Acts 21:1-6

Summary retelling of Acts 21:1-6

Paul and his disciples set sail from Miletus and sail along the coast of Asia Minor as they generally head back in the direction of Antioch.  When they arrived in Tyre, they genuinely sought out some disciples and they stayed among them for a week.  The Spirit told them that Paul would face suffering in Jerusalem and they urged him not to go there.  At the end of the week it was time for Paul and his disciples to leave.  The families of the disciples in Tyre gathered together and walked Paul and his disciples to the edge of their city before saying goodbye.  Before parting company, they knelt and prayed together.    

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

The first thing that Paul and his disciples do when arriving in a new city is to seek out some disciples.  They look for other Christians.  I don’t take too many vacations, but when I do take them I have to confess something.  When I go to another city to stay for a while, looking for other Christians is not the first item on my list.  But perhaps it should be.  How much better would things go for me and my wife if upon arriving in a new city we went into a community of faith and asked them about the best places to eat and the most meaningful ways to spend my time there?  Perhaps even more importantly, wouldn’t my time go better on vacation if my first thought was to go among Christians and worship God and remember that it is God who has made this trip possible?  Paul and his disciples know that they aren’t staying in Tyre for long – 7 days.  But they still seek out like minded Christians because they crave the company of believers.

Has looking at Paul’s example convicted you at all?  If so, do you think you will act upon that conviction?  Has this passage been able to affirm choices you’ve made in the past?  What things about your past can this passage affirm?

Second Thought:

Clearly one of the most important parts of Paul’s time with the disciples was spiritual time.  The disciples in Tyre were spiritually aware enough to know that Paul was headed into danger.  It was the Holy Spirit that was speaking among these believers who had just met one another.  This shows us that spiritual people do not need to know each other well to feel a connection.  We simply need to know well the Spirit that is common to each of us in order to feel a connection.

How neat is it to think that if we focus on spiritual things then we should feel an automatic connection to anyone else who is genuinely interested in spirituality?  How does this point us to thinking about the unity of the believers?

Third Thought:

Before Paul and his disciples leave, they share a prayer.  Again we see how Christian life together naturally leads us into prayer.  When starting a spiritual time together, we should come in prayer.  Before ending a spiritual time together, we should pray.  Prayer is our genuine relational connection to God.  It may not feel like it at times, but prayer is also the lifeblood of our spiritual connection with each other.

I know this is a lesson I could stand to learn more often.  How often do you think of prayer as the root of your spiritual bond with the other Christians in your life?  When you gather with other Christians, is one of the most important thoughts on your mind: “I can’t wait until we spend time in prayer together?”  If it isn’t – and I’ll confess that there are times in my life that it isn’t – what does that say about how we can grow as Christians?

Passage for Tomorrow: Acts 21:7-14