Acts 18-19

Tonight I want to write about Apollos.  His story is one that I’ve skimmed over in past readings of the book of Acts, but now I see it with fresh eyes.

Apollos was a Jew who came from Alexandria in Egypt.  He knew the scriptures well and was an excellent public speaker.  He believed in Jesus and taught others about him, but he was missing information about the baptism of the Holy Spirit. After Pricilla and Aquila taught him, he enthusiastically embraced their teaching…so much so that he

refuted the Jews with powerful arguments in public debate. Using the Scriptures, he explained to them that Jesus was the Messiah.

It’s amazing that the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus fulfilled so many old testament prophesies.  We talked about some of them today in church as we look forward to celebrating Christmas.  Using scriptures, our pastor walked us through some of the old testament prophesies — some of which were made 700 years before Jesus’ birth — and showed how Jesus fulfilled them.  It defies explanation…that God would come down to us?  Serve us?  Live among us?  Yet that is exactly what He did…and it was part of a divine plan.  We see glimpses of the plan through the prophesies.

This is all a reminder to me that God is Sovereign.  He is God, and I am not.  I do not have to understand; in fact, Jesus says a couple of times that our brains are not capable of conceiving all the wonders and glories of God.  But I do appreciate the simplicity and beauty of the real Christmas…the Word becoming flesh, living among us, Immanuel.  God With Us.