Acts 18 offers more than a history lesson—it’s a compelling portrait of what it means to be a faithful follower of Jesus right here, right now.

Here, we meet Priscilla and Aquila—ordinary tentmakers with extraordinary devotion. Their story isn’t flashy, but it’s powerful. Uprooted from their home in Rome, they don’t get stuck in discouragement. Instead, they open their lives and their home to serve others, partner with Paul, and quietly invest in the spread of the gospel. Their faithfulness isn’t about big gestures—it’s about steady obedience in uncertain places.

This kind of faithfulness isn’t something we manufacture through sheer willpower. It’s the fruit of lives surrendered to Jesus and empowered by the Holy Spirit. As Sean Miller reminded us, true followers aren’t perfect—they’re growing. The mark of a genuine believer is not flawless behavior, but a life that’s increasingly shaped by trust and obedience to Christ.

And then there’s Apollos—zealous, passionate, but incomplete in his understanding. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him preach, they didn’t shame him or make a scene. They pulled him aside and gently taught him the fuller truth of Jesus. It’s a beautiful picture of spiritual maturity—standing for truth without tearing others down. In a culture quick to criticize, this kind of gracious correction is both rare and powerful.

The real question this passage presses on us is this: are we living like followers of Jesus, or are we just fans? Does our faith show up in how we love others, how we handle hardship, how we take risks for the sake of the gospel? Faithfulness might look like hospitality, like courage, like quiet perseverance—but in every case, it looks like trust in a faithful God.

This is what it means to be a true follower of Jesus: to be faithful wherever He places us, whatever the cost, trusting that He is using our ordinary obedience to accomplish His extraordinary purposes.

(from Sean Miller's Sermon May 25, 2025)