Steps Along the Way

GETTING STARTED

It’s easy to gloss over seemingly insignificant things when telling our story. But often, if we stop and look at all that is going on, we realize a broad overview isn’t sufficient, and we may miss seeing the Lord at work in our lives.

Reading the Bible can be like that. We come to a section of Scripture that can seem easy to breeze by just to get to the next “big story.” In doing so, we may miss important things that would help put the big picture into perspective as we stop to ponder the steps along the way.

  • What are parts of your story that you tend to gloss over because you don’t think they’re that important or exciting?

READ THE WORD: ACTS 20:1-6 (ESV)

20:1 After the uproar ceased, Paul sent for the disciples, and after encouraging them, he said farewell and departed for Macedonia. 2 When he had gone through those regions and had given them much encouragement, he came to Greece. 3 There he spent three months, and when a plot was made against him by the Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia. 4 Sopater the Berean, son of Pyrrhus, accompanied him; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy; and the Asians, Tychicus and Trophimus. 5 These went on ahead and were waiting for us at Troas, 6 but we sailed away from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread, and in five days we came to them at Troas, where we stayed for seven days.

English Standard Version, copyright 2001 by Crossway Bibles. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

DIGGING DEEPER

  1. What did Paul do with the disciples in verse 1? What made Paul change his plans in verse 3?
  2. Who are the people mentioned in this passage, and where are they from (vs.4)?
  3. Why did these men accompany Paul on the journey? (See Romans 15:25-30 for further insight.) What does this tell you about the growth and spiritual maturity of the church at this time?
  4. Who is along with you on the journey right now that you could encourage?
  5. Are there times in your past where now, with some perspective, you can see how God was working in the midst of what seemed to be just an ordinary time? How might that encourage you today?

RESPOND TO GOD

Life goes by fast, and we rarely stop to take a step back and see what God is doing in and around us. In this passage we see Paul just grinding it out going from one place to the next, but when we peel back the layers a bit, we see significant relationships, gospel movement, lives being changed, and history being made. Paul wrote Romans and 2 Corinthians while he was in Greece for these three months! The theology of the church has been impacted for over 2,000 years because of what happened during this time.

  • Ask God to show and remind you how he has been at work in your life and to bring to mind people who have played a part in your story.
  • Thank God for his faithfulness to you along the way, and think of whom you could encourage and thank for the part they have played, or are playing, in your journey.