(Sorry for the weird issues. Not sure what's going on with that.)
We’re still
following Paul through the book of Acts, but he’s no longer a traveling missionary – his third missionary journey ended when he got to Jerusalem (Acts
21:17). But what did he come to
Jerusalem to do? We may have made some
guesses or assumptions over the last few weeks, but we don’t have to look far
into today’s passage – a portion of Paul’s testimony before the Roman governor
Felix – to hear it firsthand. Go ahead
and read Acts 24:17-19.
So what had
Paul come to Jerusalem to do?
Paul
confirms this in his letter to the Roman church written toward the end of his
third missionary journey. See Romans
15:23-26.
The last few
chapters, we’ve heard Paul rehash some events and timelines that we may have
felt we already knew. I just want to
remind you that repetition in God’s Word is always for a purpose. Today we see that one of His purposes is to
reveal information that hadn’t been previously disclosed – namely that Paul was
coming to deliver “gifts for the poor and to present offerings” (Acts 24:17,
NIV). But where did these gifts come
from? Luke (writer of Acts) may not have
been divinely inspired to include an explanation of the collection of these
funds, but Paul was inspired to include this information in the letters written
on his third missionary journey.
In the
following passage, what do we learn about the gifts/contributions Paul brought
to Jerusalem:
1
Corinthians 16:1-5I especially like how the NLT words vs. 2. (If you don’t have the NLT, you can use www.biblegateway.com to look it up.) God has always desired our firstfruits. He knows His creation, and the slippery slope that giving Him the leftovers will become. If we wait to give Him what is left, then sooner rather than later there will be nothing left to give.
2 Corinthians 8:1-4
Did you notice the contrast in verse 2? Even if you did, take another look …
“For in the midst of an ordeal of , their abundance of and their depth of together have overflowed in of lavish on their part.” (Amplified referenced)
Only with God could severe tribulation and deep poverty result in an overflowing wealth of generosity. Generosity that even seems to have surprised Paul!
What was the key ingredient – the catalyst – that resulted in this overflow? It wasn’t the trial itself; rather it was the way in which the Macedonian believers approached their trial. What was mixed with their poverty? Their . I see too many Christians whose lives seem to be lacking true joy.
What is the difference between happiness and joy?
Joy – unlike happiness – doesn’t depend on circumstances. Joy is inner happiness in spite of your circumstances. James (in James 1:2-4) writes that, when we approach trials with joy, the trials produce patience (not frustration) and that, once patience is allowed to complete its work, we will be mature, “lacking nothing.” Even if the world saw the Macedonian believers as in deep poverty, they didn’t look at themselves through the world’s eyes. They looked at themselves through God’s eyes – lacking nothing. Through whose eyes do you look at yourself? (Let yourself think about that after you leave this page and get on with your day.)
Whether your trial is poverty, sickness, death, family issues, persecution, isolation, … God desires to turn your curse into your blessing (Neh 13:2).
Now What? Imagine a trial in your life – past or present. What – if you approached it with joy – could God do (have done) in that situation? Whom could He bless through you?
Back in Acts 24, Paul is waiting for judgment from Felix. Verse 27 says that Paul waited for two years for Felix to give his ruling, only to have Felix replaced by a new governor. Back to square one. Talk about patience being perfected.
Until next time. Mix some joy with that trial, and see what God will do.
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