Acts 18:23 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 18:24-26 Now a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures, came to Ephesus. 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. 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.
I love biblical surprises, and there are a lot of them in the Bible….–It’s surprising that God saved a man like Saul, who became the great Apostle Paul.
Think of the surprise to the Israelites when they came to the Red Sea.
–Think of how surprising it was to live in Galilee when a man named Jesus suddenly starts turning water into wine, calming storms, healing the sick, casting out demons and raising the dead!
Surprise appearances of angels; surprise deliverances, like Peter’s miraculous prison-breaks; and surprise salvations. —Like when Sarah gives birth to Isaac at 90 years old! – Imagine 89-year-old women gathering the family to say, I have an announcement: I’M GOING TO HAVE A BABY!”
Apollos is one of those surprises. There’s no hint of him before chapter 18, and BOOM! He’s in Acts 19:1, and then you never hear of him in Acts again, although Paul mentions him 7 times in 1 Corinthians and 1 in Titus.
Though little is written about him in the scriptures, he’s an example of one of those surprising people who pop up from time to time in the book of Acts. And there are several things about him that are surprising.
FIRST, IT IS SURPRISING TO MEET A MAN WHO WAS “MIGHTY IN THE SCRIPTURES”
People who are “mighty in the scriptures” are rare, and it’s always a surprise to meet one. It was rare in Paul’s day, and in all the book of Acts, Apollos is the only one described this way—and it is rare today as well.
But what does it mean to be a person who is mighty in the scriptures?
To be mighty in the scriptures doesn’t mean having knowledge of the facts of the Bible in your head. Our knowledge of the Bible may be extensive and accurate, and yet we can be very ignorant of their spiritual meaning or implications, and not even be a believer.
Being “mighty in the scriptures” includes two things: First, it does involve knowing the FACTS of the Bible.
Knowing the Bible’s stories and its doctrines and the truths it embodies. But KNOWING the facts of Scripture is only the beginning. Being “mighty in the scriptures” involves APPLYING the scriptures to our life PERSONALLY.
The purpose of Scripture is not just to know it, but to OBEY it— to APPLY it to our life and LIVE it out in our life!
Joshua 1:8 says, Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, [That’s learning the facts. But what’s the PURPOSE of meditating on God’s Word?…], so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.
James 1:22-25 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.
So let’s strive to be “mighty in the scriptures” by not just knowing facts in the Bible, but APPLYING them in our lives—obeying them, living their truths out in our lives.
ANOTHER SURPRISING THING ABOUT APPOLLOS IS THAT HE WAS AN ELOQUENT MAN
It’s always surprising to find someone who can eloquently communicate God’s Word. I used to think that eloquence was a gift: You either have it, or you don’t; it’s something you’re born with.
But I’ve come to realize that I was not defining eloquence correctly. Eloquence is not the ability to mesmerize with special powers of speech; or the mastery of a large and colorful vocabulary. ELOQUENCE IS SPEAKING FROM THE HEART.
This kind of eloquence—what we might call “persuasive communication”—depends on something very important: a genuine conviction and excitement about what we’re communicating. (fervent-boil over with enthusiasm)
Now let me ask you a question: What kind of a witness are you for Christianity? Are you stirred about being saved? Consumed by Christ? Captivated by the Cross? Gripped by God? Moved by the scriptures?
In other words, are you so wrapped up in Jesus that when you’re able to share your faith, your witness is authentic; and the person listening can see that Jesus really has made a difference in your life, and that you truly believe He can make a difference in their life too?
The reason some Christians aren’t persuasive communicators for God is because the message of the Gospel has not penetrated to the inner depths of their hearts! They’re not captivated by the presence of God in their lives. Their lives are to wrapped up in this life, They’re too distracted to be consumed with God.
ANOTHER SURPRISE ABOUT APOLLOS WAS HOW TEACHABLE HE WAS
Verses 25 tells us Apollos only knew of the baptism of John. John’s baptism was one of repentance; those who were baptized looked forward to the coming Messiah. (Luke 3:16) Apollos knew about the promises, but he didn’t know about their fulfilment.
Apollos didn’t realize that Jesus was the Lamb of God the Jews were waiting for, or that He was the Son of God, or how He atoned for sin on the cross, or the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.
The message Apollos preached was not inaccurate or insincere; it was just incomplete. Yet Apollos was humble enough to be teachable.
It was while Apollos was teaching in the synagogue that Aquila and Priscilla had the opportunity to hear him speak. I really don’t know who I’m more impressed with Aquila and Priscilla or Apollos.
Vs26 says “they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. They opened their hearts and their home to this young preacher. They didn’t embarrass him in public but privately, lovingly completed his theological picture.
Teachability requires humility, and that’s what’s so surprising about Apollos. Here was a man who was smart, educated, sharp, eloquent, bold—one who knew the scriptures backwards and forwards; Yet, he humbly sat at the feet of these tentmakers to learn about Jesus.
He was smart enough to know–he didn’t know it all–and to know that learning is a life-long process. The Bible is complete but our understanding of the Bible is far from complete and we need open minds and have receptive hearts that we may continue to learn.
No Leadership in any church can claim infallibility! One thing I’ve learned over my years in the ministry, is that some of the most profound truths I’ve ever heard came from the lips of just everyday folks. God help ALL of us to have a teachable spirit, both as followers and leaders.
Conclusion:
In Acts 18 Paul met Aquilla and Pricilla in Corinth (tent makers) where they learned from him for 18 months. (They all left Corinth together) (Paul left Aquilla & Pricilla in Ephesus) We see here they are paying it forward.
God had to take Apollos through a growth process before He could fully use him…
He did that by placing Aquila and Priscilla in his path…Then God used Apollos in a big way: Acts 18:27-28 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.
Paul wrote, 1 Corinthians 3:6 “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.
Can you recall someone, a pastor or Sunday School teacher or friend who challenged you to go further than you would have on your own?
An ordinary Sunday School teacher named Ed was concerned for a young man in his class named Dwight, so he shared Christ with him in the back room of a shoe store. Dwight got saved and eventually became a well-known evangelist. Years later, when preaching in the British Isles, Dwight told the story of Ed who led each of the boys in his Sunday School class to Christ. This inspired a pastor named Fred to share Christ with everyone he met. Once, when Fred was preaching, a man named Wilbur got saved, who became one of the most effective evangelists of his time.
A retired baseball player named Billy learned from Wilbur and started holding crusades. A group of Christians wanted him to come to Charlotte, but he was unable to make it, so another evangelist named Mordecai took his place. The crowds were small, but one night, a tall, lanky 16-year-old went forward to give his life to Christ. His name was Billy. Billy Graham went on to communicate the gospel with more people than anyone else in history. And it all started with a Sunday School teacher.
You may have heard of Billy Graham, Billy Sunday and D.L. Moody, but you probably haven’t heard much about Edward Kimball, Wilbur Chapman or Mordecai Hamm. These men were mighty in the scriptures, fervent in spirit, eloquent in speech and they were teachable.
(PROGRESSION OF DISCIPLESHIP)
You may never know this side of eternity the dividends that your investment in someone’s life will make.
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