Theological Commentary: Click Here
Discipleship Focus: Obedience
- Obedience: Genuine and satisfying obedience comes out of our identity. Our true identity comes only from Father.
I am broken as I read Paul’s speech to the Ephesian elders. Acts 20:22-23 says, “And now, behold, I am
going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to
me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that
imprisonment and afflictions await me.”
Acts 20:25 says, “And now, behold, I know that none of you among whom I
have gone about proclaiming the kingdom will see my face again.” Acts 20:29-31 says, “I know that after my
departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from
among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the
disciples after them. Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I
did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears.”
Do you think Paul doesn’t know what he’s getting into? Oh, he knows.
He knows all too well that he is going to as he heads to Jerusalem. He’s going to be accused. He’s going to get arrested. He’s going to be persecuted.
But guess what! Everywhere
that Paul went this persecution followed him.
Everywhere he went the Holy Spirit has told him that affliction await
him. Oh, he knows what he’s getting
into.
He also knows that when he leaves there will be people who come
into these fledgling churches to disrupt what work God has started. Yet he still went out and made
disciples. He still went out and did the
work of the Lord. In spite of what
people will do when he’s gone, Paul went into the world and obeyed his Lord.
What is the inspiring thing about Paul? He knows what he’s getting into and he still
goes. He knows he will be persecuted and
he still goes to talk about Jesus. The
proverbial jaws of the lion are gaping wide open. He voluntarily puts his head in for the sake
of the Gospel because God asks him to do so.
That’s obedience. It’s quite
inspiring.
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