Who Are Those Guys?

 

Acts 20:2-4  He traveled through that area, speaking many words of encouragement to the people, and finally arrived in Greece, where he stayed three months. Because the Jews made a plot against him just as he was about to sail for Syria, he decided to go back through Macedonia. He was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timothy also, and Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia.

 

 

When Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid were trying to evade the trackers after one of their big train heists they were mystified at who would be so diligent, so determined and so gifted in pursuing them.  They kept repeating the same question to each other -”who are those guys?”.

 

Indeed that was the same question I had after reading the passage of Paul’s traveling companions through Macedonia.  Who are those guys?  Paul clearly was on the run like those notorious outlaws Butch and Sundance, but Paul’s reason for being on the run so to speak was because he was bringing down strongholds, proclaiming light in a dark world, facing the spiritual forces at work in the world.  He had enemies.

 

But who were these guys that accompanied him?  They must have been honest men, noble men, men of prayer, men of faith and conviction.  The must have had spiritual strength, perhaps even physical strength?  They were the guardians and protectors of Paul, a man of great importance to the kingdom of God.

 

In so many ways God provided protection for Paul as he journeyed for the kingdom, but He didn’t spare him from all suffering.  Paul knew suffering and weakness and the weight of sorrow, even despair.  Yet God was with him, through the comfort of the Holy Spirit, through visions, throught the help and prayers of others…and through these seven men of God on the way through Macedonia.

 

Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timothy also, and Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia walked with Paul to encourage, care for and protect.

 

Who are your brothers, sisters, fathers, mothers in the Lord to walk with you, to have your back, to pray for you, to help you see the work of God in your life?  You need them.  If you don’t have them, you need to find them.  God made us to walk in community on this journey.  We are not lone outlaws like Butch and Sundance.  We are not made to do this life by ourselves.  We are on a walk with God and with others.

 

Blessings in your walk with Sopater or Aristarchus or…

Scott for Wellspring © Copyright 2009

The Power of Community

When I was a kid, we would periodically have big potluck dinners at the Church my family and I attended.  These big dinners would take place in what was called the “Fellowship” Hall.  From that experience I had some idea that “Fellowship” or the term I like to use “Community” had something to do with  people getting together and talking a bit.  Mostly over homemade casseroles and 3 bean salad. (Certainly not a bad practice at all)  Afterward everyone went home, took naps, and went about their lives again.  Growing up that was my understanding of the term Fellowship in the context of the church. 

In college I became associated with a ministry called “College Career Christian Fellowship“.  It was there that I met other’s my age who seemed very intent on having a “relationship” with Jesus.  These were no “Sunday” morning Christians.  They wanted Jesus to be woven into every part of their lives.  I had never seen that before.  I was drawn to them.  This Jesus person seemed to compel them to reach out to me!  They acted as though they loved me!?  I had never connected God’s love as something personal to “me” before.  I was blown away, and needless to say, I made a personal commitment to Jesus and was baptized a year later.  I credit this group of young college folks and their love for “me” as the primary tool that God used in bringing me into a relationship with himself.

In 1999 I attended a ministry conference in San Antonio Texas.  The theme of the conference was “Community”.  It sounded quite interesting and I was excited to go.  It was there that I learned the theology behind what I had already experienced in my life.  A man named Gilbert Bilezekian did some teaching on the subject of community.  He taught about how God himself is the essence of community  (Father, Son, Holy Spirit), the first Small Group if you will.  He expounded on the fact that the bible was written to be read from the perspective of “we” rather than “me”.   I was blown away by the teaching he gave and God planted within in me the knowledge of what he had already worked out in my life.  God created me for community.  He created me to be in community with himself through his church.  Wow!  When we think of Community, it shouldn’t be an add on, but true community is actually the essence of what the church is to be.  Community is his design for the “church”.  The church is God’s design for showing himself to the world!  Unfortuantely the term church has been hijacked.  Many have reduced it’s meaning.  We often use the term “church” to refer to a particular building or what happens for 90 minutes on a Sunday morning.  What a horrible misuse of What God intended! 

A powerful picture of Community is found in the book of Acts.  Read chapter 2:42-47 and see if you don’t see an incredible picture of what God had in mind.  Flip over to chapter 4 and read verses 32-35 and see if you don’t get some goosebumps about what God is up to.  In fact read through the entire New Testament and see if you can’t see how much God absolutely loves the church! 

One week after I was baptized I came across a verse in I John.  Here is what it says:

“No one has ever seen God, but if we love each other, his love lives through us and it is made complete in us”.–I John 4:12

That’s it!  That’s what happened to me!  God showed his love to me personally by bringing me in contact with people who were willing to love me “personally” from the depths of their heart.  They did it because they were in love with Jesus.  That is the power of community.  That is the ”church” as God intended it.  Practicing the discipline of community is the call of everyone who calls themselves a follower of Jesus.  The world won’t take notice (Acts 2:47) of the church until we start loving one another.  It starts with each of us doing our part.  

Making Community Real:

1)  Get in a group with other Christians and start growing

But Dave, what if they don’t think the same way as me?  What if their gifts are different from mine?  Welcome to the hard work of loving one another my friend.  If it was easy would it be love?  Practice loving others with the love of Jesus Christ.  (You know how far he went to love others right?)

 2)  If you have something agains a brother or sister in Christ, go to that person and make peace with them.

Step up to the plate!  Doing this is the hardest work of building community.  This is truly the road less traveled by most of us Christians, and the one I think God is often prompting us to take.

3)  Intentional, ongoing prayer for others

Who are you praying for?  Who is on your list?  Do you have a list?  Are you asking for updates on their life and how you can intercede for them?  What opportunities is God leading you to in serving these people?  Start doing all of this soon!

 God wants you to be a conveyer of his grace and love to others.  Will you do it?   

Dave for Wellspring  © 2008