Sermon Tone Analysis

Dear Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ,

Key Truth: Courageously preserve the unity that Christ won for very different people!

Paul’s heart - two goals in coming - offering for poor, But also recognition that not different or better than or independent from - 4th meeting with James, but now 15 years since.. ; big plans after 3rd missionary journey strengthening/discipleship - mission - Rome and then Spain.

But conclusion of book of Acts, not just a repeat of 3 missionary missionary trips.

This 4th quarter - conclusion - about something else - Where does Acts start Jersualem.

3000 from nations believe - Witness where - movement from Jew to Gentile - end in Rome - one constant proclaiming Word, gospel of Christ in power.

But compared to the 20 y, this last part, 2 weeks in Jerusalem, 2 years to Roman trial, this last part - in slow motion - next two chapter -just a couple weeks - like Gospels - last week of Jesus life almost half = 7 times mentions going up to Jerusalem and will suffer; 5 trials, 3x both of them declared innocent by Roman authorities.

Both slapped - Luke - clearly saying what Paul does in Jerusalem is a big part of the power of the gospel in the church and world.

How through suffering and persecution strengthen the church and testify to world -

But there is an even bigger shift that the book of Acts is concluding with.

All through Acts including the beginning of this story - The Physical Temple still a good place - they gather there for prayer, for worship even, at first.

The People of Israel as a nation seen in OT light, the ritual and ceremonial Law still being held on to by Jews.

But in the middle of this chapter 21, the doors to the Temple come slamming shut - It wasn't that the OT temple was bad or evil, but the fulness and real glory of temple seen in Christ raised up in 3 days new Temple of People - the Law as Paul had already been teaching, not problem in its self - but as a way to righteousness defective - Christ showed glory of Law - fulfilled in hife life - written now on hearts - rituals fulfilled and Spirit working God’s will out of thankfulness and true love ; and the People, Peter Himself - Cornelius and seeing God work in ministry of Paul - said taking from Gentiles too a people called by His Name - New Israel with Gentiles grafted in!

Shift started even in Stephen whom Paul had accused of same things but now fuller!

But there is an even bigger shift that the book of Acts is conculding with.

All through Acts including the beginnign of this story - The Physical Temple still a good place - they gather therre for prayer, for worship even at first, The People of Israel as a nation seen in OT light, the Law still being held on to by Jews - But in the middle of this chapter the doors to the Temple come slamming shut - It wsn’t that the OT temple was bad or evvil or that Paul taught about it - but fulness and real glory of temple seen in Christ raised up oin 3 days new Temple of People - the Law as Paul had already been teacing, not problem in its self - but as a way to righteousness deffective - Christ showed glory of Law - fulfilled in hife life - written now on hearts - rituals fulfilled and Spirit working God’s will out of thankfulness and true love ; and the People, Peter HImself - Cornelious and seeing God work in ministry of Paul - said taking from Gentiles too a people called by His Name - New Israel with Gentiles grafted in!

Shift started even in Stephen whom Paul had accused of same things but now fuller!

Now from the point of view of the story of the church hugely important.

A version of Jesus-following growing up.

Judaizers - says must be come a Jew - ritual ceremonies like sacrifices, dietary laws, essential for salvation.

If Paul doesn’t come to Jerusalem, if he doesn’t show how Judaism fulfillment is in Christ and that Jewish Xns and Gentile Xns are one, eventually have Gentile Church and separate Jewish church not one unified Church!

Remember all the way down - people, and Spirit warning trouble - they even said don’t go.

He didn’t have to - had plans to do great work in Rome and Spain.

But AT Robertson writes: He was not willing to go on to Rome and the west and leave a cankering sore at Jerusalem right in the heart of Christendom.

Under God he had won the east for Christ and saved it from the Judaizers.

He would win the west.

But, if he left the great church at Jerusalem practically at outs with him, the trouble might break out again in Syria, Galatia, Asia, Macedonia, Achaia.

And if he should be able to hold his following again there would be a schism in the Christian body.

After 70 AD - destruction of the Temple by Rome - realize called together - condemned that false teaching.

Shift happens here.

After 70 AD - destruction of the Temple by Rome - realize called together - condemned that false teaching.

Shift happens here.

But just as important beyond church history, is our own story, when you see what is living in James the Just, brother of Jesus leader of church in Israel and you see what is going on in Paul’s heart apostle to the Gentiles - you need to ask what’s going on in my heart - with Christ’s church today!

A. Develop a Heart for Unity with All Believers

Note how Paul describes God’s work among the Gentiles coming to Christ -

Is that how we see things?

God’s work only through instruments like you and me.

But God really powerfully working.

These Jews most of them nationalistic still in Jerusalem.

Yet James with elders, maybe 70 of them, they hear Paul recounting one by one the miracle of Gentile world turning to Christ.

And when they heard it, they glorified God.

Always on the look out church in the world, in people different than us - Ask the question:

Who am I cheering for?

Ask the question: Who am I cheering for.

Ie Greg’s dad - break Candians mini-stick in half!

Big question when see people different than yourself, maybe hair cut, maybe sear swords, lifestyle - more hung up on outward things, than getting to know their heart, burden for them, and when God starts working - Glorify him and cheer that!

There is no hint of Luke recording any hostility, un gratefulness.

Ie Greg’s dad - break Canadians mini-stick in half!

Big question when see people different than yourself, maybe hair cut, maybe sear swords, lifestyle - more hung up on outward things, than getting to know their heart, burden for them, and when God starts working - Glorify him and cheer that!

There is no hint of Luke recording any hostility, ungratefulness.

But it goes the other way too.

James in a time of such intense Jewish Patriotism and Jewish nationalism - just been Egyptian leading revolt … Just been Agrippa trying to win favour - paid as benefactor for several poor Jews vows - The Jewish Sicari… Assassins in temple, if there were any Jewish aristocracy that sided with Rome - knock them off.

But did you hear what James said, thousands, myriads, figuratively many, but as actual number in Hebrew to Jewish 10,000 and more than one 10,000.

ie.

End of each day, Moses Prays return to the 10,000 = each individually!

Historians agree by this time in Palestine 8x as many Jewish Christians as there were belonging to Jewish sect of the Pharisees.

Maybe beyond 5% of population of Jerusalem, which soared to 2m at Passover but only 600,000.

Now what I want you to see here is that Paul deeply cared about this.

It is not just every ethnic group find their own Jesus and follow in their own way.

Linked partnership - deep trust - we are one with you - one spirit, one baptism one God and Father in one LORD Jesus Christ.

Paul cares that his own heritage part of that oneness in Romans and in Corinthians says: I’ve seen the third heaven - but give it all up - if my countrymen accept Christ - I would be accursed if that would men they would get Christ.

Paul’s chief motivation in interrupting his own discipiling and missionary effort, so Jewish and Gentile believers get this solidarity:

At present, however, I am going to Jerusalem bringing aid to the saints.

TY - BOOK

TI - Epochs in the life of Paul: a study of development in Paul’s career

AU - Robertson, A. T.

CY - London

PB - Hodder and Stoughton

PY - 1909

SE - 218

ER -

Do you see the heart of both of these men.

Does that same love live in your heart Paul had for and James had for Gentile believers?

In this place we have people born into the Christian homes, but also those new, we have lot of Dutch heritage people, but not all Canadian, German, SriLankin, Scottish - We have got millennials, boomers - Are you just content to hang with Christians like you , or are you striving for unity with those different than you - Glorifying God’s work in their lives?

A Heart for Unity is not enough on its own thought.

A unity that’ is man-made never strong enough.

Christian unity is always and ever a God-made one, with the gospel truth - Christ and His Work at the Centre!

Paul willing to set aside his Gentile mission, that Jerusalem church sent him on, to be of service, and to work for solidarity are you?

B. Apply Gospel-Truths to Difficulties that Divide

And here is where trouble comes in our text and in our churches.

Listen to what James and the elders tell Paul next.

It is the very thing he was so anxious about in comong -

they have been told about you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or walk according to our customs.

Some think James was just kowtowing to these pharisee like Jewish believers and was forcing Paul to compromise the gospel.

But there is no indication that Paul sees this as a compromise of either gospel or moral law of God.

If that were what James was doing it wouldn’t be a gospel way to handle difficulty.

And that needs to be pointed out here in how Jesus would have us do church.

There is a gospel way to handle conflict.

These zealot Jewish Christians, had sent messengers to Antioch and tried to get them to make Gentiles follow Jewish rituals.

Same in Asia Minor.

Galatia said that was essential to salvation!

At the Jerusalem Council -figured out a gospel way- assumed keep up their Jewish ceremonies but not necessary for Gentile Christians.

Later Peter didn’t have the guts when visiting - Paul had to stand up to him - table fellowship - can’t use dietary Jewish customs to break fellowship - can’t give into saying real salvation is only for those who keep ceremonial law - Peter repented difficulty handled ith the gospel.

But now these Pharisaic Jewish Christians are handling Paul is definitely not a gospel way to handle differences.

They trump up same charge Jews used against Stephen.

That word TOLD ABOUT YOU literally means - echoing about - gossiping - are you ever guilty of this - speaking about some difference a person has here without knowing their motivation or even the facts.

, log speck … gently restore…

Do they have the facts?

That word forsake Moses - actually Maccabees for APOSTATIZE - completely fall away and rebel against Law of God, Covenant given by Moses.. Paul has indeed said - Christ is the end of the law for righteousness, Christ has fulfilled the Law, Paul has said for salvation the law is useless except to reveal our sin, but it all pointed to Christ, great tutor to Christ, Law as moral code, never live up to - but now in the Spirit begin to - Paul said Law wasn’t problem, but our ability was and only find that in Christ!

Now the Pharisaic Jewish Christians are paying so much attention to the difference between practices o Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians, that Christ is lost and all that remains is the different practices that divide.