Becoming Like Priscilla and Aquila

"Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my co-workers in Christ Jesus. They risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them."
-Apostle Paul
Romans 16:3-4

[This is the 16th message of this series]

Married Couple

So Aquila and Priscilla (or Prisca) were husband and wife. They were at some point residents of Rome, Italy. But they had to leave that place and they ended up in the City of Corinth as Jewish refugees. Those were difficult times in Rome, during the rule of Emperor Claudius.

Let's read the story of this couple in Acts 18.

"After this [Paul] departed from Athens and went to Corinth.

There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently arrived from Italy with Priscilla his wife, due to the fact that Claudius had issued an edict that all the Jews were to leave Rome. And [Paul] went to see them,

And because he was of the same occupation, he stayed with them; and they worked [together], for they were tentmakers by trade.

But he discoursed and argued in the synagogue every Sabbath and won over [both] Jews and Greeks.

By the time Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was completely engrossed with preaching, earnestly arguing and testifying to the Jews that Jesus [is] the Christ.

But since they kept opposing and abusing and reviling him, he shook out his clothing [against them] and said to them, Your blood be upon your [own] heads! I am innocent [of it]. From now on I will go to the Gentiles (the heathen)."  Acts 18:1-6

Apostle Paul

So Paul and his companions stayed at Priscilla and Aquila's home during their missionary trip. Priscilla and Aquila were tent makers by profession, like Paul. The couple provided Paul both with a roof and a means to make money to finance their missionary journey.

Co-workers 

This married couple worked along side Paul, did missionary work, as well as opened their home to believers. They have set up what is called a house church, which was the forerunner of home bible studies and church ministries.

Missionaries

Most missionaries today are married couples (with or without children) and they go out there in the mission field following the model and early example of Priscilla and Aquila.

Any married couple who have been called by God to be missionaries should follow on the example of this first century couple, who Paul said was a blessing to him, to the church who meets in their home and to Gentile churches.

I Am A Missionary

Becoming (Like) Series

Don't Be Like Them Series