The Book of Acts ~ Study Sixty-Eight

"Desiring the One Who Loves You Most"


Acts 21:37- 22:21 (NLT) As Paul was about to be taken inside, he said to the commander, “May I have a word with you?”
   “Do you know Greek?” the commander asked, surprised. “Aren’t you the Egyptian who led a rebellion some time ago and took 4,000 members of the Assassins out into the desert?”
   “No,” Paul replied, “I am a Jew and a citizen of Tarsus in Cilicia, which is an important city. Please, let me talk to these people.” The commander agreed, so Paul stood on the stairs and motioned to the people to be quiet. Soon a deep silence enveloped the crowd, and he addressed them in their own language, Aramaic.
   “Brothers and esteemed fathers,” Paul said, “listen to me as I offer my defense.” When they heard him speaking in their own language, the silence was even greater.
   Then Paul said, “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, and I was brought up and educated here in Jerusalem under Gamaliel. As his student, I was carefully trained in our Jewish laws and customs. I became very zealous to honor God in everything I did, just like all of you today. And I persecuted the followers of the Way, hounding some to death, arresting both men and women and throwing them in prison. The high priest and the whole council of elders can testify that this is so. For I received letters from them to our Jewish brothers in Damascus, authorizing me to bring the Christians from there to Jerusalem, in chains, to be punished.
   “As I was on the road, approaching Damascus about noon, a very bright light from heaven suddenly shone down around me. I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’
   “‘Who are you, lord?’ I asked.
   “And the voice replied, ‘I am Jesus the Nazarene, the one you are persecuting.’ The people with me saw the light but didn’t understand the voice speaking to me.
   “I asked, ‘What should I do, Lord?’
   “And the Lord told me, ‘Get up and go into Damascus, and there you will be told everything you are to do.’
   “I was blinded by the intense light and had to be led by the hand to Damascus by my companions. A man named Ananias lived there. He was a godly man, deeply devoted to the law, and well regarded by all the Jews of Damascus. He came and stood beside me and said, ‘Brother Saul, regain your sight.’ And that very moment I could see him!
   “Then he told me, ‘The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and hear him speak. For you are to be his witness, telling everyone what you have seen and heard. What are you waiting for? Get up and be baptized. Have your sins washed away by calling on the name of the Lord.’
    “After I returned to Jerusalem, I was praying in the Temple and fell into a trance. I saw a vision of Jesus saying to me, ‘Hurry! Leave Jerusalem, for the people here won’t accept your testimony about me.’
   “‘But Lord,’ I argued, ‘they certainly know that in every synagogue I imprisoned and beat those who believed in you. And I was in complete agreement when your witness Stephen was killed. I stood by and kept the coats they took off when they stoned him.’
   “But the Lord said to me, ‘Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles!’”

Again, faced with oppsosition, Paul tells the story of how the Lord Jesus changed his heart. In fact, he had to be blinded in order to see the Light. These people who had so much against Paul had known him well many years before when he stood beside their coats as they stoned Stephen. He had been a murderer and destroyer of the cause of Christ. Now he stood on the opposite side telling them about Jesus.

The stories of our lives in Jesus may not be a Damascus Road experience, but we do have a story of how the Lord changed our hearts. I've recently discussed with some women how they have known Jesus all their lives. Just like me they were baptized at 7 or 8 years old and have always believed. I do think that our baptisms meant something to us then. However, I also think that when we reach the age of accountability at our 14-15 we must choose to follow Him fully in all our decision making processes. We must choose to live our lives for Jesus as we enter into adulthood.

All through my teen years I went to church and youth group and claimed to live a Christ-honoring life, but at night I would sneak out and do things that weren't good. I won't get into that... Even through my 20's I lead Bible Studies and went to Church but I didn't fully give my life over to Jesus. It wasn't until ny 30's that I decided to choose Him over me. I still stumble and fall but He is my Lord.

Romans 8:5-8 (NLT) Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.

What I desire in my own self-centeredness leads to death. It's not good for me even though it gives the appearance of goodness. Desiring God in my life and following His will leads to life full of peace. This peace isn't the peace of earth, it is peace of heaven.


"If you don't feel strong desires for the manifestation of the glory of God, it is not because you have drunk deeply and are satisfied. It is because you have nibbled so long at the table of the world. Your soul is stuffed with small things, and there is no room for the great." — John Piper (A Hunger for God)

Paul's desires when he was a religious fanatic and bent on the destruction of Christians, was not a desire for God, but a desire for self-satisfaction and self-righteousness. We aren't so different. When we live according to "religion" or "self" we are not desiring God. This way leads to death. Paul was trying to explain how Christ had changed His heart. It took blinding of His physical eyes to get his attention. Now his full attention was on Jesus. He lived his life fully for him even facing death would not deter him.

2 Corinthians 7:10 (NLT) For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death.


Romans 6:15-17 (NLT) Well then, since God’s grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course not! Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living. Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you wholeheartedly obey this teaching we have given you.

What is your greatest desire? How can you focus more on God's will and not your own? We can't on our own. The gift of the Holy Spirit directs us and helps us. Tapping into this extraordinary gift from God is the only way to seek and desire and follow Jesus.

Paul knew this so well. Can you imagine how it must have felt to have former friends, teachers, classmates and priests to go against you so greatly that they wanted him dead? It must have hurt. Yet, he had seen Jesus and had experienced life with Him. He knew that he didn't want to go back to his former way of doing things. He desired Jesus.

Do you desire the One who loves you most and knows you best? Do you trust that even though you may face physical death and rejection that Jesus has eternity planned for you?

1 Peter 4:2 (NLT)  You won’t spend the rest of your lives chasing your own desires, but you will be anxious to do the will of God.

It's up to each of us to live fully for Jesus. Pursuing Him leads to greater and greater desire for more and more of Him. His way leads to the best even though it may be painful here on earth at times. I know and I'm realizing more and more that the pain I experience on earth for the cause of Christ leads to true life full of His peace. May you find more and more of Him. May your desire for Him increase daily. The peace of Christ Jesus be with you.