Acts 21:35-40 When Paul reached the steps, the violence of the mob was so great he had to be carried by the soldiers. 36 The crowd that followed kept shouting, “Away with him!” 37 As the soldiers were about to take Paul into the barracks, he asked the commander, “May I say something to you?” “Do you speak Greek?” the commander replied. 38 “Aren’t you the Egyptian who started a revolt and led four thousand terrorists out into the desert some time ago?” 39 Paul answered, “I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no ordinary city. Please let me speak to the people.”
 
THE people were out of control. Their hateful shouts, “Away with him!” is translated, “Kill him. Kill him!” The soldiers had to carry Paul away to protect him. One can credit the Romans’ determination to protect their prisoner. It may have been safer for them to turn Paul over to the mob.
   Might some of the crowd have been the same people who shouted to Pilate, “Away with him!” (Luke 23:18)? They had succeeded then in their violence to kill the Prince of Peace. Now they wanted Jesus’ messenger dead. The hateful mob did not know there is no death when the Resurrection and the Life reigns.
   How sad it is to think of the many, many times God revealed himself in Jerusalem throughout the ages; and yet, his chosen people he had created to be his own could only shout, “Kill him!” One can attempt to kill the King of Glory, but he will still come in (Psalm 24).
   In God’s will and time the Lord Jesus submitted to death. But it was not time for Paul to die. Paul was accustomed to defending himself and standing before hateful people. He faithfully prepared to do so again.
   Paul surprised the commander. Yes, he could speak Greek. No, he was not a terrorist. Yes, he is a citizen of no ordinary city – of Rome. A Roman citizen had a right to defend himself. This was their law. Six more times in the remaining pages of Acts, Paul will defend himself as a Roman citizen. He used the tools God had given him to be a voice for the gospel God had granted to him.
   The crowd was zealous to kill Paul. God is even more zealous to bring his justice to earth: Isaiah 9:7 Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.
   When you are a citizen of God’s kingdom, be confident of your right to defend the truth. You serve a passionate God. Be passionate for him.   
    

Acts 21:30-31 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. 31 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.
 
WHAT had Paul done? It didn’t’ seem to matter to the Jews. The phrase while they were trying to kill him tells us violence had replaced reason. It seems the ruling Jews – and then the crowd – could not forgive Paul for becoming a leader of The Way. There seemed to be no plan to arrest Paul and place him on trial as written in Deuteronomy 19 and elsewhere. Crowds came from all directions with a mob’s mindset to kill Paul.
   The Romans, though, attempt to stop the mob. The title commander of the Roman troops indicates the man had 1,000 highly-trained soldiers under his authority in Jerusalem. Scholars estimate there were about 200 soldiers to stop the riot.
 
Acts 21:32-35 The Commander at once took some officers and soldiers and ran down to the crowd. When the rioters saw the commander and his soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. 33 The commander came up and arrested him and ordered him to be bound with two chains. Then the commander asked Paul who he was and what he had done. 34 Some in the crowd shouted one thing and some another, and since the commander could not get at the truth because of the uproar, he ordered that Paul be taken into the barracks.
 
THE mob wanted Paul dead. Some of you reading this have faced threats because of the lies against your faith. Hopefully none of you have experienced such a horrible physical attack. The Jews accused Paul of teaching against “our law”.  But they obeyed only the laws of hatred and murder.
   Once again God used a pagan ruler to rescue Paul from a mob. The Roman commander and his soldiers stopped the beating. Assuming Paul’s guilt, he chained Paul to one soldier on his left and one on his right as they did to a criminal. You can almost hear the shouting crowd accusing Paul. The commander and his soldiers must have been very concerned for their lives. It was time to get to a safe place, so they could learn the truth. The crowd, though, continued to press against Paul and the soldiers with increasing anger. Satan seemed to be having his way: Proverbs 10:11 The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked. 
   The world is full of noise and accusations that want to kill your faith. Be purposeful to often move into a quiet place to allow God’s truth to silence the lies. 

Acts 21:22-25 “What shall we do? They will certainly hear that you have come, 23 so do what we tell you. There are four men with us who have made a vow. 24 Take these men, join in their purification rites and pay their expenses, so that they can have their heads shaved. Then everybody will know there is no truth in these reports about you, but that you yourself are living in obedience to the law.”
 
PAUL had been an influential Pharisee. He had participated in Stephen’s execution (Acts 8:1). His leadership influenced violent oppression against Jesus’ church: Acts 8:3 But Paul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison.  
   Then Paul’s dramatic new birth into Jesus’ apostle ignited a deep hatred among the ruling Jews because he preached Jesus is the Christ. To the Jews, Paul had completely denied all the Jews’ law and customs.
   In response to this, the Jerusalem church leaders advised Paul to demonstrate he still honored the Jews’ cultural traditions. One of those traditions was a seven-day ritual cleansing for a Jew who had returned from a long time in Gentile territory. In addition they encouraged him to pay for the expenses of four others who were committed to the Nazarite vow as described in Numbers 6:3-21. Paul followed their advice. But the hatred was too great.
 
Acts 21:26-29 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. 27 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, 28 shouting, “Men of Israel, help us! This is the man who teaches all men everywhere against our people and our law and this place. And besides, he has brought Greeks into the temple area and defiled this holy place.” 29 (They had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with Paul and assumed that Paul had brought him into the temple area.)
 
Words have power to accuse and convict. We see this continually in all aspects of our lives, don’t we? Someone accuses another, and immediately the accusation takes root in our minds. We tend to believe what we hear. Why would people lie?
   People lie to get what they want and to validate their own motive and methods. The accusers lied about Paul’s teachings and taking Gentiles into the main temple. The lies created a riot and nearly killed Paul.
   Words have meaning. We must be careful to speak truth and to know the truth. Satan, the father of lies (John 8:44), was using his ancient weapon in an attempt to destroy God’s powerful apostle. 

Acts 21:20b-21 Then they said to Paul: “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous for the law. 21 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.”
 
AS we asked in the previous lesson, were the Jews who confessed Christ holding onto the law, even though they confessed Jesus? In many ways they were. A Jew, who came to faith in Jesus did not immediately stop the traditions and sacred habits of their religion. For example, we witness in Acts 3:1 Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer – at three in the afternoon. They knew they could pray to Jesus anytime, anywhere. They knew the very intimate relationship they had with the Holy Spirit. Yet this did not cause them to reject the Jews’ prayer routine.
   In fact, their understanding of God’s power revealed through prayer likely caused them to appreciate and fulfill this traditional schedule with a passionate desire for Jesus. He had taught them to pray. Now they had real power and meaning in their prayers.
   Do you think they prayed praise to God from the Scriptures such as  Psalms 100:5 For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations. They were joyfully living God’s faithfulness fulfilled in their generation!
   In a like manner, we have read Paul had desired to celebrate the Passover and then Pentecost in Jerusalem. Why? He’s a Christian, who fervently knew the power of the Passover Lamb, who takes away the sins of the world. Saved in Jesus, this “Pharisee, son of a Pharisees” (Acts 23:6) didn’t need to lawfully fulfill God’s old covenant commands. But the Spirit had written the law on Paul’s heart. The Passover, Pentecost and the third appoint Feast of the Tabernacles, pointed to Jesus’ saving work to open heaven to one’s unlawful heart. There was no need to stop celebrating these Feasts if the new Christians understood these are illustrations of Jesus incarnation, crucifixion and redemption.
   Btu wasn’t it true Paul was telling them not to circumcise their children? In fact, he had not. His objection to circumcision was regarding the Gentiles. They did not need to be circumcised to enter Jesus’ covenant of grace.  
           Good traditions in the church today have been set to remind us that in God’s grace, Jesus has fulfilled the law. Yes, with various traditions you can celebrate Christmas, Easter, Epiphany, Pentecost and other moments in the gospel’s history.  And when you do, always remember you are worshiping Jesus, your Savior, whom God has granted to you: Ephesians 2:4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions – it is by grace you have been saved. 

Acts 21:15-16 After this, we got ready and went up to Jerusalem. 16 Some of the disciples from Caesarea accompanied us and brought us to the home of Mnason, where we were to stay. He was a man from Cyprus and one of the early disciples.
 
WE covered Acts 21:10-14 a few lessons back as it pointed to a powerful prophecy of Paul’s bondage in Jerusalem and his determination to continue. The rest of Acts 21 begins the account of Paul’s time in Jerusalem that led to several years under Roman guard. Paul’s desire to go to Rome would eventually happen under Rome’s authority to stand trial before Ceasar as a Roman citizen. Here’s how that came to be.
 
Multitudes Saved
 
Acts 21:17-20 When we arrived at Jerusalem, the brothers received us warmly. 18 The next day Paul and the rest of us went to see James, and all the elders were present. 19 Paul greeted them and reported in detail what God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. 20 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.
 
PAUL was a humble servant to the church. He began well in Jerusalem, reporting to the apostle James, who was Jesus’ half-brother and author of the epistle James. Because James met the criteria that an apostle had to have been with Jesus, his authority as an apostle remains unquestioned.
   James and other elders of the Jerusalem church were very pleased at Paul’s report. The phrase many thousands of Jews have believed means “many times 10,000.” Jesus’ church was growing! The church leaders were pleased that many Gentiles had become believers. Years before this, Peter had been called to Jerusalem to defend his work in the Roman Centurion Cornelius’  home (Acts 10). The apostle and convinced them the Gentiles were God’s people, too. The church’s primary authority of the day was very happy to hear of Gentiles’ conversions.
   Then Luke wrote all of the Jews are zealous for the law. Paul had been passionately preaching the gospel of grace. Were the Jews still following all the Law of Moses?
   We’ll continue in the next lesson to explain the Jews’ response to their salvation in Jesus.

Acts 21:8-9 Leaving the next day, we reached Caesarea and stayed at the house of Philip the evangelist, one of the Seven. 9 He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied.
 
WE have met Philip earlier, one of seven chosen to serve widows: Acts 6:5 This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism.
   The Spirit then used Philip to powerfully evangelize the gospel in Samaria: Acts 8:5 Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Christ there. 6 When the crowds heard Philip and saw the miraculous signs he did, they all paid close attention to what he said. 7 With shrieks, evil spirits came out of many, and many paralytics and cripples were healed.
   The Spirit then sent Philip to the Desert Road to Gaza to meet an Ethiopian eunuch. Philip revealed the gospel and sent the baptized man home to Ethiopia (Acts 8:26-39). The church began in Africa.
   And here is why Philip is now Caesarea: Acts 8:40 Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.  
   Philip had apparently remained in Caesarea for many years. It would be fascinating to learn of his work for God during that time.
   One way God used Philip in that time was to give him four daughters, anointed to be prophets. The daughters lived in the legacy of other women who prophesied. They include Moses’ sister Miriam (Exodus 15:20), the Judge Deborah (Judges 4:4), Huldah (2 Kings 22:14), Isaiah’s wife (Isaiah 8:3). In addition there is faithful Anna. When Joseph and Mary took the baby Jesus into the temple for his circumcision, Anna gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem. (Luke 2: 38).  
   Prophesying women in the church should be no surprise. God had said he would continue to anoint women to the prophetic role in the New Covenant. Peter preached this at Pentecost, quoting the prophet Joel: Acts 2:17 “In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.  
   Yes, literally Philip’s daughters had been created for a remarkable role in God’s kingdom. We have no record of their prophecies, but this is enough to tell us Philip and his daughters faithfully served God. He had gifted them to speak God’s glorious salvation to the Jews. That is precisely what they did.
 
Isaiah 40:5 And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken. 

Acts 21:1-7 After we had torn ourselves away from them, we put out to sea and sailed straight to Cos. The next day we went to Rhodes and from there to Patara. 2 We found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, went on board and set sail. 3 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. 4 Finding the disciples there, we stayed with them seven days. Through the Spirit they urged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. 5 But when our time was up, we left and continued on our way. All the disciples and their wives and children accompanied us out of the city, and there on the beach we knelt to pray. 6 After saying good-bye to each other, we went aboard the ship, and they returned home. 7 We continued our voyage from Tyre and landed at Ptolemais, where we greeted the brothers and stayed with them for a day.
 
THIS brief summary of Paul’s travels from Ephesus to Ptolemais confirms a network of churches had been established in the Roman Empire. We have seen certain pockets of Roman oppression, but generally speaking it was the ruling Jews who denounced and persecuted their own people who came to faith in Jesus.
   In some places the seed of Jesus’ gospel fell on good soil, where it produced a crop – a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. In other regions, towns and territories the seed fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. (from Matthew 13:5 & 8)
   This has been the way of the church and will be until Jesus’ return. Our work is to keep spreading the gospel, and the Lord will determine the harvest.
    As Paul and Luke traveled to Jerusalem, they met with the disciples and the brothers in Tyre and then came to Ptolemais. In Tyre for seven days, Paul and Silas quickly formed a close bond with the church in Tyre. They, too, through the Spirit, urged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. It seems the Holy Spirit revealed to the church in Tyre the trouble Paul would encounter in Jerusalem. But the Spirit did not say, “Don’t go.” to Paul. The church knew the danger Paul faced and wanted him to keep from Jerusalem.
   This is similar to the fearful disciples’ opposition to Jesus going to Jerusalem. Our Lord remained resolute, keeping in mind the things of God. (from Mark 8:33)
   We can observe in the church’s history very many people who obeyed God’s mission to uncertain, even unsafe territory, despite attempts to convince them to not go. Certainly well-meaning, loving and Spirit-led people have warned, “Be careful. You might have trouble. You would do better if you stayed home where you are accepted.” But God had put his purpose into his servants’ hearts, and they remained faithful to God. The entire church around the world must be grateful for the faithful who have said, “Here I am. Send me.”  

Acts 20:36-38 When he had said this, he knelt down with all of them and prayed. 37 They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him. 38 What grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face again. Then they accompanied him to the ship.
&
2 Corinthians 13:14 May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
 
WE include this verse from 2 Corinthians because it helps us more personally understand Paul’s emotional goodbye to the Ephesus elders. Do you have this kind of love relationship with others in your church?
   This love for one another begins with the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace is God’s unmerited goodness to call us into his church. That union began with God’s gracious action to save each person into a living faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus’ grace is our Lord’s all-sufficient life, atoning death, life-giving resurrection and holy ascension to the Father’s right hand. He has torn the veil separating us from God. He is the Light of the World, who removes all darkness and opens our way to heaven. When you are in the church, you must show to the world you have learned to love the Lord’s commands. You join others to encourage one another to celebrate and to stand firm in Jesus’ grace.
   The love of God strengthens your love for your family and for others in the church. You learn to minimize differences and to exalt the triune God’s majesty to join us to him with his love. He has chosen people from among different classes of culture to be leaders in his church.
   The fellowship of the Holy Spirit can also be communion of the Holy Spirit. Fellowship is the Spirit drawing all of God’s people into a unique faith union that points you to the eternal relationship with God and one another. Paul later wrote to the Ephesians to emphasize this communion made possible through Jesus’ saving work: Ephesians 2:18 For through Jesus we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. 19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household.
   Perhaps the most visible sign of the church’s fellowship that day was their time of prayer. They all knew their future would be different because of God’s purpose for their lives. The Ephesus elders remained to instruct and protect God’s church. Paul was going to Jerusalem and an unknown destiny. Their fellowship with the Spirit kept them obedient to their mission. They knew that even when they were apart, they would be together in Jesus’ grace and the Father’s love.  
    

Acts 20:33-35 “I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing. 34 You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. 35 In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
 
OF the many sins Paul could speak against, why did Paul say specifically to the Ephesus elders, “I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing.” To covet is to desire another’s possessions such as home, vehicle, money or occupation. Wouldn’t it be understood that one such as Paul, who so passionately preached Jesus’ gospel, would be content?
   Paul likely struggled – or even continued to struggle – with wanting what others had. He wrote in Romans 7 of his struggles with sin, and he pointed to coveting in Romans 7:7 For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, “Do not covet.”
   It was a natural battle in his heart to desire others’ silver or gold. He grew up in a successful home. His Roman citizenship and education offered him physical comforts. In his former life. As a Pharisee, one goal in his life would have been to gain as much material possessions as possible.
   Coveting affects us all. People, tribes and nations strive after others’ possessions, and there is no peace. Discontent disconnects us from God and destroys far too many relationships.
   Remember, as Paul said goodbye to the Ephesus elders, he was essentially instructing and encouraging them to righteousness in their lives and in their work. He knew they would be tempted in their position of authority to seek wealth. That, sadly, is what rulers do. In contrast he wanted Jesus’ teachers to be content as Jesus showed us.
   He also wanted them to model Jesus’ diligence. Paul was a tentmaker who supplied (his) own needs and the needs of (his) companions. Paul did not consider himself too important to do physical labor. We generally pay little attention to Jesus’ life as a carpenter, which included working with stone. Jesus teaches us good work is a good thing for mankind. Genesis 2:15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. Be diligent to labor and care for the Lord’s physical and spiritual kingdom as the Lord directed and demonstrated.
   Paul also encouraged the elders to serve as Jesus served and taught. One is blessed when she gives to others. To give is to turn selfish coveting into selfless service.
   Be content with what you have. Be diligent to your physical and kingdom work. Be servant-hearted to help others as you are able.   

Acts 20:32 “Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.”
 
YOU can quickly read this and possibly stop for a second to think, “That’s a good sentence.” Or you might mediate on these words to conclude, “God, who is rich in mercy, made (me) alive in Christ!” (Ephesians 2:4a) With joy and reverence, let’s meditate on five truths of God in this verse that reveals his rich life-giving, mercy.
   First, when Paul commits the Ephesus elders to God he is spiritually placing them under God’s care and protection. Because of Jesus’ atoning death, God will fulfill his promise to keep the believer as his own forevermore. God had transformed Paul’s life, committing Paul to himself. Paul, in turn as God’s servant, could commit faithful men and women to God. Our Father is, indeed, rich in mercy to receive and protect his own.
   Second, Paul also committed the Ephesus elders to the word of his grace. This is as if he gave each person a Bible and said, “Here is God’s Word. Learn it, love it and live it.” God’s Word reveals his eternal love and grace for his people. To commit to the Scriptures is to acknowledge it is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness. (2 Timothey 3:16) The Word’s power will renew your mind, so you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:2b) Our Father is, indeed, rich in mercy to transform our lives through the word of his grace.
   Third, you thank God his mercy can build you up. To build up is to add on, to construct and strengthen. Once you become a Christian, God wants you to add on to your life, to construct new habits and new relationships that strengthen your love for him and for one another. Jesus said it this way: Matthew 7:24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. Know what God says, and you will know where to stand when temptation tries to confuse you. God’s mercy reveals what you must dismiss from your life and what you must receive for your good.
   Fourth, we know God is rich in mercy because he gives you an inheritance. You don’t earn an inheritance; a benefactor directs a gift to you. In Jesus, the Father has chosen to give you citizenship in the kingdom of God. The Father has paid for your kingdom wealth. He offers it to you because he is rich in mercy. You can say, “God has written me into his will, so I will possess the eternal kingdom.”
   Fifth, rich in mercy, God sanctifies you. The Spirit has set you apart from the world’s destruction to protect you in the kingdom’s restoration. Set apart in Christ, you know and exhibit God’s mercy in your committed life to God. Be alert and joyful to know that when God commits to you, you must commit wholeheartedly to God.