Warnings on the way to Jerusalem

Announcement: Josh and Jenna

We’ve gone through quite a bit of transition. I do need to announce to you about another transition that is coming up. We’ve known about this for a few months, but it’s still not easy.

Pastor Josh and Jenna Miller are moving to Texas. This couple means so much to me and to all of you. Their last Sunday with us will be on Sunday, May 22nd. They are an important part of this family, and we will miss them dearly.

We would like to bless them and their family on their last day with us. We are collecting funds to bless them. You can connect with my wife Jeannette if you would like to contribute to that. Please be here on Sunday, May 22nd. Pastor Josh will preach his last sermon with us. There will be a luncheon after church in Eurich Hall.

It will be an important day for our church. We want to celebrate this couple. Please be here on Sunday, May 22nd.

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CPText: Paul will not be persuaded from the mission despite warnings of persecution.

Purpose Bridge: Why are there hard times in the Christian life?

CPSermon: Hard times should not keep us from Christ’s mission.

Fear of hard times should not keep us from Christ’s mission.

Readiness for Christ’s mission prepares us for hard times.

Courage in Christ’s mission gets us through hard times.

Introduction

Attention

Have you every heard someone ask, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” Usually what they mean is, this person (or themselves) is not so bad. How could this bad thing happen to them? There are a lot of these other terrible people, and it seems like everything is okay with them. Why is this happening to them, or to me?

What about when you’re a Christian? I’ve believed in Jesus. I’m trying my best to walk the way he wants. Why am I going through this?

Do Christians struggle? Do they go through hard times? Of course. Just because you’ve become a Christian doesn’t mean you won’t struggle. We still live in a fallen world, and live with the consequences of being in that world.

How should a Christian respond to hard times? We’ll take a look at that today in Acts.

Context

In Acts 21, Paul is traveling. He had an emotional conversation with the church in Ephesus, and now he has torn himself away from them and is heading towards Jerusalem, along with this companions. They go from a place called Cos, to Rhodes, to Patara, down to Tyre.

At Tyre, they spend seven days with the church there. Along this trip, Paul is getting warned by the Holy Spirit that he is going to face a hard time in Jerusalem. Look at Acts 21:4:

Acts 21:4 CSB

4 We sought out the disciples and stayed there seven days. Through the Spirit they told Paul not to go to Jerusalem.

However, Paul continues on down towards Jerusalem. He and his companions leave Tyre and get to Caesarea. That’s where we will focus today. In Acts 21, starting in verse 7.

Scripture Reading

Acts 21:7–14 CSB

7 When we completed our voyage from Tyre, we reached Ptolemais, where we greeted the brothers and sisters and stayed with them for a day. 8 The next day we left and came to Caesarea, where we entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the Seven, and stayed with him. 9 This man had four virgin daughters who prophesied. 10 After we had been there for several days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11 He came to us, took Paul’s belt, tied his own feet and hands, and said, “This is what the Holy Spirit says: ‘In this way the Jews in Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him over to the Gentiles.’ ” 12 When we heard this, both we and the local people pleaded with him not to go up to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul replied, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” 14 Since he would not be persuaded, we said no more except, “The Lord’s will be done.”

Pray

Warnings from the Holy Spirit

What’s interesting about this area of Scripture are the constant warnings that Paul is getting from the Holy Spirit. He has received a number of warnings from God about his trip to Jerusalem. Take a look at what Paul says just before chapter 21, in his conversation with the Ephesian elders in Acts 20:22-24:

Acts 20:22–24 CSB

22 “And now I am on my way to Jerusalem, compelled by the Spirit, not knowing what I will encounter there, 23 except that in every town the Holy Spirit warns me that chains and afflictions are waiting for me. 24 But I consider my life of no value to myself; my purpose is to finish my course and the ministry I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of God’s grace.

These warning continue down towards Jerusalem. In Tyre, the Spirit warned Paul about Jerusalem. In Caesarea, the prophet Agabus prophesied through the Spirit in Acts 21:11:

Acts 21:11 CSB

11 He came to us, took Paul’s belt, tied his own feet and hands, and said, “This is what the Holy Spirit says: ‘In this way the Jews in Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him over to the Gentiles.’ ”

What are we to make of all of these warnings? I think there are at least two possibilities:

Paul is being disobedient.

I don’t think that’s the case. This certainly might be a time of testing for Paul. But, God could step in to his missionary journeys and prevent him from going to Jerusalem. We saw God do something like that previously in Paul’s mission. Take a look at Acts 16:7:

Acts 16:7 CSB

7 When they came to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them.

Here, in the case in Acts 21, the Spirit is allowing Paul to continue to Jerusalem. Paul is going to Jerusalem according to the will of God, as we see in verse 14, “The Lord’s will be done.” Instead of disobedience:

God is warning Paul to prepare him for Jerusalem.

God is saying to Paul, “Paul, you are about to face some hard times. Are you ready?” The love of God prepares Paul for hard times.

The warnings from the Holy Spirit prepare Paul’s heart for his mission. Listen to his heart as he responds to the efforts from this friends to keep him from this mission in Acts 21:13-14:

Acts 21:13–14 CSB

13 Then Paul replied, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” 14 Since he would not be persuaded, we said no more except, “The Lord’s will be done.”

Three things that we can learn about facing hard times:

Fear of hard times should not keep us from Christ’s mission.

State the point; Anchor the point; Validate the point; Explain the point

Paul’s friends are afraid for him. They don’t want to see anything happen to Paul, and they are hearing these warnings from the Holy Spirit.

In Ephesus, the church grieved because they were told they wouldn’t see Paul again. Acts 20:38

In Tyre, the disciples there attempted to dissuade Paul from going to Jerusalem. Acts 21:4

His companions pleaded with Paul not to go. Acts 21:12

Acts 21:12 CSB

12 When we heard this, both we and the local people pleaded with him not to go up to Jerusalem.

Now, why are they doing this? They are afraid for Paul. They knew the risks in Jerusalem, risks that were very real, and they wanted to keep him safe. They want to protect him from harm.

But Christians are not always called to do the safe thing. Christians are called to follow Christ, to be led by God’s Spirit. Being led by the Spirit and following Christ is not always the safe thing, but it is always the necessary thing.

Jesus explains this in Luke 12:4:

Luke 12:4 CSB

4 “I say to you, my friends, don’t fear those who kill the body, and after that can do nothing more.

Look at how Paul talks about fear in Romans 8:15-18:

Romans 8:15–18 CSB

15 For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear. Instead, you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father!” 16 The Spirit himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children, 17 and if children, also heirs—heirs of God and coheirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him. 18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is going to be revealed to us.

Paul’s argument here is the following:

You did not receive life and freedom in Christ to be people who are afraid of everything, who are constantly worried about your life.

If you are, you don’t have a full grasp of what life in Christ means. Being a Christian means:

You are a child of God.

You are an heir of God - you have a future home with God.

There is nothing you will face in this life, there is no suffering that compares with being a child of God.

Therefore, there is no safer and better place than to be in the will of God, even if that means that I face risk for the name of Jesus in this life.

I heard about a pastor that went to preach to 67 missionaries in Afghanistan. He went there to preach to them about following the Great Commission, to make disciples. But how was he going to do that? These missionaries were already risking their lives to preach the gospel.

They were working out how to communicate when they were in trouble. A missionary was baptizing someone in a bathtub, using the toilet as a pulpit. He says that at that time, no two Afghan believers knew each other.

So how did he preach to them about making disciples in Matthew 28? They were making disciples, they were baptizing, they were doing what they Great Commission says, to make disciples of all nations. He reassured them about this truth: All authority in heaven and earth is in Jesus.

These missionaries knew what Paul knew, that fear should not keep us from from Christ’s mission. Maybe you are afraid to tell someone about Christ because you will be ridiculed, or made fun of, or you think someone won’t listen to you. Fear should not keep us from Christ’s mission of telling the world about him.

Second,

Readiness for Christ’s mission prepares us for hard times.

State the point; Anchor the point; Validate the point; Explain the point

Paul talks about his readiness for Christ’s mission. He says in Acts 21:13:

Acts 21:13 CSB

13 Then Paul replied, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”

Paul says he feels ready and prepared in his spirit to not only be bound but also to die for Jesus. Where does this readiness come from? I think we should take a look at what he has been through in his ministry.

Paul has prepared for Jerusalem through the fiery trials of his life on mission. Take a look at 2 Cor 11:24-27:

2 Corinthians 11:24–27 CSB

24 Five times I received the forty lashes minus one from the Jews. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I received a stoning. Three times I was shipwrecked. I have spent a night and a day in the open sea. 26 On frequent journeys, I faced dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my own people, dangers from Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers at sea, and dangers among false brothers; 27 toil and hardship, many sleepless nights, hunger and thirst, often without food, cold, and without clothing.

His travels in presenting the gospel and all he has gone through have all led up to this moment. He has faced all kinds of danger before. He can’t turn back now. God has used all of his travels and his work in spreading the gospel to bring him to this point of readiness for whatever is ahead.

The warnings from the Spirit have led to this realization in Paul’s heart. “I am ready. I am prepared. I know that there are tough times ahead. But God has brought me through tough times before. He has prepared me through what I’ve faced, and God is faithful for what is coming ahead.” That’s why he is ready and prepared not only to be bound but to die, because the Lord has spent time preparing him and his heart for the trials that are ahead in Jerusalem.

His readiness has created a heart that is shaped by an amazing perspective. Paul says this to the Ephesian elders before his trip down to Jerusalem.

Acts 20:24 CSB

24 But I consider my life of no value to myself; my purpose is to finish my course and the ministry I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of God’s grace.

His readiness is bound up in the perspective he has on his life. He considers his life of no value in comparison to the greater purpose that God has for him, which is to finish his course and the ministry that he received from Christ.

Paul is able to keep the focus in his life on the mission that he has before him. Everything else is a distraction, including the distraction of his own safety. Paul is staying focused on the mission, because God is faithful, and no matter what happens to him, the Lord has all authority. He says, “I received this mission from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of God’s grace.” All authority in heaven and earth is in Jesus, and if he gives the mission, it is in his authority and in his power.

My son is a big fan of Monopoly. I think it takes too long, but he loves the game. The game takes time. The concept of this game is to become the wealthiest player on the board. I think my son loves this part. You keep going around the board, and you try to purchase as many properties as possible. But, if you really want to do well, you start purchasing houses and hotels and place them on the property. You try to make it the most expensive property, so people will have to pay a lot of rent. You prepare the property, you make the property ready so that you play in such a way as to win.

In a similar way, the Lord invests in us and prepares our lives so that we are ready for the mission he has given us.

God makes us ready through his Spirit working on your heart.

We are made ready through obedience on our part to learn about God, hear from him in his word, and talking with God in prayer.

We are made ready through a lifetime journey of growing in God.

As we hit hard times, the work God has done through our lives becomes the fertile ground that prepares us for the mission he has for us.

My pastor in NYC shares a story about 9/11. That week he was flying in to NYC. He says that normally he would prepare for the rest of the years messages over the summer, but for some reason, he hadn’t settled in his heart on a message for that Sunday. When 9/11 occurred and people came into the church seeking answers, he realized that God was preparing him for what was to come.

A lifetime of being sensitive to God’s Spirit within him caused him to be ready for that Sunday. Readiness for Christ’s mission gets us through hard times.

Transition

Courage in Christ’s mission gets us through the hard times.

State the point; Anchor the point; Validate the point; Explain the point

The last thing we see here from Paul’s statement is an immense amount of courage. Look at how he describes himself in Acts 21:13-14:

Acts 21:13–14 CSB

13 Then Paul replied, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” 14 Since he would not be persuaded, we said no more except, “The Lord’s will be done.”

I love the statement where it says that Paul would not be persuaded. You could not convince Paul to walk away from the mission that God had placed him on. There was a readiness in his heart, and he would not change.

Where does this kind of courage come from? Well, it comes from a deep understanding of who Jesus is. It comes from a deep love for Christ and a lifestyle of worshipping Christ. Paul has a deep love for the Lord Jesus, a love that is born out of knowing that there is nothing that can separate us from his love.

It is the love of God in Christ that persuades Paul to have courage. He writes about this love in Romans 8:31, 35, 37-39:

Romans 8:31 CSB

31 What, then, are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us?

Romans 8:35 CSB

35 Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Can affliction or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?

Romans 8:37–39 CSB

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

We are more than conquerors, and there is nothing that can separate you from God’s love. Those are words of courage. The battle is already won, because Christ has won the battle on the cross. That’s what Jesus tells us in John 16:33:

John 16:33 CSB

33 I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.”

Courage in Christ’s mission gets us through hard times. We can have a boldness to go forward living for Christ in a world that is lost and hurting because we know who we believe. We know that God has conquered, and we are more than conquerors in Christ Jesus.

An author spoke about courage this way,

The New Encyclopedia of Christian Quotations Courage

Courage is the strength or choice to begin a change. Determination is the persistence to continue in that change.

For our church right now, we are in a time for courage. I firmly believe that courage in Christ’s mission gets us through hard times. We are facing challenges, but they are nothing compared with what our Lord faced. He has sent his church on mission. We, as God’s people, are moving forward, bringing the gospel to this community, focused with courage, knowing that we are more than conquerors in Christ. He has won the battle, and he calls his church bring the message of the gospel to the world.

Catalyst Church is on mission to bring the good news of Jesus Christ to Paradise Hills, San Diego, and the world. That is what we are focused on. That is the mission. An we do it courageously, with determination, and without fear, because in Christ we are more than conquerors.

Conclusion

Fear of hard times should not keep us from Christ’s mission.

Readiness for Christ’s mission prepares us for hard times.

Courage in Christ’s mission gets us through hard times.

Conclude

Doxology

Numbers 6:24–26 CSB

24 “May the Lord bless you and protect you; 25 may the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 may the Lord look with favor on you and give you peace.” ’

You are dismissed. Have a great week in the Lord!