August 07, 2023 | Be On Mission
Paul Begins His Third Missionary Journey
Scripture: Acts 18:18-28(NIV)
18 Paul stayed on in Corinth for some time. Then he left the brothers and sisters and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. Before he sailed, he had his hair cut off at Cenchreae because of a vow he had taken. 19 They arrived at Ephesus, where Paul left Priscilla and Aquila. He himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. 20 When they asked him to spend more time with them, he declined. 21 But as he left, he promised, “I will come back if it is God’s will.” Then he set sail from Ephesus. 22 When he landed at Caesarea, he went up to Jerusalem and greeted the church and then went down to Antioch.
23 After spending some time in Antioch, Paul set out from there and traveled from place to place throughout the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.
24 Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. 25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John. 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately.
27 When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia, the brothers and sisters encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. When he arrived, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed. 28 For he vigorously refuted his Jewish opponents in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah.
Devotional
We return to the chronological narrative in the Book of Acts, after a six-week exploration of 1 & 2 Corinthians. Here we see Paul wrapping up his one and a half year stay in Corinth during his first visit there. He sailed to Ephesus, and stayed briefly, leaving Priscilla and Aquila behind. From there he sailed back to Judea (Israel), with stops in Caesarea and Jerusalem before heading back to Antioch in Syria. This ended Paul’s second missionary journey.
It would be great to know some of the things that took place on these stayovers in modern-day Greece, Turkey, Israel, and Syria. But Luke didn’t include that in his Book of Acts. Most of life is like that. We remember and record the highs and lows, leaving the majority of days to the mundane middle. But that doesn’t mean they are unimportant. Those forgotten days probably allowed Paul to rest, reflect and regroup. It no doubt gave him opportunity to share with others all that had taken place on his second missionary journey to Galatia, Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea, Athens, Corinth, and Ephesus. It would make him ready for his third missionary journey, heading back to Galatia where the first and second missionary journeys had begun.
Meanwhile, in Paul’s absence ministry still went on. In Ephesus, Priscilla and Aquila were ministering to the believers and discipling Apollos with a deeper understanding of the gospel. Apollos was then sent back to Corinth in Achaia, where Paul, Priscilla, and Aquila had spent so much time. These places were hundreds and hundreds of miles from where Paul was at the time, but the leaders of the Christian movement were still networking the kingdom as they crisscrossed the Roman Empire.
It is tempting to think that nobody can preach like I can, lead like I can, sing in the choir like I can, serve in a mission like I can, do children’s ministry like I can, or (fill-in-your-own-ministry-here) like I can. Here’s the truth. I have left four churches I attended as a child, teen, college student, and seminarian. All of them are still in full operation. I have left three churches I have served as a pastor. Each of them is doing fine, thank you very much. And, through eventual retirement or death, I will leave other churches in my future. I’m guessing all of them will survive the trauma of my absence.
As important as Paul was to the expansion of the Christian movement, he was not indispensable. When he moved on from a city, ministry continued there. When he could do nothing but write letters that wouldn’t be received for weeks or months, believers managed to continue in the faith. And when he would be martyred in the coming years, Christianity would flourish and spread into the global faith we know today.
Take some time to thank God for the faithful people who have gone before you, passing the faith to you and others.
Poem
Haircut
At Cenchreae he had cut his hair, for he was under a vow. Acts 18:18c (Note: See Numbers 6:9 and Acts 21:23 and 24)
We do not know the reason
Why Paul did cut his hair
The only hint that’s given--
A vow he did declare
We know that John the Baptist
A vow his soul did take
Which kept his hair from shearing
Done for his promise’s sake
And so, when in the Body
Someone a choice decides
It might come from the Spirit
Or from a preference rise
What food to eat? What clothes to wear?
Hair cut or let hair grow?
The Scripture shares Discernment’s test--
What Spirit’s fruit do show?
We oft’ look at the outside
But God looks at the heart
Each soul upon its journey
A map for life will chart
Decisions, whether thoughtful
Or thoughtless, steer our course
‘Tis best to listen to God’s voice
Than later feel remorse
How, then, should we discern such?
Where shall we make our stand?
Remember, one day, each must come
And answer to God’s hand
