18 So Paul
still remained a good while...
Paul remained in
Corinth, for a year and a half, even though when things got hot he was tempted
to flee. But the Lord told him not to be afraid, not to be silent, but speak,
for I am with you, no one will hurt you, I have many in this city. Acts 18:9-10.
So, he stayed until
it was time to take his leave.
Lord that’s our prayer, that we will stay the
course, stay in the place or task at hand until You give us leave. That we won’t
fall short, miss the mark or one moment, or breath or Word or step of all You’ve
given us to do.
Then he took leave of the brethren and sailed for Syria, and Priscilla
and Aquila were with him.
Priscilla and Aquila
were tentmakers by occupation, but Soul Winners and Disciple Makers by Divine
Eternal Purpose and calling.
They were world
changing Silent Knights. Sowing tents by day, changing the world one person at
a time behind the scenes.
Just because they
were Jews, emperor Claudius, the clod, kicked them out of their home in Rome.
They wound up in wicked
Corinth.
Instead of getting
bitter they got better. They sowed tents by day and sowed God’s Love behind the
scenes.
They put Paul the preacher
up in their own home and gave him a job to boot, since Paul was a tentmaker
too.
Before all’s said and
done, they start a Church in their home (1 Corinthians 16:19).
They stay the course,
steadfast and stable.
Bloom where you’re
planted is synonymous with their names.
Years later, Paul
writes his last letter, from prison, in Rome. He writes to Timothy, the young
pastor in Ephesus; and in the letter he greets the hidden anchors still holding
fast, the invisible pillars still standing strong, the superheroes behind the
scenes, Aquila and Priscilla. (2 Timothy 4:19).
Lord, let
that be our lasting legacy.
They were more than
just room and board for Paul. They were friends, such good friends that when
the time came for Paul to leave, they packed up their tent making trade and
went with him.
God has a special
calling for unsung heroes like Aquila and Priscilla, armor bearers willing to
carry the load, hold up the shield. These dear saints were ministers to
ministers.
Don’t forget them, we’ll
see them again in a minute, helping another minister.
Then again, you might
just see them every time you look in the mirror.
Next time you look in
the mirror, think of them, point at you, and say, “Bloom where you’re planted.”
He had his hair cut off at Cenchrea, for
he had taken a vow.
Cenchrea was a port city used to set sail.
They must’ve had a
barbershop.
He had taken a Nazarite
vow, a temporary intense commitment to God upon which he would not shave, or
cut his hair, have any grape product, or touch anything dead. (Numbers 6:1-21).
Why’d he take a vow?
It doesn’t say. Perhaps
to honor God with intense devotion after He spoke with him and protected him
and provided for him for a year and a half in wicked Corinth.
Perhaps, an intense
focus on God as to if, and when, he should leave Corinth.
So, now that he’s out
of Corinth, he ends the vow and gets a haircut.
19 And he came
to Ephesus, and left them there; but he himself entered the synagogue and
reasoned with the Jews.
Paul and Aquila and
Priscilla sailed over a week, 314 miles, to Ephesus.
Then, it seems before
the dust even settled from setting up tent, Paul left them, in the dust.
Well, how
rude. We wouldn’t have moved if we’d have known you were going to abandon us.
No, they didn’t say
that because they weren’t following Paul, they were following God.
20 When they
asked him to stay a longer time with them, he did not consent, 21 but
took leave of them, saying, “I must by all means keep this
coming feast in Jerusalem; but I will return again to you, God
willing.” And he sailed from Ephesus.
As he sailed off into
the sunset (sunrise since he was headed east) he said, I must keep the
feast in Jerusalem, but I’ll be back... God willing.
God
willing. I struggle with how
to state our plans, because the Lord always has the final Word.
Please
join us for Wednesday morning Bible Study at 10, we’ll be in Acts 18, Lord
willing.
How do you say it?
Maybe like this:
If the
Lord don’t come, or change our minds, and the creek don’t rise, we’ll have
Bible Study Wednesday morning at 10.
All Paul knew was
that he needed to keep the feast in Jerusalem, after that, he
wasn’t sure.
I know I need to do this.
Then what?
I don’t know. God
hasn’t told me yet.
When it comes to following
God’s will:
Constantly considering consequences causes
confusion.
Blessed are the
flexible, for they shall not be broken.
Playing chess, they
say you should be thinking three steps ahead.
God has every step
figured out. He knows the end from the beginning. But many times, He just gives
us one step at a time.
Thy Word
is a lamp unto my feet, a light unto my path. Psalm 119:105.
Trust in
the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding, in all your
ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your path. Proverbs 3:5-6.
A man’s
heart plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps. Proverbs 16:9.
Take the next step.
Do the next thing.
Doing the next thing
you’re certain God wants you to do, leads to the next step, and then, the next.
Do that, and you’ll never run out of things to do, and you’ll never get bored.
Lord, we want
to walk with You, step by step all the way, every day. Let us know the next
step, and we’ll take it.
Say, “amen” if you
mean it. Then, put on your walking shoes.
22 And when he
had landed at Caesarea, and gone up and greeted the church, he
went down to Antioch.
The way this is
worded sounds odd, if you follow it on a map. Because he went up south,
to the Church in Jerusalem. Then, he went down north to Antioch.
When going to Jerusalem,
topographically, you are always ascending in elevation, it’s the city on a
hill.
To the Jew, when
traveling to Jerusalem, you’re always headed “up” literally, and spiritually.
When Paul finally
makes it to Antioch of Syria, he’s gone full circle and thus ends his 2nd
missionary journey.
23 After he
had spent some time there...
He provided his home
Church a missionary update. You know,
like when a missionary you support visits your Church. They have a slide show. Salvation
report. Testimonies.
But then, barely taking
enough time to unpack, Paul was packing out for his 3rd missionary
journey
he departed and went over the region of Galatia and
Phrygia in order, strengthening all the disciples.
He runs the circuit again.
Strengthening the disciples. He’s not talking about the disciples
who walked with Jesus. He’s talking about all born again believers.
As a baby should grow
into an adult, every born-again believer should grow into a disciple.
If not, something’s
wrong.
We cannot stop at hallelujah
I’m saved and going to heaven.
We must grow and go
from glory to glory. 2 Cor. 3:18.
If we don’t. Something’s
wrong.
Deciding
to follow Jesus as Lord, is only the first step of a journey that
lasts forever.
A giant step from a child
to an adult is learning to count the cost.
Soul Winners and
Disciple Makers must begin by counting the cost.
It may be painful, but
reading the following passages slowly and seriously, is guaranteed to help you
grow.
Luke 14:26-28
“If anyone comes to me and does not
hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and
sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. 27 Whoever
does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. 28 For
which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count
the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?
Matthew 10:37-38
He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And
he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38 And
he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.
Matthew 16:24-25
If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and
take up his cross, and follow Me. 25 For whoever
desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake
will find it.
Luke 9:62
No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit
for the kingdom of God.
1 Timothy 4:1
Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart
from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines
of demons,
2 Peter 2:20-22
For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world
through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they
are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter
end is worse for them than the beginning. 21 For it
would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness,
than having known it, to turn from the holy
commandment delivered to them. 22 But it has
happened to them according to the true proverb: “A dog returns to
his own vomit,” and, “a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the
mire.”
Lord, help us to count the cost, and take
up our cross and follow You. We do not want to be wallowing sows or
vomiting dogs. Please help us be soul winners and disciple makers.
24 Now a
certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria an eloquent man and mighty
in the Scriptures, came to Ephesus.
Now a certain you...
put yourself in the story.
Apollos (not Apollo,
the false god) shows up in Ephesus.
Ephesus. That’s where we started. Paul, Aquila and
Priscilla sailed to Ephesus.
Then, Paul left Aquila
and Priscilla sitting on the bench in Ephesus.
But they weren’t
really on the bench, God was putting them in position for their next mission.
Walking with Jesus, even
if at times it feels like you’re on the bench, stay alert and ready, because
you’ve just been put in position for a new mission.
On a side note: Apollos
came from Alexandria which was a major city in Egypt, founded by Alexander the Great.
It had a big University, and the world’s largest library. It’s where the Hebrew
Scriptures were translated into Greek, called the Septuagint. After Antioch of
Syria, it became the central hub of the Christian world, for centuries.
25 This man had been instructed in
the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and
taught accurately the things of the Lord, though he knew only
the baptism of John.
He was instructed in the gospel of Christ as far as
John’s ministry would carry him; he knew preparing the way of the Lord by the
voice crying in the wilderness. Certainly, he heard of the death and
resurrection of Christ. But he had not heard of, or experienced, the outpouring
of the Holy Spirit, as on the day of Pentecost.
He was uniquely talented and gifted as an orator.
This is unusual.
Paul writes:
1
Corinthians 1:26-30
For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh,
not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
27 But
God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God
hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are
mighty; 28 And base things of the world, and things
which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to
nought things that are:
29 That
no flesh should glory in his presence.
Apollos could’ve been a powerful public speaker in any
profession.
But God called him. That made all the difference. He gave
him fervency in spirit, and a passion for the ways of the Lord.
Zechariah 4:6, Not by might nor by power,
but by My Spirit says the Lord of hosts.
Not by gifts, not by talents, not by eloquence, but by
My Spirit, says the Lord.
26 So he began
to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Aquila and Priscilla heard him,
they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.
The Superhero Silent
Knights, Aquila and Priscilla were there, listening, praying, paying attention.
They didn’t stay home
sitting on the bench sewing a tent.
They stayed engaged.
They were in position
for their new mission.
They didn’t quit
Church because they got hurt by Church (not that they did). But they could’ve thought
Paul did them wrong, and then blamed God, and on and on...
They maintained their
walk with Jesus.
When the crowd
listened to Apollos, and applauded his oratory skills, they listened to the
Lord and noticed he lacked understanding of the full gospel.
They did not despise
him or mock him or gossip about him. They did not say, we know better than him,
we’ll no longer listen to him. No, they took him under their wing and explained
the way of God more accurately, perfectly, excellently.
27 And when he desired to cross to Achaia,
the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him; and when he
arrived, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace; 28 for
he vigorously refuted the Jews publicly, showing from the Scriptures that Jesus
is the Christ.
Now we see Apollos
had another characteristic even superior to the other ones listed.
He was humble and
teachable.
He could’ve blown
Aquila and Priscilla off. Who do those thimble fingered tentmakers think they
are? Telling mighty me, excellent orator extraordinaire.
No, he listened and
changed his tune to grace and the Truth of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Relationship
trumps religion every time.
So, out there
somewhere Paul was preaching and writing and world changing.
Apollos was out there
doing likewise.
And with every Word,
every deed, every Seed. Aquila and Priscilla were a part of their mission.
Give your plans to God.
Say God willing
I will do this or that.
Stay the course,
bloom where you’re planted.
Stay engaged.
Stay humble and
teachable.
And watch the Lord
change the world, through you.
Let’s pray.
Lord
Jesus, we pray to be a hidden anchor holding fast, an invisible pillar strong
and steady, a superhero silent knight changing the world behind the scenes, one
person at a time.
A soul
winner and disciple maker.
For Your
name’s sake, and Your glory.
Thank
You, Lord.
We love
You, forever.
Amen.
Prayer
Requests:
Call or text:
612-554-2522
Email: pray4measap@aol.com
Facebook: Church at WPV
Books: amazon.com/author/dougspurling
Watch
online:
Facebook: Soul Winners and Disciple Makers, Acts
18:18-28
You Tube: Soul Winners and
Disciple Makers, Acts 18:18-28
This was feed for you
to read. Now it’s Seed for you to sow.
Thank you for
sharing.
No comments:
Post a Comment