Be Still…

Read Acts 20:13-38

Notice I didn’t use “Au revoir” in the title. That would be French for “until we meet again.” Paul is saying his final goodbyes here to the leaders he met in Ephesus. Maybe it’s just me, but I got a little teary as I read his words. He truly loves them, but his love for the Lord is greater still.

How many times have you had to say goodbye to friends and loved ones during your life? It never gets easier for me. We’ve left whole congregations behind as we followed God’s plan for us. I know how Paul feels. He has been a nurturer and watched many lives be changed as the Holy Spirit took over. To never see those people again, to not be able to watch their faith grow, to not be a part of their lives. Continue reading “Acts 20:13-38 – Adios, Good Bye, Auf Wiedersehen”

Read Acts 20:1-12

Paul’s ministry is so Spirit-filled and vibrant. He now has new people traveling with him. We even see that Luke has rejoined the traveling party. In so much as God is part of these journeys, evil has always been close at hand to try to thwart the efforts of these disciples and apostles. How faithful our God is to continue to fight the battle for us today. Our defense against evil must be strong enough so that it is our offense of the light that prevails.

One great lesson for the church today and the church in Paul’s time is to witness giving and how precious that is. While not totally spelled out in the text here, we understand that the men traveling with Paul right now have joined forces on the path to Jerusalem. You’ll note their hometowns have all been referenced in our recent accounts of Paul’s journey. These are places he’s visited, where churches have been born. The new churches are now showing their faithfulness by giving their offerings. These gifts and tithes will be personally hand delivered to the Holy City, Jerusalem. Continue reading “Acts 20:1-12 – Encouragement”

Read Acts 19:21-41

We see some serious backlash in today’s reading. There will always be people that don’t choose to follow Christ. Think of the conflict going on for those working with the silversmith with the contract for all the goddess shrines. It’s one thing to watch your business start to evaporate. What happens when you believe in God’s word and realize your job is a lie?

It sounds like the former was the case here. Not only did they fear lost wages but also their beloved goddess was losing her credibility. For those listening to Paul and believing his message, Artemis’ credibility was shot. So, thanks to the silversmith,  Demetrius, the community is in chaos and a riot ensues. Paul wants desperately to sort it all out, but thankfully other believers keep him out of harm’s way. Continue reading “Acts 19:21-41 – Unhappy People”

Read Acts 19:8-20

There’s a lot going on in our reading today.  Paul remains faithful and finds a way to get the word out despite running into roadblocks and rejection. Now he’s teaching every day in a school, and more and more people are hearing his words.  God continues to reward him. Now even an article Paul touches can be used for miraculous purposes!

We often face rejection. How do we handle it? Do we let it stop our forward momentum? Are we crippled with doubt? Take a lesson from Paul and find Plan B. Never let other people’s rejection stop you from your God-given mission. Continue reading “Acts 19:8-20 – Be Careful”

Read Acts 19:1-7

The third missionary journey begins. Paul has been refreshed, and we hear Apollos is doing his thing in Corinth now. Paul must want to check in with all the communities of faith he planted during his last two journeys. This time, his first main stop was in Ephesus. We know this town is a hub of sea and land, also capital and leading business center of the province of Asia (now part of Turkey). I read that he stayed there for two years. While there, he penned his first letter to the church in Corinth. (I have written on these passages in this blog previously.)

As he arrives, he first encounters some believers who didn’t know about the Holy Spirit. They had received John’s baptism of repentance.  That was a fantastic step because John made it clear someone great was coming after him that would baptize with something more powerful than water. People didn’t yet grasp the whole story. They were on the verge of having great power within but didn’t know to ask for it. Continue reading “Acts 19:1-7 – On the Road Again”