Author: Dave Dishman (Page 37 of 451)

For a movement to spread, influence and leadership must flow beyond the original founders. Apollos represents such growth in the Christian church.

Apollos arrived in Ephesus and immediately proved himself an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures. But even as he spoke about Jesus, he didn’t know all the details. So two disciples who had been with Paul, Priscilla and Aquila, took Apollos aside and explained the ways of Jesus more accurately.

Apollos developed into a powerful preacher. He taught in various cities, including Corinth, spreading the faith and encouraging the churches. Martin Luther even credited him with the authorship of Hebrews. Whether he wrote that letter or not, Apollos exerted a powerful influence within many growing churches.

Which is interesting because Apollos launched into his career without having met Jesus or any of the original disciples. Apollos came to faith after hearing from the next generation of Christ followers. His mentors, Priscilla and Aquila, were in the same camp, also never having been with Jesus. Apollos represents the first generation beyond the original founders.

Every eloquent preacher who helps those who follow Jesus, and shares from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ, follows in the footsteps of Apollos. All of us who claim Jesus today owe a debt to Apollos, Priscilla and Aquila. They nurtured and spread the faith through a critical period, intense with persecution, bridging the days of the founders to the centuries of the followers.

Let us continue in the same path. The next generations will follow Jesus and enjoy our amazing God if we point them in the right way. Like Apollos, let’s be fervent in spirit and teach accurately the things concerning Jesus.

Acts 18:24-28

Photo by Sneha Cecil

In the middle of fleeing for his life, David somehow found time to write poetry. While hiding in a cave he wrote:

The steadfast love of God endures all the day.

Which makes me think of things I deal with every day that do not endure.

Food goes bad. Clothes wear out. Plants die. Friends move away. Family members pass on. Health declines. Money takes wings. Memories fade.

But the loyal, firm, deep affection of God remains constant.

David had it bad, but chose to rest in the unchanging nature of God. Lean into the Lord. Gain refreshment from him. The sun is shining somewhere, and God’s love continues to endure.

Psalm 52:1

Photo by Sebastien Gabriel

The armies of Israel, facing defeat by an overwhelming enemy, needed an edge. Hoping for a powerful weapon to employ upon the field, they called for the most holy object imaginable.

So the people sent to Shiloh and brought from there the ark of the covenant of the Lord of hosts, who is enthroned on the cherubim. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.

The ark of the covenant, built under the leadership of Moses, imbued with holiness, formed the center of the worship of Israel. Surely this powerful object would turn the tide. But the tide failed to turn. The enemy routed the Israelites who lost 30,000 men, and even worse, the ark of the covenant fell into enemy hands.

Why did this unbelievably powerful object of religious focus fail to bring success on the battlefield?

Because God controls the box, not the other way around.

The Israelites aimed God at their enemies. As if the ark were a missile launcher, they expected to hurl the power of God against whomever they wished. This despite the fact that the two priests who brought the ark, Hophni and Phinehas, were known cheats and philanderers, and the entire nation strayed from devotion to the Lord.

When the Spirit of God left, the ark of the covenant reverted to a shiny box. In the same way the cross on my wall is merely a decoration without the faith of a follower of Jesus to underscore its true meaning.

It’s a mistake to attempt to use God’s power for my ends. I might feel smug in my understanding of God and how he works, but the Lord will eventually blow up that box. God doesn’t come when we whistle—it’s actually the other way around.

1 Samuel 4:1-11

Photo by Igor Rodrigues

Sometimes a nudge in the right direction is all someone needs.

After a mysterious vision in the night, Paul and his missionary band shifted plans and traveled to Macedonia (modern day Greece). On a riverbank outside of Philippi, they sat down to talk with a group of women.

There they met a successful businesswoman who sold goods colored in purple, a highly valued commodity and expensive to manufacture. This woman of means, Lydia, already worshipped God but had never heard of Jesus. As they spoke the Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul.

Lydia jumped at the good news of Jesus. She was baptized and brought her entire household into the faith. She invited Paul and his group to stay at her home. Lydia, the first convert to Christianity in Europe, developed into an ardent follower of Jesus and faithful supporter of Paul.

We never know who is ready for the good news of Jesus. Some people have no interest, others listen with curiosity, but then there are those primed to follow the Lord. All they need is a spark, a word, a nudge in the right direction.

I’m often pleasantly surprised by reactions when I let people know I’m a follower of Jesus. Don’t be afraid to open a conversation to the ways of the Lord. You just might bring the nudge a person in your path needs to discover a relationship with our amazing God.

Acts 16:11-15

Photo by charlesdeluvio