PAUL PLANS FUTURE MISSIONS

Acts 19:21-22 After these things were ended, Paul purposed in the spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, After I have been there, I must also see Rome. So he sent into Macedonia two of them that ministered unto him, Timotheus and Erastus; but he himself stayed in Asia for a season.

By the first few inspired words of the lesson text recorded by Luke, we can easily conclude that these things refer to the previous ministering of the apostle Paul. Specifically they refer to the preaching of the gospel of Christ, and the firm establishment of churches of Christ, in Ephesus and the surrounding area. These things appear to have taken place in the past two-plus years (Vs. 10) that Paul, and his fellow laborers taught God's plan of salvation through Christ Jesus in this vicinity of Asia Minor. And having completed the mission God had designed for him, Paul purposed in the spirit to visit Macedonia and Achaia as he traveled to his ultimate destination of Jerusalem, which continues to be his mission assigned by God.

The apostle Paul, in his previous visits, had established strong and flourishing churches of Christ in Philippi and Corinth, the largest and most influential cities in Macedonia and Achaia. It can easily be assumed that Paul planned on revisiting these congregations of God's people in order to correct any deviations from God's established doctrine of Christianity, and to strengthen and build them up in that most holy faith. It is also possible that he desired to visit them in order to receive the contribution that churches in this area had collected to relieve the need of the poor saints which are at Jerusalem (See Rom. 15:25-26). No doubt Paul desired to go to Jerusalem to relate and confirm the missionary accomplishments in Asia Minor, Macedonia, and Achaia. But it can be assumed that Paul's desired to go to Jerusalem was also to deliver the contribution collected in Macedonia and Achaia to those needful Christians in Jerusalem and the area surrounding it in Judea.

Luke records Paul saying this: After I have been there (Jerusalem), I must also see Rome. The way Paul stated his desire to see Rome sounds similar to how one often refers to visiting a certain city as a tourist. Certainly this was not the case. Reading the first few verses that open Paul's Roman letter, we know that Paul desired to visit with the saints that were in Rome (Vs. 7). At this time Paul had not visited these saints in Rome, but he had knowledge of them, referred to them as beloved of God (Vs. 7), thanked God through Jesus Christ for them (Vs. 8), prayed for them without ceasing (Vs. 9), and desired God would allow him to have a prosperous journey to come into their presence,that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles (See Vss. 10-13). Also, in his letter to them, Paul expressed this same desire to come to them by saying: Whensoever I take my journey into Spain, I will come to you: for I trust to see you in my journey, and to be brought on my way thitherward by you, if first I be somewhat filled with your company (Rom. 15:24). Whether Paul was, by inspiration of the Holy Spirit of God, completely aware how his desire to visit the Christians of Rome would take place, was not given. We know that Paul considered himself as a prisoner of Christ (Eph. 3:1; 4:1; Philem. 1 & 9). We also know that his desire to visit Rome was fulfilled, but in chains as a Roman prisoner.

Anticipating his departure from Ephesus, Paul sent into Macedonia two of them that ministered unto him, Timotheus (Timothy) and Erastus; but he himself stayed in Asia for a season. Timothy we know, but this is our first scriptural introduction to Erastus as another of Paul's fellow laborers for the cause of Christ Jesus. It is doubtful if these two fellow Christians would have been beneficial to Paul as he revisited Macedonia and Achaia on his way to Jerusalem. Paul thought their service to the cause of Christ would be best used if they would go into Macedonia and remain there for a season preaching and teaching God's message of eternal salvation. And in doing so, they would strengthen the Christians at the churches previously established through the prior Holy Spirit-inspired teaching of the word of God by the apostle Paul. After sending these fellow laborers in Christ on their mission, Paul himself stayed in Asia for a season. Just how long Paul remained in Ephesus before following Timothy and Erastus into Macedonia, is not given in this text. It is possible that they preceded him to this province in order to have the contribution for relief of the poor saints of Judea ready when he arrived.