Hello,
Read Acts 18:23-19:20
Today’s passage brings both Apollos and Paul to Ephesus. Apollos is then sent on to Corinth before Paul arrives and teaches for 2 years in Ephesus. Just like the large port city of Corinth, Paul now lingers and puts down roots in the large port city of Ephesus and makes faith in Jesus one of its exports.
Today we get a couple one verse travels as Paul leaves Antioch and goes through Galatia and Phrygia (18.23), and then in 19.1 Paul travels through the interior and comes to Ephesus on the western coast of modern-day Turkey. In these two verses alone Paul has traveled by road (most likely on foot) almost 700 miles.
As we look at this section of Acts, I want us to look at the other characters, since we still have time with Paul in Ephesus tomorrow. First, we meet Apollos a learned Jew from Alexandria famous for its large library (credit, shortly after Apollos and Paul’s time Ephesus boasted one of the largest libraries of its day). Apollos knows the scriptures and knows some about Jesus, but he learns even more when Priscilla and Aquilla take him in. Apollos shows us the importance of wisdom and that we can always learn more about Jesus as we explore the mysteries of God.
The other character(s) I want to look at are these sons of Sceva, who tried to use the name of Jesus to cast out evil spirits. As they do so, the evil spirit responds to them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?” These seven sons of Sceva highlight the importance of our own faith journeys. It is not enough to know what others think, believe and do. What matters is our relationship with Jesus. This is important for us, but also in how we talk about Jesus to others. People want to know why faith in Jesus is important to you, not some pastor or theologian you’ve heard or read.
How have others instructed you in the faith, like Priscilla and Aquilla instructed Apollos? How are you instructing others in the faith? Are you being discipled and discipling others right now? If not, I invite you to pray about who you could ask to learn from and be discipled by. And also ask in prayer who God might be calling you to disciple. The good news of Jesus is meant to spread person to person.
Grace and Peace,
Matt