Turning the World Upside Down: Spiritual Vitality: Acts 18:18-19:7

I. Paul’s Preparation vs. 18-23

A. Paul leaves Corinth, and stops over in Cenchrea in order to finish his Nazarite vow.

B. He stops over at Ephesus, and leaves Priscilla and Aquila there, perhaps hoping to come back.

C. He stays at Antioch for a little while, and then he starts his third missionary journey. All this, with the Nazarite vow and Ephesus is preparing him, for what is to come.

II. Apollos’ Conversion vs. 24-28

A. Apollos came from Alexandria, this would be like saying that a man came from Cambridge, MA (Harvard).

B. Yet Apollos, the great orator, was unsaved, because he only knew an incomplete gospel. (Motivational Speaker ex)

C. Priscilla, and Aquila, took him aside and presented the complete gospel to him, and he was converted.

D. Apollos, became a great spirit filled preacher as a result. I Cor. 3:5-6 “What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one. I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth.”

III. John’s Disciples’ Conversion vs. 1-7

A. Apollos and Paul miss each other in their travels, but when Paul gets to Ephesus, he finds a hold out group of John the Baptist’s disciples (they probably fled after John’s death).

B. Paul preaches and they come to Christ. Here is the third and final time speaking in tongues is mentioned. Again, these were men, women never spoke in tongues.

C. People mistake these being baptized, with the confusing doctrine of being baptized with the Holy Spirit. What they say is you get saved, then you get the Holy Spirit. That’s not so, you get saved and you get the Holy Spirit at the same time! (Chris Todd and waitress ex)

D. We need to move from religion to relationship. And appropriate the Holy Spirit to fire us up once again.