Upheld by God

August 29, 2010

Background Scripture: Acts 28; Philippians 4:15 – 23
Lesson Passage: Acts 28:16 – 25a, 28 – 31

What is the source of your strength? When the chips are down and you really need a breakthrough, what is your first option—rather than your last resort? Those are value seeking questions. The “true” answers speak to the values that we hold dear to us. I say “true” answers as opposed to the “expected” answers or the answers that we are comfortable giving even if they don’t truly reflect our thinking or behavior. In our lesson today, Paul offers his “true” answer to those questions. The answer he gives was not derived out of a profound theological thesis that Paul developed while contemplating scriptures but rather it is a testimony of the trials and tests that God put Paul through until he had no other place to turn first. All of Paul’s options were gradually taken away or surrendered as a result of the hardships Paul suffered in his ministry for Jesus Christ. This was a true fulfillment of the words Jesus spoke to Paul (then Saul) on the road to Damascus. Jesus told Paul that it was hard for him to kick against the pricks. This warning did not prevent Paul, just as it does not prevent us, from kicking anyway until he finally surrendered to the will of God. It is this surrendered state we find the apostle in as we follow his journey in the account recorded towards the close of the book of Acts. This is not a state of being beaten down as much as it is a state of contentment to trust in the word of Christ in spite of circumstances that seem to be to the contrary.

The historic account in Acts detail the treacherous journey Paul and the Roman soldiers traveled to escort Paul from Jerusalem to Rome. This journey included a wintry weather shipwreck in which the ship and all of its cargo, except the people, were destroyed and loss at sea. Wintry weather made for unbearable conditions for the sea-soaked group as they clung to pieces of debris in the troubled waters while they made their way to shore. Kindling a fire should have brought relief but even that led to yet another hardship for Paul. He was bitten by a poisonous snake while placing some sticks on the fire. So why is Paul content? Before all of this transpired, Paul had been told one night by Jesus that he had to appear in Rome to bear witness of him. So in spite of the calamities he endured, he had the assurance of Jesus’ word that he would arrive safely in Rome to bear witness of Christ. Jesus had assured Paul of the destination, Rome. He did not tell him what all would transpire between Jerusalem and Rome. But it was Paul’s assurance of the destination that he could base his faith on. Come what may, Paul was assured that he would arrive in Rome and therefore he would be able to shake his problems off along the way. With that, Paul simply shook the snake off of his hand into the fire. Those that saw it were frightened that Paul did not die of the snakebite but Paul had faith that nothing was going to prevent him from accomplishing God’s work for him. Whatever circumstances arose, Paul knew he would be upheld by God. As Paul prepared the final salutation in his letter to the Philippians, he could say with confidence “My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” because Paul had experienced God’s benevolence for himself.

Robert C. Hudson
August 16, 2010