Apollos - G.V. Ayers 1/31/16

I'm going to be reading this morning from acts, the

eighteenth chapter and fascinating set of passages.

Here acts the eighteenth chapter starting in verse 24, is it

work? All right and obviously I'm

heard here. I don't need to be tied.

There is this okay if I stand down here and speak but actually

18th chapter, the last few verses of the chapter starting

with verse 24 and going on down through verse 28 is where we

want to take our text. There are many fascinating

passages and many fascinating characters in the scripture

there. And I've never been one to say.

This is one of my favorites or this is a favorite.

I've never been one to call Favorites because the next time

I read something else, then I have another favorite there in

that it because it just keeps going like that way.

But here's a man that's in a fascinating individual.

That's introduced to us in this passage here in Acts the

eighteenth chapter. We don't know anything about him

before this time. But it's a man by the name of a

paulus. And here, we read these words

Upon A Certain Jew named Apollo's born in Alexandria and

eloquent, man, and mighty in the scriptures came to Ephesus.

This man was instructed in the way of the Lord, and being

fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently, the

things of the Lord knowing only the baptism of John and he began

to speak boldly in the synagogue, whom win Aquila and

Priscilla had heard. They took him unto them and

expounded unto him the way of God more.

Perfectly anyway, he was disposed to pass into aquella,

the Brethren wrote exhorting, the disciples to receive him,

who, when he was come help them much, who have believed through

Grace for, he mightily, convince the Jews and that publicly

showing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ and borrowed.

My mistakes. So weeds here in Reading from

the King James version this morning here.

So introduced to us this man by the name of a Us Bible says he

was a Jew but he has a Greek name.

And he was from Alexandria. Alexandria was a hotbed of the

Jewish of Jews in Egypt, and Northern Egypt, there over in

over in Africa. And here was a man.

The Bible says, he was eloquent, he was mighty in the scriptures

and he came to Ephesus and taught the T, the, the teaching

about the Lord here to these people.

So, here is a man who is obviously from his background, a

very religious man. He was Heritage a Jew.

He had this Greek name. So you see some influence here

of him and he comes up to Ephesus.

Ephesus is as the crow flies about 200 miles, north of

Alexandria, if I can, if I can use a rough estimate there, but

a crow would only fly there because you sure can't drive

there. You sure can't walk there

because it's across the Mediterranean Sea.

And I don't know. And we don't know how that he

came the the route that he came to come to Ephesus but he comes

to Ephesus and Ephesus is a place where the Apostle Paul has

been with two of his cohorts that is with two of his people

that he co-workers in that sense.

Aquila and Priscilla were there, they had come there, they had

preached the gospel there, they worked in the synagogue there

and then Paul left and had gone to Jerusalem as I understand it

here from the Pictures here going into Judea and then he was

going to come back later. The Bible says that a policy

appears on the scene and we understand this about him here

that he accurately had a knowledge had an accurate

knowledge of Jesus notice here. And verse 25 is a Jew named

Apollo's born in Alexandria. Eloquent man.

Mighty in the scriptures, came to Jesus, as a man was

instructed, in the way of the Lord, and being fervent in the

spirit, he spake, and taught diligently, the things of the

Lord. But he knew only the baptism of

John, so it qualifies what he said and what he knew about the

Lord, because notice it says, he was he instructed in the way of

the Lord, he talked accurately or diligently, the things of the

Lord. But he knew only the baptism of

John. So I think we can safely say in

conclude from the scriptures that that last phrase that he

only knew the baptism of John. As a qualifier to his knowledge

of the Lord. Now, we know about the Lord, and

we know the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

And this is what he understood. It seems like we have.

You know, the Bible says in First Corinthians, the fifteenth

chapter speaks concerning the gospel.

The Apostle Paul says, and he's talks about the complete Gospel

of Jesus Christ. He says, I declare unto you the

gospel, which I preached unto you which you've received and

wherein you stand by which you are saved if ye keep in memory.

What? I preached unto you unless I

believed you unless you have believed in vain What is that

gospel for? I delivered unto you that which

I also received, how that Christ died for our sins, according to

the scriptures, how that he was buried and that how he rose

again the third day, according to the scriptures.

And so the essential facts of the Gospel, the death, the

burial, the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

All of this done in fulfillment, of God's word and fulfillment of

the scripture. Now did a Polish know, all of

that. And that is that what he taught?

Well, he knew it apparently he taught it, but he taught it in

perfectly. In the Bible in Acts and Romans

a sixth chapter, we speak concerning baptism because that

was a problem that Apollo's had notice.

It says there in that 25th verse he taught accurately, or taught

diligently, the things of the Lord, but he only knew the

baptism of John. So apparently, he did not know

the things of that. We understand in Romans the 6th

chapter verses 3 and 4. No, you're not that so many of

us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his

death. Therefore we are buried with him

by baptism into death that like as Christ was raised up from the

dead by the glory of the father, even so we also should walk in

newness of life. So, apparently, he understood

some things about the Lord, but I don't know that he understood

completely about the Lord. Obviously, he did not because he

did not understand these things about baptism.

Baptism in Jesus Christ because that was not under the baptism

of John there. And that's what he knew about.

Baptism the baptism of John and so there is some completeness

about what he knew, but some incompleteness about what he

knew we run into people like that.

Today when we talk to them, there are people who they know

the gospel. They know the church, they know

about the church but yet at the same time, their understanding,

and their background and their past is the worship of the Or

the service of the church is different is different.

Sometimes it's lacking in what the Bible teaches about, the

worship of the church. And so these are people who are

kind of like a paulus. There are people today, who

speak about the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and they talked about

Jesus and they understand the death burial and resurrection of

Jesus, but they speak different things.

Concerning baptism, they say, baptism is only is only a form,

is only a pattern of the death burial Resurrection.

Jesus Christ has No relationship really is for forgiveness of

sins and so they're kind of like a policin that they know things

and they know accurately many things about Jesus but there's

some imperfections about their understandings there.

And that's kind of how he was here.

Notice what the Bible says about him, the Bible says, some

glowing things about this, man. He was instructed, he taught And

so he was perhaps one of the Disciples of the first

commission that was given in Matthew the tenth chapter.

Remember Matthew, the 10th chapter Jesus calls, some of his

disciples, a number of his disciples to him and he says

this, he called him, he sent them forth and he says, go not

into the way of the Gentiles and into the city of the Samaritans,

neither do not enter there, but he says go to the lost sheep of

the House of Israel. And so, he called the twelve and

he sent them out. And they went out and they

preached the gospel of Us, that was known at that time, that he

instructed them to that. The Messiah is here, the kingdom

is coming, he taught them and that they needed to repent.

They needed to turn to God. They need to turn back to God,

because because wonderful things are going to happen.

And that's what happened. That's what went out.

And perhaps a policy was one who was perhaps influenced by them

or by some who had heard them teach their down in Alexandria

there and that's where he came from.

We really don't know that much about about.

Paulus about where about that except what is.

So shown here in these scriptures at this point, this

man had natural gifts Now, sometimes we read in the

scriptures and we read about those who in the first century,

who preach the gospel, the apostles, they preached, the

gospel, and they would speak by inspiration and work miracles

and they spoke concerning wrap up by Revelation from God.

God told them what to say, and they would say that.

And remember, that's what Jesus told his disciples when his

Apostles when they were brought before, Kings and rulers.

And when they were brought before, the leaders of the Jews

that they were, Were simply to speak what God had told him to

say. Speak.

Which what will be given to them in that our apology didn't have

that ability? Apollo's, could not work

miracles. How do we know that?

Well, let's just use some logical reasoning here to

understand where a policy was Apollo's.

Could not work miracles because those who work miracles were

those who had the hands of the Apostles laid upon him.

Now, that's very clear from scripture there and acts the 8th

chapter verses 14 through 19. Remember when Philip goes down

to Sumerian preaches, the gospel to them.

The Bible says there in that. Passage that, when the apostles

that were at Jerusalem, when they heard that Samaria had

received the word of God, they sent Peter and John who, when

they were come down, they prayed for them that they might receive

the holy spirit for Shetty has fallen upon.

None of them, only they were baptized in the name of the Lord

Jesus. Then they laid their hands on

them and they received the Holy Spirit.

So that's how the Holy Spirit the miraculous abilities of the

Holy Spirit, were imparted unto people in those days through the

laying on of the Apostles hands. And I believe that I think we

can be very sure about that Apollo has had not had his had

the apostles hands laid on him or in Apostles hands laid on

him, why? Because we had had an Apostles

hands laid on him. He would have known Better than

to preach the baptism of John. He would have known the Full

Gospel of Jesus and he could have preached in any would have

preached, it accurately there. So he did not have that ability.

He did not have that knowledge. Therefore he did not have that

ability and so this is how he was now.

Now, this makes him me like him even more because he preached.

The gospel and he preached the word of God, like you and I

preach it. Now we're not inspired and we

don't have miraculous abilities from the Holy Spirit in order to

preach the gospel. We don't have Revelation from

God through the holy spirit for us to preach the word of God.

Neither did a policies. And so look what he says.

Look what it says this man was instructed in the way of the

Lord. Verse 24, he was mighty in the

scriptures. He was an eloquent, man.

He was a good speaker. And notice here, later in verse

28, he mightily convinced the Jews that publicly showing by

the scriptures, that Jesus was the Christ, was the Messiah.

So what a Polish would do is through his knowledge and his

study of the scriptures as ability to teach and persuade,

he would speak the word of God based upon what he read, but

what was read in the Old Testament scriptures and he

would teach and show that Jesus fulfilled, that picture of the

Messiah, that's what we do. And that's how we do it through

studying the scriptures and then we explain these things about

the Lord. He taught just like we teach

today. So that makes me like him even

more. That makes me like him even

more. I don't think I could speak like

he could, obviously, I don't think I owe.

You know, he was a man who was eloquent and the scriptures

eloquent man. Mighty in the scriptures.

I don't know that I qualify in either of those cat those

categories but he came about it the same way that I would come

about it. And that's what we understand

here about a policy in this. So this makes me like him even

more. There, he would had a profound

understanding the scriptures. He was enthusiastic in

proclaiming. The Lord, the Bible says here in

this, but he had this Gap in his knowledge.

He did not fully know the things of the Lord there in this

situation. So we have these two people that

are introduced to us are here, he began to speak boldly in the

synagogue and verse 26. Whom went Aquila and Priscilla,

heard this heard him, they took him to him and expounded in him

the way of God more perfectly. So Aquila and Priscilla to of

the co-workers of the Apostle, Paul Aquila, the husband of

Priscilla the wife, they took him and they taught him.

I don't think they caught him publicly in the synagogue but

they took him. Aside, is the indication here in

this here, you have a woman a woman also helping to teach a

man in this. So that's a scriptural thing.

Obviously, we understand from the scriptures, that women are

not to teach in the church that they're not to speak in the

church, and they're not to take a teaching role in that or

Speaking role in that. And here we find that they do

have a role to play. And here is a role.

By example that Priscilla played here in this in helping to teach

him the way of God, more completely more completely, he

was incomplete in his knowledge. And so this is what we learn

about him here in this and this is what we have taught to us.

This role here that was played by Aquila and Priscilla in this.

Now. At this point verse 27, it says

he was disposed to pass into a KO.

Now, he was over here in, in in Asia, Asia Minor.

There at Ephesus, he wanted to go over into a KO, which was

over in Europe. It's where Greece is, and

basically what he's talking about is Corinth, we don't know

why he wanted to go to Corinth, but yet it says he was disposed

to go there. And so when he went the Brethren

from Ephesus wrote to Corinth and encourage them to accept

him. You know, sometimes that's what

we do as well. With people, they go into a new

area, we want Brethren there to accept and we write him a letter

of commendation or letter of recommendation.

Sometimes, there's letters that are written that are not letters

of recommendation, in that sense there.

But do we have, always have to write a letter to send somebody

over somewhere. I don't think we do because we

can sometimes pick up a telephone in there or as we do

now, take out our cell phone and send a text to somebody there

and tell them this is a good brother.

You know, please. Yeah, except him here.

But here it gave introduction to it.

And so he goes to aquella in. The Bible says here that he

went, they hear they exhorted the brother and to receive him.

And when Apollo's was come to aquella, he helped them much who

had believed through Grace. Now here we understand and this

goes back to the 18th chapter, the earlier part of the 18th

chapter will, Paul was at Corinth, Paul goes to Corinth

there and what does he do? The Bible says that when he was

at Corinth, he reasoned verse 4 of Acts 18.

He reasoned in the synagogue, every Sabbath and persuaded the

Jews and the Greeks. And when Silas and Timothy came

Paul was pressed in the spirit. He testified to the Jews that

Jesus was Christ. And so he became more bold when

he had his backups with him. There, I don't think it's a

matter of Boldness. I think it was a matter of

planning that there was more work, that would be brought up

with Timothy our yes, with Timothy and and Silas that came

there. And so this is when he began to

fully, press the gospel and prove to them, that Jesus is the

messiah. Verse 6 says, when they oppose

themselves, that is the people in the Jewish synagogue there in

Corinth, when they oppose themselves and blasphemed.

That is they really, they defeated their own spiritual

purposes in how they reacted to the preaching of the Gospel of

Jesus Christ here, by Paul Paul shook his raiment, he said unto

them, your blood be upon your own heads.

I'm clean. I will henceforth turn unto the

Gentiles. So, Paul took the gospel first

to the Jews. And then he took it to the

Gentiles after that he gave them opportunity first to do this.

And what was he doing? What was he doing when he

preached to them? Well let's look at the 17th

chapter because I think it's a good example of what Paul was

doing their acts of 17th chapter.

Here is Paul and thessalonica verse 2 and 3 Paul as his manner

was This is Paul how he customarily operated when he

went into a area where the gospel had not gone before.

And so if they Paul did it at thessalonica, that's probably

what Paul did at Corinth or what he was doing there.

How did he behave? How did he, what was, what was

his plan of operation, as his manner was he went unto them in

the synagogue there. According to verse 13 Sabbath

days, he's reason with them out of the scriptures, he reasoned

with him out of the scriptures. Now, it's not the New Testament

scriptures, but the Old Testament scriptures there.

He use the prophecies, he used the teachings of the Old

Testament and he reasoned with them.

Paul would read them or they would read them and he would

talk to them reasonably logically about what the

implications and the teachings of the scriptures were verse 2.

Verse 3 says Paul did this, he opened and alleged he opened it.

Alleged that is his argument and is documentation backing that

up. He says his argument and is back

as documentation, backing that up, is that Christ had to suffer

and Rise Again from the dead. The Jews.

Often times, did not believe that about the Messiah.

They wanted a Victorious. Messiah, not a suffering

Messiah, but this is what Paul said.

This was his argument, and this is what he proved to, then, he

opened an alleged that the Messiah had to suffer and to

rise again, on the third day. That is, that's what the

scriptures. Taught here.

And that this Jesus whom I preached unto you is the Messiah

is the Christ. And so that's how he did it.

He's taught them, he taught them correctly, the Prophecies of the

Old Testament and then he showed how that Jesus fit the profile

fit, the teaching of the Old Testament prophets there.

And that's how I convinced many of the Jews that Jesus was the

Christ and that they need to follow after Christ.

That's what he tried to do in Corinth.

In the Bible says that when he did that, there it says They

oppose themselves and they blasphemed they didn't like it

at all. I didn't like it at all.

And so Paul turns away from him and goes to the Gentiles, but

there was enough to start a little congregation.

Apparently they're at Corinth, Paul stays there for some time

and this is where a policy goes and you know how to polish was

doing Paul Apollo's was using the same methods that Paul was

using. In teaching, that's what we just

said there. Now the difference is or

difference is Paul had the benefit of inspiration from God.

On his side Apollo's, did not paulus taught like you and I

did. It.

And so a Polish goes there. The Brethren have been

encouraged to accept him and receive him verse 27 of Acts 18.

He says, when he was come He helped them much, which had

believed through Grace. So Paul is came there at Corinth

and he was a great help to the church there in Corinth because

notice what happens here in verse 28, for he mightily

convinced the Jews and that publicly showing by the

scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah was the Christ.

And so he did it. What?

Paul opened an alleged there? Apollo's was the closer I guess

you could say there because he put it over the top for many of

them. Their and apparently he was very

successful in doing that. And so, this is some things we

have about a policy that's not all we read about a policy in

scripture. He's mentioned, if I'm not

mistaken in 10 different verses in the New Testament scriptures,

where we have him next, is, we have him next in, in First

Corinthians, 1st Corinthians. Chapter chapter one.

Who's talked about here, he's mentioned here in this.

Passage. And so I want to turn over there

and let's read some of that because there are some things to

be gained from the teaching about a policy or the mention of

a policy here in these passages. Here the Paul writes to the

church at Corinth Church of Corinth.

As we just said, is the church that Apollo Swit to and help

them a lot by his teaching there after he was straightened out,

after he was straightened out. Before I get there.

There's a question that burns in my head.

When I read this in Acts the eighteenth chapter, if you are

returned, the First Corinthians, just keep your finger there or

Mark, that will come back to that.

But right now, I want to go back to ask the 18th chapter because

I have this, in my, in my sketchy notes Here.

I don't want to talk about this. The question is this?

Aquila and Priscilla taught a policy of the way of the Lord,

more perfectly. Apollo's came knew only the

baptism of John. When a policy has taught the way

of the Lord more perfectly. Was he re-baptized you read

acts? The 18th chapter, doesn't say

that. But you relax, the 19th Chapter.

And here's what we do, read. AXA 19th Chapter, the first few

verses. The first five verses it says it

came to pass. This is sometime later.

Came time is sometime later. Came to pass when Apollo's was

at Corinth. Paul.

This is the Apostle Paul returns to Ephesus.

He did not return by land but he passed the upper Coast.

It says he passed Inland there and came to Ephesus back to

Ephesus. He came to Ephesus, he found

some disciples. There were there.

And he said unto them, have you received the Holy Spirit since

you believed? They said it to him.

We have not so much as heard. Whether there be any Holy

Spirit. He asked them under what then

were you baptized? They Senator John's baptism. so,

With these disciples. Who were followers?

Of what a paulus had preached were these some converts of a

policies there in Ephesus, we don't know.

We don't know, Ephesus. Was a metropolitan City.

There would be probably several synagogues a number of

synagogues in the city of Ephesus.

This may have been a different synagogue that was not even

connected where a policy had been where he had been taught

the way of the Lord more perfectly with the cool and

Priscilla. Maybe may not be.

We don't know at this point. But the thing is that the

Apostle Paul talks to them about this.

What were you baptized into? They sent it to John's baptism.

And so Paul says, this about John's baptism, Paul said, John

truly baptized with the baptism of repentance saying to the

people that they should believe on him, who should come after

him that is on Christ Jesus. So, here was the problem, they

were baptized into John's baptism but baptism of

repentance. If you read back in Mark, the

first chapter, it was a baptism of repentance for the remission

of sins. They're so remission of sins was

even Associated and affiliated with John's baptism.

But it was all conditional upon their acceptance of Jesus.

When Jesus came notice he says there, John baptized the

baptism, repentance saying that you should believe on Jesus on

him and she come after that. Is on Christ Jesus.

They had not done that and that was the problem with the

policies baptism here either. He did not know that Christ had

come or somehow it was, there was a problem here with this.

He preached the baptism of John But not fully to the acceptance

of Jesus. Apparently, that's what had

happened here. This was after the resurrection

of Jesus Christ. This is after the resurrection

of Jesus Christ, is after the time of which now Jesus is now

claimed as the Messiah, as the Risen and ascended Messiah.

Now the king over God's kingdom and they somehow had missed part

of that. They had not accepted in as the

king over God's kingdom. They not had accepted him as the

Risen Christ. As the ascended Christ.

And so when Paul teaches these disciples, what they say about

that, they need to accept Jesus Christ.

What they do. They say, oh okay, we'll accept

them now. No, they didn't do that.

They Under the guidance of Paul here.

Obviously, if this had been wrong, Paul would have corrected

him there since when they heard this, they were baptized in the

name of the Lord Jesus. These people were baptized.

Sometimes we call that they were re-baptized.

But that's the appropriate thing to do.

So my question would be then going back to a paulus.

This is what was in Acts chapter 19.

Acts 19 · chapter mention

Is this what was done in? Check Acts chapter 18 and I

Acts 18 · chapter mention

would say yes. Indeed, it was, yes, indeed.

It was When a Polish found out that his baptism, the baptism he

was preaching and obviously the baptism that he had obeyed was

wrong. He did the same thing that Paul

later instructed the Ephesians to do down here If not, then we

have confusion and how the scriptures are put together.

And there's some people today that I've believed are

confusing. The idea of baptism they want to

say this, they want to say it really doesn't matter.

Why you're baptized just as long as you're baptized.

And that's not what the scriptures say.

That's not what the scriptures say because it does matter.

It does matter baptism according to Acts 2:38 is for the

Acts 2:38

remission of sins. 1st Peter, chapter 3 verse 21 says baptism

also. Now saves us Acts 22:16 arise,

Acts 22:16

and be baptized and wash away your sins.

That's what it's for and the intention makes a difference. if

you fall off a bridge, I guess the end result is the same,

whether you jump or whether you're pushed right, the

intention is, the end result is the same, but baptism is not

falling off a bridge. Baptism is not falling off a

bridge, it understands and it makes a difference what you

understand, what you believe in the purposes for which you're

doing it. It does.

And so the idea that sometimes, sometimes we hear said well just

as long as they're baptized just as long as they're baptized,

That does not add up to scripture here, that does not

act to the context of Acts chapter 18.

Acts 18 · chapter mention

Our Acts chapter 18 in Acts chapter 19, does not does not

Acts 18 · chapter mention Acts 19 · chapter mention

add it. To the purpose of baptism as is

taught in the New Testament scriptures there.

And so that's what stands out to me here.

A part of this story of a policy.

Let's go on next. It's notice this.

According to the book of Acts here.

Not look at First Corinthians. That's where we're going, right?

Thank you. Thank you for reminding me where

we're going here and, and we'll be done.

Let's notice here. What Paul says One of the

problems in Corinth Paul addresses.

A number of difficulties that took place in the church at

Corinth. One of the problems was there

divisions. Here's what he says in First

1 Corinthians 1 · chapter mention

Corinthians chapter 1. He says, now this I say every

one of you says, I am appalled, I am of a paulus.

I am of cephas or Peter and I am of Christ.

Now, apparently, Paul lays out here that there were divisions

among them there. Is Christ.

Divided was Paul crucified for you.

Are you baptizing? And Paul.

I think God, I baptized none of you.

But Crispus and Gaius he says, there were divisions among you

in verse 10. I beseech you Brethren by the

name of our Lord Jesus Christ, he speak all that.

You speak the same things. If there be no divisions among

you, but be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in

the same judgment. Because I understand there's

some saying, I am a follower of Paul.

I'm a follower of a policy. I am a follower of Peter.

I'm a follower of Christ. That doesn't work.

Paul was not. Crucified for them.

They were not baptized in the name of Paul or of a paulus

nopales, was not crucified for them.

They don't qualify to be one who people follow.

Christ. Jesus Christ is the one who

qualifies there. so he urges them urges them to follow after

Christ chapter 3, Start in the beginning of chapter 3.

Paul says, I could not speak unto you as unto spiritual that

as unto those who are influenced by spiritual things.

Under more mature, people could not speak unto you as mature,

Christians, spiritually, minded Christians, but even carnal.

Those who are influenced by the world, even like babes in

Christ, I fed you with milk. I've not fed you with meet up

into this point. You have not been able to Bear

it, neither yet. Now, are you able to Bear?

He says, this is a sign of carnality among you.

This is sign of being influenced by the world and immaturity

spiritual immaturity for. Whereas among you, there is any

among you envying and strife and divisions, are you not carnal

and walk as men? Now, what's the evidence?

He's saying that they were immature and they were

influenced by the world. He says this.

Verse 4. First Corinthians 3:1 says, I am

1 Corinthians 3:1

a follower of Paul another. I'm a follower of Apollo's or I

am of Paul, or I am of Apollo's. Are you not carnal?

Who's Paul? And who is Apollo's.

They're simply ministers by whom ye believed even as the lord

gave to every man. I have planted Apollos, watered

God gave the increase. So, they neither see the planet.

Anything to the? He that water.

But God gave the increase now. Think back after reading that

thing back over there in Acts the 18th chapter, what happened

there? Paul went to Corinth, Paul

started, the church there, but to a great degree.

Paul is frustrated in preaching the gospel at Corinth.

Paul planted. the end of Acts, the eighteenth chapter Apollo's

comes and where Paul had planted and was frustrated, a paulus,

preach, the gospel there Apollo's watered Apollo's was

highly successful, He helped him much, he believed that through

faith because he convinced the Jews mightily through the

scriptures proving that Jesus was the Christ.

So, a Polish wins the ticket right here.

Impalas wins. Because he did, he was more

successful than Paul at Corinth there, right?

No. And one way of accounting, we

can say he was more successful. But he just played a different

role. Paul was the planter a paulus,

was the water there and that's kind of how it is sometimes.

Sometimes how it is parents, they'll teach their children all

their lives and someone comes through.

And some preacher comes through, from out of town has never been

there before. Hold the gospel beat him and

they baptized him and, you know, Wonderful.

It's everybody playing the road. That's how it is here because

that's what Paul says here. I planted Apollo's watered God

gave the increase. So is neither the he the plans

plants anything? Neither, is he that Waters?

But it is God who gives the increase.

That is the one who really makes the difference there.

We play our roles and without planting and watering there

would not be the increase to be made, but God gives the increase

and we play our roles. Paul played his role Apollo's

played his role. You play your role.

I play my role, those in the congregation, they play.

A their role, it is God who gives the increase?

So, these are some things we can learn from the palace.

Another thing we learned from the policy here is this idea of

this division of this falling after different people.

There Paul says, is a sign of carnality, being influenced by

the world, and it's a sign of spiritual immaturity.

It results in here. He says, envy and strife and

divisions among you, he says this is a symptom of your

carnality and spiritual immaturity in this And sometimes

today we don't do that. Sometimes we don't say, I'm a

follower of this brother. I'm a follower of that brother.

I'm a follower of that person there but we do is we turn it a

little bit different. And we'll say this, will say we

change that phrase a little bit will say, do you agree with

them? You do agree with that person.

Do you agree with them that person there?

It's sometimes. It said tool that you use to

divide up there and identify each other.

And sometimes it's born out of strife and Division.

And sometimes, oftentimes, sadly, it is a sign of

carnality. Oftentimes though, that's an

it's necessary to identify those who are teaching false Doctrine,

teaching false things. But sometimes we use it in the

much the same way that it was used in 1st Corinthians.

The third chapter there, to the detriment of the cause of

Christ. Now, Now let's go next and see

another place in which it's used here in chapters and verses 21

through 23. Paul says the roles are this

that they were just working together in this verses 21

through 23. Therefore let no man.

Glory in man for all things are yours.

So it's not the individual leaders or teachers that we are

to follow. After let, no, man glory in man,

for all things are yours, whether Paul or Apollo's, or

Peter, or the world to come or life, or if their death, nor

things, present, or things to come.

All are yours. You are.

Christ's and Christ is God's. It says, the thing is, we're in

this together. and then in chapter 4, Verse 6, Paul, erases

all the names. Now, what do we mean by that?

Looking 4:6? He's used Paul a paulus and

Peter and Christ all along here. In chapter 6, verse 6 of chapter

4 seems to indicate to me that really the problem wasn't some

were saying I'm a follower of a policy and some say my man

followed appalled. Because in Chapter 4 Verse 6,

Paul says it's these things Brethren.

I have in a figure transferred to myself and to apologize for

your sakes. Notice he says, I have in a

figure transferred him to myself on a policies.

Used Paul says I've used myself a nopales is examples here.

I don't think they were following after Paul or polish.

They might have been following after brother so-and-so in the

congregation and some saying I'm a leader.

I'm, I'm, I'm following the leadership of brother so-and-so

in the congregation there at Corinth there.

The Paul just used himself in a policies examples.

So sometimes we, you know, you seen those shows where it says

the names were changed to protect the innocent Here I

guess you'd say. Paul says the names were changed

to protect the guilty and that sense there.

Having to figure transferred Paul myself in a policy in this.

But the point is this. The point is still clear.

The point is still the same that you may learn in us, not to

think of men above that, which is written.

And then no one of you be puffed up against another.

The point is still the same. God is the one who gives the

increase. We are simply workers together.

For God or with God, in his Vineyard and his kingdom one.

Last thing I want to point out about a paulus here.

Is in. the last chapter of the book of Corinthians, First

1 Corinthians 16 · chapter mention

Corinthians chapter 16. One thing I learned about Paula

Paul is, if we look at it here Apollo's finally did meet up

with Paul. He did meet up with some

Apostles and so he could have in his later career, in his later

life, he could have had miraculous gifts imparted to him

because he came in contact with Paul.

He came in contact, perhaps with others as well.

That we do not know of Paul mentions him at the book of

Titus, Titus Chapter 3, I believe verse 13.

Titus 3 · chapter mention

He mentions a paulus. It apparently seems like Paul is

may have been the one who delivered the letter to Titus

there and so he was associated with the Paul's, but here in 1st

Corinthians chapter 16, we learned something about how God

works and God's plans for us 1st Corinthians chapter 16 and verse

12. Paul rights.

In his closing remarks to the Corinthians as touching our

brother Apollo's. I greatly desired him to come

unto you with the brethren. But as will was not at all to

come at this time but he will come when he shall have a

convenient time. You know, this verse seems to

tell me this verse seems to seems to indicate and gives me

understanding that. God does not always have a

specific plan for your life on what you to do and what work

here involved. I guarantee you there are times

in life when we draw the conclusion, when we're faced

with an issue, when we're faced with the work.

Frank you ever had this who you? Those words, the Old Testament,

who knows? But what you've come to the

kingdom for such a time as this and sometimes you feel like that

the task in front of you, is the task that you're called to do.

And indeed it is. But look here in 1st

Corinthians, the 16th chapter verse 12 and inspired Apostle

greatly desire to polish to go to Quarry if and work there.

But the Paul says a paulus. Didn't want to come at this

time. Don't know why?

He was not willing to come at this time.

You'll come later when he has a convenient time.

And so that tells me also there that it's not that God says,

this is the work that you are to do, and you have to do this

work, we have a choice in the matter.

We have a choice in the matter. But we follow the wisdom and the

teaching of scripture in this. And so that tells me that tells

me and that seems to indicate to me that God doesn't have a

roadmap for my life on, on where I'm going to go, what I'm going

to have for breakfast, what I'm going to have her lunch and, you

know, things like that, it does not do that.

He tells me, I need to obey the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

I need to live for him. I need to serve and I need to be

a part of the body of Christ. I need to serve him in the

church. I need to worship as he teaches

here. Those are things that he does

plan for my life and he does direct for my life.

But some of the details he leaves to my choice as to where

and when and how some of these Works go forward there.

Some things for your consideration.

A paulus a man whose fascinating to me in Scripture.

A man who I take a lot of Hope him because he was a man, kind

of like me. It's kind of a goal to Aspire to

but he's a man that I can learn a lot about and preaching the

gospel to others and in learning how the gospel Works in people's

lives for the saving of their souls.

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