TUESDAY September 26, 2023
Growing in Grace
And when he [Apollos] desired to cross to Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him; and when he arrived, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace; for he vigorously refuted the Jews publicly, showing from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ.
Acts 18:27-28
At first, Apollos had not received any training in the doctrine of Christ. There were no New Testament books written at this time. He only knew the Old Testament and the preaching of John the Baptist. He was not knowledgeable concerning all that had transpired in the life of Jesus Christ. The Messiah remained a hidden mystery for a time.
It was not until Aquila and Priscilla came and expounded on the work of Christ that he became a profound and proficient preacher of Christ! Consider how quickly he learned from Aquila and Priscilla and the ability he had in retaining the knowledge of the Scriptures. What an amazing memory he had! Apollos put his knowledge to good use. As he had been helped to know Christ and God’s amazing grace, so he helped others to grow in that same grace.
The incredible might of Apollos’ preaching refuted the Jews unbelief publicly; he was hard to resist. Beforehand, Apollos had taught the baptism of John, but now he was fully equipped to show them that Jesus was the Messiah––the Son of God. He eloquently proved to them from their own Scriptures that Jesus was indeed the Christ. He was so smart, but now he was gifted and empowered by the Holy Spirit to teach!
Think about it. Aquila and Priscilla, a godly husband and wife team, had helped disciple Apollos, and God used them to help him know the full Gospel of Jesus Christ. Now that he understood the full counsel of God, he masterfully used his knowledge. They had equipped a man to be of great influence in the kingdom of God.
When I speak of a man growing in grace, I mean simply this – that his sense of sin is becoming deeper, his faith stronger, his hope brighter, his love more extensive, his spiritual mindedness more marked.
~J. C. Ryle~
For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!
