Feb 20, 2018
With the growth of the church and the spread of the gospel around the world, the need for additional ministers and messengers increased exponentially. Paul, Barnabas, Silas, and the apostles could only be in so many places at one time. And there were many more places where the gospel had yet to be proclaimed. But God was not going to allow the gospel to be bogged down by limited numbers of missionaries. He would simply raise up new ones. And in Acts 18:18-28, we see him raise up a gifted young man named Apollos. He would prove to be a gifted communicator, but would need input and discipleship from Aquila and Priscilla. God calls, but God also equips. He raises up men and women to communicate the good news regarding His Son, but he surrounds them with competent individuals who can step in alongside them, providing much-needed training and, if necessary, reproof. There was going to come a day when Paul’s mission would be seemingly derailed by imprisonment. He would spend two years under Roman custody in Caesarea. Then, later on in his ministry, he would find himself a prisoner in Rome itself. But while Paul was under lock and key, God would continue to raise up new messengers to step in the gap and take the gospel to the ends of the earth.