Good morning my “Walking with Jesus” friends,
Are there some towns, which in your lifetime, have become very special to you? When you have the opportunity to revisit those towns, do you find great excitement rising up inside you, in anticipation of even a brief visit there? Are there people in those towns who you make every effort to contact, even if you are just ‘passing through’? Are there some places in or near those towns, which have such special personal memories for you, that you’ll make extra effort to have even a few moments in those special places?
I have many of those special towns, in several different parts of America, and even some foreign countries. In a few weeks I’ll have the chance to visit one particular town, and already I can feel the anticipation beginning to stir in me.
I think that’s how life was for the apostle Paul. As God led Paul on these long journeys, of taking the Gospel to towns who had never before heard of Jesus, Paul’s experiences in those towns were so significant that he longed for the chance to revisit these towns even though most of them were scattered far and wide, across a huge section of Asia, Macedonia, Greece, the Islands of the Mediterranean, and back home in Syria and Israel.
Yesterday, in the city of Syrian Antioch, we saw that Paul was evidently led, by the Holy Spirit, and I believe a deep longing to revisit some special towns, to pack up and launch out on a THIRD missionary journey! Luke describes it this way: “After spending some time in Antioch, Paul set out from there and traveled from place to place through the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.” (Acts 18:23) Now for some reason, perhaps because Luke was not traveling WITH Paul at this particular time, Luke makes no specific mention of which towns Paul visited.
However, knowing that Paul has twice before, on his two previous long journeys, made every effort to revisit the special towns where Paul first brought the Gospel, when he and Barnabas were sent out by the Holy Spirit on their first trip, and also knowing Paul’s love for his boyhood home, I’d like to lead us on what I believe was Paul’s third great journey. From Antioch, I believe Paul would have followed the same road he and Silas had trod, a little more than three years before, going north, around the north-eastern tip of the Mediterranean, and west to Paul’s boyhood hometown, Tarsus.
As far as we know, Paul was traveling alone thus far. Were Paul’s parents still living? Did Paul have siblings and if so, were any of them still in Tarsus? Was there an ‘ekklesia’ of Jesus followers growing in Tarsus which Paul would want to spend some time encouraging and teaching? Oh, can you imagine how delightful it would be for Paul to begin this long, third missionary journey, with a first stop in his hometown?
Does the word “hometown” stir up some special memories for you, my friends, maybe even the memory of some favorite dish your mother used to make whenever you’d visit home? If Tarsus was Paul’s first stop, I presume he would have spent at least a week with family and friends, and the believers there. Then, it was time to move on.
From Tarsus, it would only make sense that Paul would head west for the town of Derbe. While I can’t tell you exactly what the road was like for Paul, I’ve just checked a modern-day map and as the ‘crow flies’ it’s 95 miles from Tarsus to Derbe, but by road it’s 175 miles! That tells me it’s rugged territory. I wonder how many streams or rivers Paul would have had to walk through, how many rugged trails cut into the sides of harsh, dry hillsides, he would have trod? Were there sections of dangerous road, with thieves hiding in caves, awaited lonely travelers like Paul? If on foot Paul could make perhaps 20 miles a day, that’s at least a week of hard travel!
Can you imagine Paul’s delight as the town of Derbe began to come into sight ahead? A significant ‘ekklesia’ of Jesus followers had been developing in Derbe since Paul’s first visit with Barnabas on their first journey, in 47ad, (Acts 14:20,21) and then also with Silas on his second journey, in about 49ad. (Acts 16:1)
Now, it is 52ad, at least three years since Paul’s last visit and nearly six since his first visit. How much has changed in all that time? Who had become the spiritual leaders of this group? How long did Paul spend in Derbe, who provided him lodging and meals? What spiritual encouragement, teaching and training did Paul provide to them, not knowing if he’d ever be in Derbe again?
Now remember friends, the New Testament was just beginning to be written. By this time Paul had written three letters: Galatians, a copy of which undoubtedly the Christians at Derbe had received and studied it thoroughly. As we know, Paul had also written two letters to the Thessalonian Christians, but Thessalonica was so far away, the Christians in Derbe probably had no idea Paul had written those two letters.
So, I presume Paul would have taught them verbally some of the truths he had written to the Thessalonians, and perhaps much more Spiritual truth, which Paul would later write in other letters. The only other New Testament letter in existence, by 52ad, would have been that written by James, which bears his name, but we do not know if a scroll of James would have reached Derbe by this time.
I would assume Paul would spend at least several days or a few weeks in Derbe before moving on. As always, Paul’s last time together, with these Jesus followers in Derbe, would have likely included a meal, the celebration of the ‘Lord’s Supper’, an extended time of teaching and prayer, and especially prayer over Paul, requesting God’s protection of Paul as he continues his journey.
In the morning, Paul would have headed west toward Lystra, a journey of about 60 miles in those days. With Derbe being the farthest east point of the Roman road, the Via Sebaste, now Paul could make better travel time on this road, because it would have many more travelers and more frequent places to stop along the way, as needed. Lystra, of course, had many memories for Paul.
It was in Lystra he had been stoned nearly to death on his first visit with Barnabas. (Acts 14:1-20) But God had miraculously raised Paul up from near death and with Barnabas Paul headed on to Derbe. Paul’s second visit to Lystra was very significant in a very different way, for it was here he was presented with a young man named Timothy! (Acts 16:1-5) Timothy, you remember, was son of a Messianic Jewish woman, but his father was a Greek man, who when Paul was here last, showed little evidence of interest in Jesus. Timothy had joined Paul and Silas on Paul’s last visit to Lystra, and therefore I can well imagine Timothy’s home was Paul’s first destination, as he entered the town of Lystra in 52ad. It’s not difficult for me to imagine Timothy’s parents received Paul well, and he may have lodged there and had several meals with them, during this visit to Lystra.
Oh, Paul had so much to report to Timothy’s parents about all Timothy was experiencing in Asia, Macedonia and Greece! Paul would have spent several days, maybe several weeks, reporting to the ‘ekklesia’ in Lystra about all Paul, Silas, Timothy and Luke had experienced, and of course giving many, many stories about Timothy, to these his friends.
I think we’ll pause here in Lystra with Paul, and pick up the journey tomorrow, as Paul continues heading west. For today, if you are a parent or grandparent, what great RECENT stories do you have to tell about your kids and grandkids, which are evidence of some great things God is doing IN them, and THROUGH them, as they impact the cities where they live, and the families they are building all around the world?
Take some time right now, my friends, to thank God for what you see God is doing in your extended family and pray for them…each and all of them, right now. And here’s a song that I think will be an encouragement to you and me as we consider how God is working all around the world…
Today’s Scripture is Acts 18:23.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
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Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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