Archive for month: May, 2022

Hi  GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Acts 20:13-24.  Let’s go!

Acts 20:13-16 (NIV)
13  We went on ahead to the ship and sailed for Assos, where we were going to take Paul aboard. He had made this arrangement because he was going there on foot.
14  When he met us at Assos, we took him aboard and went on to Mitylene.
15  The next day we set sail from there and arrived off Kios. The day after that we crossed over to Samos, and on the following day arrived at Miletus.
16  Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia, for he was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem, if possible, by the day of Pentecost.

On verses 13-16:  When I read these verses I get the sense that Paul is engaged in a race against time, as if every second counts and every moment matters.  As he travels from place to place, he doesn’t take the scenic route.  Nor does he stop to veg out.  Instead, Paul goes from Troas on foot to Assos, then takes a ship to Mitylene.  The next day he sails to Kios (v15), the day after to Samos, the following day to Miletus.  He skips past Ephesus so that he can get to Jerusalem as soon as possible.  It’s as if Paul is trying to find the quickest route he can to get to Jerusalem.

Hi  GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Acts 20:1-12.  Let’s go!

Acts 20:1 (NIV)
1  When the uproar had ended, Paul sent for the disciples and, after encouraging them, said good-by and set out for Macedonia.

On verse 1:  When all the chaos and upheaval in Ephesus (see Acts 19) had died down, Paul meets with the Christians in Ephesus (possibly in a secure hiding place) and encourages them before leaving for Macedonia.  This might have been the last time that Paul saw most of the Christians in Ephesus.

What can we learn from this?  Whether it’s your family, your church, or a team that you lead, when the people you are leading have just experienced a traumatic or distressing event, it helps for them to gather together and to hear encouraging words from their leader.