Paul goes
and heals Publius’ dad and anybody else on the island that was sick, and he
continues to earn credibility for the entire shipwrecked crew. It’s cool to see
how Paul has gone from being a miserable prisoner in their eyes to somewhat of
a leader among their group. Paul made such an impression on the people of this
island that they gave the people whatever they needed to travel. Paul was used
by God to change lives on Malta, and as a result people gave of whatever they
had to supply their need, and I’ve seen very similar circumstances play out in
my life. When I was in high school and we were building Trinity Christian Church,
a bunch of poor farmers forked over tens and hundreds of thousands of dollars
to help build a church because God had changed them, God had impacted their
lives in great ways. The churches that are supporting New Heights are forking
over significant amounts of money, not because they like the idea of a new
church or they think it is the cool thing to be doing, they are giving a ton of
money because God has changed them and they want to see others changed as well.
When God moves in our lives, we can’t help but want to express our thanks and
help others experience what we have, and often times that means pouring our
resources into where God is working.
So Paul
finally makes it to Rome and goes immediately to meet with the Jews. He wants
to deal with any rumors or accusations they have heard head on, and I think
what he says in verse 20 is very insightful. “…In fact, it is for the hope of
Israel that I’m wearing this chain.” He has walked away from the Jewish religious
practices but he hasn’t walked away from the people. I think it is really
difficult to step away from a ministry or a church and not feel like you’ve
walked away from the people that you love and care about. Paul is saying here
that he hasn’t abandoned the people, in fact part of the reason he is preaching
and proclaiming the way of Jesus is to help his Jewish brothers and sisters
realize the truth. We’ve got to understand that God calls us each to walk down
our own paths, and while those paths might intersect from time to time and
might even be the same path for months or years, it is still God’s path for us
and we are at His mercy as to where we go. When God calls someone away, He is
not seeking broken relationships and abandoned friendships; He simply has a
different plan for our life and wants us to be obedient. All throughout the
book of Acts we have watched Paul minister in a place for a few months or
years, pack up and head onto the next place. Don’t you think that the church
leaders were sad to see him go? Don’t you think that the congregation members
were upset that he was leaving? Sure they were, but they understood so much
better than we do today the missional focus of God and the overwhelming truth
that God is in control, that God directs our lives and we need to obey. They
didn’t hold tightly to those around them because they knew God could call them
away tomorrow. I need to make sure that is my attitude and my approach towards
those around me. As God calls, I need to support those God is calling not try
to hold them back!
Paul shares
all about how the Prophets and the Law of Moses pointed towards Jesus and how
Jesus was truly the Messiah, and people believe. Others, however, begin to get
up and leave because they didn’t understand what he was talking about, they
didn’t believe the truth they were being presented. Paul quotes the book of
Isaiah with a passage that is really difficult to hear as a church leader and
as a friend to unbelievers. They hearts had grown so callous that their ears
wouldn’t hear and their eyes couldn’t see the truth right in front of them, so
they wouldn’t accept the message of grace that God was offering to them. How
sad. How scary. Who around me has a callous heart? Who should I be praying that
God would soften their heart and give me the boldness to have a conversation
with them about Jesus? Whose ears and eyes are closed that I need to pray that
God would open up? It saddens me to think of the people I know very well that
fit into the description given by this passage in Isaiah. And I don’t think of
those people from a judgmental perspective as to where they are in life,
instead I feel some conviction and guilt that I haven’t done more to influence
their perspectives and the condition of their hearts. If hearts can be
softened, Jesus is there to heal people. Jesus has healed me, he continues to
heal me as new wounds are formed and new struggles emerge, and Jesus will heal
me for eternity, and it is such an incredible experience to be picked up and
taken care of by the same God that created the universe, but I need to share it
more often with more people. Jesus is truly our Healer.
The Jews
left, and Paul continues to preach for 2 years from his house. For the next two
years he rented a house and proclaimed the Kingdom of God with full boldness
and without hindrance. I wonder how relieving it was for Paul to finally be
able to preach without hindrance. For years he had been boldly preaching but
being interrupted by trips to jail and periodic beatings, but now he had
freedom. All of the struggles that he endured resulted in him being able to
preach the gospel message boldly and, without a doubt, seeing hundreds and
thousands of lives transformed by God. Seeing what Paul has gone through over
the last several chapters, it leaves me asking the question of myself: “what is
stopping me from proclaiming the message of the cross boldly?” Paul did it in
the midst of incredible trouble and pain, things I don’t experience. Paul did
it in the midst of great persecution and imprisonment, which I haven’t
experienced yet. The only thing stopping me is my sinful nature, my tendency to
cuddle up to the world and put Jesus on the backburner. Paul spent a lot of his
life defending why he was preaching the name of Jesus, and yet I find myself
spending a lot of time defending why I’m not. Well the timing just wasn’t right…excuse.
But I didn’t want to push them away or turn them off…excuse. I don’t know them
that well…excuse. I am going to show people Jesus by how I live, words aren’t
all that necessary…excuse.
God has called
me to a much higher standard, He has given me the power of the Holy Spirit to
live up to that standard, and now it’s time to act! The book of Acts is also
called the “Acts of the Apostles”. I am able to read all about how those that
walked closest to Jesus lived. If I am walking with Jesus, I need to be living
as they lived. Bold. Confident. Dependent. Humble. Spirit-Led. That’s my
desire!
Father thank you for this journey. It seems
like months ago when I opened up Acts chapter 1 and asked you to challenge me
with your Word, and you were incredibly faithful in that request. I pray that
you would continue to challenge me and my life, but also give me a ton of help
in implementing the challenges. This last month has presented so much that I
need to do differently, so many things that need to change, and it’s easy to
feel overwhelmed sometimes. Give me the ability to hear you loud and clear when
you direct my paths and give me the confidence in your plan to step right up
and go. God I thank you for your Spirit. I feel like I understand your Spirit
better now than I did a month ago, that I am looking to Him and depending on
Him more than I have in the past, but that is still a huge work in process. I
want more and more and more, and I thank you in advance for pouring your Spirit
out on me. Your Spirit works and moves and does what your Spirit wants, and
while that can be nerve-racking and uncomfortable, there is such great peace
knowing that my life and my world doesn’t depend on me, but rather is held in
your hand. I want more of your Spirit, whatever that takes. As you pour out
your Spirit, help me be willing to submit and willing to be your soft,
moldable, shapeable clay. All I am is yours!
