The Final Journey
ACTS 21: 1-17 (July 1)
How often do you listen to sound advice ... even when you know it is coming from solid-in-their-faith people who are giving you guidance based on biblical principles? Do you listen to their wisdom, or do you let it fly as if it doesn't apply?
Paul, along with Luke and their companions left the Ephesian elders and set sail for Jerusalem. They made several stops along the way, including Cos, Rhodes, Patara, Phoenicia, and Tyre.
In Tyre, the went ashore and found some believers they could stay with. These believers, both men and women, prophesied through the Holy Spirit that Paul should not return to Jerusalem. You will notice that women are included, which tells us that women were also given the gift of prophesy.
Paul paid no attention to their words, and after a week, he and his companions set sail towards Jerusalem.
They stopped in Ptolemais for a day before stopping in Caesarea at the home of Philip the Evangelist. Philip was an evangelist who had great success preaching in Samaria. He was responsible for the conversion of the Ethiopian eunuch and introduced Christianity to northeast Africa. Philips was the first to overcome Jewish prejudice and expand the boundaries of the church interracially through the admission of Gentiles to the faith. In other words, he was our first Civil Rights leader.
Philip had four unmarried daughters. Each of these daughters had the gift of prophesy. Several days later a man by the name of Agabus arrived. He also had the gift of prophesy.
He walked over to Paul, took his belt and bound his own feet and hands with it. Then he said, "The Holy Spirit declares, "So shall the owner of this belt be bound by the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem and turned over to the Gentiles.' " Another prophesy warning Paul about returning to Jerusalem. Everyone begged Paul no to continue his journey.
Paul was having none of this. He said, "Why all the weeping? You are breaking my heart! I am ready not only to be jailed at Jerusalem but even to die for the sake of the Lord Jesus."
Everyone saw that he would not be persuaded to change his mind, so they gave up and said, "The Lord's will be done."
They packed up and headed to Jerusalem. This would be Paul's Final Journey.
We see Paul being warned time and time again not to return to Jerusalem. But he did not listen, and because of this, he faced great persecution (story to come) when he got there.
We can say that this is the consequence of his not listening to good biblical counsel. How often do we do that ourselves? How many times has someone offered us their wisdom, but we stood firm in our own understanding instead of listening?
And how many times have we tried to offer someone that same wisdom, only to be shut down and ignored, or scoffed at?
It is safe to say we have been on both ends of the situation and can relate to both Paul and those who warned him.
But what most of us probably don't relate to is Paul and his absolute devotion and willingness to sacrifice for the Lord. We love Jesus, we pray to him, we praise him, we seek him, we live our lives for him ... but how many of us would willingly walk into the face of death for him ... like he did for us?
Paul was a special breed of man. God knew this even when he was still known as Saul, and God knew exactly what he was doing when he changed this man's heart. He knew Paul's devotion would surpass most other people, and that he would willingly walk into the darkness of suffering and death for the Lord. His Final Journey was all for the sake of spreading the Good News.