Innocent!?

Our daily reading today takes us to the book of Acts and chapter 20. Today we get to tag along with the apostle Paul as he travels through Philippi, Troas and Miletus as he heads for Syria. I can only imagine what it would have been like to travel with Paul. I am sure of one thing... there was never a dull moment. I am convinced that is what it should be like to be a Christian today! We are part of the greatest adventure ever written and the good news is... it is still being written. We are just as important in God's story as those we read about in the Bible. The people we read about are just like you and me; they are people who made the decision (most of them anyway) to follow God. We get to see the good, the bad and the ugly, which makes our lives seem normal.

Paul arrives in Troas and stays seven days. Acts 20:7 contains an interesting statement... On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight. This is the record of the assembly of the first century church. They gathered on the first day of the week (Sunday) to break bread (the Lord's supper). It is said very nonchalantly as if that is what everyone understood. Today, churches meet when they choose and they take communion occasionally, holidays, quarterly or annually. But, the example we have in the scriptures is that the church met on Sunday to take communion. Maybe we are free to do anything we choose, maybe, but the Bible records that Sunday is the day they met and Sunday is the day they "broke bread".

Paul leaves Troas and comes to Miletus. Whilein Miletus, he sends to Ephesus and called the elders of the church to come to him. (v 17) He doesn't send to Ephesus for the elder or the pastor, he sends for the "elders". Today's church usually has one pastor or elder, but the Biblical pattern is for multiple elders in each church. In Titus 1:5 we read that Paul left Titus in Crete to appoint elders in every town. So the elders arrive to be with Paul and he relates to them that he is headed to Jerusalem and that prison awaits him. He reminds them of the example that he was to them when he lived with them in Ephesus...

You yourselves know how I lived among you the whole time from the first day that I set foot in Asia, serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials that happened to me through the plots of the Jews; how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you in public and from house to house, testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. (vv 18-21)

He tells them... Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all, for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.(vv 26,27) Paul says that because he had proclaimed to them the entire counsel of God; that he had held nothing back, he was innocent of the blood of all. That is a scary statement! Had he not communicated the full gospel of Christ, would he have been guilty of the blood of some? And in turn, if we do not communicate the "whole counsel of God" to those around us are we guilty of their blood? If we know something that Lord requires and we keep it from those we meet, is God going to hold us accountable? Do you and I have the responsibility to teach those around us? Paul thought so. As he leaves the Elders, he tells them that he is transferring the responsibility to them... Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God. (v 28)


Paul does just what Jesus did as he prepared to leave... "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." (Matthew 28: 19,20) We are commanded to teach those around us... some will listen, others will turn a deaf ear. The result is not our concern, God gives the increase. Our concern is the telling of it. If we are to be found "innocent" of the blood of others, we have to tell them the truth that saves. What they do with it is between them and God.

Paul finishes his talk with the elders and they pray together and shed lots of tears. I like that. When we part with those we have loved and worked with in the Lord, may we shed tears! Several times in the past few years, we have said goodbye to families that we have grown to love and worked with and tears have been shed and prayers prayed. If Paul and the elders can cry... so can we! 

So, what did we learn from Acts 20? Meet on Sunday and eat the Lord's supper,  live as examples to those around us, teach everyone we can about Jesus and when we have to part company with a coworker for the Lord, pray and cry. Good stuff!! What is being written about you? We get to read about Paul and his travels and experiences, but what would I read about you? What would you read about me? Our stories, yours and mine are being written; we can't change the last chapter, but we can make the next one the best chapter yet!! Live it out, everyday!