Living Examples - Aquila and Priscilla - Kingdom Builders
Pray – (1/2 minute)
Read – (2 1/2 minutes) – “When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, ‘We want to hear you again on this subject.’ At that, Paul left the Council. A few men became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others. After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.” (Acts 17:32-18:1)
Passage: Psalm 134:1-3
Recently, one of our church members commented to a group we were with that it was nice to know their pastor was a “real” person. We laughed together, but it’s true that we all can have a perception that people in the ministry aren’t “real” people. They are. They laugh and cry, get discouraged as well as being joyful and have the same emotions as everyone else. The Apostle Paul was a “real” man and there was a time in his ministry when, I believe, he was close to “burn out”. During his time there, he was alone. He preached the gospel, but he saw very little response and a strong church never developed. He also ran short or completely out of money, so he left Athens and traveled to Corinth. That’s where God brought two people into his life, who were God’s Kingdom partners and who God used in a great way. Their names were Aquila and Priscilla.
The pastor and any ministry staff in a healthy, local church are called by God “to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up” (Ephesians 4:12). They can’t do everything. They won’t always meet everyone’s expectations. They face times when they are physically, emotionally tired. They deal with financial issues just like everyone else. They need people like Aquila and Priscilla to come alongside them and be Kingdom partners for Christ. God wants you to be that kind of person in your local church family.
Apply - (2 1/2 minutes)
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Pray - (1 1/2 minutes)