Acts Of The Apostles # 30 Of 39

He was now making every effort to go back to Jerusalem. He had been seeing Gentiles saved by the scores, and no doubt he began to think of his own Jewish people, who were lost without Christ, and wanted to go back and share the gospel with them.

Illus: One of the frustrations that we Christians have is that while we rejoice when souls are saved, regardless who they are, as we see these being saved it makes us even more burdened to see our own loved ones saved.

This was probably the reason Paul was going back to Jerusalem, to witness to the Jews once again. He had a tremendous burden for his Jewish ancestors. In fact, in Romans 9:3. he writes, “For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:”

We find out in the Scriptures, whereas he had been having great success in other places, he had none in Jerusalem. Many times it seems we can win the whole world, but we cannot win our own families. I sincerely believe however, if I cannot win my own family, if I am faithful in winning other people's family members to Christ, then God will send someone along who will win my family members. As we study this passage of Scripture, we have to keep in mind the heavy burden Paul had for the Jewish people.

I. THE DISCOVERY (VERSES 1-6)

A. THE DISCIPLES

Verses 1-4, “And it came to pass, that after we were gotten from them, and had launched, we came with a straight course unto Coos, and the day following unto Rhodes, and from thence unto Patara: And finding a ship sailing over unto Phenicia, we went aboard, and set forth. Now when we had discovered Cyprus, we left it on the left hand, and sailed into Syria, and landed at Tyre: for there the ship was to unlade her burden. And finding disciples, we tarried there seven days: who said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not go up to Jerusalem.”

It is interesting that as Paul traveled from city to city, he seemed to have a format that he followed. Regardless of what town Paul entered, he immediately found other Christians. They landed at Tyre and were going to be there for seven days. The ship was to be unloaded, and possibly take on a new load of cargo. When Paul arrived the Bible states, “And finding disciples,”. Why did he find disciples? People want to associate with people they have something in common with.

Illus: Personally, I do not care a thing about... (mention a sport you do not care for). If I am somewhere and the subject comes up, I try to change it, but if the people I am with persist in talking about this sport, I begin to try to think of a way to make my stay there as short as possible without being rude. Why? I do not have a thing in common with people who like this particular sport.

Paul, when he arrived at a town, sought to find disciples of the faith. He desired to be with them, not because he had SOMETHING in common with them, but because He had SOMEONE in common with them.

Illus: The reason you have to literally beg, blackmail, and threaten some people into coming to church to worship is because they worship a god that we do not worship, and we worship a God they do not worship. They do not have a thing in common with us, and we do not have a thing in common with them. With this knowledge in mind, we can understand why it is hard to get some people to attend church. I have no trouble understanding this, but I must confess to you that I have a hard time understanding why some, who profess to be saved and know the same God we know, have to be begged to come be with God's people. I have a sneaking suspicion they really do not know and love the God we love, so they do not have a thing in common with US.

Paul wasted no time when he got to a town to seek out others of like faith.

Illus: When a Christian moves to a new town, he should not waste any time finding others of like faith, that he has SOMEONE in common with.

These disciples in verse 4, "...through the Spirit...”, told Paul that he should not go up to Jerusalem. Paul decided he would not listen. Again, I want to remind you that Paul had a heavy burden for his fellow Jews. He had been seeing all those Gentiles getting gloriously saved, and now he wanted to go to Jerusalem to try and to reach his people. We are almost hesitant to say Paul made a mistake, but as great a man of God as he was, we must remember he was human.