Diamonds in the Rough
Terry J. Hallock
Acts 18:24-28
March 2, 1997
The title of today's message and the first part of today's Scripture just don't seem to fit. The portrait given by Acts 18:24-25 clearly seems to be of a man who's already a diamond not a diamond in the rough.
"Meanwhile, a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he know only the baptism of John."
Apollos was man who simply glistened. He was an educated man, having been taught at Alexandria, Egypt in the finest center of learning for his time. He was an eloquent man with a special capacity to capture the imagination of his listeners. He was a man versed in Scripture and possessed by a power that produced dynamic preaching. And he was an enthusiastic man whenever he talked of Jesus. In fact the beginning of verse 26 says, "He began to speak boldly in the synagogue."
That is the final shining fact about Apollos. He believed in Jesus and taught accurately and fearlessly about Him. If a man like Apollos were available today any fellowship would hire him as their Pastor in a minute and would not be sorry for having done so. Apollos was a gem!
Well, present in the synagogue where Apollos was boldly teaching were two believers name Priscilla and Aquila, a couple who had come to know the Lord under the teaching of Paul. They had not been taught in the finest schools nor were they gifted with the ability to sway crowds with eloquent preaching. They were just ordinary people who believed in an extraordinary Jesus. Most ordinary people like Priscilla and Aquila would never dream of trying to teach a man like Apollos anything let alone anything about the faith he so boldly presented. They were simply two tent makers standing quietly at the back of the crowd while Apollos was up front. ...
Terry J. Hallock
Acts 18:24-28
March 2, 1997
The title of today's message and the first part of today's Scripture just don't seem to fit. The portrait given by Acts 18:24-25 clearly seems to be of a man who's already a diamond not a diamond in the rough.
"Meanwhile, a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he know only the baptism of John."
Apollos was man who simply glistened. He was an educated man, having been taught at Alexandria, Egypt in the finest center of learning for his time. He was an eloquent man with a special capacity to capture the imagination of his listeners. He was a man versed in Scripture and possessed by a power that produced dynamic preaching. And he was an enthusiastic man whenever he talked of Jesus. In fact the beginning of verse 26 says, "He began to speak boldly in the synagogue."
That is the final shining fact about Apollos. He believed in Jesus and taught accurately and fearlessly about Him. If a man like Apollos were available today any fellowship would hire him as their Pastor in a minute and would not be sorry for having done so. Apollos was a gem!
Well, present in the synagogue where Apollos was boldly teaching were two believers name Priscilla and Aquila, a couple who had come to know the Lord under the teaching of Paul. They had not been taught in the finest schools nor were they gifted with the ability to sway crowds with eloquent preaching. They were just ordinary people who believed in an extraordinary Jesus. Most ordinary people like Priscilla and Aquila would never dream of trying to teach a man like Apollos anything let alone anything about the faith he so boldly presented. They were simply two tent makers standing quietly at the back of the crowd while Apollos was up front. ...
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