AP

Act 18:27-28  When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia, the brothers and sisters encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him.  When he arrived, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed.  For he vigorously refuted his Jewish opponents in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah.

This chapter is yet another reminder to us of the importance the NT places on Jewish evangelism.  If only God’s Covenant People had acknowledged their Messiah, the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6), when he came to them!

Of course, we need to see, with the Apostle Peter, God’s Sovereign Providence even in this situation: “Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold over him” (Acts 2:22-24). Jews should heed Zechariah in their own Scriptures: “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son” (Zechariah 12:10).

When Apollos read the Hebrew Scriptures in the light of Jesus’ earthly ministry, especially his death and resurrection, he could not help but be convinced that Jesus is the ‘Christ’, the Promised Messiah.  It is so exciting when Jewish people today make this same, life-changing discovery.

Let us give Jewish Evangelism a high priority in our prayers, and, if possible, support the International Mission to Jewish People (IMJP, formerly CWI).

 Bruce Christian