Acts 21: Paul Heads to Jerusalem

Alongside our Sunday teachings, we’re keeping things simple. We’ll be reading through the book of Acts, featuring the many unique voices of the ClearView Church congregation. Each week, we’ll release two chapters, followed by a few reflection questions.

In this  episode, you’ll hear a brief introduction from Pastor Phil, followed by a reading of Acts 21 and some reflection questions from a member of our congregation.

Read along with the following reflection:

This chapter is remarkable. There is this juxtaposition of praise to God for the thousands who have believed and then a riot breaks out and the chapter ends with Paul’s arrest. What might God be saying to us through these excerpts from Acts?

Did you notice who God uses to protect Paul? Not fellow believers, and definitely not his former Jewish tribe - but Roman officials - the very people we might expect to oppose him and the advancing gospel message. What might this tell us about God's sovereignty and the unexpected ways He works?

As you listened to the chapter, what was the Holy Spirit drawing your attention to? 

Perhaps there were other ideas, words, or phrases that captured your attention. Linger over them and ask God any questions you may have.  Pray your life to God and take a moment to rest in His presence.

Faith Matters is a ministry of Clearview Church, Oakville, On.
https://clearviewchurch.com/

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:04

You are listening to the Faith Matters Podcast from Clearview Church, where we explore everyday faith in a complex world. Our goal is to strengthen and equip followers of Jesus just like you through practical and theological discussions and resources. In this season of the podcast, we're diving deeper into the practices of prayer and study. Each week, we'll release two episodes featuring voices from our congregation reading a chapter from the book of Acts, along with a few reflection questions. Each episode will begin with a short introduction to help set the context of the passage. As you listen, we encourage you to go slow. There will be built-in pauses with gentle background music, giving you space to reflect and wonder about what you're hearing. You might choose to follow along in your Bible or use a Bible app as the passage is read aloud. Above all, invite the Holy Spirit to speak to you and reveal what you need from the text. Our hope is that this practice would nurture and deepen your faith as you continue to grow your life with Christ. Now, on to the book of Acts and the passage of the day.

SPEAKER_01 1:36

We see how the power of the gospel creates a really deep and loving community. But Paul is called out further, and so he meets with the Ephesian elders for one last emotional goodbye. He warns them, encourages them, hands off the mission with tears and urgency, and it has the feel of like a curtain call. But it's also a commissioning because now in Acts chapter 21, despite warnings, Paul is heading straight towards Jerusalem.

SPEAKER_02 2:08

After we had torn ourselves away from them, we put out to sea and sailed straight to Gos. The next day we went to Rhodes and from there to Patara. We found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, went on board and set sail. After sighting Cyprus and passing to the south of it, we sailed on to Syria. We landed at Tyre, where our ship was to unload its cargo. We sought out the disciples there and stayed with them seven days. Through the Spirit they urged Paul not to go to Jerusalem. When it was time to leave, we left and continued on our way. All of them, including wives and children, accompanied us out of the city, and there on the beach we knelt to pray. After saying goodbye to each other, we went aboard the ship and returned home. We continued in our voyage from Tyre and landed at Ptolemy, where we greeted the brothers and sisters and stayed with them for a day. Leaving the next day we reached Caesarea and stayed at the house of Philip, the evangelist, one of the seven. He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied. After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabas came down from Judea. Coming over to us, he took Paul's belt, tied his own hands and feet with it, and said, The Holy Spirit says, In this way the Jewish leaders of Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles. When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of Lord Jesus. When he would not be dissuaded, we gave up and said, The Lord's will be done. After this, we started on our way up to Jerusalem. Some of the disciples from Caesarea accompanied us and brought us to the home of Nathan, where we were to stay. He was a man from Cyprus and one of the early disciples. When we arrived at Jerusalem, the brothers and sisters received us warmly. The next day Paul and the rest of us went to see James, and the elders were present. Paul greeted them and reported in detail what God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. When they heard this, they praised God. Then they said to Paul, You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous for the law. They have been informed that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or live according to our customs. What shall we do? They will certainly hear that you have come. So do what we tell you. There are four men with us who have been made a vow. Take these men, join in their purification rites and pay their expenses so they can have their heads shaved. Then everyone will know there is no truth in these reports about you, but you yourself are living in obedience to the law. As for the Gentile believers, we have written to them our decision that they should abstain from food, sacrificed to idols from blood, from the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality. The next day, Paul took the men and purified himself along with them. Then he went to the temple to give notice of the date when the days of purification would end and the offering would be made for each of them. When the seven days were nearly over, some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul at the temple. They stirred up the whole crowd and seized him, shouting, Fellow Israelites, help us. This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people and our law and this place. And besides, he has brought Greeks into the temple and defiled this holy place. They had previously seen Dropamist the Ephesian in the city with Paul, and it seemed that Paul had brought him to the temple. The whole city was aroused, and the people came running from all directions. Seizing Paul, they dragged him from the temple, and immediately the gates were shut. While they were trying to kill him, news reached the commander of the Roman troops that the whole city of Jerusalem was in an uproar. He at once took the officers and soldiers and ran down to the crowd. When the rioters saw the commander and his soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. The commander came up and arrested him and ordered him to be bound with two chains. Then he asked who he was and what he had done. Some in the crowd shouted one thing and some another. And since the commander could not get the truth because of the uproar, he ordered that Paul had to be taken into the barracks. When Paul reached the steps, the violence of the mob was so great he had to be carried by the soldiers. The crowd that followed kept shouting, Get rid of him. I remember finishing grade 12 and realizing that come September I'd be leaving for university. I would be moving away from home and leaving behind my closest friends and family. The people who had been my safety net and support system would no longer be with me every day. Of course, what Paul was facing was far more significant. The Holy Spirit and now the prophet Agabas warned him that suffering and hardship awaited him in Jerusalem. This chapter is remarkable actually. There is this yaksta position of praise to God for the thousands who have believed, and then a riot breaks out, and the chapter ends with Paul's arrest. What might God be saying to us through these exods? Did you notice who God uses to protect Paul? Not fellow believers, and definitely not his former Jewish tribe, but Roman officials, the very people we might expect to oppose him. What might this tell us about God's sovereignty and the unexpected ways he works? As you listen to the chapter, what was the Holy Spirit drawing your attention to? Perhaps there were other ideas, words or phrases that captured your attention. Linger over them and ask God any questions you may have.

SPEAKER_00 10:11

Join us again for our next episode as we continue through the book of Acts together. Go in peace and may you continue to grow your life with Christ.