David Bahn – Reflections

We’ve encountered some winding roads as we’ve traveled through Glacier National Park. One road, however, that is not particularly winding is the Going to the Sun Road. There is only one switchback on the approximately 50 mile long road. It starts at about 3,150 feet in elevation at the West Glacier entrance climbing to a peak elevation of 6,646 feet at Logan’s Pass where it crosses the Continental Divide. The scenery is stunning, with overlooks, mountains, and wildlife along the way.

Paul did not have such a beautiful road to travel. Although the scenery in Israel is historic and striking, there were no paved roads or Interstate Highways in his day. And on this first leg of his journey to Rome, he knows only that he will go to Rome – not how he will get there. In fact, humanly speaking there is little reason to hold to hope that he will get there at all. Herod’s Praetorium could be his final stop. He did not know what awaited him in Caesarea. He had only the promise of Jesus that he would testify of Jesus in Rome. He would have to hold to that promise in the face of plots, protective custody, and soldiers’ escorts as far as Caesarea.

Our roads may be long and winding, but even if they’re paved, we have only the promise of Jesus of our final destination. He has promised eternal life. He has promised salvation. He has promised to wipe away every tear. He has promised to be with us wherever we go. He has promised that he has overcome the world.

It’s good to recall that our paths are known to God – especially when they are long and winding. But it’s vitally important that we remember our ultimate destination whenever our paths are beautifully scenic. For those paths can distract us from our ultimate goal. We can easily forget that the beauty of this world is but a pale reflection of the ultimate glory of the new heavens and the new earth. And however long and winding the road may be, God will certainly bring us safely to our ultimate destination.

We’re enjoying some travel in Glacier National Park and our accommodations are completely adequate, but not modern. To be honest the two we’ve been at are a bit long in the tooth. Tonight’s room is on the ground level and we look out onto the employee entrance to the large. The lodge itself is impressive, and the views are spectacular. So this is not a complaint by any means. But it sets up a comparison between the luxury of our lodging compared with being guarded in Herod’s praetorium.

Here’s an AI description of Herod’s praetorium:

This grand structure included administrative offices, military barracks, and living quarters for the governor and his staff. It was within this fortified complex that Paul was held under guard after being transferred from Jerusalem to protect him from plots against his life. The Praetorium was a symbol of Roman authority in the region and was a secure location for detaining high-profile prisoners like Paul.

I’m thinking it may have been much nicer than the barracks in Jerusalem, and certainly nicer than the jail in Philippi. Maybe not luxurious. But certainly adequate. Maybe no beautiful views. But safe and secure.

I strongly suspect that Paul did not care what kind of accommodations he was allowed. I think of Philippians 4:10-13: “ I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”

Paul was less concerned about where he was than he was aware that Christ was with him. I may need to remember that once in a while. We’ve seen some spectacular scenery on this trip. We’ll certainly see more. It makes me think of the hymn, How Great Thou Art. 

O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder
Consider all the works Thy hands have made,
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee, “How great Thou art. How great Thou art.”

When through the woods, and forest glades I wander,
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees;
When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur
And see the brook, and feel the gentle breeze.

Those digs are available to all who open their eyes to the stars at night or the grandeur of the mountains at daybreak.

We’re enjoying some travel in Glacier National Park and our accommodations are completely adequate, but not modern. To be honest the two we’ve been at are a bit long in the tooth. Tonight’s room is on the ground level and we look out onto the employee entrance to the large. The lodge itself is impressive, and the views are spectacular. So this is not a complaint by any means. But it sets up a comparison between the luxury of our lodging compared with being guarded in Herod’s praetorium.

Here’s an AI description of Herod’s praetorium:

This grand structure included administrative offices, military barracks, and living quarters for the governor and his staff. It was within this fortified complex that Paul was held under guard after being transferred from Jerusalem to protect him from plots against his life. The Praetorium was a symbol of Roman authority in the region and was a secure location for detaining high-profile prisoners like Paul.

I’m thinking it may have been much nicer than the barracks in Jerusalem, and certainly nicer than the jail in Philippi. Maybe not luxurious. But certainly adequate. Maybe no beautiful views. But safe and secure.

I strongly suspect that Paul did not care what kind of accommodations he was allowed. I think of Philippians 4:10-13: “ I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”

Paul was less concerned about where he was than he was aware that Christ was with him. I may need to remember that once in a while. We’ve seen some spectacular scenery on this trip. We’ll certainly see more. It makes me think of the hymn, How Great Thou Art. 

O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder
Consider all the works Thy hands have made,
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee, “How great Thou art. How great Thou art.”

When through the woods, and forest glades I wander,
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees;
When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur
And see the brook, and feel the gentle breeze.

Those digs are available to all who open their eyes to the stars at night or the grandeur of the mountains at daybreak.

A seminary classmate years ago when to the microphone asking for a point of personal privilege. This is a parliamentary procedure, requesting that the chair allow one to speak in a public meeting. In this case it was at a church convention. He began by saying, “I’m a fifth generation Texas Missouri-Synod Lutheran.” At that, I thought, what am I? I’m not a native Texan, nor was I born into a Lutheran family. I guess I don’t have a leg to stand on regarding his comments. Actually my thoughts were much more colorful, which I won’t share. But you get my drift, I’m sure. He went on to make his point, which was to decry the decisions we had made to that point at our convention.

At the closing service of that convention, the pastor who preached, began his message, “I’m a sixth generation Texas Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod pastor…” And I cheered in my heart. He sure one-upped my classmate. Sadly I did not share my classmate’s view of things. I thought the decisions we had made were spot on. And I took comfort that someone would make that point. Mind you, a sermon isn’t the best place to launch a counterattack of ideas. But I couldn’t help myself. I was pleased at his one-upmanship.

I remember that as I think of how things are being played out with Paul’s accusers; those 40 who had made a vow not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul. (I still wonder if they died of dehydration or starvation.) In contrast to that, the tribune calls two centurions who command 70 horseman and 200 spearmen to protect Paul and actuate his escape in the middle of the night. Take that, you 40!

The only problem with all this is that God doesn’t need 40, 70, 200, or 2000 to make good his plans. He can win a victory over 1000 men with one man and a jawbone of an ass (Judges 15:15). There are other examples. I think of David and Goliath, Gideon and his 300 men, the walls of Jericho, and others. It’s not by might but by God’s Spirit that battles are won.

We may be small and weak in the face of the might and impressive glory of the ways of the world. Evil can look insurmountable. We all have our giants we must face. But God’s arm is not too weak to protect us and defeat our enemies. Sometimes it’s an overwhelming show of power as allies line up with us. Other times God simply lets evil collapse under its own weight. But one thing’s for sure: I won’t count on my 40, 400, or 4000 if I am not on God’s mission. And I thank God that he has a plan that will come to eternal fruition, joy, glory, and victory. Jesus has won the victory. We wait for his ultimate deliverance – against all odds.

Paul is being held in the Roman soldiers’ barracks. This was for Paul’s protection in Jerusalem when the tribune saw that the mob there was about to tear Paul limb from limb. Then comes a plot involving 40 men who swore an oath to kill Paul. The story picks up here: The tribune orders two centurions to to bring 200 men to protect Paul and bring him to Felix. All this to protect Paul. He is still in custody. He is not free to go. But his enemies do not have free access to him.

I’m guessing that Paul felt OK about all this. I suspect his treatment on this occasion was better than he experienced in Philippi, as well as temporary imprisonments on other occasions during his missionary travels. He will be imprisoned in Caesarea for about two years. He will also be imprisoned when he finally gets to Rome – though that will be more of a house arrest.

Paul’s defense will always include his testimony to God’s grace in Jesus Christ. He will use his Roman citizenship. He will appeal to Caesar. That will get him to Rome. But every moment in his imprisonment, testimony, travels, and encounters will be about Jesus, the hope of the resurrection, and the truth of who Jesus is.

We may not be behind bars, or confined to a soldiers’ barracks. But God’s protective hand is always upon us. We do not live apart from his providential care. We may not need to make a defense before governors, magistrates, or much less emperors. We may not be called to be missionaries in the same way Paul was called. But we are called to seek first God’s kingdom and righteousness. We are called to love one another. We are to forgive as Christ has forgiven us. We are always to be ready to give an account for the hope that we have.

I doubt I’ll ever be put in prison because of my Christian witness. But I may face challenges and situations where my faith is put to the test, and my hope in Jesus becomes ever more pure. Whenever such things happen, we can thank God that he is faithful, gracious, and mercifully present.

“Go tell your mom, I need her out here right now!” I was in the middle of a repair job and had run into a problem that required an extra set of eyes and a third hand. He was too small to provide either. Off he ran. Soon Diane appeared. “What is it?” she asked. “I need your help. See this piece here? Can you hold it while I tighten this screw?” One turn of the screwdriver together with the extra set of eyes and her hand, and all was well. Had he not gone to get her the task would have failed, and a tedious effort would have to start again.

Our son saved the repair job on that day. But that was nowhere near as urgent as the efforts of the young man, warning Paul, being sent to tell the tribune, and keeping his silence about having shared this information. They were hatching a plot-thwarting plan to save Paul.

I doubt the young man woke up that morning thinking that he would be an essential part of this plan. But when Paul’s nephew heard of the plot against his uncle, I’m guessing he realized he had a chance to do something. Perhaps he thought he would tell Paul and that would be it. Or maybe he was ready to go. “What do you want me to do?”

Such an eager attitude toward helping in any way we can place us in positions of kingdom impact. A simple errand, a word of encouragement delivered, a prayer prayed, an offering shared can each reach farther than we might imagine. We might think of seeking God’s kingdom and righteousness as a great challenge. But the challenge may be that of simply responding to opportunities to seek justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God (cf. Micah 6:8).

Paul’s nephew did some heroic things. That set in motion a visit by Paul to Rome. Who knows what little things – heroic or not – might have a great impact in the kingdom of God? After all the most heroic thing ever to have occurred in God’s kingdom started when a young maiden said, “I am the Lord’s servant. Let it be to me as you have said.”

Maybe you’ve made a vow to yourself: “I’m never going to treat my children like I was treated.” Then one day, you catch yourself doing the very thing you vowed you would never do. That may be one of the most dangerous examples of making a vow. We all too easy blind ourselves to the very thing we swear we’ll never do. The “I swear I’ll never…” or “I vow I’ll always…” can set such a trap for us.

Then there is the matter of pride and self-righteousness. Note the “I” statement. If we do manage to keep our vows, we can too easily become self-righteous. I kept my vow. We become judgmental of others. And if we fail, we are devastated. All the while we depend on ourselves rather than God. Then we conclude (wrongly) that God’s grace is needed only when we fail.

There are, nevertheless, good vows. But we don’t make those vows to ourselves. Marriage vows are made to our spouse and before God. Ordination vows are made to the church and to God.

But what about these vows of the 40 men? They report their vow to the chief priests and council. But they report them in this manner: “We have strictly bound ourselves by an oath to taste no food till we have killed Paul.” Get those words, bound ourselves? They have tied up themselves. What’s more, they have vowed to do an evil thing. They have taken upon themselves an evil task. They were not sent by the authorities. They usurped the prerogative of life and death. It was not theirs to take.

This is a good lesson for us. Don’t bind yourself. Don’t make a private vow. And certainly do not usurp power that is not yours. There are times, to be sure, when we may feel compelled to take matters into our own hands. That didn’t work so well for the 40 vow-makers.

Living under God’s grace rather than relying on personal strength or resolve is the far better choice. Making a vow to ourselves can reflect a misplaced dependence on our own strength and abilities. Better we should trust in God’s guidance and provision.

God himself made a vow. It is called in the Bible, a covenant. “This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the LORD. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people…I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” (Jeremiah 31:33-34). God kept his vow by sending Jesus to atone for our sins, and grant us the forgiveness we all need. For none of us has kept his vow perfectly. We can rejoice that God’s oath was kept and is for our eternal good.

Gerbera Daisies | Arbor Gate Nursery, Tomball, Texas | May 2024

I have a pet peeve. When pastors hang out together inevitably one will ask, “How many do you worship?” It’s a shorthand way of asking how large your congregation is. “How many people do you have in worship?” is a better way to ask it. So I’ll answer, “We worship One. There are about 200 per Sunday who gather to worship that one.” They usually chuckle, “I get it. Pretty good,” they’ll say. But I’m not sure they do, because the question still comes up. Maybe less frequently today than in years past. Part of that may have to do with the shrinking numbers of people who gather each Sunday to worship the One True God.

There is a great lesson here – but not about worship attendance, but about numbers. Isaiah 31:1 says it well: “Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in the multitude of their chariots and in the great strength of their horsemen, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel, or seek help from the LORD.”

I think of that in this case because of the more than forty men who have conspired together and taken an oath not to eat or drink until they killed Paul. Forty is a significant number. That’s quite a few for just one man. They weren’t messing around. They were out to get Paul, and they lined up a good number of men to take care of business.

I wonder if they starved to death or died of dehydration. They had sworn not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul. But (spoiler alert!) he will get away. They will not succeed – despite their more than forty-strong number.

David had his sling against the giant Saul. Gideon had has donkey’s jawbone. Elijah had his prayer. We have the promises of God. And even if we don’t see his deliverance here and now, we have the witness of Daniel 3:16-18, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, ‘King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.’”

Paul will be saved from these forty men. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were saved. We too have been saved by the mighty hand of God – nailed to a cross, dead in our place, risen from the grave, and returning at the end of days to claim us as his own. Forty, forty thousand, or forty trillion notwithstanding, God’s got us in his heart, and providential care. That’s far more powerful than a mere forty men.