11/4/11

By way of example...


In every one's life there are people who stand out; who have helped mold who and what you are. Helen and Larry Deason abundantly qualify in mine.  Most of you who read this have never met them and probably never will, but they are family to me.  Not in a physical sense, but in the church family understanding.  And, truthfully, this is the more important of the two categories.  Larry was a preacher for the church of Christ, founder of several schools of preaching and dean of Northeast School of Biblical Studies, as well as one of my professors there.  Both he and Helen had a profound effect upon my life and deserve every bit of recognition I could possibly think of.  Frankly, they remind me of a couple we read about in the book of Acts who are important as well.

WEB: Acts Chapter 18
[1] After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth. [2] He found a certain Jew named Aquila, a man of Pontus by race, who had recently come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome. He came to them, [3] and because he practiced the same trade, he lived with them and worked, for by trade they were tent makers.

WEB: Acts 18:18. 
Paul, having stayed after this many more days, took his leave of the brothers, and sailed from there for Syria, together with Priscilla and Aquila. He shaved his head in Cenchreae, for he had a vow. 

WEB: Acts Chapter 18
[24] Now a certain Jew named Apollos, an Alexandrian by race, an eloquent man, came to Ephesus. He was mighty in the Scriptures. [25] This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, although he knew only the baptism of John. [26] He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside, and explained to him the way of God more accurately.

WEB: I Corinthians 16:19.
The assemblies of Asia greet you. Aquila and Priscilla greet you much in the Lord, together with the assembly that is in their house.
 
Aquila and Priscilla worked with Paul in both trade and ministry and are immortalized in scripture.  Sometimes he is mentioned first and sometimes his wife, but they were a couple dedicated to spreading the GOSPEL.  I can't even begin to think of one of them without the other.  So also with Larry and Helen.  Beloved by God and faithful over many years, having an untold impact upon thousands of people.  Larry has departed this life to receive his heavenly reward, but Helen remains with us.  You would be blessed if you looked her up some time on Facebook.  She probably will change your life too!