Men Were His Method

 We are deep into the book of Acts in our home group.  The seasoned disciple Paul has been at work for some years when we find him in Acts 20.  We find him on the road.  But he is not alone.  Certainly Jesus is with him in a special way, opening and closing doors, sewing seeds and establishing churches.  But more are with him.  There is a group of men travelling the dusty roads of the Mediterranean coast line.  Men from various places and various times.  There are eight men in company with him - counting Luke (given the account is written in first person).  Let's meet them briefly.

Sopater was from Berea.  The place known for searching the scriptures to see if what Paul said was true.  Many came to know Jesus from this place.  He may be the same person as Sosipater in Romans 16.  Artistarchus is mentioned several times in Scripture and is known as a fellow prisoner and fellow laborer of Paul's.  Secundus is only mentioned here.  Both he and Aristarchus were from Thessalonica - a place that Paul wrote to twice.  Gaius was from Derbe.  Paul was in Derbe several years earlier (Acts 14:20, 21) where many disciples were made.  He is not to be confused with several other Gaius's mentioned in Scripture.  Timothy was probably from Lystra (Acts 16:1,2) and became a spiritual son to Paul.  He was the recipient of two pastoral letters from Paul that helped him implement God's program for the local church at Ephesus.  Tychicus was a beloved brother, faithful minister, and Paul's fellow servant in the Lord (Col 4:7).  Trophimus, at one point, became ill and Paul left him in Miletus sick (2 Tim 4:20).  

There must have been something about these men that Paul had noticed.  Maybe he saw openness of heart, general availability, or a quiet faithfulness as they served in their local churches.  So, he called them to be with him.  These men, I want these men, to be with me.  To travel with me.  To live with me that they might feel the life of God alive and moving in me.  They need to see the pattern of a disciple (Phil 3:17, 4:9).  To hear, smell, see and touch true discipleship.  They need to not only hear of fearlessness in a sermon, but to see fearlessness.  What does a true disciple do when he is tired and hungry?  What does a true disciple do when the world is against him?  They would learn these, . . . and so much more.  

Jesus began this pattern in Mark 3:14.  He called his disciples that they might be with Him.  Paul was only doing what Jesus did.  God's program is not accomplished by recipes or algorithms for success.  It is accomplished by the Spirit of God at work through the lives of people.  Men were His method.  

Let's Go Home

Jesus gave His final instructions to the disciples on the second floor of a home in Jerusalem.  He was to be wrongfully arrested in a matter of hours but had some very important things to tell his followers.  The One they loved was leaving and the disciples were grieved and confused.  But Jesus shared with them what the relationship with Him would look like after His death and resurrection.  And, it would be better!

In John 14:15, Jesus says, "If you love Me, keep my commandments."  At first glance this seems presumptive and demanding.  In a sin-filled world, this statement can trigger anger.  But Jesus says this for our blessing.  It is for us.  (As everything He said and did was.)  If they truly loved Him, they would obey Him and their obedience would produce three things.

First, if they love Him and so keep His commandments, Jesus will pray that the Father will give them a helper to be with them forever - the Spirit of truth.  He has been WITH them, but will be IN them.  The very Spirit of Jesus, that loving, pulsing ocean of grace and truth, giving them the very thoughts and power that belong to Jesus alone - this will be IN them (14:17).  Heartening indeed.

Second, if they love Him and so keep His commandments, they will be loved by the Father and the Son AND the Son will manifest Himself to them (14:21).  This is extremely insightful for us today.  We all want to know Jesus better.  We sing various songs telling God that we want to know Him more.  John 14 tells us how to do this.  He is telling us that if we obey Him in the things He has already shown us, then He will show us more of Himself.  Obedience becomes the avenue for "more Jesus" in our lives.  Conversely, not obeying His commandments, can leave us idle in the Christian life.  How do I grow in Jesus?  Obey Him.  

Third, if anyone loves Him and so keeps His commandments, something even more spectacular will happen.  The Father and the Son will come to him and make Their home with him (14:23).  This is the ultimate goal of life itself - the primal aim of all humanity - the call upon the deepest fundamentals of the human heart - to be at home with God.  This is more than God ruling or reigning in your life.  This is the final reality of you in God's home.  At the culmination of creation, Revelation 21:3 reads, "the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people."  The future reality is ours to taste . . . now.  Love prompted obedience truly brings us home.