[The people of the Holy spirit]
Acts 18:5-11
Because the people of the Holy Spirit means 'the people of the kingdom of God, its the best honorifics to those who believe in God. Thats because they form
the foundation of the kingdom of God. Those who are encouraged by the Holy Spirit are just the chosen people by God, so they will become the people of
the Holy Spirit.Today, lets think about the people of the Holy Spirit.
First, we want to see them in the Lord.
To Paul, who left Athene alone and came to Corinth, the eagerly awaited Silas and Timothy finally arrived. theywould have heard rumors that Paul had failed
in Athene and was ridiculed and left. Nevertheless, they delivered the news of the faith of the Christians there, and Paul could recover his spirits and come to
boldly preach the gospel. They also brought missionary support money from those churches. Thanks to that, Paul was able to focus solely on missionary work
while working on building tents and working ministry only on weekends.For Paul, Silas and Timothy were like a thousand troops. Paul and Silas, Timothy,
Priscilla and Aquila, the saints of Thessalonians and Philippians are all the people of the Holy Spirit, and the only thing they were looking at is 'salvation'.
I believe that if there is a community to look at salvation together, it will be the people of the Holy Spirit and people we want to see in the Lord.
Second, it allows you to be caught by the Word.
Thanks to the encouragement of Silas and Timothy, Paul was captured by the Word of God and was able to testify by revealing that 'Jesus is Christ' (v.5).
'Capture' or 'ampsigmaampupsilonampnuέampchiampomega[ampintineko]' describes 'being surrounded', 'captured by a huge situation' and 'a situation in which the disease controls or suppresses
the person or is gripped by great fear'. Being caught by the Word like this means although being suppressed and accompanied by fear, we have to keep
achieving salvation with fear and trembling. Then why did he say 'captured'? Thats because we cant fully focus on Gods words by ourselves,
so only if the Word hold us, we can keep on living. So, unlike in Aden, in Corinth. Paul testified that 'Jesus is just Christ' not with the proof of the beautiful things
of words and wisdom, but with the power captured by the Word of God. Then how can we be captured by the word of God? It has to be in the structure of
Gods Word. We must live in a community that moves and lives in a structure where Gods Word is declared and we have no choice but to obey it.
Third, we must accept adversaries and slanders.
Unlike in Aden,in Corinthbeing caught by the Word,Paul testified with confidence that 'Jesus is Christ' without looking around, and instantlythe Jews began
to slander Paul (v. 6). Not only they slandered him, but also confronted him.
The word 'confrontation' goes beyond mere opposition and includes systematically forming and resistance and making insurrection. Paul speaks clearly
as he shakes off his clothes to the Jews who are not coming close to him even though he waits like this. They have done everything they can to their wickedness ,
and now their disobedience is entirely their own responsibility. Tearing off the clothes was a powerful expression, calling out the judge to serve them.
When the people of the Holy Spirit are maligned and antagonized like this, they sometimes have to shake off their clothes and avoid the situation.
Then the gospel moves to another place (v.7). Paul moved the place of gospel ministry from the Jews synagogue to the house of Dido Yusudo, a stranger,
physically right next to the synagogue. Living next to each other, they would have had to see each other even if they didnt want to. In addition, And Crispus,
the chief ruler of the synagogue, and his whole family receive Jesus (v.8). The gospel was passed down from Jews who refused the Word to strangers,
and again to Jews. Furthermore, many Corinthians believed and came to be baptized. The Corinthian Church began at the home of Yusudo, a prestigious
Roman family whose life was interpreted like this. And Yusudo and Crispus were later recorded in the Book of first Corinthians as the only two men
who Paul really wanted to see and visit and were baptized by Paul in the Corinthian Church.
Fourth, God is with you.
Paul met Timothy, Silas, Justus, and Crispus, and countless Corinthians were baptized after hearing Pauls preaching. Nevertheless, Paul had an unknown fear.
He didnt know when he was still, but whenever he spoke gospel, persecution, hardship, slander, and confrontation continue, so he was afraid every time he spoke.
But God comforts Paul, who is weak, afraid, and deeply trembling in the night, by appearing in the midst of a fantasy. (v.9-10). God says he is with Paul,
and furthermore, he says, 'There are many of my people in this castle.'What is this castle? God says in Corinth, which seems hopeless, there are many of
my people among the most obscene, evil, rich, and learned castle Paul has ever experienced. He says that there is Gods people and Gods church here.
Paul was afraid to preach Jesus to people because he had to tell them he was a murderer, a disrupter, and an oppressor. God believers are too few in the company
and society. If you say homosexuality and conscientious objection of military service are all wrong, you can guess Pauls feelings at the time when you think about
how scared he is to say it because they strongly oppose here and there. But theres a lot of work to be said for salvation. A butler heard about wifes affair that she
had been hiding, and he saw his crime rather than her betrayal. Due to this incident, his wife came to belong to a womens Mokjang(church small group).
When you are in this structure of listening to the Word, you can specifically get help and confess your sins. I earnestly pray in the name of the Lord that
we can not do anything by our power, and that we can be captured by the Word and become a people of the Holy spirit and walk as a people of the Holy spirit.
