This is the Church

Overview

It Takes a Village: This Is the Church

"It takes a village" is more than a proverb about raising children—it captures something essential about the life of faith. No Christian walks alone. God has given us a village called the church, a community of believers in which we grow, learn, and are sustained by the Word.

We see this beautifully in Acts 18:22-28. After completing his second missionary journey, Paul returns through Galatia and Phrygia "strengthening all the disciples." Paul is rightly remembered as a great missionary, but he was also a devoted pastor who longed to check on the believers he had led to Christ. His letters drip with affection: "we are determined to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you have become very dear to us" 1 Thessalonians 2:8; "my little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you" Galatians 4:19. The work of ministry is shaped by deep love for God's people.

Meanwhile in Ephesus, Apollos arrives—an eloquent, learned man, fervent in spirit, who taught accurately about Jesus but knew only the baptism of John. His teaching wasn't wrong, just incomplete. Priscilla and Aquila, instead of shaming him publicly or shutting him down, took him aside and "explained to him the way of God more accurately." Notice their humility: they fill in the gap rather than tear him down. Notice also that Apollos is not re-baptized; we confess "one baptism for the forgiveness of sins," and growth in faith does not require starting over. Strengthened by their instruction, Apollos is sent to Achaia with a letter of recommendation, where he powerfully refutes opponents from the Scriptures, showing that the Messiah is Jesus.

This is how the church grows—through called people serving one another, never resting on a single hero. Paul puts it plainly: "I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth" 1 Corinthians 3:6-9. It is never about the one delivering the Word; it is about the One who has delivered us. So why go to church? Because the church is a gift. We were not baptized and then abandoned; we were brought into a community where the Word is preached, sins are forgiven, and Christ's body and blood are given for our salvation. Bible studies, Sunday school, adult education, and weekly worship exist so that we, like Apollos, may know the way of God more accurately and stand more firmly in the truth. As we celebrate Christ's coming, remember: He has not left us alone. He has given us each other. You are the called. You are the church. You are part of God's gift to this village.

Transcript

Okay, so we've all heard the saying, it takes a village, right? 0s

We all know this saying it's not uncommon in our daily usage. 5s

It's actually an African proverb, and it means that an entire community of people must interact 10s

with children for those children to experience and grow in a safe and healthy environment. 20s

Different nations within Africa have used this proverb in different ways. 29s

In Bunyoro, there's a proverb whose literal translation is a child does not grow up only in a single home. 35s

In Bahia, there's a saying which translates, a child belongs not to one parent or home. 45s

And in Swahili, the proverb means roughly, home so ever is not taught by the mother will be taught with the world. 52s

It takes a village. 63s

This African proverb has been adopted by psychologists, political leaders, and educators across the globe to help put forth their ideas or ideologies. 66s

Put forth what they want to bring into this world. 81s

But really, at the heart of this proverb is a beautiful sentiment, a beautiful saying about what we need as human beings. 85s

As human beings, we are created to be in communion and in community with other human beings. 98s

We need that social interaction because no one is in it alone. 107s

It takes a village can also be put into the context of our faith because truly in our faith, no one is in it alone. 117s

It takes a village that we call the church. 131s

In today's text, we're going to see this play out beautifully, but we're going to review 138s

where we've been so we know where we are. 144s

So, where we're picking up in today's text, approximately three years have elapsed since Paul set out on his second 148s

missional journey. He had just spent a year and a half in Corinth with Priscilla and Aquila. 157s

They shared a trade of tent making and they shared a home and Paul lived with them, shared the same 166s

occupation and then shared his life with them. They then accompanied Paul to Ephesus. They left Corinth 175s

and went to Ephesus, Paul taught their briefly and then he left Priscilla and Aquila there and he went on to Jerusalem and Antioch. 185s

He promised to return to Ephesus if God willed it to be so. And you may remember from last week, 196s

remember God is in control. I've been saying that a lot this week. Remember God is in control. So, 204s

if it was God's will, Paul would indeed return to Ephesus, then he headed up to Antioch or down to Antioch and 211s

that's exactly where we're picking up in our text today. So, turn with me to verse 22. 221s

When he that is Paul had landed at Cessaria, he went up to Jerusalem and greeted the church and then 228s

down to Antioch. After spending some time there, he departed and went from place to place through the region of Galatia 236s

and Frigia strengthening all the disciples. So, Paul went from Ephesus, he stopped in Jerusalem, 243s

he probably met with church leaders, met with the church there shared of his experiences in his mission, 252s

spoke with his colleagues there in Jerusalem gave a report of what he had done, what he had seen, 260s

and then he went to Antioch and that concludes his second mission. He has done with his second 268s

mission. We don't know how much time he spent in Antioch, but it wasn't a long time. He was there 276s

a brief amount of time and then he set right out again on his third mission journey. He headed right 283s

back through the regions of Galatia and Frigia, these in order to strengthen the disciples, but 291s

these disciples, those churches in those regions were the churches that were planted in his first 298s

missional journey. In his second mission, where did he go first? He went right back there. He wanted 306s

to check on his people. He wanted to check on those churches and those believers. We commend Paul, 313s

as an amazing missionary and he should be looked at as an incredible missionary, but so often we 323s

forget about the pastor that Paul was. He had a real love and concern for his people. He was 330s

constantly wanting to check in with them, see how they were doing. He planted these churches. He saw 338s

so many people come to faith and he cared for them. We see in second Thessalonians a little bit of 347s

this, he wrote so deeply, do we care for you that we are determined to share with you not only the 355s

gospel of God, but also our own selves because you have become very dear to us. In Galatians, 362s

the fourth chapter, he wrote, my little children, for whom I am again in the pain of childbirth 370s

until Christ is formed in you. I wish I were present with you now and could change my tone 377s

for I am perplexed about you. So often in Paul's letters, he's writing to the early church, 384s

the early disciples, the early believers, and he will refer to them as my children or beloved 393s

or friends or brothers and sisters. He used very endearing terms to address the believers because 399s

he cared for them deeply as he wrote. He had a concern for them. He wanted to make sure that they were 408s

receiving proper teaching that they were remaining steadfast in the truth of what God's word is. 416s

He cared for these people and he was always thinking of them and wanting to be with them and 424s

wanting to know that they were doing okay. So he goes back to those early churches to check in on them, 430s

make sure they're doing okay, help them teach them continuing to strengthen those disciples. 440s

And that's where we shift away then from Paul. So as Luke's writing, he gives us the completion 449s

of that second-missional journey and then he shifts the scene where we've left Paul and we shift 456s

back over to Ephesus where Paul had just left in the text. And this is where he had left 463s

a quilla and pricilla. We continue in verse 24. Now there came to Ephesus, a Jew named Apollos, 470s

a native of Alexandria. He was an eloquent man, well versed in the scriptures. He had been instructed 478s

in the way of the Lord and he spoke with burning enthusiasm and taught accurately the things 485s

concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John. Luke tells us three facts about 492s

Apollos here. The first thing is that Apollos was a learned man. He spoke with knowledge of the scriptures. 500s

He probably learned about the scriptures from, because that is the Old Testament. He probably learned 510s

about that from Jewish teachers in Alexandria. And if you recall Alexandria, in Greece, was a 516s

hotbed for intelligence. That was a very learned city. It was known for the learnadness and the 526s

prosperity that it had so that he came from Alexandria and was a learned man and was trained in 534s

rhetoric is not surprising. He was known for his intelligence. Alexandria was known for its learning 544s

and prosperity. Second, Apollos had been instructed in the way of the Lord and he taught about 555s

Jesus accurately. So if he knew the scriptures well, then he probably knew how the scriptures 562s

told of a promised Messiah to come. He had received instructions about Jesus. He understood the 572s

gospel accurately to a point and what he knew he accepted and he spoke about it with great 583s

fervor. The word that's used here for fervor and enthusiasm, it means that he spoke with a lot of 593s

emotion. He was emotional about what he was sharing. It meant something to him and he had a lot of 601s

enthusiasm for sharing what he knew. Third, Apollos knew only of the baptism of John. He would have 609s

known John's teachings. He would not necessarily have realized that John's baptism was a temporary 618s

institution that was leading to the baptism that Christians would receive in the name of the father, 627s

the son, and the Holy Spirit. But he did know there was a baptism. We continue in verse 26. He began 634s

to speak boldly in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained 643s

the way of God to him more accurately. Just like Paul, where does Apollos go to the synagogue? 651s

He goes to the synagogue to teach and speak with the Jews. He's teaching about Jesus in the synagogue. 659s

His knowledge probably came from the disciples of John, which is why he knew of John's baptism. 666s

He most likely knew that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah. And he probably knew some about 676s

Jesus earthly ministry, but we don't know how much more or how much to what extent he knew. 684s

Whatever he did know, and whatever he did teach, it was accurate. In verse 25, it says that Priscilla 691s

and Aquila recognized that there were some deficiencies in what he was teaching. He was teaching 700s

accurately, but there were some deficiencies in his understanding of the Christian message. So they 706s

the grasp of the events of Jesus' death and resurrection. They may not have been totally 721s

grasped. He might not have had it completely clear. Notice this particularly carrying act of 729s

Aquila and Priscilla, they take him aside to privately instruct him, to privately fill him in 739s

more accurately on the way of God. They didn't take this opportunity to try to show him up, show 749s

themselves to be better teachers or more a servant for the word. They took him aside lovingly and told 757s

him and filled him in and gave him further instruction. Apollo had a gap in his knowledge and they 765s

were able to fill that gap and to teach him and bring him further knowledge in the way of the Lord. 774s

His preaching had not been inaccurate, but it had not been complete either. So they were able to 782s

complete that for him. Notice also that there's no suggestion here that Apollo's was re-baptized. 790s

He had been baptized by John's baptism. He had been baptized in the repentance of sin 800s

as John's baptism taught. There's no re-baptizing here. I think this is an important thing 807s

that we need to keep remembering that we confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. His earlier 813s

baptism of repentance was a Christian baptism when it was viewed pointing to Jesus. There's no need 822s

to re-baptize every time someone grows or learns in faith. We don't do that. We have one baptism 832s

that for the forgiveness of sins, continuing in verse 27. When he wished to cross over to Ocaia, 841s

the believers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. On his arrival, he greatly 850s

helped those who through grace had become believers for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public 857s

showing by the scriptures that the Messiah is Jesus. Apollo's was equipped. His knowledge had been 863s

fuller. He knew more accurately the way of the Lord and he was ready for a wider ministry 875s

and he was sent with no concern for the way that he would teach, knowing that he would bring a truth 883s

or the truth to the people. He was sent with a glowing recommendation to Ocaia. The Corinth is a 892s

man who had once received that additional training and instruction from Priscilla and Aquila. He was 905s

able to go into Corinth and refute the Jews and put forth a stronger defense of the faith. The 911s

refuting that Apollo's brought is a term that means to overwhelm someone in an argument. This is a 922s

made more accurate, more complete. He was able to go into the public square, able to go into the 935s

synagogue and refute using scriptures any of the Jewish claims or arguments. He was overwhelming 941s

them with his arguments. Martin Luther actually suggested that Apollo's may be the author of the book 950s

of Hebrews. If you look at the book of Hebrews, we don't have with certainty who the author is, 959s

but you see that it is a biblical defense or apologetic of scripture testifying to Jesus. The old 966s

testament testifying to Jesus as Christ as the Lord, as Savior. So Martin Luther could be right. 977s

He may not be right, but Apollo's in any case brought forth a very strong testimony refuting 987s

the Jews in Corinth throughout this book, throughout the book of Acts. We see the growth of the church. 995s

And we see that the growth of the church, it occurs through the called, the people who have been 1008s

called into faith. It never rests on one person alone. It takes a village. It takes a village. 1014s

The village here is the church. Have you ever asked yourself, why do I go to church? Or maybe 1028s

you've had conversations with someone and they say, I don't need to go to church. I believe in God, 1038s

there's no purpose. I can worship God in nature. I can worship God while I'm fishing. 1043s

I can worship God from my bed on a Sunday morning where it's comfy. Maybe you've been the one 1048s

to say that. I know I'm certainly not the only one who has heard it. If not, the only one who has said it. 1057s

But the church, the church is a gift from God. So we ask, why do we go to church? Because it's a gift 1067s

from God to be in a church, to be in fellowship, in communion, in community with other believers. 1079s

It is a gift to know that we are not alone. We were not baptized, claimed as a child of 1091s

the most high God and then abandoned. We were baptized and brought into a community of believers 1100s

who will share their faith with us where we can grow and mature in the faith. This is exactly 1111s

why we have adult education, why we have Bible studies, why we have Sunday school for the kids 1121s

in youth, why we have Bible studies throughout the week, why we have the academy so that we can 1128s

continue to grow in our faith, continue to get that more accurate knowledge of God 1133s

that we will have that stronger defense, that more full or fuller knowledge of who God is, 1144s

what the sacrifice he has made for us is and who we are as his called people, that is a gift, 1154s

that is why we go to church and more. Paul lived and shared his life with Priscilla and Aquila. 1164s

Priscilla and Aquila ministered to and encouraged Apollo's in his new ministry, Apollo's was 1176s

open to their instruction and he was able to bring that new word back to Corinth, 1182s

that new word for him, the strengthening word for the people in Corinth. 1190s

It didn't rely or rest upon just one of them repeatedly. We see missionaries and ministers 1195s

encourage each other in their task because it's a shared task. Priscilla and Aquila did 1202s

try to shut Apollo's down, they didn't try to stop him from proclaiming the truth, they tried to 1208s

strengthen his knowledge and give him further knowledge so that his truth was that much richer and 1217s

trueer and deeper and more accurate. Paul, in first Corinthians, knowing that this task, this mission 1224s

does not rest with one person alone, he wrote, what then is Apollo's? What is Paul? 1235s

Servants through whom you came to believe as the Lord assigned to each. I planted Apollo's 1243s

watered, but God gave the growth. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, 1250s

but only God who gives the growth. The one who plants and the one who waters have a common purpose, 1257s

and each will receive wages according to the labor of each. For we are God's servants, 1265s

working together, you are God's field, God's building, so let no one boast about human 1272s

leaders for all things are yours, whether Apollo's, Paul or Seepis or the world or life or death 1280s

or the present or the future, all belong to you and you belong to Christ and Christ 1287s

belongs to God. It's never about the one person. It's never about the one who is sharing the word. 1294s

It's always about the word that is shared. It's about the word that Jesus Christ was indeed 1305s

born of a virgin and became man. It's about the word that Jesus had an earthly ministry where 1314s

he taught. He healed. He cast out demons. It's the word that Jesus Christ was betrayed and condemn 1323s

to death and indeed hung on a cross taking sin upon himself, becoming sin itself. So that you 1334s

may obtain His righteousness and be adopted and called God's own child. It's the word 1344s

that is shared, that is important. It's the word that is brought forth by the church, 1356s

that is important. The word that we receive every single week through the Holy Spirit 1364s

is the word of mercy and grace. The word week after week that you come to the church, 1377s

coming to this village to hear that your sins are forgiven, coming to this village to receive 1385s

Jesus' own body and blood, the tangible word and promise of the forgiveness and salvation that 1393s

Christ has won and delivered to you. That is the gift of the church. It's never about the one delivering. 1403s

It's about the one who has delivered us. We celebrate Christmas this week and as we look 1415s

toward Christmas, we get really excited about the gifts that will receive or the gifts that will 1424s

give and those are wonderful and they're fun and they're great and treasured from our loved ones. 1429s

But truly, truly we celebrate the gift that God has given us, we celebrate the gift that God has 1436s

come, the baby, the Christ's child has come to deliver us and as Christians, we look with joyful 1446s

anticipation at the second coming of Christ. He has not left us here alone. He has given us 1455s

this church, the church of Christ, whether you are a part of this specific village of living 1465s

word Lutheran church in great fine Texas or if you're visiting from out of town and you have 1473s

another village at home. He's given you the gift of the church so that you may grow in faith, 1478s

that you may grow in love, that you may grow in knowledge of the Lord. The church is the 1488s

called. The good news is that you are the called which means that you are the church. You are 1498s

part of God gift to this community. Indeed it does take a village but we've been given that village 1507s

here. We've been given that gift by God. So why go to church? Because it's a gift from the Lord 1519s

that we are given and that we can praise God and they can daily that we are a village. 1529s