Paul recounts his conversion experience (pt 2)

"Now it happened, as I journeyed and came near Damascus at about noon, suddenly a great light from heaven shone around me. And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?' So I answered, 'Who are You, Lord?' And He said to me, 'I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.' "And those who were with me indeed saw the light and were afraid, but they did not hear the voice of Him who spoke to me. So I said, 'What shall I do, Lord?' And the Lord said to me, 'Arise and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all things which are appointed for you to do.' And since I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of those who were with me, I came into Damascus. Acts 22:6-11

In Acts 22:6-11 Paul is telling a Jewish mob who was out to kill him how he came to know Christ. He began by pointing out that, like them, he was once a persecutor of Christians too. But then he had an encounter with Jesus!

We wrote last time of the Jesus’ questioning words, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” We considered the words , “Me,” and “why.” This time let’s consider the word “you.” What each lost person needs to understand is that he or she is personally guilty before God and in need of forgiveness. It is simply not enough to believe that Jesus came to save sinners—you know, those other people. To be saved, I need to acknowledge that “I” have been living my life in opposition to God, His Law, and His Son. And so do you!

One of the most common dismissals/rejections of the gospel is, “That’s great for you!” Yes, the gospel IS great for me, and it is equally great and absolutely necessary for you as well!

Though I am not a big fan of the words, “Jesus is my own personal Savior” (because it makes the entire gospel seem to be about me!), it is true that each individual must come to faith in Christ, individually. Once we are saved, we are instantaneously members of Christ’s body, the Church. But to become one of Christ’s people, we must come to Christ acknowledging our personal sin and our personal need to be forgiven, personally. Have you done that?

More next time…

Paul recounts his conversion experience (pt 1)

"Now it happened, as I journeyed and came near Damascus at about noon, suddenly a great light from heaven shone around me. And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?' So I answered, 'Who are You, Lord?' And He said to me, 'I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.' "And those who were with me indeed saw the light and were afraid, but they did not hear the voice of Him who spoke to me. So I said, 'What shall I do, Lord?' And the Lord said to me, 'Arise and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all things which are appointed for you to do.' And since I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of those who were with me, I came into Damascus. Acts 22:6-11

Paul’s words in (v.1-5), and then into (v.6-11), are in essence saying. “Listen, I was just like you! I opposed Christianity too—more vehemently than you! But then something changed everything. That something was a personal encounter with Jesus Christ!” From there Paul begins to explain his encounter with Jesus.

I was on my way to persecute Christians, traveling as far as Damascus, Syria to do so!

I was surrounded by a blinding light which knocked me to the ground. Paul pointed out that it was noon. The sun was already shining brightly, but the light that came to him was supernaturally brighter than the brightest sunlight! It was supernatural since the light was Jesus Christ, “the Light of the world!” (John 8:12).

I heard a voice, questioning me, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” The voice Paul heard was, of course, the voice of Jesus (v.8). Note from Jesus’s words that to persecute Jesus’s people is to persecute Him! That is how much Jesus loves and associates Himself with those He is pleased to save. When we hurt, He hurts! This is not only a lesson for persecutors about their mistreatment of God’s people. It is a sober warning to Christians who abuse other believers, or who otherwise dishonor Christ’s Church. Think about that!

Not only should we learn from Jesus’s use of the word, ”Me,” but also from the word “why.” Why on earth do people attack Christ and His people? Why on earth would people disregard Christ and His people? The answer is simple. Sin so blinds people that in our natural (unsaved) state we (a) are ignorant of who Christ is, and/or (b) are foolish enough to oppose Him. We have more chance of extinguishing the sun by screaming at it to stop shining, than of successfully opposing the Son of Almighty God.

Though every conversion experience is not as dramatic as Paul’s, the only hope for all who are lost in sin, is an encounter with Christ. It is called being born again. Thank God that He revealed Himself to you. Never stop praying that He would reveal Himself to those you know and love who do not know Christ Jesus as Savior and Lord.

More next time…

Seeking to win a hearing

"Brethren and fathers, hear my defense before you now." And when they heard that he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, they kept all the more silent. Then he said: "I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, taught according to the strictness of our fathers' law, and was zealous toward God as you all are today. I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women, as also the high priest bears me witness, and all the council of the elders, from whom I also received letters to the brethren, and went to Damascus to bring in chains even those who were there to Jerusalem to be punished. Acts 22:1-5

Paul was in Jerusalem. The anti-Christian Jews accused him of being anti-Jewish. A riot broke out. Paul was rescued from the mob by the Roman civil authorities, but Paul wanted to address the mob…

In verse one, Paul was gracious to the angry mob though they had been anything but gracious to him. “A soft answer turns away wrath” counsels Proverbs 15:1. This does not always “work.” Stephen addresses a similar mob with the same words (Acts 7:2) and he promptly became the first recorded martyr of the Church. Nevertheless, polite words are always a wise choice.

In verse two, speaking Hebrew to these Jewish zealots was also a wise choice. It was a demonstration that he was not anti-Jewish, and that he was also a “Hebrew of the Hebrews” (Philippians 3:5). It is also smart to connect with those you are speaking to, and speaking their language is a way to gain a hearing when possible. This is why missionary work is always most effective when the missionaries can speak the language of those they are seeking to win to Christ.

In verse three, Paul further seeks to connect with his audience by telling of his Jewish pedigree and training. Though not born in Jerusalem, Paul was brought up there, and was trained by Gamaliel who was the preeminent Jewish scholar of the day. Paul further claimed to be, as his accusers were, a strict law-keeper and “zealous for God.”

In verses four and five, Paul even identified himself as a (former) persecutor of Christians endorsed by the high priest himself.

Whether this autobiographical introduction would win him favor, Paul was at least doing what he could to win a hearing. Next, Paul will tell of his conversion experience.

“May I speak to you?" and then "to the people?”

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? Are you not the Egyptian who some time ago stirred up a rebellion and led the four thousand assassins out into the wilderness?" 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." 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,
Acts 21:37-40

These few verses have quite a “back story.”  It is more historical than spiritual, but if you will indulge me, let me relay a bit of it.

Paul was being led into the jail, not merely for his incarceration but for his protection from the mob.  Paul asked the commander, “May I speak to you?”  Paul, a highly educated man, was speaking excellent Greek, which surprised the man in charge.  He thought Paul may have been a Jewish Egyptian, and a criminal who had led a revolt some time earlier.

Who was this rebel that the commander supposed Paul may have been?  According to the historian Josephus, there had been a Jewish Egyptian who claimed to be a prophet and led a band of 30,000 people from the desert to the Mount of Olives.  He claimed that at his word the walls of Jerusalem would fall and the Roman forces occupying Israel would be overthrown.  Using military force, the Roman governor at that time squashed the ill-fated uprising, killing many Jews and arresting many others. The Egyptian leader of the rebellion, along with some of his devotees, escaped.

The commander mistakenly thought Paul may have been that man.  Once the commander realized Paul was not that man, he was curious to learn who Paul was and where he was from.  Paul’s proper Greek fueled  the commander’s curiosity.

Let me interject at this point of the story that people claiming to be political “deliverers” were not uncommon.  Remember Jesus’ words in Matthew 24 about “wars and rumors of wars… many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.” 

Paul identified himself simply saying, "I am a Jew from Tarsus, in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city [in that day Tarsus was considered as important as Athens]; and I implore you, permit me to speak to the people."  Why did Paul want to speak to the mob that moments earlier wanted to kill him?  Because like his Savior, Paul was concerned for the lost—especially lost Jews!  This causes me to wonder if it had been me, would I be more interested in saving myself, or for the salvation of the lost who want to kill me?  Something to consider.

The commander gave Paul permission to speak.  Switching from Greek to Hebrew Paul addressed the mob.  We’ll consider what he said to them in chapter 22, next time.

Beware of Mobs!

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. When he reached the stairs, he had to be carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the mob. For the multitude of the people followed after, crying out, "Away with him!" Acts 21:34-36

Beware of Mobs! They are almost always wrong. In fact, as in most cases, both then and now, the individuals in the mob attacking Paul didn’t really know what the uproar was all about. Small minded people follow a crowd. Why? They do not know why. They just get excited and want to join in—especially when the mob is rowdy. Why? Because there is a thirst for lawlessness in many people.

I vacillated between being amused and horrified when people in the BLM riots were interviewed and asked what the protests were about. “Some among the multitude cried one thing and some another.” Clearly there was no specific purpose. Indeed, there is nothing new under the sun.

Is there ever a time to take a stand for something? Yes. But if and when that is true, (a) know what the protest is about (and before joining in, be sure the matter is something the Lord would approve of), and (b) violence is never appropriate.

One of the first Bible verses I taught my daughter was Exodus 23:2. “You shall not follow a crowd to do evil; nor shall you testify in a dispute so as to turn aside after many to pervert justice.”

Beware of Mobs! They are almost always wrong. And indeed, there is nothing new under the sun.

Lessons about the role of civil authorities

Now as they were seeking to kill him, news came to the commander of the garrison that all Jerusalem was in an uproar. He immediately took soldiers and centurions, and ran down to them. And when they saw the commander and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. 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.
Acts 21:31-33

We saw last time (v.30) that the religionists who hated Jesus, and therefore Paul who was an ambassador of Jesus, used force, dragging him out of the temple. Now in (v.31) we see just how forceful they intended to be. They were preparing to kill Paul! The Baker New Testament Commentary explains it this way:

Paul was in danger of losing his life, for he had no recourse to legal action. Anyone accused of defiling the temple could be killed instantly, without benefit of trial. The mob could have dragged Paul outside the city and stoned him to death, as they did Stephen (Acts 7:58). But they had no patience and, as Luke reports, already were trying to kill Paul.

God used the Roman soldiers who were present to restore order. Don’t miss that it is the responsibility of civil authorities to maintain law and order—something about which our deteriorating society could use a refresher course!

It is also interesting to note that the leader of these Roman soldiers (the Chief Captain) demanded to know who Paul was and what he had done to rile the crowd. Like Sgt. Joe Gannon in “Dragnet,” he wanted “just the facts”!

Once again, a lesson on how civil authorities are to handle civil unrest. Stop the chaos and get the facts. Sadly in our day, rioting is seldom stopped and facts are replaced with political narratives, usually defending the law breakers and blaming the police. As godless as Rome and Roman authorities were, to our shame, we could learn from them.

Praise God that the authorities were there to rescue Paul from the blood-thirsty mob!

One last irony. Though the Roman authorities rescued Paul this time, he was eventually executed—by Roman civil authorities. Proof that all civil authorities get it wrong at times.

Drawn or dragged?

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. Acts 21:30

This verse begs for a word study. The word of interest is the word translated “dragged (helko in Greek). The people “dragged” him out of the temple. How many of you imagine the angry mob “inviting,” “encouraging,” much less “wooing” Paul to leave the temple? Me neither. The word “dragged” does not describe a passive action, but an active action. Why does this matter?

Because of Jesus’ words in John 6:44: “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.” The word translated “draws” is the same Greek word as “dragged” in Acts 21:30. And the significance? In John 6:44 Jesus makes two important points. First, the inability of any of us to come on our own to Him, unless second, the Father “draws” us.

Most people think that God draws people to faith by passively inviting, encouraging, or wooing us. But that is not what it says. (By the way, look at that same word in John 18:10, John 21:6 & 11.) In the same way active action is needed to “draw” a sword from its sheath, God must actively draw the people He intends to save. But note: God does not save anyone against our wills. Rather, He ever so graciously changes our wills when He regenerates us. He actively, not passively, draws us or else no one would ever come to Christ.

We must be people of the truth!

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, 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." (For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple.) 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. Acts 21:27-30

As we pointed out previously, making judgments based on hearsay is dangerous. We need to learn the truth about what we “hear” before we believe and/or act. This passage points out how rumors in small circles grow into much larger circles. Note how a “whole crowd” was now involved and the rumor expanded to charge Paul with “teaching all men everywhere against the people [the Jews], the [Jewish] law, and this place [the temple].” None of that was true. James was right. A tiny spark really can start a forest fire! (James 3:5-6).

Not stopping there, they saw Paul, who consorted with Gentiles, going into the temple, so they “supposed” Paul brought Gentiles “into the temple.” Also untrue. Do we see that assumptions are dangerous and need to be verified before being considered factual? The rumors grew, were assumed to be true, and turned to violence as the people “seized Paul, and dragged him out of the temple.”

Besides the important lessons for us all regarding hearing and speaking rumors, what about what we hear and read on the internet and in the media? May we be wise enough not to believe everything we hear. In our day there is as much, and in some cases more, disinformation than facts. Lies motivated mobs to destroy cities during the BLM riots—and the attack on our nation’s capitol.

Our Savior and Lord is “the truth” (John 14:6). God’s “Word is truth” (John 17:17). We must be people of the truth!

Allowing others the freedom to follow traditions that are not inherently wrong

What then? The assembly must certainly meet, for they will hear that you have come. Therefore do what we tell you: We have four men who have taken a vow. Take them and be purified with them, and pay their expenses so that they may shave their heads, and that all may know that those things of which they were informed concerning you are nothing, but that you yourself also walk orderly and keep the law. But concerning the Gentiles who believe, we have written and decided that they should observe no such thing, except that they should keep themselves from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality." 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. Acts 21:22-26

Paul had been accused of forbidding Jewish Christians to observe Jewish customs, which was not true. In the last two blog posts we warned about (a) elevating discretionary cultural customs to such a level of importance that they can become idols (which is a big mistake), and (b) of imposing the observance of such customs on others (also a big mistake). (Of course, many cultural traditions and holidays are inherently wrong, like Pride Month for example.)

In the five verses above, we need to consider the opposite: forbidding cultural traditions that are not inherently wrong. That is a big mistake as well.

I love celebrating Christmas (not a biblical holiday). I really do not care for Halloween (also not a biblical holiday). While many (most?) believers celebrate one or both of these holidays, there are some well-meaning Christians who crusade against Christians observing them. Granted, if a person makes either holiday an idol, or if his celebration includes clearly unbiblical practices, he is in error. If he tries to insist others observe those holidays, he is again in error.

But so is the one who condemns others for what is not inherently wrong—or any of his business!

What has this to do with the text? Paul was not banning Jewish customs that were not sinful. To prove it, he received and followed some advice about joining some Jewish men in a particular tradition (probably a Nazarite vow).

BTW: I pray no one misses the point, thinking this post is about Christmas and Halloween!

How culture & traditions can become the chief of sins

On the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present. When he had greeted them, he told in detail those things which God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord. And they said to him, "You see, brother, how many myriads of Jews there are who have believed, and they are all zealous for the law; but they have been informed about you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children nor to walk according to the customs. Acts 21:18-21

While some cultural traditions are innocuous, and therefore fine for Christians to celebrate, some are clearly in opposition to Christ and must not be celebrated by Christians. But there is a third category. What about traditions that may be okay, but become so important in people’s minds that they take on a spiritual/religious significance? And worse, what if believers revere these traditions so highly that they impose them on others?

First, anything that gains this much of a priority in our lives, though not sinful in and of itself, is dangerous! To quote the Apostle John, “Keep yourselves from idols!” (1 John 5:21) In addition…

I am guessing that the answer is clearly in the question. We must always be on guard about allowing anything to become so important in our lives. When we do, those things have become idols in our lives. Idolatry of any kind is among the chief of sins! If and when we impose our idolatry on others, it becomes doubly bad.

So be careful about otherwise innocent matters than can become idols, and for sure, do not impose such things on others!

Hooray for piñatas!

On the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present. When he had greeted them, he told in detail those things which God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord. And they said to him, "You see, brother, how many myriads of Jews there are who have believed, and they are all zealous for the law; but they have been informed about you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children nor to walk according to the customs. Acts 21:18-21

Last time we pointed out that the accusation against Paul’s teachings about Jewish traditions was based on hearsay. Hearsay is not sufficient to make a judgment. We must give the person in question the benefit of the doubt and seek clarification.

Beyond that most important technicality, what about the Jewish/Gentile question? And what about whether Christians (whether Jewish or Gentile) should, or even may, observe them?

Cultural customs that do not violate scripture are essentially harmless. As one married into a Mexican family, the food, the music, and piñatas at birthday parties (for example) are great! Being a Christian does not disallow people to celebrate their cultural customs.

The same is true for many Jewish customs. Where it gets sticky is when the customs are somehow (whether formally or informally) associated with being a Christian. Points of Jewish law (or custom) that are religious in nature may be wrong. For instance, it is not only wrong but blasphemous to offer sacrifices. Why? Because they are spiritual in nature and since Jesus offered the last sacrifice for sin, to offer other sacrifices is to question the sufficiency of Christ.

So while some Jewish law and traditions may be strictly cultural and therefore benign, others should not be practiced by Christians, because they oppose Christ and the gospel.

There is a third category. What about cultural traditions that could be fine, but may also be dangerous? Next time…

Guilty! (based on hearsay?)

On the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present. When he had greeted them, he told in detail those things which God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord. And they said to him, "You see, brother, how many myriads of Jews there are who have believed, and they are all zealous for the law; but they have been informed about you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children nor to walk according to the customs. Acts 21:18-21

The Church’s first major theological crisis was about Jewish/Gentile matters. This was dealt with in Acts 15 when the first Church Council convened to settle the matter. But the matter was not settled, at least not once-and-for-all, never-to-be-a-problem again! Here it comes again with a slightly new spin.

Originally, the question was whether Gentiles converting to Christianity needed to first become Jewish—requiring the circumcision of males. The final in answer Acts 15 was “No.” Gentiles do not need to become Jewish to be Christian, and they need not be circumcised.

But now, sometime later after God used Paul to lead many Gentiles to Christ and plant numerous Christian churches throughout Asia Minor and Greece, the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem were happy to hear of Gentile conversions to Christ, but…

The new spin on the Jewish/Gentile matter was an accusation that Paul was teaching Jews to forsake Jewish customs. Let’s consider this issue.

First, Paul was not teaching that. Second, the accusation that Paul was teaching that was based on hearsay. While it is not wrong to ask about the validity of hearsay, it is foolish to pass judgment based on hearsay. Even in a court of law, what a witness “heard” about a matter is not germane. Only what a witness has personally heard and/or seen is supposed to be admissible.

Let us all learn that what we heard about a matter may not be true. Better to ask the person—without accusation—to clarify the validity of what is being said by third parties.

More on the Jewish/Gentile matter next time…

Mi casa es tu casa

Also some of the disciples from Caesarea went with us and brought with them a certain Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple, with whom we were to lodge. And when we had come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly. Acts 21:16-17

Paul and company departed from Caesarea to go to Jerusalem. Though just over an hour’s drive today (we’ve motored this route a couple of times), in Paul’s day, the sixty-five miles would be a serious uphill walk, only a little faster, but quite a bit easier if they had animals to ride.

When they arrived, they stayed in the home of a man named Mnason. He was from the island of Cypress, but had a home in Jerusalem. He was probably a man of means to have a home large enough to lodge the group. Luke doesn’t tell us a great deal, except that Mnason was “an early disciple.” He may even have been one of the those converted on the first Christian Pentecost when through Peter’s sermon, God saved 3,000 at once!

One thing we do know about Mnason: he was hospitable. Paul and his entourage needed a place to stay, and Mnason’s doors were open. Christians need to be hospitable. Church officers must be hospitable.

Hospitality in our day is often more about entertaining than true hospitality. Entertaining is often more about wanting to impress with our beautiful homes and our gourmet meals. True hospitality is about making others feel welcome and at home.

This is important to understand for people who fear they can’t be hospitable because of their smaller homes and budgets. Not True! Sometimes when our home is crammed with people, we’ve served something as simple as a big pot of pasta and sauce. Everyone seems to have a good time!

Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with having a large and/or nice home. Serving people great food is always a nice gesture. The issue is our hearts. Do we do what we do to impress, or simply to make others at ease in our homes?

And there is also the matter of hospitality at church. God is gracious to bring guests to our church on many Sundays. I believe our church is very hospitable—doing our best to make people feel welcome and at ease in an unfamiliar place. Good job! Keep up the good work!

Wisdom regarding counsel

Now when we heard these things [about Paul being arrested if he went to Jerusalem], both we and those from that place pleaded with him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, "What do you mean by weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus." So when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, "The will of the Lord be done." And after those days we packed and went up to Jerusalem. Acts 21:12-15

Still thinking about the difference between “counsel from the godly,” and “godly counsel”…

First, be extra careful (even suspicious) about counsel that comes from the ungodly. Granted, counsel concerning plumbing repair and gallbladder surgery need not come from a godly Christian. In these kinds of matters, just get the best counsel you can from the most qualified you know!

Second, when it comes to things that are of a spiritual nature—even counsel from the godly can be wrong. All who heard Agabus correctly predict that Paul would suffer persecution if he went to Jerusalem “pleaded with Paul not to go.” Though they were presumably godly people who loved Paul, their counsel was wrong.

Third, many things that may not seem to be spiritual have serious spiritual ramifications. Many things are more spiritual than we might first realize. Example: What school to enroll your children in is more spiritual than it is educational, since all education comes with a worldview, be it good or bad. The “best school” educationally may well be the worst school for a person’s spiritual well-being. This is but one example—there are myriads of choices that are more “spiritual” than most are aware of.

Fourth, godly people who love us can easily allow their affections for us to cloud their judgment regarding God’s will. We tend to want those we love to live free from pain and trouble. But don’t we all know that often it is in the midst of difficulties that we experience the most spiritual growth.

The bottom line is two-fold: (a) Let us be wise to reject counsel from the ungodly about matters that have any measure of spiritual importance. (b) Let us test all counsel—even from the godly, because though they may be sincere and want “the best” for us, the Lord’s will may well be very different.

Well-intentioned counsel is not always God's will!

Now when we heard these things [about Paul being arrested if he went to Jerusalem], both we and those from that place pleaded with him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, "What do you mean by weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus." So when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, "The will of the Lord be done." And after those days we packed and went up to Jerusalem. Acts 21:12-15

Paul was warned that if he went to Jerusalem he would be arrested. The people with Paul “pleaded with him not to go up to Jerusalem” (v.12). But Paul was not to be dissuaded. He was convinced he was to go to Jerusalem—so he went, looming arrest or not! Paul no doubt appreciated the people’s concern, but he was resolute, and knowledge of suffering was not going to change his mind (v.13).

A lesson to take from this (and this is on a lesson in our discipleship curriculum regarding discerning answers to prayer) is that there is a difference between “godly counsel,” and “counsel from the godly.” The godly said “Don’t go!” But God’s counsel was, “Go, knowing the cost ahead of time!”

We must cultivate an ear to hear and know God’s voice, which sometimes people who love us will affirm, and sometimes they will not.

Heading straight for persecution

And as we stayed many days, a certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. When he had come to us, he took Paul's belt, bound his own hands and feet, and said, "Thus says the Holy Spirit, 'So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.' " Now when we heard these things, both we and those from that place pleaded with him not to go up to Jerusalem. Acts 21:10-12

Agabus was a first century prophet, gifted by God to see into the future. What Agabus saw concerning Paul’s travels—and Paul’s eventual arrest in Jerusalem—was correct! It really was going to happen and it really did happen.

What would you or I have done had we known that if we went to a certain place we would be arrested? We would probably avoid that place and avoid being arrested. In fact, the people with Paul thought that is exactly what he should have done (v.12).

What did Paul do? He headed for Jerusalem. Wasn’t that what Jesus did when He made His last trip to Jerusalem, knowing the cross was ahead? "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death, and deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucify…” (Matthew 20:18-19)

So why did Paul do that, and what should we make of the prophecy?

Paul apparently took the prophecy as a warning of what to expect, not a warning of how to avoid arrest. So he went. It is not wrong to avoid persecution if we can while continuing to obey God’s will. But what if it was God’s will for Paul to go to Jerusalem and to be arrested? As always, we must be discerning regarding God’s will, even if we know that obedience will result in suffering. After all, God did not promise believers freedom from persecution. Rather, He promised that persecution is often part of following Him (John 16:33, 2 Timothy 3:12).

But what if everyone around us is urging us to avoid persecution and trials? Next time…

God prescribed all we need

Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. Acts 2:41-42

So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved. Acts 2:46-47

A little more about the necessity of the Ordinary Means of Grace (OMG), and why we need to be diligent to major on these instead of the myriad of other activities and events that the Church tends to become about.

Imagine two churches across the street from each other. One has separate programs for men and women, for every age group, and a host of special interests. The other church invests itself only in the OMG—preaching, worship, prayer, caring for one another, evangelism & missions, etc.

Which would you imagine is bigger? Why? Which would you be most drawn to? Why?

Why is it that most church-goers choose and remain in a church for reasons other than attention to the OMG? One of the most common reasons is “my friends go there.”

Would the people who attended the church with all the programs stay if the programs were no longer offered? Or would they look for another place that offers those things? What does that say about the importance of the OMG really are to some people?

The main point of this line of reasoning is that at Grace Bible Church, we do not offer all sorts of extras because we can’t. It is because we do not want to. We are committed to being a church of the OMG.

Everything we need—and is prescribed in the New Testament—is available in a streamlined manner. We do not need more things to do. +We need to attend services every Sunday morning and Thursday evening as often as is possible. +We need to attend prayer meetings, unless we are not able to. +We need to be in discipleship groups for deeper guided Bible study, and in Home Fellowships for fellowship and to care for one another. +We need to be engaged in local evangelism and world missions as much as we are able.

If we needed more, the Lord would have prescribed more in His Word.

The extra-biblical becomes obligatory

Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. Acts 2:41-42

So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved. Acts 2:46-47

Once again... We all (me too!) need to be reminded about the Ordinary Means of Grace (OMG).

Why? Because we have a tendency to add all kinds of STUFF to church life that, while not sinful, per se, it is not prescribed by God's Word and therefore not NEEDED. And experience teaches us that these unnecessary extras soon become compulsory! This is dangerous because these unbiblical and unnecessary “add ons” become not only obligatory, but they often become more important to the church than the OMG that God has ordained.

Let me ask you a simple question to help us think about what the Bible does tell us about.

Where does the Bible prescribe ministries for all sorts of separate special groups in the Church based on gender, age, or special interests? While having such ministries may not be bad, they are not prescribed in the Bible. In fact, Acts 2:46 specifically says the entire body was together “in one accord.” No mention of separate ministries for men’s and women’s ministries, or of segregated age group ministries. And don’t fail to notice that these ministries are most frequently not even necessarily about the Lord, the Word, or growing spiritually. They are more often than not about events, with maybe a devotional thrown in to sanctify it.

Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with getting together with people for fun. But when did that become the mission of the church?

The Ordinary Means of Grace

And as we stayed many days, a certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. When he had come to us, he took Paul's belt, bound his own hands and feet, and said, "Thus says the Holy Spirit, 'So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.' " Now when we heard these things, both we and those from that place pleaded with him not to go up to Jerusalem. Acts 21:10-12

This kind of revelation given to Agabus is not the norm. Did it happen as recorded? Yes. Was it of the Lord? Yes. But it is not normative any more than it is typical that people receive physical healing from touching the handkerchiefs of the apostles (Acts 19:11-12).

That something recorded in the book of Acts is not normative does not mean that God can’t do it again. It just means that:

God did special miracles through the Apostles in the early days of the Church as a way of validating the message they preached in those early formative days. And…

These kinds of phenomena appear to have ceased after that initial generation.

Rather than seeking miracles, and especially rather than seeking extra-biblical revelation, we need to depend on the Ordinary Means of Grace (OMG). They are ordinary, not meaning unimportant, but rather that these are the typical, standard, and usual ways God leads, grows, and matures His people.

In fact, we need to be doubly careful not to add other methods and practices to the OMG lest we begin to think these extra-biblical methods are the norm—to the neglect of actual OMG.

What are the OMG? The Word. Worship. Prayer. The Sacraments. Church discipline. Evangelism. And Fellowship (that is centered on the other OMG). Let us know what God has called the Church to do. Do those things. And not gunk up the Church with a bunch of other stuff!

Philip and his daughters who prophesied

On the next day we who were Paul's companions departed and came to Caesarea, and entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him. Now this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied. Acts 21:8-9

Philip was first introduced in Acts 6:5. He was also the evangelist who led the Ethiopian eunuch to faith in Christ in Acts 8, where we read that his home was in Caesarea.

Philip had four virgin daughters—virgin referring to the fact that they were unmarried. What does it mean that they prophesied? I particularly like commentator John Gill’s succinct explanation of their gift of prophesy:

[They did] not explain and interpret Scripture, or preach in public assemblies; for these were not allowed women, neither in the Jewish synagogues, nor in Christian assemblies; but they were endowed with a gift of foretelling future events, as was promised such should have in Gospel times (Joel 2:28).

Not that theirs was not an office, like that of an elder or a prophet (Ephesians 4:11). Rather their gift was seeing and foretelling future events. Remember Agabus in Acts 11:27–30? Note also that this kind of prophetic gift appears to have been given in the first century, but has ceased since. Let us beware of any who would claim to have such a gift today! There are many who think that because a thought entered their minds, it must have been put there by the Lord, and is therefore “prophetic.”