FRIDAY, 10 FEBRUARY 2023
TEXT:
Acts 18:1-28
1.
After these things he departed from Athens, and came to Corinth.
2.
And he found a certain Jew named Aquila, a man of Pontus by race, lately come
from Italy, with his wife Priscila, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews
to depart from Rome: and he came unto them;
3.
and because he was of the same trade, he abode with them, and they wrought, for
by their trade they were tentmakers.
4.
And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded Jews and Greeks.
5.
But when Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul was constrained by
the word, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ.
6.
And when they opposed themselves and blasphemed, he shook out his raiment and
said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean: from henceforth I
will go unto the Gentiles.
7.
And he departed thence, and went into the house of a certain man named Titus
Justus, one that worshipped God, whose house joined hard to the synagogue.
8.
And Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord with all his
house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and where baptized.
9.
And the Lord said unto Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak and
hold not thy peace:
10.
for I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to harm thee: for I have much
people in this city.
11.
And he dwelt there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.
12.
But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews with one accord rose up
against Paul and brought him before the judgment-seat,
13.
saying, This man persuadeth men to worship God contrary to the law.
14.
But when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said unto the Jews, If indeed
it were a matter of wrong or wicked villainy, O ye Jews, reason would that I should
bear with you:
15.
but if they are questions about words and names and your own law, look to it
yourselves; I am not minded to be a judge of these matters.
16.
And he drove then from the judgment-seat.
17.
And they all laid hold on Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him
before the judgment-seat. And Gallio cared for none of these things.
18.
And Paul, having tarried after this yet many days, took his leave of the brethren,
and sailed thence for Syria, and with him Priscila and Aquila: having shorn his
head in Cenchreae; for he had a vow.
19.
And they came to Ephesus, and he left them there: but he himself entered into
the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews.
20.
And when they asked him to abide a longer time, he consented not;
21.
but taking his leave of them, and saying, I will return again unto you if God
will, he set sail from Ephesus.
22.
And when he had landed at Caesarea, he went up and saluted the church, and went
up and saluted the church, and went down to Antioch.
23.
And having spent some time there, he departed, and went through the region of
Galatia, and Phrygia, in order, establishing all the disciples.
24.
Now a certain Jew named Apollos, and Alexandrian by race, an eloquent man, came
to Ephesus; and he was mighty in the scriptures.
25.
This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in
spirit, he spake and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, knowing
only the baptism of John:
26.
and he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. But when Priscila and Aquila
heard him, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more
accurately.
27.
And when he was minded to pass over into Achaia, the brethren encouraged him, and
wrote to the disciples to receive him: and when he was come, he helped them
much that had believed through grace;
28.
for he powerfully confuted the Jews, and that publicly, showing by the
scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.
(American Standard Version Holy
Bible)
TOPIC:
OCCUPYING IN YOUR LOCAL CHURCH
God
gifted the early church with a couple – Aquila and his Wife Priscila. They were
lay people but had a good knowledge of the Scriptures combined with passion for
the business of God’s Kingdom.
This
couple assisted the ministry of Paul in the area of their common trade in tent
making and in the planting and nurturing of churches. They also assisted in the
training of Apollos, who was a gifted preacher in the early church.
Note
again that Aquila and his wife Priscila were not among the clergy; they were
lay people! How are you occupying your given space in the local church where
God has placed you? Some are only good at castigating leaders in the church.
This
is unfortunate! While wrongdoing is not to be overlooked, it is important that
believers are not found witch-hunting others in the church. Faultfinding is not
a spiritual gift. It is also not a fruit of the Holy Spirit. Start this weekend
with a repentant heart and an attitude of edifying the body of Christ not
destroying it!
QUESTION:
Why are finding fault in others as if you are faultless yourself?
PRAYER:
Lord, give me a vision for edifying Your church, not only eyes for seeing the
fault of others. Amen.
Remain
Blessed
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