Priscilla

[00:00:06] Oh friends, this is it! Hi, hello, welcome back. It is the season for finale and I can't believe it. How welcome to Podcast Parables and if you're just joining us, you're just in time. But if you've been around a while,

[00:00:23] you know, it's days like these when I am overwhelmed. As I look back and see what God has done. In the last 10 weeks, we have journeyed through the stories of 10 of God's people who were catalysts

[00:00:37] in the first generation church. And I think we have to take a pause and a quick run through all of them and their stories and their names and the impact that they had. And these are just 10 of the many,

[00:00:52] many, many listed in the Bible and obviously the thousands more who don't get a spot in the pages, but we're absolutely important in the work of that first generation church. Our first podcast of this season

[00:01:07] was one of the 3000 people saved during Peter's first official sermon on the streets of Jerusalem. It was a beautiful start and then we made our way to the story of the crippled beggar.

[00:01:20] He was healed by Peter and John one mid-afternoon at the beautiful gate on the way into the temple and now is a Sunday school song. We have sang for years and years. The third episode

[00:01:33] featured Safira who tried to cheat the system with her husband, making it look like they were giving more than they were and lying about it and she was struck dead on the spot.

[00:01:46] We then met Camilleel, the rabbi of young Saul and the man who one day with one line quieted the chaos of the Sanhedrin which was in uproar with his wisdom. He said this,

[00:02:01] if this is of men it will die off and go away but if this is of God nothing we do is going to stop it. Then we met Tabitha, beloved woman brought from death to life by Peter surrounded by all the

[00:02:23] widowers who she had made close for. Then we saw Cornelius, a Roman centurion who was labeled the first Gentile or non-Jewish convert to the way. Next we met Mary Mother of John

[00:02:42] Mark who was a generous and faith-filled woman who knew how to pray and she raised a mighty fine young man. A few weeks ago we met Lydia who was a wealthy merchant of purple dye whose heart

[00:02:58] was ready for the truth and immediately choosing to be baptized in the river she sat next to when Paul and his friends came to teach the gospel. Last week we met a Beryan Man who checked and double

[00:03:13] checked the accuracy of Paul as his spoke in Beryan and then gave his life to the ministry work alongside Paul. And finally, episode 10 today is Priscilla the wife of Akila, the couple on which

[00:03:31] the early church relied on and relished with. They had hearts of hospitality and lived lives and mentorship to others providing and protecting the early church in both Corinth and Ephesus with their faithfulness and love. This is Priscilla's story. Enjoy.

[00:04:02] Oh, what high? Hello there, darling. Do come in. I am just so glad you came. You have a seat now. I'll go grab us some tea. You know, we just love having people in our home and and you're just the

[00:04:19] one we were waiting on. Now thanks for visiting. Yes, yes, we did. We came from Corinth from Rome when Claudia's was governor and he expelled all them Jews. Akila and I didn't like it but we understood.

[00:04:35] Our Jewish nation has had major facts and divisions since Jesus had arrived and it was easier for Claudia's to kick us all out then to be constantly bothered with our issues. Leadership is full of choices of power like that. I've seen it time and again.

[00:04:56] Akila and me, we were tent makers working the goat hides and leather to make and fix all sorts of things due to the nature of our work. Well, home has always had a bit of an open feel and do you know what

[00:05:12] that mean? Tents could go up, tents could be taken down, tents could move all over the place. Tents could even be expanded. We could patch, broken tents to make them whole again or create all new

[00:05:28] ones to begin life a new. It was not just our livelihood but our way of life. Our doors were always open. There was a fluidity within our home of guests coming and staying and going. We love having people in

[00:05:49] a home like you. No, no, no, no, no, trouble it all. We love having you and anyone else who happens to stop by too. And that is how Paul came to us. He arrived in Corinth and to the synagogue immediately

[00:06:09] teaching about the new covenant Jesus left with us. We met him at the three o'clock prayer service. Oh, speaking of, we'll need to head out for that here in a bit. Don't let me forget.

[00:06:23] Immediately we felt close to Paul and his men. He taught with such authority and authenticity. His stories of what God had done in his life and all around the world were almost unbelievable.

[00:06:40] We invited him for dinner and found out he was trained in our same business and wasn't that something. Over our meal, well, he reminisced of his growing up years and tarsists doing the same kind of work.

[00:06:58] He said, he and his sister worked together as a team for their father when they were old enough to handle the goat skins. Well, okay now he admitted she did most of the heavy lifting. He mostly talked right. He was always talking. His mind was always spinning.

[00:07:23] She loved it, he said, and honestly so did we. Quilna and it distracted us all from the pain of our hands as we worked through the course hair of the goats. Now, Paul, he was one to absorb everything.

[00:07:42] Then, as well as now and he could remember and regurgitate his studies almost. Word for word all while handling the hides. Paul's sister considered this a special privilege to be able to receive such an education as a young woman in that city during that time.

[00:08:03] We thought the same honestly. Sometimes it would be a Greek lesson, sometimes oral tradition from the Talmud. Sometimes mathematics or philosophy or poetry. Paul told us that their father was always impressed with how long they worked, not know in their true

[00:08:25] motivation. I would often see Paul writing long letters to his sister in the early morning hours or Bachandle light at the end of the day. I know he missed her so. Under Paul's leadership,

[00:08:44] both in the synagogue and in our home, we learn the scripture as backwards and forwards. Understanding a new wide Jesus had to come and his promise to come back again one day. Paul helped us understand with depth and clarity the connection between the lives

[00:09:05] and law of our ancestors with the new covenant Jesus provided for us. He, being our final sacrificial lamb. The ultimate high priest atoning for all the sin of humanity and leaving us

[00:09:22] with this grace gift available to all who would believe. Aquila and I, we, we wrestled with the relative easiness of it all. Both of us going back and forth between acceptiveness,

[00:09:40] absolute miracle and wanderin if it were too good to be true. If we needed to work harder or try more or be better, but ultimately, Paul faithfully walking alongside us and encouraging us to continue to seek God within the pages of scripture and through prayer,

[00:10:05] pointless back to Christ in all things. We felt our feet more sure under us, and just as Paul meant toward us. We felt the call to carry on that same banner. He could not do it alone.

[00:10:24] If the church was to spread, if Jesus' great commission was to grow, we all had a part to play. Individually, we couldn't do everything, but we needed to each do our own thing.

[00:10:40] We may not be the ones to speak from the platform, but we each had gifts that when put back in the hands of our Maker would multiply and grow, expand in the impact beyond what our minds could comprehend

[00:10:55] possible. Aquila and I felt very strongly that our gifts included being willing to be the pillars. The anchors will into stay through the hard times. The couple will into tackle the more

[00:11:12] difficult conversations, the more difficult people. The home will into be used for his good and his glory. That was our call, and we were all in. Eventually, though, Paul needed to move along from Corinth.

[00:11:35] Honestly, it was the same story in a different city. The Jewish relics were upset and had him pulled into the court rooms, and while he did incredible work in those two years, it was time.

[00:11:50] I'm not sure if we were surprised or not, but Paul, he asked us to come with him. And we needed no review of our call, and we just packed up once again, and we're ready for what

[00:12:02] God had next. We sailed toward the coast of Syria, landing at the port of Ephesus. Paul only stayed a short while there, and continued his travels into Antioch, Galatia and Ferquilla, visit in all believers, encourage in them, and help them grow in the Lord.

[00:12:23] We stayed in Ephesus, though. Investing into the group of believers there, wanted to help them build a firm foundation based on the truth. It's what we did in Corinth, and we were committed to seeing the same happen here. We first met Apollo,

[00:12:43] set the synagogue one day, very similarly to how we met Paul. Oh yes, it was immediately apparent he was an incredibly gifted speaker. He had just arrived from Alexandria on Egypt. He knew the Scriptures well, haven't been taught the way of the Lord. However,

[00:13:07] he knew only about John's baptism. It was an incomplete picture, and no matter the eloquence in charisma, an unfinished picture was not enough. Apollo's was easy to like. He was a good,

[00:13:26] good man. We loved him deeply from the very beginning. He came into our home and we were able to explain the way of God more accurately filling in the blank spaces of the canvas. He didn't even know

[00:13:41] was there. Because we'd been around a long while by this time, we knew it could go either way. Some young men were averse to this kind of treatment. Many knew what they knew and could not

[00:13:56] be taught otherwise. But Apollo's, he was one of the most gracious and humble men we had ever mentored. His response helped even a quilla and me. It reminded us that we all have things to learn

[00:14:12] and when God provides someone to help with that. Our response should be nothing but an open heart and spirit of thanks given. Oh, I'm so sorry dear, been talking your ear off this whole time.

[00:14:29] Oh, once I get going, I have a hard time stopping talking about our good God. Sometimes I just can't believe he has chosen us for his work. We are just broken tent makers from Italy.

[00:14:44] But somehow, some way, he chooses us anyway. Using our faithful steps of obedience, walking along side those who come near to ignite the way the truth and the life for them. And for that, well, I guess I'll never quit talking. Oh, yes, yes, thank you. That's right.

[00:15:07] Three o'clock prayer service. We better had that way. Thanks for the reminder. Let's go. It has been a wonderful time in the midst of these first gen stories. I love the details. They bring

[00:15:33] to the story of the early church. It takes all kinds and it always has. Honestly, I tear up at the thought of our beautiful bride of Christ. I marvel at the way in which God has continued his faithfulness

[00:15:54] in all of us through thousands of years and hundreds of generations. May even this podcast, this season, this episode, be a testament to a God worthy of all the praise and glory and honor forever and amen. May we all stay committed to the way of the Father through

[00:16:17] his local church. It still takes all kinds doing all sorts of quirky intentional little things. It all matters and it's all worth it to reach people with the saving knowledge of the gospel

[00:16:33] of Christ. Well, friends, and I say this sincerely. Thank you. Thank you for your continued faithfulness in tuning in each week. It's encouragement to me to keep losing the things I feel God has given

[00:17:03] me to share with his people. May He, though get all the glory and honor for it, always and forever. This season has been so, so special and I'm actually looking forward to going back and listening

[00:17:19] through it again as a whole. Sometimes soon. The faith of those who have come before us is always such a boost in my own faith. Feel free to do the same with any of the four seasons of podcast

[00:17:33] parables. But up next for us is a celebratory episode where we honor the first year of podcast parables existence. Yay, God! It's a party and it's coming up soon. So stay tuned for that.

[00:17:51] But afterwards, I have decided to take a little bit of time off for a respite and to recharge the batteries a bit and carve out some space to write ahead for the upcoming year. So towards

[00:18:04] the end of July, I will hop back on and begin season five with stories from the book of Esther. I cannot wait. Turs is one I've loved since I was a tiny little girl and I am so excited to

[00:18:18] those episodes and zeroing in on some of the characters from that amazing book in the Bible. Thanks again for sticking around the podcast parables feed. Remember you can find us on Instagram at podcast underscore parables. And if you, at the end of this season, have enjoyed and would

[00:18:38] like to become a financial partner at one five or ten bucks a month, you can find that link at the bottom of the show notes. For those of you already supporting, thank you so much and we hope

[00:18:49] to get more ad partners soon but until then your financial contribution is keeping the wheels rolling, keeping the bus down the road. So thank you for that so much. I'm incredibly grateful for

[00:19:01] you friends. That's it for me. This week this is Courtney Lee, your podcast parables. See you next time.