Mission Expedition

Acts 20:1-6 

1 When the uproar had ended, Paul sent for the disciples and,after encouraging them, said goodbye and set out for Macedonia. He traveled through that area, speaking many words of encouragement to the people, and finally arrived in Greece, where he stayed three months. Because some Jews had plotted against him just as he was about to sail for Syria, he decided to go back through Macedonia. He was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timothy also, and Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia. These men went on ahead and waited for us at Troas.But we sailed from Philippi after the Festival of Unleavened Bread, and five days later joined the others at Troas, where we stayed seven days.

No Home

When I resolved to join the fulltime service to God, the Lord has freed me from worrying about the future of my family. Initially, the life of a missionary has attracted me more than the other areas of ministry. As a family, we have travelled from one place to place. We have transferred from one residence to another for more than 30 time and we stop counting after that.

It was a struggling experience for our children. “Why do we need to go to another place very often?” they’ve asked. They missed their friends. They were forced to establish new friendship again and again. By God’s grace we are able to adjust in any situation. We learned how to live with abundance and in scarcity.

As a church, it’s by the grace of God that we gather together. Worshipping together as a church is an evidence of God’s grace at work in our life. It’s by His grace not by human effort that the Lord brings ministry accomplishment to succeed. It’s not through our human expertise, training, or talent but by God’s grace at work that missionaries survive in many unfamiliar places. By God’s grace, missionaries have the courage to face uncertainties and no worries of the unknown.

Serving the Lord as missionaries would require significant travels. Most often, missionaries are transients, no permanent residency.

1.  Travel

1 When the uproar had ended, Paul sent for the disciples and, after encouraging them, said goodbye and set out for Macedonia. He traveled through that area, speaking many words of encouragement to the people, and finally arrived in Greece, where he stayed three months. Because some Jews had plotted against him just as he was about to sail for Syria, he decided to go back through Macedonia.

Why did God allow uproar, riot, or plot against Paul? Was it God’s tactical design for Paul to be mobile and not to reside in one place? It was not mentioned if Paul has considered residing in one place permanently. It might never come to his mind to purchase a home and establish residency in one city. One clear picture that we can learn about the ministry of Paul is that, he traveled frequently.

From Ephesus, after encouraging the disciples to continue in their faith, Paul and his mission team went to Macedonia to encourage the believers, too. After that, he proceeded and stayed in Greece for about 3 months.

The Jews in Greece were bothered by his presence. They were jealous of his popularity. Paul preached about Jesus Christ death and resurrection and the Jews did not like it. The Jews were very quick to plot against him.

It was not revealed as to how Paul came to know about the plot when he was about to sail for Syria. Paul adjusted his plan. Instead of sailing, he returned to Macedonia. The Macedonians were more lenient to his presence. Paul never worried about his safety, financial status, or how to support, sustain his travels and his mission team. He just followed the leading of the Holy Spirit.

When calling from the Lord is very clear, the Spirit of Christ would assure the believer that everything will turn out for the glory of God. No pessimism.

Pessimism

Pessimism is the tendency to see, anticipate, or emphasize only bad or undesirable outcomes, results, conditions, problems.

Is it really bad to be pessimistic? It is narrated in 1 Kings 22:6-8, So the king of Israel brought together the prophets—about four hundred men—and asked them, “Shall I go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall I refrain?” “Go,” they answered, “for the Lord will give it into the king’s hand.”  But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there no longer a prophet of the Lord here whom we can inquire of?”

8 The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man through whom we can inquire of the LORD, but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good about me, but always bad. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.”

Micaiah was God’s prophet and he prophesied negative things against King Ahab. King Ahab did not like Micaiah because of that. He preferred the 400 motivational prophets. Negative or positive things, God can use them to accomplish His purpose. When God allows us to anticipate negative things, it’s a reminder for us to reconsider our faith and lifestyle. Undesirable results are possibilities.

Oppositions were Paul’s go signal to reevaluate his plans and ministry approach. Unfavourable situations were his go signals to move and travel to his next mission assignment. He had a lot of travels. He was always transient.

2.  Transient

 He was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timothy also, and Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia. These men went on ahead and waited for us at Troas.But we sailed from Philippi after the Festival of Unleavened Bread, and five days later joined the others at Troas, where we stayed seven days.

Paul traveled with his missionary team. Disciples were accompanying him in his mission journey. There are speculations that his travelling companions were the ones who financed their travels. It could be true but Paul found it helpful to have companions. It gave him time to disciple them more thoroughly, that’s for sure.

Doctor Luke, the author of Acts mentioned the names of their travelling companions. He recorded the number of days of their stay in Troas, why? Did God inspire him to include names and numbers of days? Did Luke expect that the book of Acts will eventually reach the city of origin of their missionary team members? Names and numbers are strong exhibits that what he wrote was accurate.

Paul as transient is not ideal model for pastors’ lifestyle but for missionaries. Pastors are called to reside in one church to shepherd the church. Pastors who could not stay in one church might have been called as missionaries not as pastors. God has given them the desire to keep moving and transients.

Rent or Buy

Which one is better: to rent or buy a home in Canada. Both renting and buying home have downside and upside. It depends on the person’s lifestyle. To buy a home is a preferred choice for those who don’t want to transfer very often. They want to stay in one place or invest in realty. Renting offers cheaper expenditure maybe. One can move easily. Renting is better fit for transients.

In spiritual sense, we are transients. We are pilgrims. We are travelers. Our life on earth is our spiritual journey as we prepare for eternal dwelling. While we live in this earth temporarily, we should prepare for eternal lifestyle. If Christ is coming tomorrow, have we earned enough treasure in heaven? We don’t know when the Lord Jesus comes again. It might be in a little while. We need to prepare.

As we look forward and anticipate for the coming of our Lord Jesus again to bring us to His heaven let’s continue to ask Him to strengthen our faith and hope. The Spirit of Christ in our heart gives us hope that we reach our eternal dwelling and live with our heavenly Father.

How strong is your hope that you will live in eternity? It says in Romans 8:24-25, 29-30, 24 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? 25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently… 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

Conformity to the image of Christ is a manifestation of being predestined.

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