Demonstrating by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ

Acts 18:23-19:12 from the daily reading in the One Year Bible

And after spending some time there, he left and passed successively through the Galatian region and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.

²⁴ Now a Jew named Apollos, an Alexandrian by birth, an eloquent man, came to Ephesus; and he was proficient in the Scriptures. ²⁵ This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he was accurately speaking and teaching things about Jesus, being acquainted only with the baptism of John; ²⁶ and he began speaking boldly in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained the way of God more accurately to him. ²⁷ And when he wanted to go across to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him; and when he had arrived, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace, ²⁸ for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, demonstrating by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.

19 Now it happened that while Apollos was in Corinth, Paul passed through the upper country and came to Ephesus, and found some disciples. ² He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said to him, “On the contrary, we have not even heard if there is a Holy Spirit.” ³ And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” And they said, “Into John’s baptism.” ⁴ Paul said, “John baptized with a baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in Him who was coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” ⁵ When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. ⁶ And when Paul had laid hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them and they began speaking with tongues and prophesying. ⁷ There were about twelve men in all.

⁸ And he entered the synagogue and continued speaking out boldly for three months, having discussions and persuading them about the kingdom of God. ⁹ But when some were becoming hardened and disobedient, speaking evil of the Way before the people, he withdrew from them and took the disciples away with him, and had discussions daily in the school of Tyrannus. ¹⁰ This took place for two years, so that all who lived in Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.

¹¹ God was performing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, ¹² so that handkerchiefs or aprons were even carried from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out.

Today’s text ends saying: God was performing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, so that handkerchiefs or aprons were even carried from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out. That scripture says this happened means that it did really happen. In John 17:17 Jesus says: “Your word is truth.” That this happened then, means it could still happen today. Hebrews 13:8 says: Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  In John 14:12-14 Jesus says: “Truly, truly I say to you, the one who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I am going to the Father. And whatever you ask in My name, this I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.”  It was Jesus who worked through Paul, and it is Jesus who can still work the same miracles through us today. That doesn’t mean though that we should create a ministry focused on anointed handkerchiefs or aprons to be used for healing and deliverance. Instead like Paul, we should focus on boldly speaking about the kingdom of God. We should join Christ in His work and let Him work through us. Mark 16:15-20 says: He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. The one who has believed and has been baptized will be saved; but the one who has not believed will be condemned. These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not harm them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” So then, when the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them, and confirmed the word by the signs that followed. As He did then, Jesus confirms the word, the boldly spoken word of the gospel. Many people seek and follow the signs, but we should instead speak the word and seek the kingdom and the signs will follow.

The text says: Now a Jew named Apollos, an Alexandrian by birth, an eloquent man, came to Ephesus; and he was proficient in the Scriptures. This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he was accurately speaking and teaching things about Jesus, being acquainted only with the baptism of John; and he began speaking boldly in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained the way of God more accurately to him. And when he wanted to go across to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him; and when he had arrived, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace, for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, demonstrating by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.  Through His birth, His life, His death and resurrection Jesus fulfilled over 300 Messianic prophecies in scripture. Scripture will demonstrate, reveal and prove that Jesus is the Christ. From Genesis to Revelation, God’s word is meant to demonstrate people’s need for redemption and to reveal God’s plan to redeem us through Christ. 1 Corinthians 1:18 says: The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. We need only to be faithful to the message and allow people to take it as foolishness or the power of salvation. In John 3:16-21 Jesus says: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.” In Matthew 5:14-16 He says: “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” We need to speak the truth of God’s word and shine the light of His love, trusting Him to confirm His word. The choice remains for each individual whether foolishness or power.

Thank You heavenly Father, Lord Jesus Christ and precious Holy Spirit. Your word is truth. You are the way, the truth and the life. You are the Spirit of truth. May I be faithful to speak the truth and shine Your light, trusting You to confirm Your word so that others may choose to believe the power of the cross.  Amen