Sermon Notes
I. Disciples need to be __________ (18:23)
Two primary threats to disciples:
- __________
- __________
II. Disciples need __________ (18:24-28)
A. Talented __________ needs correction (v. 24-26)
B.Now corrected, Apollos is powerfully __________ (v. 27-28)
III. Disciples need __________ (19:1-7)
IV. Disciples need to be __________ (v. 8-10)
Going Deeper
- Threats to followers of Christ are deceit and discouragement. One more is Division. Read Ephesians 4:1-6. How do we keep unity? What will it take for you to maintain unity in the body of Christ?
- Do you have brothers or sisters in Christ who will encourage you (Heb. 3:13)? If not, who will you ask to encourage you this week?
- Read Acts 18:24-25. What were Apollos’ strengths? What was his weakness? Brian Vickers says: “Apollos has been taught about Jesus, knows him as the Messiah, and could show this identity based on Scripture, but his knowledge does not include Christian baptism.” Why is this a big deal?
- How do Priscilla and Aquila help Apollos in v. 26? What was the result in v. 27-28? Read 1 Cor. 3:5-6. How does Apollos help further the gospel?
- Read Acts 19:1-7. Brian Vickers: “Nowhere in Acts is the overlap between covenantal ages more clear than here. These disciples of John the Baptist are old covenant believers. Just as John was the last of the messianic prophets and was himself a turning point from the old to the new covenant, so these disciples of his are living in a time of overlap between the old and the new. Jesus ushered in the new covenant through his death and resurrection, but it is the coming of the Spirit after his ascension that establishes or applies the covenant to believers.”
- R. Kent Hughes: “We see the Pentecost experience four times in the book of Acts: to Jewish believers in Jerusalem, to the Samaritans through Philip, to the Gentiles by Peter, and here to dispersed Jews through Paul.”
- Read 1 Thessalonians 5:20-22. How should we discern prophecies today?
- Read Acts 19:8-10. Darrell Bock says: “The threefold response of hardening, unbelief, and speaking evil indicates complete rejection of Paul’s message.” Do you know someone like this? Pray for him/her right now.
- Brian Vickers comments on v. 9: “Just as Paul tracked down and persecuted those “belonging to the Way” (9:2), so now he, the leading missionary of the faith he tried to destroy, leaves the synagogue where he has taught for three months because unbelieving Jews are maligning “the Way.” What does this tell us about Paul? How are disciples of Jesus multiplied in v. 10?