Let’s take another look at the life of Paul! A few days ago I shared about Paul’s conversion- what an incredible story! If you didn’t get a chance to read it, you can find it here: A Look At the Conversion of Paul
Paul’s ministry is broken down into 4 main chunks of travel:
- 1st missionary journey,
- 2nd missionary journey,
- 3rd missionary journey
- Trip to Rome.
Your Bible may have a map of these journeys.
Much of the life of Paul is recorded in the book of Acts. Acts was written by Luke who was a doctor and a historian. He traveled with Paul, so a good portion of Acts is first hand. Luke, being a historian, would have thoroughly researched what he didn’t personally witness. This is the same Luke that wrote the book of Luke.
Today, we’re going to be primarily in Acts, we will jump in the second half of Paul’s 3rd missionary journey. But to set the stage let’s start in Romans. Romans was written by Paul, to the church in Rome. If you read this letter, you’d think he knew these people well, but he hadn’t yet been to Rome when he wrote it.
If you’re interested in studying the book of Romans, consider checking out the 40 day independent study I put together titled A Walk Through Romans
Toward the end of Paul’s letter to the Romans he outlines his plans. Let’s look together:
Romans 15: 23-28 But now that there is no more place for me to work in these regions, and since I have been longing for many years to visit you, I plan to do so when I go to Spain. I hope to see you while passing through and to have you assist me on my journey there, after I have enjoyed your company for a while. Now, however, I am on my way to Jerusalem in the service of the Lord’s people there. For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the Lord’s people in Jerusalem. They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews’ spiritual blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings. So after I have completed this task and have made sure that they have received this contribution, I will go to Spain and visit you on the way.
Let’s recap:
- Paul has wanted to visit the Roman church for a long time.
- Paul finally has a plan to do so
- Paul has a gift for the saints in Jerusalem from the churches in Macedonia and Achaia
- Paul is going to Jerusalem and then on to Spain and hopes to visit the Romans on the way
Now we’re going to hop to Acts 20. This is Paul’s 3rd Missionary journey. We are picking up at Miletus (in case you want to look it up on the map in your Bible or online.)
Acts 20:17-25 17From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church. 18 When they arrived, he said to them: “You know how I lived the whole time I was with you, from the first day I came into the province of Asia. 19 I served the Lord with great humility and with tears and in the midst of severe testing by the plots of my Jewish opponents. 20 You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house. 21 I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus. 22 “And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. 23 I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. 24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace. 25 Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again.
Acts 20: 36-38 36When Paul had finished speaking, he knelt down with all of them and prayed. 37 They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him. 38 What grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face again. Then they accompanied him to the ship.
Acts 21:1-15 1After we had torn ourselves away from them, we put out to sea and sailed straight to Kos. The next day we went to Rhodes and from there to Patara. 2 We found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, went on board and set sail. 3 After sighting Cyprus and passing to the south of it, we sailed on to Syria. We landed at Tyre, where our ship was to unload its cargo. 4 We sought out the disciples there and stayed with them seven days. Through the Spirit they urged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. 5 When it was time to leave, we left and continued on our way. All of them, including wives and children, accompanied us out of the city, and there on the beach we knelt to pray. 6 After saying goodbye to each other, we went aboard the ship, and they returned home. 7 We continued our voyage from Tyre and landed at Ptolemais, where we greeted the brothers and sisters and stayed with them for a day. 8 Leaving the next day, we reached Caesarea and stayed at the house of Philip the evangelist, one of the Seven. 9 He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied. 10 After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11 Coming over to us, he took Paul’s belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, “The Holy Spirit says, ‘In this way the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.’” 12 When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul answered, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” 14 When he would not be dissuaded, we gave up and said, “The Lord’s will be done.” 15 After this, we started on our way up to Jerusalem.
That was a lot of scripture! Good stuff! Let’s do another quick recap:
- Paul is warned, by the Holy Spirit, that prison and hardships are facing him! Acts 20:23
- Through the SPIRIT his friends urge him not to go to Jerusalem! Acts 21:4
- A prophet prophesies over him that he would be bound and handed over to the Gentiles and they PLEADED with him not to go! Acts 21:10-11
Paul would not be dissuaded!! He knew where God was leading him. He had the conviction of hearing the voice of God and knowing the direction of God and he could not be dissuaded. His friends begged him not to go – yet he held tight to the calling of God on his life. He willingly chose to follow God, he didn’t know all the details, but he knew it wasn’t going to be good. It would have been so easy for him to change his mind, to stay with any of those asking him not to go. He would have had a fruitful and effective ministry anywhere! He could disciple the followers of Jesus wherever he was. It would have been so easy. But GOD was calling him and Paul basically said, “I will follow You, God, come what may!”
There are some big lessons for us here! First, your friends are not always God’s voice to you! Let me say it again for those in the back: your friends are not always God’s voice to you!! You have to decern God’s will for yourself! It’d be a lot easier if we could just do whatever our friends, parents, mentors, ect tell us to do! But we have to hear God voice, we have to follow His leading directly, not third person.
As we will see, his friends were not wrong! What they told him was not wrong. Paul will be bound in Rome! They weren’t wrong in wanting to save him from that! They weren’t wrong in pleading with him to stay. Paul was a mighty man of God with an effective ministry- one in fact that would remain through thousands of years! Paul’s writings are still ministering to us today! His friends wanted him to continue in ministry with them! They wanted to learn from him and grow in love and devotion to Christ through his teachings! Those things aren’t wrong! But that wasn’t God’s will for Paul and Paul knew it! Acts 20: 22-23 “And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. Paul knew what God was calling him to and he was willing to be obedient regardless of the cost! You need to hear God’s voice and His direction for your life for yourself! Your friends may not be God’s voice to you, that doesn’t mean what they’re saying is wrong, but it may not be God’s leading.
Secondly, where are you in your walk with the Lord? Would you willingly follow Him to prison and hardships? Search your heart this day. Deepen your commitment to Jesus and The One who sent Him!
Do you struggle to hear His still small voice? Do you have difficulty discerning His will? Quiet your heart before Him and ask Him to speak to you! He is faithful! Maybe you need to add this step to the time you spend with Him. Check out this blog post and free log, maybe this can help you: Do Checklists Keep You On Task?
There’s so much more to this story! We will tackle it soon!
