Then Paul replied, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” And since he would not be persuaded, we became quiet, remarking, “The will of the Lord be done!”
Acts 22:10
And I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Get up and go on into Damascus, and there you will be told about everything that has been appointed for you to do.’
Acts 23:11
But on the following night, the Lord stood near him and said, “Be courageous! For as you have testified to the truth about Me in Jerusalem, so you must testify in Rome also.”
When one looks back on history, the only way one can look at history, many faces emerge who, though facing grave consequences, pressed on with resolve and conviction. Here Paul marches literally into pain, suffering and death as confirmed by the Spirit of God while those who love him beg him not to go. These prophets know his future. They know what awaits him and they openly share it. God has confirmed through them what he faces. The prospects are not good. His friends weep. Surely his resolve is tested. Couldn’t he have interpreted these prophecies as God’s sign not to go? Surely these brothers and sisters in Christ thought he was wrong. God had shown them, right? Yet, Paul knows his mission and sets His face like flint toward Jerusalem much like the face of His Lord when He, Jesus, was on the way to the cross. Paul is repeating history it seems.
How do we rectify Paul’s action in light of the fact that God Himself seems to be warning Paul about what awaits him? Wouldn’t it have been safe for Paul to assume that he wasn’t supposed to go? Isn’t this the sign from God he needs to stop this death march, make an about face and serve the people of God? I mean, don’t the young believers need him? Aren’t they more important than some death wish Paul is holding onto? This type of obedient faith is a deep mystery to me and I am certain to many others in our day. We typically seek to fulfill the God-blessed, rich destiny our Father has laid out for us. We know the plans He has for us and they surely include pleasure, rest and riches! We simply have to watch for all of the good things He is doing in our lives and receive them, making sure to thank Him, of course. What if our ‘future with hope’ involved primarily suffering as a follower of Jesus on behalf of others out of deep gratitude for Jesus’ suffering on our behalf? Dare we even think such? It is a bit humbling if we are honest.
When all was said and done, Paul suffered and eventually died just as these friends prophesied. He was beaten in Jerusalem, falsely accused and thrown in jail. Eventually, because of the unfairness of it all, he demanded to stand trial before Caesar, which, according to tradition, brought about his physical death in a tortuous fashion. In the moment it appeared as such a tragic loss, a waste of a life, if we dare say. However, looking back we see the marvelous working of God in the life of a submissive, grateful man. We see one who was willing to suffer and die for the sake of the gospel and for the sake of others. Through his resolve, he surely steeled the resolve of many of the Christians in Jerusalem. Through his dedication to the mission to which Jesus called him, he ushered many Gentiles into Christ in his day and his work through the letters he wrote and the Holy Spirit continue to lead Gentiles into eternal salvation. Imagine if he had given in to the emotion and the prophecies of his friends? He would have missed this amazing opportunity to bring the hope of Christ to innumerable numbers of people. His suffering and pain were worth it. He walked the way of Jesus.
The implications for serious followers of Christ are clear. Dare we entertain such a calling? May God give us strength and mercy as we stumble through our frail little lives of faith. If only we can continue to stand on our piddly little mustard seed faith, maybe then we’ll have the courage of Paul to proceed as God calls us into the unknown of the future. Standing with Jesus in whatever the life of faith brings our way is inexpressibly better than falling into hell without Him.
We need to be reminded…….
Ventanas 