David Bahn – Reflections

I may have listened to a Youtube video last night while our friends and Diane went over plans for our travel today. It wasn’t a significantly important video. But it is one that I keep up with. And I did play it at 1.5 speed so I wouldn’t be distracted too long. When the conversation (and the video) was over, I re-engaged. No harm no foul. I trust them and am willing to go along with their plans today. I’m writing this very early. We’ll see how the day unfolds!

Luke reports that when the time came to determine whether they would proceed with the trip to Rome, the Centurion and the pilot of the ship paid more attention to the owner than to Paul. In other words, Paul’s warning of impending behavior went unheeded. They decided to put out to sea “on the chance that somehow they could reach Phoenix, a harbor of Crete, facing both southwest and northwest, and spend the winter there.”

I wonder about their motives for continuing the voyage. Were they under a deadline pressure to reach Rome? Was a bonus being offered if they reached the next stop by a certain date? Was it less expensive to harbor for the winter in Phoenix? Was it simply the fact that there was a choice of a southwest or northwest-facing harbor there? Or did they just want to get the voyage over sooner? It might also have been that Fair Haven did not live up to its name. It was not a fun place to spend all winter, and the crew of the ship didn’t look forward to months in a small town. One commentator suggests that the local Chamber of Commerce named the place “Fair Havens.”

Whatever the reason, they decided to sail on. Much challenge lies ahead. They will wish they had stayed in Fair Havens. Paul has already been shipwrecked three times by this point (cf. 2 Corinthians 11:25). Paul knew what he was talking about.

Peer pressure, prudence, or personal fears can all play a role in our decision making. Prudence is the father of patience. And as Pierce Brown says, “Patience is the better part of valor. And obedience the better part of humanity. Listen to your elders.” Proverbs reminds us that the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom. It is far better to listen to and be guided by God’s word, than to pursue our course in hopes of personal gain. And while we all make bad decisions, it is better to do so out of a desire to please God, or on the basis of wise counsel.

Decisions made on the basis of godly wisdom may not seem easy, but easy isn’t always best. And God’s ways – though they may be challenging – are always best. When wise and godly people counsel us we do well to listen to them.

Sometimes I can get to the place of journey-enjoying, rather than getting-there accomplishment. Most often, however, I want to get there. See the thing. Experience the event. Finish the race. Be done. Accomplish the goal.

This morning I took the time to look out our Airbnb bedroom window and enjoy the view. It wasn’t all that spectacular today. There are no astounding fall colors to see. It was also a rainy day. The view was not particularly amazing. But I decided to take in the view such as it was. Rain water dripping from the green leaves. Tree bark made dark by the rain. But it was peaceful and serene. I wanted to take a moment to enjoy it as it was.

There is another facet of the enjoy-the-journey attitude, beyond the pure joy of the trip or the sights you see along the way. I must ask myself some questions to keep this in mind: Is God doing anything during the journey? Or is he only at work when we arrive at our journey’s end? Am I oblivious to the divine appointments that occur when we are on the way?

Rome is Paul’s hoped-for destination (cf. Romans 1:11-13). He will have a very challenging journey on his way to Rome. He even warns those in charge that they would face injury and loss of even of life if they continue with their plans. So now the situation is even worse: not only will he have to wait to get to Rome, the journey will be made even longer and more perilous.

Luke details the ship’s voyage, together with the necessary detours and changes in plans. Weather will force changes along the way. It will not be an easy trip, nor a safe one. But Paul – as always – will redeem the time. He will have opportunity to witness while en route. Even though Rome is his destination’s goal, there are things to do along the way.

Whether it is a blessing God has in mind for us to receive, or a divine appointment for us to keep, God is in every moment of life’s journeys. Whether we’re on the way to the grocery store or arriving at a beautiful mountain vista, we must be alert to God’s presence and plans for us along the way or at our destination.

We are traveling with friends. They have been very kind to us. We’re trying to be kind to them as well. When we’ve traveled with these and other friends we’ve experienced kindness and and sought to be kind as well. Today we met a couple from the area who gave us some good tips: places to see, hikes to take, and things to keep in mind. To receive and give kindness among friends is to be expected. To receive it from total strangers is a double blessing.

Paul receives kindness from his traveling companions – including Luke (cf. “we” in verse 1). This is to be expected. But I was struck by the kindness of a centurion of the Augustan Cohort. This is significant enough for Luke to mention his name and note his kindness. Aristarchus was with Paul when he delivered the offering for the poor in Jerusalem. He also was with Paul while he was imprisoned in Rome. Julius is named only here in chapter 27. But his kindness is remarkable. Luke will mention him here as one who treated Paul kindly. 

Jesus teaches, “The one who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward” (Matthew 10:41). Hebrews says we should not neglect to show hospitality because some have received angels unawares (Hebrews 13:2). Julius’ kindness allowed for others to offer Paul loving care, attending to his needs. Julius furthered the cause of the gospel without even knowing it – as far as we know.

We may have the opportunity to show hospitality and kindness – which we should do just for kindness’ sake. But God’s agenda includes both the kindness received and the blessings that come with it. Those blessings flow down from person to person so that more and more people can hear of Jesus and believe in him.

I doubt that Julius realized how he was furthering the message of the gospel by showing kindness to Paul. The same may be true of us as well: we may not realize how our acts of kindness cause ripples of grace to extend from the epicenter of the act far beyond anything we would ever imagine.

The Imitation Game is a 2014 American period biographical thriller film based on the 1983 biography Alan Turing: The Enigma by Andrew Hodges. The film stars Benedict Cumberbatch as Turing, who decrypted German intelligence messages for the British government during World War II. I thought of this film as I reflected on Paul’s comment that he wished that those to whom he was speaking, “might become such as I am—except for these chains.” He, of course, was wishing that they would become repentant believers, and followers of Jesus Christ. 

In his letter to the Corinthians, Paul says, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1). He was holding up his life as worthy to be imitated. Paul echos the same thought in Philippians 3:17. My study Bible note  points us to Christ [who] is always the preeminent example, yet in the day-to-day living of the Christian life, it is also helpful to have someone close at hand as an example and model. 

I think of men whom I’ve mentioned previously: Robert Lange, my pastor while I was in College and preparing to head off for the seminary. Merle Wagner, a faithful former missionary then serving as the circuit counselor when I was fresh out of the seminary. Michael Newman, our current Texas District President. Jeff Gibbs, a classmate of mine who showed incredible patience and tenacity when he presented at a conference I had helped organize. Each with different gifts. Each with Christ in their hearts. Each living in such a manner that I could see Christ forming their minds and manners.

It’s a pretty high honor to serve as someone’s mentor, inviting someone to do as we do. It’s not for someone who says, “Do as I say, not as I do.” We are inviting someone to watch us, and learn from us, and see how we navigate difficult decisions, resist temptation, and honor Christ with our witness.

I’m sure Paul failed from time to time. In fact he shares his struggle with temptation and sin in his letter to the Romans when he says, “The good that I want to do, I do not do” (Romans 7:19-25). So it’s not about never sinning. It is about resisting temptation, repenting when we do sin, and continuing to repent and believe the gospel every day. That’s the one place I’d be happy for people to imitate me: a life of daily repentance and faith, and a renewed desire to serve Christ, loving God and my neighbor.

I’ve been thinking lately about thinking. My tendency is more toward feelings: the heart. I am quick to abandon thoughts that don’t quite add up in favor of having my heart at rest in the love of God. A simple example: the triune nature of God. It doesn’t take too long before the idea of One God, Three Persons hits the logic wall. But my heart is at rest when I abandon the need to understand God and simply trust in him.

There is, nevertheless, biblical evidence to engage our minds in our walk with Jesus. The mind is not an appendix to be removed when it becomes malignant. Our minds are to be renewed, engaged, made new, taken captive, and set on God.

• Romans 12: “…the renewing of your minds…”
• Philippians 4: “…think about these things…”
• Ephesians 4: “be made new in the attitude of your minds.”
• 2 Corinthians 10: “take captive every thought…”
• Isaiah 26: “keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast”

I hung out at the Lutheran Campus Center throughout my college days. It was a place where I made friends, cooked cheap frozen meals for lunches, played a lot of card games, and managed to squeeze in a moment or two of study. The campus pastor there was faithful in every way. He was patient with us, yet spoke a clear word of correction when the language got too foul. He also invited me to take the Adult Information Class, to become a Lutheran.

He asked me five times before I finally said, “Yes.” I had a few qualifiers to my yes, but I did agree. And about a third of the way through the classes, I was ready to join. I was impacted by the way he always went back to Scripture when I had a question. I was also deeply impacted by the way the focus always came back to faith and grace in Christ. Jesus was the center, and I was ever glad to be focused toward the center; toward Christ.

Paul said, “Whether short or long, I would to God that not only you but also all who hear me this day might become such as I am—except for these chains” (v. 29). Paul had however long or short a time God allowed to witness to Felix and Agrippa, Bernice, and the rest of their entourage. And whether the iron struck while it was hot, or the longer exposure to the light of the gospel lit the flame of faith: Paul knew that faith was a work of God.

We may be able to speak a word of grace to a person that turns him toward Jesus in that very moment. Or a friend may need to hear the invitation to faith over and over again before she is brought to faith. The key is getting to the point that we are actually speaking that word of truth and grace in Jesus, or forever waiting for the right moment. I think the latter is called procrastination.

When we have the opportunity to share the message of Jesus we can be sure the Holy Spirit is attending our throughs and words. And if the message seems to glance off the hearts of those to whom we speak, we can be patient and persistent in sharing the gospel.

This not only applies to our witness to non-believers, it applies also to the conversations and encouragements we have with other believers urging them toward a more faithful walk. They may need to hear more than once that they can fill a critical gap in a ministry, or make a different life choice. In any case repentance and faith is the goal and God is the author of that in our lives.

Persistence and patience is a great combination the first or fifth time we share the gospel.

Each Sunday we say, “I believe…” most often using the Apostle’s Creed. Sometimes we use the Nicene Creed, which says in part, “who spoke by the prophets.” That is a reference to the work of the Holy Spirit who has revealed certain truths to us that can only come by means of divine revelation. For we don’t come to faith simply by gazing up into the sky, or even by revering God as creator of all things. The writer to the Hebrews puts it this way, “In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe” (Hebrews 1:1-2).

The witness of the prophets down through the ages was most often calling people to repentance, and faith, a righteous and faithful live. But all those prophecies have their culmination in Jesus’ life, ministry, death, and resurrection – and his second coming at the end of time. Some of those prophecies are obviously receiliniar in their fulfillment: the prophet speaks about something to come in the future, and the event happens. Many are realized only when we see how Jesus fulfills them. He was everything Israel (and Adam) was supposed to be. He was fully faithful and completely obedient to the Heavenly Father.

I believe these promises and prophecies. When I read Psalm 22, I see Jesus on the cross. Isaiah 53 gives me another view of Jesus’ sacrificial death. Micah points me to Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem. These warm my heart and deepen my grasp of faith in Jesus. They bolster my confidence in those times when my faith grows weak – if only I can remember to look there.

Paul speaks of the Gospel as the power of God for the salvation of all who believe (Romans 1:16-17). It is that good news of God’s love in Jesus through which God calls us to faith (2 Thessalonians 2:14). Jesus’ first sermon as recorded in Mark’s gospel is a call to believe: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15).

It is so clear that the call to believe is far beyond intellectual ascent. It’s more than acknowledging that God exists, or that Jesus is the Son of God. So here Paul speaks to Agrippa and challenging him to go beyond believing the prophets. He says, “King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.”

And the king realizes what Paul is up to. He responds: “In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?” Paul, of course, does wish that Agrippa would become a Christian – a little Christ, a believer, a disciple. 

Someone once said that the problem of many regarding the Christian faith isn’t so much a matter of believing as it is surrendering to the Lordship of Christ. That might be partly true, but it is not the whole story. The love of God brings us to faith, changes our hearts, and ushers us into his kingdom. That’s more than surrender. That’s faith. I believe the prophets because they point me to a loving and gracious God who has redeemed me, forgiven my sins, and given me eternal life.

He got a sales job. The training was exciting. The pay potential was great. All seemed so promising. But as the training gave way to the grit of sales calls, the bloom began to fall from the roses. And the sweet smell faded to the stale odor of the grind. And the pressure built. He quit. There were too many behind the scenes realities hidden from the new recruits.

It all seemed so appealing. The emphasis on healthy living, family values, and decency was compelling. They were so encouraging, welcoming, and kind. But as they got further and further into the religious community they discovered secrets and hidden facts that were disturbing. They never would have engaged with this group had they known the whole truth.

Paul makes a comment to Festus regarding Agrippa’s knowledge of Paul’s experiences: “none of these things has escaped [the king’s] notice, for this has not been done in a corner.” All of what Paul had done, taught, claimed, and proclaimed were above board, visible to everyone. There was no bait an switch going on here. 

Followers of Jesus who wish to bring others into his kingdom must follow this light of day approach to telling others about Jesus. No false advertising. But what would need to be hidden? Perhaps some would want to downplay Jesus’ virgin birth. Others might want to make the resurrection a spiritual myth. A person might want to remove things from the Bible that are difficult to understand. We might be tempted to make Jesus one choice of many paths to God. None of these are true to God’s word.

True witnesses to the Christian faith have never tried to hide these things. The Gospel message welcomes the bright light of full disclosure. The message of the gospel must not be relegated to the corners of life.