Acts 20:17-27, Orderliness vs. disorganization (2)

We need to say a little more about the end of the previous post.  Some people might say that the man who is always on schedule as being orderly.  Now I know we are talking about a made-up story.  But if we’re not looking for a tight schedule for the family, what are we looking for?  For the Christian, his life is all about serving the Savior.  We are yielded to Him as a living sacrifice.  Furthermore, we know that God is always at work in our lives.  Being yielded to Christ means being available for whatever God has in mind for us day by day. 

In my view, the Apostle Paul is a great study in a man whose life was orderly, in a Biblical sense.  Here are a few thoughts from his life.

·       Like our Lord, Paul had longed to finish the race of life well (Ac. 20:28; 2 Tim. 4:7).  His life was uncluttered with things that might hinder him from doing that.

o   He worked on the side when necessary, but usually trusted God to provide through the churches (Ac. 18:1-3,18; 1 Cor. 9:6; Phil. 4:14-16)).

o   Paul believed it was necessary that he not have a wife; his type of ministry involved a lot of travelling and was much easier without family responsibilities (1 Cor. 7:25-38; 9:5).

o   Paul refrained from “debatable” lifestyle issues when necessary (Rom. 14:19-21).  Again, the point was to have no unnecessary rubble that would hinder the work, the same way the people building the wall needed to reduce the rubble that would slow them down.

·       I would maintain that the strong disagreement between Paul and Barnabas (Ac. 15:36-41) was based on two men who wanted to do the work God gave them to do.  Barnabas, the “son of encouragement” has time to work with John Mark.  Paul’s ministry that highlighted the Gentiles was controversial as they were regularly involved with believers of Jewish background as well as Gentile.  Timothy, who saw Paul as a spiritual father, was the man for Paul.  And at a later time Paul was more than happy to bring Mark back on to the team (2 Tim. 4:11).

·       Paul clearly had a plan for ministry.  Generally it was: go to a significant city where there was no church, preach at the synagogue, then leave the synagogue at the right time, preach to all who would listen, from that city reach out to surrounding communities, and then move on to another city at the right time. 

·       The “right time” was dependent on God’s leading.  On one occasion, Paul left a work that was going well because it was God’s time.  On another occasion, Paul was led to stay in a place where there were many adversaries (1 Cor. 16:8-9). 

Much more could be said about Paul.  But I believe the point is made that his life of ministry, constantly on the move, filled with pressure situations, was one where he finished the race that God put before him.  He could do that because he had eliminated the clutter that would have hindered him.