Acts 21
Notes
Transcript
Obedient Unto Death: The Beginning of the End...
Obedient Unto Death: The Beginning of the End...
Good morning my friends!
I hope and pray you’ve had a good week.
I am glad to see you today… You know we, your church family misses you when you cannot be here.
This place is home my friends, it is a special place and you are special people. You are God’s children, called and redeemed, literally purchased out of your sin by the blood of Jesus
And now, the righteousness of God, has been imputed to you, so you are justified in front of God. What a blessing.
All of these blessings cannot be forgotten, You are so loved by God...
And because of that love, we are called to live for Him. And obedience is the natural byproduct of His love and salvation.
Paul who we have been looking at for so long has been obedient, going where ever the Spirit of God led him, no matter the consequences.
Paul knew, believed that he must live for God and not man.
And so knowing that God was leading him to Jerusalem and the dangers that awaited there did not hinder his obedience.
So this morning let me share this one verse with you Acts 21:13
13 Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”
So this morning lets open the word of God and see that the Lord is saying… 3 thoughts my friends, and the first one is this....
1. Paul Sets Sail....
The very first thing we see here is that Paul sets sail, starting his journey toward Jerusalem.
And understand it isn’t just a straight shot to there, it was definitely a Journey as you will see. From one port to another, the journey will be challenging.
Lets look at verses 1-6 Acts 21:1-6
1 And when we had parted from them and set sail, we came by a straight course to Cos, and the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara. 2 And having found a ship crossing to Phoenicia, we went aboard and set sail. 3 When we had come in sight of Cyprus, leaving it on the left we sailed to Syria and landed at Tyre, for there the ship was to unload its cargo. 4 And having sought out the disciples, we stayed there for seven days. And through the Spirit they were telling Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. 5 When our days there were ended, we departed and went on our journey, and they all, with wives and children, accompanied us until we were outside the city. And kneeling down on the beach, we prayed 6 and said farewell to one another. Then we went on board the ship, and they returned home.
Now this may seem to be an ordinary story, but there is something we must pay attention too. The issue is prayer.
Always spend time in prayer, knowing where the Lord is leading you.
Why do I mention this?
I mention it to remind us to spend more time in prayer. Prayer is essential to our life in Christ. We cannot know and follow the heart of God if we are not connected to Him in prayer.
You see the longer you spend time in prayer, the more you will know and understand the will of God for you and the corporate body of believers in the church.
Paul left Miletus and begins his journey toward Jerusalem. And we see the cities he passes through along the way.
Finally we see him coming to the area of Tyre. Now that is awesome, for this tells us that the is back in the middle eastern area of world after starting over in the area of Greece.
Tyre is north and west of Jerusalem on the coast line of the Mediterranean sea. And verse 4 tells us that the ship had to dock there, it has cargo to off load and so Paul stayed there for 7 days after docking at their port.
Knowing there is time there to work and serve he calls for the disciples who were living there. It might be that Paul has not not meet with these believers before. It may have been that these believers had been converted during a earlier mission trip to that area by other disciples.
But none the less, Paul wants to take the time to meet with those there, teach them and serve them while he has the opportunity.
Honestly, this tells us to make the most of every moment the Lord gives you. Teach and help disciple those believers that God places around you.
And verse 4 is one verse we must pay attention too. Acts 21:4
4 And having sought out the disciples, we stayed there for seven days. And through the Spirit they were telling Paul not to go on to Jerusalem.
These believers were urging Paul through the Spirit, not to go to Jerusalem. Now there are two ways to look at this...
A. They have heard through the Spirit that Paul is in danger, and will face the threat of imprisonment if he continues his journey to the Holy city.
So essentially, they were hearing the same threat that Paul knew existed. They are sharing it with Paul, warning him of the danger there. Trying to get Paul to change his course.
B. The second way this can be looked at is that they are declaring to Paul, the Spirit says danger awaits, so it is a warning for you not to go. In a sense they are saying, the Spirit is telling you not to go because of the dangers that await you there.
Why do I mention this, I do so to remind you to seek the will of God for your life.
Yes, the Spirit was warning Paul of the dangers that awaited him there, but the Spirit of God was not saying to Paul… Don’t go, The Holy Spirit was telling Paul what he would face, but he was going forward, He knew this was God’s will.
Friends, no matter where God leads us, He knows what we will face for Him. He is faithful to walk with us every step of the way.
All we need to do is to trust the Lord.
If we can do that, God will take care of the rest my friends.
Now lets move on to our second thought for the day,
2. The Great Warning.....
How often would we venture into a task or journey in our life knowing that at some point, heart ache awaited.
Honestly, we probably wouldn’t unless we knew all the pros and cons associated with it...
We might say, that is just good business....
But I want to remind you, there are times that following God by faith and good business practices might not go hand in hand.
I have know people and groups who knew God was calling them to go and do, whether it was buying land or buildings and they didn’t know how it would be paid for, but they were certain God was leading them there with certainty.
By faith they acted and by faith, God answered and worked in their life.
Lets go to our text.. Acts 21:8-11
8 On the next day we departed and came to Caesarea, and we entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him. 9 He had four unmarried daughters, who prophesied. 10 While we were staying for many days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11 And coming to us, he took Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘This is how the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’ ”
When Paul comes to Caesarea, He enters the home of Phillip the evangelist, he was one of the 7 deacons appointed early in the book of Acts.
And while staying with Phillip and his family and prophet came from Judea named Agabus. And Agabus had a simply prophecy for Paul.
Agabus took Paul’s belt and wrapped it around his own feet and hands, and delivered this message to Paul. This is how the Jews in Jerusalem will bind you and deliver you into the hands of Gentiles
This is the same message Paul had been receiving as he drew closer and closer to Jerusalem, but even now with more details.
The Jews, His own people physically and spiritually would seek to arrest him and hand him over to the gentiles to be punished…the Gentiles here we know are the Romans who have been in control of the land of Israel for decades.
Now we might ask, why so many warnings, why has God sent warning after warning to Paul?
I think it is just to prepare him for what lay ahead. But Paul would not waiver, He would follow the Lord knowing God was with him.
Now lets go back to our text…verses 12-14
12 When we heard this, we and the people there urged him not to go up to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” 14 And since he would not be persuaded, we ceased and said, “Let the will of the Lord be done.”
The people, the believers, perhaps even Phillip and his daughters are heart broken and I would dare say scared to hear this news.
They urged Paul, do not go, turn away. Verse 12 is important, the Scripture says this ‘When we heard this, we...” The person we who is includes their life in the group pleading for Paul not to do… It is Luke the author of the book.
They were pleading with Paul to change his plans... But Paul knew he needed to travel to Jerusalem, he needed to see James and some of the others. Paul needed to share with them all that God had done among the Gentiles and the Jews thus far in those far away areas where the church was being established.
And with their urging, their tears and sad faces Paul tells them, you are literally breaking my heart, The Greek word there for breaking, literally means they are pounding on his heart. Like a person beat and pushed rapidly on a ole style washboard.
Paul knew their sadness, But he knew, He believed it was God’s will for him to go on to Jerusalem.. and look at what else Paul says
13 Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”
My friends, Paul knew it was hard for them to hear, But he believed, it was his firm conviction that the journey was in God’s will.
And he was indeed willing to die for the Lord if He needed too.
And since they could not change his mind, their words are simple, Let the will of the Lord be done..
This says it all my friends, regardless of anything else this should be our prayer. Lord we want your will to be done in our lives.
God is glorified in this my friends…
Think of the Lord’s prayer Matthew 6, Verses 9-13
King James Version Chapter 6
Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
We always want the will of God, His good and perfect will to be done in out lives...
This was the great warning that Paul received… but finally my friends, here is this the last thought for today..
3. Paul’s Attacked....
Paul traveled on to Jerusalem. The distance wasn’t far from Caesarea down to Jerusalem. And Paul comes to James and the others....
Listen to verses 15-18 Acts 21:15-18
15 After these days we got ready and went up to Jerusalem. 16 And some of the disciples from Caesarea went with us, bringing us to the house of Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple, with whom we should lodge.
17 When we had come to Jerusalem, the brothers received us gladly. 18 On the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present.
Paul comes to Jerusalem, with a large number of Christians from Caesarea, And we know he also had Luke with him still, and they arrive at the home of another believer names Manson, who was from Cyprus.
And the following day Paul went to James, who is the head of the Jerusalem church. And Paul not only shares the collection with them from the saints in those gentile churches. But Paul also shares with James and the others all that God had being doing as he traveled from community to community preaching that Jesus is the Son of God.
My friends this is really important. You see it is important for God’s children to hear about the work God is doing in and around their fellowship.
People need to see the movement of God from Jerusalem to the otter most parts of the world.
Paul has come back to Jerusalem, the Holy City where he departed from and now has returned to concluding his 3rd missionary journey
And with this message, of how God received and saved those from the areas he visited in Greece and Rome ( Both Jew and Gentiles) was encouraging to those in Jerusalem and their response was this.. “They glorified God...” in verse 20....
But they also warned Paul, about the lies that were being spread about him.
In verses 21-26 we see that James tells Paul and those with him the news that many zealous Jews were telling others that Paul was leading Jews who had been scattered in the outer areas, like those Jews in Antioch, Thessalonica and so forth. They said Paul was teaching them to abandon the ways of Moses.
Friends, that was farthest from the truth....
So James has a plan. There were 4 men who were with James who were under a Nazarite vow.
Paul was to take them to the temple, offer the proper sacrifices and cleanse themselves. This would be time for the vow to end and they would shave their heads.
So Paul did this… What James hoped to accomplish here was the fact that Paul was not teaching things contrary to the Word of God and the law God had given Moses.
It was a mainstream effort to boost Paul’s ratings in the community. But it didn’t work.
Look at verses 27-28 Acts 21:27-28
27 When the seven days were almost completed, the Jews from Asia, seeing him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd and laid hands on him, 28 crying out, “Men of Israel, help! This is the man who is teaching everyone everywhere against the people and the law and this place. Moreover, he even brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.”
Wow, the crowd forms and the riot starts quickly. They seize Paul and seek to kill him, which was against their own laws since only the Roman governor could authorize the death penalty.
How heart breaking! The people have seized Paul, they are beating him, hurting him. and the crowd and the disturbance so large, so noisy, the Roman cohort hears of what is happening and they step in and arrest Paul, taking him to their commanders.
Lets look at verses 37-40 Acts 21:37-39
37 As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the tribune, “May I say something to you?” And he said, “Do you know Greek? 38 Are you not the Egyptian, then, who recently stirred up a revolt and led the four thousand men of the Assassins out into the wilderness?” 39 Paul replied, “I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no obscure city. I beg you, permit me to speak to the people.”
Friends, at the right time, men were in place to stop paul from being killed, how wonderful that is, if it had gone on much longer, this attack most likely would have lead to his death.
Paul here is able to identify himself, the most important truth is that he has identified as a being born in Tarsus. An important city, of which he was a citizen.
Being a Roman citizen, he is assured certain rights and privileges. Much in the same way we are guaranteed certain rights and privileges here in America as its citizen..
Paul will make certain everyone knows for sure that he is a Roman Citizen as we move into chapter 22 next week. This will be important...
But for now. Know, Paul was going to finish his journey, He heard the words for the trials that awaited him and even being attacked…
Paul knew what was really important, Serving the Lord even unto death if necessary.
My friends today, God knows our days, he knows what we will face and how much we will rejoice or suffer during those times.
But in all this, adversary we may or may not face is there to make us better, never to make us suffer.
If we will be just faithful, God will take care of the rest.
Lets pray
