Calvary Road Baptist Church
“BEFORE HONOR IS HUMILITY”
Acts 18.12-28
My sermon for this evening will cover Acts 18.24-28. Before I get to that passage, I would like to deal with verses 12-23 in an attempt to point out some things that might be interesting and helpful in your future Bible study. Therefore, turn, if you would please, to Acts 18.12 and read with me through verse 17:
12 And when Gallio was the deputy of Achaia, the Jews made insurrection with one accord against Paul, and brought him to the judgment seat,
13 Saying, This fellow persuadeth men to worship God contrary to the law.
14 And when Paul was now about to open his mouth, Gallio said unto the Jews, If it were a matter of wrong or wicked lewdness, O ye Jews, reason would that I should bear with you:
15 But if it be a question of words and names, and of your law, look ye to it; for I will be no judge of such matters.
16 And he drave them from the judgment seat.
17 Then all the Greeks took Sosthenes, the chief ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgment seat. And Gallio cared for none of those things.
Note several things of importance in this passage:
First, remember from verse 10 that the Lord assured Paul of no physical harm while he was in Corinth. Though he was unjustly accused of propagating an illegal religion by the jealous Jews, Gallio would have none of it and dismissed the case immediately. Suppose Sosthenes (who later accompanied Paul on his travels) had not been beaten for siding with Paul before Gallio. In that case, he may have been thrashed by Gallio’s sympathizers simply for being a Jew who tried to settle a religious issue in court, making it Paul’s accusers who ended up being beaten for not vacating the deputy’s presence quickly enough following the trial.
Second, we see the term “judgment seat” in verses 12 and 16. This comes from the Greek word bῆma and refers to a platform or raised area where a judge sits and decides the merits of a case brought before him. This word is used in Second Corinthians 5.10, where Paul indicates that we must all stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ. Yes, Christ will judge the life of every believer when we arrive in heaven.
Now, read with me, verses 18-23:
18 And Paul after this tarried there yet a good while, and then took his leave of the brethren, and sailed thence into Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila; having shorn his head in Cenchrea: for he had a vow.
19 And he came to Ephesus, and left them there: but he himself entered into the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews.
20 When they desired him to tarry longer time with them, he consented not;
21 But bade them farewell, saying, I must by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem: but I will return again unto you, if God will. And he sailed from Ephesus.
22 And when he had landed at Caesarea, and gone up, and saluted the church, he went down to Antioch.
23 And after he had spent some time there, he departed, and went over all the country of Galatia and Phrygia in order, strengthening all the disciples.
Many people down through the ages have wondered why the Apostle Paul shaved his head according to Old Testament Law, as Luke records in verse 18. Some maintain that Paul backslid and placed himself under the Mosaic Law for a while, though I do not think that is what happened. I rather think Paul had taken the vow of a Nazarite before his conversion and that the end of that time had now come, and Paul concluded his vow by shaving his head per Moses’ prescription.
During the time between his conversion and the shaving of his head, he had not cut his hair, which was required of a Nazarite. This might have led to Paul’s discussion of hair length in First Corinthians chapter 11. If you ask why Paul continued to let his hair grow after he was converted and why he stuck with the Nazaritic vow, I will answer, “As a testimony to the Jewish people he came into contact with.” Had he broken his vow, some might have thought he became a Christian to relieve himself of the responsibility of fulfilling his vow. Paul had liberty in Christ. Liberty is misunderstood by many, who do not realize that liberty in Christ is the freedom to do right. I think Paul did the right thing, by God’s grace, in maintaining his testimony in that way.
Also, Paul’s close friends, Aquila and his wife Priscilla, moved with him to Ephesus. Their significant contribution to the cause of Christ will be seen shortly.
Leaving his two friends in Ephesus, Paul and his party continued to Caesaria, Jerusalem, and Antioch. We know this from verse 22. Jerusalem is the only city in the world you go up to or down from in the Bible. In verse 22, as he did, Luke did not need to mention Jerusalem by name. Then, Paul went and strengthened the disciples.
At this point, Luke’s narrative leaves Paul and his party momentarily to deal with some events in the life of a man named Apollos. As we shall see in verses 24-28, Apollos was a wonderfully gifted servant of God and perhaps the most effective and dynamic preacher of the Word of God who ever lived.
To substantiate this view, let me point out that Luke, the Apostle Paul’s traveling companion, described Apollos as an eloquent man, mighty in the scriptures, instructed in the way of the Lord, fervent in the spirit, and mightily convinced the Jews.
Rarely, if ever, do we read of Luke describing Paul in such terms, probably because Paul was nowhere nearly as effective a public speaker and orator as Apollos. Though mightily used by God, these men were mightily used by God in different ways. Paul’s power was often seen through his pen, personal dialogue, and debate, while Apollos was nothing short of a Spirit-filled, silver-tongued preacher. And Spirit-filled this Apollos was, indeed, as evidenced by the fact that he was a man who stopped at nothing in his desire to be great for God. He was Spirit-filled, evidenced by how he sought to be great for God.
How does one become great for God? By self-exaltation and pride? No, for that is the way of the Christ-rejecting world. Apollos knew that the way to be great for God was marked by the pathway of humility. Did not Solomon write in Proverbs that “Before honor is humility”?[1] Also, did Paul not show us Christ’s way of being lifted by humbling Himself? Sure, he did. Read Philippians 2.5-21 when you get home and note that God’s way up is down, and Christ’s way up is down ... and the way for us to be valuable to God is by humility.
Apollos was already great for God, but it cannot be denied that he became even greater. He traveled the road to greater effectiveness as a servant of God by being humble and patient, a truth we shall now explore. Notice in Luke’s record of Apollos’ journey to even greater effectiveness as a servant of God that four main points are set before us:
First, WE SEE THE GREAT POTENTIAL OF APOLLOS
Verse 24 and the beginning of verse 25:
24 And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus.
25 This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord ....
There were four facets to Apollos’ great potential:
First, Apollos’ eloquence had great potential for the Lord’s service. It seems that either Apollos was a naturally gifted speaker, or that he had had training in the Greek art of rhetoric. It is likely that both were true of him. However, while many unsaved men are eloquent of speech and never bring glory to God, it is obvious that such abilities of communication can be useful to the Holy Spirit to bless many lives.
Next, Apollos’ schooling was also a factor in his potential for the cause of Christ. Several possible sources of education can be seen in the life of Apollos here. That he was from Alexandria, the world’s second-greatest center of learning gives rise to the likelihood that Apollos was trained in Greek philosophy and science. This would gain for him the respect of any Gentile who heard him speak. Then Luke indicates Apollos was mighty in the Scriptures. This means that he was most influential in his use and mastery of the teachings of the Old Testament. This suggests his training as a youth in an orthodox Jewish home and sitting at the feet of a great teacher of the Law. The third source of training and schooling for Apollos is seen in the phrase which informs that he was “instructed in the way of the Lord.” This would suggest that while he had been taught accurately what he had been taught, his Christian instruction remained incomplete. I am convinced that in this passage, Luke shows us someone likely trained by one of John the Baptist’s disciples who was converted, while we shall see those men dealt with by the Apostle Paul at the beginning of Acts chapter 19 were not converted. Thus, Apollos had many sources of schooling that God could use and which God providentially brought into the life of His servant, though there was also a deficiency that needed to be addressed. We each have deficiencies that need to be addressed.
The third area of potential is related to Apollos’ spirituality. Luke indicates that he was “fervent in spirit.” This means that he was boiling and bubbling with zeal for God. That was good. It also reminds me of two things every Christian would do well to keep in mind:
First, keep in mind that boiling spirituality is pleasing to God since Christ hates the lukewarm Christian, according to Revelation 3.15-16, where He said,
15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
Secondly, Christians must also be cautioned not to fall into the trap many Jewish people fell into of having zeal without knowledge, Romans 10.2:
“For I bear them record that they [Jewish people] have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.”
Apollos had great zeal, which can be of tremendous benefit, but we shall see in a moment that his knowledge was imperfect, as I suggested before. That, of course, can be, and so often is, dangerous.
The final potential Luke brings to our attention is related to Apollos’ teaching techniques. The Bible reads, “He spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord.” I like to teach things in great detail and with meticulous care, so I was pleased to read this description of Apollos’ style or technique. You see, in verse 25 ἀῶ, this word diligently literally means to teach accurately, with careful attention.[2] To be concerned with the fine points. To tie all the loose ends. This shows Apollos to have been a careful man, which is good. God is orderly and infinitely concerned with our lives’ fine details. It is excellent for us to be more concerned with fine points and details than we sometimes are, especially when teaching and explaining the Word of God. This is because the Word of God was written in great detail. Theologians refer to the specific words and the fullness of our God-given Scripture concerning verbal and plenary inspiration. That is why it ought to be taught in great detail and why God’s children are responsible for learning it in great detail. So, talents, schooling, spirituality, and technique in the life of Apollos were blended to make this man someone with fantastic potential. However, potential means nothing unless one’s potential is turned over to God to use, as Apollos did. No matter Apollos’ potential, his ministry was severely limited. This is what Luke draws our attention to when he shows us,
Next, APOLLOS’ GREATER PROBLEM.
Why greater? Because unless this problem was overcome, his full potential could never have been realized.
Apollos’ problem was owing to ignorance. This is seen in Luke’s words, which read,
“knowing only the baptism of John,”
verse 25. How is that a limiting factor? Does this mean Apollos was not saved? Oh, I am persuaded that he was a saved man, for he was fervent in spirit, and John the Baptist’s Gospel message was undoubtedly a Biblical and saving Gospel message. Was Apollos then without spiritual power? Luke indicates that Apollos was fervent in spirit.
Besides this, John the Baptist preached a message that addressed the ministry of the Holy Spirit. The Baptist knew Pentecost was coming, and Christ would baptize His own with the Holy Ghost. No, Apollos’ problem was not salvation or spiritual power. He was both saved and indwelt by the Holy Spirit. His problem was ignorance. He knew only the baptism of John.
When Luke used the term “baptism of John,” he referred to the entire ministry of John the Baptist, which dealt with the coming Messiah. John, of course, was the forerunner of the Lord Jesus Christ. He announced the coming of Jesus Christ. He prepared the way. This suggests to me that Apollos knew of the Messiah’s coming, and probably that Jesus of Nazareth was indeed the Messiah, but that he either did not know that Christ had suffered and died on the cross or (more likely, in my estimation) that he had never been properly taught the full significance of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection.
So, you see, despite Apollos’ great eloquence, excellent training, great spirituality, and great communication skills, his message was not incorrect but, in some ways, incomplete. I understand that he knew enough of God’s Gospel truth to be converted but not nearly enough of God’s Gospel truth to be as genuinely effective a Gospel preacher as he might be. He did not comprehend the great truths of Christ’s victory over death and sin. He did not understand the profound impact of the resurrection and of Christ’s ministry of advocating for us at His Father’s right hand in heaven.
Apollos discovered that his sole deficiency as a preacher of the Gospel and a servant of Christ was being somewhat short in fully comprehending the blessings of the Gospel and the accomplishments of the Savior he sought to exalt in his preaching. So, you see, he had a crippling problem. If it were not corrected, he would never amount to as much for God as a Bible preacher and discipler of men as he might; he would not be able to climb the mountaintops of preaching to trumpet the accomplishments of the King of all glory.
Praise God, though, for this problem of Apollos’s being observed by Priscilla and Aquila. Remember, this couple had lived with and worked alongside the Apostle Paul for a year and a half. They must have been asleep if they had not learned much about the significance of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection during that time. Remember also that God had providentially moved them with Paul to Ephesus. Just think, if they had never moved to Ephesus, they would never have met Apollos, and they would never have had the opportunity to help Apollos in the way they did. Help Apollos? Do you mean to suggest the possibility of these mere working people helping the great Apollos? Just wait and see.
Third, THE GREAT PRESCRIPTION FOR APOLLOS
Verse 26:
“And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.”
Notice the components which made up this prescription he ingested.
First, there is one part: humility. This is the key, the active ingredient. Without humility, nothing happens. Without humility, Apollos would never have placed himself in a situation where he could be helped. Aquila and Priscilla had experienced the sublime teaching of the Apostle Paul. Therefore, when they listened to the preaching of Apollos, they realized that this fellow could be an even more effective servant of God than he was, though something was missing. There was a deficiency. Further, they must have realized they could supply what Apollos was missing. They knew, in their heads and hearts, the truths and principles that Apollos needed to learn. What is more, they lived their lives through the power which such profound truth could provide. Therefore, those two servants of God took mighty Apollos in and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly. Do you know what it took from Apollos for this to happen? Humility. Imagine what it must have been like when they approached him to expose his deficiencies. Most preachers would not sit still for someone to deal with them in that way. Most Christians who think they are qualified to correct preachers are, in fact, not at all qualified. Apollos had to admit to himself that he did not know everything and that those two exceptional Christians knew more about certain vital Gospel truths than he did. Thus, we have here a key. Step #1 to becoming great for God is being humble enough to allow others to teach you. Not like most folks, who want to know but do not want to be taught by anyone.
Part two of Apollos’ prescription was patience. He had traveled about preaching and teaching with excellent results. Now, he had realized that there were some things he did not fully know as he ought. While saving, his grasp of the Gospel was incomplete, immature, undeveloped, and without the depth of comprehension a Gospel preacher must have. He had to take time out from his ministry to learn and grow. This meant he had to sit patiently at the foot of those two very busy working people. What is implied in this is that he could only learn at night when Aquila and Priscilla were not occupied with their tent-making to support themselves and then available to him for just a few hours before fatigue would force them to sleep. Whether or not Apollos was an impatient man, we do not know, but to glean from those two what he must have to develop more fully as a servant of God, he had to be patient. Oh, my friends, how rare a quality this is, especially in addition to his humility. Step #2 to becoming more effective is being patient and being taught at the pace God wants you to be taught. The reason for this is not always evident to many. In First Corinthians 8.1, Paul wrote, “Knowledge puffeth up.” Exposure to spiritual truths too quickly can bring on spiritual indigestion, filling the head so fast that the truth cannot be incorporated appropriately into godly living. The result is the puffing of pride. Proper spiritual growth takes time. Time requires patience.
The final part of Apollos’ prescription combined the first two parts. It is discipleship. This taking into the home is discipleship and allows people to learn by observation and careful instruction. That couple generously shared their lives with that man. He also allowed them to share their lives in the way they felt was best, not according to any demands he imposed upon them. He submitted himself to them. He did not demand that they submit to him and teach him according to his preconceived notions. This is the way Biblical discipleship occurs. How many schools do the students tell the teachers how they are to teach? Yet so many Christians who want to be discipled insist that they know more about discipling than the person doing the teaching! Apollos found the road to greatness for God through the dwelling of a simple man and woman who were eager to share with him things about the mysteries of godly living that they knew and that he needed to know. They certainly did not do things the way Apollos would have done them. They were not as skilled in the Old Testament as he was, and they could unlikely teach as skillfully as he could. However, he patiently let them teach him. He let them do what they did their way.
THIS DONE, AND APOLLOS HAVING LEARNED WHAT THEY COULD TEACH HIM, HE MOVED ON AND LUKE RECORDED HIS GROWING FRUITFULNESS.
Read verses 27 and 28 with me:
27 And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him: who, when he was come, helped them much which had believed through grace:
28 For he mightily convinced the Jews, and that publickly, shewing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ.
In his growing fruitfulness, we see that others aided Apollos. With his more complete foundation of Bible truth, God used Apollos’ great eloquence to help those already Christians. He taught them the Word of God and encouraged them through his anointed preaching.
In his growing fruitfulness, he also convinced others. We see this in verse 28, where he mightily convinced the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah spoken of by the prophets of God in the Old Testament. Again, using his excellent oratorical skills, he did so publicly.
So, we see the ministry of the great preacher Apollos continually growing and advancing. Eventually, he went to Corinth and was so mightily used there that some carnal Christians thought him to be a greater man than Paul. Such was silliness because Christ is not divided.
With Apollos, it started with great potential. A potential that Apollos, no doubt, realized that he had. This potential was for which he, no doubt, was thankful to God. A potential that he was, no doubt, eager to develop and use for God’s glory.
However, there was a problem. Great as he was, there were vital things he did not know and could only learn from a comparatively uneducated tent-maker couple. He was faced with a dilemma. Does he continue his ministry, trying to cover up this inadequacy Aquila and Priscilla pointed out, or does he submit to these two for teaching?
Submission requires humility in the presence of other people. Submission also involves patience, from a man with a boiling spirituality. Submission requires discipleship from folks less skilled as teachers than he was but better informed and likely more mature.
Thank God, Apollos desired greatness for God rather than for himself. Thank God, his momma had taught him that before honor is humility. Thank God; his example is preserved in Scripture for us to follow.
Isn’t it time you yielded to God’s plan for you to reach your potential for service more fully? Isn’t it time for you to yield to a discipler here in the Church?
__________
[1] Proverbs 15.33
[2] Bauer, Danker, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and other Early Christian Literature, (Chicago, IL: The University of Chicago Press, 2000), page 39.
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