1. Teresa and I know a couple that has been married for about 25 years.
2. The husband in this family is a small business owner.
3. A couple of years ago this husband had to find new help for his shop.
4. The person who had worked with him suddenly quit.
5. This business owner turned to his wife to see if she wanted to work with him.
6. This man’s wife said she didn’t know.
7. She said that if she worked with him she might kill him.
WHEN WE LOOK AT THE WORLD WE FIND THAT SOME HUSBANDS AND WIVES CAN WORK WELL TOGETHER IN THE SECULAR WORK WORLD. IN OTHER CASES THIS IS NOT A VERY GOOD IDEA.
A. The couple that I described has worked together for about 2 years and they are doing very well.
B. In the New Testament we read about a husband and wife that worked together.
C. The story begins in Acts 18.
D. According
to Acts 18:1 Paul came to the city of
2. In
this city Paul found a man named
3.
4. This
couple had been forced to leave
5. The end of the 3rd verse says “they were tentmakers.”
6. From what is said it seems that this husband and wife worked together.
7. They were joined together both by marriage and by the trade of tent making.
8. This information should remind us of a statement made by Jesus.
A. In Mt. 19:5-6 the Lord said – QUOTE.
B. The word translated “cleave” could be described as “gluing people together.”
C. God intends for those who are married to function together (be a unit).
D. This togetherness may not translate into both working at the same job outside the home.
E. Couples clearly do not need to have the same occupation and work at the same place.
F. There is, however, a need for unison; togetherness; a definite partnership.
G.
9. They functioned together as a couple and their working together included the secular work world.
10. They also worked together in another way.
11. The New Testament makes it clear that this couple became Christians.
A. They both learned about God and the gospel.
B. We do not know when they were converted.
C. They
could have been converted at
D. At some point this husband and wife was joined together in Christ.
E. As a Christian couple they rendered service to the Lord.
F. Notice verse 26 – READ.
G. This husband and wife had an interest in evangelism.
H. When they heard someone present inaccurate information religious they acted.
I. This husband and wife served God as a team.
12. This couple as a team helped a man find the truth.
13.
14. Acts 18 provides us with a Bible example of what a Christian marriage can be like.
15. Luke tells us about a couple that worked together on secular things.
16. He made it clear that Aquila and Priscilla had religious unity.
17. As a husband and wife these two people were committed to God.
18. They wanted to do what was right and they sought to fulfill God’s will.
A. I once saw a graphic in a church bulletin.
B. The picture contained two mules in a variety of positions.
C. In one of the scenes each mule was pulling in a different direction.
D. In another clip both mules were standing still.
E. The third picture had one mule pulling while the other stood still.
F. The fourth picture had both mules pulling and both were pulling in the same direction.
19. What kind of picture do we have in Acts 18?
20. We have two people who were married and they both pulled the same way.
21. They pulled and they pulled together.
22. When they learned the truth they were unwilling to just work together as tentmakers.
23. After learning the right way this couple joined together in a new way—Christianity.
A. Do we know any couples that are like Aquila and Priscilla?
B. We have said that the Bible contains examples for us to learn from and follow.
C. Some of the examples in scripture are good; others need to be avoided.
D. Here is a positive example; are we following it?
E. Can we think of couples who are like Aquila and Priscilla?
24. The example from Aquila and Priscilla is an excellent model for marriage.
25. I want to read what Paul said about this couple in 1 Cor. 16:19 – READ
26. This couple allowed a congregation of God’s people to meet in their home.
A. This couple worked together to provide saints with a place to worship.
B. This couple was united in their desire to spread God’s kingdom.
C. This was not all that that they did.
D. Another reference that describes them is Rom. 16:3-5a – READ.
E. We do not know what kind of risk this couple took.
F. We do know that they put themselves into a dangerous position to help Paul.
G. These people were “fellow-workers” with Paul.
27. A FEW YEARS AGO I MET A YOUNG COUPLE. THIS YOUNG MAN AND WOMAN WANTED TO GET MARRIED. IN VERY PLAIN TERMS THE YOUNG MAN SAID TO ME, “I JUST WANT YOU TO MARRY US. FORGET ABOUT GOD, DON”T TELL ME ABOUT CHURCH, AND WE DON’T WANT TO HEAR ABOUT THE RELIGIOUS STUFF. MY PARENTS HAVE BEEN MARRIED FOR 35 YEARS AND GOTTEN ALONG VERY WELL WITHOUT IT. WE CAN AND WILL TOO.”
A. Before becoming Christians it seems that Aquila and Priscilla got along pretty well.
B. They worked together.
C. This is something that many who are married have not been able to do.
D. Before becoming Christians some couples have a reasonably good marriage.
E. Christianity does, however, add a dimension to marriage that can never be found in the world.
F. After Aquila and Priscilla became Christians some things changed.
G. After conversion these two people had some new things in common.
H. Aquila and Priscilla had a brand new type of unity.
I. They worked together with Paul.
J. They allowed a congregation to meet in their house.
K. Together they had a risky experience that helped save Paul’s life.
L. There was at least one Bible study (Apollos) that they conducted together.
M. All these experiences helped to further strengthen the bond between them.
N. From what is said in another passage it is clear that this marriage bond was very strong.
28. From what we can tell about 16 years passed from Acts 18 to the writing of 2 Timothy.
29. In 2 Timothy 4:19 (about 16 yeas later) we again read about Aquila and Priscilla.
30. Paul was close to the end of his life and he made a comment about them.
31. Here is what he said – 2 Tim. 4:19a – READ.
32. Close to 20 years had passed. Many years had gone by.
33. This couple was still in fellowship with Paul and the Lord because Paul said, “greet them.”
34. They were still married and they were both still faithful to God.
35. For those who are married or will ever be married, here is a goal:
36. Stay married to our spouse, and as the years go by, stay faithful to God.
37. During this time work together as a Christian couple.
38. Do works together that are related to the Lord’s service.
39. During the years of married life we may or our mate may have bad health.
40. We may lose our money, our possessions, or a dozen other things.
41. If a Christian couple stays together, works together, and is faithful, they have succeeded.
42. This is the definition of a successful marriage.
43. There are six places in the Bible where we read about Aquila and Priscilla.
A. In 4 of these places Priscilla’s name is listed first.
B. We are not sure why the Bible writers did this.
C. One suggestion is that Priscilla was perhaps the most noticeable of the two.
D. Perhaps something about her really stood out and overshadowed her husband.
E. Maybe she was talkative and he was not.
F. Perhaps she was outgoing and he was shy.
G. Whatever the reason she is usually listed first.
44. Whether listed first or last in these 6 passages, she and her husband learned how to work together.
45. This working together applies to marriage as well as the other areas of life.
46. In a congregation people can be like the mules that were described.
A. Some can pull while others stand still.
B. People can pull in opposite directions.
C. Everyone may try to stand still and not move.
D. Or, we may all pull together and pull in the same direction.
47. As God’s people we must all have a desire to pull.
48. There must be a desire to work and work together as a team.
49. This principle is even seen in the world.
50. Pulling together and unity is needed in the church as well as married life.
51. If we are married, can we as one of the partners do a better job of pulling?
A. I have heard married couples say a variety of things about their relationships.
B. Some have said “We raised our children together.”
C. “We have traveled together.”
D. “We shop together.” “We share the same hobbies.”
E. Some even say that they work together in the secular world.
52. Perhaps the highest form of togetherness a couple can have is unity in Jesus Christ.
53. Think of a couple that can truthfully say, “We serve God as a team.”
A. Those who are single need to keep this point in mind as they look for a mate.
B. Seek a mate who will work with you to serve God.
C. Those who are married can use the couple studied this morning as an example.
D. It should be our goal, if we are married, to serve God as a team.
E. That may take some time or practice.
F. Our mate, at the present time, may not be a Christian.
G. Whatever our status is, this should be a goal.
54. We must first decide to serve God individually.
55. We then decide to serve Him with others.
56. We serve Him alongside fellow Christians.
57. If possible we should also serve Him with our spouse.
58. How well are we trying to serve God?