On to Jerusalem
1 After we had torn ourselves away from them, we put out to sea and sailed straight to Cos. The next day we went to Rhodes and from there to Patara. 2 We found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, went on board and set sail. 3 After sighting Cyprus and passing to the south of it, we sailed on to Syria. We landed at Tyre, where our ship was to unload its cargo. 4 Finding the disciples there, we stayed with them seven days. Through the Spirit they urged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. 5 But when our time was up, we left and continued on our way. All the disciples and their wives and children accompanied us out of the city, and there on the beach we knelt to pray. 6 After saying good-by to each other, we went aboard the ship, and they returned home.
7 We continued our voyage from Tyre and landed at Ptolemais, where we greeted the brothers and stayed with them for a day. 8 Leaving the next day, we reached Caesarea and stayed at the house of Philip the evangelist, one of the Seven. 9 He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied.
10 After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11 Coming over to us, he took Paul’s belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, “The Holy Spirit says, ‘In this way the Jews of Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.’ ”
12 When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul answered, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” 14 When he would not be dissuaded, we gave up and said, “The Lord’s will be done.”
15 After this, we got ready and went up to Jerusalem. 16 Some of the disciples from Caesarea accompanied us and brought us to the home of Mnason, where we were to stay. He was a man from Cyprus and one of the early disciples.
[Explanation of Missionary Journey map]
…
To Paul, God’s will was more important than anything else. From this story we see:
- Paul’s friends’ affection for him
- Paul’s courage to face the trials before him
He has sheer determination to go on to Jerusalem. And there is the wonderful fact that wherever Paul went, he found a Christian community waiting to welcome him. He was welcomed wherever he went. If this were true in Paul’s time, it is even more true today.
This is very true. One of the greatest privileges of belonging to the family of the church, wherever one goes, he / she can find a community of like-minded people into which he / she is welcomed. You have friends ALL over the world if you are really a believer and witness of Jesus Christ. At the same time, you can encounter your enemies wherever you go.
v. 3-6
3 After sighting Cyprus and passing to the south of it, we sailed on to Syria. We landed at Tyre, where our ship was to unload its cargo. 4 Finding the disciples there, we stayed with them seven days. Through the Spirit they urged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. 5 But when our time was up, we left and continued on our way. All the disciples and their wives and children accompanied us out of the city, and there on the beach we knelt to pray. 6 After saying good-by to each other, we went aboard the ship, and they returned home.
Paul and his team stayed with the believers at Tyre for seven days to unload and load cargo. At that time, Tyre was a major port and the trans-Mediterranean routes and ships often delivered and received cargo.
So Paul went out from the ship, seeking Christian brothers and sisters to encourage. Immediately, they spoke the language of the heart and had quick bonding. They became part of each others lives almost immediately – with hardly a word spoken.
- v. 4 “Through the Spirit, they urged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem.”
- But, earlier, Paul had told them, “Compelled by the Holy Spirit, I’m going to Jerusalem.”
We should not be confused by this. We should not think that the same Holy Spirit who told Paul to go would also tell them to urge him not to go. It was through their conversation and the guidance of the Holy Spirit that they came to realize that he must suffer. So, they urged him – out of human compassion – not to go.
He stayed with them for only seven days. And then all their wives and children escorted him out of the city. See how deep this fellowship they built in a short time is!
v. 7-14
7 We continued our voyage from Tyre and landed at Ptolemais, where we greeted the brothers and stayed with them for a day. 8 Leaving the next day, we reached Caesarea and stayed at the house of Philip the evangelist, one of the Seven. 9 He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied.
10 After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11 Coming over to us, he took Paul’s belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, “The Holy Spirit says, ‘In this way the Jews of Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.’ ”
12 When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul answered, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” 14 When he would not be dissuaded, we gave up and said, “The Lord’s will be done.”
The Lord’s will be done. x3
Whenever we pray the Lord’s prayer, we pray like this. “Our Father in heaven…. your will be done on earth as it is in heaven…” Do you believe God has a wonderful, special will for you?
At Caesarea, he stayed with Philip. Philip was the first to go to Samaria to preach the gospel. Another prophet named Agabus came also. About 15 years earlier, he had predicted the famine at Jerusalem, so he’d worked closely with Paul for famine relief. They were not strangers. Agabus delivered his prophetic message to Paul in a dramatic way – by binding his own hands and feet with the belt of Paul: “The owner of this belt will end up like this.”
- He did not say, “Don’t go.”
- He just said, “If you go, this will happen.”
So, like at Tyre, the believers there also encouraged Paul not to go. Paul said, “Stop weeping and breaking my heart – I’m going.”
Are you ready? Ready to go to heaven? We don’t know the time, so we must be ready all the time.
Paul said, “I’m ready – to die – for the name of Jesus Christ.”
Remember chp 9? Once, as Saul, Paul was a champion in persecuting Christ. Yet, Jesus saved him by his grace and chose him to be used. He showed Ananias a vision and said, “I will show him [Paul] how much he must suffer for my name.”
Once Saul was a persecutor, then Jesus saved him to be a champion in BEING persecuted.
Please, do not persecute Jesus Christ.
In fact, Paul’s going to Jerusalem is remarkably similar to Jesus’ going to Jerusalem. There are 5 similarities (at least).
Similarities: Paul & Jesus’ Journeys to Jerusalem
- Jesus knew he would be arrested, suffer many things, and be condemned (Luke 15?)
- Paul also knew this
- Jesus’ close friends (Peter, etc) urged him not to go to Jerusalem – Peter even rebuked him “This shall not happen to you!”
- Paul’s close friends also urged Paul not to go
- Jews arrested Jesus, bound, and condemned him – then handed him over to the Gentiles.
- Paul likewise, arrested by Jews, handed over to Gentiles
- Jesus’ top priority was God’s will. He prayed, “Father, take this cup from me, but not as I will, your will be done.”
- Paul said, Acts 20:24 “I consider my life worth nothing to me if only I may finish my race and complete the task the Lord has given me – testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.”
- Jesus trusted in the sovereignty of God completely – he knew he would be raised again on the third day
- Paul also believed in this – even though he died for Christ, he would be raised again and live eternally with Christ. He believed Jesus’ word, “I am the Resurrection and the Life, he who believes in me will live, even though he dies.”
One more question:
What is your #1 priority in your life?
Among all your jobs.
Yes, we know God is a good Father. He wants us to be happy, but we must know that God’s will is higher than our happiness.
We must preach the gospel, serve others, help foreigners in Jeonju, not because we always enjoy it, but because it is the will of God. We cannot emphasize knowing the will of God too much.
Knowing the will of God is the BEST knowledge we can get in this world.
Here are 3 reasons why we MUST know the will of God.
3 Reasons WHY we should Know the Will of God
1. God alone holds the future – knows tomorrow.
Do you know? Only God knows.
Prov 27:1 “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what will happen to you tomorrow.”
Only God knows – only he can lead us through the uncertainties of tomorrow. God knows, he cares, he can lead us through the storms in this life.
We need to know the will of God because only he holds the future.
2. Only God knows what is BEST for your life.
If you go out from this building, there are many ways to go. In front of us, there are so many options and choices, but we can choose only one way.
Most of us know what we like, and what we want, but we are often completely mistaken as to what is BEST – and what is leading us to the greatest peace and fulfillment.
We do not know always what is best, and what will bring the greatest peace and satisfaction. Only God knows. God knows us (infinitely) better than we know ourselves. So, he is not interested in putting his stamp (sanction) on our own actions – he wants to guide us into his eternal purpose and plan.
3. God has a plan of blessing for us.
Do you believe this? God has a particular plan of blessing for each of us. Is your life all that you want it to be? Are you enjoying the abundant life that Jesus came to bring? You can – because we are created in the image of God. You are fearfully and wonderfully made – not meaningless accidents thrust into time and space. We are meaningful creations of God – which means that he has a plan of blessing in our lives.
Romans 8:28 “We know in ALL things (whatever is happening to you), God works for the good of those who love him and have been called according to his purpose (will).”
How can we know the will of God? Three Councils.
3 Ways HOW to know the will of God
- The Word of God
- The Conviction of the Holy Spirit
- (Saved) Faith Conscience
- Circumstances (personal experiences)
Augustine advised:
“Love God and do whatever you want.”
Yes, if we (truly) love God, we cannot do what God hates.
If we are truly saved and Holy Spirit filled and committed to God fully, it is not difficult to know the will of God.
Finally, most importantly: if we KNOW the will of God… DO IT!
“I must do it!”
For many of us, the problem is not “knowing the will of God” but “obeying it.”
Matt 7 (Sermon on the Mount) “Therefore, whoever hears these words of mine and obeys them is like a wise man who built his house upon a rock… But, if you hear my words and do not put them into practice, you’re like a foolish man who built his house on the sand…”
James 4:14 “Anyone who knows the good he should do and doesn’t do it, sins.”
As we saw the map – this historical fact – like this, Fact is Fact.
- God became man (Jesus Christ)
- He died on the cross for my sin
- He rose again from the dead
- He will come again soon
Fact is Fact – there is no difference in fact whether you understand, agree, accept or not. There is no difference in fact.
What is the difference? If you do not believe, you cannot enjoy the fruit and effect of this historical fact. But if you accept Jesus as your personal Savior and Lord, then this fruit can be enjoyed by you: salvation, forgiveness of sin, and eternal life.
All the time, we must decide. We saw Paul’s absolute resolution each time. We also must make our own resolution.
What is your resolution? Your commitment?
Let’s pray.
