PT-1 "Giving" (Acts 20:1b-2a)

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 6/30/2018 9:39 AM

My Worship Time                                                                                                  Focus:  “Giving”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                      Reference:  Acts 20:1b-2a

            Message of the verses:  “he departed to go to Macedonia.  And when he had gone through those districts”

             MacArthur writes that “Paul planned to travel from Ephesus to Jerusalem through the Greek districts of Macedonia (the northern section) and Achaia (the southern section).  That itinerary took him in the opposite direction from his ultimate goal of Jerusalem.  Paul, however, had a definite purpose in mind—to take up a collection for the poor believers at Jerusalem.  He mentions his plans in three of his epistles written at this time—1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, and Romans.  In 1 Corinthians, written shortly before he left Ephesus (1 Cor. 16:5-8), Paul wrote:

“1 Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I directed the churches of Galatia, so do you also. 2 On the first day of every week each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper, so that no collections be made when I come. 3 When I arrive, whomever you may approve, I will send them with letters to carry your gift to Jerusalem; 4 and if it is fitting for me to go also, they will go with me.

    “5 But I will come to you after I go through Macedonia, for I am going through Macedonia; 6 and perhaps I will stay with you, or even spend the winter, so that you may send me on my way wherever I may go. 7 For I do not wish to see you now just in passing; for I hope to remain with you for some time, if the Lord permits. 8 But I will remain in Ephesus until Pentecost; 9 for a wide door for effective service has opened to me, and there are many adversaries (1 Cor. 16:1-9).”

            Paul writes the following from Romans 15:25-28 “25 but now, I am going to Jerusalem serving the saints. 26 For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. 27 Yes, they were pleased to do so, and they are indebted to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual things, they are indebted to minister to them also in material things. 28 Therefore, when I have finished this, and have put my seal on this fruit of theirs, I will go on by way of you to Spain.”

            Form these verses here in Romans and in 1 Corinthians we get a feel for what Paul was doing and where he was going.  One of the things that was very important to Paul was to collect funds for the church in Jerusalem as there was a famine going on at that time and Paul had it in his heart to have the Gentile churches to give to the mostly Jewish church in Jerusalem, something that according to Romans 15:30 and following was what he wanted the Romans to pray for.  “30 Now I urge you, brethren, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God for me, 31 that I may be rescued from those who are disobedient in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may prove acceptable to the saints; 32 so that I may come to you in joy by the will of God and find refreshing rest in your company.”  In my prayer list that I use on many occasions I have written the following about these verses:  “Romans 15:30 “Now I urge you, brethren, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God for me,

John MacArthur writes:

“The word ‘to strive together,’ sunagonizomai, the word ‘agony’ is in the middle of that word to agonize, sunis that compounding preposition that intensifies the verb.  By the way, this same verb in John 18:36 is translated by the word ‘fighting…fighting.’  He says I want you to fight with me in your prayers.”  

            In verse 31 we read that Paul wanted the Romans to pray that he would “be rescued from those who are disobedient in Judah.”  That word disobedient means “unregenerate,” so he was writing about the unsaved Jews. 

            I think that it is best that we finish up looking at this section about “giving” in our next SD.

Answer to yesterday’s Bible question:  “Matthew 24.”

Today’s Bible question:  “Who said ‘Shall I go up to the Philistines?  Will You deliver them into my hands’?”

Answer in our next SD.

6/30/2018 10:21 AM