Stephanus: A Corinthian - Aaron Cozort - November 8, 2026

Aaron Cozort traces the household of Stephanus through Acts 18 and 1 Corinthians, showing how they became the first converts in Achaia and what their example meant to the early church. The sermon highlights their lasting service, support for Paul’s work, and the qualities that can redefine what it means to be a Corinthian.

Chapters

00:00 Why “a Corinthian” could be an insult
01:12 Paul arrives in Corinth and works with Aquila and Priscilla
04:53 The gospel reaches Jews and Gentiles in Corinth
06:24 Stephanus’s household in Paul’s discussion of baptism
11:31 Paul’s final exhortation: stand firm and act in love
14:20 The first converts in Achaia go first
17:10 A household devoted to serving the saints
20:22 Why the church should follow faithful examples
23:21 Stephanus and his companions support Paul’s work
25:39 Refreshing others and bearing one another’s burdens
27:20 The household’s example and the call to respond

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Host

Aaron Cozort

What is Admonition Podcast?

The Admonition podcast brings you Bible lessons and sermons from the Collierville Church of Christ with host Aaron Cozort. Each episode focuses on interpreting Scripture in its original context, exploring the background of key passages, events, and teachings. Gain deeper insight into God’s Word as we study together, applying timeless truths to everyday life.

Aaron Cozort (00:00)
Take your Bibles, if you will, and open them to the book of Acts, where we will begin our study this afternoon. Want us to spend some time looking at Stephanus. Stephanus is one who we are introduced to first in the book of Acts. He is he and his household are mentioned in the book of 1 Corinthians as well.

For he was an individual who was a citizen of Corinth. And I I chose in the title to say Stephanus, a Corinthian. And the reason is because to be called a Corinthian in the first century was actually derogatory. It was a slander on one's moral character.

The Corinthians were known as those who were anything but upstanding, upright, wholesome people.

But wouldn't it be great if the idea of a Corinthian had rather to do with a person of the character of Stephanus? As we consider the text, we're going to open in Acts chapter 18. In Acts chapter 18, we find Paul has come to Corinth. As he leaves Athens, chapter 18, verse 1, after these things, Paul departed from Athens and went to Corinth.

And he found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome, and he came to them. So because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them and worked, for by occupation they were tent makers. And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded both Jews and Greeks.

When Silas and Timothy had come from Macedonia, Paul was compelled by the Spirit and testified to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ. Notice a few things as we're introduced to Paul's time in Corinth. First, when he arrives in Corinth, he is still alone. As you examine the ministry journeys of Paul.

You will find very few occasions where Paul will be alone. Paul considered the state of being alone by way of his fellow workers to be a compromised state. Paul considered one preacher working by himself in this foreign mission field and specifically amongst the Jews to be something that was.

Undeniably a bad decision. So Paul, when he arrives in Athens, is by himself. And Paul will go to the Areopagus, but within just a few weeks, Paul's going to leave Athens and he's going to travel to Corinth. When he arrives in Corinth, he is going to find and begin to work with Aquila and Priscilla, who are of the same ⁓ the same occupation as he is. They are tent makers.

He is a tent maker, by the way. This is where we find out Paul was a tent maker. But it was normal when you read in the text that when Paul arrived in a city, and when Paul would travel on these missionary journeys, he wasn't alone, and part of the function of the younger men who traveled with Paul was they labored to supply the money needed to allow Paul and the group to live.

When Timothy, when Titus, when Silas were present, part of their role was not to teach, it was to labor, so Paul could teach. So when Paul arrives and is in Corinth with Aquila and Priscilla, you find him making tents not because he just loved to occasionally put his hands to work, but because otherwise Paul wasn't going to eat. Because Paul wouldn't accept any money from the Corinthians.

So Paul is there, and Paul's ministry is in a compromised state because Paul is needing to both minister and labor separately in order to provide for himself. As you continue down in the text, you'll notice verse six: but when they opposed him and blasphemed, he shook his garments and said.

Your blood be upon your own heads, I am clean. From now on, I will go to the Gentiles. And he departed from there and entered the house of a certain man Justice, who was one who ⁓ one who worshipped God, whose house was next to the door of the synagogue. Then Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his household, and many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed, and were baptized. As Paul is ministering in the city of Corinth.

When he first gets there, he's alone. When he first gets there, he's together with Aquila and Priscilla, when he joins himself to them, and they were making tents, and then occasionally on the Sabbath day he would go into the synagogue and would reason with the Jews, but not forcefully until Timothy and Silas arrived. When the backups, as it were, arrived, when the support that he needed arrived, then he began to very forcefully di debate with the Jews.

Concerning these things, and eventually he will depart from the Jews, no longer teach in the synagogue, and will go to the Gentiles. He will begin his ministry in the house of justice, and he will even end up converting those related to and connected to the synagogue's leadership. As you notice these events, Paul is going to be able to convert many of the Gentiles, and as a result of this,

We find that they hearing, believed, and were baptized. When you turn over to First Corinthians now, First Corinthians chapter one, you're going to read about one of those. First Corinthians chapter one, Paul is going to write, beginning in verse 10. Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind.

And in the same judgment, for it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe's household, that there are contentions among you. Now I say this that each of you says, I am of Paul, or I am of Apollos, or I am of Sevas, or I am of Christ. Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you, or were you baptized in the name of Paul?

As Paul reasons with them concerning the divisions and the contentions that have grown up among them because they're now calling themselves after teachers. Paul says, when you were baptized, were you baptized in the name of Paul? Was it by Paul's authority? That's what in the name of means. Was it by Paul's authority that you were baptized? Or was it.

In the name of Christ. Verse 14, he says, I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, lest anyone should say that I had baptized in my own name. Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanus. Besides, I do not know whether I baptized any other. Paul, while he is present in the church at Corinth, will teach them.

The gospel. But Paul was not in the business of dunking people in the water. In other words, Paul was not, his primary mission was not to do the physical act of baptizing people. It was to preach the gospel, convict them of the truth, so that they believing would choose to be baptized for the remission of their sins.

Many will come to this passage and they will argue, see, see, Paul says that baptism's not important. He wasn't sent to baptize.

You might ask yourself, did Jesus send the apostles to make disciples? Yes, he did. As a matter of fact, if you consider Matthew chapter 28, in Matthew chapter 28, beginning verse 18, Jesus said, All authority has been given unto me in heaven and on earth. Go ye therefore and make disciples. How are we going to do that, Lord? You're going to teach them.

All things whatsoever I've commanded you, you're also going to baptize them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Then you're going to teach them some more. Paul's point is he was going to teach them so that they would be baptized so that they would be disciples, and then he would teach them. But he didn't need to be the one to put them in the water. He didn't need them to be baptized physically by them, by him. They didn't gain anything out of that. They gained out of

Listening to him. Well, every moment that he was putting people down in the water was a moment he wasn't teaching. So Paul left that to someone else. But as he mentions this, he says, now, wait a minute, there were a few that I baptized while I was there. There were a few that I physically put in the water. There was Crispus, and there was Gaius, and there was also the household of Stephanus.

But he says, verse 17, Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with words of or wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect. Paul said, I was there to preach. I was there to preach.

To convict hearts and souls of sin and the need of salvation and the fact that there is only one way in order to be saved, and it is Jesus Christ and Him crucified. As a matter of fact, Paul will point out that when he preached, he said, I determined not to know anything except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

Where is it that a person finds contact with the crucifixion and the death and the burial and the resurrection of Jesus Christ? Well, Paul says in Romans chapter 6 it's in baptism. But Stephanus and his household were among those who were baptized by Paul personally. When you turn over to 1 Corinthians chapter 16, which is where we'll spend the rest of our time, though, we are again going to find mention of

Of Stephanus. As you consider, Paul is going to begin to conclude, he begin to conclude. Paul is going to conclude his writing to these Corinthian brethren. Verse 13, he says, Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.

Paul has gone through the entire letter to the Corinthians and he has given them thing after thing after thing after thing after thing that they are messing up.

That they are not doing right, that they are not growing in. He is cuz them of being carnal. He has accused them of allowing sin to grow and to fester within the body of Christ. He has accused them of causing those among their own brethren to become hungry and destitute and die.

He has accused them of being loveless.

And yet he says

You can stand fast in the faith. Paul had confidence in this church, not because it was perfect, but because he knew there were those in that congregation that would not depart from the truth, that would remain steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, 1 Corinthians chapter 15, verse 58.

And so he says, watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. Let all that you do be done with love. Not long ago, we went through and noticed 1 Corinthians chapter 13, and we noticed all the connections to all the other passages in the book of 1 Corinthians that chapter 13 has, as Paul discusses love, he now gives them one final exhortation. I told you about love.

Now let everything you do be motivated and controlled by that love. But then he says, I urge you, brethren, beginning verse fifteen.

I urge you, brethren, you know the household of Stephanus, that it is the firstfruits of Achaea, and that they have devoted themselves to the ministry of the saints, that you also submit to such, and to everyone who works and labors with us. I am glad about the coming of Stephanus Fortunus and Achaius.

For what was lacking on your part they supplied, for they refreshed my spirit and yours, therefore acknowledge such men. As Paul wraps up this letter to the church at Corinth, he's going to greet a few other people, but he wants to leave and make special mention of Stephanus and his household. Notice what he says concerning this family. Number one, they are the first converts of.

Of Achaia. When you look at that, Achaia is the region. Corinth is the city. Achaia is the county, if you were to put it that way. All right? And Paul says when I came into Corinth, the very first people to be converted were Stephanus and his household.

Almost as if, you know, when Paul's there in chapter one and he says, I know not whether or not I baptized any except Gaius and but then he mentions kind of last, the ones who were actually first. They were the first converts in the region of Achaia. This household was one that when they heard the gospel, they said, That's good enough for me.

If that's what the Lord says, that's what we're gonna do. There's something about someone who goes first. Now, if you spend much time joining us for lunch over here ⁓ after services, you will find that there are people who refuse to go first. They won't be caught dead first in the line. You could hog tie them.

and shove them to the front of the line and they'd still make somebody get in front of them. They don't want to go first.

But there's also something about somebody who chooses to go first. Not in food, not in lines, but someone who knows what needs to be done. They know what needs to happen. And they don't wait on anybody else to take action. They are motivated by their knowledge of the truth.

They are motivated by what they know their own circumstance is. And whether anyone else does it or not, they're going to do what's right. And the household of Stephanus.

Truly what it should have been known to be a Corinthian?

We're a group of people who said, if that's what God says, that's what we're doing. And they are the first converts of Achaea. But then consider what else Paul says about Stephanus and his household. Consider that he says that they are devoted to the service of the saints.

Paul will say, I urge you, brethren, you know the household of Stephanus, that is the first fruits of Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves to the ministry of the saints. This household, whatever their background was, most likely they were Gentile, but whatever their background was, they were those who, having heard the gospel,

We're not satisfied with just being obedient to the gospel. They were those that, when they heard the truth, they said, Great, let's obey it. But we're not about to keep it to ourselves. They had found salvation and they were motivated. They were more than motivated. They were devoted. They had reprioritized their very lives.

To take the gospel to others. You see, the house of Stephanus is like some who you will meet, some who I will meet in the Lord's body, who, when they become Christians, they are on fire. And they have a fire you can't put out. The household of Stephanus was devoted to serving the saints.

They served in ministry. They served alongside Paul. Paul is going to remain in Corinth for 18 months. And every indication of the text from what is stated is that Stephanus and his household were side by side with Paul during that time. And when that 18 months was over, Paul went on, and Stephanus and his household were still devoted to the service. You see, sometimes people are anxious to go first.

They're devoted at first, but then when the support around them or the people that influence them are gone, they slowly start to drift away. Their interest, their fervor starts to wane, their fire begins to go out because ultimately what happens is sometimes the people fanning the flame are now gone. The people keeping the interest and the devotion are.

Where it should be, are no longer present, and so the people slowly but surely die out. But not the household of Stephanus. No, the household of Stephanus, when Paul is departed from them and no longer with the church at Corinth, the household of Stephanie Stephanus is still active. As a matter of fact, we're gonna see that they were not only just active in Corinth, they were active beyond Corinth. They were devoted to the ministry of

Of the saints. But then consider as well that Paul is going to tell the church at Corinth, you be subject to those such as these. Notice what he says. He says that you also, if you go back to verse 15, you take the parenthetical statement out, this is the way it reads. I urge you, brethren, that you also submit to such and to everyone who works and labors with us.

Paul said to the church at Corinth, you need to follow the example of Stephanus. You need to follow the example of the household of Stephanus. When they ask you to do something, do it. When they say something needs to be done, do it.

When they show you how you are to live and how you are to move and how you are to have your being, when they show you the example of how a Christian lives, live it.

Now, Paul here is not setting Stephanus and his household on some great pedestal. He is certainly not saying that there's some special household where they are above the rest of the church. Rather, he is applying to Stephanus' household the same thing that he will say to the church at Corinth in chapter 11. In chapter 11 and verse 1, Paul will write, Imitate me that I also imitate Christ.

Paul is so confident of the lifestyle and devotion of Stephanus and his household that he can without reservation tell the church at Corinth, you submit to them. But then he goes on to say, and to everyone who works and labors with us, Paul's not only establishing an example to follow in the household of Stephanus.

Paul is setting a contrast between the household of Stephanus and these other teachers that are causing division. Paul is telling the church at Corinth: you submit to those who are faithful to the Lord. You submit to those who teach you the truth. You submit to those who are devoted to the saints. And you lay aside those who are teaching out of self-interest.

Paul is going to emphasize that Stephanus and his household were very much unlike those other teachers that were causing the division within the church at Corinth. But then consider as well, as Paul examines and mentions the household of Stephanus, that he mentions what they did in verse 17. He says, I am glad about the coming of Stephanus, Fortunus, and

And Achaechis, for what was lacking on your part, they supplied. Paul's practice was this. Paul would go into a city, and Paul would begin to preach and to teach. And while Paul was present in that city, as individuals were converted in that city, Paul would accept no funds and no payment from any of those converted in that location.

As long as Paul was present with them, he was not going to accept anything from them. He would only preach and at no charge to them. But when Paul moved on, when Paul went to the next city, it was considered to be normal and expected, and Paul would encourage them to support him on an ongoing basis as he went to take the gospel to others, to whom he would again have no charge to them. Well

It seems as though when Paul left Corinth, the church didn't do that. When Paul left Corinth, they didn't supply the needs of Paul. So after Paul left Corinth, sometime after that, we read in the text here that Stephanus and Fortunus and Achaius came to Paul with.

The help he needed to be able to continue his work. These three families, these three individuals, they saw it as their responsibility to support the work that Paul was doing. They had received benefit spiritually.

They had received salvation spiritually. They had received back their lives from indebtedness to sin. And as far as they were concerned, they were gonna make sure Paul could preach to others.

So there is both somewhat of a commendation and a criticism in this verse when Paul mentions that these three brought support for him when the congregation didn't.

But he says that that actually wasn't a one time circumstance for Stephanus and Fortunus and Achaeus. Rather, he says, for they refreshed my spirit and yours.

This was part of their work. This is part of what these individuals did. They were those who helped others. They were those who supported others. They were those who refreshed others. They were those who lived out Galatians chapter six, verse two, that we read this morning.

When Paul writes, bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of the Lord. These three men and their households stand as a signal example, for they obeyed the truth when they heard the gospel. They were devoted to the saints and the work of the ministry.

They were those who were able to be the examples and provide the teaching and the direction and the instruction that the church needed. And they supported the work of Paul and missionaries when that work needed to be supported. They stand even today as an example to us. ⁓ if.

It could have been said in days of old that to be called a Corinthian would mean you lived the life of Stephanus. What a compliment that would be. If you're here this afternoon and you have need of the invitation of our Lord, you have an example before you of the household of Stephanus. When they heard the gospel.

When they heard the truth, when they knew that it was the word of God that Jesus Christ had come to die for their sins, that they might have the hope and the redemption and the salvation that is found in Christ by hearing the word, believing that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, repenting of their sins, confessing the name of Christ, and being immersed in water for the remission of their sins, they didn't hesitate. They said, I'll be first. And they were. But they didn't just

Become Christians. They didn't just accept salvation on the terms that the Lord stipulated. They then said, Now what? And they were devoted to the service of the Lord. I suspect, given the commendation provided by the Holy Spirit in the lifetime of Stephanus, that that's probably the same way they were all the way till the end of their days.

Here's a family. Here's a household that were faithful to the Lord. If you have need of the invitation, the opportunity is presented now. Why not come as we stand and as we sing?