MEMORY SCRIPTURE
When Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.
(Acts 18:26b)
Aquila and Priscilla mentored Apollos, helping him understand God’s way better and turning him into a strong advocate for truth-the impact of godly mentorship.
DEVOTIONAL BIBLE READINGS
Mon. Oct.27: Apollos Becomes Busy For The Lord (Acts 19:1)
Tue. Oct. 28: Apollos: A True Mentor To Others (1 Cor. 1:12)
Wed. Oct. 29: Apollos: A Prominent Minister Of God (1 Cor.3:4-5)
Thu. Oct.30: Apollos: Paul’s Co-worker (1 Cor. 3:6)
Fri. Oct.31: Apollos: A Good Model (1 Cor. 4:6)
Sat. Nov. 1: Apollos Should Beware of Man’s Praises (1 Cor.3:21-23)
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT
No one grows alone; you need others to become better at what you do in the Lord.
INTRODUCTION
TEXTUAL SOURCE: Acts 18:24ff
Glory to God for the wonderful lesson we learnt in last week’s Sunday school class, which enlightened us on how John Mark was mentored by Barnabas and Peter.
Today’s lesson will also reveal how Apollos was mentored by the great couple, Aquila and Priscilla. This couple recognised God’s grace and gift upon Apollos, a sign of a great leader. A good leader does not feel threatened when promising individuals excel. Apollos’ charisma was not a threat to them; instead, they saw it as an opportunity to accurately explain God’s ways to him, which would benefit Apollos in the long run. May the Lord help us to be patient enough to be mentored, preparing us for the tasks ahead. Amen.
LESSON OUTLINE
- THEY PUT HIM RIGHT
- THE IMPACT ON APOLLOS
LESSON EXPOSITION
THEY PUT HIM RIGHT (Acts 18:24-26)
When Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.
(v.26b)
a) v. 24: Apollos was ofJewish descent, both by religion and birth. He was born in Alexandria, Egypt, but the religion prevalent in Egypt did not influence his beliefs as it does for others, today.
b) ..Mighty in the scriptures. He was well-versed in the scriptures (cf. Col. 3:16), mighty and skilled in the Old Testament, devout and learned, eloquent, prudent and wise in speech, with a captivating way of expressing and explaining the scriptures.
c) v. 25: He was a zealous and bold preacher but had incomplete knowledge of the Christian faith, only knowing John’s baptism unaware of Jesus’ post-resurrection baptism command (Matt,
28:19).
d) v. 26: Boldly proclaiming the gospel doesn’t replace understanding the faith thoroughly. Aquila and Priscilla exemplified this by carefully explaining the Way to Apollos with precision (cf. Prov. 9:9).
e) Apollos was privately schooled by this couple as regards the whole salvation message: repentance from sin as preached by John the Baptist and faith in Christ, i.e. His life, crucifixion, resurrection, ascension and the sending of the Holy Spirit (Mk 1:4-5; 16:15-16).
THE IMPACT ON APOLLOS (Acts 18:27-28)
For he vigorously refuted the Jews publicly, showing from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ.
(v. 28)
a) v.27: Apollos’ ministry improved greatly with the input of Aquila and Priscilla. His ministry was highly effective that the Ephesian brethren recommended him to the Achaian disciples.
b) His deep understanding of salvation was lit by the Spirit. Having grasped the complete narrative of salvation, he became a valuable resource to the believers in Achaia who received grace (19:1).
c) v. 27b: He greatly helped those who had believed through grace. The brethren who just believed needed someone to teach, groom and make them rooted in Christ via the scriptures. This, Apollos did via his versed ksnowledge of the scriptures with his fervent spirit (y. 24).
d) v. 28: Apollos vehemently refuted the Jews publicly, in defence of the Gospel against their opposition, by showing them from the scriptures that Jesus is the Christ-impact of mentorship!
e) What if Apollos hadn’t been mentored by this godly couple – Aquilla and Priscilla? Always aim to leave an unforgettable and impactful mark on those you encounter; it can benefit many people in the long run.
LESSONS DERIVED
- A true mentor does not envy or overly criticise but patiently guides and helps others improve in their God-given tasks
- Each encounter with one person resonates with many others. Therefore, use it wisely, as Aquila and Priscilla did with Apollos.
QUESTIONS
- How can you support individuals like Apollos?
- How did Priscilla and Aquila’s sensitivity and dedication influence Apollos and others?
