THE LIVING CHURCH
Meditations in the Acts of the Apostles
Acts 21:1-16

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THIS CHAPTER commences in earnest Paul's journey back to Jerusalem, which would end in his imprisonment by the Jews and his last journey to Rome as a prisoner for trial before Caesar. We read in chapter 20:16 that Paul was in a hurry to get to Jerusalem though we are not given there a reason for this haste.

Every Christian believes that the Christian’s life is ordered by a plan which God has for each believer, and that this plan is for our good and for the extension of God's kingdom, but beyond this there are so many different attitudes expressed by different Christians. Some believers are very ready to tell others what they ought to do, and ready often to judge others as having transgressed the will of God. These verses before us show that the issue of God's purpose for someone is not an easy thing for people to make judgements upon, least of all to tell another what they ought to do. We may have an opinion to offer but if this is expressed it should be expressed with humility and with the understanding that we may be wrong, however sure we may be that we are right.

Paul is determined to go to Jerusalem. Twice in these verses he receives words about the wisdom of this decision. In Tyre we are told that other believers speaking 'through the Spirit' urged Paul not to go to Jerusalem. At first we may suppose that Paul was told by the Spirit speaking through these disciples not to go to Jerusalem. These disciples may have interpreted what the Spirit indicated to them in this way. However all that we can safely say from what we read in verse 4 is that these disciples were warned by the Spirit that there was great danger for Paul in Jerusalem. Whether Paul should go to Jerusalem was another matter. In the end only Paul could decide.

Then again Paul is warned about this danger in verse 10 through one who had the gift of prophecy called Agabus. The disciples in Caesarea urged Paul not to go to Jerusalem, but though we are not meant to run into danger unnecessarily, and it is quite proper to avoid danger if we can, plainly Paul felt that on this occasion it was God's will for him to go to Jerusalem whatever the dangers. Whether Paul was right or wrong it is not the place of any other Christian to judge. Plainly the desire of the other Christian's for Paul not to go to Jerusalem was because they did not want to lose him and the benefit of his ministry. This was a personal desire, and though not in itself bad, it was not the right motive on which to make a decision. This shows us we should always be honest as to the motives that drive our think and deciding.

This matter of knowing the will of God is the one that has mainly occupied my mind from these verses, and all that I would say, in order to bring my thoughts on this subject together, is to urge Christians to appreciate the difficulties, to always be humble, and never judge others but always support and pray for others in this matter of knowing the will of God.

There are three other things I feel I would like to highlight in these verses. The first is Paul's desire to meet in fellowship with other believers. Wherever he stops he finds the fellowship of believers (v.4), stays with them and has fellowship with them. This is a characteristic of the Christian. We want to meet with other believers because we all belong to Christ's family, and together we encourage each other and learn from each other. It should be a prominent aspect of church life that, together with Sunday worship, believers are meeting together for study, fellowship, prayer and praise so that we may build each other up. In thinking of this meeting together, again we should meet together no simply for what we receive, but what we are able to contribute. We meet together to share together in the fellowship with Christ. We ought not to say, because a meeting together does not appeal, we will not go.

Then let us notice how central the practice and ministry of prayer was to Paul. He always prayed with the disciples wherever he found them (v.7). Let us be much in prayer for each other, and be ready to meet together for prayer. By prayer we place ourselves in the care and keeping of God, and we are seeking the blessing and guidance of God on all that we do in his name. Without prayer we shall soon be finding that what we think and do is coming from our own thoughts and not from God.

Lastly I find myself noticing the readiness of Paul to give all to Christ and for his work. In verse 13 Paul is grieved at the pressure other disciples were placing on him as they wanted to keep him from doing what he felt God wanted him to do. He tells them that, however much he loves them and cares for them, he loves Christ more, and his life is the possession of the Lord he loves and who has loved him so much. This love for Christ makes him ready to give his life for Christ if that is necessary. How Christians need to have the same love for Jesus and trust in him. The only way we will begin to be able to give ourselves in such a deep way to God, is when we are filled with the knowledge and experience of God's infinite love for us in what he has done to save us, and then we are filled with the assurance of our inheritance in Christ, the glory that shall be revealed in us in heaven. Then we will not hold this life dear to us, and be willing to sacrifice our lives here for Christ.