The second full day in Kolkata began with a teaching segment with just women. On the previous day, another gal travelling with her father who we met up with there - a man we've had the privilege to know in recent years, and who has been led by the Spirit for many years to shepherd, with wisdom and effectiveness, the spread of the Gospel and subsequent disciple making in the form of house churches - had taught the women, encouraging them with the faith, love and loyalty of the Old Testament's Ruth. The women loved the teaching and personal nature of a session planned specifically for them. So, when it was my turn the following morning, I was met with the smiles and eyes of women eager to learn more. We read verses from Acts 18 about Priscilla. Other verses later in the New Testament add dimension to who she was, but we stuck simply with Acts 18. Please read it for yourself and see what you learn from her. From this ancient sister's life we learned three main things that are true of women who follow Jesus at any place in the world, any time in history.
1. Every woman has something, probably several things, that they do well. As a disciple of Jesus, and knowing from His Word that He has created us "in Christ Jesus to do good works He created in advance for us to do", (Ephesians 2:10), anything we do well is something He can use as leverage in who we come in contact with, which provides opportunities to communicate who Jesus is. This was true of Priscilla as a tentmaker.
2. Priscilla regularly offered hospitality. She opened her home not just for a few hours occasionally, but even to the point of welcoming the apostle Paul to live with her and her husband for quite a while. Inviting followers of Jesus (and probably others) to a place of welcome and refuge in their home facilitated those disciples to live up to what God called them to. They did not have the added stress of wondering where they would stay, what to eat, or where they could safely share their hearts. In Priscilla's home and company those things were cared for. God's love was alive and well there. Any woman has the ability to be hospitable. If she can't cook, she surely can make tea or coffee and offer a listening ear and find other ways to offer good food. Inviting others in refreshes them to go back out, either with a faith they will continue to minister from, or with thoughts and questions that can lead them to pursuing a new faith journey with the God of the Bible after experiencing a taste of His love in the home of a Jesus-loving woman. Discipleship often happens in this venue as well. Hospitality can be a key component in living out the Great Commission, though it is rarely spoken of as such.
3. Lastly, Priscilla was a continuous learner and teacher of Scripture. She lived what she learned and could teach others intelligently. Her love for Jesus and God's very Word allowed her to be a resource from which others could learn and mature in their faith. Knowing God's Word, and living it obediently makes any woman an important asset in God's family.
Next post: 2nd 1/2 of 2nd day
1. Every woman has something, probably several things, that they do well. As a disciple of Jesus, and knowing from His Word that He has created us "in Christ Jesus to do good works He created in advance for us to do", (Ephesians 2:10), anything we do well is something He can use as leverage in who we come in contact with, which provides opportunities to communicate who Jesus is. This was true of Priscilla as a tentmaker.
2. Priscilla regularly offered hospitality. She opened her home not just for a few hours occasionally, but even to the point of welcoming the apostle Paul to live with her and her husband for quite a while. Inviting followers of Jesus (and probably others) to a place of welcome and refuge in their home facilitated those disciples to live up to what God called them to. They did not have the added stress of wondering where they would stay, what to eat, or where they could safely share their hearts. In Priscilla's home and company those things were cared for. God's love was alive and well there. Any woman has the ability to be hospitable. If she can't cook, she surely can make tea or coffee and offer a listening ear and find other ways to offer good food. Inviting others in refreshes them to go back out, either with a faith they will continue to minister from, or with thoughts and questions that can lead them to pursuing a new faith journey with the God of the Bible after experiencing a taste of His love in the home of a Jesus-loving woman. Discipleship often happens in this venue as well. Hospitality can be a key component in living out the Great Commission, though it is rarely spoken of as such.
3. Lastly, Priscilla was a continuous learner and teacher of Scripture. She lived what she learned and could teach others intelligently. Her love for Jesus and God's very Word allowed her to be a resource from which others could learn and mature in their faith. Knowing God's Word, and living it obediently makes any woman an important asset in God's family.
Next post: 2nd 1/2 of 2nd day
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