Check out all the previous Acts readings here.
Acts Reading Plan | Week 14 | Day 2
Prayer
Allow some silence for your soul to catch up with your body.
John 20:30-31 says, “Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”
Thank God for His word – that through it you can know the truth about Jesus and by believing have life!
Bible Reading: Acts 18:18-28
Read these verses three times slowly.
Paul stayed on in Corinth for some time. Then he left the brothers and sisters and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. Before he sailed, he had his hair cut off at Cenchreae because of a vow he had taken. They arrived at Ephesus, where Paul left Priscilla and Aquila. He himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. When they asked him to spend more time with them, he declined. But as he left, he promised, “I will come back if it is God’s will.” Then he set sail from Ephesus. When he landed at Caesarea, he went up to Jerusalem and greeted the church and then went down to Antioch.
After spending some time in Antioch, Paul set out from there and traveled from place to place throughout the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.
Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John. He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately.
When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia, the brothers and sisters encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. When he arrived, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed. For he vigorously refuted his Jewish opponents in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah.
Reflection & Questions
Some say the Christian faith is just fanciful and foolish. That the word of God is far too distorted and out-dated to believe. They may acknowledge that some parts of it are good principles, but to think that the Bible is accurate, that Jesus is who He says He is and to give your life for this, is just brainless.
If that feels like a modern problem, it’s not. Since Jesus rose from the dead, there have been skeptics and scoffers. And since the beginning God has raised up people to defend the faith. In today’s reading, we see just that. Paul is “reasoning with the Jews.” We see Apollos speaking with “great fervor” and teaching “about Jesus accurately” and “proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah.” Our faith is defendable. It has accuracy – both in history and diagnosing the condition of our hearts (and the beautiful solution in the gospel). It is not blindly believed, but a reasonable faith – a faith that doesn’t require you to check your brain at the door. We do not need to be ashamed of it.
Paul and his followers aren’t just reasoning with the skeptics. Luke tells us Paul was “strengthening the believers.” We read that Priscilla and Aquila help Apollos. Just because we believe, doesn’t mean we have it all figured out. Sometimes we have doubts, sometimes we have questions. The beautiful thing about our faith is that Jesus promises, “Seek and you will find.”
If defending the faith is a topic that you’d like to dig into more, a couple of books you might start with are: “Case for Faith” by Lee Strobel, “Reason for God” by Tim Keller and “Mere Christianity” by C.S. Lewis.
- Do you have doubts or questions about the faith? Who could you talk to about that?
- Who around you is a skeptic about the Christian faith? Have they asked questions that you need to seek answers to on their behalf?
Prayer
Talk to God in response to today’s reading. Pray about your questions and pray for those you know who are skeptical about Jesus.
Worship Song
You might use this song today to worship Jesus today:
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Questions?
Ed Applegate
