When Christians Get In The Way

Chapter 20 - Verse 22-23

Paul was going to Jerusalem, KNOWING that imprisonment and afflictions awaited him

Can we stop there a minute

Like, we don’t like going to the dentist for fear of what MAY happen

My root canal

So you’re me and your on your way to the dentist for a root canal....not super fun to look forward to right?

Paul KNEW, he was POSITIVE that if he went to Jerusalem, he would be imprisoned and afflicted

But, verse 24, his only aim in life was to “finish the course and the ministry he had received from the Lord Jesus”

Again, like we’ve seen throughout Acts, Christ was the priority

Is he yours?

And as we move into chapter 21, Luke is recounting the journey that Paul goes on to get to Jerusalem, so we’re not going to read it in it’s entirety

Travels through Rhodes, Patara, Tyre, Caesarea and finally to Jerusalem

But what is happening is Paul is travelling through these cities, some cities he had been to before, and encouraging the believers and saying goodbye.

Verse 8, Paul stays at the house of Philip

Anyone remember Philip?

While he is there, a prophet comes up to him from Judea, verse 10, let’s read it

Ok, remember the dentist? Imagine as your headed there, someones standing along the road with a sign saying....this is going to really really hurt

You get out of your car and someone comes up to you with their mouth full of gauze saying “You’re next”

Christian’s response - verse 12

Paul’s response - verse 13

Paul arrives in Jerusalem, whose church is now under the ministry of James, the brother of Jesus

And he relates to the leaders the things God had done for the Gentiles

And remember, back in 15, Paul and Barnabas were affirmed by this Jerusalem council to go to the Gentiles

In verses 21-26, there is actually a lot we could talk about and get into, but we won’t for sake of time and my main point, but Paul makes a vow (totally okay) to try to appease the Jews in Jerusalem (essentially) who are very very pro-Jew right now due to Roman rule

Now at this time period pro-jewish sentiment was super high due to rome’s rule, so Paul’s mission to the gentiles wouldn’t have been super exciting to the non-believing jews in jerusalem

Fast forward a week, and Paul is seen in the temple, and, per usual, what happens when Paul enters synagogues or temples?

So, if you took time to read it, that’s why Paul takes four guys, they shave their heads and make a vow in acc

He gets persecuted

And sure enough, same thing happens again. Why? Because he was known for one thing and only one thing, the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Jews saw him, stirred up the whole crowd, grabbed Paul, dragged him out of the temple and the gates were shut

And they start beating him, seeking to kill him VERSE 31

When roman soldiers intervene, arrest him, bind him up (prophecy fulfilled), and bring him into the barracks

And the mob is so violent toward Paul that the soldiers have to carry him above the crowd

So that’s where we’re stopping today, and we talked about a lot, but I want to point out what God kept hitting me between the eye balls with this week as I prepared

You guys know that my prayer and my goal for each and every one of you is to launch out of here 100% on mission for the Gospel.

If I ever don’t have that as my goal then I’ll resign

I’d love nothing more than to see you go into full-time ministry or mission work

Secondarily, I want to see you proclaiming the gospel in whatever line of work you end up in

But here’s point #1: regardless of full-time ministry or living the gospel out in whatever line of work you do....you’ve got to have conviction

You’ve got to be convinced beyond any doubt that Christ is worth it

If you don’t have that conviction, you won’t be effective for Him

That boldness Acts has talked about, powered by the Holy Spirit....you guys have to embrace that

You won’t just wake up one day and decide to do it like you decide what pair of pants to wear

But look at Paul here…he knew he was walking into beating, arrest, and possible death, but he was so convinced that Christ was worth it

Second point: When you are convinced, Christians will try to stop you

Let’s take Madi here for example

Now let’s say Madi has been living for Jesus, and God has laid on her heart a desire to take the Gospel to an unreached people group

Right, there’d be some danger there, right?

For sure there would be

But she’s got zero doubt that God has called her there

What are some people or things that would get in the way?

Church family

Family

Friends