Ep. 283. Acts 16 | Trip Number 2
EPISODE 283
TRIP NUMBER 2: ACTS 16
Here we finally get to meet Timothy, certainly one of the more recognizable biblical figures if for nothing more than the fact we have two letters written to him by Paul. We will learn later about Timothy that his mother and grandmother were paramount to his faith and maturation, and that he knew the Scriptures (the Old Testament) since childhood.
Also, in this chapter, we see that the Spirit of God kept Paul, Silas, and Timothy from pressing on to Asia or Bithynia but instead urged them on to Macedonia. This must be where people get the phrase, "I'll go here and do this if God wills." Or they will say, "I just don't feel like God freed me to do this thing or that thing." It is interesting that so many people develop a theology off of so narrow an example. We have this example only as a place where God prevented Paul from going, and not even forever since Paul eventually did make it to Asia. People seem to miss the fact that on the first journey, Paul and Barnabas went from city to city as they desired. The same could be said for the latter half of Paul's second missionary journey and all of his third. For the most part, God allowed Paul to go wherever he desired. But in this instance, God prevented him from going to one place so that he could go to another. We do have freedom in Christ. We aren't bound to go to this place or avoid that place. Now, there will be times in the course of human history when God says to someone, "Go here" or "Don't go there," consider Jonah and Paul, but I think those moments are rarer than we tend to believe. If God wants you somewhere, he will get you there, even by a whale. If God doesn't want you somewhere, he will keep you from that place. In the meantime, honor God in this moment and this place.
As far as Paul and Silas in prison, let's just all admit that they are truly followers of Jesus and care more about the Gospel of Christ than they do their own well-being. They are more focused on the eternal truths of righteousness and redemption rather than their own circumstances and are, therefore, able to rejoice in Jesus even in the midst of their beating and imprisonment. Let us strive to be that in love with Jesus.
ADDITIONAL READING: Galatians 2:3
