The importance of spiritual maturity and steadfastness in the faith, urging believers to move beyond spiritual infancy and embrace strength in Christ. It highlights the example of the household of Stephanus, the first converts in Achaia, who dedicated themselves to ministry, serving as a model for recognizing and submitting to those who labor in the gospel. The message also draws lessons from the devoted partnership of Aquila and Priscilla, who were not only skilled tent-makers but also vital helpers in Christ, instructing others like Apollos and hosting the church in their home, demonstrating a life consecrated to God's service and the fellowship of believers.
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chapter sixteen first corinthians chapter sixteen and we read from verse fourteen or thirteen i think it where we concluded last week that she stand past in the faith could you like men be struck Let all your things be done with love or charity. I beseech you, brethren, ye know the heart of Stephanus, that it is the first fruit of Achaia, and they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints, that ye submit yourselves unto such and to every one that helpeth or worketh with us and laboureth.
I am glad of the coming of Stephanus and Plotunipus, and Akaiacus. For that which was lacking on your part, they have supplied. For they have refreshed my spirit and yours. Therefore acknowledge ye then that are such. The churches of Asa salute you, Aquila. And Priscilla salute you much in the Lord, with the church that is in their house. All the brethren greet you. Greet ye one another with unholy kiss. The Son of Grecian of me, Paul, with mine own hand.
If any man loved not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen. We'll be speaking lightly on the last few verses. Nineteen to the verse twenty-four, the end of this chapter. Next Sunday night, Lord willing. This will be our final message for a little thought. think the last time we were speaking on this subject two weeks ago tonight we were speaking on that verse watch ye stand fast in the faith now that word faith not standing fast in your own faith but as we'll point out a little later on it means the whole body of revealed truth and then he says put you like men be strong Over in chapter three and one, he was rebuked in the Corinthians for being babies.
And four times over, he says, you're carnal, you're carnal, you're carnal, you're carnal, you're baby. All you need is milk when you should be having meat. And so the apostles were rebuking this assembly, the men especially, because of their being babes in the things of God. When they should have grown and become mature and intelligent. becoming a drop. And then he takes up that collecting process. And now he goes into it through all those chapters from verse chapter three off. Correcting, correcting, correcting, correcting. And then he takes them up to the heights of the coming of Christ and our glory with him in the end of chapter fifteen.
Now in chapter sixteen he says, Amen. I hope you've grown. I hope you've left the cradle. I hope you've left the kindergarten. I hope you've graduated. I hope you're a man now. After all, I've brought before you God's word. I hope you're mature. Stop being baby. Amen. What a nice little thing he dropped in here. Watch ye stand fast in the faith. Could you, like men, be strong?
He wants us to be strong, not weak. He wants us to be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might. It is nice to see us strong, Saul the Christian. a man or a sister that stands tall for Christ. Paul is hoping that his ministry throughout this epistle has had that effect upon them, that now they're strong, they're men, they're grown up, they're adults. How this glorifies the Lord. Even John said, I have no greater joy than to know that my children walk in truth, and when they're walking in truth, They have gold.
Now he comes to something else. In verse fifteen and sixteen, what a lovely household. I beseech you, brethren. We know the household of Stephanus, that it is the first fruit of the Nicaea. That's a nice word. The first fruit of the Kaya or Phoenicia. It's nice to think of the first fruit. Many a time I've gone back to the first campaign we had here in Albany, twenty-two years ago, right out on this lot. And there are those sitting here tonight who are the first fruits. Paul says, here's a family, and they were the first fruits of my work in Asia.
A lovely reminder of the beginning. And he says, these have given themselves, they've addicted themselves to the ministry. Undoubtedly, they were some of the oldest Christians at that time, and rightly so, they were the first saved when they went there to cross. And it's nice to think of the first roots. When you go to a place and see people's days, I got a letter this past week from Mrs. Williamson. She's way up in her eighties, saved in meetings we had out from Raleigh forty-some years ago. And she writes sometimes, I don't know whether you're living or not.
I don't get much news. So she says, I hope you get this. And she goes on to tell about how the Lord had blessed her in Rodner family's shade. She can't write well. But it's just a lovely reminder of meetings we had in Mendel so many years ago. The first fruits of Ezekiah. And Paul... He speaks of this back in chapter one, this family he's talking about. He says in chapter one and verse sixteen, and I baptized also the household of Stephanus, besides I know not whether I baptized any other. He had baptized Gaius and Gospels, and he said, less people say that I am making disciples by baptism.
He said, I was careful. not to baptize people, lest I use that, or luce, to make a party of which I am the head. And he said, to my knowledge, I only baptize two individuals, and then the household of Stephanas, and that's this household, which were the first groups of Asia or Akaya, unto the gospel. Now it's nice to see the first group still going on. You think of the first group used in the Old Testament, When the man, the farmer, brought the first fruits, he brought a sheep, and this sheep is a sample of all that's the false, the first fruit.
You read about the first fruits of the Spirit. There's a lovely thought. Christ is the first fruit of him that's left. He's come, he's gone. And he's the first sheep, the first fruit, presenting himself before God the Father, The harvest is to follow just like this. We did see some saved in that first campaign that I'd like to see many more just like them, the first group. She's it, duplicated six. And so Paul dropped this in, and I think it's these lovely little touches that seem to enhance this remarkable chapter.
Now he's talking about this family. He says, submit yourselves unto them. Isn't that right? Verse sixteen. That ye submit yourselves unto them. Because they had addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints of the time they were saved. They addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints of God. And he says, submit yourselves unto them. Unto such. And to everyone that helpeth, worketh, or laboreth with us in the gospel. It's nice to think of those who addict themselves to the service of the law.
Some are addicted to other things. There are a lot of people that they addicted to things that they shouldn't be addicted to. But here is a household right from the beginning. They addicted themselves to the ministry of the church. to care for God's people, and to be concerned about the spread of the gospel. And now that this lovely household, God would have us to recognize them, to appreciate them, and have fellowship with those who have addicted themselves to the ministry. So there are three texts that you can link with this. You have in Hebrews thirteen, seven, if you don't want to turn to it, I'll just read it to you. Remember them which have the rule over you.
who have spoken unto you the word of God, whose faith follows. Considering the end of their conversation or the object of their ministry, Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today, and forever. Now there's that word, faith. Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you, the word of God, who, faith, follows. Not their faith. Not saying, well, that man's got a lot of faith. We're not following that kind of faith. That's a bad thing to do.
To try and follow the faith of another man. What's he talking about? He's talking about the whole body of revealed truth. That's what you thought. What that man preaches. Whose faith? The faith that he preaches. Now there's the faith of the Mohammedan. And faith of Islam and so on. The Jewish faith. But that's not the faith of Christians. He talks about it over in James or Jude, is it? Earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. That whole body of revealed truth, given to us in the Ephesus, he says, that's the faith.
And you also read over in Ephesians, He speaks about the one faith, one Lord, one baptism. There's the one faith. Not many faith, just one faith. And it talks also of the faith. Till we all come into the unity of the faith, there's the definite article, D. And so he says now, remember those who are preaching the faith. the whole body, the whole council of God revealed truth, revealed to the church. Now he says, follow that ministry.
Don't follow the man, but follow his ministry. Whose faith follow? And that's what he's trying to bring out here. Remember that. which have rule over you, who have spoken unto you, the word of God whose faith follows what their object. Considering the end of their conversation or their behavior, Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and for them. That the object, the aim of presenting the whole counsel of God, Jesus Christ, to save yesterday, today, whatever.
And that's true ministry, ministry that confronts God's people with the person of Christ and what he wants us to be here on earth, to carry out the whole counsel of God, not just some of us, but all of us. The faith, the faith. So we're told to remember such and to follow such. That's why it's so important for a church to be careful about its platform. I wouldn't want anybody to get on this platform who you couldn't say, follow that man's faith, what he's preaching.
If he gets up and he doesn't preach the whole Council of God, if he doesn't preach all things that we have in the Scriptures for the church, a hundred percent principle. Then you couldn't say, follow that man. And we shouldn't let any man get on this lot, who doesn't preach the faith, the whole body of revealed truth, not ninety percent of it, but all. Then you can say, follow that man, follow his ministry. So that's what he's talking about. And then there's another verse over in Hebrews. Seventh Hebrews, obey them that have the rule over you, and submit to yourselves, for they watch for your soul, as they that must give an account.
It's no easy thing to be on the oversight or taking the lead among God's people. You better give an account, as they that must give an account that they may do it with joy and not with grief, for that's unprofitable to you. Then there's another verse in verse Thessalonians five, twelve, thirteen. And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labored among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake, and be at peace among yourselves.
And verse eighteen of our chapter, you'll notice what he says in verse eighteen. For they have repressed my spirit and yours, the household of Stephanas, that is, therefore acknowledge ye then, let us acknowledge them. There are seven things said about those who seek to be leaders among God's people. First thing is remember them. It's nice to remember them in prayer. Follow them if they're preaching the whole truth. Obey them. Submit yourself to them. know them, be acclaimed with them, esteem them, and acknowledge them.
Seven things that you look for and follow in those who take the leadership. They have their responsibility, and it's a big responsibility, it's a high responsibility. It's a fearful responsibility. So those who take that position, they've got to meet God. But you've got your responsibility to do, too, to obey, and to follow as they give you the word. There's a lady in this town known to quite a few, and you know immediately some of you who I'm referring to. When we first came here twenty-two years ago, we were going to give our message on what the chapel stood for before we moved from the old tabernacle into the chapel here.
I thought, well, we might as well paint them with what we stand for. So I think the first message we preached in this building was women's plates in the church. Well, I don't mind turning the loss of you. And it was all because we spoke about the woman showing her submission by wearing her color. But there it is. And one of these ladies Brother Richie met her downtown one day, and immediately they got into an argument. And she didn't agree with it.
But, said Dick Richie, the Bible says you are to be subject to those who have the rule of you. But the elders, to show you the Bible, show you what the Word says, You're told to be subject to the other subject to no man. She wasn't even subject to her husband. And she wasn't subject to that man. If she had been, she would have obeyed the word. And so there's such a thing as subjection. Pleasant subjection to the will of the law. And so these are seven things that are characteristic of those.
who have addicted themselves to the ministry or take leadership, they have a fearful responsibility. But you have a responsibility to obey them. You may not always agree with them, but if they give you the book for it, they have discharged their responsibility, and you better discharge yours. If they give you the book, it's the thing. I didn't know I always agree with my father. I'd assure you that. But it paid me to obey him. And so that's the point when it comes to the things of God.
Now you'll notice Stephanus here is acknowledged, or is joined by, for Judas and the Cuyahoga. Here you have three lovely characters joined together in verse eighteen. Verse seventy. I'm glad of the coming of Stephanus and Fortunatus and a Cuyacus. For that which was lacking on your part, they have supplied. Here are two brethren that are more or less come along with Stephanus and his household. Evidently the assembly in Corinth had sent some fellowship to the apostle.
But these two men came along, and they evidently wanted to have a little personal fellowship with the Apostles. And that's what the meaning is there. For that which was lacking on your part, Eucharistians, they have supplies. And so you have assembly fellowship here. You have the fellowship of individuals. And how the Apostle was refreshed to see these three men, Jordanian men, the first group, And they took that long journey just to see the aged apostle. And he said, oh, it was refreshing.
So refreshing to see these men come and thus minister unto me. Then in verse nineteen. The churches of Asia salute you, Aquila and Priscilla salute you, much in the Lord. with the church that is in their house. I want to conclude with this verse tonight. Going back to that word refreshment, I might mention the fact that time and time again the Apostle referred to those who refreshed them. And that's the kind of ministry so often we need is refreshing. Like a shower.
Sometimes our souls are just as dry as a Sahara. Drought seems to set in. And day after day, no showers or blessing. We get all dried up and crusty and cranky. And then you get some refreshing ministry, refreshing showers. That softens the soil. The Apostle Paul speaks of those who refreshed them. Here are three who refreshed the Apostle. And he also speaks to Philemon of you in a lovely story, the book of Philemon, how this Onesimus has ran away, a lone away slave.
He ran away from Philemon. He went to Rome. He's got in jail. And who should be in jail? But the Apostle Paul. One was in jail for misbehavior, a criminal. Paul was in jail for the truth. But here, Paul in jail, he was a close friend of Philemon. And this Onesimus was a slave of a Philemon. So there was quite a link. And when Philemon heard about his slave on Epsomus, being in jail, and when the Apostle was in jail at Rome, he wrote. The Apostle wrote Philemon a letter and told about this man, his slave on Epsomus, getting saved.
Paul says, I led him to the Lord. Now he says the Apostle, I want you. Not look upon Onesimus as a slave. Look upon him now as a child of God. And he makes this amazing statement. Receive him as you would receive me. Thoremon, will you treat your old slave? Now converted. Will you treat him as a blood brother in Christ? Not as a slave, but now a brother in Christ. And receive him just like you receive me. That took a lot, didn't it? Grace. When in the night that the Apostle Paul stood in the doorway of Philemon's home, I can imagine the embrace.
Oh, how Philemon's household would be so delighted to see the Apostle. Paul said, do that to that slave. You receive him like you would receive me, because he's now a Christian. God has saved him. That was a lovely letter. Paul says this in that letter, in writing to Philemon, for we have great joy and consolation in thy love, because the hearts of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother. Philemon, you're a wonderful man, and the hearts of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother.
And he says, yea, brother, let me have joy of thee, in the Lord. Refresh my heart in the Lord by receiving onesimus as you would receive me. Paul, he said, if you do that, oh, how that will refresh my heart. To see you receive your old slave, not as one who robbed you and ran away. And that was a serious offense in those days. But one now whom God has saved and is going back as a brother. And if you receive him as a brother in Christ, That'll refresh me. These are instances when the apostle speaks of being refreshed.
There are more, but I'm not going to go. Now we come to a couple that I want to speak on. Aquila and Priscilla in verse nineteen. Aquila and Priscilla originally from Rome, and there are some verses I want to read to you in a minute or two. And then they move to Column, then to Ephesus. They later return to Rome, and they're in the last chapter of Rome, and Paul tells us about this lovely couple. You may not want to read these verses, but I'm going to read the verses that have to do with this amazing young couple. I don't know whether they're very young now, but I wouldn't take them to be too old. Aquila and Priscilla.
Acts eight, and verse one. After these things, Paul departed from Athens and came to Corinth and found a certain Jew named Aquila, born of Pontus, lately come from Italy or Rome, with his wife Priscilla, because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome. Why? Because of their faith, a lot of them. And came unto them. And because he was of the same craft he abode at him, and wrought for by their occupation they were tent-makers.
And Paul, in verse eighteen, after this carried there yet a good while, and then took his leave of the brethren, and sailed tents unto Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila, having shorn his head in Zancrea, that he had avowed. Then you have chapter eighteen and twenty-four, verse twenty-four, and a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, mighty in the Scriptures, came to Ephesus. This man was instructed in the way of the Lord, and being firm and in spirit, he speak and talk diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John.
And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue, through when Aquila, And Priscilla had heard they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly. Then he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciple to receive him, that is, Apollos, who when he was come helped them much, which had believed through grace. For he mightily convinced the Jews, and their publicly showing, by the Scriptures, that Jesus was the Christ. And then you have in Second Timothy, four and nineteen, salute Priscilla and Aquila.
And now in our chapter here, first Corinthians, sixteen, nineteen, and the churches of Asia salute you, Aquila and Priscilla, salute you much in the law, with the churches that in their house and in Romans, a vinyl Scripture, Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my helpers in Christ Jesus, who have for my life laid down their own necks, unto whom now not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles. Likewise greet the church that is in their house.
Six times in those verses we read about Aquila and Priscilla. I don't know anything I've enjoyed more this week, just glancing over the scriptures relative to this wonderful young couple. Priscilla is the wife. Priscilla comes from the word Triska. You find that in Second Timothy. And Trudon makes this remark that her very name means primitive, old-fashioned simplicity. And that's her mark. We need some Priscilla's today. who are primitive. I'm not talking about being primitive in your attire.
That would be disastrous. Primitive in your faith. Primitive. Old-fashioned? Old-fashioned. My, that old-fashioned faith. That old-fashioned purity. That old-fashioned behavior. And simplicity. Could a woman have any better traits or characteristics than that? A killer, strangers may see, his name means eagle. He was a commander of a Roman legion. And both these names, a killer and a prisoner, are of Roman distinction.
That speaks a lot. Or was a Roman citizen, and he used that to advantage on certain occasions. He was a Roman citizen, although a Jew. And he said, using that to an advantage, he said, I was free of all. I was born a Roman, and he was. Although he was a Jew. Priscilla and Aquila were Jews. They knew the Scriptures. Then they come to know Christ as their true Messiah. And I think it's wonderful to see how the Apostle tells us six times over about this lovely couple. When you think of the things that distinguish this young, this couple, there are those who tell us that evidently, and I don't want the men to get offended, but there are those who say that Priscilla the White was a very strong character.
She was more of noble birth, and she was more educated. We don't know that for truth. But there is one thing very noticeable about these. You always see them together. You never read of Aquila without Priscilla. You never read of Priscilla without Aquila. They're never separate. And that speaks volumes. Here is God speaking of this couple. Always linked together. Never mention the parts. Two hearts beating as one. his army, Aquila and Priscilla.
They labor together. There were tent makers, driven from Rome, whatever their background was, as Aquila, having a position evidently of the Roman government in the military, becomes a Christian. He's driven out his wife, Priscilla, coming from a good family, undoubtedly, driven out because she's a Christian. man and wife, and they take up the humble task of making tents. And they're lovely. And here you find this lovely Christian couple. And there are six references, and I read you every one.
And the remarkable thing is that three times Aquila comes first. Aquila, Aquila, Aquila, Aquila, Aquila. That's the way we say, Mr. and Mrs. But three times Priscilla comes with Priscilla and Aquila, Priscilla and Aquila, Priscilla and Aquila. Very well balanced in that. The word of God is remarkable to see these differences. They were one undoubtedly emeritus of bliss. No mention of children. Don't mention in all these scriptures about these two are Colonel Priscilla, of any children.
They were just like Zacharias and Elizabeth, the father and mother of John the Baptist. They were righteous. Here were two men's wife, and they were righteous people. Not only were they one in America, but one in the Lord. What is that verse we read over in... Act eighteen. After these things fall departed from Athens and came to court and found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife, Priscilla. What a fine. What a fine.
I don't know any greater encouragement for a preacher who's trying to establish New Testament churches. than to go to a place and find Aquila and Priscilla. A man is white, saved by the grace of God, steeped in the Scriptures. My what a blessing. They form the hub of a work for God. That's what Paul found. That caught us. Isn't that wonderful? He found Aquila. and Priscilla. Paul was on the lookout for all such.
That word pound indicates that, that he found them. Heavenly, very firmly established in the word of God, and to think that here is Paul, and he finds this couple. I think of them many times. The times they had happy fellowship together. They were of the same trade, tent maker. And here sits Paul with his needle and his canvas and his thread. Here sits Priscilla and here Aquila. And they're making tents. And they're making tents. Is that all? No.
Paul says, pray always. I'll guarantee they prayed a lot about that tent making, that craft, that business they were in. Especially if he put the needle where he shouldn't have put it in his finger, he likely prayed in. And here they're prayed, meditating. And with their knowledge of the Bible, you can see these three Christians, the great apostles, Aquila and Priscilla, talking over the word, talking over the scriptures. What a Bible study. how much Aquila and Priscilla must have learned from the Apostles as he stayed with them for eighteen months.
Now, that was a wonderful period in the life of Aquila and Priscilla, a hallowed fellowship. There were one in Marital Union, one in the Lord, one in their secular occupation, making tents. I'll tell you one thing. I guarantee the tents that were made there were good ones. I guarantee those tents had a good reputation. And although I can't give you a Bible for it, I guarantee you that while Paul, Aquila, and Priscilla were selling tents, they were selling the Savior to the customers. Talking to the customers about the thing that was uppermost in their mind, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul, rather do this than take a salary. He said, I told the brethren earlier, when we were taking up those early chapters, I think chapter eight and I, I'm not going to be obligated to you, brethren. You're not going to hold your hold or use a financial club over my head. I worked with my head, and he did. Paul was going to be sensible that he might be free to preach the whole word of God. It was customary in those days in a tradition among the rabbis that if a man didn't teach his son a praise, he was educating him to be a thief.
And evidently here you see this coming out. Paul knew something of making sense. Aquila. And Priscilla knew how to make tents, and they were Jews. Isn't it significant that the Lord Jesus Christ was a comforter? Evidently, his earthly father, Joseph, taught him that trade. Because that was customary and traditional with Jews. The father had to teach his son a trade. In other words, he was educating him to be a thief. See something else. There are one in their fellowship of Paul. Verse three of our chapter, what do you say?
In chapter three and verse, chapter sixteen, verse three. So when I came, when I come, whosoever ye shall approve. By your letters, then will I send to bring your liberality unto me. No, the verse I want the verse. Verse twelve. Verse twelve. Now that's another one either. Verse nineteen, the churches of Asia salute you, Aquila and Priscilla salute you, much in the Lord. And I think it was Romans sixteen I wanted to get. Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my helpers in Christ, who have for my life laid down their own necks unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles.
All the Christians, the churches of that day, admired Aquila and Priscilla. He says they would have died for me. Who, for my sake, they would have laid down their own neck? When the authorities came to apprehend the Apostles on different occasions, Aquila and Priscilla were ready to say, take me, take up. leave the Apostles, let them preach, let them make a stance, we'll lay down our lives for God's Apostles.
And history tells us they did exactly that. They laid down their lives for the Apostles. Paul speaks of it here in Romans, sixteen and three. One in their fellowship with Paul. not remarkable they have something else when paul left to go to jerusalem they ran into a young man a very gifted young man and we'll just read it momentarily in acts eighteen and that was a palace and verse twenty six And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue, who when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them and expounded unto him the way of God more thoroughly.
Here comes this gifted young Macedonian from Alexander, a very gifted, brilliant preacher, Apollos. And Aquila and Priscilla... were so steeped in the Scriptures, so trained by God and the Apostles, you could say, you notice Aquila saying something to Priscilla, Priscilla saying something to Aquila. He's wrong there. He needs some help. What did they do? They took him into their home. And it must have been wonderful to have seen that gifted man who was steeped in the Old Testament Scriptures But he knew only the baptism of John.
And here is Aquila and Priscilla, this lovely couple. In all their great tactfulness, they straightened out this gifted creature who had great potential that he was off. And after Aquila and Priscilla, straighten them out, he became a giant forgotten. This is what you read in that connection. In verse twenty-eight, for he mightily convinced the Jews, and that publicly, showing by the Scriptures that Jesus Christ.
Who taught this gifted young man? Who straightened him up? Aquila and Priscilla. This lovely couple. You see the influence of the whole? Wherever Apollos went to this great gift, he could say, well, I'll tell you, brethren, I'll thank God for the rest of my days, for Aquila and Priscilla. They didn't have any children of the world. They were just tent makers, but oh, there was a godliness. There was a piety. There was a sweetness.
There will be a wholesomeness about those two. I readily accepted their collection. I thank God for the rest of my life for the fragrance of that whole of Aquila and Priscilla. It's a nice way, isn't it, to be able to live your life as a man and as a wife. Not only were there one in the knowledge of the Scriptures, but did you notice a little thing there in Roman Sixties, the church that is in the house?
That's remarkable, isn't it? The church that is in the houses in verse nineteen two of our chapter. The churches of Asia salute. Oh, what a lovely word. Salute you. Akula and Priscilla salute you much, that adjective, in the law, with the church that is in their house. So Akula and Priscilla have a church in their house. In those days of early church history, the church was poor. They couldn't build. So the church is met in home.
And here in that home of Aquila and Priscilla, God has a little group of his believers, his children gathering together in the name of the Lord Jesus. Their home was consecrated to God as a gathering place for the saints. Oh, you say, how inconvenient. Aquila could say to Priscilla, Priscilla. Kind of difficult for us to have the church here. We can't go where we want to go. We'd like to go and visit some. But we've got to be here every time the church meets. How confining, how inconvenient.
Would you like the church in your home? Would you like the holy honor to have a church meeting under your roof? Would that be inconvenient? Would that upset your plans and arrangement? Would that interfere with your liberty? Think of Aquila and Priscilla when they met the Lord. And they'll praise and forever. They have the holy honor and privilege of a church being in their house. I don't know of a greater honor. I'd like to close this.
I think of one family that comes to mind, and that's the family of Jimmy Alita Chapel of Raleigh, North Carolina. I stayed there for three years. When I came down, I was pretty rough. Mr. Chapel at Taught High School, Jimmy had been the son of a Baptist minister and a pharmacist, a very brilliant man. They had no children. They were a quilla. And for selling to me, I learned much. Those three years I lived in their home.
I know little about Southern culture. And I tell you, I said some pretty strong things. I get up and talk about these churches with a spire reaching up, pointing this way. They ought to bend the spire over and point it down. That's where they're sending people. And Jimmy was so gracious, many a time in his gracious way, he would straighten me up. Mrs. Chapel would oftentimes use the quietness of the breakfast table to correct something I said the night before. And for three years I lived under the roof.
Three years had a lot to do with passioning my life. That was Aquila and Priscilla. And in those three years, I never remember Jimmy O'Leaver missing a meeting. In fact, I don't remember in their life ever missing a meeting, unless it was through illness. That's devotion. That's attachment, that dedication to a living Christ. How do we measure up? How do we stack up with this group of happy people?
This wholesome couple, the household of Stephanus, refreshed the Apostle, Aquila, and Priscilla did like one. May we learn from these lovely couples shall we pray. Our Father in heaven, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, we come into thy presence, we ask thy blessing upon thy word. May it please me to sanctify this truth to our hearts. May we know something of the primitiveness of getting back to these old-fashioned ways of whole-heartedness for Christ.
This tender love this compassion, this simplicity, glad that we may profit from these dear saints who lived so long, so long ago, now with the Lord.