2023-04-16 Getting Better All the Time

GETTING BETTER ALL THE TIME (Acts 18:24-28 April 16, 2023 Read Acts 18:24-28 - Full understanding of the Xn faith did not come to the early church overnight. There was an extensive transition from the traditions of Judaism to a full understanding of the implications of the life and work of Christ. We see 3 examples between Acts 18:18 and 19:7. Last week Paul took an OT vow of thanksgiving to God and renewed commitment to his mission. That was not wrong; he wasn't doing it to gain salvation. Today we'll see how that transition impacted Apollos and next week in 12 other men in Ephesus. The key question about Apollos is, was he saved? Had he died prior to this would he have gone to heaven? Yes - without a doubt. But he could not be called a Xn in the fullest sense of the word. He knew something about Christ, but bc he was caught in this transitional time, he didn't yet know some critical things about Jesus. His story shows the need for continuing growth in our knowledge of Christ, while being faithful to serve based on where we are. We all have room to grow. And as we grow, our capacity for ministry will increase. Billy Graham, despite the amazing success of his ministry was known as a humble man. When asked how he stayed so humble, a grandson replied, "When you begin every morning with God, you'll know you're not so great." I think Apollos did that. And his humility allowed him to grow as a representative of Christ. So, let's look at how God grew this man, and how He will grow us as well. How can we grow in our capacity to represent Jesus? I. Apollos Shared What He Knew of Christ So, Paul leaves P&A in Ephesus and soon a church has started. Then onto the scene comes a dynamic personality - Apollos. He goes to the synagogue and begins to speak boldly, apparently of Jesus. But there is a problem. He knows about Jesus, yet somehow his knowledge is deficient. Apollos was a Jew who lived in Alexandria, Egypt - 2nd only to Rome in importance in the Roman empire. It was founded by Alexander the Great, was a center of education and philosophy, had a university with the world's largest library of 700,000 volumes. A fourth of the population was Jewish. The great Jewish philosopher Philo resided there of whom Apollos may have been a student. He was "eloquent," learned and persuasive. He could a formidable debater and could hold a crowd in the palm of his hand. And he was "competent" in the Scriptures - the OT. Competent = Δυνατός = capable, mighty, well-versed. He knew the OT inside-out. It's clear from v. 25 he knew something of Jesus. He "spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus." What he knew was accurate. BUT it was also deficient, as seen by the fact that "he knew only the baptism of John" and had to get further instruction later. It's a transitional issue. So, with that big pix in mind, let's start at the beginning of the verse. First, Apollos was "instructed in the way of the Lord." The word "Lord" likely refers to Jesus. There is a flow to that. Apollos was mighty in the OT Scriptures. Then he somehow became acquainted with the ministry of John the Baptist - perhaps on a trip to a feast to Jerusalem or perhaps some of John's disciples had been to Alexandria, and "instructed" him. Recall that John's baptism called people to repentance, and he said of himself, quoting Isaiah: John 1:23: "I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, 'Make straight the way of the Lord.'" Along with calling people to repentance, he was preparing the way the Messiah, Jesus. That was the "way of the Lord" Apollos had been instructed in by John or his disciples. John also knew the identity of Messiah. He identified Jesus as "The Lamb who takes away the sin of the world" (Jn 1:29). It seems that Apollos had accepted John's baptism of repentance and knew at least that much about Jesus. How much more he knew is not clear. But as Apollos compared the facts John knew about Jesus - born of a virgin, born in Bethlehem, of the line of David, and so on - with what he knew of OT prophecy, he got excited - fervent in spirit - literally "boiling, glowing" with enthusiasm. His world was rocked by the thought that Messiah had arrived, and was named Jesus. So he began to teach what he knew of Jesus. But his knowledge was deficient. How deficient is not clear. He must have known something of Jesus' miracles and preaching. Got that from John. But he knew nothing of the Xn baptism - the outward means of believers identifying with Jesus in His death and resurrection. It's even possible that in this confusing, transitional time, he did not know of the death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus. But what he did know - he was sharing boldly! That's instructive! We think we need all the answers before we share Jesus with others. But that's a trap. Share what you know. Start where you are. I can tell you this; you know a lot more than Apollos did - and you couldn't stop him! If we all waited until we had all the answers, we'd never share Christ. Kent Hughes was in a café when with pastor friend who asked the Romanian waitress, "Have you made the wonderful discovery of knowing Jesus Christ personally?" She had not. So, he wrote on a napkin how God loved her; how her sin kept her from God; how Christ died to pay her penalty; and how she could personally accept God's gift by faith. He gave her some verses and later returned with a Romanian Bible. Next visit, she told him she'd been reading the Bible - sometimes all night - and she'd come to know Jesus. But she had a problem. Would he write out the steps again! The napkin he'd first written on was now in tatters from showing others. She didn't know much, but like Apollos she shared what she knew. That's our starting place. II. Apollos Learned More of Christ Why was Apollos in Ephesus. Perhaps business. It was 3rd largest city in the empire behind Rome and Alexandria. Surely his life changed there. He quickly made his way to the synagogue on fire for the Lord. Synagogues had rulers, but most of the priests and theologically educated Jews still resided in Israel. A visitor who could interpret the OT Scriptures in a clear and compelling manner, like Apollos was a welcome. So, he spoke boldly. Fortunately, Priscilla and Aquila were there as well and spotted a problem. What he knew was correct as far as it went, but it didn't go far enough. There were things about Jesus' life and ministry that Apollos did not know. P&A spotted that. Isn't it wonderful how God put them in the way of this talented man? What if Paul hadn't come to Ephesus. What if he hadn't invited Priscilla and Aquila along? What if they had been unwilling to come? But God is the God of "what if's." Nothing in His universe is by chance. So, there they are - P&A - the only couple within miles who could have spotted this problem. And how wisely they acted. They did not interrupt. They did not call him out publicly. They did put him down. They were wonderfully kind and sensitive. "They took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately." There was no jealousy in their hearts - not sense of superiority that would have been off-putting to Apollos. Their only thought was to help him, not humiliate him or condescend to him. They were graciously sensitive. Not like the salesclerk who offended customers with snide remarks. His boss asked, "Don't you ever think about the things you say before you say them?" The man answered, "No. I like to hear them for the first time along with everyone else." That guy had some issues. But aren't we the same when we are so quick to point out error, even if we humiliate someone in the process? So much better to do like P&A - create an atmosphere of privacy and security so the message can be heard as helpful rather than judgmental and critical. Apollos was mature as well. Though miles ahead of this tentmaking couple of intellectual prowess, he took their words to heart. This mighty preacher and skilled scholar was not too proud to listen. He's like a man in a car searching his old map without success for a destination. But a new map reveals a new road, and now he's good to go. Apollos "had been instructed in the way of the Lord" (25a), but they "explained to him the way of God more accurately" (26c). Apollos had that most marvelous of all qualities - he was teachable. None of us is ever beyond the need for further instruction in God's Word - no matter how long we've been Xns or how many degrees we hold. To know God's way more accurately - that should be the goal of all of us. That's why we have His Word. That's why Peter says, "Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation" (I Pet 2:2). That's what Apollos did. It's the attitude God wants us to cultivate -hungry and humble - hungry for the Word whenever we can get it - humble enough to listen and obey. If only we actually believed what Jesus said, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God" (Mt 4:4). Are you hungry; do you cultivate a hunger for the Word? We'd all be a lot better off with a little less TV and lot more of the Book. A man complained to the doc about stomach problems. Doc asked, "What have you been eating?" The guys says, "Well, I only eat pool balls. Red ones for breakfast, yellow and orange for lunch, purple and black for dinner." The doc says, "I see your problem. You're not getting enough greens!" Well, are you getting the greens of the Word? Or is it all dime-store novels, surfing the net and video games? Do you long for the Word? You say, "How do I develop an appetite?" Answer: Expose yourself to it every chance you get. I visited the COP in DC one time on business. Closer I got to his office the more I smelled something good. He'd just had some fresh fried chicken delivered. I couldn't wait to get to lunch - fried chicken. It's the same with the Bible. The more you get of it, the more you'll see the beauty and wonder of it - and Him. Hungry and humble will change your life. III. Apollos Grew in Exalting Christ Look what it did for Apollos. 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." Somehow, Apollos got the idea of going to Corinth. A&P must have had a hand in that. Perhaps they wanted their old friends there to benefit from Apollos' gifts as they had. So properly recommended, he went off to Corinth where he had a mighty ministry, further exalting Christ, skillfully showing thru OT Scripture that Jesus of Nazareth was indeed the Messiah. So effective was he that an Apollos cult developed. I Cor 1:11: "For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. 12 What I mean is that each one of you says, "I follow Paul," or "I follow Apollos," or "I follow Cephas," or "I follow Christ." So, was Paul jealous of that attention? Not at all. He knew they were all on the same team, furthering the same message of redemption thru Jesus. I Cor 3:5 "What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. 7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth." It wasn't about Paul; it wasn't about Apollos; it was about Christ, and Apollos had grown adept in his ability represent Jesus just like Paul. But it was God who caused the new birth; it was God who caused the growth in people's lives. Paul and Apollos just got the privilege of being God's instruments, and they wanted to be the sharpest tools they could be. Conc - So, it's a good time to ask ourselves - what kind of tool are we? Are we starting with what we already know - weak though it may be? Or have we been intimated into silence? Starting where we are, are we exposing ourselves to the Word - thru personal study, listening to sermons, being involved in Bible studies? Are we growing Christians? Ron Blankley was Cru Director at the U of Penn and attended Jim Boice's church. Boice had been preaching on the genealogies of Jesus, showing how they fit together and showed Jesus to be the only possible Messiah, fulfilling OT prophecy. The following week, Blankley was going thru a student lounge when he saw a young man reading the Bible. He remembered the Ethiopian eunuch and simply asked Philip's question: "Do you understand what you are reading?" The student said, "I'm reading the genealogies of Jesus - trying to make them fit together. They seem to be different." That opened a conversation for which Blankley had just been prepared that eventually resulted in that young man coming to faith in Christ. Isn't that good? It can be us. It's good to know Jesus died for our sins, was buried and rose again. But sometimes, those additional things can open doors that would not otherwise be open. We all have lots of room to "grow up into our salvation", right? Lots of room to know Him better. So, let's heed Peter's final advice to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (II Pet 3:18a). Who knows when and how the Lord will use us? Let's pray. 7