“And Paul said, ‘John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.’”
- Acts 19:4
Last, we got the briefest glimpse of Apollos. Apollos was a Jew born in Alexandria and trained in the way of John the Baptist! Now John did not travel very much from what we know, perhaps a disciple of John trained up Apollos before Christ came along. For whatever reason, Apollos was unfamiliar with Jesus but knew a Messiah was needed.
Apollos seemingly became a traveling preacher, sharing what John had shared with his disciples, and then those disciples shared with Apollos. John was a Forerunner to Christ. Repentance was necessary preparation to understanding one’s need for the Messiah. John knew that much, and one other truth: the one who was to come after would be greater!
Apollos was fairly successful in persuading others about their need for a Messiah, even if he didn’t know Christ yet. Before Paul got to Ephesus, that is where Apollos was ministering and made many disciples in the baptism of repentance. Apollos was a forerunner for Paul, and Paul was able to make many more disciples in Jesus' name and establishing various house churches in Ephesus. You can read about all this success in chapter 19 and the Epistle to the Ephesians!
Forerunner:
Forerunners have a necessary role in all of our faith journeys. Rarely is someone introduced to Christ without any prior sowing of seeds or relationship. Someone coming to Christ without a forerunner somehow managed to never encounter a church, spend time with a missionary, or witnessed any other signs from God. Somehow they would have immediately heard the Gospel and said yes to Christ.
More often, we need forerunners in our lives before we make a decision for Christ. Sometimes that is our parents who faithfully take us to church while we are growing up. A youth group that picks up kids in town or school. Sometimes it’s a counselor helping someone through a traumatic time in life. There are many forms of forerunners today, even digital media, movies/videos, and music can act as a forerunner.
This is a forerunner’s purpose, it’s crucial and we often overlook it, to prepare the hearts and minds of people to gaze upon Christ realizing their need for Him. Apollos was prepared by John. The disciples in Ephesus by Apollos. All of them prepared a way some the one to come after!
Take a little while right now and think through the forerunners in your life. Who or what helped to prepare you to accept Christ? If you haven’t accepted Christ, who do you see trying to show you the love and grace of Christ even while the world isn’t? Who has prepared a way in your heart for the one great?
Preparing the Heart:
Yet, what about now? Are we to be forerunners? Aren’t we to share Christ with them, meaning we aren’t a forerunner? Do I still need a forerunner?
Well, in short, Yes, Yes, and Yes.
We are indeed to be forerunners. People who live in such a way that we prepare the hearts and minds of others to gaze upon Christ. That means we need to love others well. I’m afraid often that Christianity in America has become molded by the culture as opposed to being distinct and redeemed within the culture. Often, we live with equal levels of hostility, hatred, and ignorance toward opposing groups, and advocate more for some policies and personal liberties than we do for the Gospel. I think to be a forerunner today well, others need to see that we truly prioritize Christ in our life, rather than other things we are tempted to advocate for. They need to see how grace and sanctification are evident in us. They all already have ideas and judgments about what we stand for. Prove to them that Jesus is more in your life, that you look forward to the age not yet here.
Though we are to be forerunners for some people, other’s the time might be ripe for them to gaze upon Christ. They may need His grace and presence in their life more than ever before. The time is ripe at some point. In a sense, this is where they need our words more than our deeds. Deeds are nice at any point, and they may prepare the heart well but at some point, they have to hear the gospel, in words and believe in Jesus. That is how faith in Jesus occurs.
We also need forerunners and gospel reminders. Anyone who professes faith in Jesus Christ still needs the Gospel. They, we need daily reminders to live in God’s grace, so we might be sanctified by His love and ever grow closer to him and being who we were always meant to be. Our hearts need prepared by the Gospel of Grace before we ever try to be a forerunner, lest we risk simply being “good” people. Our hearts need prepared by the Gospel of Grace before we ever try to evangelize, lest we risk sharing the gospel with no love and enthusiasm.
Forerunners prepare the hearts of others, yet we must also be ready to evangelize while encouraging one another in faith.
Final Blessing:
What made the forerunners in your life so memorable? How might you be able to emulate what made them memorable and impactful so others may come to gaze upon Christ? How can we sow seeds in other’s hearts and minds that make them ready for Christ? Let us seek to make a grand harvest for Christ.
Now may the Lord of Life and Redemption be with you in every step, every breath, and every heartbeat of your journey.
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