Last week, we saw how Crispus, a synagogue leader in Corinth, and Gallio, the proconsul of Achaia, unknowingly worked together to bless Paul and the growth of the church in Corinth. And, of course, we related this to the fact that regardless of your position in life, we all have a certain amount of influence. Whether it is over the children you are raising or among your coworkers or friends, we all have an opportunity to influence others for good. That’s why Jesus made a point of telling His disciples that:

“You are the salt of the earth…and the light of the world” (Matthew 5:13-14).

I reminded all of us that as followers of Jesus, we need to use whatever influence we have to be salt and light in a world filled with fear and uncertainty.

After a year and a half, as his time in Corinth was drawing to a close, Paul, along with Priscilla and Aquila, set sail for Syria, arriving first at Ephesus. Paul entered the synagogue there and reasoned with the Jews that Jesus was indeed the long-expected Messiah, the true hope of Israel. However, Paul did not want to spend time in Ephesus, and so he left Aquila and Priscilla there to strengthen the new believers who had come to faith in Christ through Paul’s preaching in the synagogue.

Paul then caught a ship bound for Caesarea and upon arrival, he went up to Jerusalem and visited Peter and the other leaders of the Jerusalem church. Shortly thereafter, he left Jerusalem and visited his “sending” church in Antioch (this was the church that had supported and prayed for Paul’s first two missionary journeys). And as you might have expected, he left Antioch and began his third Missionary Journey, visiting all of the churches previously established in Asia Minor during his previous two journeys.

As Paul journeyed westward strengthening all of the disciples in previously planted churches:

A certain Jew named Apollos, an Alexandrian by birth, an eloquent man, came to Ephesus, and he was mighty in the Scriptures (Acts 18:24).

Prior to Paul’s arrival in Ephesus, Apollos had arrived from Alexandria located in Egypt on the north coast of Africa. It was in Alexandria where an extensive library was found, and undoubtedly, Apollos had devoured many of the existing Old Testament Scriptures that pointed to the coming Messiah. Furthermore, if you recall, during Pentecost in Jerusalem over 20 years prior, Jews from Egypt and other places from around the Empire received the Holy Spirit and returned to their home country to share the good news of Jesus and His death, burial, and resurrection. The evidence seems to be clear that Apollos had become a follower of Jesus when the Jews who had experienced the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost returned to Alexandria. And here is what we know about Apollos before he arrived in Ephesus:

This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he was speaking and teaching accurately the things concerned Jesus, being acquainted only with the baptism of John (Acts 18:25).

What this means is that Apollos had been mentored by the Jews who returned from Pentecost, and that he understood the meaning of John’s baptism for repentance from sins, but did not understand what it means to be baptized into Christ, as Paul would later write in his letter to the Roman church,

Therefore, we are buried with him by baptism into death; and as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4).

That was the piece of the gospel that Apollos was missing. Regardless of his accurate (but incomplete) knowledge, we find that Apollos,

…began to speak out boldly in the synagogue [in Ephesus]. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately (Acts 18:26).

What a wonderful ministry Aquila and Priscilla had with Apollos in Ephesus. And I’m pretty sure that each of us has had a “mentor” to help explain the Scriptures more fully to us. But that’s not all because Apollos wanted to immediately go to Achaia (specifically to Corinth) to strengthen the church there, because Paul, as well as Aquilla and Priscilla, had left many months prior. And so,

…the brethren encouraged him and wrote to the disciples [in Corinth] to welcome him; and when he had arrived, he helped greatly those who had believed through grace; (Acts 18:27).

Wow! A letter of commendation sent by the Aquila and Priscilla, and other members of the Ephesian church, that Apollos should be received as a faithful follower of Jesus. But that’s not all, he should also be received because,

…he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, demonstrating by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah (Acts 18:28).

I find it interesting that never having met Paul, Apollos was able to do what Paul had been doing for several years, that is, refuting the Jews in public and demonstrating by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah. Unbeknownst to Paul who was still traveling through Asia Minor, God had raised up Apollos (mentored by Aquilla and Priscilla) to return to Corinth to not only minister to the church there, but to also go into the synagogue and continue sharing the Good News with all who would listen. And as we will see next week, Paul would spend the next three years in Ephesus and would not return to Corinth until after he continued on this third Missionary Journey.

Just as God has a plan for you and me, He had a plan to raise up Apollos to carry on the work of ministry at just the right time in Corinth while Paul continued to minister in Ephesus. I’m certain that this is a calling for every follower of Jesus. Although your “pastor” or other church leader may not be around, God provides open doors, doors of opportunity, for us to share Jesus with others. We simply use what we have learned from all of our years reading devotionals, listening to sermons, and from our own Bible reading to influence others for Christ. We can follow in the footsteps of Apollos, being available to share the Good News with others, even when a “church leader” may not be present. Remember, let’s remember that we are not all called to be evangelists, but we are all called to be His witnesses! And as His witnesses, we need to look for open doors to share the Good News of the Gospel with others.

Next week, we will join Paul during his three years in Ephesus. As you might imagine, a lot of “stuff” took place in Ephesus. I hope you will join me then.