Sidetracked?

 

READ Acts 25-28

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1)

This assurance and deep conviction that something hoped for but not seen will come to pass is not assumption nor some sort of occultic fortune telling. It is being convinced that whatever God says is true and if has not already happened, it will. It was this conviction that kept Paul confident during the last part of Acts.

The seed was planted when “he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. And he went to see them.” (Acts 18:2) He stayed and worked with them, no doubt learning what God was doing in that great city and realizing that the Gentiles who believed in Jesus would be left without Jewish believers to guide them in God’s Word.

The Holy Spirit agreed and Paul verbalized what the Spirit had put on his heart: “Now after these events Paul resolved in the Spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia and go to Jerusalem, saying, ‘After I have been there, I must also see Rome.’ ” (Acts 19:21)

Many things happened during this time and Paul’s desire was increased when, “The Lord stood by him and said, ‘Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome.’ ” (Acts 23:11)

The trip was harsh. In vain, I tried to count the days and the severe storms. Paul’s advice based on his faith was ignored. The men of the ship were desperate. They finally gave up.

But soon a tempestuous wind, called the northeaster, struck down from the land. And when the ship was caught and could not face the wind, we gave way to it and were driven along. Running under the lee of a small island called Cauda, we managed with difficulty to secure the ship’s boat. After hoisting it up, they used supports to undergird the ship. Then, fearing that they would run aground on the Syrtis, they lowered the gear, and thus they were driven along. Since we were violently storm-tossed, they began the next day to jettison the cargo. And on the third day they threw the ship’s tackle overboard with their own hands. When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope of our being saved was at last abandoned. (Acts 27:14–20)

The movie “Perfect Storm” comes to mind. Also the sinking of Titanic and other true and fictional accounts of disasters at sea. I can hear these sailors crying out, see the waves, smell the air and their fear. It seemed a certain death. But then . . .

Since they had been without food for a long time, Paul stood up among them and said, “Men, you should have listened to me and not have set sail from Crete and incurred this injury and loss. Yet now I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. For this very night there stood before me an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I worship, and he said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar. And behold, God has granted you all those who sail with you.’ So take heart, men, for I have faith in God that it will be exactly as I have been told. But we must run aground on some island.” (Acts 27:21–26)

Paul knew God was taking him to Rome. The storm was certainly a faith-test but his assurance was not shaken. God said it and he believed it. The storms seemed determined to not allow it, but Paul kept listening to the One who controls the wind and waves and held to his conviction. This is faith.

Faith isn’t about sight; yet God often verifies what He is doing so we can see it. Faith isn’t about desire; no one wants an experience like that trip to prove a point. Faith isn’t a twisted idea; Festus said Paul was out of his mind, but this man answered that he spoke true and rational words and Festus knew he was sane and innocent of all accusations. So this man of faith arrived in Rome.

And the brothers there, when they heard about us, came as far as the Forum of Appius and Three Taverns to meet us. On seeing them, Paul thanked God and took courage. And when we came into Rome, Paul was allowed to stay by himself, with the soldier who guarded him. (Acts 28:15–16)

Then he shared the Gospel with people who came in great numbers each day and “lived there two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.”

Lesson: Listen to God’s direction and don’t let storms or anything else stop me from doing whatever He says!

 

Know the future?

 

READ Acts 21-24

The popularity of astrology, fortune-telling, even the media pundits who try to predict the outcome of sporting events and political elections reveal that human desire to know the future. Those who presume to be wiser say that if we did, we would try to change it and likely mess it up. The fact of the matter? If God or anyone else revealed the future and we could change it, it would be a false revelation.

The Apostle Paul must have known this. When he was told his future by someone who claimed the information came from God, Paul realized if he changed it, then God would be telling him something that would not happen and God does not do that!

And coming to us, he took Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘This is how the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’ ” When we heard this, we and the people there urged him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” And since he would not be persuaded, we ceased and said, “Let the will of the Lord be done.” (Acts 21:11–14)

This incident reminds me of a time we were going to move to a certain city. We were told of a house we could rent and the Lord assured me that this would be our new home. Then we were told it had already been rented. Yet I knew we would live in it. After a few days, the lease fell through and the house was ours. I’d had no doubt that it would be; God is not a false prophet and I knew my assurance was not presumption. Even if I should hear from Him that negative things are ahead, like the disciples heard what would happen to Paul, my attitude should be, Let the will of the Lord be done!

Paul teaches me another thing; how he knew what to do when under threat from the Jewish religious leaders. He was not in the dark regarding what they believed and used it to redirect their focus from destroying him. They wound up arguing within their ranks:

Now when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. It is with respect to the hope and the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial.” And when he had said this, a dissension arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. (Acts 23:6–7)

In our day, persecution sometimes comes from groups that call themselves Christian but they are false teachers, either cults or with beliefs that do not come from the Scriptures or the enlightening power of the Holy Spirit. While it is seldom wise to study the ideas of false teachers, as I encounter them do I know enough about what they believe to redirect any attack they might be making against my faith? Or do I naively suppose they are ‘different but okay’? Tearing a page from Paul’s example, it is wise to understand enough that I can defend what God says even if it requires creating a diversion.

A third instruction from this passage relates to the first one. God did reveal to the dangers of going ahead as he was instructed. He would suffer at the hands of Gentiles, even more, but he was not afraid of the will of God, nor of dying. Besides, God also told him some good news:

The following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome.” (Acts 23:11)

Yes, he would be persecuted and this did happen, but the Lord reassured him that he would also take the Gospel where he’d hoped to take it. Now after these events Paul resolved in the Spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia and go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.” (Acts 19:21)

That desire of his heart was not mere ambition; it was the directing power of God. This tells me to pay attention. My assignments will not have the same importance as his, yet if God tells me what to expect and even if it is negative, I can be confident that He will stand by me no matter what happens.