Aquila, Priscilla, and Apollos | Church Year Commemoration

Our devotional reading comes from a lesson in LifeLight: Acts, Part 2—Leaders Guide.

Introduction

As we read the account of Aquila, Priscilla, and Apollos in Acts 18, we remember the importance of properly teaching the faith. As Aquila and Priscilla explained the way of God to Apollos, so we, too, give thanks for all those who instruct and teach us about the truth of God’s Word.

Devotional Reading

Some early believers in Jesus became missionaries in unusual ways. Verses 24–25—One of these was Apollos of Alexandria in Egypt, who was neither one of the Twelve nor of the Seventy (Luke 10:1). Apollos was a learned and eloquent Jew who had converted to Christianity, but didn’t yet have a complete knowledge of the faith. Not daunted, Apollos arrived at Ephesus and started speaking boldly about Jesus in the synagogue there, much as Saul of Tarsus had done years earlier just after his own conversion. Verse 26—Listening to him in the congregation were none other than Paul’s tentmaking co-workers, Priscilla and Aquila, who invited Apollos to their home and corrected his immature understanding of Baptism, since he “knew only the baptism of John.”

Verses 27–28—A quick learner, Apollos soon became a fully qualified Christian evangelist. Armed with letters of recommendation from the Christians of Ephesus, he now traveled to Corinth and powerfully “watered” what Paul had “planted” there (1 Corinthians 3:6). Because of his specialty in relating Jesus to Hebrew Scripture, Apollos may very well have authored the New Testament Letter to the Hebrews. Apollos, in any case, symbolizes the dozens, perhaps hundreds, of other emissaries for the faith in various parts of the Near East and the Mediterranean.

Devotional reading is adapted from LifeLight: Acts, Part 2—Leaders Guide, page 28 © 1993, 2004 Concordia Publishing House. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Prayer

Lord God, heavenly Father, You sent Your Son, Jesus, to this sinful world to save us from our sinfulness. He lived a perfect life for us and gave us the perfect example of a master teacher. Thank You for the gift of faithful teachers who explain the Word to the children and adults entrusted to their care, leading them to knowledge of Your truth. You have called them to serve You in Your kingdom, and You alone empower them with all the gifts they need in their blessed vocation. Lord, continue to bless Your Church with faithful, dedicated teachers who seek to give You all glory in their vocation for the work You do through them. Fill them with the fervent desire to do that which is pleasing in Your eyes: to do Your will, to walk in Your ways, and to extol Your means of grace. Guard them from any error in judgment, word, or deed. Give them patience in dealing with the challenges of their classrooms. Bring to their remembrance and support them with the promise of Your presence in every aspect of their life and vocation. May our teachers find true joy, comfort, and peace in Your enduring Gospel as You sustain them in their work; in the name of our dear Lord Jesus. Amen.

Prayer is from Lutheran Book of Prayer, pages 153–54 © 2005 Concordia Publishing House. All rights reserved.