Acts 18:18-28
18 After this, Paul stayed many days longer and then took leave of the brothers and set sail for Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila. At Cenchreae he had cut his hair, for he was under a vow. 19 And they came to Ephesus, and he left them there, but he himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. 20 When they asked him to stay for a longer period, he declined. 21 But on taking leave of them he said, “I will return to you if God wills,” and he set sail from Ephesus.
22 When he had landed at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the church, and then went down to Antioch. 23 After spending some time there, he departed and went from one place to the next through the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.
24 Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures. 25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John. 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him and explained to him the way of God more accurately. 27 And when he wished to cross to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he greatly helped those who through grace had believed, 28 for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that the Christ was Jesus.
Reflection
Through his skillful and careful handling of God’s Word, Apollos helped “those who through grace had believed” (Acts 18:27–28). Belief is not something humans can manufacture —it is graciously generated and fueled by God himself through the good news announced in his Word (cf. Rom. 10:17). Salvation, including faith, is completely the work of God’s grace (Eph. 2:8–9). We are saved by grace, not by anything we have done—it is a gift. We have done nothing to bring it about that could lead us to boast. If we are going to boast, let it be in praise of the radical love of God.
Revelation 11:1-14
11: Then I was given a measuring rod like a staff, and I was told, “Rise and measure the temple of God and the altar and those who worship there, 2 but do not measure the court outside the temple; leave that out, for it is given over to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for forty-two months. 3 And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.”
4 These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. 5 And if anyone would harm them, fire pours from their mouth and consumes their foes. If anyone would harm them, this is how he is doomed to be killed. 6 They have the power to shut the sky, that no rain may fall during the days of their prophesying, and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague, as often as they desire. 7 And when they have finished their testimony, the beast that rises from the bottomless pit will make war on them and conquer them and kill them, 8 and their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city that symbolically is called Sodom and Egypt, where their Lord was crucified. 9 For three and a half days some from the peoples and tribes and languages and nations will gaze at their dead bodies and refuse to let them be placed in a tomb, 10 and those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and make merry and exchange presents, because these two prophets had been a torment to those who dwell on the earth. 11 But after the three and a half days a breath of life from God entered them, and they stood up on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them. 12 Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here!” And they went up to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies watched them. 13 And at that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.
14 The second woe has passed; behold, the third woe is soon to come.
Reflection
John sees the temple protected by God, and sees two witnesses prophesying throughout a specified period of time in Revelation 11:2–6. Since the New Testament regards the church as the temple of God (e.g., 1 Cor. 3:16), John’s vision of the two witnesses seems to symbolize the church proclaiming the gospel throughout this designated period of time (Rev. 11:3). The 42-month period (v. 2) is likely a symbolic way of referring to the whole period of church history —the time between Christ’s resurrection and his second coming (12:5; see note on 12:1–6). The killing of the two witnesses (11:7) and their resurrection (vv. 9–11), followed by their rise to heaven (v. 12), appear to indicate an almost total elimination of Christianity right before the return of Christ.
This passage tells the churches that God is able to protect his people throughout the time he has appointed for them to preach the gospel. And even if their enemies kill them, God can raise the dead. This would encourage persecuted churches to continue to proclaim the gospel. All of human history is being guided along under the wise and sovereign hand of God. We can trust him even through the great trials that must be endured by believers.
Psalm 71:18
18 So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come.
God will help the church proclaim the gospel despite the suffering that will bring. Pray that his Spirit would strengthen you and your church family to prioritize and endure in the work of sharing and teaching the gospel to one another and the lost as long as you live.