He Leads We Follow

 DEVOTION

THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES

HE LEADS, WE FOLLOW

Acts 21:1-6

21:1 After we had torn ourselves away from them, we put out to sea and sailed straight to Cos. The next day we went to Rhodes and from there to Patara. 2 We found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, went on board and set sail. 3 After sighting Cyprus and passing to the south of it, we sailed on to Syria. We landed at Tyre, where our ship was to unload its cargo. 4 Finding the disciples there, we stayed with them seven days. Through the Spirit they urged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. 5 But when our time was up, we left and continued on our way. All the disciples and their wives and children accompanied us out of the city, and there on the beach we knelt to pray. 6 After saying good-by to each other, we went aboard the ship, and they returned home.

NIV

Once again, we are seeing another travel log, listing some of the places Paul and his companions visited. At Trye, they found some disciples. We are not told how they found them or by what method, all we know is that there were believers in Tyre, although we cannot find any reference to who preached the gospel message to them. However, we find in this narrative that the disciples urged Paul, through the Spirit, not to go to Jerusalem. The disciples were believers and must have also been baptized in the Spirit. They were speaking to Paul, urging him through the power of the Holy Spirit within them. This was no ordinary urging by men, but it was an urging inspired by the Spirit. However, Paul was also led by the Spirit, so how do we justify this urging through the Spirit? We know Paul encountered trouble in Jerusalem. What do we learn through this exchange between the disciples in Trye and Paul? First, we know the Spirit will lead us, not just into all truth, although that is an incredible fact, but he will also lead us on the path we are to walk. Second, what we have to say to each other should be guided or prompted by the Spirit. We can all have our own opinions on matters in life, including religious or spiritual ones. We can all have our own opinions about how to interpret the scriptures, to the point of disagreeing enough to go form another church. But the fact is, we should be building each other up until we all reach unity in the faith, and that can only happen if we are all led by the Spirit, rather than by our own self-interests. Paul had been warned by the Spirit of his pending hardships, yet he also knew he must follow the path laid out for him, even when others, through the Spirit, urged him not to go on to where trouble would meet him. Who was right in this matter, the disciples or Paul? We know the Spirit is not confused or at odds with himself, yet Paul did not heed their urging and left for Jerusalem. Could it be possible that this was just a test by the Spirit of Paul's submission to his leading? Could the Spirit have been giving Paul a chance to back out and not follow his leading? We just do not have the answers to those questions, but we know we should follow the Spirit's lead, wherever he leads us. This would mean we should not follow our own lead or opinions, but always seek the direction of the Spirit. When we say that we have decided to follow Jesus, then we cannot follow ourselves. The Spirit leads us, we follow. Where he leads, we will follow.