We

I've been studying Acts of the Apostles for the past several months, but even so, there was a fascinating detail that I missed until a casual re-reading the other day.  It's in Chapter 21.  I'll give you the whole passage:

"After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.  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 Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and hand him over to the Gentiles."'  


When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem.  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.'  When he would not be dissuaded, we gave up and said, 'The Lord's will be done.'  


After this, we started on our way up to Jerusalem."

That is verses 10-15.  It's a turning point in the book of Acts, because in Jerusalem, the Jews will falsely accuse Paul of crimes against them, which will lead to his going to trial before Caesar, in Rome.   Paul would eventually die a Roman prisoner.   So this passage is crucial to God's plan.  Paul is in Caesarea with his group, which includes Luke ~ writer of the gospel, and the writer of Acts.    It is Luke's authorship that makes this passage so interesting to me.   While they are in Caesarea, the prophet predicts that Paul will be accused and taken prisoner and the reaction of the witnesses was emotional.  They begged and pleaded with Paul not to go; they wanted him to stay with them, safe.

Paul's response was quite different.  He was well aware that trials awaited him at nearly every step of his journey.   In 20:23 he had said, "The Holy Spirit testifies that in every city, chains and tribulations await me."   So truly, he expected nothing less than Agabus' prophecy.   And he had made his peace with whatever God had planned for him.  He told this to those who were with him, with such determination and fervency, that they were convinced.   Look at the words in the second-to-last sentence:    "When he would not be dissuaded, we gave up and said, 'The Lord's will be done.'"

And the next sentence shows how firmly convinced they were:  "We started on our way to Jerusalem."

What struck me in a new way was the repeated use of a particular word: "we"

Luke had been a frequent companion of Paul throughout Acts.  He supported him, and as a doctor, presumably tended to him after beatings, stonings, etc.   Yet for all his loyalty to Paul's vision and his call from God, Luke was among those who pleaded with Paul not to go.   That surprised me.  It seemed like he was trying to stop Paul from doing God's will.  But I think we are simply seeing his love for Paul here.  But stronger than that, is his loyalty.  When Paul insisted, Luke not only supported him, he accompanied him.  He not only went with him to Jerusalem, but he would eventually accompany him on his perilous journey to Rome, in the last chapters of Acts.

I'm impressed by this because of how vocal Luke was in trying to persuade Paul not to go to Jerusalem.  He admits that he pleaded with Paul.  But as much as he wanted Paul to avoid what was coming, he was also willing to share in it.

This lesson is valuable for us, and it is summed up in Paul's words in Romans 8:17, "if indeed we share in Christ's sufferings, we may also share in His glory."

You on board?

~ "If we died with Christ, 

we believe that we will also live with Him." ~

Romans 6:8