In Acts 19-21, we get a glimpse into part of that experience and background. Paul was on his third missionary journey and while in Ephesus, the text says, "Paul resolved in the Spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia and go to Jerusalem, saying, 'After I have been there, I must also see Rome.'" (Acts 19:21) Then in Acts 20:22-23 Paul is recorded as saying, "And now behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me." So Paul is clearly saying that God's Spirit is leading him to go to Jerusalem and that tribulation awaits him there. At this we are either impressed with Paul's faithfulness or we question his intelligence.
But as his journey continues, Paul makes two more stops that seem to complicate this clear calling on his life. In Tyre, Paul meets up with more Christians who "through the Spirit were telling Paul not to go on to Jerusalem" (Acts 21:4) and in Caesarea the Christians tell Paul the same after they hear the prophecy of a man named Agabus who foretells of Paul's afflictions in Jerusalem (Acts 21:7-12). So which is it? Paul says the Spirit it telling him to go to Jerusalem while other Christians are saying "through the Spirit" that Paul should not go.
I am thankful this a rare situation in Scripture and in life, but it does happen. All of us who follow Christ have the same Spirit abiding in us. The Spirit can simultaneously make many of us aware of a need or give us discernment about a situation. However, we may respond differently to that illumination than our brother or sister in Christ. The differences in our response can be due to our maturity level in Christ or our experience. Paul's friends in Tyre and Caesarea knew through the Spirit just like Paul that imprisonment awaited him in Jerusalem. Certainly this is bad news. When we discern something bad is coming, we want to avert or avoid it. Paul did too, however he knew there were greater things at stake than momentary discomfort, prison or even death. Paul knew his life would be given for the sake of the Gospel and it would have impact only God could orchestrate (Acts 21:13). We should not minimize the difficulty this presented for Paul. It was "breaking his heart." He knew the pleading he was hearing from fellow believers was not random but was through the Spirit. He also knew through the Spirit he had to go. How torn he felt!
He was torn just like Christ was in the Garden of Gethsemane. The human will of Christ dreaded the pain and abandonment that awaited Him at the cross, but the divine will of Christ knew the redemption and the joy set before Him. Just as Jesus said, "Not my will, but Your will be done," so the believers at Caesarea too said, "Let the will of the Lord be done" (Acts 21:14). Sometimes, God calls us to difficult, even deadly, assignments. Our fellow believers may sense the danger and give counsel to avoid it. We want to avoid it as well. Thus, these are the most difficult assignments to keep. But ultimately the Holy Spirit can have the last word through The Word. We may get conflicting counsel from solid believers and that can give us pause as it should, but Christ, not other believers must have the final say in our decision. So, we must take much care when we speak counsel into the life of a sibling in Christ. We must do it with humility and patience, remembering that ultimately it is not our will, but the Lord's that must be done. Paul's discernment of God's will was developed at a deep and mature level. I pray for such maturity, then again I am not sure I want to pay the price. May the Lord's will be done.
No comments:
Post a Comment