All Things to All Men — The Heart of an Overcomer — Assumptions, Accusations, & an Attempt on Paul’s Life
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Good morning Church!
It’s good to see each and every one who has made it out this morning and all those who may be joining online as well.
This morning we will be continuing on in our journey here in the Book of Acts and we will be picking up where we left off last week in Chapter 21 Verse 18.
The title I have given to the message today is this...
All Things to All Men — The Heart of an Overcomer — and in today’s message we will see Assumptions, Accusations, & an Attempt on Paul’s Life.
Now, we know from the last few weeks studies that the Holy Spirit has been warning Paul that bonds, beatings, and imprisonment awaited Paul in Jerusalem but Paul knew not how it would take place.
Last week, we seen Paul finish up his third missionary journey and make his way back to Jerusalem and this morning we’re going to pick up with Paul and his companions visiting the Elders in Jerusalem and then we’re going to see Paul do something that brought about the title for today’s message.
The Elders in Jerusalem will ask Paul to do something that Paul didn’t have to do but he does simply to try and let the Jews know that he was in the boat with them.
And when I got to thinking about this, Paul’s words to the Corinthians came to mind. He said in...
16 For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!
17 For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me.
18 What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.
19 For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.
20 And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;
21 To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.
22 To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.
23 And this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.
Paul was always willing to get in the boat with anyone if it meant he might be able to share the good news of the gospel with them.
And this morning we are going to see Paul place himself under the law that he might win those who are under the law to Christ but it ends up leading to Paul being beaten and arrested.
And although we would look at this and say, “Paul, why?”
Paul knew deep down in his heart, as we learned last week…in all things, the Lord’s will would be done!
This arrest would ultimately lead Paul to Rome and an opportunity to share the gospel of Jesus with the most elite, most powerful men of that day and time!
This morning we will see Assumptions and Accusations against Paul that will lead to an Attempt on Paul’s life but we will also see Paul overcome!
Now, he won’t overcome them with his own power. But he will overcome the situation the same way all those who have been born again overcome this world…by the blood of the lamb!
With no further ado, if you have your Bible’s turned to Acts 21:18 would you say, Amen.
A Recollection of the Work — (Vs. 18—19)
A Recollection of the Work — (Vs. 18—19)
There are 3 things I want us to see here in these Verses.
Paul Gave a Detailed Account
John Phillips — This was a historic meeting. The elders of the Jerusalem church were brought face to face with Gentile believers, fruit of Paul’s labors in distant lands. We can picture the introduction. “Brethren,” Paul would say, “let me introduce the beloved physician, my dear friend, Luke. Luke and I have been friends for a long time. He joined us first when I received my Macedonian call at Troas and took my first missionary journey into Europe. And this, gentlemen, is Titus.” (Did Paul introduce him as Luke’s brother? Some think he was.) “And here, my brothers, are some of the believers from Macedonia: Sopater, Aristarchus, and Secundus. And here are some from the churches of Galatia: Gaius of Derbe and Timothy, a dear young friend of mine and my companion and fellow-helper in much of my ministry on the field. From Asia, we have here Tychicus and Trophimus. These men, my brothers, are representative of the churches that have contributed so generously to this collection of money for the poor saints in Jerusalem.”
Paul would then introduce the Jerusalem elders: “Dear friends of mine, this is James, the Lord’s own brother (Luke’s ears would prick up at that), and a veritable pillar of the church here in Jerusalem. Brother James, would you be so kind as to introduce the rest of your colleagues?”
It must all have been somewhat overpowering to Paul’s friends, but we can well imagine that, one and all, they eyed James with special interest. They already might have read the epistle of James, the first of all the New Testament epistles. James had sent it to the Jewish believers in other lands and it had been in circulation for over a dozen years.
God Gave the Increase
6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
Paul Gave Himself
21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
13 Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.
20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.
21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.
A Rejoicing Over the Work — (Vs. 20a)
A Rejoicing Over the Work — (Vs. 20a)
The Request by the Elders — (Vs. 20b-25)
The Request by the Elders — (Vs. 20b-25)
John Phillips — Vows are not part of New Testament Christianity. They are essentially Jewish in character. We rarely find them mentioned in the New Testament and never in the epistles. The fact that Paul would take a vow is not to be interpreted as something recommended for Christians. Paul was a Jew as well as a Christian, and he lived in a transitional period when the church was struggling to get out of the Jewish cocoon in which its life began. Paul’s purpose in taking a Nazarite vow was in keeping with his passion to reach the Jews of his day for Jesus. It underlines his determination to do everything in his power to reach the Jewish people. He would bend over backwards to do so. He would do anything short of compromising his own convictions in the gospel.
The Nazarite vow itself was a Mosaic institution. The Nazarite was to let his hair grow long, was to touch no dead body, and was to abstain from partaking of the fruit of the vine.
It seems that four of the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem had taken a Nazarite vow and then had allowed themselves to become ceremonially defiled. Under the Mosaic law, ceremonial defilement called for ceremonial cleansing. The Nazarite remained unclean for a week. Then, on the seventh day, he shaved his head and burned the hair. On the eighth day he presented a costly sacrifice at the altar to the priest. He was to bring two lambs (one male, one female) and a ram, along with certain meal and drink offerings (Num. 6:14–15).
James proposed that Paul pay for all that for all four men. Moreover, he was to accompany them into the Temple when they brought the various animals to the priests. James and the other Jerusalem elders evidently had no compunction at all in saddling Paul with considerable expense. Paul was to buy a dozen prime animals as well as the rest of it just to prove he was still a Jew, albeit a Christian Jew. But, if it would reconcile his Jewish brethren, Paul was willing to do it.
And then they follow it up in Verse 25 by saying, “Now, the Gentiles don’t have to do this but Paul, we think this will go a really long way with the Jewish Christians and especially the unbelieving Jews!”
Can you imagine the nerve these men had to ask Paul to do this and then not only to participate but also to pay for it all out of his own pocket!
They had no shame whatsoever and I personally believe they had no brotherly love for Paul. I think there were still hard feelings against Paul for the persecution he had instigated against the Church in the beginning and deep down they had a hard time forgiving Paul for that.
I also believe they were somewhat jealous that Paul had been called to evangelize the Gentiles and also I think they still held that somewhat against him because they had a hard time believing that God was saving Gentiles just like He was Jews!
And because they were harboring these ill will feelings toward Paul, they had no shame whatsoever asking Paul to do this thing.
Now, let’s move on to The Response of Paul.
The Response of Paul — (Vs. 26)
The Response of Paul — (Vs. 26)
The Rousing of the Jews — (Vs. 27-29)
The Rousing of the Jews — (Vs. 27-29)
John Phillips — Gentiles were allowed to enter the so-called Court of the Gentiles, but they must go no farther upon pain of death. At the steps leading from the Court of the Gentiles to the Court of the Women where the Nazarite ceremonies were performed was a barrier and a warning. The warning was in both Greek and Latin. It read, “No foreigner may enter within the barricade that surrounds the Temple and enclosure. Anyone who is caught doing so will have himself to blame for his ensuing death.” The Jews defended the sanctity of their Temple with such fierce zeal that the Romans themselves refused to interfere, even on behalf of a Roman citizen, if he broke that taboo and exposed himself to the wrath of the Jews.
The Rioting of the Jews & The Romans Alerted — (Vs. 30-31)
The Rioting of the Jews & The Romans Alerted — (Vs. 30-31)
The Romans Response — (Vs. 32-36)
The Romans Response — (Vs. 32-36)
Closing
Closing
20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.
33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
The Church at Ephesus
7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
The Church at Smyrna
11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.
The Church at Pergamos
17 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.
The Church at Thyatira
26 And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:
27 And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.
28 And I will give him the morning star.
The Church at Sardis
5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
The Church at Philadelphia
12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.
The Church at Laodicea
21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
