The Perseverance of the Church

Introduction

Acts 21:1–39 NIV84

1 After we had torn ourselves away from them, we put out to sea and sailed straight to Cos. The next day we went to Rhodes and from there to Patara. 2 We found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, went on board and set sail. 3 After sighting Cyprus and passing to the south of it, we sailed on to Syria. We landed at Tyre, where our ship was to unload its cargo. 4 Finding the disciples there, we stayed with them seven days. Through the Spirit they urged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. 5 But when our time was up, we left and continued on our way. All the disciples and their wives and children accompanied us out of the city, and there on the beach we knelt to pray. 6 After saying good-by to each other, we went aboard the ship, and they returned home. 7 We continued our voyage from Tyre and landed at Ptolemais, where we greeted the brothers and stayed with them for a day. 8 Leaving the next day, we reached Caesarea and stayed at the house of Philip the evangelist, one of the Seven. 9 He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied. 10 After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11 Coming over to us, he took Paul’s belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, “The Holy Spirit says, ‘In this way the Jews of Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.’ ” 12 When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul answered, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” 14 When he would not be dissuaded, we gave up and said, “The Lord’s will be done.” 15 After this, we got ready and went up to Jerusalem. 16 Some of the disciples from Caesarea accompanied us and brought us to the home of Mnason, where we were to stay. He was a man from Cyprus and one of the early disciples. 17 When we arrived at Jerusalem, the brothers received us warmly. 18 The next day Paul and the rest of us went to see James, and all the elders were present. 19 Paul greeted them and reported in detail what God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. 20 When they heard this, they praised God. Then they said to Paul: “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous for the law. 21 They have been informed that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or live according to our customs. 22 What shall we do? They will certainly hear that you have come, 23 so do what we tell you. There are four men with us who have made a vow. 24 Take these men, join in their purification rites and pay their expenses, so that they can have their heads shaved. Then everybody will know there is no truth in these reports about you, but that you yourself are living in obedience to the law. 25 As for the Gentile believers, we have written to them our decision that they should abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality.” 26 The next day Paul took the men and purified himself along with them. Then he went to the temple to give notice of the date when the days of purification would end and the offering would be made for each of them. 27 When the seven days were nearly over, some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul at the temple. They stirred up the whole crowd and seized him, 28 shouting, “Men of Israel, help us! This is the man who teaches all men everywhere against our people and our law and this place. And besides, he has brought Greeks into the temple area and defiled this holy place.” 29 (They had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with Paul and assumed that Paul had brought him into the temple area.) 30 The whole city was aroused, and the people came running from all directions. Seizing Paul, they dragged him from the temple, and immediately the gates were shut. 31 While they were trying to kill him, news reached the commander of the Roman troops that the whole city of Jerusalem was in an uproar. 32 He at once took some officers and soldiers and ran down to the crowd. When the rioters saw the commander and his soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. 33 The commander came up and arrested him and ordered him to be bound with two chains. Then he asked who he was and what he had done. 34 Some in the crowd shouted one thing and some another, and since the commander could not get at the truth because of the uproar, he ordered that Paul be taken into the barracks. 35 When Paul reached the steps, the violence of the mob was so great he had to be carried by the soldiers. 36 The crowd that followed kept shouting, “Away with him!” 37 As the soldiers were about to take Paul into the barracks, he asked the commander, “May I say something to you?” “Do you speak Greek?” he replied. 38 “Aren’t you the Egyptian who started a revolt and led four thousand terrorists out into the desert some time ago?” 39 Paul answered, “I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no ordinary city. Please let me speak to the people.”

Acts 21 is a narrative that summarizes and connects Paul’s third missionary journey to some time spent in Tyre, Caesarea and then ultimately in Jerusalem. It is a chapter of information as stories are shared by Luke about this journey and those who came in contact with Paul. As you read the story, you quickly see there is a theme of adversity. Often when you and I face adversity, we struggle and sometimes the adversity wins. It causes us to be setback and often cry out, “Why Lord?!? Why is this happening?” In those tough times of adversity, our decision making process is affected and we may make decisions under duress that we would not make otherwise. What happens to our faith? Are we guided by the same Christian values that we hold to in good times when our world gets turned upside down? The answer is a principle that is found throughout scripture. It is not mentioned by name in this chapter, but it is all through. The Christian’s answer to dealing with adversity is perseverance.

Perseverance Explained

Let’s begin by explaining perseverance with a definition.

A Definition

Perseverance means a steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, especially in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement.

Anybody ever had any difficulties, obstacles, or experienced discouragement?

A Description

We see in the beginning of this chapter as Paul and his companions were leaving. The Bible says, “After we had torn ourselves away from them…”

I certainly know what it means to leave behind those that you love and adore. I have cried multiple times over the years leaving daughters behind as they go to school or study abroad. Yet, the description even here provides a demonstration.

A Demonstration

They sailed on. Interestingly there are two songs in my life that are named “sail on.” One was by the Commodores. The first few lines say this,

Sail on down the line 'Bout a half a mile or so And I don't really wanna know Where you're going Maybe once or twice, you see Time after time I tried to To hold on to what we got But now you're goin'

It is about a relationship gone bad and the singer is down in because of the adversary.

The other song named Sail On in my life was by the Christian group, the Imperials.

Sail on When the water gets high Sail on When the wind starts to die Sail on It's just a matter of minutes Till His ship comes to get us And we'll all get in it

The Commodores showed me agony and defeat in the midst of diversity. The Imperials showed my perseverance in adversity. The Commodores were “woe is me.” The Imperials were “Wow is God!”

Paul’s example here is showing us that in leaving friends we can persevere. Look at perseverance expressed.

Perseverance Expressed

Through Prayer

The first thing I see in these first few verses of Acts 21 is the power and comfort of prayer. Acts 21:5

Acts 21:5 NIV84

5 But when our time was up, we left and continued on our way. All the disciples and their wives and children accompanied us out of the city, and there on the beach we knelt to pray.

That verse is enough reason for me to pack up and had to the beach. Kneeling on the shore of a beach and praying is just as incredible to stand on a mountaintop here to pray. That’s one of the reasons I love North Carolina so much, you can do both, sometimes even in the same day!

Through Parenting

Notice what else is happening here. The disciples and their wives had their children with them during this time. It is good to see here children trained up in the ways of the Lord. There is a mention in verse 8 of being in Caesarea with Philip the evangelist.

Acts 21:9 NIV84

9 He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied.

There seems to be lots of confusion as to why this detail in this text. Well, I see two reasons. First, it shows the importance of persevering at parents to raise godly children in an ungodly world. Parents don’t you dare give up on your child!

A second reason I believe this is mentioned here is to strengthen the prophecy of Joel 2:28

Joel 2:28 NIV84

28 “And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.

Perseverance is expressed in all of these and it is expressed through praise.

Through Praise

Acts 21:20 NIV84

20 When they heard this, they praised God. Then they said to Paul: “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous for the law.

Do you praise God when there is word of those coming to the Lord? If the angels rejoice in heaven, we should rejoice on earth! We persevere through praise!

Perseverance Engaged

Notice how perseverance is engaged.

There is an attitude throughout Acts 21 that is found in the oldest book of the Bible.

Job 1:21 NIV84

21 and said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.”

They were trying to talk Paul out of going to Jerusalem. In fact, Agabus did this dramatic scenario where he took Paul’s belt and tied his own hands and feet with it somehow, and declared that was what was going to happen to Paul. Sometimes our friends do not understand God’s will for our lives and we must persevere through this and not be swayed.

Acknowledging God’s Will

When we do, we acknowledge God’s will. The answer Job gave is not a denial of something happening, it is trusting God when it does!

Accepting God’s Will

When we do that, we are accepting God’s will.

Acts 21:14 NIV84

14 When he would not be dissuaded, we gave up and said, “The Lord’s will be done.”

Agreeing to God’s Will

Can you agree to the will of God this morning? It might not be what you want, but His way is ALWAYS the BEST way! Paul made it clear that he was willing to die for the cause of Christ. That type of perseverance always produces peace.

Perseverance is also and ultimately extended to glorify God.

Perseverance Extended

Notice what happens when perseverance is extended.

Produces Change

It produces change. Multiple times in Acts 21 we see the attitudes of those close to Paul change from doom and gloom to peaceful contentment through Christ. Paul and his companions were able to persevere through the rumors and false conclusions. It quickened their resolve in Christ. It moved them to a closer relationship with their God.

Produces Courage

It also produced courage. Paul persevered through death threats and a crowd that was against him. He persevered through government action. By trusting in God, he realizes that the government is God-ordained and scripture tells us that it exists for protection and peace. It gave him perseverance when a government official misidentified him as an Egyptian rebel rouser. It gave Paul the opportunity to stop the procedures and share in Aramaic, Greek and Hebrew the message of the Gospel to a crowd that was ready to kill him. Could you have that courage?

Produces Christlikeness

Finally, Paul’s perseverance produced Christlikeness. Paul found himself in the same predicament as what His Lord had faced in the same place. Yet, just like Christ, Paul obeyed the Lord’s will. He realized that other opinions are valid, but they were not to contradict the will of God. He showed that rebellion represents serious sin. And Paul even showed us that we are to talk politely to law enforcement. Ultimately, we as Christians are to emulate Christ and trust the will of God.

Jeremiah 29:11 NIV84

11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Hebrews 13:15–16 NIV84

15 Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that confess his name. 16 And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

Romans 12:1–2 NIV84

1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. 2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Why?

Because

Amazing grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost but now I am found. I was blind but now I see.

So, are you going to sail on down the road….Commodore style…or sail on when the water gets high….Imperials style?