Good To Great~
Just four verses describe Apollos and his ministry, but they are verses that are as ripe with fruit as this man's life! "Mighty in the Scriptures, eloquent, instructed, fervent in spirit, spoke and taught accurately, spoke boldly, he greatly helped those who believed, vigorously refuted, and showed from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ"!
All of this, of course, is so good! Apollos was a man that was being used for a good work, that was undeniable. He had been given all kinds of divine abilities and was using them to the full??? Almost.
Then enters Priscilla and Aquilla, two who had spent considerable time with Paul who no doubt had an impact upon them! That ministry of Paul's accurate as it was equipped A & P to tactfully take a good man, and make him great! It is amazing to think that one so described as Apollos could need any more fine tuning, but it was true as i suppose it is of us all!
How could a man so gifted, so eloquent, so mighty in the Scriptures, need anything else? For one the Kingdom of God and the life of faith are no shallow subjects! There will always be room for improvement and someone will always be farther than we! One thing that i guess is clearly implied is the humility of Apollos. It would seem to be the norm for a man like him to be hard to teach and uneasy to approach - but he wasn't (at least that is my impression) If so, there is all the more reason to thank God for him!
I also like the fact that though he didn't have it "all" right (and who does) he got right to work in the ministry! Most of my best "ministry training" (all of really it) happened while i had so much left to learn - still do!
So God: thank you for gifted men like Apollos. They aren't perfect, but the gifts do tell of Your Sovereign design and goodness!
thank you for humble gifted men - rare indeed, but again, a testimony of You at work!
thank you for more mature and tactful (they pulled him aside quietly to address his errors) people! God we need them!
thank you for the fact that men regardless of their giftedness can get in the game even though they still have so much to learn!
and then...
help me be all of the above: gifted, humble,mature and tactful, in the game and willing to let others in the game too!
and help me...greatly help those who have believed by grace!
In Jesus Name~Amen!
Created over 2 years ago
