1:1 Priscilla & Apollos
Acts 18:23 – 19:7
Today, because of natural disasters and wars, people are on the move; in Pakistan, floods are forcing thousands from their homes; people are fleeing war and persecution in Syria, Eritrea, Sudan, Afghanistan and Iraq; the Russian invasion of Ukraine has led to a new move of people across Europe. This is not about ‘getting a better life’, deciding ‘wouldn’t it be nice to live elsewhere’; it’s a matter of life or death. 
Refugees are not a new phenomenon. 2,000 years ago, people were on the move, forced to flee for their lives. The Roman Empire was clamping down on this new religious movement that refused to go along with saying, “Caesar is Lord”, instead declaring their “Jesus is Lord. Imagine if the Government imposed a legal requirement for all citizens to worship Prime Minister Boris Johnson, “Boris is Lord, Boris is God.”, with those refusing either imprisoned or executed. 2,000 years again, many fled Rome and cities; many of those that stayed paid the ultimate price.
A couple, Priscilla and Aquila, had fled Rome and got as far as Corinth in Greece. When you’re on the move, walking from country to country, what do you need? A tent.
Apostle Paul was also on the move: starting new churches in places where refugees were arriving. Now he too was in Corinth. Starting new churches – church planting – is exciting but financially difficult. And more so when the church is mostly made up of refugees. So, entrepreneurial Paul had a side-hustle: making and selling tents. Paul was a tentmaker (18:3) Paul needed a living, refugees needed tents. Win-win. But, for Paul, business/ work wasn’t just about paying the bills, it was also an opportunity for more 1:1s.
That’s probably how he met Priscilla and Aquilla. He sold them a tent. They soon became indispensable to him, co-workers with him.
And it was they – not just Aquilla, but Priscila and Aquila. In a male-dominated culture, where women were seen as the property of men and the synagogues excluded women, this Jesus revolution was different. 
Elsewhere, Paul says: “I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet.”(1 Timothy 2:12). And, “Women are to be silent in the churches. They are not permitted to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says.” (1 Corinthians 14:34) And yet most references to them suggest it was Priscilla who led, more than Aquilla. In fact, some have wondered if Priscilla was the anonymous author of the Letters to the Hebrews. So, on the one had, we have a few verses that, on first reading, appear to promote gender exclusion, and yet Paul’s practice was full-on gender inclusion. We don’t ignore those difficult verses, we dig a little deeper to gain a better understanding of their context and meaning. It’s why we are doing the same with the six, may be, seven verses in the Bible that, on first reading, appear to promote LGBTQ+ exclusion, so that we can better understand their context and meaning. (If you missed the recent seminar, What does the Bible say about sexuality, it’s being repeated on Wednesday 21st September, 7.30 pm.) 
Together, Paul, Priscilla and Aquilla moved on to Ephesus. When they finally secured a home, they “did” church in their front room. That’s how Chester Road Baptist Church was started in 1905, and why we do small groups.
Whilst in Ephesus they met someone else that had been on the move – Apollos, from Alexandria, in Egypt, north Africa. v.24 He was well-educated and intelligent – Greek word ‘logios’ – a learned scholar.  Not surprising, given that Alexandria was where the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Scriptures 200 years BC. And where Philo, the philosopher (not to be confused Philo, the pastry chef), were from. v.25 Apollos was eloquent and spoke with great fervour – a bit full on!
What’s more, he could quote the Scriptures (which ones)?) Though brought up Jewish, he’d been “instructed in the way of Jesus.” He knew all about Jesus, lots of facts, doctrines about Jesus. His talks/ lessons about Jesus were factually correct.
For Apollos, Christianity was about knowing right from wrong; a moral code; all about having good manners, being a model citizen. Was it good manners to call religious leaders, “You brood of vipers, you snakes!” Jesus did. And twice! Matthew 3 & 12. 
When Priscilla and Aquilla heard Apollos, it was obvious to them: Apollos knew a lot about Jesus, but he didn’t actually KNOW Jesus. Someone might know a lot of facts about you: your full name, date of birth, place of birth, your CV.. yet still not KNOW you, what you’re really like; your strengths and weaknesses; what brings yu joy; the sorrows and scars you carry. Apollos might have been a ‘logios’ (scholar) who knew lots of clever words, but he didn’t know THE Logos, THE Word of God.
Rather than publicly challenge him, or shout out, “liar, liar, pants on fire”, they kindly, gently, humbly, took him to one side and had a 1:1 with him
It transpired; Apollos only knew the baptism of John. John the Baptist had started before Christ (BC), preparing the way of the Lord. John knew nothing of what was to come: the sacrificial life, death and resurrection of Jesus, the Christ.
It sounded the same, it even involved water, the pictures in the RE Textbook looked the same but John’s baptism was more about that moral code/ good manners – sin and judgment.  But no mention of grace, sacrificial life, death and resurrection of Christ. That’s why Paul says in ch.19 v.4, “John’s was a baptism of repentance”.
Jesus Himself had said, “John baptised with water, but in a few days you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit.” Acts 1:5

Maybe you were baptised as an infant. It wasn’t your choice. Someone else decided for you to “do the Christian thing” and get you baptised. It didn’t mean anything to you at the time. It’s why we dedicate infants, not baptise them. It’s for the parent/carer. I’m sometimes asked, at what age can you be baptised here? When it’s no longer about the ceremony, the rite of passage, the ‘do’ afterwards. When it’s ALL about Jesus, and not about you. Baptism is about surrendering your ego, your will – being with Christ in his sacrificial life, death, and resurrection. Next Baptisms, 30th October!
So, Priscilla (probably supported by Aquilla in the background) had a 1:1 with Apollos. They invested time in him: not to bring him down, but to help him KNOW Christ, and have even greater future impact.
Apollos was teachable. And from a woman and non-professional/ academic. He showed humility and good grace.
Paul later asked (19:2), “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed”? The what? Paul was not talking about a second baptism, a second event, like some talk of baptism in water and then later, for some, baptism in the Holy Spirit. Instead, baptism into Christ IS baptism into the Spirit of Christ, the Holy Spirit. At Jesus’ baptism, the heavens opened, the Spirit descended like a dove It’s why we spend time praying in the water for more of the Holy Spirit. Baptism in water is a one-off event; but we crave need the Spirit of Christ/ Hoy Spirit always, continually. 
Have you noticed how this series has linked together? 
Annanias had a 1:1 with Saul – who became Paul.
Paul went on to have a 1:1 with Priscilla & Aquila.
Priscilla & Aquila had a 1:1 with Apollos
Apollos went onto have many 1:1s
Just imagine if Annanias had backed away from that 1:1 with Saul?
And, with each one, there were other links in the chain. Apollos had been instructed; someone had told him about Christ. He’d got half the message - half-truths. But half-truths are no truth. It needed Priscilla and Aquila to be the final link in the chain for Apollos. When you have a 1:1 with someone, you don’t know if you’re the first or last link in the chain in their faith journey. Paul wrote to the Corinth Church
“What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labour. For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.”          1 Corinthians 3:5-9
We are co-workers, with each other AND God.
07840 046020   DannyBrierley@ChesterRoadBaptist.org.uk