Letter of Recommendation

September 19

(Acts 18:27-28 NIV) “When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. On arriving, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed. {28} For he vigorously refuted the Jews in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.”

(Romans 16:1-2 NIV) "I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church in Cenchrea. {2} I ask you to receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints and to give her any help she may need from you, for she has been a great help to many people, including me."

(1 Corinthians 4:17 NIV) "For this reason I am sending to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church."

(2 Corinthians 8:16-18 NIV) "I thank God, who put into the heart of Titus the same concern I have for you. {17} For Titus not only welcomed our appeal, but he is coming to you with much enthusiasm and on his own initiative. {18} And we are sending along with him the brother who is praised by all the churches for his service to the gospel."

Apollos grew in strength and wisdom, becoming a great apologist for Jesus. God eventually called him to go somewhere else. He had come to Corinth as a “walk on”. He left Corinth as an official member of the team, with letters of recommendation from the church. Apollos now had references. This is an important step in becoming a Bible teacher. Seek the blessing of the elders of the church. Don’t take off on your own and become a Lone Ranger for the gospel. Anybody with a computer and a blog can claim to be a “Bible teacher” these days. But Apollos submitted himself to the wisdom of the church. He sought their counsel, their blessing, and their endorsement. They responded by writing him reference letters to take with him. If the church watched your walk over a period of time, would they write you a letter of recommendation? -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day  

Continuing Education

September 18

(Acts 18:25-26 NIV) "He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John. {26} He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately."

(Colossians 3:16 NIV) "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God."

(Proverbs 18:15 NIV) "The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge; the ears of the wise seek it out."

Even though Apollos was a great preacher and apologist, he was missing one important aspect of the gospel -- he needed some instruction about baptism. Aquila and Priscilla invited Apollos to their home for a meal and some continuing education. This means that this great couple, who had supported Paul, were schooled themselves. They too had a thorough knowledge of Scripture and had spent some quality time with the apostle Paul in advanced learning. It also means that Apollos had one of the assets necessary to be a great Bible teacher -- he was teachable himself. He didn’t think he knew it all. With his level of popularity, it would have been easy for him to ignore Priscilla and Aquila. He was drawing big crowds in the synagogue. But he listened to them and learned from them. This is a trait we all need in our walk with Jesus. Christians, we must never stop learning! -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day 

The Fear Factor

September 17

(Acts 18:26 NIV) “He began to speak boldly in the synagogue.”

(Matthew 10:22-39 NIV) ““All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. {23} When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. I tell you the truth, you will not finish going through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes. {24} "A student is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. {25} It is enough for the student to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebub, how much more the members of his household! {26} "So do not be afraid of them. There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. {27} What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. {28} Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. {29} Are not two sparrows sold for a penny ? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. {30} And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. {31} So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. {32} "Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. {33} But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven. {34} "Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. {35} For I have come to turn "'a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law-- {36} a man's enemies will be the members of his own household.' {37} "Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; {38} and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. {39} Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.””

We must be people of courage! Jesus spoke of this with His disciples more than once. “Do not be afraid…” is a common phrase in Scripture. Apollos had a “thorough knowledge of the Scriptures”, he had the training, and he had a story of faith. But he also had great courage. He had overcome the “fear factor” in ministry. This made him eligible to fill Paul’s shoes. He loved God more than anything, even more than life, and so he spoke boldly. He went into the lion’s den of the synagogue, and fearlessly proclaimed the truth. He “vigorously refuted” all arguments against Christ. As we’ve said before in this walk through the book of Acts, this is the missing piece of the puzzle for many Christians today. Too many believers live in fear, not so much for their lives, but for their status among peers. We fear what people will think if we speak of Jesus. Do not be afraid. Trust in God. Speak boldly! -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day

 

Great Fervor

September 16

(Acts 18:25 NIV) "He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John."

(Ephesians 3:10 NIV) "His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms,"

(1 Peter 1:12 NIV) "It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things."

Not only did Apollos have a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures, he also taught accurately about the Lord Jesus. Many preachers are steeped in the Scriptures, but their teaching strays from the truth as personal bias creeps in. Not Apollos -- he was a straight arrow. Apollos had another quality that set him apart: he spoke with great fervor. He had more than just “head knowledge”. Jesus had moved into his heart and he burned with passion for the gospel. Apollos knew the answer to the greatest question of mankind. He knew the Lord personally and that caused him to enthusiastically proclaim that Jesus is the Answer. He wanted to make the wisdom of God known to everyone. Christians, we have all the tools that Apollos had. We have unlimited access to the Scriptures and to great Bible teachers. If we will supply the great fervor, we too can contribute to changing the world. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day