Wednesday: “Many in This City”
Daily Lesson for Wednesday 1st of July 2026
Read Acts 18:4-8. What were the results of Paul’s preaching?
The work of Paul among the Jews at Corinth was not as fruitful as he wanted it to be. He had to face some hostility and hatred. The Bible says that “they opposed him and blasphemed” (Acts 18:6, NKJV). When the object of the Greek verb blasphēmeō (“to blaspheme”) is a human being, it means “to revile” or “to defame.” In other words, they intended to stain Paul’s reputation and to prevent him from succeeding in his missionary endeavors.
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Fortunately, the work of Paul in the Corinthian synagogue was not in vain. After all, God was in charge of this mission. He promised, “[My word] shall not return to me empty” (Isaiah 55:11, ESV). Some Jews did not expect that Crispus, the synagogue’s ruler, and his entire household would accept Jesus as the Messiah and get baptized (Acts 18:8). In addition, “many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed and were baptized” (Acts 18:8, NKJV), very likely also because of the influence of Crispus.
Read Acts 18:9-10. What can we infer about Paul’s feelings in the face of his challenges in Corinth? How did God encourage His servant?
Right after Paul left the synagogue, he had an experience that brought him encouragement. Christ Himself appeared to him by night in a vision, with words that recall Isaiah 41:10: “Fear not, for I am with you” (NKJV). Indeed, Paul admits he was in Corinth “in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling” (1 Corinthians 2:3, NKJV). He had to depart from Berea to Athens because of staunch opposition. He seems to have thought he would have to leave Corinth for the same reason: great opposition. But that would not happen this time. Jesus said to him: “ ‘I have many people in this city’ ” (Acts 18:10, NKJV). And Paul was His instrument to take the news of salvation to them.
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Read Isaiah 41:10. What wonderful promises does God give you in this verse? What hope do they give you right now in your life? |
Teaching is one area where you often don’t see immediate results. You teach your classes and then the students disappear out of your classes forever, and you never know whether you made a difference or not. Paul felt discouraged at times about the lack of results in Corinth, but he persisted. I don’t usually include long quotes in my comments but I am making an exception this time because I like the quality of the narrative of Acts 18 in “The Message”. It gives the reader an overview of Paul’s experience in Corinth. I would summarise it as tough but encouraging. Enjoy reading it.
It is easy and convenient to look at the future through the eyes of our past experiences, which can be intimidating. Even polished apostles like Paul could become nervous about what was going to happen to them. This is why we need to hear these words: “For I am with you.” This promise wasn’t just for Paul. Jesus keeps saying to all of us, “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). We are also reminded, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6). If He is with us, we do not need to fear anything, for how He has dealt with us in the past tells us how He will deal with us in the future.
Paul, an accomplished gospel worker with a history of being persecuted for preaching, may have been nervous, reminding us that fear affects even spiritual giants. Paul risked his life daily to preach the good news of Jesus to people who had not heard of Christ. At one point he was stoned and left for dead. He was beaten, jailed, and endured many hardships. Surely, with the health challenges he was struggling with, he needed reassurance. No matter how courageous we are or how strong we are in our faith, we all need encouragement. God assures His people, “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10).
The words, “I am with you,” meant everything to Paul. They left no room for fear and provided all the protection he needed. The Bible often gives commands together with the reasons for those commands. God’s commands do not hang in the air with no basis in reality. If God commands us to do something, He also gives us good reasons to obey. The power to obey comes from understanding and believing those reasons. That is why God repeatedly says, “Do not fear,” because His presence is the foundation of His command. As the psalmist declared, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me” (Psalm 23:4). Likewise, the writer of Hebrews reminds us, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid” (Hebrews 13:5–6).
I am from Papua New Guinea (PNG), North of Australia. A taxi driver in Australia once told our church pastor who went for some meeting in Australia. “PNG need Jesus as you are poor. We Australian have everything we need so we do not need Jesus”. Just the same attitude as Corinthians. This is the typical character of cities and urban settings. I just wish he can close his eyes while driving, because the eyes were his and not God’s.
Very insightful comment, thank you Bobby
“In a nutshell”. Much said in few words. Really appreciate.
Very good testimony Bobby. I agree we all need Jesus no matter our particular life circumstances or endowment if you prefer. Paul I am sure ran into many Corinthians like that, after all they lived by the sea where there was commercialization, and they had their own gods and were satisfied with their situation. Much like the Laodicean church John was inspired by God to write about. Revelation 3:17-18. But there was much more opportunity to spread the gospel of Christ than in Athens, many fed upon the word of God, Corinth was a more diversified people. Thank-God we can all have the gold Christ is talking about in Revelation if we so choose. I had my Bible open to Isaiah 55. My eyes landed on Isaiah 55:6, 11, 12-13. We buy gold in the fire when we heed this council, essentially a relationship with God daily. Bobby, may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all in Papua New Guinea. Amen. 2 Corinthians 13:14.
We often doubt our effectiveness in our sphere of influence, wherever that may be, but God is letting us know that He is there with us in our witnessing and He will provide the “many” for us to witness to.
We needn’t be discouraged or be afraid!!!
In my Bibleworker days, many were the times that I would have verses such as Isaiah 41:10, and Philippians 4:13 come to mind to encourage me to persevere. It would be worth all the effort when at last I found a receptive person who desired to learn more about the Bible and be willing to set up a study.
On one such occaision on a hot and largely unproductive day, my wife was with me canvassing a neighborhood several miles from our apartment. We were hot, thirsty, tired, discouraged, and were ready to quit for the day. I felt impressed to do one more group of homes and then we would quit for the day. I recited Matthew 9:35, and said, “Lord, you said the fields were ripe for harvest, all we see are weeds. Please show us the harvest!’
Door after door, no one answered, or they were not interested. Then we came to Cathy’s door. We rang the doorbell and heard dogs barking inside. Just as we were about to ring for the second time, the door opened slightly and Cathy listened to my survey. The last question was; “would you be interested in learning more about what the Bible says about the times we are living in?” She immediately said, “yes” and shut the door. We stood there dumbfounded for what seemed like an eternity, though it was probably only thirty seconds. Suddenly the door opened and Cathy stepped out onto the porch. By that time I was so accustomed to rejection that I said, “I’m not sure that you understood my last question.” Then she emphatically said; “Yes! I have been praying for someone to study the Bible with, and here you are.” We left that house rejoicing that we heeded the prompting of the Holy Spirit to do one more block of homes.
It is so important to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, and to memorize various verses of scripture which we can lean on when we are frightened or weary.
Thank you for sharing, Tim, and letting us see that God still hears and answers prayer – especially when we are on His errands.
Despite reading the book of Corinthians many times, Paul’s confession, “I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling” (1 Corinthians 2:3), had never really stood out to me before. I had always pictured Paul the Apostle as fearless and unwavering. Yet here he openly admits that he came to Corinth feeling weak, fearful, and trembling.
Living in an upper-middle-class community where many people seem to have little interest in the gospel, I sometimes feel intimidated about sharing my faith. Paul’s words give me hope. God did not wait until Paul felt confident or fearless before using him. He worked through Paul in the midst of his weakness and anxiety.
Perhaps the lesson is that God is not looking for fearless witnesses so much as faithful ones. The same God who used a trembling apostle in Corinth can also use us, despite our fears, to reach those He places in our path.
Thanks for sharing this! So true – faithfulness is the key!
This week’s lesson has taken me back to my childhood. Specifically to Takoma Park, Maryland in the shadow of Washington DC, the capital both of US politics and the former world headquarters of the Adventist church. I grew up listening in awe to many dynamic, inspiring preachers and teachers in the mold of Paul – both from within the church as well as from other denominations and faiths. I remember thinking how each talented preacher/evangelist given the pulpit in several of our large area churches seemed so self-assured, unflappable, and larger than life. Now, many years later (with several grey hairs to prove it), I have seen the “underbelly” of the psyche of these very human men and women of God, having worked professionally with many of them. They struggle with very ordinary doubts and fears. Imposter syndrome is endemic. Most of them struggle with the same human frailties that we all do. In a strange way, it all makes Paul, a giant of faith, all the more relatable – simply knowing that he needed the same reassurances that you and I are searching for this week in our lesson study and in life. Paul’s was not a “one and done” conversion, but a constant struggle with doubt. Thank God for His faithful reassurances to Paul and to each of us today.
“Impostor syndrome” is an interesting term. Is that a term you invented, or is it currently a psychological term for hypocrisy? To me, it implies fear of being discovered to be something other than what people normally see, and it is easy to see how this can be viewed as an illness.
Self-doubt due to the perception that one doesn’t seem to be what one preaches. What a way to live. Keeping our eyes on Jesus the founder and perfected of our faith.
The superstar preachers always impressed me with the idea that my friends needed to meet them because they’d know what to say to doubting hearts.
Hi Inge. No, I did not invent the term. It is a well-known concept that does not necessarily imply psychopathology. Imposter syndrome is defined as a psychological experience where high achievers persistently doubt their skills and fear being exposed as a fraud, despite evidence of their success. I see it all the time with professionals in myriad disciplines.
God reveals and assures Paul that He (God) has many people in the city. This should be our motivation to evangelism. Often, we hesitate to share with others the love of God thinkig there are no persons in need of God.
The good news of the gospel mission is that it does not end in utter failure but success though meager and this is our greatest incentive to move on. So let’s rise and proclaim the good news of Jesus’ salvation for we are more than victors. Yes we may have failed in places a and b, but not withstanding these failures, we have been assured success in places c,d,e,etc.
…and God tells us that there is more rejoicing in heaven over the lost sheep that is rescued than the ones that never got lost! So praise Him for the “meager” successes – even the one single rescued soul! 🤲
Please pray for me to allow the Holy Spirit to lead me in doing God’s work and not to allow fear to control my inner being. To be courageous in God’s promises when He’s say He is with us always. Amen.
Having the assurance that someone is taking care of everything is wonderful; the difficult part is believing it: that’s faith. An active faith does not stand still, but, trusting, moves on!