you are, but rather it’s about resting in the greatness of who he is. See, for the success of the Christian life, it’s not about getting out here and doing anything in your own strength, because for God to do something, it takes a work of the Lord to do it. And that’s not something that you can do in and of yourself. It’s the Spirit of God working in you. It’s the Spirit of God working through you.
It’s the Spirit of God working in the hearts of other people. That’s not you, but it’s him. So when we think about, well, how in the world do do, do I find the peace of God? How do I find encouragement? Well, when you read the rest of the passage, God says it like this do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent. Look at this, for I am with you. Amen. The power is not about the Apostle Paul. The power is about the God who has gone before him, a God who walks with him. So when you look at Paul’s life, we would stand back and say, how can anything great happen? I mean, Paul. Challenge after challenge. When is enough? And what Paul is learning experientially and what Paul is learning in the truth of who God is, is that there is a God who sustains him in every storm of life, that he doesn’t have to worry about what awaits him because he knows the God who goes before him, and the God who goes with him. And so for Paul, even though he confesses to the Corinthians he’s weak. He realizes that that there’s still no concern in that, because for anything to take place in the hearts of people, it’s not going to be about Paul anyway. All that he becomes is this vessel that’s willing that the strength of God would be made known through him. God speaks peace.
I am with you, and I love. If you read a little further into verse 12 what it says here. But when. Gallio. This is the ruler in 51 A.D. in Corinth was proconsul of Achaea. The Jews made a united attack on Paul and brought him before the tribunal. Even though God is is with the Apostle Paul, Jesus’s promise of Paul’s safety doesn’t mean it won’t be without opposition. And this is important for us to think of in terms of peace. When the Bible talks about peace in the life of the believer, I want you to know it does not mean the absence of trouble. And when you hear the word peace, if that’s the promise that you think that God is giving to you, you’re going to be waiting your entire life to. To pursue something that you’re never truly going to discover. Because get this you live in a broken world. And so as we walk through life, there are going to be seasons where we’re going to experience joy and seasons where we’re going to experience hardship. And most of the time you’re going to experience both of those things at the same time. And if I equate peace with the absence of trouble, I’m never going to discover that kind of peace. And I have a misunderstanding of what the Bible is referring to in biblical peace. Now, one day there will be the absence of trouble when Jesus restores all things. But for the life of the believer, God still delivers us peace today.
And the question is how? For us, we discover peace in what Scripture refers to as as wholeness. When the Bible talks about peace, it’s really referring to this idea of wholeness, God restoring things in the way they were intended to be. And the first place that Jesus brought peace on earth isn’t through removing all sinfulness. He’ll do that one day, but the first place he established peace get this is in his relationship with you and me. God restored. God brought wholeness. God brings forgiveness. God brings a future and a hope. God brings us himself. Right now, God sustains us. So Paul knows that no matter what he goes through, there is a God who promised to walk with him, to sustain him in every circumstance of life. Because when you read throughout the New Testament, that’s what you discover. Will his people depend on him to be enough. And so the apostle Paul is discovering this peace of God, and he’s walking through the challenges of life to again learn experientially, over and over again that Jesus is enough. Jesus meets me where I’m at, Jesus sustains me. The question is, will you depend on him in that way? And when we do, it brings us to this last point together. God reveals purpose. God reveals purpose. And you find this in the Apostle Paul and at the second half of verse ten and verse 11. But let me read all of verse ten and verse 11, it says, God says, for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you.
For I have many in this city who are my people. And he stayed a year and six months teaching the Word of God among them. And one of the beautiful things that Paul discovers when he sees the sufficiency of Christ, his purpose greater than himself. And this really helps us determine as as people, if we’re if we’re resting in the Lord. Because our tendency when we’re struggling with anxiety, when we’re playing the what if game. I’m worried about the future, when we’re depressed, when we’re concerned, is to start to retract and we start to worry within ourselves, and we just kind of surround ourselves for the protection of ourselves because we’re worried we’re not going to have enough for ourselves. But when you know you’ve got the supply of what you need and your life is filled up, when you find your purpose and identity and worth, when you know that your future is taken care of, you don’t have to walk with that sort of anxiety and play those games. But now you can take your eyes off yourself and look beyond yourself because you know what’s sustaining yourself and it’s not you. And the one who is sustaining you never runs dry. And because of that, then you’re able to minister with a greater purpose in life because you have found your your life resting in the one who holds the future.
And so this is what’s taking place for, for, for the life of the Apostle Paul as he’s walking into Corinth, as, as overwhelming as Corinth might look to him, and how daunting the city may be. Paul, resting in the strength of the Lord, gets, gives him the opportunity to take his eyes off of himself and looking deeper in himself to the greatness of what God desires to do through him, because he knows the one he’s trusting in. Doesn’t mean Paul’s strong in and of himself, but it does mean Paul’s become strong and the one who carries the true strength. You think about our lives and being encouraged in the Lord. How does how does God give us courage to the discouraged? I mean, that story again and again, told over and over, is the opportunity we discover to to to recognize man. Here I am in a moment again, thinking I’m the answer. I’m the source. I’ve got to control this. I’ve got to do this. I’ve got to put this on my shoulders. But all along, I failed to recognize the greatness of the one. My life truly depends on his love for me, his care for me, his strength over me, and knowing that God loves me. If that God stands before me, what can this world bring against me? As Paul rests in that he moves in the greatness of God? I need to close with this.
There is a man in the 18th century known as Charles Spurgeon. Ain’t he a doll? Charles Charles Spurgeon, he was known as the Prince of Preachers. And one of the things I love about Charles Spurgeon, I mean, he very influential. On Sundays, his his church was averaged somewhere between 5 to 6000 people, and in fact the local newspapers, when they wanted to write stories of what was happening in the city, they would start with going to Charles Spurgeon Church on Sunday, because it made such an impact in the community that they it gave them fodder for writing. And sometimes they were nice to him, sometimes they weren’t. But Charles Spurgeon City made a or excuse me, Charles Spurgeon Church made a tremendous impact in the city. But one of the things I think that made Charles Spurgeon so influential that people would gravitate to listen to this man, was that it was known of Charles Spurgeon that not only did he have significant health struggles, but he also battled with depression. And I think those those personal battles he had in his own life caused him to to dive deeper into God’s word, to see the sufficiency of who Christ was so he could apply the gospel to his life. And in so doing, it became ointment to the souls of people around him. Because as he walked in a dark path it and looking for the light of Christ, it helped other people discover that too.
One of the reasons that they think Charles Spurgeon struggled with depression so severely is early in his ministry, when he was still in his 20s. As he was preaching, someone in the crowd cried out fire! And there was this massive stampede out of the building. 28 people were injured severely and seven people lost their lives. And he carried the the sorrow of that all of his days. In finding the Lord in that struggle. It helped Charles Spurgeon become an incredible instrument for the Lord. Because can I even say that to you this morning? I mean, sometimes we might look at our lives and it feels like it’s falling apart into a thousand pieces. Sometimes we might look at the brokenness of our past, and we could say to ourselves, how could God possibly use this? And I would say to you, that’s exactly what the Lord wants to use because he he doesn’t want people to see how great you are. He wants the world to know how great he is. And in so doing, we we find the beauty of who we are because of a God who loved us so graciously in him. Charles Spurgeon in that journey he he said this in his life. He said, never trust your courage when you feel courageous, but trust your God when you’re discouraged. I have learned to kiss the wave that throws me against the Rock of ages. He finds the challenges of life, teaches him the sweetness of who Christ is, and in so doing, gives him the courage to move forward.