Opportunities Arise From Changed Plans

I was born and raised in Denver, which means one becomes a Denver Bronco fan for life at birth.  Last week, one of the most popular players in the franchise’s history and a Future Hall of Fame inductee, Von Miller, was traded to another team. The trade stunned him.  In a press conference, he said, “If you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans.”

Why do I mention Von Miller’s trade story? Because like Von Miller and what Paul found out in Acts 20:1-12, we too learn the plans we make, and God’s plan can be different.  Paul had plans regarding his ministry and travels, while God had other plans for him.  However, the Lord’s change in Paul’s agenda also most likely led to the creation of Luke’s Gospel and his book of Acts, and a miracle connecting the Old and New Testaments.[1]  All which helped spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ worldwide.

Because of Paul’s continued teaching in the synagogues and the conversion of synagogue leaders and many members, nonbelieving Jews were still upset with Paul and plotted to kill him.

Because of these evil intentions, Paul’s travel plans changed from his desire to go from Syria to Jerusalem for the Passover to backtracking through Macedonia and its region, including Philippi, where he met Luke. Luke joined him for the trip to Jerusalem (“we” in verse 6).  If he followed his original plans, Paul would not have bumped into Luke, which most likely means no Gospel by Luke and perhaps Acts. Luke would not have traveled to Jerusalem with Paul where he interviewed Peter, John, Mark, and other eyewitnesses, the sources for his writings.[2]

Paul eventually caught up with his companions listed earlier in these verses, and before Paul set sail, they broke bread, most likely sang songs, and had a meal. Paul gave a message late into the night, leading to a young man falling asleep (full stomach, low light, late night), falling out of a window, and dying. Here is where the miracle of Paul raising the young man back to life is linked to the Old Testament prophets Elijah and Elisha’s miracles of bringing two boys back to life. Luke’s description of Paul “fell on him” (v.10) indicated Paul used the same body movement as those two prophets in their miracles of raising a person back to life.

I noticed in this story of adapting that Paul's friends separated from him for a time, but eventually met up together where they “came together” (v.7) to break bread, sing, worship, and listen to Paul’s message.  Sound familiar?

Our church had plans the pandemic changed. In adapting to the times, friends and family separated for a time.  But here is a key to Paul’s story and our church story.  Once again, there was a coming together, a meeting up with each other to break bread, sing, worship, and to hear a message. 

As this pandemic’s impact slowly meanders down and plans are updated, the time has come for the church community to move from a pixelated world and screens to a personal coming together to meet, study, break bread, sing, worship, and listen to a message.

The church's future rests in a community of believers being where the world expects us to be on a Sunday morning (now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together v.7), worshiping together in honoring the Lord on the Sabbath.

-Dan Nickel

[1]Charles Swindoll, Living Insights: Acts (Carol Stream, Illinois: Tyndale, 2016), 397 - 400.

[2] Ibid.