Holding the Rope — Kevin Johnson

Have you ever met someone that you wanted to be like? As you get to know them, you think, "I want to be like him?" Or, "How do I get to be more like her?" Maybe they’re funny, joyful or helpful. There are some people from the book of Acts that I've always admired. I want to be like them. Weirdly, no one knows their names.

There's a small detail in Acts 9, after the story of Paul's journey to Damascus. Paul was one of the first guys to travel around proclaiming the story of Jesus. He believed that people needed to hear the story of God's Son giving up his life for their forgiveness. When he arrived in Damascus, he began to preach in the most logical place first: the Jewish synagogues.

There were many Jews who did not believe that Jesus was the Messiah, and they thought that Paul had only arrived to stir up trouble. So they made a decision.

"When many days had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him, but their plot became known to Saul [Paul]. They were watching the gates day and night in order to kill him, but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket" (Acts 9:23-25).

My heroes from this passage are these unnamed disciples who help Paul escape. Who were they? Who risked their lives, holding the ropes that helped this preacher escape?

One thing is certain– I want to be like them. The people holding those ropes (or chain, or bedsheets for that matter), lowering Paul's basket to safety believed three important things:

They believed that Paul's message needed to go on. These rope-holders believed Paul's message that God loved them enough to die for them. They believed that Jesus forgave them, came back to life, and was calling them to live for Him. They knew that other people had to hear this message - they couldn't keep it for themselves. They sent Paul on to tell others.
They believed that they were a part of something bigger than themselves. Do you think these rope-holders knew their story would be written in Scripture? Did they know where they were sending Paul? Did they know he would end up talking to kings about who Jesus was? Probably not, but they believed that God was up to something big in the world. They saw outside of Damascus and believed that God was at work everywhere else too!
They didn't want the glory. These people didn't charge the gates looking for a fight and a day of glory. They helped Paul slip away under the cover of night. They sent him swiftly onward with the Good News of Jesus. They believed that the Gospel would spread, not because of their great efforts, but because of it's great message

Think about your own life. Who has been "holding the rope" for you? Maybe it's your parents who have cheered you on, or a really good friend. Maybe it's your grandmother who is always praying for you. Regardless, we are all in debt to the people who have supported us.

It's not just about looking backwards, but looking forward. Who are you encouraging? Who are you cheering on? How can you free others up to speak the Gospel of Jesus into the world? Who are you holding the rope for?