Greetings everyone and thanks for joining me for this edition of my Sunday School lesson commentary. This Sunday’s lesson is entitled “Priscilla: Called to Minister” and is found in Acts 18:1-3, 18-21, 24-26; Romans 16:3-4.
Priscilla, no last name, is always mentioned in conjunction with her husband Aquila. Like Mary Magdalene last week, she was a silent partner who took on a supportive role to help those in the lead role to spread the gospel. Mary assisted Jesus and Priscilla assisted Paul.
Paul met Priscilla while in Corinth. She and her husband were Jews who had been forced to leave Rome and decided to move to Corinth. Like Paul, she, along with her husband, were in the tent making business.
There appears to be something about this shared line of work that had a part in bringing them together. They offered and Paul accepted from them a place to live and work. Paul continued with this arrangement during his year and a half time he spent in Corinth teaching and preaching the gospel.
When he left Corinth for Ephesus, Priscilla and Aquila, left with him. Upon arriving in Ephesus, Paul continued to Syria and then Jerusalem in order to complete a vow he had made. But before leaving he asked Priscilla and Aquila to remain in Ephesus and that he would return.
While Paul was away, another Jew named Apollo from Alexandria came to Ephesus and was very eloquent and well versed in the scriptures. He only knew however of the baptism of John and not of Jesus. Once Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained the gospel more fully to him.
He went on to be a strong advocate for Jesus Christ because Paul mentions him as “one who watered” in his first letter to the Corinthians. Some at Corinth had begun to divide themselves into sects of Paul, Apollo and Peter.
It was Priscilla and Aquila who helped Apollo to become the advocate for Christ he became. This is in part because of their relationship with Paul and being subjected to his teaching. They in turn were able to instruct Apollo.
One other thing we know about them is that there was a church meeting in their house. What else they did to support the spreading of the gospel is unknown. Paul calls them very helpful and supportive to the point that they put their lives at risk for his and the church’s sake.
Throughout these last few lessons that have focused on the contribution of women I have tried to emphasize the importance of being supportive in our roles. Priscilla is another woman who did not have a leading role.
Her name is only mentioned a few times and always in conjunction with her husband. But what she did was to do what she could to be a blessing to the cause of Christ and the kingdom of God. Things we won’t know until God reveals the contribution of all saints. Our contribution will also be revealed.
We should all learn from their actions. Let us execute our role to the best of our ability. Sometime it is a very small part of a whole that is needed to get the entire thing to work. Regardless of how essential our role may seem or not seem to be, let’s be thankful we have one and faithfully execute it.
Well, I hope you will be able to attend SS this coming Sunday. Invite someone to come and share your thoughts with the class. Sunday School at Flag Branch will begin at 9:00 am and you are invited to join us at www.fbmbc.org and clicking the online services link.
You and others can also join us by dialing 508 924-2490. If you have any comments or questions before then, be sure to place them in the comment section of this preview and I will get back to you. So, as always remember to fear God and keep His commandments.
Pastor Jordan
