Root Words | Acts 21:1-2 “Finishing our voyage”

What Luke records in Acts 21:1-2 in the first person, as he was present. Paul revealed that he knew something’s about his future as he said, “I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me.” Paul had a specific calling on his life that he knew was not going to be easy. Sometimes I wish I knew the future but what if you and I were able to know what was in store for us and could change it for our benefit but doing so would mean that we would miss God’s will for our life? What would you do? In verses 1-3a Luke says that Paul literally had to tear himself away from the Pastors of Ephesus that had gathered in Miletus. Luke then records Paul’s journey: First sailing from Miletus to Cos, a small island south of Miletus. Then the next day they sail again to Rhodes, a little larger island to the south east, 12 miles off of the mainland of Turkey. From Rhodes they sailed around the southwestern corner of Turkey and ported on the mainland port of Patara. The picture here is pretty clear, Paul sailed each day and ported each night hugging the coastline of Turkey. I find this interesting, knowing that Paul was heading into known trouble and every port provided an opportunity to delay what God had planned for him. Hey, folks do you know what the biggest waste of our time is? PROCRASTINANTION! Webster’s defines this word as “putting off to a future time”. How many times have we done this? We know of something God has for us, but it does not seem pleasurable to us, so we put it off! Paul stopped every day at a different port and could have stayed for a little R & R, but he did not. In fact, I love that Luke says that they, “ran a straight course”. How about it saints have you stayed a little long at Cos (summit)? Perhaps you have lingered to long at the scent of Rhodes (rose). But when you do that you will eventually find yourself at Patara (trodden under foot). That’s what putting off following God will always leave you, trodden under foot! Better to always set a straight course! Paul knew that he faced chains and tribulations when he arrived, yet he was in a hurry to get there. Paul made a conscious decision to hurry to be in God’s will even though the outcome was not going to be pleasant. That’s growth…that’s surrender! Paul would write to the Philippians’ “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” You see the goal was “the upward call of God in Christ Jesus”.  

This has been pastor Dale, Blessings!