Acts - Week 60

Week 60 Acts 18 

Day 1 

READ 

Acts 18:18 

18 Paul stayed in Corinth for some time after that, then said good-bye to the brothers and sisters and went to nearby Cenchrea. There he shaved his head according to Jewish custom, marking the end of a vow. Then he set sail for Syria, taking Priscilla and Aquila with him. 

While at Corinth Paul wrote 1 & 2 Thessalonians. He had been driven out of Thessalonica earlier. Now he begins his trip back to Antioch in Syria. This was the location of his sending church. There is a debate about Paul shaving his head and the vow he had taken, but there is not enough evidence to settle it. He took Priscilla and Aquila with him as he heads home. 

REFLECT 

As you meditate on the Scriptures, thank the Lord for what Paul and his companions experienced and yet were victorious for Jesus. How has this encouraged you? 

RESPOND 

With your disciple read 1 Thessalonians 1:4-10. This expresses what Paul wrote back to these believers who welcomed him to their city even though some of the Jewish leaders drove him out.  

Day 2 

READ 

Acts 18:19-22 

19 They stopped first at the port of Ephesus, where Paul left the others behind. While he was there, he went to the synagogue to reason with the Jews. 20 They asked him to stay longer, but he declined. 21 As he left, however, he said, “I will come back later, God willing.” Then he set sail from Ephesus. 22 The next stop was at the port of Caesarea. From there he went up and visited the church at Jerusalem and then went back to Antioch. 

Wherever he went and no matter how long he was there, Paul sought opportunities to tell the Jews about the resurrected Messiah. These wanted him to stay longer but he was unable to. Going “up” to Jerusalem and “down” from it had to do with elevation and not direction. Antioch was north of Jerusalem but lower in elevation. These verses trace his progress as he returns to his home church. 

REFLECT 

Think how laborious it was and how time consuming it was for travel in those days. With today’s technology, are you using it to reach and teach others about Jesus? What do you think the apostle Paul would do if he had access to today’s technology? 

RESPOND 

Talk with your disciple about what you might do to reach more people for Jesus. Because you are receiving this material on the Internet it should give you ideas about how you might reach out to family and friends with a witness for Jesus. 

Day 3 

READ 

Acts 18:23 

23 After spending some time in Antioch, Paul went back through Galatia and Phrygia, visiting and strengthening all the believers. 

The report about Paul’s third missionary journey begins with verse 23. This verse needs dwelling on because it emphasizes the importance of following up with those who have trusted in Jesus for salvation. This was also the motivation for the second missionary journey (see Acts 15:36). He was not only motivated to encourage people to turn to God; Paul wanted to later follow up to see how they were doing. 

REFLECT 

What have you done to check on how others are doing in their walk of faith? This is especially important to do for those who have recently become followers of the Lord Jesus. 

RESPOND 

Consider some questions you and your disciple could ask those recently turned to Jesus. They could be: How are you coming in your Bible reading? Do you need help understanding some of what you’re reading? Could I pray for you? Do you have any specific prayer requests? 

Day 4 

READ 

Acts 18:24 

24 Meanwhile, a Jew named Apollos, an eloquent speaker who knew the Scriptures well, had arrived in Ephesus from Alexandria in Egypt. 

This verse introduces Apollos to the readers. He is described as “an eloquent speaker” and as one “who knew the Scriptures well.” He came to Ephesus where Paul had earlier left his companions (see 18:19). He came from Alexandria in Egypt, the second largest city in the Roman Empire at the time, outranked only by Rome. He had significant qualifications. Did he have any lack in his spiritual knowledge? 

REFLECT 

Are you sometimes impressed by a person’s eloquent presentation or accent? The important matter is to consider the content of what he is saying.  

RESPOND 

Talk with your disciple how to look critically at what one is saying. This means to be discerning in what is being said, not having a critical spirit. Consider some advertisements you have seen and evaluate them for what they are not saying, not just by what they are saying. Ask God to give you insight into the messages of those speaking on spiritual subjects.  

Day 5 

READ 

Acts 18:25-26 

25 He had been taught the way of the Lord, and he taught others about Jesus with an enthusiastic spirit and with accuracy. However, he knew only about John’s baptism. 26 When Priscilla and Aquila heard him preaching boldly in the synagogue, they took him aside and explained the way of God even more accurately. 

What Apollos knew he was enthusiastic about and spoke with accuracy. There was something, however, he did not know. He knew only of the “baptism of John” preparing people for the coming Messiah. This indicates he did not know about Christian baptism and the baptism of the Holy Spirit that occurred on the Day of Pentecost, as recorded in Acts 2. Priscilla and Aquila did not say anything publicly but “took him aside.” He was teachable and received their instruction. 

REFLECT 

Never apologize for what you do not know. No one can know everything. Just focus on what you know and try to express it accurately. 

RESPOND 

Talk with your disciple about being teachable as Apollos was. Seek to learn all you can by learning from Bible teachers past and present as you study the Scriptures. Never have the attitude that you know it all. The Bible still has gems to be discovered after one has studied it for several years.