A Determined Disciple

Introduction

Having finished his conference with the elders from Ephesus, Paul now sets off to continue on his journey to Jerusalem.

Paul is determined to go to Jerusalem and he will not be persuaded otherwise.

As Paul travels, he makes brief stops in Tyre for seven days to take the time to visit with the disciples there no doubt encouraging and instructing them and in Ptolemais for one day.

Paul and his company then traveled to Caesarea where they would dwell with Philip the evangelist for a number of days, also receiving a visit from a prophet of Judea named Agabus.

After tarrying in Caesarea for a time Paul finally went up to Jerusalem as had been his intent from the beginning.

There are some great lessons for any determined disciple of Christ in this passage of scripture.

Paul was determined to travel to Jerusalem but he was met by many along the way who would have prevented him from following through. When you are following the Lord there will always be:

Persuasive People- (Vs. 4 & Vs. 10-12)

When we are following the Lord there will always be those who would seek to persuade us to consider an alternate path.

These people are not always emissaries of satan but are often people with a genuine concern for our safety or well-being.

In this passage those who were attempting to persuade Paul not to go to Jerusalem were sincerely worried about the danger that would befall him there.

We should not be dismissive of the care and concern that these disciples and the prophet had for Paul. These had been beneficiaries of Paul’s ministry and were only trying to protect Paul from harm so that he could continue to serve the Lord.

We should certainly give heed to those godly companions who offer their counsel but we must never allow their counsel to take precedence over God’s plan for our lives.

There will be well-meaning people who would lead us in a direction contrary to the Lord’s leading and who may cause us to stray from the path that God has mapped out for us.

Listen to your family, listen to fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, listen to your pastor and other spiritual leaders, but above every other voice we must listen to the voice of God.

Others can never be certain of the will of God for your life. They may believe that they know what is best, but we must trust God above even those who love us dearly for the love that God has for us far surpasses that of any other.

Always be willing to listen to the concerns and reservations of godly companions, but, if you are convinced that you are following God’s leading, do not let them cause you to second guess God’s plan.

These people were not able to persuade Paul to cease his journey to Jerusalem because their perspective was not the same as the Apostle’s. Let us take a few moments to consider:

Paul’s Perspective- (Vs. 13)

Paul had no concern for his own safety, his only concern was to follow the Lord’s leading and he was ready to face whatever dangers awaited him as a result.

Acts 20:24- Paul did not consider his life something to be preserved and protected but instead something to be sacrificed in service to the Lord.

Paul was willing to be bound and imprisoned for his faith and he was willing to go even unto death to fulfill God’s call upon his life.

Paul was much more concerned about doing the will of God than he was for his own safety and comfort.

There was nothing that held greater importance than following God’s leading in the mind of the Apostle Paul.

You and I must purpose to have this same perspective. We must cultivate a close, personal relationship with the Lord, we must strive to be sensitive to the leadership of the Spirit of God so that we may have absolute confidence in the direction that God is leading us.

There will undoubtedly be times when it seems to us and to those around us that it would be better to move in another direction but we must seek the will of God and then seek to follow it even if it leads us into the place of danger and difficulty.

Paul knew that his time in Jerusalem would be filled with significant danger and difficulty but he could take no other direction for he was sure that this was the direction God was leading.

We must have this same resolve for there will be times when God calls us to follow him into rough waters and treacherous seas but we must not turn back so long as God goes with us.

Paul knew that his friends and companions spoke only out of concern for his safety but he directed them not to attempt to turn him aside for he was committed to see the mission through to the very end.

No matter what awaited him there, Paul was sure that Jerusalem was the next stop along the course God had mapped out for his life and he was determined to finish his course.

How convinced are we that we are in the center of God’s will today? What would it take to turn us aside from the way God is leading? How determined are we to follow God’s leading each step of the way?

Finally we see the ultimate conclusion of the matter with a:

Powerful Proclamation (Vs. 14)

Paul would not be persuaded to turn back and thus even those who had given him warning ultimately concluded that it was best that “the will of the Lord be done”

This powerful proclamation should be the fundamental guiding principle of the life of every believer. Above all else we should desire that the Lord’s will be done in our lives and in the lives of others.

We should be utterly consumed with doing the will of God and we ought to want others to do the same. The will of the Lord is the only thing that truly matters in any of our circumstances.

Let us seek God’s face that we may know his will and then let us set out to do His will and let nothing stand in our way.

Let us also desire the same for our children and our loved ones. Let us encourage them to seek the will of God and then let us support them in doing it. Let us lay aside our concerns for their safety if it is God who is leading them why should we fear?

Let us never be guilty of frustrating the will of God, be it in our own life or in the lives of those we love. Nothing should take precedence over the will of God in our lives.

Even if it means danger and difficulty, even if it means heartache and sorrow, even if it means pain and persecution, let us do the will of God!

Conclusion

Have you sought to know the will of God for your life? Are you confident that what you are doing and where you are going right now is God’s will?

If you are not absolutely certain it will not take many people to persuade you to take another path, but if you are sure that the path you are on is that path that God has led you down, nothing should prevent you from continuing on.

Are you concerned for a loved one’s safety? Have you unknowingly tried to discourage your children from following the will of God for their life through encouraging them to take a path of safety and security?

What will your response be if someone you care deeply for is being led down a path that leads to danger and possible even death? Would you have them turn back or would you have them stay the course and allow God’s will to be done?