Invested in Opposition

Intro - I’ll never forget the day I had a confrontation as a Sheriff Deputy with another officer over my BLM wristband. To him, by nature of saying BLM, I had rejected him personally, everything we’d learned in the academy, and the sacred space of law enforcement. We’ll see a similar mindset in this passage

TR: First let’s examine the Accusation against Paul...

The Accusation

Paul found himself in Jerusalem during Pentecost

Paul still had deep affections for Judaism and even more so the Jewish people.

Because of that he was desirious of getting back to Jerusalem to celebrate Pentecost.

The celebration of Pentecost, or in Hebrew known as Shavuot, celebrates the giving of the Torah to Moses.

During this time the city would’ve swelled with Jewish men from all over, with national pride from a normal 200k people to around 2 million.

Think of what the Torah meant to the people of Israel. It literally codified them as a nation. Ironically like people celebrate the 4th of July today in honor of the Declaration of Independence.

Paul had agreed to undergo purification to enter into a vow with some Jewish brothers in an attempt at appeasing Jewish sensibilities.

In an act of love, Luke tells us that Paul, eager to keep unity with the Jewish believers, undergoes purification ceremony because he had returned from Gentile lands.

The days of that purification, 7 in total, were almost up when the current events unfolded.

Jewish men, that recognized Paul and Trophimus (one of Paul’s Gentile companions), stirred up the crowd on 3 lies. Opposition to the nation, to the codification of the nation (the law), and the sacred site of the nation (the temple)

Paul had opposed the people

Paul was accused of opposing the nation of Israel because he did not follow their customs.

This was the entire purpose of him taking the days of purification. As a token of respect to them although spiritually it was unnecessary.

But the world is invested in its opposition. To such a degree that if you do not bow to its idols, fall in line with its ways, you are an enemy of the state.

Paul opposed the law

The core identity of what formed the nation of Israel, Paul was accused of rejecting. Again, if this were the case, WHY WOULD HE BE CELEBRATING PENTECOST???

But for people invested in their opposition, all they see is what they want to see.

Paul has opposed and defiled the temple

Lastly, the accusation of opposing the temple, yet Paul would’ve had to actually go to the temple and offer a sacrifice at the end of his purification.

We can learn much about the mob mentality from this passage.

While you may do all that you can to appease the masses, extend olive branches, or honor those who are opposed to you. You’re still going to be an enemy.

There is no compromising with the mob. If you find yourself facing accusations of rejecting “us” (the people), “what you’ve learned growing up” (the law), or “what you should be grateful for” (the sacred things) b/c you speak truth....there might be a chance you’re facing a mob mentality...

TR: Once the mob has the accusation formed in their mind, then comes the attack...

The Attack

The climate was ripe for this sort of accusation and response being Pentecost.

We must be careful of the climates that we allow ourselves into.

When we get into a mindset that we’ll believe something about someone or something simply because we WANT it to be true b/c it reinforces our narrative.

We live in times where certain accusations go without question because it fits a narrative and we are called to be more discerning.

If a cop shoots a black man…it’s oppression. If a man is accused of sexual misconduct…believe the victim. If I teach my kids about historical racism…I’m a marxist. If I protest police brutality…I hate cops.

What I’ve found is that I’ll form narratives of situations because in the end it liberates me from guilt and honestly I’m far too invested in my opposition to that person, place, or thing.

Be careful of what resonates with you Christian. This world is singing a siren song to all of those who are adrift at sea…and before you know it you’ll end up shipwrecking the faith.

The accusation of bringing a Gentile into the temple carried with it the consequence of death.

This was the one time that the Romans allowed the Jews to exercise captial punishment, even on Roman citizens, if need be.

These accusations weren’t playing around. There was life and death attached to it.

It is ironic that they are trying to murder the one that has come with a message of life.

This is the nature of the Christian walk! Give life, not just to those who invested in opposition to YOU, but to LIFE HIMSELF.

When I realized that I was cut off from so many not because I didn’t open the door but because they are intoxicated with death!!!!

Paul was dragged out of the temple, so as not to defile it by death taking place in it.

The irony is that those who may be seeking your demise will do so with the belief that they are honorable!

Matthew 27:3–7 ESV

Then when Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” They said, “What is that to us? See to it yourself.” And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself. But the chief priests, taking the pieces of silver, said, “It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, since it is blood money.” So they took counsel and bought with them the potter’s field as a burial place for strangers.

The level of hypocrisy!

One of my favorite movies series to watch is the Bourne Identity series. One of the main reasons is because Jason Bourne is an advanced assassin who has been trained in such a way so as to adapt to any situation. But more so than that, he is able to look around him at any given moment when under attack and use his surroundings to not only defend himself but attack his opponent. Those are the same tactics of the hypocrite.

Whereever a hypocrite finds themselves they are able to pick up and set down things in their environment to attack or defend.

The Jews on the one hand could use lies to condemn but use the law to insulate themselves from wrong doing.

I know people like that, who can practice idolatry one minute and sing worship songs the next oblivious to their double-mindedness.

The garrison in Jerusalem overlooks the temple and responded to stop the riot.

Upon a cursory examination of what the offense was there was only confusion amongst the crowd so the Roman official arrested Paul and brought him back to the barracks.

In truly embarrassing fashion even the crowd didn’t know why they attacked. They were simply invested in their opposition.

Unity of action is not always unity of purpose!!! Oh that’s a word for today!!!

I remember a journalist did exit interviews during the Trump v. Hillary presidential election. As people exited the polls he asked them who they voted for and depending on who they said he then asked them how they felt about certain policies their candidate supported. Of course they loved all of them and heartily supported them. Then he revealed those actually were the policies of the other candidate and they were dumbfounded....funny how opposition motivates us...

TR: Once removed from the mob, the Roman official gained awareness of who Paul was…and Paul gained awareness of the moment...

The Awareness

The tribune, rescuing Paul from certain death, assumed he was an Egyptian that previously had stirred up trouble.

Paul identified himself as who he truly was and yet still had a desire to speak to the Jews and reach them.

Paul did not let such a moment, even one that led to his suffering, pass by without using it to preach the truth

Now all that I’ve said may be leading you to ask, “then why try?”...

Paul took a step toward the Jewish way of doing things and literally still almost lost his life for it.

Here’s the reason…because your joy and peace doesn’t rest in responses but instead it resides in reflections.

Paul knew that it was not reasonable to expect affection from those who were his kinsmen, not because of their disdain for him but instead because of their disdain for the truth he spoke.

Yet his affection for them didn’t wane! That is something that is purely achieved by viewing people through the lens of Jesus rather than our relationship to them.

I remember when I worked in the jail there was a guy there nicknamed D. I knew him from middle school. We played football together. I saw how over and over he came back in and each time he had gotten worse from drugs. I knew the hard life he’d lived growing up and now where it had led him. As he got further and further into that idolatry of drugs, the less reasonable he got and the more painful it became to watch.

That is how idolatry works. It intoxicates the mind and begins to work death in its host.

LAND IT LOUD

Yet for these people like Jesus, Paul responded with compassion!

You see death can’t conquer death. You can’t answer their death with a deathly hatred of your own! Jesus answered death, not with the crucifixion BUT THE RESURRECTION!!!

This is why our faith has conquered death! Overcome this world!

You have that life inside you!!! So that while they’re invested in opposition YOU’RE INVESTED IN THEIR DELIVERANCE!!

They might not want it, they might balk at you, betray you, stir up the crowd against you…but after all their hatred…like Paul said I pray your response won’t be disdain but will be…if there is a chance that they’ll listen…let me speak to them!

Because the hope of them being free from sin is greater than the comfort you could have in ignoring them altogether!!

That is the heart of the Gospel…and that is a POWERFUL motivation for those that have been forgiven.