Turning the World Upside Down: Paul Addresses the Mob: Acts 21:26-22:29

I. Paul’s Good Intentions vs. 26

A. Paul who was free, was submitting to someone else’s preferences. Paul was NOT compromising the gospel. He was practicing what he had been preaching all along. I Cor. 9:19-22

1 Corinthians 9:19–22 NASB95

For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more. To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law though not being myself under the Law, so that I might win those who are under the Law; to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some.

B. You have to draw the line when it is ridiculous or compromises the gospel. (Jamey Ragel Facial hair ex) Gal. 1:6-9

Galatians 1:6–9 NASB95

I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!

II. Paul Seized vs. 27-39

A. They claimed that Paul was preaching against “this place” when you are more concerned about a place or a building more than people, then you have a problem/man made religion.

B. It would have been impossible for Paul to sneak a Gentile in, since it was someone’s job to check the men entering in to see if they were circumcised or not!

C. The mob gets carried away, and confused, and they beat up Paul, when the Romans come into keep them from killing Paul.

D. The Romans thought Paul was a fugitive from Egypt, and allows Paul to address the mob.

III. Paul’s Address to the Mob: 21:40-22:29

A. Paul goes from speaking in Greek to Hebrew to show his respect for the Jews. Also, this was no easy feat for someone who was just beaten.

B. Paul ran in important circles at one time, and the facts were undeniable.

C. Paul points out how he and other Jewish Christians were devote according to the law.

D. The Jews didn’t want the Gentiles to be saved even though the Old Testament spoke repeatedly about it. They wanted Paul to die because of that truth, and the fact that he preached Jesus as Messiah. Jonah 4:2-3

Jonah 4:2–3 NASB95

He prayed to the Lord and said, “Please Lord, was not this what I said while I was still in my own country? Therefore in order to forestall this I fled to Tarshish, for I knew that You are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, and one who relents concerning calamity. “Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for death is better to me than life.”

E. Paul’s Roman citizenship comes in handy yet again.