Wow, I felt like there was a lot to process in today's readings!
I'm going to touch on just a couple things that hit me - nothing necessarily too deep, but definitely practical.
First of all, I LOVED what my Life Application Bible had to say about married couple, Priscilla and Aquila.....
Some couples know how to make the most of life. They complement each other, capitalize on each other's strengths, and form an effective team. Their united efforts affect those around them. Aquila and Priscilla were such a couple. They are never mentioned separately in the Bible. In marriage and ministry, they operated as one....
Priscilla and Aquila made the most of their spiritual education [that they received from Paul]. They listened carefully to sermons and evaluated what they heard. When they heard Apollos speak, they were impressed by his ability but realized that his information was not complete. Instead of open confrontation, the couple quietly took Apollos home and shared with him what he needed to know. Until then, Apollos had only been aware of John the Baptist's message about Christ. Priscilla and Aquila told him about Jesus' life, death, and resurrection, and the reality of God's indwelling Spirit. He continued to preach powerfully - but now with the full story.
As for Priscilla and Aquila, they went on using their home as a warm place for training and worship. Back in Rome years later, they hosted one of the house churches that developed.
In an age when the focus is mostly on what happens between husband and wife, Aquila and Priscilla are an example of what can happen through husband and wife. Their effectiveness together is the result of their good relationship with each other. Their hospitality opened the doorway of salvation to many. The Christian home is still one of the best tools for spreading the gospel. Do guests find Christ in your home? (emphasis in bold mine)
Isn't that awesome?! A godly, united marriage, not only affects you and your children and your extended family, but it can be a ministry. It can impact eternity! So inspirational!!
I also noticed how Apollos was not defensive when Priscilla and Aquila took him aside and taught him. As an accomplished scholar, orator and debater it would have been so easy to him to become defensive. But instead, he was willing to become a student in order that he would become an even more effective teacher!
Unfortunately, Apollos' talent created a problem when the Corinthians began to follow the preach instead of the message. Some were following Paul, some Apollos and some Cephas (which is Peter - I totally did not know that until now!) and Paul had to deal with this huge and divisive issue directly and strongly. This is still a problem today. How often do you hear of church's falling apart because the pastor leaves. We are not to be pastor followers, we are to be follower's of Christ!
I also noticed how much 1 Corinthians 1:8-9 mirrored the passage I mentioned yesterday! Just in case we needed that message reinforced a little ;)
Tomorrow's passage: 1 Corinthians 4-7
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