Acts 18:18 – 19:20
Tim Yee
April 18, 2007
I. Introduction: Getting our bearings straight
End of the 2nd Missionary Journey (18:18-23)
• Corinth for 18 months (18:11)… back to his home church in Antioch…
• Speculation as to Paul’s vow…
• Paul begins his Third Missionary journey (53 – 57) beginning in Galatia and Phrygia… then Ephesus (19:1).
II. Ministry of Apollos (18:24-28)
· Another Jewish evangelist… Apollonius… Alexandria… the 2nd largest of the Empire
· Passion… Scriptures… How did he hear about Jesus all the way down in Egypt?
· he lacked some knowledge… incomplete knowledge of baptism
· Note: P & A take him home to teach him in private.
· Connection to Philo in Alexandria? Writer of Hebrews (Luther)?
· Apollos went on to Corinth… Argued with the Jews (Acts 18:27-28)
· Factions (1 Cor. 1:12)… Paul points to the hand of God (1 Cor. 3:4-6)… divisions unnecessary (1 Cor. 4:6)
· Why the factions?... Polished eloquence of Apollos?… Apollos last mentioned in Tit. 3:13
C. What can we learn from Apollos?
• 1. V24 Apollos is “eloquent” and “well-versed in the Scriptures”
• 2. V25 “Burning enthusiasm” to teach about Jesus with “accuracy”. Doctrine and passion
• 3. Apollos was humble…The great teacher was teachable… was corrected by P & A
D. What can we learn from Priscilla and Aquila?
1. Humility in correcting others
2. Faithful to “stay in the game”
III. Paul in Ephesus (19:1-10)
Paul and the Twelve “disciples”
1. Ephesus…modern Turkey… political and a commercial center… The Arcadian way
· Apostle John… Irenaus… Mary, mother of Jesus…
· Pagan worship… temple worship income (Fernando)… center of pagan religions and occult practices…
2. Imperial cult…Temple of Artemis (Diana)
3. Last time Paul was in Ephesus (18:19)… synagogue… pressing engagement in Jerusalem… P & A remain
· Paul stayed 3 years in Ephesus (19:8,10; 20:31)… strategic city to reach Asia Minor (19:10)
· 1 Corinthians written from here?... Letter to the Ephesians while under house arrest in Rome
4. “Disciples” of John?... believers?...12 men don’t know about the Holy Spirit at all! (19:2-3)
What can we learn from Paul in Ephesus?
• Paul is flexible in his ministry approach: synagogue preaching to lecture hall teaching
• Most of his ministry was in secular venues: Hall of Tyrannus…
• He consistently used reason to share the gospel
• Paul did incarnational ministry (20:34 tent-making): He wasn’t a tourist but became part of the community.
• Paul was accessible to unbelievers
IV. The Name of Jesus (19:11-20)
· practice of magic… Sons of Sceva,,, Paul was known to have miraculous powers
· V15 Jesus and Paul are names that carried authority… context of a relationship
· V17 All of Ephesus heard…The name of Jesus was praised
· V18 became believers…burned their scrolls
· V20 key phrase for Luke: “So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed.” (Acts 2, 6, 9, 16, 19, 28)
· Next week: the Riot!