In Paul’s encounter with the risen Jesus, this experience changed everything for him: His career, his obsession with destroying the early church, his position in the Sanhedrin and his ambition to move up within the ranks of all Jewish authority. Yet… once he met Jesus, nothing else mattered.
Paul is confronted by Sosthanes and forcefully expelled out from the synagogue. Paul teaches from a new venue and others want to know more.
Acts 18:6-8; John 6:53-58, 6:66-69; Philippians 3:4-8
With their eyes fixed upon one another, Sosthanes’ nostrils flare and his brow lowers. He points to the door and says with a measured voice, “This is my final warning. Leave… now!”
Slightly bowing his head and raising his hands to gesture no offense, Paul takes a step back and retreats out from the room and into the cool, overcast day.
Watching the small group exit, Crispus turns to stare at his two younger sons. He sighs, as he surveys the room of people that have been his people, his family. Feeling both lost and numb, he startles when he hears his name being bellowed.
“Crispus!” The voice yells out again.
He turns to see an emotional yet determined Sosthanes looking back at him and pointing towards the door. He shakes his head in disbelief. Looking Sosthanes in the eyes, he utters, “My friend, you don’t want to do this!”
Sosthanes sharply responds. “A friend of a heretic is no friend of ours.
Crispus gathers his family to move towards the door, as the further confused congregation stares back at them. Walking by the men he had personally nurtured over the years, Crispus says, “Don’t destroy everything we’ve built here, guys. You’re better than this.”
“They aren’t the ones destroying this synagogue.” Sosthanes corrects. “You are! Now, get out!”
…
Seated alone in the courtyard in front of Titius’ home, Paul emptily stares out into the street. Lost in his thoughts, he gives curious attention to the chirping of birds in a nearby tree. He shivers, as he exhales to see the mist of his breath in the air.
“It’s cold.” A voice calls out.
Waken from his daydream, Paul turns to see Crispus staring back at him.
“What happened to you?” Paul asks. “Where’s your family?”
“It’s been quite a day.” Crispus responds. He looks to see the youngest of his children turn a corner onto a distant street, presumably following the others. “They headed home.” He says quietly. “I’ll catch up with them, as we figure out what to do next.”
Paul stares back at him, letting a silence linger between them.
Suddenly overwhelmed by the moment of events, Crispus tries to keep himself steady. “Our lives… my family… I don’t get it.”
“I know.” Paul replies. “It’s the same everywhere I go. Leadership feels threatened, so they resort to self-preservation at all costs.”
“But to throw out my family.” Crispus despairs. “We’ve invested our entire lives into these people, and in one fell swoop… we’re gone. Because… because…” He stammers. “Because I listened to you.” Crispus begins to pace around the tiny courtyard. “I simply gave you a chance to speak because I…”
“Knew you were being told the truth.” Paul finishes. He looks over in the direction of the synagogue and shakes his head. “I share what I’ve seen. I share what others like me have experienced. They spent years with Jesus; whereas, I only had a key moment with him after he raised from the dead. In nearly every instance, the response of my kinsmen has been the same.”
“Nearly every instance?” Crispus asks.
Paul laughs. “Yes, nearly.” He says. “The leaders in Berea went right to Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah, the psalmists and the other prophets. They scoured their writings and gave me a chance.”
“Anybody else?” Crispus says.
“Nope.” Paul responds. “Now… some were more hostile than others.”
Crispus chuckles at this.
“But, why should I expect any less?” Paul asks.
“What do you mean?” Crispus asks with curiosity.
“My kinsmen were far more hostile to Jesus, than anything I’ve ever gone through.” Paul responds. “I’ve just been flogged or thrown in prison. They tortured and crucified him as a common thug. Why should it be any different for me?” He looks directly at Crispus and says.” Crispus, God came to rescue his own, and they turned around to destroy him. And… I was one of their greatest advocates.”
Crispus looks puzzled and says, “I don’t under…”
“Crispus.” Paul quietly shares, “I was Sanhedrin’s main guy who first set out to persecute the Jesus followers.”
“What?” Crispus asks. “You were…”
Paul interrupts. “I was Gamaliel’s protege who was chosen to arrest, torture, and in some cases even destroy, the Jesus followers.”
Crispus’ eyes grow wide. “I’ve heard of you. You’re… Saul of Tarsus.”
Paul looks down at the ground and responds. “Yes… and I have literally given up everything to follow Jesus. I have been forsaken by those in the Sanhedrin and throughout Judea. I have been labeled as their greatest enemy, and should I show my face again, they will seek to kill me. I have been belittled, mocked, tortured, and nearly killed because of my outspokenness about Messiah’s coming.” Paul looks steadily into the eyes of Crispus and asks, “Besides a direct confrontation from Jesus himself, what could possibly motivate me to do that?”
Not knowing how to respond, Crispus simply asks. “Okay… now what?”
…
Entering his office, a man announces to get Gallio’s attention. “My Liege!” He says.
Briefly looking up from a parchment, Gallio waves his clerk in. “Well, what do you know about this? Claudius has installed Didius as the governor of Britain.” He shakes his head in disbelief and says. “Grab a seat, Erastus.”
“Yes, my lord.” Erastus replies. “I heard the news.”
Gallio opines, as he looks back at the communique. “Britain, the final frontier. Nobody thought it could be conquered, and many have tried. And now? They’ve become domesticated. Even Caligula tried to attack, but he seemed to be more impressed by the sea shells. Did you know that when his army failed to take Britain, he had them collect thousands of them off of the beaches in northern France? They had to fill their helmets and tunics with them, never mind lugging their heavy equipment back home. Madman. But then again, that was Caligula. No wonder why he was hacked into pieces.”
“I heard he tried to kill your brother.” Erastus replies.
Gallio laughs. “More or less, yes. Caligula was so offended at Seneca’s negative portrayal of him, that he ordered Seneca to commit suicide.”
“What happened?” Erastus asks.
“Well… Seneca was already sick at the time.” Gallio responds. “Caligula’s advisors said it was likely that Seneca would die shortly anyway, so leave him alone to die in peace. Caligula relented, and… well, let’s just say that Seneca is still alive. And what of Caligula?
Erastus smiles at the phrasing.
“What can I do for you?” Gallio asks.
Suddenly realizing his place, Erastus quickly stands to attention and reports. “My lord, just as a matter of interest right now, but I’m hearing complaints of skirmishes among the Jews.”
“Oh?” Gallio asks while continuing to focus on the parchment.
“Yes, my lord.” Erastus confirms. “Some of their own are causing quite a stir. I do not know much of the details, but some of them seem to be a bit ill tempered.
Gallio gives a brief wave of his hand, and says. “Thank you. Just keep me apprised. Anything else?”
…
Somebody knocks. Titius walks over to the door and creeks it open. Those seated at a nearby table can only slightly hear the muffled voice on the other side of the door.
Titius then responds: “Wait. Give me just a moment.” He turns to Paul, Silas, Timothy and Aquila who sit at the table and says, “Gentlemen, we have visitors.”
Paul looks up to see Titius swing the door wide open to reveal Crispus, his family and others gathered just outside. He gets up and walks to the door to better see. He looks at Crispus and asks, “What are you all doing here?”
Crispus gives a slight smile and shares a knowing glance with his sons. He then looks back at Paul and says, “We’re ready. All of us.”
Paul chuckles at his response. “You know what you’re getting yourselves into?” He asks.
Crispus shoots back. “If God is calling us, God is calling us. Who are we to deny Him?”
Paul slowly nods. “Well… alright then.” He looks over at Titius and asks, “So… where shall we baptize these people?”
…
Sipping water from the hillside spring, the three men then take in the view of the city below and the isthmus beyond.
Catching his breath, one of the men finally looks over at Sosthanes and broaches the subject. “So, Crispus is out?” He asks.
“He had to go.” Sosthanes concedes. “He was advocating for the rogues. He wanted us to give them an audience above and beyond what we’ve already seen.”
Listening in, the third man shakes his head and says with some uncertainty. “I dunno. My wife is furious with you.”
Sosthanes breathes out a heavy sigh.
The man continues: “Crispus and his family have been involved in my family’s lives for years. He’s taught us. He was there when my children were born. He’s been a trusted friend for a long time.”
“Yes.” Sosthanes explains without emotion. “This is the way of such things. Those of whom you have known and trusted for years often can be led astray and bring you down with them.” He shakes his head and goes on: “Crispus has been a dear friend of mine as well. You are not the only ones grieving here. You know he is regularly meeting up with the Syrians who continue to teach him their heresies. By the way, did you know there are other Syrian teachers who have recently come to our city to help this guy?
The men’s eyes widen at this revelation.
“Do you now understand?” Sosthanes exclaims. “The problem hasn’t gone away now that Crispus and the heretic have been removed from our family. It’s just beginning. Things are going to get much worse. They have been meeting at Titius Justus’ home, right next to the synagogue. Many of our Gentile converts have fallen away from our group and have since joined theirs.” Sosthanes then looks deeply into the eyes of both men and shares. “This is war.”
…
We’re going to stop here for today.
Crispus, one of the Corinthian Synagogue’s leaders, and his family are removed from fellowship in an unpleasant and public way. His sympathetic ear to Paul’s teaching has rubbed Sosthanes, another synagogue leader, the wrong way. Fearing an internal doctrinal coup, Sosthanes is both motivated and pressured to “purge out the yeast” of any of Paul’s heretical Messianic teachings.
Meanwhile, Paul is wondering if he’s having any benefit here in Corinth, so he resolves to increase his teaching efforts even though he is no longer welcome in the synagogue. Titius Justus, a converted Gentile opens up his home to Paul and the others, which happens to be right next door to the synagogue. The synagogue becomes somewhat divided by Sosthanes’ forceful approach, and many Gentile converts who want to learn more about Jesus are now learning from Paul at Titius’ home.
What does all of this mean? It means things are heating up here in Corinth.
One particular point I want to make is this: When you meet Jesus, nothing else matters. This is a truth that Jesus made painfully clear to anyone who was taking an interest in him. I don’t think there is a better example than when he described himself as “The bread of life”…
“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats Me, he also will live because of Me. This is the bread which came down out of heaven; not as the manna that the fathers ate and died; he who eats this bread will live forever.”
— John 6:53-58
This was a jaw dropping moment for those listening in the crowd. “Did he just say what I thought he said?” Many would have asked themselves. Some might have taken this literally, but most would have understood that Jesus’ words here were to be seen as a line drawn in the sand. “If you want God, then you need me.” If that’s not clear enough, later on in John’s writings, Jesus said something similar:
Jesus *said to him (Thomas), “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.
— John 14:6
So, just in case you were wondering… Jesus makes the audacious claim that says, “You cannot know God apart from me.” Naturally, there are those who will not respond well to this message. But for those who were closest to him and spent nearly every day with him for four years, they would later on be willing to put everything on the line for him. Why? Because nothing else mattered.
Peter responded to Jesus’ flesh and blood comment this way:
As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore. So Jesus said to the twelve, “You do not want to go away also, do you?” Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.”
— John 6:66-69
Later on, In Paul’s encounter with the risen Jesus, this experience changed everything for him: His career, his obsession with destroying the early church, his position in the Sanhedrin and his ambition to move up within the ranks of all Jewish authority. Yet… once he met Jesus, nothing else mattered.
In 2 Corinthians 11 and 12, Paul goes to great lengths to share the hardships he had endured for being outspoken about the risen Jesus. In Philippians 3, Paul shares about what he gave up to follow Jesus and that it was of no consequence to him. Why? Because he met Jesus and nothing else mattered.
If anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, I far more: circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless.
But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ,
— Philippians 3:4-8
When you meet Jesus, nothing else matters. Yet we may forget this when we get tied up in other pursuits. May our Lord bring you back to this simple truth. If you have been called, as Peter has been called, as Paul has been called, then may you live today as if nothing else matters. May you trust that God rewards such living with an intimate connection with Himself and that he will provide for you along the way. With that… Let’s move forward… together.