Acts 21:7-16

Acts 21:7-16

When we had finished the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais, and we greeted the brothers and stayed with them for one day. On the next day we departed and came to Caesarea, and we entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him. He had four unmarried daughters, who prophesied. While we were staying for many days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 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.” After these days we got ready and went up to Jerusalem. And some of the disciples from Caesarea went with us, bringing us to the house of Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple, with whom we should lodge.

There are things that are vital to the health of the body of Christ.  We see these things on display in this passage.  Paul’s relationship with his traveling companions as well as the people he meets along the journey provide a rich insight into how the body of Christ is made to function as we go through life together.

CONGREGATION: The church, by definition, is a gathering of the disciples of Jesus.  We are expected to congregate with one another.  The time we spend together may be just a day or, as it was with Phillip and family, many days.  The important thing for us to remember is that we need one another, and we all benefit from the times we spend together.  I am sure the conversation between Phillip and Paul was fascinating and edifying as they spent time sharing their experiences while walking with God and taking the Gospel to different places.  We rarely get to see glimpses of the families of the characters of Scripture, but here Phillip’s daughters are mentioned, and it seems that they were fully devoted to following the Word of God.  When we have time together it is important to make the most of it as we build one another up in Christ.

CONSTERNATION: Relationships and ministry will be full of consternation, or anxiety about circumstances that seem dangerous or harmful to us.  Just as in the previous passages we see the Spirit of God confirming to Paul and his companions that Paul will be imprisoned as a result of their travels to Jerusalem.  This creates both alarm and anxiety on the part of the people that love and seek to care for Paul.  This is only a natural reaction for our friends and family to have.  The news causes all of them to convince Paul to avoid Jerusalem.  The presumed that the Spirit was trying to prevent suffering, as is almost always our tendency, the reality is that the Spirit was striving to prepare them for suffering.

CONFRONTATION: Paul responds to the urgings of his friends to give up the visit to Jerusalem in a very firm way.  He makes it clear that they are trying to discourage what the Lord is encouraging.  Paul’s primary concern is for the advance of the Gospel and the glory of the Lord.  He is willing to be imprisoned and executed if that kind of suffering will advance the cause of Christ.  When other try to discourage us from following the will of the Lord in our lives, we must have the courage to confront them.  The body of Christ is not always about agreeing with one another.  We all have blind spots and weaknesses.  If we don’t have the courage to confront, those defects in the body of Christ will not be treated or improved.

APPLICATION: Look for every opportunity to have fellowship with members of the body of Christ.  Spend time talking about what the Lord is doing in your lives.  Don’t allow anxiety about difficult circumstances prevent you from following the will of the Lord.  Knowledge of impending suffering is not always meant to be an escape from suffering but equip us for it.  When a brother or sister in Christ is striving to prevent you from following Christ have the courage to confront them.