Paul Becomes Like Christ and Produces Fruit

The Spirit powerfully animated Paul all throughout his third missionary journey, giving him life and direction. One important point in that direction was to go to Jerusalem. The Spirit told Paul over and over again that he would meet imprisonment and affliction at the end of that journey (Acts 20:22-23, Acts 21:11-12). But the Spirit empowered Paul with obedience, and an unfailing resolve (Acts 20:24-25, Acts 21:13-14). In fact, he wasn’t just empowered by the Spirit, but bound by him to a courageous loyalty for the mission (Acts 20:22). 

This mission put Paul in contact with very powerful people.  Shortly after his arrival in Jerusalem, he was arrested in a temple riot by the Roman Tribune who oversaw the protection of the city (Acts 21:31-33).  The Tribune was a man named Claudius Lysias (Acts 23:26-27).  At the time, he would have been the highest ranking Roman official in Jerusalem. Because of his authority and power, he was able to give Paul the opportunity to present his personal conversion testimony to that violent mob of religious hypocrites who had not yet heard it. This allowed Paul to prime them for how the Gospel was about to change the world. Specifically, he shared how he had been commanded by God to go to the Gentiles. This did not sit well with that crowd and they demanded his death, forcing Claudius to ultimately take him before the Sanhedrin. Once there, with the legal and unwitting protection of Claudius, Paul was able to argue for Christian resurrection – which resulted in yet another religious clamoring. Ultimately, Claudius places Paul before Felix, the governor of Judea!

Even though Paul suffered imprisonment, rejection by his own people, and a variety of pains, his love of God, his trust in Christ, and his commitment to his mission, influenced the world for centuries after those brief sufferings were over.   Paul literally imitated Christ by walking in his footsteps, and then became like him. His power and truth were rejected by his people, and they sought to kill him.  Despite this, Paul was growing fruits of love as evidenced by his sacrifice for the well being of both Jews and Gentiles. But all the fruits of the spirit were blooming everywhere he went. He expressed joy in his opportunities for sacrifice, and he engendered joy in the people for whom he sacrificed. He brought peace to those who surrendered to his message, and he demonstrated it in his willingness to calmly give his life.  He established his patience by staying true to his difficult mission. He was kind and good in all of his work, and his self-control was unquestionable.  Paul had become a fruit producing garden of goodness!  

What opportunities afforded to you by the Spirit are you missing? What opportunities are you seizing? What fruit are you producing and who is benefiting from it?