Acts 18:24-28 The Heart of Discipleship

Introduction

Opening Illustration: It is an amazing reality of history that Jesus turned the world upside down with the most unlikely characters: fishermen, a tax collector, and terrorist (that’s right! one of the disciples was a religious zealout who were known for killing for religious purposes). That was the motley crew that Jesus hand picked to spark the church, change the world, and bring the gospel to the nations. How did he do it? The answer to that question is multi-layered and certainly the Holy Spirit is the key. But underneath the layers, Jesus had a reproducing strategy for making disciples. Jesus had a strategy whereby he took a group of men who knew nothing about nothing, and he invested in these men in particular and peculiar ways that developed them into disciples who made disciples. In other words, Jesus reproduced his love of God, his obedience to the law, his understanding of the Scriptures, his method for loving others, in these men, and then sent them out to do the same.

Personal: Every Christian is called equipped by God to be both a disciple and a disciple-maker. As a disciple, your life is to look increasingly like Christ’s. Increasingly there is to be a pursuit of godliness and holiness and casting off the concerns and cares of this world in zealous pursuit of Christ and His Kingdom. Many people today call themselves Christians but are not disciples of Jesus. Is that you? As a disciple-maker, your life is to be a reproducing life. You did get saved to pay somebody else to make disciples. You were gifted the Holy Spirit, at least in part to equip you to boldly make disciples. Again, many people call themselves “Christians”, but show very little concern about the most basic task Jesus assignged us, to “make disciples.” Is that you?

Context: Today, as the second week of a new year, I want to discuss this idea of discipleship. I’ve chosen Acts 18:24-28 as our primary text, which is our introduction to a man named Apollos. Recall that the book of Acts provides the early history of the expanding church in the first century. At the start of chapter 18, the Apostle Paul meets a couple by the names of Priscilla and Aquila. This dear couple became very close friends with Paul. He would write of them two other times in the New Testament, both in Romans and 1 Timothy. In the scene we’re about to read the Apostle Paul has just left Ephesus, and Priscilla and Aquilla are lingering in the city when they stumble upon a young man named Apollos.

Acts 18:24–28 ESV

Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John. He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. And when he wished to cross to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he greatly helped those who through grace had believed, for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that the Christ was Jesus.

Meaning & Application

In its most basic form, these five verse give us a glimpse into a reproducing model of discipleship. Priscilla and Aquilla pull this young man Apollos aside and instruct him properly in the ways of God. Apollos then goes out and becomes an even stronger disciple maker himself, because he caught what Priscilla and Aquilla had to offer. At its simplest form, that is discipleship. One person, investing in another person, to see them grow in their faith and reproduce their faith. I’m going to draw out four quite simple principles for us today, that I believe can really reshape how we think about discipleship.

I WE CAN ONLY REPRODUCE IN OTHERS WHAT WE OURSELVES ALREADY HAVE

Apollos Already a Christian: When we first meet Apollos, he is already a believer. Verse 24 says that he was a jew from Alexandria in Egypt, who apparently already had a pretty solid handle on the Scriptures. But then verse 25 says, “he had been instructed in the way of the Lord.” That word “instructed” is our english word “catechized.” To catechize somebody means to instruct somebody in a way that is very organized and effective in making strong believers, who know truth. As we see at the end of verse 25, whoever catechized him, only knew the about the baptism of John. This is vital.

The Principle: This brings us to our first principle. We can only reproduce in another person what we ourselves have. Whoever catechized and instructed Apollos was limited in their own knowledge, and so what they passed on to Apollos, was accurate but a limited Gospel. Lkewise, when Priscilla and Aquilla came along and discipled Apollos, they obviously imparted into him more accurate information about Christ and about the Holy Spirit, as well as all the fervor and zeal and methodology that had been passed on tot hem from the Apostle Paul.

Illustration - Parenting: I teach on this in our parenting class for new parents. The way I say it there is that our children are excellent hypocrite sniffers. What I mean is that if we tell our kids that they ought to have a passionate pursuit of Jesus, and they ought to go on mission trips, and they ought to have a devotion life. But what they see in us, day in day out, is that those things aren’t really true of us. They’re going to sniff the hypocricy. And they’ll end up settling for the bar that we set for them. And so a brief word to the parents in the room. Your primary discipleship, not only, but primary discipleship is your children. They’re watching you. They can see if you really love Christ or not. They can see if you are really follow Him, if you sacrifice for the Kingdom. They’re watching you. And they will become like you. What kind of Christians are you reproducing in your homes, parents?

Passive Discipleship: Some of you might say, “Well I’ve never been discipled.” That’s actually not fully correct, as I will show later on in this message that sitting underneath faithful preaching is indeed at least part of an overall discipleship strategy. However, many people have also been discipled passively. Because nobody ever came along and catechized us, showed us what is true belief, what is false belief, how to live by God’s standard, how to make disciples, many of us instead picked up our ideas passively on these things. As a result, the American Church is highly deficient in producing bold, faithful, true disciples who make disciples.

Two Tiered: And what that has created is largely a generation that believes the false idea that average Christians do not need to be concerned with making disciples. We’ve accepted the false notion of a two-tiered Christianity. There are super Christians and the professional Christians, they’re concerned with making disciples. Regular Christians in the pew have far too much in their regular life to add disciple making. And so the reason we are reproducing disciples who don’t feel the need to make disciples, is because many of us were passively discipled by people who weren’t making disciples. This needs to stop!

Close: Now let me get back to the principle here. We can only reproduce what we have. If you have never been properly trained to understand both what is true, and how to live, you can’t pass it on to anybody. Your first step is get discipled. Later on I’m going to explain ksomethign new we are beginning today, which relates to the cards to the cards on your chairs. But I want you to know over the last few years we have as a team of Pastors have put out some vital material online for you to get catechized, to get instructed in the way

Systematic Theology Slide

Spiritual Formation Slide

Principle 1: We can only reproduce what we already have.

III TWO KINDS OF DISCIPLESHIP

The second principle is that there are two kinds of discipleship. They are distinct from each other in many ways. The first kind of discipleship is represented by whoever initially help Apollos to believe in Jesus. I call that ‘Discipleship Towards Conversion.’ This is where a believer in Christ, is coming alongside somebody who is not yet a believer, and is instructing them in the ways of God with the prayer that they will authentically place their faith in Christ. The second kind of discipleship is what Priscilla and Aquilla do for Apollos when they pull him aside and give him further training. This is what I call ‘Discipleship Towards Maturity.’ This is what Priscilla and Aquila do for Apollos. They see a believer, and they invest in him, train him, mentor him. These two different forms of discipleship are radically different, and require radically different understandings of what is happening. We are called to both.

Discipleship Towards Conversion: Let’s begin with the first, discipleship towards conversion. Sometimes, the Lord opens remarkable opportunities for a beleiver to come into a nonbelievers life and have open and honest questions about life and about the Gospel. It is every Christian’s duty to be prepared to help somebody become a disciple of Jesus. This is wher we get things wrond, and let me explain two mistakes we make.

The True Gospel: First, sometimes we mistakenly think that we can instruct nobelievers on good Christian morality first, and that then they will slowly come to believe in Jesus. And this, is to build a house without a foundation. If you are discipling a nonbeliever, or a nominal believer, somebody who calls themselves a Christian but is bearing no fruit in their life, you need to lay a foundation. They need to know that they are dead in their trespasses and sin, guilty before a holy and just God, and destined for Hell both in this life and the next. They need to come to the end of themselves. We mustn’t be afraidt offend, the Gospel is offensive. And then we need to show them the glory of the cross, where one man hung underneath the wrath of God on our behalf. To make a disciple, they need to see the depravity of their own soul, and then they need to see the ravishing glory of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ!

Make Disiples Not Converts: The second mistake is that Christians in an eagerness to get somebody to a prayer of salvation, settle for making a convert, when they need to be making disciples. Do you know how many people prayed a prayer of salvation in a tough spot who years later exhibit no fruit of the spirit, no church engagement, no real faith. To follow Jesus a life changing ordeal. It a total surrender of every aspect of life. Our Gospel Message must be a robust message of discipleship, for the glory of God and the joy of man!

Discipleship Towards Maturity: The other kind of discipleship is discipleship towards maturity. Again this is what Priscilla and Aquila did for Apollos. This happens, Biblically, in four primary ways. And it is important that we recognize the value and the importance of all four of these types of places.

1 One to Many (Preaching): First, there is the environment of one to many. Preaching, what I am doing right now, is a form of discipleship. Jesus very often gave sermons to many people. He did this in synagogues and on beaches. In our text, when we first meet Apollos he is speaking in a synagoge to many people. Sometimes I hear people say, “Well what are we doing as a Church for discipleship?” And my first response is, “Well, we preach God’s Word every single week with clarity and boldness, for the upbuilding, strengthening, and encouragement of God’s people.” This is a vital form of the shaping of a Christian’s life. As your pastor, I get to disciple you every week, as I open up God’s Word and instruct you, catechise you, on a life of godliness. [Remember, classes, podcast, what Sara said]

2 Small Group: Second, there is the enviroment of the Small Group. Jesus had twelve disciples that he did a lot of life with. They ate meals and very often we find Jesus instructing those twelve and sending those twelve out. The Small Group environment provides a place for missional friendship to grow, more intimate prayer to take place than is possible in preaching.

** We Do The Above Two Well: With just those two, our Church gets after discipleship seriously. Both of those are vital aspects to the life and health of a Christian, and it is why we prioritize them as we do, and I pray that each of you are prioritizing those. But in the Bible, there are two more spaces where discipleship happens that are very important.

3 Mentor to Mentee: Third, is the Mentor/Mentee relationship. This is what we see in this text where Priscilla and Aquila pull Apollos aside and instruct him more accurately in the way of God. Priscilla nad Aquilla had this with Paul. This relationship does not maintain as a weekly coffee for your whole life. That may exist for a short period. But a mentor is someone who from to time you know you can call them for prayer, guidance, wisdom, and counsel.

——- Above three all require at least one “leader”——

3 Peer to Peer: The Fourth type is peer to peer discipeship. At this level, a few people who are in a similar of spiritual maturity, commit to one another. At this level, there is a very powerful shift from heirarchical, to relational, and that makes this level very important. There is a shift at this level from obligation (learning from masters) to dynamic relational interchange of life on life. At this level we share our hardships and struggles, not for the purpose of simply gaining new wisdom to navigate, but for mutual love and sympathy, and care, and support, by a group who is all learning together, at about the same place.

Closing: Some of you in this room are hungry to take another step in discipleship. You’re saying today I need something to jolt me. We are launching today a peer to peer discipleship program. Here’s how it will work. We have selected two separate books, one titled ‘Disciplines of a Godly Man’ and the other titled ‘Disciplines of a Godly Woman.’ Both are excellent books that will shape us and form us as a community hungering for God. On your seats is a QR code to sign up. If you want to be a part of this, you can sign up, and we will match you with another guy or another girl from our Church to connect between 6-10 times over the next semester to go through this book together and push into each other. The books have discussion questions built in. If you are looking for an new push, this is it. Join us.

III STRONG DISCIPLES SHARE PARTICULAR CHARACTERISTICS

The third principle is the characteristics of a healthy disciple. I want to look at the description of Apollos and show you some characteristics that made him such a good candidate for Priscilla and Aquila to invest in. But before I do, I want to go back to something I said previously. Jesus made disciples out of a rag tag group of fishermen. They were unqualified, untrained, and uneducated. That is a very different person then who Apollos was when we first meet him. He was trained in Alexandria, likely the greatest education in the world at the time. He was eloquent. And yet, he, like those early apostles exemplified a few very important characteristics. And if you want to be a faithful disciple, who is able to be molded by preaching, by mentors, by peers, you too need these characteristics.

1 Passion for the Scriptures: First, in verse 24 we read that he was “competent in the Scriptures.” That word for competent means powerful. To be an effective disciple, you must have a passion for the Bible. You don’t have to be Apollos yet, but the Holy Spirit is in you, it will be leading you to greater desire to know God through His Word. We ought never settle for knowing the Bible at a surface level. God desires to form maturity in us through His Word.

Do you read the Bible daily, and treasure what you discover?

Do you have a plan to make sure you read the Bible regularly?

Do you memorize Scripture in order to store it in your heart?

2 Fervent in the Spirit: Second, Apollos was “fervent in the Spirit.” In this context, I don’t believe that is speaking about the Holy Spirit, though it could be. I think it as actually referencing his zeal for the Lord. It’s saying, he had a “energetic hunger for God.” He had tasted of the goodness of God, and wanted seconds and third portions. There was no settling for Sunday Christianity with Apollos. He was the kind of guy that was wide eyed during a sermon. He was the kind of guy that was curious about what God’s Word said on a topic, and eager to see God in all areas of life. I love this guy. I always say if you give me a choice between a guy that knows the Bible inside and out but is sleepy and lacking zeal for God, and a guy whose got all the zeal in the world, but doesn’t know the Scriptures as well as he should, I’ll take the zealous guy. You know why. Because I can teach the Bible. But its very hard to teach enthusiasm for God.

What do others know that you are most excited about?

What does your social media feed reveal about what you’re most excited about?

Does coming to Church on a Sunday, to gather with the Saints, and sit under the preaching of God’s word excite your soul?

3 A Discerning of Heart: Third, Apollos had a discerning heart, as we see in his passion for teaching “accurately.” That word is used twice in these verse, once to describe Apollos teaching and then to describe Priscilla and Aquilla’s teaching. It grieves me, how much inaccurate teaching modern evangelicals are exposed to every day through popular teachers on the internet and through false teachers at Churches. Apollos had a discerning spirit and desired accuracy. He would not settle for a modern liberal theology that interprets the scriptures through our emotions and experience. But rather he wanted the truth of God’s Word to interpret his emotions and experiences. He was like the Bereans in Acts 17.

Acts 17:11 ESV

Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.

Now, this can be trained. But my question is this, a test for you. Do you grieve, in your Spirit, when God is misrepresented by Christians.

4 A Humble & Posture: Fourth, Apollos was humble enough to receive advice. Apollos was unbelievably gifted, in fact probably more gifted in teaching and speaking than Priscilla and Aquilla. Yet, he was hungry to learn. He knew that the most humble saint could teach him something. And even though God was using him, he was open to being taught more accurately. Here are a few tests for our own humility.

Are you able to receive feedback without defending yourself or watering it down?

Are you a good listener, someone who sits with people, listens, asks good questions, and makes others feel like they’re being heard. Or when you listen, do you tend to jump in with answers and solutions.

5 A Sense of Urgency: Lastly, healthy disciples will have a passion for evangelism. We see this in verse 26 as he is going into the synagogues and boldly proclaiming Jesus as the Christ. Not everyone is going to be asked to go into synagogues and debate people, but we must labor to rid American Christianity of its passivity in making disciples. When you were saved, God commissioned you as a disciple maker. Remember Matthew 4:19, before Jesus ever even trained Peter, he said to him.

Matthew 4:19 ESV

And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

What are you urgent about?

If you have a stronger sense of urgency about your bank account than you do about the making disciples… man… you got it wrong.

If you have a stronger sense of urgency about your comfort and safety, then you do about making disciples… man… you got it wrong.

If you have a stronger sense of urgency about being an armchair theologian and cultural critic then you do about making disciples…man…you got it wrong.

IV AIM FOR GENERATIONAL DISCIPLESHIP

The fourth and final principle that is hidden in this text is that we are to aim for Generational Discipleship. What do I mean by that? Acts 18 begins with an introdution to Priscilla and Aquilla. We read in Acts 18:1-3,

Acts 18:1–3 ESV

After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. And he went to see them, and because he was of the same trade he stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade.

Who discipled Priscilla and Aquila? The Apostle Paul. How did he do it? He lived with them. They were learning from him as he taught them from the Sriptures. They were watching him as we went out and reasoned in the synagogues. And eventually they joined him in ministry.

Acts 18:18 ESV

After this, Paul stayed many days longer and then took leave of the brothers and set sail for Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila. At Cenchreae he had cut his hair, for he was under a vow.

Paul Spiritual Grandfather: So the Apostle Paul instilled in Priscilla and Aquila how to make disciples by training them, instructing them, and going with them. So, if Priscilla and Aquila are Apollos’ spiritual parents, who is his spiritual grandfather? Paul!

Illustration - Brandon/Alex/Dave: When I first became a believer, my four years in college I was discipled by two men, Brandon York and Alex Costa. Here is a picture of them. Alex Costa was the most intense man I had ever met, and I think he still is. He loved the Lord. He wanted to charge a battlefield for God. We would have the most intense conversations on topics I had never thought about. Alex left a mark on me, of an intensity, a vigor, and a warrior spirit that shapes me to this day. Brandon York knew the Bible to a degree that I didn’t know anyone could ever know the Bible that well. And you know what he formed in me, a lifelong hunger to konw and love and cherish God through His Word. On the right side of this picture is Dave. Brandon had a deal with me. In order for Brandon to disciple me, I had to disciple somebody else. And in college, one of the men I discipled was Dave. Generations of discipleship.

Multiplication/Addition: This is when discipleship gets amazing. It is clear this is what the Apostle was doing with Priscilla and Aquila. Paul didn’t just reproduce converts who knew the Scriptures. Paul reproduced disciples who in turn reproduced disciples . This is why the early Church blossomed so fast. This becomes generational very fast. Everybody who was a Christian, who was getting trained up in the ways of godliness, part of that training was an expectation that they were going to make disciples too. It’s growth by multiplication instead of addition.

Closing

I’ll close today with a sobering warning. I believe the modern Church would do to tremble at our barrenness. We have settled for a Christianity that is cheap and easy and entertaining, and is stripped of the deeper of things of God. All the tools are here at your fingertips. Nobody will get it perfect this side of heaven. Expect mistakes. But settle no longer. Pick up the mantle that has been handed to you by generations of faithful saints who fought with lions to make a single disciple. May our urgency reflect our devotion.