Readings: Acts 18:23-28; Psalm 47; John 16:23-28
In our first reading today, we have one of the most glowing introductions in the New Testament.
An Alexandrian Jew named Apollos now arrived in Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, with a sound knowledge of the scriptures, and yet, though he had been given instruction in the Way of the Lord and preached with great spiritual earnestness and was accurate in all the details he taught about Jesus, he had only experienced the baptism of John. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him speak boldly in the synagogue, they took an interest in him and gave him further instruction about the Way.
Two things stood out about Apollos, He was knowledgeable in Scriptures and yet humble and teachable. Today, let us just focus on Apollos’ love for the Scriptures.
Dear friends, we have an account of the person of Apollos in the Bible to inspire us.
Let us note this, Apollos didn’t just acquire his knowledge of the Bible as a gift without any commitment on his part. Knowledge of God’s word and the ability to teach it are gifts but anyone who wants these gifts must be ready to show some dedication. Apollos must have devoted some good time to studying and meditating on God’s Word. It was important for him and so he invested in this project. He was not only able to master the scripture but the scriptures mastered him.
Yes, our desire should not only be to master the word of God but to be mastered by it, not only to have it in our head but also to allow it to dwell richly in our heart.
Many times we see people glowing spiritually like Apollos, we admire them, we want what they have, we love their relationship with God, their confidence, the content of their head and their heart.
However, oftentimes we are not ready to pay the price. We are not ready to reduce our sleeping hours, to cut down on Netflix, to reduce the length of time we spend socialising with friends at the pub or social media. We end at the level of admiration and desire and these are not enough for acquisition.
Knowledge of the word of God is something we must all desire and work towards. It gives confidence, it generates joy, it transforms our lives, the word of God gives wisdom, it makes us more eloquent and equips us to defend our faith, to teach more accurately, to help others know the truth and to discern and correct falsehood.
In the Gospel of today, Jesus encourages us to ask. As we continue in our Pentecost novena, let us include in our desires, a sound knowledge of the Word of God. However, asking alone doesn’t guarantee reception, we must also be willing to seek, search, devote time to studying the Word of God and then the Holy Spirit can sanctify our effort and help us beyond our limited capacity by His power.
Sermon preached by Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Baraka-Gukena Okami on May 15, 2021