Travel by storm
This week is on Acts 23:10-17:
Before these verses, Paul had expected to be martyred in Jerusalem. The plan for his life, as far as he knew it, was to preach in Jerusalem and be executed by the religious police or by zealous crowds. Sure enough, when he got there, there was a riot and he was arrested and dragged off to trial. He was put before the religious police and seemed to deliberately try to provoke them and stir up drama. But then something happened.
There was another riot in the trial room and the troops pulled him out. So much for his chance at martyrdom that day, or possibly ever. That night God revealed his plan for Paul's life: he would be sent to Rome. I love how the verses describe it as God standing near to Paul. I've had a few experiences like that in my life and it's very comforting. And that's exactly what it feels like, like God is next to you with his hand on your shoulder.
And it's a good thing God was standing close to Paul because if I was Paul, I'd be like "How on earth is that supposed to happen?" He was in jail, and was unable to travel on his own. There was no indication of how his trial would continue or what the punishment would be. And he was nearly just killed by being a bystander in the midst of a religious street fight. So how was he supposed to get from Jerusalem to Rome?
Luckily when God asks us something he's already got a plan in place. More drama was afoot! A bunch of guys were now planning to assassinate Paul during his prisoner transfer. Luckily Paul's nephew heard of the plot and warned him. The commander rounded up a small army and gave Paul an escort out of Jerusalem and began his journey to Rome.
If it weren't for the mob that got him arrested, the mob that ended the religious aspect of his trial, and the mob that was hell bent on assassinating him, those three storms, would the call to Rome have been as easy to see? If Paul had been still going from town to town to share the gospel and God told him then, he might have thought "yeah I'll get to it at some point" or "OK I'm going to drop everything and head straight there" or maybe even "Am I just imagining this because I always wanted to go see the capital city and there are fewer bloodthirsty Jewish mobs there?"
By providing the chaos of the three storms, God was able to introduce and orchestrate his plan and timing for Paul's ministry. And Paul was able to see that God's plan was valid. He still had to participate by sending his nephew to talk to the commander, but the bulk of it was all in motion by God's hand.
Sometimes God has to bring trouble into our lives in order to take us to where he wants us. Not all storms are bad.
The dispute became so violent that the commander was afraid Paul would be torn to pieces by them. He ordered the troops to go down and take him away from them by force and bring him into the barracks.
The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.”
The next morning some Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul. More than forty men were involved in this plot. They went to the chief priests and the elders and said, “We have taken a solemn oath not to eat anything until we have killed Paul. Now then, you and the Sanhedrin petition the commander to bring him before you on the pretext of wanting more accurate information about his case. We are ready to kill him before he gets here.”
But when the son of Paul’s sister heard of this plot, he went into the barracks and told Paul.
Then Paul called one of the centurions and said, “Take this young man to the commander; he has something to tell him.”
Before these verses, Paul had expected to be martyred in Jerusalem. The plan for his life, as far as he knew it, was to preach in Jerusalem and be executed by the religious police or by zealous crowds. Sure enough, when he got there, there was a riot and he was arrested and dragged off to trial. He was put before the religious police and seemed to deliberately try to provoke them and stir up drama. But then something happened.
There was another riot in the trial room and the troops pulled him out. So much for his chance at martyrdom that day, or possibly ever. That night God revealed his plan for Paul's life: he would be sent to Rome. I love how the verses describe it as God standing near to Paul. I've had a few experiences like that in my life and it's very comforting. And that's exactly what it feels like, like God is next to you with his hand on your shoulder.
And it's a good thing God was standing close to Paul because if I was Paul, I'd be like "How on earth is that supposed to happen?" He was in jail, and was unable to travel on his own. There was no indication of how his trial would continue or what the punishment would be. And he was nearly just killed by being a bystander in the midst of a religious street fight. So how was he supposed to get from Jerusalem to Rome?
Luckily when God asks us something he's already got a plan in place. More drama was afoot! A bunch of guys were now planning to assassinate Paul during his prisoner transfer. Luckily Paul's nephew heard of the plot and warned him. The commander rounded up a small army and gave Paul an escort out of Jerusalem and began his journey to Rome.
If it weren't for the mob that got him arrested, the mob that ended the religious aspect of his trial, and the mob that was hell bent on assassinating him, those three storms, would the call to Rome have been as easy to see? If Paul had been still going from town to town to share the gospel and God told him then, he might have thought "yeah I'll get to it at some point" or "OK I'm going to drop everything and head straight there" or maybe even "Am I just imagining this because I always wanted to go see the capital city and there are fewer bloodthirsty Jewish mobs there?"
By providing the chaos of the three storms, God was able to introduce and orchestrate his plan and timing for Paul's ministry. And Paul was able to see that God's plan was valid. He still had to participate by sending his nephew to talk to the commander, but the bulk of it was all in motion by God's hand.
Sometimes God has to bring trouble into our lives in order to take us to where he wants us. Not all storms are bad.
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