Year 4, Day 261: Acts 28

Theological Commentary: Click Here 

Discipleship Focus: Up

• Up: Up is the word we use for what we worship.  If we are following God’s will, God will occupy the Up position.  Our life, our identity, our mission, our family on mission is all derived from Up.  This is why God needs to be in our Up position.

I am amazed at the ending to the book of Acts.  First of all, I am surprised that Luke does not think it necessary to write what happens to Paul when he gets to Rome.  Personally, I think the reason he doesn’t write it is because Paul lives, is released from his bondage, he moves on (probably to Spain), and Luke doesn’t go with him so he doesn’t know the rest of the story.  Either way, Acts ends in a way that leaves us hanging because we don’t know what really happens to Paul.

But when we look at what Acts 28 does tell us we see some amazing things.  First, the people of Malta initially reject Paul because of the viper incident.  But they quickly receive him and those who are with him.  They even put him on a boat and help him continue his journey!  The Gentiles completely receive Paul.

When Paul and his friends get to Rome and meet with the Jews, however, the story is reversed.  Yes, a few believe Paul.  But eventually the Jews ultimately leave Paul and don’t listen anymore, causing Paul to quote the same passage from Isaiah that Jesus and Peter quote elsewhere in the Bible.  The traditionally religious just don’t get Paul and what God is doing in Paul through the Holy Spirit.

Which causes me to really think about Up.  Am I really following God?  Am I approaching God with the perspective of saying, “Here is my life, God.  Strip away everything that you do not want to use or you cannot use.  I’ll be content with whatever is left and whatever you see fit to put in my life to replace that which you took away.”  Am I really living that life out?  Am I really submitted to God in that manner?

Or am I coming to God and saying, “God, I want you in my life but I also want all of this other stuff, too.  I’m not going to surrender my life to you, but I will try and squeeze you into my already full life.  You can’t touch the stuff that I like and you don’t, but I will give you some time where you and I can be together.”

You see, the first position – the position of complete surrender – is the position that truly has God as my Up.  The second position – squeezing God into my life – doesn’t have God as my Up.  Truthfully the second position has myself as the Up!  In the second position I’m not surrendering myself to God and allowing Him to be in control, I am allowing Him into a portion of my life while I remain in control.  In the second position I’m not worshipping God, I’m allowing myself to think I am worshipping God but I’m really still worshipping myself and my own agenda.

Who is in my Up?  When the Holy Spirit comes into my life, am I like the people of Malta who are willing to consider this fresh wind and a new perspective?  Or am I like the traditional Jews in Rome who are willing to listen a little but unwilling to change in the end?  What does that say about who is truly in my Up position?

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