Monday | 24 August 2026
Jesus Christ personally discipled the apostle Paul so that he could be sent as a disciple-messenger to the Gentiles. As a messenger in the right hand of Christ, Paul was the embodiment of a lampstand among the nations. The Lord had anointed him with the sevenfold Spirit of Yahweh. He revealed the light of the sevenfold Spirit of Yahweh as a light to the Gentiles wherever he travelled and proclaimed the gospel of God. In the first case, we can liken the ministry of the apostle Paul as a disciple-messenger to the first bud on the central branch of the lampstand.
To illustrate the growth of lampstand churches, it will be helpful to consider Paul’s ministry in the city of Ephesus. The fruit of Paul’s ministry in Ephesus was seven lampstand churches in the region of Asia. The book of Acts recorded that, when Paul first came to Ephesus, he found some disciples. It is reasonable to assume that they were disciples of Apollos. Act 18:24. We know that Apollos preached in Ephesus before Paul arrived. He was an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures. We could liken Apollos to an evangelical preacher who proclaimed the lordship of Christ, but he did not declare the gospel of sonship until he was instructed by Aquila and Priscilla. Act 18:26.
When Paul arrived, he immediately asked the disciples about their understanding and appropriation of the gospel of sonship. He said to them, ‘Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?’ The disciples replied, ‘We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.’ Act 19:2. The entire conversation is not recorded in the Scripture, but we can assume that Paul took the time to explain the steps of salvation to them. This would have included the significance of Christ sending the Holy Spirit into our spirit as the Spirit of adoption who enables us to cry out, ‘Abba! Father!’ Rom 8:15.
Further Study:
Acts 19
References:
Act 18:24
Now a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures, came to Ephesus.
Act 18:26
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.
Act 19:2
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.’
Rom 8:15
For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father.’