Meeting the Family

Acts 21:4
    
    In the past few years, Katie and I have had to blessing of traveling a good bit. Some places we stayed for an extended amount of time, other places a day or two at the most. In the scriptures we see this is a regular occurrence throughout the book of Acts, especially with Paul. In modern America, it is common for people to take summer vacations that are fairly extended, a week or longer. So Paul’s journey’s have a large amount of practical application. In Acts 21, the first three verses are replete with Paul’s travel plans: Cos, Rhodes, Patara, Phoenicia, Cyprus, Syria, and lastly Tyre. What did he do when he got to Tyre? “After looking up the disciples, we stayed tased there seven days;” (Acts 21:4). One chapter previous, “We sailed from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread, and came to them at Troas within five days; and there we stayed seven days. On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul began talking to them” (Acts 20:6-7). We see this was the practice of Paul wherever he went (Acts 14:21-23; 15:36; 18:1-3). Why? “Not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near. For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins” (Heb. 10:25-26). The Hebrew writer tells us that being in a habit of forsaking the assembling is not only a willful sin, but you can not encourage one another if you aren’t there. Paul did this because he wanted to not only meet Christians, he wanted to encourage the family. This is the example we are to follow. I love you all!


In His service,
Steven Hugley