Acts (20)

And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. Luke 24.27

The video for lesson 20 is the same as for lesson 17. You can view it by clicking here (scroll down to Lesson 17).

Read and meditate on Acts 23.11.
This encounter with the Lord Jesus is interesting primarily for what it doesn’t include.

For reflection
1.  We note that Jesus does not extricate Paul from this situation, as He had done for Peter and others of the apostles. He is content to let Paul stay put. Why?

2.  Jesus was arranging the details of Paul’s safe and economical transport to Rome. Paul had already by this time told the Romans he was planning to come to see them (Rom. 15). That would have meant a good bit of expense for him and probably Luke and maybe one or two others. What better way to get to Rome free of charge than on the Romans’ lira? How can you see the sovereignty of God at work in this situation? Is Jesus sovereign still today? But can we always discern the ways of His sovereign working?

3.  Plus, along the way, there will be opportunities for bearing witness before governors and a king that Paul might otherwise not have had. Paul would get to Rome, as was his objective, but not as he had planned. For now, he needed to be patient and hang in there. Jesus is the Lord of our plans, not we. How does Paul’s experience of Jesus’ sovereignty counsel you in waiting on the Lord?

4.  And notice also the content of Paul’s testimony, as Jesus commanded it: Not his experience, that is, not merely some subjective report about how believing in Jesus made him feel. Paul was to testify the facts about Jesus, and this included the facts of his own experience as well as the historical facts of Jesus life, death, and resurrection. The Gospel is grounded in objective, historical facts; and its transforming power in our lives is another fact which demonstrates the truth of what we proclaim. Paul was undoubtedly greatly reassured by this encounter with Lord. Wouldn’t you have been? How do Jesus’ words to Paul encourage you in your witness for the Lord?

5.  Jesus here endorsed Paul’s apostleship and his ministry. Luke or others may have witnessed this encounter, but even if they didn’t, they certainly would have taken Paul’s word for it. Paul had been saved and called in order to take the Gospel to the Gentiles, and to the center of Gentile civilization he would certainly go. Is Jesus speaking to us in His Word as reliable as if He spoke to us in a vision by night? Explain.

Summary
Paul was not concerned about the external circumstances in which he’d become enmeshed. His will was always to do the Lord’s will, and this vision from the Lord would have been enormously re-assuring. Can you think of some passages of God’s Word that guide and assure you day by day concerning your own mission from the Lord?

Closing Prayer
I will praise You, O LORD, with my whole heart;
I will tell of all Your marvelous works.
I will be glad and rejoice in You;
I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High…
Have mercy on me, O LORD!
Consider my trouble from those who hate me,
You who lift me up from the gates of death,
That I may tell of all Your praise
In the gates of the daughter of Zion.
I will rejoice in Your salvation.

Psalm 9.1, 2, 13, 14

T. M. Moore

Each week’s studies in Acts are bound together into a free PDF that you can download for personal or group use (click here). Each week also features a video related to the studies of the week, which you may find helpful as you work through our studies in Acts.

Acts is the record of Christ’s ongoing work as King and Lord. This is the work of bringing the Kingdom of God to earth as it is in heaven. Read more about the implications of this work in our new book, The Kingdom Turn (click here).

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