Priscilla

Priscilla

Day 1

Priscilla

Her name, the Diminutive of "Prisca", means "Worthy" or "Venerable"

Her character: One of the first missionaries and a leader of the early church, along with her husband, Aquila, she risked her life for the apostle Paul. Priscilla was a woman whose spiritual maturity and understanding of the faith helped build up the early church.

Her sorrow: To experience opposition to the gospel from both Jews and Gentiles.

Her joy: To spread the gospel and nurture the church.

Key scriptures: Acts 18 -19; Romans 16:3-4; 1 Corinthians 16:19; 2 Timothy 4:19

Rather than wallowing in the soil of controversy, Priscilla's faith seemed to flourish. She helped establish the early church in an atmosphere of great hostility, risking her own life for the sake of the gospel she loved.

I know there is a lot of scripture attached, but I don't want to leave it out. If you have time to read it, I know you will be blessed.

Acts 18
Ministering at Corinth 1 After these things Paul departed from Athens and went to Corinth. 2 And he found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla (because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome); and he came to them. 3 So, because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them and worked; for by occupation they were tentmakers. 4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded both Jews and Greeks.5 When Silas and Timothy had come from Macedonia, Paul was compelled by the Spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ. 6 But when they opposed him and blasphemed, he shook his garments and said to them, “Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” 7 And he departed from there and entered the house of a certain man named Justus,[a]one who worshiped God, whose house was next door to the synagogue. 8 Then Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his household. And many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed and were baptized. 9 Now the Lord spoke to Paul in the night by a vision, “Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent; 10 for I am with you, and no one will attack you to hurt you; for I have many people in this city.” 11 And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. 12 When Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews with one accord rose up against Paul and brought him to the judgment seat, 13 saying, “This fellow persuades men to worship God contrary to the law.” 14 And when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of wrongdoing or wicked crimes, O Jews, there would be reason why I should bear with you. 15 But if it is a question of words and names and your own law, look to it yourselves; for I do not want to be a judge of such matters.” 16 And he drove them from the judgment seat. 17 Then all the Greeks[b] took Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgment seat. But Gallio took no notice of these things.
Paul Returns to Antioch 18 So Paul still remained a good while. Then he took leave of the brethren and sailed for Syria, and Priscilla and Aquila were with him. He had his hair cut off at Cenchrea, for he had taken a vow. 19 And he came to Ephesus, and left them there; but he himself entered the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. 20 When they asked him to stay a longer time with them, he did not consent, 21 but took leave of them, saying, “I must by all means keep this coming feast in Jerusalem;[c] but I will return again to you, God willing.” And he sailed from Ephesus. 22 And when he had landed at Caesarea, and gone up and greeted the church, he went down to Antioch. 23 After he had spent some time there, he departed and went over the region of Galatia and Phrygia in order, strengthening all the disciples.
Ministry of Apollos 24 Now a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures, came to Ephesus. 25 This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things of the Lord, though he knew only the baptism of John. 26 So he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. 27 And when he desired to cross to Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him; and when he arrived, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace; 28 for he vigorously refuted the Jews publicly, showing from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ.
Acts 19
Paul at Ephesus 1 And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples 2 he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”So they said to him, “We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.” 3 And he said to them, “Into what then were you baptized?” So they said, “Into John’s baptism.” 4 Then Paul said, “John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.” 5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. 7 Now the men were about twelve in all. 8 And he went into the synagogue and spoke boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading concerning the things of the kingdom of God. 9 But when some were hardened and did not believe, but spoke evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them and withdrew the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. 10 And this continued for two years, so that all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.
Miracles Glorify Christ 11 Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them. 13 Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “We[d] exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches.” 14 Also there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did so. 15 And the evil spirit answered and said, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?” 16 Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered[e] them, and prevailed against them,[f] so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. 17 This became known both to all Jews and Greeks dwelling in Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. 18 And many who had believed came confessing and telling their deeds. 19 Also, many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted up the value of them, and it totaled fifty thousand pieces of silver. 20 So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed.
The Riot at Ephesus 21 When these things were accomplished, Paul purposed in the Spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.” 22 So he sent into Macedonia two of those who ministered to him, Timothy and Erastus, but he himself stayed in Asia for a time. 23 And about that time there arose a great commotion about the Way. 24 For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Diana,[g] brought no small profit to the craftsmen. 25 He called them together with the workers of similar occupation, and said: “Men, you know that we have our prosperity by this trade. 26 Moreover you see and hear that not only at Ephesus, but throughout almost all Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, saying that they are not gods which are made with hands. 27 So not only is this trade of ours in danger of falling into disrepute, but also the temple of the great goddess Diana may be despised and her magnificence destroyed,[h] whom all Asia and the world worship.” 28 Now when they heard this, they were full of wrath and cried out, saying, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians!” 29 So the whole city was filled with confusion, and rushed into the theater with one accord, having seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians, Paul’s travel companions. 30 And when Paul wanted to go in to the people, the disciples would not allow him. 31 Then some of the officials of Asia, who were his friends, sent to him pleading that he would not venture into the theater. 32 Some therefore cried one thing and some another, for the assembly was confused, and most of them did not know why they had come together. 33 And they drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. And Alexander motioned with his hand, and wanted to make his defense to the people. 34 But when they found out that he was a Jew, all with one voice cried out for about two hours, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians!” 35 And when the city clerk had quieted the crowd, he said: “Men of Ephesus, what man is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple guardian of the great goddess Diana, and of the image which fell down from Zeus? 36 Therefore, since these things cannot be denied, you ought to be quiet and do nothing rashly. 37 For you have brought these men here who are neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of your[i] goddess. 38 Therefore, if Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen have a case against anyone, the courts are open and there are proconsuls. Let them bring charges against one another. 39 But if you have any other inquiry to make, it shall be determined in the lawful assembly. 40 For we are in danger of being called in question for today’s uproar, there being no reason which we may give to account for this disorderly gathering.” 41 And when he had said these things, he dismissed the assembly.

3 Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, 4 who risked their own necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles.

19 The churches of Asia greet you. Aquila and Priscilla greet you heartily in the Lord, with the church that is in their house.

19 Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus.

Day 2

Tentmaking

Although tents themselves are often mentioned in the Bible, the skill of tentmaking is only mentioned once, here in Acts 18. Paul stayed with Aquila and Priscilla and worked with them in their tentmaking trade. By New Testament times the Israelites had settled in towns and cities. They no longer lived a nomadic lifestyle, moving their tents from place to place. However, traders and travelers still used these tents, and some Near Eastern desert peoples still lived in them. Indeed, some desert peoples today still live in tents similar to the ones Paul probably made.

Tents of the time were made of strong cloth woven of goat hair. Lengths of the cloth were sewn together to form tents that were sometimes round and sloping, sometimes oblong. Poles held the tent up, along with ropes that were stretched to stakes, which were driven into the ground to hold the poles and the cloth firmly in place. mats of papyrus or more goat hair formed side curtains and interior walls to divide the people from each other or from their animals.

Paul was originally from Tarsus, a major city of Cilicia, a province known for its production of superior cloth made of goat hair. Jewish parents took seriously the responsibility of teaching their sons a trade, and Paul's parents were no exception. Paul learned the tentmaking trade and used it at times to support himself during his years of ministry.

As a tentmaker, Paul's skill probably was not so much in weaving the heavy cloth of goat hair but in measuring and cutting the lengths of cloth to the proper lengths and then sewing them together to form the tent itself. he would also have attached the ropes and loops necessary for the poles and stakes that held the tent in place.

We usually think of Paul in terms of his great missionary adventures. Seldom do we think of him in terms of trade that involved working not with his quick and able mind so much as with his hands. More than anything, Paul's work as a tentmaker reveals to us the sacred nature of all work, whether esteemed or not by our culture.

Our life and times
All work is valuable and worthwhile in God's sight, and all work is worth doing "with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.... It is the Lord Christ you are serving" (Colossians 3:23-24)


Day 3


Priscilla and Aquila left Corinth and went with Paul to Ephesus. Would you be willing to move if God called you to do so to spread the truth of the gospel? Why or why not? Why would it be difficult or easy for you to make such a move?

Apollos needed further instruction in the truth, and Aquila and Priscilla took on the task. Note the way in which Priscilla and Aquila instructed him. What wisdom can you gain from Priscilla and Aquila's example of quietly taking Apollos aside to instruct him?

Priscilla moved a lot, but she obviously served wherever she lived. How can you apply her example to your life?

Have you ever risked your life for anyone? Have you ever experienced hardship in order to advance the cause of the gospel? Describe what happened.

Note that every time Aquila and Priscilla's names appear, they appear together. What sort of couple does this make you think they were?


Day 4

Her Legacy of Prayer

3 Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, 4 who risked their own necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles.
Romans 16:3 - 4

Reflect on Acts 18: 18 - 28

Praise God for making both women and men central to his plan of salvation.

Offer thanks for women whose faith has nourished yours.

Confess any tendency to live out your own faith in a half hearted manner, limiting the way god wants to use you.

Ask God to make you unafraid of the controversy generated by a faithful life.

Day 5

Lift your heart

It's a Wonderful Life is a movie that tells the heartwarming story of George Bailey's Christmas Eve visit with an angel, who cures his suicidal depression by showing him just how valuable his life has been. The truth is, most of us have affected others in far more positive ways than we might guess, especially if we belong to Christ. Though most of us won't encounter an angel who tells our life story from heaven's point of view, we can ask God for encouragement, remembering that any good we have done has been accomplished through his grace.

Here's a simple thing you can do to help you visualize the good effects of your faith. Consider that believers are like stones thrown into a pond - our lives are meant to have a rippling effect so others can feel the influence of our gifts and faith. This week, snatch a quiet moment on your knees or in your favorite chair and close your eyes. Imagine yourself as a stone in the hand of God. Watch him throw you out into the water. What kind of ripples do you see? Are they large or small? Perhaps your sibling is a Christian because you shared your faith. maybe a child has responded to God's forgiveness because she first experienced yours. Perhaps God has used you to bring justice to a situation of great injustice. Thank God for all the ripples your life has already created, even if the circle of your influence still seems rather small. Unlike the ripples created by an ordinary stone, the ripple effect of faith need never stop as long as we live. Pray that God will make waves with your faith, even rocking a few boats along the way.

Father, I don't want to settle for the status quo, professing belief in you and then acting as though everything good in life comes from the world around me. Enable me to be like Priscilla, whose faith grew dispite her surroundings. Let the ripple effect of my faith build up your church.