064 Paul's Arrest (Part 3)

1 Now the apostles and brethren who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. 2 And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, those of the circumcision contended with him,

So this would not be unusual under the law.

Really the elders had a scheme to pacify the Jews.

We know based on the previous verses and what we just learned that this was crazy.

Paul had every right to tell them no.

Galatians 5:1–4 NKJV

1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. 2 Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing. 3 And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law. 4 You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.

CONTEXT: the bondage Paul is talking about is the law.

Don’t entangle yourself in that way of living.

Don’t even start down that road.

Keeping any part of the law profits you NOTHING.

So Paul is faced with a decision.

He could tell them no.

Or he could go along with their plan.

What would you do?

We will learn a lot from Paul’s decision based on what we have already learned.

3. Paul’s response to the elders.

Acts 21:26 NKJV

26 Then Paul took the men, and the next day, having been purified with them, entered the temple to announce the expiration of the days of purification, at which time an offering should be made for each one of them.

Are you kidding me???

Why is Paul going along with this?

We should know by now that Paul was going along with this because of love for others.

Because he did not count his own life as important.

Galatians 5:13–14 NKJV

13 For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Remember the context 5:1 - don’t be in bondage to the law.

However, don’t use your freedom as on opportunity for the flesh.

Don’t use your freedom for you own good.

This becomes even more powerful when we realize how real it was to Paul that the law was dead.

It was simply bondage to the Jews.

The elders were out of line.

Yet Paul still submits to this plan.

IMPORTANT NOTE...

Following through with it did not cause him to sin.

He was not living in bondage to the law.

He was willingly and lovingly following it knowing it had nothing to do with his relationship with Christ.

However, it had everything to do with his relationship with the Jews.

1 Corinthians 10:23 ESV

23 “All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up.

Paul had every right to reject the elder’s plan.

There was no reason in the world Paul needed to go with those men.

But saying no… practicing his liberty, would not build up.

It would not give him an opportunity to speak into the lives of the Jews in Jerusalem both believers and non.

I used to think Paul was so zealous for the cause of Christ that following his example was unattainable.

But the more God has opened my eyes to what He expects of me as I live in this world, the more sense it makes.

The more I see Paul’s example going against the grain of the American church.

1 Corinthians 9:19–22 NKJV

19 For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; 20 and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; 21 to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law; 22 to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.

Paul reminds the Corinthian church that he is FREE.

This thought should resound with us!

We are free!

Say, can you see By the dawn's early light What so proudly we hailed At the twilight's last gleaming?

Whose broad stripes and bright stars Through the perilous fight O'er the ramparts we watched, Were so gallantly, yeah, streaming?

And the rockets' red glare The bombs bursting in air Gave proof through the night That our flag was still there

O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave

We are free.

We enjoy freedoms that much of the world does not.

Men and women paid the ultimate sacrifice so we could be free.

We are living in a day when those freedoms are dwindling.

What is more important: our freedoms or the opportunity to win someone to Christ?

Our living in temporary freedom or the opportunity to give someone the gospel so they can live in eternal freedom?

We have every right to stand up for our freedoms.

We have every right to speak our opinion.

That right has been given to us by those who fought for us.

We live in a divisive time.

If you say anything or post anything on social media that leans one way or the other politically, you WILL lose an opportunity to share Christ with the other side.

Is is it possible that though the things we want to do are lawful, they are not helpful to the cause of Christ?

Literally ANY hot button topic today.

What will you gain by championing my cause? Will I gain the kingdom of God or will I gain my good?

Matt 6 “Seek you first the Kingdom of God.”

REMEMBER - Paul never sinned or compromised his beliefs.

But what Paul is saying is...

To the conservative I became a conservative.

To the liberal I became a liberal.

HEAR THIS: What you and I see. What we tend to argue against. These are only symptoms of a greater problem.

Let’s go to the heart of the problem.

Resilient book: spine and heart.

4. Paul’s arrest.

Acts 21:27–40 NKJV

27 Now when the seven days were almost ended, 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 teaches all men everywhere against the people, the law, and this place; and furthermore he also brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.” 29 (For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple.) 30 And all the city was disturbed; and the people ran together, seized Paul, and dragged him out of the temple; and immediately the doors were shut. 31 Now as they were seeking to kill him, news came to the commander of the garrison that all Jerusalem was in an uproar. 32 He immediately took soldiers and centurions, and ran down to them. And when they saw the commander and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. 33 Then the commander came near and took him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains; and he asked who he was and what he had done. 34 And some among the multitude cried one thing and some another. So when he could not ascertain the truth because of the tumult, he commanded him to be taken into the barracks. 35 When he reached the stairs, he had to be carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the mob. 36 For the multitude of the people followed after, crying out, “Away with him!” 37 Then as Paul was about to be led into the barracks, he said to the commander, “May I speak to you?” He replied, “Can you speak Greek? 38 Are you not the Egyptian who some time ago stirred up a rebellion and led the four thousand assassins out into the wilderness?” 39 But Paul said, “I am a Jew from Tarsus, in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city; and I implore you, permit me to speak to the people.” 40 So when he had given him permission, Paul stood on the stairs and motioned with his hand to the people. And when there was a great silence, he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, saying,

We will tie this into next week, but notice that God used the “enemy” to save Paul’s life.