Acts 18:1-11, 18-28
2 Timothy 3:14-17
None of us could fit into baby clothes now but, hard as it may be to believe, once everyone here could fit into this size. We all start as babies, but with food and exercise we grow into toddlers and the baby clothes are already too small. A few years‘ growth makes a lot of difference.
When you were a child did your parents buy you clothes which were too big, allowing for ’room to grow’. Why do they do that? Growing continues, with food, exercise and rest, up to teenage size and then up to adult size. Even when we are fully grown we may find it necessary to change the size of our clothes from time to time!
God wants us to grow in other ways too: to grow to know more about him and to become more like him. Some of us have a ‘Knowing God’ coat, our spiritual coat, which is still teenage size – or smaller! As we get older, God wants to give us a bigger spiritual coat each year with room for growth. Let’s encourage each other to take every opportunity to grow as Christians.
Principles of spiritual care
In one of Schultz’ Peanuts cartoons, Lucy sits in a roadside stall on which is the sign ‘Psychiatric help 5c’. When Charlie Brown goes for analysis, Lucy tells him, ‘The trouble with you, Charlie Brown, is you are you.’ End of story – she makes a diagnosis but offers no help. Contrast that with the story in Acts 18. Here we see the actions of Paul, Priscilla and Aquila and Apollos and we can learn from their example, in particular their open hearts and open homes. What they did is very much what families do.
Mutual encouragement
Aquila and Priscilla were two very kind and generous people who welcomed visitors into their home. They were also ‘growing’ Christians. They had two visitors, the first of whom was Paul. They gave him work, friendship and a home. These two workers became friends of Paul at Corinth. They helped and encouraged him after his bad experience in Athens. They also had a powerful ministry of their own. See what they did to help Apollos.
Nurture like parents do
Their second visitor, Apollos, needed to know more about Jesus (Acts 18:26). Despite Apollos’ eloquence they saw he was missing something. He had only half the story (25). They didn’t despise him, but felt for him, loved him and acted. They gave him help and hospitality. They invited him into their home rather than criticise him publicly (26). There he was led to the deeper truth gently and privately. We should take time to nurture people, taking the initiative because they may feel unable to ask for help or not realise they need it.
Encourage to use gifts, grow and lead
The whole church encouraged him. As soon as he knew the full story he was able to use his gifts even more effectively, which gave him even more assurance. He became a leader in his own right (1 Cor. 1:12). Priscilla and Aquila had to be ready to let their prodigy go. We have to allow our young people and lay leaders to move on to their own ministry and take on responsibility.
Open home
But wherever Aquila and Priscilla lived, their house became a church, too. There were no church buildings until the third century. So, the Christians in Ephesus met in their house and later, when they’d moved to Rome, the church there met at Aquila and Priscilla’s too. In those days, having an open house was sometimes dangerous, because of persecution. Aquila and Priscilla risked their lives.
Individual mentoring
Like Apollos, Priscilla, Aquila and Paul, we too need to know the full truth about Jesus, about who he is and about what he did for each one of us on the cross, and about how we are to live as his disciples. How will we do that? By coming to church, listening to the sermons and putting into practice what we’re taught? Yes, but we can make that more effective. By reading our Bibles and doing what it says? Yes, but we can make that more effective. By participating in a small group? Yes, but we can make that more effective. By having a personal teacher / mentor / companion / discipler like Apollos (and the others) had.
The harvest
Jesus told his disciples to pray for workers in his harvest field (Matthew 9:37,38). We can all be involved in God’s harvest field. But remember that it is God’s harvest and God only knows how we do this work. He is teaching us. With respect to strategy, Peter Wagner wrote this 20 years ago:
“How do spiritual harvests ripen?
Whether in agriculture or in evangelising the lost, God is the only one who ripens the harvest. No human being ever manufactured a cauliflower of a persimmon or an ear of corn. Likewise, only the Holy Spirit prepares hearts to receive the gospel message. Paul said, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase” (1Cor.3:6).
“The harvest principle says, then, that good missionary strategy will be influenced by accurately perceiving the moving of the Holy Spirit upon unreached peoples as He is preparing them for hearing and accepting the message of salvation.” C. Peter Wagner, Acts of the Holy Spirit, Regal, 1994, p.416.
It does appear that Jim Wallace and others are in tune with the Spirit when they say that people over 65 in NZ today are more open to the gospel then those younger than 65. This therefore is validly our target group, which is not to miss younger folk but to make the most of the current openness of seniors.
So, how do we work with these people? Same as with any people – follow the principles Paul and his friends showed us. Paul worked this way all the time and he spelled it out in his letter to Timothy.
Giving time
In 2 Timothy 2:2 Paul put it pretty simply. “Take the teachings that you heard me proclaim in the presence of many witnesses and entrust them to reliable people who will be able to teach others also.” That extends what he said in the passage we read. Put simply, Paul is saying to Timothy, “You know a lot of God stuff, take what you know and pass it on.”
We can also see that this is what was going on between Paul, Aquila and Priscilla and Apollos, all of whom taught others.
In the same way we can all link into a network of teaching and encouragement.
Open hearts
These days, Christians still open their hearts and homes and give time to brothers and sisters in Christ – it can be really important in helping them to grow in their faith. Kindly interest, encouragement and support can be offered. Everybody can give and receive something and it can really make a difference!
Why not take a moment now to reflect on who may need you to make a difference to them. Listen for the Holy Spirit’s prompting and respond.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, help us to use every opportunity to learn more about you and to become
more like you. Strengthen us by the Holy Spirit to encourage other people by giving of our time and our prayers, and help us to look out for those who are especially in need of care and support. In Jesus’ name. Amen.