The Beginning of the End – Pt. II(21:27-40)

The Beginning of the End

I. Paul’s Mindset Coming to Jerusalem

II. Paul’s Reception in Jerusalem

III. Paul’s Response in Jerusalem

IV. The Result

The Beginning of the End

I. Paul’s Mindset Coming to Jerusalem

II. Paul’s Reception in Jerusalem

Romans 14:2-6One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. 3 Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. 4 Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

Romans 14:2-65 One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God.

The Beginning of the End

I. Paul’s Mindset Coming to Jerusalem

II. Paul’s Reception in Jerusalem

III. Paul’s Response in Jerusalem

The reason I thought of this book in connection with Acts 21 is that in my opinion in this chapter we come to a period of Paul’s life that was similar. I say in my opinion because, although the majority of commentators do not take such a view, I hope to show that though Paul was driven by high motives, what he did at this time of his life was wrong. Being wrong, it had unfortunate consequences for him and perhaps also for other people. --Boice

But Paul’s error was worse than mere hypocrisy…It was a compromise of the gospel. …the man who had argued so forcefully that we are saved by Jesus Christ alone was about to go to the Jewish temple and in the presence of the very priests who had crucified the Lord, there participate with others in a sacrifice of an animal that was meant to be an atonement for his sin. That is, he was about to turn his back on the only sufficient sacrifice of Christ. --Boice

Whether he [Paul] was wise in doing so may well be doubted.… But he cannot be fairly charged with a compromise of his own gospel principles. On the contrary, he was acting on his own rules. –F.F. Bruce

1 Corinthians 9:19-22For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. 20 To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law.

21 To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.

Galatians 3:23-26Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. 24 So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. 25

But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, 26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.

Galatians 5:1For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.

Romans 9:1-3I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit— 2 that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh.

John 17:20-23I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.

22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.

Paul had a massive vision of solidarity—a church of Jews and Gentiles, united, militant, taking the world by storm for Christ—not giving into legalism like that of the Judaizers! --Hughes

The Beginning of the End

I. Paul’s Mindset Coming to Jerusalem

II. Paul’s Reception in Jerusalem

III. Paul’s Response in Jerusalem

IV. The Result

Acts 9:1-2But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.

Acts 19:8-10And he entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God. 9 But when some became stubborn and continued in unbelief, speaking evil of the Way before the congregation, he withdrew from them and took the disciples with him, reasoning daily in the hall of…

Acts 19:8-10…Tyrannus. 10 This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.

Mark 14:57-59And some stood up and bore false witness against him, saying, 58 “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another, not made with hands.’ ” 59 Yet even about this their testimony did not agree.

Acts 6:11-14Then they secretly instigated men who said, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.” 12 And they stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes, and they came upon him and seized him and brought him before the council, 13

and they set up false witnesses who said, “This man never ceases to speak words against this holy place and the law,

Acts 6:11-1414 for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and will change the customs that Moses delivered to us.”

John 19:15They cried out, “Away with him, away with him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.”

"No foreigner is to enter within the forecourt and the balustrade around the Sanctuary. Whoever is caught will have

himself to blame for his subsequent death"

Ephesians 2:14For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility

Colossians 2:17These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.

Acts 21:10-11While we were staying for many days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11 And coming to us, he took Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘This is how the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’ ”

Ephesians 6:20I am an ambassador in

chains

Acts 21:13bFor I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.

Philippians 1:21For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

Romans 8:37-39…in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38

For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.