Acts 18:24-28
English
Standard Version (ESV)
24 Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of
Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the
Scriptures. 25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord.
And being fervent in spirit,[a] he spoke and taught accurately the things
concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John. 26 He
began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard
him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. 27 And
when he wished to cross to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the
disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he greatly helped those who through
grace had believed, 28 for he powerfully refuted the Jews in
public, showing by the Scriptures that the Christ was Jesus.
As I write this blog I sometimes feel much like
Apollos. There is so much to learn, I
don’t know it all, but oh how I want to proclaim the Good News of Jesus
Christ. This is why it is so important
for us to not depend on our own knowledge but to grow in our knowledge and
understanding of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Attending church, Sunday School, small groups, and one on one with other
individuals are all key ways to grow in our knowledge of Him.
I believe Apollos had the Holy Spirit guiding Him as stated,
“being fervent in spirit” or s “in the spirit” yet, he lacked some information
pertaining to the ways of God.
Prisicilla and Aquila did not discount him when his words were not
exactly correct but rather mentored him and guided him in learning the correct
ways of the Lord. Apollos, on the other
hand, apparently received their instruction well. He did not get defensive towards them but
learned from them. This is the ideal
teaching opportunity. Often times we
become arrogant in our knowledge rather than simply helping someone learn. Those who think they know it already, become
defensive. If we could learn this life
lesson on both sides of the table, we could be so much more effective as
Christians.
As for teaching, note, that it was not solely Aquila that
taught him, in fact, Priscilla’s name is listed first. The two of them, as a team, were able to help
Apollos in the understanding of the ways of God. The lesson for me today is not to discount
anyone from learning or from teaching.
God works in and through all of us who trust on Him. Apollos learned and moved forward. We can choose whether we want to learn or
hold a grudge. Whether we want to move
forward or stay where we are.
As you seek Him today ask Him to bring those into your life
who can help you grow in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior. Learn from the Word and learn from each other.
Seeking Him with all my heart,
Sheila
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