Acts 18:18-19:10

Growing up pretending to be a soldier

Acts 18:18–23 ESV

18 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. 19 And they came to Ephesus, and he left them there, but he himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. 20 When they asked him to stay for a longer period, he declined. 21 But on taking leave of them he said, “I will return to you if God wills,” and he set sail from Ephesus. 22 When he had landed at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the church, and then went down to Antioch. 23 After spending some time there, he departed and went from one place to the next through the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.

The vow is not described in the text, but this vow left some degree of uncertainty to his ability to return.

Once Paul goes to Ephesus he leaves Priscilla and Aquilla there. Paul journeys through the region of Phyrgia and Galatia. This indicates that Paul knows that he is going to travel to some places that he has been before and the vow is a sending commitment to this potentially violent mission.

While Paul is gone, we get an interesting story that happens in Ephesus with his disciples and another missionary

Acts 18:18–19:10 ESV

24 Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures. 25 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. 26 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. 27 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, 28 for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that the Christ was Jesus.

The problem with Apollos’ message

He knew the message of John the Baptist

English Standard Version Chapter 3

7 He said therefore to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. 9 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”

10 And the crowds asked him, “What then shall we do?” 11 And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.” 12 Tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?” 13 And he said to them, “Collect no more than you are authorized to do.” 14 Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your wages.”

He knew of Jesus as the Messiah and his ministry

His teaching and healing - but likely from a distance

He did not know the way of Christ. He did not know about living by the Holy Spirit. He was missing the transformation of Christ in us.

Apollos was missing the victory of salvation, the Holy Spirit

Priscilla and Aquilla’s approach in correction - pulled him aside.

Apollos changed his message to include the Holy Spirit and the Christian calling and then headed toward Corinth (where Paul had already passed through) to spread the Gospel.

Acts 19:1–10 ESV

1 And it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples. 2 And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 3 And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John’s baptism.” 4 And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.” 5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying. 7 There were about twelve men in all. 8 And he entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God. 9 But when some became stubborn and continued in unbelief, speaking evil of the Way before the congregation, he withdrew from them and took the disciples with him, reasoning daily in the hall of Tyrannus. 10 This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.

As Paul left Ephesus he addresses 12 disciples of John the Baptist. They knew of the coming Messiah, but did not have it connected to Jesus. Because they did not know of Jesus, they did not receive of the Spirit.

Water baptism versus the baptism of the Holy Spirit

Water cleans the outside, The Spirit Cleans the soul

Water baptism is a testimony of our repentance and trust in Jesus as out Savior

Spiritual Baptism reveals our obedience to God and his commandments

Spiritual baptism allows the Spirit to live within, producing the fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness and self-control)

Controversy in Corinth after Apollos. Paul receives word, possibly as he arrives back in Ephesus or when he is later incarcerated of the controversy

1 Corinthians 1:10–17 ESV

10 I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. 11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. 12 What I mean is that each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” or “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.” 13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? 14 I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 so that no one may say that you were baptized in my name. 16 (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.) 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

The Corinthian church was held up on the same issue, just from a slightly different perspective. A few disciples had come through teaching the Gospel. Baptizing in the name of Jesus. The church struggled to separate the people from the message.

We get tied up on the doctrine and miss the message.

The Corinthians were putting the messenger above the sender of the message.

The dunker over the cleaner

Only Jesus can save you through His work on the cross

Not Paul, Apollos or Cephas

Only the baptism of the Holy Spirit cleanse you

not water baptism, regardless of who baptized you

The Gospel can spoken in eloquent, fancy words or in some redneck reasoning

the power remains in the work of Jesus Christ on the cross

Today we saw

Apollos knew of Jesus but not the Holy Spirit in their Gospel

The disciples of John lacked Jesus and the Holy Spirit in their Gospel

The Corinthians had both but were following man’s perspective of the gospel

The Scriptures declares that only full gospel matters.

The gospel must include the work of Jesus on the Cross

The gospel must include the receipt and baptism of the Holy Spirit

The gospel cannot be cheapened by focusing on the teachings of man instead of the work of Jesus.