Good weekend to you my ‘Walking with Jesus’ friends,
Do you have some journeys you like to take which bring you back to special places in the story of your lifetime? Maybe a return to your childhood home or schools you attended, or maybe special vacation spots filled with past memories you cherish. Would you believe that’s how it was for the apostle Paul about 2000 years ago?
I left you yesterday in Syrian Antioch, that great multi-cultural, booming city where the followers of Jesus were first called Christians, remember? (Acts 11:27) From this great city, Paul had TWICE been sent out on ‘missionary journeys’, first with Barnabas in 46ad. (Acts 13:1-4) And then in 49ad a second journey with Silas. (Acts 15:40) Over the past few weeks we have followed along with Dr. Luke’s journal of those trips. Both times Paul’s mission was to take the Gospel of Jesus Christ west into Asia and then ultimately the great cities of Macedonia and Greece. These were primarily Gentile cities, where the name and Gospel of Jesus Christ was virtually unknown. Yesterday we saw in Acts 18:22 that Paul arrived back in Syrian Antioch concluding his second missionary journey. We believe that to have been in 52ad.
Sadly, we have no record of the months Paul was there as he reported on these great journeys, but we can imagine his reporting meetings were filled with exuberance and celebration as the Antioch Christians heard what God was doing in faraway places by the power of Jesus Christ changing lives!
It seems it was not long before the Holy Spirit stirred again and Paul obediently headed out from Syrian Antioch on his THIRD and longest missionary journey. One sentence describes this historic season in early 53ad: “After spending some time in Antioch, Paul set out from there and traveled from place to place throughout the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.” (Acts 18:23)
Acts 19:1 tells us “Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus…” Unlike Paul’s previous two trips, there is no mention of traveling companions with Paul. However, neither does it indicate Paul traveled alone. While we have no day-to-day record, because Paul’s intent was to strengthen all the disciples along the way, we presume Paul followed his previous route visiting towns such as Tarsus, his hometown, then Derbe, Lystra, Iconium and Pisidian Antioch.
These had been towns to which Paul brought the Gospel in his first missionary journey, several years before, remember? (Acts 13:14-14:25) Each town, of course, was filled with memories, both joyful and difficult. What a thrilling experience this must have been for Paul to sit with these gatherings of dear friends hearing reports of what the Holy Spirit had done in each town since Paul’s first visit. The absence of any record of those meetings tells me Paul’s driving focus was a soon return to Ephesus where he had left Aquila and Priscilla, remember? (Acts 18:18-22)
I love the word “meanwhile”, do you? When used in the Bible, it reminds us God is working in multiple places simultaneously to accomplish His great purposes. Acts 18:24 reports: “Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John.” Now with only that information about this man Apollos, what do you conclude about him and what he was doing in Ephesus? Do you see him fitting into Jesus’ global plan of building His church or is Apollos a distraction perhaps causing confusion?
Alexandria, Egypt was the second most significant city in the Roman empire in those days. A major business and educational center. Apollos was a scholar, perhaps a professor at the university in Alexandria. A committed Jew, Apollos knew the Old Testament Scriptures perhaps almost as well as Paul. Evidently Apollos had heard about John the Baptist and his message of repentance and preparation for Jesus as Messiah. Apollos was evidently convinced Jesus was the Messiah, but it appears Apollos did not understand the Gospel of Jesus and the born again’ work of the Holy Spirit we call regeneration. (John 3:3-7; 2 Corinthians 5:17) Nor did Apollos have any understanding of spiritual sanctification and spiritual gifting work of the Spirit which Paul had taught.
As a result, while Apollos was a powerful orator and deeply committed to God, he had yet so much to learn about Jesus Christ and His life changing Gospel. Pause. How well do you know your Bible and can explain it to others, especially your own family? How well do you understand the life transforming work of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and can you explain it well to others? And what about your love for Jesus? How does that motivate you to know God’s Word and deepen your relationship with Jesus, so you can help the name of Jesus become famous in your town?
Monday we’ll see how God’s sovereignty is seen once again as Apollos meets two people who help him know and experience the life changing Gospel truth of Jesus. Can you imagine who those two people are? For today, the “lessons learned” notes will help you as we begin this new journey with Paul, and a wonderful worship song will draw your hearts to praise, and I’ll be here ready for you on Monday.
Today’s Scripture: Acts 18:23-25.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
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Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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