THE WAY OF GOD
Text: Acts 18:24-28
Introduction
1. Illustration: A little girl called out, "Mommy, you know that vase in the China cabinet, the one that’s been handed down from generation to generation?" Yes, dear, I know which one you mean, what about it? "Well, Mommy, I’m sorry, but this generation just dropped it!" Now some earthly possessions have sentimental value, and to break them is great loss, but how much more tragic it would be for a new generation to "drop it" spiritually - to fail to pass along the Godly heritage they have received! That would be an eternal loss.
2. When one generation passes on the things of God to the next generation, the church thrives; but when one generation fails to pass on the way of God to the next generation, the church dies.
3. When Tina and I were in bible college, we had a professor named Dr. Robert Kurka. Dr. Kurka took us under his wing and taught us the things of God. It was because his was willing to explain to us the things of God more accurately, we have been able to pass it on to others.
4. In every church I’ve ever pastored I have always tried to mentor a young person in the faith, and that is something I will always try to do.
5. Read Acts 18:24-28
Transition: It is the responsibility of those more mature in the faith to be…
I. Raising Up a New Generation (24-26).
A. Explained the Way of God
1. If you recall, in the previous section, Paul went to reason with the Jews in the synagogue and did not take Aquila and Priscilla with him. However, that doesn’t mean that Aquila and Priscilla took a vacation. They had ministry of their own to do.
2. In v. 24 Luke tells us, “Meanwhile, a Jew named Apollos, an eloquent speaker who knew the Scriptures well, had arrived in Ephesus from Alexandria in Egypt.”
a. While Paul was off doing his thing, Aquila and Priscilla found a preacher named Apollos.
b. He was from Alexandria in Egypt, which was another educational center in the Roman Empire and probably the second most important city in the empire.
c. Because of growing up in an educational center, Apollos was a very cultured and trained in philosophy and public speaking.
d. Luke tells us that he “knew the Scriptures well.” In this case, the Scriptures refers to the OT, as he was a Jew.
e. Remember, at this point the NT Scriptures didn’t yet exist.
3. The next thing that Luke tells us, in v.25, about Apollos is, “He had been taught the way of the Lord, and he taught others about Jesus with an enthusiastic spirit and with accuracy. However, he knew only about John’s baptism.”
a. As a result of being trained in public speaking, he was a very powerful and eloquent preacher.
b. Somewhere he had been trained in the way of the Lord, but his knowledge of the Lord was incomplete because all he knew was the baptism of John.
c. His knowledge was based on the OT Scriptures.
d. What is the baptism of John? It is a reference to the baptism of John the Baptist. John had been preaching in the wilderness and people were coming to him for baptism.
e. His baptism was a baptism of repentance and turning to God. Christian baptism, however, is a baptism of discipleship.
f. Apollos preaching was probably a more polished version of John’s message of turning from sin and towards God.
g. He needed to learn more about who Jesus was and what he taught.
h. One of the things about Apollos preaching is that he preached with an “enthusiastic spirit.” This means that he spoke with great excitement and feeling.
i. People complain and criticize believers who worship with excitement and feeling saying that it’s all just emotionalism.
j. Well, I ask those people what’s wrong with being emotional? God gave us emotion for a reason, and one of those reasons is to worship him! If we can go and get emotional at a sporting event but not about God, we have a problem.
k. If you can’t get excited about worshiping the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, maybe you need to spend more time in prayer!
l. Methodist where known for their enthusiastic worship, and I think we need to get back to that kind of worship. I think it’s time for us to get excited about Jesus!
4. Now, this is where Aquila and Priscilla come into the scene. In v. 26 it says, “When Priscilla and Aquila heard him preaching boldly in the synagogue, they took him aside and explained the way of God even more accurately.”
a. So, here we have this enthusiastic and well-spoken young man, who is adequate in interpreting the OT Scriptures about the messiah, who is noticed by Priscilla and Aquila as he spoke in the synagogue, they take him aside and teach where he is lacking.
b. Although Luke is not specific, they probably took Apollos to their home, telling him about the life of Jesus, his death and resurrection, and the coming of the Holy Spirit.
c. After they shared the rest of the story with Apollos, he began to see how Jesus fulfilled the OT prophecies about the Messiah.
d. This new information filled him with a new sense of excitement and boldness to share the complete message of the Good News.
e. There are two things we should notice about this chain of events. First, you have a couple filled with the Spirit and knowledge of Jesus, took the time to share the fullness of the Gospel with this talented young man.
f. They could have easily walked away and said nothing and just let him go his own way. But they took the initiative and shared a more complete message about Jesus. They took him under their wing and mentored him.
g. The second thing that we should notice is that Apollos was willing to learn. Apollos could have easily told Priscilla and Aquila to mind their own business, or who do you think you are to teach me?
h. But rather, he humbled himself and allowed this couple, who had been taught by Paul, to make him more fit to share the Good News.
i. This shows us the importance of maintaining a teachable spirit.
j. We can always learn from others. Younger people can learn from the older and more mature believer, and likewise, older people can learn from people younger than them.
k. The key is to stay teachable!
B. Teach These New Disciples
1. Illustration: "...In most churches, the congregation pays the pastor to preach, win the lost, and build up the saved—-while the church members function as cheerleaders (if they are enthusiastic) or spectators. The "converts" are won, baptized, and given the right hand of fellowship, then they join the other spectators. How much faster our churches would grow, and how much stronger and happier our church members would be, if each one were discipling another believer. The only way a local church can "be fruitful and multiply" (instead of growing by "additions") is with a systematic discipleship program. This is the responsibility of every believer, and not just a small group who have been 'called to go.'" (Wiersbe, W. W. (1996, c 1989). The Bible Exposition Commentary. "An exposition of the New Testament comprising the entire 'BE' series"--Jkt. (Mt 28:16).
2. Beloved, it is the responsibility of all believers to disciple new believers.
a. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matt. 28:19-20).
b. This Scripture passage is known as the “Great Commission,” and not the “Great Suggestion!”
c. You’ll notice that Jesus didn’t say, “if you feel like it, as you’re going and make disciples.” He also didn’t say, “if you have nothing better to do, as you’re going make disciples.”
d. This is a commandment from to Jesus to ALL BELIEVERS.
e. Recently, Tina interviewed a young man for an auditor’s position at work. She really liked the young man and wanted to hire him, until he said he only wanted to come to the office once a week!
f. Not making disciples is like telling Jesus I only want to show up for church on Sunday, but I don’t want to show others how to follow you.
g. This is a requirement for us as believers; it’s a commandment. We don’t get a choice.
h. We are commanded by Jesus to as we are going, teach others about him.
i. When we do this, the church grows and thrives.
Transition: Our next requirement as believers is…
II. Releasing a New Generation (27-28).
A. Brothers and Sisters in Ephesus
1. Now more adequately prepared to minister, he is ready to go out and share his newfound information.
2. In vv. 27-28 it says, “Apollos had been thinking about going to Achaia, and the brothers and sisters in Ephesus encouraged him to go. They wrote to the believers in Achaia, asking them to welcome him. When he arrived there, he proved to be of great benefit to those who, by God’s grace, had believed. 28 He refuted the Jews with powerful arguments in public debate. Using the Scriptures, he explained to them that Jesus was the Messiah.”
a. Armed with his new knowledge, Apollos is ready to go out and share with others.
b. He had been wanting to go to Achaia, so now he goes there and the church in Ephesus sends him out with a letter that’s a glowing recommendation.
c. Once he got there, he proved to be a tremendous blessing to the church in Achaia.
d. Prepared with his ability to speak in public and a fuller understanding of the Gospel a powerful witness, he was able to refute the Jews who tried to debate with him.
e. His ability to speak, knowledge of the OT Scriptures, and his understanding of Jesus, he was able to explain to them that Jesus was truly the Messiah.
f. Because of Priscilla and Aquila’s willingness to teach him, combined with his willingness to learn, he became a champion of the Good News.
B. Teach These Truths
1. Illustration: “Give me one hundred men who love only God with all their heart and hate only sin with all their heart and we will shake the gates of hell and bring in the kingdom of God in one generation.” — John Wesley
2. Beloved, imagine John Wesley’s dream come true in Rome, GA.
a. “Timothy, my dear son, be strong through the grace that God gives you in Christ Jesus. 2 You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others.” (2 Tim. 2:1-2).
b. What if we have 25 to 30 young men come to our “Rise Up” conference next month?
c. What if those young men, equipped with the power of the Gospel and filled with the power of the Holy Spirit are released on Rome, GA?
d. What if they go out and to Rome, GA and not just tell people about following Jesus, but can actually teach them how to follow Jesus?
e. If that happens, I believe we can see John Wesley’s dream come true, right here!
f. The implications of this could set this county, this city, this church on fire for Jesus Christ!
g. “Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.” (Matt. 19:26).
Conclusion
1. Our duty as believers is to…
a. Raise up a new generation of believers.
b. Release them equipped with the full Gospel of Jesus.
2. What’s the point preacher? Jesus has called us to, as we are going, make disciples for him and teach them to follow our mighty savior.
