Most of us understand that today's missionaries should strive to be
like the Apostle Paul. Clear on the message, willing to suffer, focused
and resolute. Follow along with me a bit if you will as we take a fresh
look at Paul's Roman adventure.
Following his important victory in Ephesus with the burning of the
magic books, Paul set his sights on new destinations. “Paul decided to
go to Jerusalem ... after I have been there, he said, I must visit Rome also.”
(Acts 19:21)
This first mention of Rome represents a vision that had formed in
Paul's mind; a vision which, is confirmed by God. That confirmation comes
in Acts 23. After arriving in Jerusalem, the apostle is arrested and
brought before the Jewish Sanhedrin. The Lord assures Paul, “...As you
have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.”
(Acts 23:11b) The mission to Rome clearly has God's stamp of approval.
At this stage of the story, Paul reminds me of many missionaries.
They cherish a vision of what they are certain God wants them to do; a
new people group to reach, a new area to enter with the gospel, an innovative
means to make a difference among the nations.
Many of these new missionaries have also formed a picture of how
the vision will become reality. Paul likely would have expected to roam
freely about the great city as God either opened new doors for him or moved him
on to the next destination.
The next few chapters of Acts recount for us Paul's meandering and
highly eventful journey from Jerusalem to Rome—as a prisoner. As we draw
near the final curtain on the book of Acts, we find the great apostle unable to
move about Rome at all, but living there in his own rented home, under house
arrest. It doesn't seem to be the glorious climax he may have envisioned.
How “human” it would have been for Paul to allow frustration or
anxiety to get the upper hand. I could easily see myself turning visitors
away with an excuse full of self-pity, “I'm just too stressed and preoccupied
today, could you please come back another time?” But not Paul, according
to Acts 28:30 he, “welcomed all who came to see him.” Nor did he
see in these visitors, an opportunity to talk about his own predicament.
Instead, he preached the kingdom of God, just as he had done in all the
other cities and, “taught about the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Acts 28:31)
So Paul's God-given vision to bring the gospel to Rome did in fact
become reality! The form that reality took was far different than he
likely expected. The point however is this, Paul was flexible. He
adapted. He found a way to see this new reality as God's creative way of
keeping a promise.
Moreover, the powerful little word all in Acts 28:30
suggests that Paul fully embraced his situation. No half-hardheartedness
here; no one was turned away. Every
seeker was entertained. I suspect that Paul saw his house arrest as a blessing
in disguise, a situation to be fully exploited for the sake of the gospel.
I find this attitude strangely predictive of Jim Elliot's
exhortation, “Wherever you are, be all there; live to the hilt every
situation you believe to be the will of God for you.” Ironically, Jim
Elliot's life and death actually become a 20th century illustration of how God
sometimes takes his servants on a different route to a promised destination.
The vision of Elliot and his four missionary companions to see the gospel
brought to the savage Auca Indians of Ecuador was in fact realized. And God's
way of reaching this reality involved the murder of all five men first.
Missionaries who make a mark in our unpredictable world will be
those who learn best how to follow the sovereign, all-wise Christ through
unexpected twists and turns instead of becoming frustrated and disillusioned.
Let's pray and look for that kind of missionary prospect. Let's
design training programs that prepare that kind of overseas worker. And
when we pray for the missionaries we've already sent out and supported, let's
add to our prayers for safety, strength and souls, one more request: a prayer
for flexibility.
A last encouraging note from the text, Acts 28:31 describes Paul's
captive ministry as being “without hindrance.” What a contrast to
previous ministry forays where typically he was chased from town to town by
those who opposed the gospel! Where did Paul ever before have the luxury
of preaching the gospel “without hindrance?”
Perhaps the lesson is this, for those visionaries who fully embrace
God's sovereignty and wisdom as Paul did, who allow God the freedom to reformat
their plans, the result is often better than they could ever have dreamed.
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