Day 51 - Acts 20

This post has it all; adventure, death, humor and tears.


Let's get to it!

Acts 20 (Read it here)

Mapping out Paul's third missionary journey is difficult enough for us in the 21st century. So refer to this helpful map, if you'd like.

Paul leaves Ephesus and heads toward Macedonia (v. 1), encouraging all believers he meets in every town he passes. (v. 2) Instead of sailing east to Syria, he sailed west to Greece to escape the death threats. (v. 3) Even more new men are traveling with Paul. (v. 4) These men have very interesting back stories and future roles that they would fill.

Sopater's name literally means savior of his father, which may be why he is the only man to have the name of his father, Pyrrhus, listed.

Aristarchus was one of the believers that was dragged to the amphitheater by the silversmiths of Artemis shrines in Ephesus. (Acts 19:28) However, the interesting thing about him is that his father was the elected governor of Thessalonica! This would mean that Aristarchus was, most likely, wealthy and sacrificed a lot to travel with Paul.  He would be arrested with Paul later.


Secundus would later be commissioned by Peter and Paul to preach the gospel in what is now western Estonia (northern Europe). It may have been one of the first Christian cities of that region. He became the first bishop of the church in Abula there in Estonia.


Gaius and the former synagogue leader, Crispus, were two of the most influential leaders of the church in Corinth. Gaius and the apostle John (writer of the gospel of John and 1st, 2nd and 3rd John) would become friends, as well.

Tychicus was a protege of Paul, specializing in traveling and encouraging believers in many different churches. Paul mentions that Tychicus would be the messenger that would deliver his letters to the churches in Ephesus and Colossae. (Those letters would become the biblical books of Ephesians and Colossians, by the way) He also may have been the bishop of a church, as well.  Catholics have debated for centuries that he could've led one of three churches in Asia Minor or Cyprus.

He and Trophimus (whose name literally means "foster child") were both from Ephesus. Trophimus would accompany and be cared after by Paul all the way until his imprisonment in Rome.

I tell you this because Paul was mentoring all these guys! Look at the many lives he would touch through these men. From Pyrrhus, the father of Sopater, to Northern Europe through Secundus!

I didn't want to fail to mention that both Timothy and Luke are with Paul, too. You can tell Luke is there by seeing the words "us" and "we" in verses 5-6.

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One night Paul got a little long-winded with a message he was preaching to all the previously mentioned men and a few others. (v. 7) The room was dimly lit with lamps. (v. 8) You can see this coming, can't you? What would happen to you if you were listening to a message for hours in a dimly lit room? You'd get a little drowsy, right?

Well, a dude name Eutychus fell asleep on a windowsill and fell to his death from three stories up! (v. 9) Paul went to his rescue, reassuring the believers that he was fine, even though Eutychus was, in fact, dead. (v. 10) When a few believers came to take Eutychus home, he wasn't even hurt! No wonder his named means fortunate in Greek:) Its very easy to miss the fact that Paul essentially resurrects a guy who fell asleep during his sermon.

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After leaving Troas, Paul was making a mad dash in efforts to reach Jerusalem by Pentecost. (v. 16) Still being far away from Jerusalem he urged the leaders of the church in Ephesus to meet him in Miletus. (v. 17) They do without delay.
 You can see in Paul's speech to these church leaders that he has a little anxiety and sadness in his voice. He assures them they he has cried many tears, endured being stoned and constantly chased by the plots of the Jews (v. 19), while never shrinking back from preaching the necessity of faith in Lord Jesus. (v. 21)

But going back to Jerusalem will be different. God is directing him to go back there. (v. 22) He is certain that he will be imprisoned and persecuted by the Jews there. (v. 23)  In what I can only compare to Jesus' moments in the garden of Gethsemane, Paul knows that he has to go even though he knows he will suffer. 

Paul then says something I find incredibly profound, "my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus." (v. 24)

Did you catch that?

His life is worth NOTHING unless he not only does what God calls him to do, but FINISHES it! All the work he's already done, the persecution he's endured, the people he has reached, healed, etc, would mean nothing if he doesn't go all the way. His job is to preach about God's wonderful grace and not stop until God takes him home.

Man, if only I felt that driven. Paul is really humbling me right now.  How about you?

And because he has obeyed God's purpose for his life and preached to everyone he could, it cannot be his fault if anyone is separated from God. (v. 26) This is also a direct challenge to all those there for them to continue to preach and lead the church! (v. 28)

These leaders also have to be on the lookout for false teachers and anyone who wants to cause division by distorting the truth. (v. 30) Paul lets them know that this won't be easy, it took many tears to protect them for the three years he was in Ephesus. (v. 31)

He dedicates them and their work to God. (v. 32)

He assures them that hard work is inevitable. Paul had not only supported his traveling and ministry by his tentmaking, but he also supported those who traveled with him.  But it has been a huge blessing to him! He wants them to experience the same. (vs. 34-35)

They prayed together and openly cried together because this would be the last time they would ever see Paul, their mentor, face-to-face. (vs. 36-38)
 
Questions

1.) Paul is accompanied by those that would ultimately be extremely influential Christian leaders.  Who do you hang around with?  Do you have friends that look up to you or do you have friends that you admire for their character and passion? Why or why not? What's the use of a friend if they're not leading you closer to Christ or if you're not showing them Christ through your life?

2.) Paul knows that going back to Jerusalem will not end good for him but that doesn't stop him from going.  He even says that stopping now would negate every good thing he has done so far.  Do you feel as if you have a purpose for your life? If so, are you living it out? If not, do you know what you were made to do? If so, what's stopping you?

3.) Paul says over and over that his work has caused many tears. Who have you cried for?  What in this world breaks your heart?