Pearls of Great Value

“Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, born in Alexandria, who was an eloquent man and powerful in the Scriptures, came to Ephesus. This man was instructed in the way of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John, but being fervent in spirit, he accurately spoke and taught the things concerning the Lord. He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they took him and explained the way of God more accurately. When Apollos intended to pass into Achaia, the brothers wrote to encourage the disciples to welcome him. On arriving, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace. For he vehemently refuted the Jews publicly, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.” Acts‬ ‭18:24-28‬ ‭MEV‬‬

The book of Acts has always been a favorite of mine. I can read it over and over and come away with new revelation every time. It’s so full of believers in action, and it’s believers in every stage of life,not just the mature ones like Paul and Peter. This book encourages every believer, no matter where they are or in which stage in life, to boldly proclaim Jesus Christ. This book is a call to action and it’s title is witness :Acts( of the believers).

In Acts 18, we come across a man named Apollos. He was an eloquent man, the Bible tells us, who was powerful in the Scriptures, had been instructed in the way of the Lord and was fervent(to boil, to be hot) in the spirit. Because Apollos was fervent, he spoke boldly and accurately the things about Jesus. This word accurately caught my attention. It’s translated from the Greek word, akribōs, and is only found 9 times in the Bible. It has the connotation of correctness, but its heart is diligence, to follow closely, circumspectly, strictly. And in Eph 5:15, this word is translated into carefully: “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise.”

This is my take away. Yes, it’s important to teach, but even more important, is to do so accurately. How can we be teachers of the word if we are not diligent in studying the word? This is how one becomes accurate in a thing. By studying it. Science, physics, etc...people in these professions learn by studying their subject. How can we become fully aware and precise teachers of Jesus? By walking and talking with Jesus himself. By gaining wisdom and truth from him. By studying his words and meditating on them day and night.

If we continue reading in Acts 18, we see that Apollos had knowledge but his knowledge was deficient; he knew only Johns baptism. When Aquila and Priscilla came to him to explain the Way, he was willing to learn. This strikes me. Apollos knew the scripture, in fact was powerful in them, yet in verse 26, we see that this man sat down and was taught the way of God MORE accurately. This is tough lesson for some of us. We grow in the Lord and somewhere along the journey we outgrow others in knowledge and think that now we are above learning. The truth though is we will never reach the end of learning. There is so much to Jesus and to the kingdom of God that it’s like a mountain of treasure and if you came and took one rock of treasure a day, it would still take you forever to glean the mountain. Isn’t that awesome?

It takes humility to understand and recognize that we are students of the word and teachers at the same time. We’ll never outgrow either position. Are you a good teacher? That’s because you are also a wise and discerning student.

Apollos then traveled to Achaia, and after he arrived, the Bible says, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace: “And when Apollos wanted to go across to Achaia (southern Greece), the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples, [urging them] to welcome him gladly. When he arrived, he was a great help to those who, through grace, had believed and had followed Jesus as Lord and Savior, for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public discussions, proving by the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed).” Acts‬ ‭18:27-28‬ ‭AMP‬‬.

This story convicts me. This was the standard! Apollos is a huge reminder of how we ought to live. You know what? We have chased after mediocre long enough. What this world needs is more Apollos’s. We need people who are humble in Christ, who are willing students and also proficient teachers. Every single born again believer was once a babe in Christ, meaning, none of us were born into Christianity knowing all the answers. We need to be disciples! Learning from the Word and from those that have been in the Word longer than we. We need to be faithful disciples so that we can one day disciple others. This world is quickly coming to a tipping point. If one day, the world at large tips, and what was seen and believed as truth, turns upside down, are we as believers ready to go to work? Ready to disciple and show people what truth is? Who Jesus is? Can we course correct, not only ourselves but the generation of believers coming up?

If we can give anything at all to this world, it has to be discipleship and mentorship. I pray for God to awaken an Army of Apollos’, and Stephans’, and David’s’ and Esthers, Priscillas’ and Deborahs. Disciples of Jesus who are able to disciple and prepare believers for the battle. Mentors who are able to guide others through the battle and to the victory on the other side. There is a desert ahead we’ll have to go through and be faithful in before we get to the promised land of Canaan. I feel like we need to get ready now. Trim our wick. Fill our lamps with oil. When the time comes and God calls on us to go, there won’t be time to do anything else but go. How prepared are you? Are you wasting this season or are you preparing? Don’t allow the long wait to cause you to slumber or wander. Can God count on you to be ready to disciple the wave,the harvest coming in? We can not underestimate the significance of this season!

“Then the kingdom of heaven shall be like ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were wise and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps, but took no oil with them. But the wise took jars of oil with their lamps. While the bridegroom delayed, they all rested and slept. “But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Look, the bridegroom is coming! Come out to meet him!’ “Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. But the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps have gone out.’ “The wise answered, ‘No, lest there not be enough for us and you. Go rather to those who sell it, and buy some for yourselves.’ “But while they went to buy some, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. “Afterward, the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open the door for us.’ “But he answered, ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know you.’ ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭25:1-12‬ ‭MEV‬‬