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husband leadership, Aquila and Priscilla, flexibility, faithfulness, evangelism, unity, marriage, spiritual team, godly example, church growth

Summary

This conversation explores the roles of husbands and wives in a spiritual context, focusing on the biblical examples of Aquila and Priscilla. It emphasizes the importance of leadership, flexibility, faithfulness, and unity in marriage, and how these qualities contribute to effective evangelism and church growth. The discussion highlights that a godly marriage can serve as a powerful tool for encouraging others and spreading the gospel.

Chapters

00:00 The Role of a Husband in Leadership
02:58 Aquila and Priscilla: A Spiritual Team
06:12 Flexibility in Adversity
09:10 Faithfulness to God and Each Other
12:03 Fruitfulness in Evangelism
14:49 Unity and Service in Marriage
18:03 The Impact of a Godly Marriage
21:11 Conclusion: Living a Life of Evangelism

Transcript *This transcript was automatically generated and may contain errors.*

Steven Ford (00:00)
where the husband’s job is to be strong and courageous and comforting for his family, he should be courageous in times of adversity. When things hit, when things are difficult, when things are hard, it’s his job to forge ahead, letting the family know that everything in Christ will be okay. It is his job also to be calm in times of distress, to think properly, to think soberly, to not get distressed, to not get to the point where he can’t think and reason. So let’s look at those things.

now as they apply to Aquila specifically. How did he lead his home? How did his ability to be a good leader? How did his ability to be an encourager? How did those things help him and his wife work together as a team? As we look at them, they are a spiritual team. They use their marriage as a tool rather to evangelize, to encourage, to build up the church. Let’s see exactly how they did that. The first text we’re going to look at, his role in evangelism. ⁓

Is is a x 18 1 through 3 so if you’ll find that in your bibles x chapter 18 verses 1 through 3 I want to look at these two examples very quickly in genesis chapter 18 relative to husbands To men being leaders in their home I want you to think about what god said to abraham all the way back there in genesis chapter 18 god speaking of abraham said For I know him god knowing the heart knowing the mind he says for I know him He will command his children and his household after him and they shall keep the way of the lord and to do justice and judgment

God says, I know the kind of person he is. I know the fabric of this man. He’s going to not only be good and be golly, his influence is going to be such that his family will be good and golly and righteous as well. To what end? If the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he has spoken of him, God was going to bless Abraham. And so Abraham’s life, Abraham’s example, Abraham’s leadership was such that his family and all the world eventually would be blessed. In Ephesians chapter five, verse 23, we read these words, for the husband is the head of the wife.

How? Just like daddy was? No. Just like paw-paw was? No. How was the husband to love his wife even as Christ loved, or Christ is rather the head of the church and he is the savior of the body? Friends, the husband is the head of the wife, the husband is to love the wife in the same way that Jesus is the head of the church and loves the church. Did Jesus just establish a church and say, know what, I’m not gonna be with you, I don’t love you, I don’t care, I’m not gonna guide you, I’m not gonna instruct you, I’m not gonna be an example for you? Is that what you read in your New Testament? I don’t believe so.

How did Jesus love and lead his church? Well, first he set an example. He taught, he encouraged, he uplifted, he enabled, he showed these men, he showed these women, he showed believers, he showed his disciples, he showed his followers, he showed the world what it looks like to be a submissive servant of God. He showed the world what it looked like to be a strong leader in times of adversity. He showed the world what it is to reach out to those that are in need, to help build up those that are around you.

and be faithful to the Lord. So going back to Acts chapter 18, knowing that these things are prerequisite for a godly husband leading his family, let’s look at how these things are exemplified, how they manifested in the life of Aquila. Acts 18, verses one through three is the first text that we’re gonna look at. This is the first mention of them. In Acts chapter 18, verses one through three, here’s the words that we read. After these things, Paul departed from Athens and came to Corinth and found a certain Jew named Aquila born of

born in Pontus, lately come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, or with his wife Priscilla rather, because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome and came unto them. And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them and wrought, for by their occupation they were tent makers. What do we see here? First of all, they were flexible. Because of the leadership that he exhibited likely, because of the type of person, the type of heart that he had, this family was able to be flexible.

Why don’t you think about some of this. Quilla and Priscilla were displaced from their home in verse number two. Has anybody ever had to move from their home, leaving your friends and family, the things that are familiar to you that you know? That’s not always an easy thing to do. We were very happy and thankful and grateful to the Lord to be able to move to Florida, but displacement from the place that we spent 11 years brought certain challenges to us. But they didn’t choose to move.

It wasn’t like they were going on to some greener pasture because of a great job or an opportunity to be close to the family. They were kicked out of their home. They were displaced. They had to restart their business. They were tent makers by trade, they, whatever business they had set up where they were in Rome, they couldn’t do that anymore. They didn’t have the same customer base anymore. They didn’t have the same resources anymore. Now these challenges are mounting. They have to leave their home. They’re leaving their businesses. were, they were entrepreneur. They had a business going, but now they had to move. Not only so, but they took on a house guest. Paul lives with them.

Now, if you know how it is to change locations, change your financial dynamic, change the fact of your friends being with or around you and adding another person into your home, friends, those are recipes or could rather be recipes for disaster in a home. Leaving the people that you knew, loneliness sets in. Having to restart your business, shaky finances. Adding another person can throw off the chemistry in a home.

Now, if you look at some of the top reasons for divorce in our country today, in our world today, these are in the top 10. And yet here’s a family that moves to a new location, their business is disrupted, there’s another person in the home and they are seeming to thrive. They were able to withstand the winds of change. Though their life changed and was disrupted in so many ways, they were flexible and they could still survive. In Dubai,

a city in the United Arab Emirates, there is a building called the Burj Khalifa. It’s the tallest building in the world. It is nearly, or it’s over rather, a half a mile tall. Over 2,700 feet in the air. Now, this building presented so many challenges technologically because first of all, you had to have building materials that it could hold up its weight. Then they were sturdy enough to withstand the strong winds.

Now this building at its peak in the 2,700, I think it’s 22 feet, it’s able to sway in the wind up to six feet either way. A building can sway, it’s flexible. It’s able to stand against the winds, friends.

Aquila and Priscilla were flexible in that whatever came to them, they were able to stand in front of them. They didn’t crumple when they had to move. They didn’t stop being faithful to the Lord when they had to change. They didn’t stop being evangelistic simply because their business changes. Someone else was in the home. They were flexible. And if you and I are going to follow his example, if you and I are going to follow their example, the first thing that you and I need to do is to be flexible when things change. Now I will concede that I’m a person that I like consistency. I do not like change.

if I can help it. Friends, we can’t ball up in a corner and quit when things change. Aquila, his attitude, his attitude towards the Lord, his attitude towards his family, it seems evident that he was going to be flexible. Whatever came, he was going to just roll with it. Here we are, here’s what we’re gonna do. We’re gonna continue to be faithful to the Lord. Are things changed? Are things different? Are they worse than they were before? Maybe so. But is God still worthy of me being faithful to him? Absolutely. So the first thing that he was going to do was demonstrate

flexibility and being able to just roll with the punches as it were. Not only were they flexible, but his leadership, his attitude, his determination, his headship in his home allowed them also to be faithful. Acts chapter 18 going down to verse number 24. Verses 24 to 28, here’s what we read. And a certain Jew named Apollos, born in Alexandria, an eloquent man and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus.

This man was instructed in the way of the Lord and being fervent in the Spirit. He spake and taught diligently things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John. Now watch this, watch what happens in this next verse. All he knew was the baptism of John. Here’s what we see about him. Beginning at verse number 25 and 26, or 26 rather says, and he began to speak boldly in the synagogue, whom, speaking of Apollos,

when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, which means, where were they? They were in the synagogue. What were they doing? They were hearing the word of God. They were faithful. They didn’t say, you know what, man, I can’t believe we had to come here to Corran. I can’t believe we’re displaced from our home. I’m tired of this stuff. You know what, honey, let’s just sit home on Sunday and watch the game.

They didn’t do that. Even though they were displaced, even though things were different, they were still where they could hear the word of God. They were faithful to God even then. They were faithful to the word. Not only so, but look at the second part of that verse. They were faithful to the word and hearing it, but it says, whom when they heard, they took him unto them. They were concerned that here’s this person, we’re thankful that he’s preaching the word. We’re thankful that he’s eloquent in scriptures.

We’re thankful that he’s evangelistic. We’re thankful that he’s diligent in his studies and his preaching and his teaching. But they didn’t just hear the sermon and say, you know what, that brother was off. They didn’t leave and say, you know, we’re gonna write him up. We’re gonna go around to another congregation. They heard something that wasn’t accurate scripturally and they were faithful to the word, but they were also faithful to their brethren. And they said, we need to help this man. So they called him unto themselves. How many times have you and I heard something or read something that didn’t?

didn’t mesh well with the scripture, instead of going to the person, talking to the person, calling the person, writing the person, we simply say, can you believe what I heard today? We would text it using our technology. We might call someone, we might write them up, we might form a negative opinion of them. Here they were, said, you know what? We love God, we love his church, we love his people, and so we’re gonna do something about it. Let’s talk to this brother.

Let’s talk to him. Let’s be faithful to our brethren. We owe our brethren something. Don’t you remember Paul in Romans chapter 1? He says, I am debtor. I owe the world something. Brothers and sisters, that’s not just Paul. We owe the world something. Why? You and I have been saved from our sins. We were guilty of sin. You and I deserve judgment. Because of Jesus Christ, we are saved. We are headed towards heaven. We owe the world something. They knew that they owed his brother something.

And so they called him unto himself. Not only were they faithful to the word, not only were they faithful to the brethren, listen, they were faithful to the cause of Christ. And that last passage in verse number 26 and 27, he says, they took him unto himself and they expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly. They wanted him to understand the scriptures precisely so that he can understand them, so he can go out and teach. Now listen to what the Bible continues to say, verse 27. ⁓

who when he had come, he helped them much which had believed through grace. For he mightily convinced the Jews that publicly showing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ. What is he doing? He’s preaching the truth because of how they contributed to him. What were they looking at when they pulled him to themselves? Do you think they were only saying, you know what, hey honey, I bet you we can tell this guy off.

I bet you we can fix him. He’s gonna remember our names when he leaves. No, I think they were concerned with the Lord’s church. They were concerned with the Lord’s cause. They wanted everyone in the world to hear the pure truth of the gospel. And so they make sure anyone who preaches it, if we hear, we’re gonna encourage you, correct you, do whatever we can do so you can continue to preach the truth. Friends, what is his role? His role is to make sure his family is faithful to Jesus, to his word, to the church, to the world.

They weren’t selfish with their faith. They were concerned. They were hoping that this person would go and preach the truth so that the world could hear the truth of God. Their faithfulness aided the Paulists. It strengthened the church. It convinced the Jews. It honored the Lord. Everything that they did aided in the Lord’s mission that we read about in Matthew chapter 28 and Mark chapter 16 and Luke chapter 24 and John chapter 20 and Acts chapter one. Over and over again the Lord says, want the word to go out to all the world and what do you think they’re doing here?

They’re making sure the word, the gospel, and its purity and all truth can go out to the world. Friends, when we look at Aquila and Priscilla, the things that we note about them is they were faithful. This text demonstrates that. There’s another text that we can look at to demonstrate the same thing in Romans chapter 16. Looking at Romans chapter 16, Paul is giving his closing address, his closing words to the churches at Rome, and he’s trying to encourage these brethren. He wants them to know that there’s so many faithful Christians in Rome.

and the surrounding areas. He wants them to know that you aren’t alone. There’s so many good people and I want you to greet these people. Let them know I love them. Listen to what he says in Romans chapter 16 beginning at verse number one. It says, commend to you Phoebe our sister, which is a servant of the church, which is in synchreum, that you receive her in the Lord as it become of the saints and that you assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you for she has been a succorer or a comforter of many and of myself also. Greet Vasella and Aquila, my helpers in Christ Jesus.

who have for my life laid down their own necks, whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles. Likewise, greet the churches in their house, salute the well-beloved Epatinus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ. He says, I want you to think about this. I want you to greet these brethren, I want you to greet them for what they’ve done for the Lord. I want you to know that these people are faithful. Listen to what he says in that first passage there.

In verse number four, he says, who have for my life laid down their own necks?

They were so concerned about Paul, they were so concerned about the church, they were so concerned about this Lord. And it doesn’t seem they were so concerned about themselves. It wasn’t about them. It was about the gospel continuing to go out. They were faithful unto death. Now when we read that passage in Revelation chapter two and verse number 10, sometimes we read the right word, but we understand the wrong word. Sometimes we think that means faithful until death. I’m gonna just be faithful.

until I get old and gray and die. That’s not what that means, though we should be. That means that even in the face of certain death, if I’m threatened, if I’m assaulted, no matter what happens, I’m gonna be faithful to Jesus.

Brothers and sisters, it’s so easy in an audience like this and an occasion like this to be strong and fervent with one another. I mean, and all our brothers and sisters are around. We’re singing great songs. We’re hearing the word preach. We’re wearing our good clothes. It’s so great. We’re encouraged. Yes, I’ll do everything for the Lord, but what if you’re the only one there and everyone around you hates you? They hate the Lord. They hate his cause. They don’t want to go to heaven. They don’t care about Jesus or God or anything else. How loud would our voices be then? Hopefully as loud as they are now.

They say, you know, we’re gonna lay down our own necks for Paul’s Because we love him, we love our Lord, and we want the cause of Christ to continue.

weren’t there, Paul uses for them, he says, they were my helpers in the Lord. And the way that you and I might use helpers now, we might say, well, I’m the expert and this is just my helper. That’s to say, well, he’s not an expert, she’s not an expert, they’re just kinda running to get some things for me. That’s not what Paul is saying. These aren’t the flunkies running around to just grab his tools for him. When he’s saying helpers, these are his co-laborers, these are his together workers.

These are people who are working side by side with him, equally qualified, equally faithful, who are doing everything they can for the cause of Christ. He says, these people are my helpers. I notice how he qualifies that. He says, these are my helpers, how? In Christ Jesus.

That’s to say that these aren’t just my helpers in the physical sense. These people aren’t my helpers in my tent making. He’s not saying, you know what, I only knew how to make a teepee type of a tent, but they showed me the best materials how to make. They showed me the right places to go. They showed me how to build the warmest, the biggest, the most sturdy tent so now we can make as much money as we can. Though that might have been beneficial for him physically, he says no.

These are my helpers, my co-laborers, my together workers in Jesus Christ. These people put the cross before them. The tents are important, the tents are helpful, but friends, there is nothing more important than the cross. And Paul is saying, these people are my helpers in Jesus. Yes, they let me stay in their home. Yes, we work together and labor together with the tent-making, but friends, none of that matters. He says, these people are my helpers. This couple, we work together, we’re laboring together.

for and in Jesus Christ. These people were faithful to the Lord. It didn’t seem like their priority was tent-making. That’s what they did to keep the wolves off, as they say, to keep the bills paid. But friends, they weren’t concerned with that primarily. Their concern was being faithful to the Lord and doing everything they could to help keep the cause of Christ moving forward. I believe that all started with the leadership of Aquila.

Not only were they flexible and not only were they faithful to the Lord, they were fruitful in their efforts. In 1 Corinthians chapter 16, verse 19, we read of them again. Paul writing here, he says, the church of Asia salute you. Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord with the church that is in their house.

I want you to think about this.

When we first are introduced to this couple in Acts chapter 18, what is the first detail that we read about them? That they have been displaced from their home. They’re out of Rome and they go to Corinth. Paul, writing to the church at Corinth, says, I want you to greet them and the church that is in their home. They were committed.

in every way to being faithful to Jesus. What did the Lord say in Matthew chapter 28? Yes, all authority is given to him. What did he want his disciples to do? Go out and make more disciples. Go out and duplicate yourselves, make more people just like you. Yes, they were displaced from their home. They’re in this strange land, strange culture. Their business disrupted, their home disrupted, new person in their home. But the first thing it seems they are looking to do is not find the best restaurants.

They’re not trying to find the best sources for their tent making. What’d they do? They established a church in their home. They weren’t discouraged, They were focused. They were fruitful. When they went to this new place, they were looking for people who were like-minded, people who wanted to get to heaven, people who were open and receptive to the gospel, and they established a church in their home. Paul doesn’t say, hey, I want you to go and find these people because they wouldn’t just found some other Christians and gathered in their home, which would have been good, which would have been fine. But friends, their focus is we want to find others.

We want to make sure that other people are going to heaven. We want to fill heaven with as many souls as is possible. Yes, we’re displaced. Maybe we’re not happy about having to live in this new place. Maybe things are difficult and challenging for us, but you know what? There’s going to be a place that we’re going to live one day that we’re choosing to go. And we want as many people to go with us as is humanly possible. So when they got to this new land, though it may not have been their first desire to go there, they still said, we’re going to make sure the church is present here in Koran.

These people were focused on evangelism. It seems that when you find them that evangelism wasn’t just an event or it wasn’t just a project, it was literally a way of life. I loved how it was explained earlier in the week. The individual talked about a cake.

If it were to be sliced, every little slice, no matter how big or small it is, it contains all of the ingredients, in the same way for the believer. Doesn’t matter how adverse our lives may be, how challenging it may be, no matter who’s with us, who’s around us, what we’ve gone through, what we’re going through, what we may go through, evangelism should be in the heart of the believers. These people demonstrated, it didn’t matter where we are. It doesn’t matter where Christians are.

You put Christians anywhere, you put the Word of God anywhere, you know what it’s gonna do? It’s gonna do the same thing it always does, because that’s what’s in it. I’ve got a little dog, his name is Marshall. We got Marshall when we lived in Arkansas. You know what Marshall did when we lived in Arkansas? He’s a little 11 pound multi-poor. He barked and he ate and he ran around the house in Arkansas, because he was an Arkansas dog. But you know what Marshall did when we moved to Florida? He barked and he ate and he ran around. Why? Because he’s a dog and that’s just what dogs do.

take a believer, you put him here, you put him there, you put him anywhere. What is a true believer in Jesus gonna do? The only thing he can do, be faithful to the Lord in every way. He’s gonna look for souls that need to be saved. He’s gonna be faithful to God. He’s gonna be fruitful. He’s gonna be flexible because his thing is, want Jesus to be exalted in everything that I do. I don’t have time to sit back whining. I don’t have time to sit back complaining. I don’t have time for those sorts of things. I need to get busy for the Lord.

Vangelism was part of who they were.

Romans chapter 16, going back to here in verse number five mentions them again. Romans chapter 16, verse number five. Now I’m getting messages from Brother Joey’s sermon. We sent out those messages for evangelistic purposes and technology and we’re getting back messages. It’s interesting that one of the people that texted me back said, I would like for you to pray for the cause of Christ continue and the word of God continue to be preached, evangelism. She had no idea where I was and what we’re talking about, but isn’t it great? This person wanted

us to pray for them and that the cause of Christ might continue. The word will continue to be preached. To God be the glory for that. Romans chapter 16, going back to where we just were just a moment ago as Paul is greeting these churches here. Romans chapter 16 and verse number five. Here’s what we read.

Likewise greet the churches in their house salute the well-beloved Pat, Patanus who is the first fruit of a care unto Christ

When we read about them in Corinth, they’re displaced. What do they do? When Paul wrote to them at the end of book of 1 Corinthians, he’s greeting the church that’s in their home. When they’re displaced, they establish a congregation in their home. When they go back to Rome, they’re able to go back to their home. What do they do? Who did he say greet? He said, a greet equivalent for Scylla and the what? The church that’s in their home. You kick them out of Rome.

You put them over here in Corinth, what are they gonna do? They’re gonna start a congregation. You say, all right, now you can pick up, get your stuff, go on back here to Rome. You know what they do when they get back to Rome? They don’t go find their friends and go back to the same place they wanted to go and eat. They don’t go find the party. don’t go, they establish another congregation in their home.

You talk about focus and being fruitful. No matter where we go, that’s what we’re going to do. He reminds me of the apostle Paul. No matter where he was, he was going to tell someone about Jesus. You beat him up and throw him in jail. He’s going to tell somebody about Jesus. You put him on house arrest. He’s going to tell someone about Jesus. You let him free. He’s going to tell someone about the Lord. Doesn’t matter why, because that’s all that’s in him. When we look at this couple, they were fruitful. They continued to…

do everything they could to establish congregations so that other people could be saved as well. Location did not affect their hearts in any way, shape, or form. And circumstances didn’t matter to them. This is who we are. This is what we do. Just like my little dog, Marshall. Marshall doesn’t care where we are. Marshall’s gonna bark. He’s gonna run around. It’s gonna be a dog. Because that’s what dogs do. And for us, friends, it doesn’t matter where we are. We’re going to tell people about our Lord. We’re going to live faithfully for Him. We’re going to be fruitful. Why? Because this is who and what we are.

The only thing that impacted their lives, the only thing that seemed to, based on what we can read about them, was their dedication to Jesus. That impacted everything they did, everywhere they went. No matter what happened, their dedication to the Lord was the thing that made the most impact in their lives.

They were faithful to the Lord in every way. They were flexible in their circumstances. It wasn’t gonna be the case that they were so rigid that they couldn’t move around and continue to be faithful to the Lord even though they were displaced and had these various things. And because of their flexibility and their faithfulness, they continued to be fruitful no matter where they went. When you and I follow that pattern, we can be the same. So let’s have some.

closing our final thoughts here. Evangelism is an integral part of life whether you’re married or single. Now we’re looking of course at a married couple Aquila and Priscilla and of course we want couples and families to be evangelistic but friends you don’t have to have a husband or a wife to be evangelistic, you don’t. You don’t have to have a family to be evangelistic, you know what you have to have? A heart for Jesus. That’s the only thing that’s essential and necessary. Now their marriage, it was used to encourage brethren and to strengthen the church. They used their marriage like a tool.

We’re gonna do everything that we can as a team together, working together fervently for the Lord. We’re gonna encourage people, we’re gonna help build up the church. We want everyone to know that you can do it. We want everyone to be focused. We have to do everything that we can to honor the Lord. They use their marriage just for that purpose. We see them there together in worship here in the word of God. So what they do, they call someone to themselves and say, hey, you can do it, here’s the truth. Go on and continue to preach it. He continues to preach the word, he’s mighty.

He’s convincing people of the Word of God because of their influence, friends, their marriage, our marriages, our relationships, our families. Everything that we have should be used as a tool for the glory of God and for the cause of Christ. Their relationship was marked also by unity. I want you to think about this. Unity and service. When you think of Aquila and Priscilla, two words should jump out to you. Unity and service. Why? Well first, every time you read of either one of them, their names are together.

Their names are together. You never find, ⁓ Aquila’s over here doing his thing, he’s hanging out with the fellas. Priscilla’s over there cooking with the ladies. Now when you read about them, they are together. They are a team, are a unit, they work together. What else do you read about them? When you read about their names, you see they are doing something for the Lord. Unity and service. You never read about them sitting down on the park bench doing nothing.

Now I’m not saying it’s wrong to take a moment of respite. That’s not the point of what I’m saying. What I’m saying is when you read about them, their lives are marked by unity and service. Those words underscore their lives.

Aquila led his family according to the will of God. When you think about what God said about Abraham back there in the book of Genesis chapter 18 and verse number 19, God said, I know him. I know the kind of person he is. He’s gonna lead his family. When we think about Aquila, we can look back, and I believe those same words could be said of him. I know him. He’s going to do everything that he can to lead his family. He’s gonna be faithful together, working with his wife. They’re gonna use all their service. They’re gonna use all their love. They’re gonna use all their effort to build up the church and make sure that more people are saved. I know them.

I wonder if the Lord would say, know you, speaking of you and your spouse or your family, your marriage, your relationships. I wonder what God would say about us. I hope it could be said when the Lord looks at us, looking at our relationships, he says, I know you, that you’re going to use your marriage to glorify and honor and to encourage those that are in need. I know you’re going to use your marriage as a tool for the sake of the kingdom. He did all that he could for the glory of God, for the cause of Christ. I want to say this.

And listen to these words carefully here. A couple, because the focus of this is equivalent person of their marriage relationship. A couple that is not headed toward heaven. That’s to say they’re not saved, they’re not living a faithful life. A couple that is not headed toward heaven is not in position to help others go to heaven. Unless we are focused on the Lord.

Friends, if our minds are somewhere else, if our marriages are fractured, if we’re at each other like cats and dogs, if we’re not together working for the cause of Christ, helping other people get to heaven, if we’re not doing everything that we can for ourselves to get to heaven, I am in no position, you are in no position to help someone else. Haven’t you been on an airplane? They say the first thing you do in the case of emergency, you do what? Put on your oxygen mask first. That way you can help someone else.

Jesus said the same thing almost essentially in Matthew chapter 7, said, listen, you need to remove the beam out of your own eyes so you can help your brother move the space. You need to get yourself together first. Friends, if in a marriage relationship, if my marriage is not moving toward heaven, I cannot, I’m not equipped, I’m not in position to help anyone else. But the opposite is also true. The opposite is also true. I’m thanking God so much as I look out at so many faces here knowing

relationships, knowing the marriages that may exist in this very room. A family that is headed toward heaven is in perfect position to help others get there also. We need more Aquila’s. We need more people whose lives, whose examples, whose hearts will guide their home, will cultivate environments that are conducive for preaching and teaching and helping others to know and to love Jesus. We need more Aquila’s. We need more Priscilla’s. We need more couples.

who are working together for the cause of Christ. Friends, I’m not trying to say that every marriage here needs to have a person being baptized in Christ every single Sunday, though that would be ideal in great fantastic. What I’m saying is use what you have to the glory of God. Use your marriage to help others see what it looks like for Christ to love his church. Use your marriage to see what it looks like to have conflict, but still be able to overcome.

Use your merit to demonstrate that we are flexible. It doesn’t matter what happens to us. We’re going to be faithful to God and in so doing, we will be fruitful in our service. Let’s use our relationships to the glory of God. I appreciate your time.

All right, appreciate that lesson. of course, as I mentioned, Carlesa will teach Aquila’s role in the ladies’ class. And Priscilla, yeah, Priscilla. She’ll teach a little bit about Aquila, too. But Priscilla. And of course, if you’re a man, you can’t go in there. But you can buy the book and read about it in the book. So there you go. We do have the electronic versions of the book available right now. And the print ones will be coming shortly. shortly is relative, so anyway.

but they’ll be here soon enough. All right. We’re gonna have a prayer in just a minute and then go on break and we’ll come back at 11 or no, what is it? 10 till, whatever the hour is, I don’t know. 10 till, okay? And we’ve been praying for several people ⁓ specifically throughout this electorship. Tonya Anderson’s surgery went well from South Florida Avenue and Curtis Leakes, we’ve been praying for his mother and he told me this morning her surgery went well and it was pretty, pretty… ⁓

I don’t know the word you want to say for that, but kind of a sketchy is not the word, difficult is not the word, you know, it could have gone a lot of different ways and we’re thankful that it went good and she’s recovering. And so we will continue to pray for Miriam Vasquez and others and we will then take a break. So let us pray.

Gracious God and loving Father, we’re so thankful for this day You’ve given us. We’re so thankful for this week, this lectureship. We’re thankful for the lessons we’ve heard about evangelism and even this morning as we’ve heard about technology and about Aquila’s role with Priscilla. And we thank You, Father, for the lessons that are to come and for the encouragement and the knowledge that we have received. But as we’ve been praying all week long, Father, we pray that we will take these lessons.

outside this building, and that we will affect the communities and the congregations as we return home, that we will be catalysts for your church to grow, that we will bring others to Christ, and that we will continue to plant and water, to plant and water the gospel seed. We’re so thankful, Father, for the progress that Tanya Anderson has made and for

the surgery of Linda Leakes, we pray that you will be with her recovery. We also pray that you continue to be with Marion Vasquez as she is going through some health difficulties and be with her family. We pray that you would be with Wayne Shearer and Jack Pinkert as they have been enduring illness for a while. We’re thankful for Micah Tagtoe and his stabilization and pray that you continue to be with him.

We also pray that you be with Flo Duffy and her eyes and her situation, for we know that all of these are consistent attenders of this lectureship, they would love to be here, but they can’t. And there are others, Father, who you know about that may be on our minds and our hearts, and we pray that you will watch over them also. We thank you, Father, for the fellowship that we have through the blood of your Son, Jesus.

And we pray that You will continue to bless us as we enjoy that and enjoy the fellowship with You. We’re so thankful for Jesus, and it’s in His name that we pray. Amen.