Spirit-empowered Knowing: How the Holy Spirit strengthens the church by using you to help people move from knowing about Jesus to knowing Jesus.

Jason Plumer

First Baptist Church Litchfield

Acts • Sermon • Submitted 3 years ago

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Something is Missing

God has given me wonderful opportunities to have multiple gospel conversations with children, parents, grandparents, and guardians through Tending The Vine. One thing I notice about many of my conversations is there are missing pieces of understanding to the gospel.

I will have conversations where the child or the adult will be able understand Jesus was a real human being who lived a long time ago, but do not understand he was fully divine (God). Some of them will be able to say that the gospel is good, it is light, it is something that will set you free, but have no idea of how it sets you free or from what it sets you free. The children especially will say they like being at church and even excited about doing church activities like youth group and bible study, but cannot acknowledge the Holy Spirit’s presence or work. Something seems to be missing in their understanding of God’s redemption plan. Its as if they know the things about Jesus, but do not genuinely know Jesus.

This morning you will see the Holy Spirit has a plan for you in the church. There are two kinds of people listening this sermon. One the one hand, there are those who know about Jesus. You facts and dates. You’ve watched Discovery Channel’s Easter special and have a good idea about the man. You might even be one of those who have memorized scripture because you have involved yourself in church culture for many years. Yes, you know about Jesus, but you do not know Jesus. In your everyday life, he is more of an acquaintance than a Savior. Today is the day you can truly know Jesus.

On the other hand, there are those of you who do know Jesus, and Jesus knows you. You have confessed your sin and accepted his gift of salvation by putting your only hope for eternal life in his work on the cross and resurrection. You have baptized with the Holy Spirit upon your confession of faith and your life is marked not by perfection, but by humble obedience to your King. For you, the plan is clear as well. The Holy Spirit empowers you to help those who know about Jesus come to know Jesus.

The Holy Spirit strengthens the church by using you to help people move on from knowing about Jesus to truly knowing Jesus.

In verses Acts 18:18-23, Paul ends his second missionary journey. He travels east across the Aegean see to Ephesus. He took Priscilla and Aquila with him, which proves valuable later on in Acts 18.

Verse 18 says that Paul was under some vow. We are not sure if it was a Nazirite vow (Numbers 6:1-21) or a personal vow. Vows like this are typically finished with a sacrifice at the temple in Jerusalem, which is where Paul was eventually headed. Paul was very Jewish and practiced his Jewish customs. Luke does not say anything about a sacrifice because there would have been no need for one. That does not , however, stop Paul from worshiping God in the way he grew up. Now, for Paul, he takes vows in light of Jesus the Messiah. My thinking is it is probably a personal vow of some kind Paul made.

Paul does not stay long in Ephesus even though the Ephesian Jews ask him to remain. He says he will return “if God wills,” showing Paul’s commitment to the sovereignty of God. God does will for Paul to return as you see in

Acts 19:1 ESV

And it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples.

God has great plans for his church in Ephesus, but now is not the time. Paul is moving toward Jerusalem. After greeting the Jerusalem church, he arrives back at the Antioch Church where his journey began. From here he will begin his third and final missionary journey as you see in

Acts 18:23 ESV

After spending some time there, he departed and went from one place to the next through the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.

At the end of Paul’s second missionary journey you see a faithful God using his people to joyfully advance His kingdom by making much of Jesus in the church, community, and home. The Holy Spirit empowered Paul to testify of Jesus to the ends of the earth, just like Jesus promised he would do in

Acts 1:8 ESV

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Paul is not the only one in whom the Spirit is empowering. The church is filled with believers who have the same Spirit who are equipped to testify just as powerfully as Paul. A good example is Aquila and Priscilla. They go on mission with Paul to strengthen the church where it does exists and establish the church where it does not exist, as David Platt would say.

They decide to stay in Ephesus as Paul moved on in verse 23. At Ephesus they encounter a passionate and articulate young man named Apollos who spoke boldly about Jesus, but did not really know Jesus.

Who was Apollos? (Acts 18:24)

Acts 18:24 ESV

Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures.

Apollos, a young charismatic Jewish man, born and raised in Alexandria, Egypt. Alexandria was the second largest city in the Roman empire. It was built around a massive library that held some 400,000 books, making it the center of the Ivy League in the Hellenistic world. It was in Alexandria that Jewish scholars produced the Septuagint, the Greek version of the Hebrew Bible.

Luke says of Apollos that he was an “eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures,” meaning he was formally trained in Rhetoric and the Torah. He was skilled at debate and in the languages of Greek and Hebrew. It is likely he had a firm grasp of Platonic philosophy. Apollos was cultured in Graeco Roman society. It appears Apollos was on track to become an influential scholar or teacher. It is clear that Apollo knew a lot about a lot, but he did not know enough about Jesus. God was going to enlighten him.

Knowing About Jesus (Acts 18:25)

Acts 18:25 ESV

He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John.

Apollos was a good Jewish man who had been exposed to the Christian faith likely in Alexandria. Luke says he was “instructed in the way of the Lord.” He was formally taught about the faith. Apollos knew about Jesus, and was even excited about what he did know. However, his knowledge was deficient.

Some scholars take the phrase “fervent in spirit” to mean that he was filled with the Holy Spirit. I don’t think this is the case because Priscilla and Aquila have to correct his understanding of Jesus in verse 26. He only knew the message of the baptism of John the Baptist. John’s message to Israel was one of repentance in anticipation of the Messiah.

Mark 1:4–5 ESV

John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

John’s message was about preparation for the Messiah to come. And he did come. His name was Jesus, and his message was about salvation.

Mark 1:15 ESV

and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

The context seems to say that Apollos was taught about John’s message pertaining to Christ, and was even passionate about it. However, Jesus was not yet Lord of His life. Apollos had not yet been baptized with the Holy Spirit and did not have saving faith. Something was missing.

This reminds me of John Wesley’s gospel experience. When he was a young boy, his house caught on fire. He was stuck in the upstairs loft. He was able to get to a window where his father and some other men of the community were encouraging him to jump. With the flames scorching his back, he leapt into his father’s arms. His mother grabbed him and told him that God must have a plan for him. From that point on, Wesley tried to live a holy life.

His father was a pastor and John served with him fro a time. Here was a student at Oxford he studied theology, Greek and logic. In order to maintain his strict commitment to holiness, he started a group called the “Holy Club” with George Whitfield and his brother Charles. John worked really hard at being a Christian, but something was missing. He wanted so bad to please God and be holy that he went so far as to become a missionary to American Indians in the American colony of Georgia, where he failed miserably. He was forced to return to England after a short time. He wrote in his diary

“I went to America to convert the Indians; but oh, who shall convert me?” John Wesley

John Wesley knew something was missing. He knew a lot about Jesus, but he did not know Jesus. I feel like this is the position many of our children and their families, and most of our neighbors are presently. Maybe this describes some of you? Maybe you’ve grown up in the church, or maybe you have been active in a church for 10, 20, or 30 years. You have come to know some things about Jesus from your bible study or from sermons. But deep down inside you know something is missing. Their is a piece of the gospel puzzle that is not connecting all the other pieces together. Maybe this morning you need to move from knowing about Jesus to knowing Jesus.

You see, what Apollos was missing was the meaning of the cross and the resurrection.

The Messiah came to live a perfect life in order to die a sacrificial death. He came to die in the place of you, sinner, as a substitute, so he could take your sin on himself and in exchange give you his righteousness.

You cannot please God apart from Christ’s righteousness. No matter how much knowledge you have of the bible, it will never make you righteous enough to stand in God’s presence. You can only have Christ righteousness by knowing Jesus, as a personal Savior. Knowing Jesus is faith in Jesus. You surrender your life to Him and believe upon his salvation.

Romans 10:9–10 ESV

because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

Your faith in Jesus justifies you, that is makes you righteous. Do you how many people who are in hell right now who knew their bible and sat in church pews hearing about Jesus? They had all kinds of knowledge, but no relationship with him. When they died and said to him, “Didn’t I prophesy in your name? Didn’t I do good deeds in your name Jesus? Didn’t know your scriptures? And he said to them, Depart from me! I never knew you!.” You can’t come here and get religion to save you. The best religion can do for you, maybe, is reform you. You need to be transformed by Jesus, and transformation only happens when you know Him! Faith is how you move from knowing about Jesus to knowing Jesus.

Do you know Him?

Discipled to Know Jesus (Acts 18:26)

Acts 18:26 ESV

He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.

Verse 26, helps you know how the Holy Spirit uses you, Christian, to help those who know about Jesus move to knowing Jesus. Apollos is speaking boldly in the synagogue, but he’s missing the mark. He needs discipleship to the cross and resurrection. David Sills rightly says here,

“We see here that speaking boldly about Jesus is not enough. One must also accurately understand the faith. Priscilla and Aquila served both Apollos and the kingdom by taking time to instruct him.” David Sills

Notice how Priscilla and Aquila come alongside Apollos to instruct him. They “explain the way of God more accurately” to him. There is a neat dynamic in play here.

First, you must give props to Priscilla. Here you have a woman who is knowledgeable in the scriptures and able to help Apollos understand the truth of Jesus. There is a place for women in the church.

Second, notice how the The Holy Spirit uses the family to instruct and disciple. Priscilla and Aquila were a husband and wife team. How important is the family in the process of discipleship and evangelism?

Third, notice the intentionality of Priscilla and Aquila. They heard him preach boldly, but knew something was off. They sought him with the intent to correct his understanding of Jesus. They brought the truth about Jesus to him.

Finally, notice the grace given to Apollos. Priscilla and Aquila did not stand up and call him a heretic or humiliate him in front of his peers. They did to cancel him because he was not spot on with the gospel. They graciously took him aside and spoke life into his life.

The Holy Spirit used all of this to move Apollos from knowing about Jesus to knowing Jesus. He needed an accurate understanding of Jesus as the Messiah who died on the cross and rose from the grave. That was missing. The Holy Spirit used a godly husband and wife who were committed to the kingdom of God to graciously disciple Apollos to the cross and to eternal life, and life was given to Apollos. We know that because in verse 27, the brothers of the church approved his message and encouraged him to preach the gospel in Achaia. Apollos had saving faith and was now equipped with the Holy Spirit to joyfully advance the kingdom of God by making much of the resurrected Jesus in the church, community and home.

John Wesley had the same thing happen to him. When Wesley came back to London, he reconnected with some Moravian Christians he did ministry with previously. On May 24, 1738, Wesley was at a bible study on Romans at a leader’s home. He wrote in is journal:

“In the evening I went very unwillingly to a society in Aldersgate Street where one was reading Luther’s preface to the Epistle to the Romans. About a quarter before nine, while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone, for salvation; and an assurance was given me, that he had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.” John Wesley

Kent Hughes makes an interesting comment on Wesley conversion:

“ Amazingly, until Aldersgate, John Wesley, a man who knew more theology and was more dedicated than most believers, did not know Christ or the saving power of the Holy Spirit. He was in the church but was condemned!” Kent Hughes

The Holy Spirit moved Wesley from knowing about Jesus to knowing Jesus by faith in the home of a Christian who was serious about the kingdom of God. He used a family who opened their home to disciple people who know about Jesus to the cross and the resurrection so those people can know Jesus. So it was with Apollos and so it has been for so many in the church.

I would not be here right now had Dave and Tracy Futral not opened their home to me as a young college kid. They fed me, entertained me, prayed for me, open the scriptures to me, and led me to knowing Jesus. I am forever grateful to the both of them.

Will that be your legacy to the church?

Will that be our legacy to Litchfield? We are the people of God who open our homes and family to helping people move from knowing about Jesus to knowing Jesus?

Look at what happens when Apollos is changed. The fruit of discipling people to the cross and Resurrection of Jesus, from knowing about Jesus to knowing Jesus is threefold.

Knowing Jesus, you can go on mission (Acts 18:27)

Acts 18:27 ESV

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,

Apollos is now filled with the Holy Spirit. His zeal is on track and he is ready to leave Ephesus and go on mission. He was affirmed by the church to preach the gospel, the right gospel. It is imperative that we disciple one another in the faith if for no reason than to ensure the fidelity of the gospel message.

Knowing Jesus, you can help the saints (Acts 18:27)

Acts 18:27 ESV

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,

What did Apollos do with his changed heart? He greatly helped those who through grace had believed. The verb for the word help means, “ to assist in supplying what may be needed.” He became and instrument of grace to the church, which likely included discipleship. He joined the effort in help those who know about Jesus move toward knowing Jesus.

Knowing Jesus, you can joyfully advance the kingdom of God by making much of Jesus (Acts 18:28)

Acts 18:28 ESV

for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that the Christ was Jesus.

Finally, he used his education to do apologetics. He defended the faith with power and accuracy. He proved from the sacred texts that Jesus is the messiah, the Savior of the world. He told them about how God promised, even in the Garden of Eden, that one day a Savior would come to reverse the curse of sin and make everything right again. The Savior would suffer and die at the hands of his people like a criminal taking on their sin so that He can make them righteous. Apollos told them that Savior is Jesus the one born of a virgin of the line of David. He told them the Jesus preached his message of salvation and verified his message with miracles of healing, feeding, and casting out demons. he told them that Jesus fulfilled the scriptures of Isaiah by being crucified on a tree and being raised again thee days later. And anyone who puts their faith in his death on the cross for their sin and resurrection, they will be saved. he got the gospel right and many were saved in his ministry.

Apollos is mentioned six other times int he bible. Paul uses him as an illustration in 1 Corinthians. Apollos was so popular as a preacher that many people began to prefer him over Paul. This was not Apollos’s doing but the immaturity of the Corinthian believers. Some people believe that Apollos wrote the epistle to Hebrews. Apollos goes on to have a immensely successful and fruitful ministry.

I just have to think to myself when I look at TTV or the youth we serve, if God has not willed another Apollos in that group? How many Paul’s are out there in our community? How many are out there who know about Jesus but are missing the crucial piece of the gospel puzzle to knowing Jesus?