God had a plan for Paul, and what God decrees will always come to pass (see Isa. 46:9-10; Eph. 1:10). As we see Acts 23, Roman soldiers protected Paul from harm and death, but God is the One who sends protection. He also is the One who reveals His plan in His time. Cutting through the chaos, the Lord spoke to Paul directly and told him that he would indeed testify about Him in Rome, sharing the good news of Jesus Christ who saves sinners through faith. Paul had to make the decision to trust God’s word, believing that he would make it out of Jerusalem safe and sound. But even if he struggled with that faith, the Lord remains faithful to His people and His plan.
We must remember that although God promised Paul he would make it to Rome, God did not give him all the details of what his journey there would look like. In our lives, God may tell us about our destination, yet He may not reveal our path there either. This is why we must keep on trusting God during the journey.
Sometimes it’s hard to see the road ahead because of the turns, which prevent us from knowing what lies ahead. In Acts 23:12-35 we see Paul face a similar situation. How would he reach Rome? People were plotting to kill him. What if a mob of people wanted you dead so badly they were plotting with creativity the ways they were going to kill you?
This would be enough to make one feel scared, helpless, and vulnerable.
Yet as we read, we see that God’s plans for Paul would not be thwarted by humans, no matter how much they plotted. God remained in control of Paul’s life, not the conspirators. God is the One who orders our steps, even when we face the schemes of people who want to harm us. God is the One who protects us. We should not fear those who could harm our body only; instead, we should fearfully respect the One who can destroy both our body and soul (Matt. 10:28). Yet if we are in Christ, we can rest assured that God will never seek to destroy us because Jesus has removed God’s wrath from us (Rom. 8:1). Rather, God lovingly protects us in life and in death as a father protects his children because that is what we are to Him (1 John 3:1).
Tips for Teaching This Week’s Session of The Gospel Project for Adults
Every week for Volume 4: From Captivity to the Wilderness, Ken Braddy, Lifeway’s director of Sunday School, will offer guidance to help leaders prepare to lead and teach each session of The Gospel Project for Adults.
Podcast (adultsleadertraining): Play in new window | Download
Tips for Teaching This Week’s Session of The Gospel Project for Students
Every week, student ministry leaders offer guidance to help leaders prepare to lead and teach each session of The Gospel Project for Students. Listen in as he shares:
- The main point of the session
- Any challenges and opportunities for additional discussion that may arise during this session
- Encouragements for leaders
Podcast (studentsleadertraining): Play in new window | Download
A Final Reminder
Don’t forget, you can find tools to help you prepare and lead the discussion in the Additional Resources for this volume. We hope these are a blessing to you as you walk through this session together.
*This week’s leader devotional is written by D. A Horton. It is adapted from the daily devotions for Unit 34, Session 2 from The Gospel Project for Adults’ Daily Discipleship Guide.
