It is Christ Who Lives // Acts 20:24

How do you read today’s verse? Does it strike you as though the Apostle Paul (the one who spoke the words as recorded in today’s verse since he was going to Jerusalem knowing he was a wanted man) might have had something like a death wish? He didn’t, but he was clear-eyed about how the enemies of the Gospel would view his arrival. This is consistent with several statements he made to his followers. Take, for example, his words in Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Paul no longer saw his life as his own, but covered by the grace and strength of Jesus. So, if the Lord wanted him in Jerusalem, he felt he had no choice.

Friends, we are all to take a similar approach to our journey of faith. We are unlikely to go somewhere as threatening today as it was for Paul who was deployed to Jerusalem. Sadly, though, there are people of faith around the world — think of places like China, Pakistan, and India just to name a few — who DO face such danger daily for their faith in Christ. This convicts me greatly when I think of times I am inclined to shy away from sharing my faith for fear of being judged or “cancelled.”

Jesus told His followers to be willing to take up their individual cross and follow Him (Matthew 16:24). Jesus’ point was we all must be ready to be viewed as a criminal in our culture for the sake of the Gospel. This requires courage, yes, but even more than that, confidence that Jesus is who He said He was and will keep His promises. May we also think like Paul In Philippians 3:12 with a commitment to complete the race Jesus not only called us to run, but sets the pace, and marks the finish line — “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.”

Yes, Christ Jesus takes hold of you. It is His life believers now live. Let’s get out there with conviction, shall we?