Tuesday, June 21, 2016

In Act 20 Paul continued on his journey to Macedonia.  He waited until the up roar died down and called the disciples together and embraced them before departing.  He had not gone into the theater, but he didn't leave until the threat was over.  We cannot stand for God and run from the world.  While Paul passed through those parts, he gave them much exhortation.  Paul couldn't jump in his air conditioned car and zip from point A to point B.  Travel was slow,but he used the time to call people to Christ.  We can get so caught up in our fast paced world that we have no time to call others to Christ.  Paul then arrived at Greece.  He was there for three months, and though we aren't specifically told so, we can be certain that he was proclaiming the gospel.  The Jews were still trying to stop him.  We are told that when he was about to sail for Syria that they laid wait for him, so he decided to return through Macedonia.  Paul's goal was Jerusalem and ultimately Rome so he avoided a confrontation and chose a different route.  We may sometimes have to do things a little differently than we figured as we follow God's leadership, but we must always be moving toward the goal He has set for us.  Accompanying him into Asia were Sopater of Berea, Aristarcus and Secundus from Thessolonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timotheus, and Tychicus and Trophimus from Asia.  Matthew Henry says that some would say that the gospel would have spread faster if they had split up, but among other things they were learning from Paul.  Sometimes, we need to gather together to learn from and strengthen each other.  Paul spent a lot of days preaching and teaching by himself, but he recognized the need to train others.  When someone surrenders to the call to ministry today, we must do our best to help them be prepared.

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