Acts Part 3 Lesson 1

When we arrived at Jerusalem, the brothers received us warmly the next day, Paul, and the rest of us went to see James and all the others were present, Paul greeted them and reported in detail what God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. When I heard this, they praise 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 of 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? That will certainly hear that you have come. So do what we tell you. There are four men with us who have made a vow, take these men, joining their purification rites and pay their expenses, so that they can have their head, 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. As for the Gentile Believers, we have written to them, our decision that they should have stain from food sacrificed to Idols from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. The next day, Paul, took them in 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 juice from the province of Asia saw. Paul, at the temple, they stared up the whole crowd and sees him shouting men of Israel. Help us. This is the man who teaches all men everywhere against our people and our law in this place. And besides, he has brought Greeks into the temple area and defile this holy place, they had previously seen trophimus, the Ephesian in the city with Paul and assume that Paul had brought him into the temple area. 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, reach the commander of the Roman troops that the whole city of Jerusalem was in an uproar. It wants to look some officers and soldiers and ran down to the crowd. When the rider 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 sent the commander, could not get at the truth because of the Uproar, he ordered that Paul be taken into the barracks. When Paul preached the steps, the violence of the mob was so great. He had to be carried by the soldiers, the crowd that followed kept shouting away with him. 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? He replied aren't you? The Egyptian who started the revolt and led 4000 terrorist out into the desert sometime ago. Paul answered. I am a Jew from Tarsus in cilicia, a citizen of No, Ordinary City, please let me speak to the people.

Having received the Commander's permission Paul stood on the steps, in motion to the crowd, and they're all silent. He said to them in Aramaic brothers and fathers, listen, now, to my defense. When they heard him speak to them and Aramaic, they became very quiet.

Awesome.

I had a. Synchronization issue with this slide. I thought I fixed it. It's still there. Text me off. That's supposed to say lesson one on top. I reached it like 4 times. Okay. I'm over it now.

This is a great story and I didn't plan that, but maybe me, you know, getting caught up into some frustration is a good illustration of parts of the story and let's Engage The Story. So, how does it start? It starts with Paul having completed a third and very successful missionary tour and then reporting back to the mother Church in Jerusalem, and it's me who adds the question. Is there some tension if you were paying attention to the story, there's tension in the story, but I'm talking about the beginning of the story which says that when Paul arrived in Jerusalem, everybody, Welcome him warmly, but then there are these these things described and they hint to me at some possible tension. They met with James and the elders, so Paul arrives from town and they gather James the brother of Jesus, who's the leader of the church in Jerusalem and the elders. That's the 12 apostles who have never left Jerusalem that have stayed even when the church was dispersed. So right? The big guy, this is the, this is Paul returning to the mother church. And then I'm thinking about the fact that he gave them at a detailed report of everything that he had done. And I don't know about you, but that sounds like a performance evaluation to me. And in my work, there has always been and I wanted it this way. So I've created it if it wasn't there, but there's always been some kind of group of people who to whom to whom I answer and who asked me to give an accounting of my activities. So I see that and I sent there's a little tension there because this Paul has been out there in the world and as we're going to find out as the story continues, they're aware that there's some rumors out there about him. I think I think there's even though it's a warm greeting. There is a little tension, baby of the same kind that you might get when you show up for your performance evaluation and your boss. Really likes you, but he's been kind of or she been getting ready to tell you a couple things that you could do better.

Let's just take a look at the map of where Paul went on this journey, because this is the end of it. He started there in Antioch. Paul himself is from Tarsus, which is in Celestial. That's a region and then he's gone through Asia Minor. He's gone up into modern. This is modern-day turkey. He's gone up into modern-day Greece. When all the way down to Corinth, turned around, went back to revisit all those places and and now is intending, while hasn't ended. When he was here to head back to Jerusalem. Hoping to get to Jerusalem by Pentecost. So they they land at Tire, they traveled assessoria. They go Inland to Jerusalem. So that's the opening of the story. Reporting back to the mother Church. The mother church is afraid that Paul's presence will cause a Ruckus and Paul cooperates with this plan that they make for him. So, why would they be afraid about this Ruckus? Here's why in Jerusalem, you have the focus of Everything Jewish and the first followers of Jesus were Jews. So this portion of the community of the followers of Jesus who are Jews, did not give up their jewishness when they became Christians, if, if you've become a Christian and your American, you haven't given up your American Ness to become a Christian. So these Jews became followers of Jesus and that, and they didn't stop. Behaving like juice. They must have changed a few things. Eventually, the Jewish followers of Jesus are not making sacrifices. I have it seems like maybe that stopped right away, but there were other things like the festival's. Paul wanted to get back to Jerusalem in time for the Festival of Pentecost. And there were Jews from around the world. Who'd made a pilgrimage to be in Jerusalem at this time. And some of those ewes are Jews who have become Christians. They didn't stop celebrate Pentecost, Passover. Festival of weeks, day of atonement, Festival of Tabernacles day of atonement. And Tabernacles are in the fall. The Jewish Jesus followers seemed to continue their Jewish culture life. And they had heard some rumors that Paul when he was out there away from Jerusalem, where the Gentiles are had been telling people, you don't have to do that. You don't have to circumcise your kids. You don't have to, you don't have to follow these Jewish things but the Jewish Jesus followers were following those things. And the evidence that we have in the Bible text is that there were these four men who had made a vow and what they must be talking about is a Nazarite vow. You can read about it in the Old Testament in Numbers, Chapter 6, anybody who wanted to make a commitment to God, could make a vow to do something with God, or for God. And the Bible, provided some guidelines for how one ought to make that vow and how one ought to conclude that violin. Comes to the end. And so we have these for Jewish Jesus followers who are in the room with James and the elders and Paul and his companions. Who have made that kind of a vowel? They didn't stop doing that kind of thing when they became Christians. so because of these rumors out there, the church, Leaders come up with a plan and here's their plan. Paul. We want you to sponsor these four who are making this vow. I guess that was a thing. That you would get a sponsor who would help you, you pay their expenses so they can afford to get their head, shaved. I'm a little confused by that, because if you read numbers 6, they're not a person who makes a Nazarite. Ballot is not supposed to cut their hair. so,

From looking around, I would just left to my own devices. So here's what I came up with some how long the way they must have started this process with a shaved head so that everybody knows you've made a vow and now you're not cutting your hair until you have fulfilled that belt. Let's just say that that's likely how it went. So you pay their expenses. They need to get a haircut. They need to do these other things and then, as the sponsor Paul, you go to the temple area and you do the paperwork about making sure that they fulfill the obligations of this vow in the proper way. And everybody will see you doing that. It's going to be out there in the open and public and they're going to know that you respect Judaism. Here, you are doing this very Jewish thing. Sponsoring these four who are making a vow. Okay, at the Bible study. I attended this week. Somebody said why didn't Paul do that. He's peed spent all this time. Among the Gentiles telling them you do not have to follow the law. He fought for this, he advocated for this. So why does he put up with it? Why didn't he say? I don't have to do that to them and just be the pole that we've seen. It doesn't seem like he's being himself.

That's a really good question. So what's the answer? Maybe these two things? Paul had been getting warnings as he traveled toward Jerusalem, that there's going to be trouble for you in Jerusalem. There was a prophet who had met with Paul and you took Paul's belt, and he bound his hands. And he bet you did not pause the prophet found his own hand and his own feet. And he said, you're going to be bound like this when you get to Jerusalem until Paul's friends, begged him. Don't go don't go. But Paul had said, I am willing to be bound even to die. To do what Jesus wants me to do. I'm going to Jerusalem. So that's a very Multicultural person. There's a reason that God chose him to go on those missionary tours that we were thinking about what that map because Paul is is a well-educated Jew. He probably speaks Aramaic with a Jewish accent because he'd lived a long time in Jerusalem, but he's also from a Roman city called Tarsus and he speaks good Greek and he's unusual in that way. He's a multicultural, A Gifted human being and we've heard him say in the Bible. I become all things. I have become all things to all people, so that by all means I might win. Some of them to Jesus. That's his heart. So I see Paul coming here to Jerusalem. He's not afraid of the trouble. That might come his way. And what he's doing is seeing you saying yes to Jesus. So if the leaders of the church want him to do this thing with the four guys, he's completely willing to do that. In fact, Paul himself had taken a vow and we read about that back in chapter 18. I think Paul sees himself as saying yes to Jesus. so, the question is, How to work the great plan. I bet you it's going to work. And if you were paying attention, it didn't work at all a mob frenzy happens. Anyhow, and the key phrase is this phrase that Justin read some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul at the temple. So, it's Pentecost. Asia is where the city of Ephesus is and some juice from Ephesus because they're good Jews made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem and they're in Jerusalem at this time and Paul's there, too. So let's quickly remember Ephesus. What happened in Ephesus Paul went to the synagogue for 3 months when he was in Ephesus and he talked to Jews about Jesus as the Messiah. And then the Bible says that there were some Jews who became obstinate and he said I've had it With you guys at the synagogue and he rented a public lecture hall called the Hall of taranis and for a couple of years in Ephesus, Paul taught about Jesus in the lecture hall of tyrannus in Ephesus, and it was very successful. So, imagine the Jews, the obstinate ones who didn't like, Paul in Ephesus. This was frustrating to them. They're like, Jesus, that's what. Dinner was, like at the dinner table. They were just frustrated, and okay. Now, let's go to Jerusalem for Pentecost and they're in the temple that Precinct of the temple in Pentecost and somebody says, that's that guy from evidence right there. He's going to need three things. He's against our people. He's against our law. He's against this place. And you guys all know how the game of baseball goes three-strikes-and-you're-out, get him. And MOB frenzy happens. I want you to note that if you were there at that moment and if you were inclined to say, hey, wait a second, you guys. Paul doesn't actually hate the Jewish people. He's a Jew, he loves the Jewish people. He doesn't actually hate the law. He's just telling you, that Jesus came to fulfill the law. He's not actually against the temple. He's just excited because the Holy Spirit has been poured out, and we are all, we are the temple of God. Yeah, but when the mob is in a frenzy, Nobody wants to think about the gray, right? They just heard he hates this. He hates. This. Eh, this let's get him off. They go. And dumb. Oh, yeah. I have two interesting historical photos to show you. This is from a place in the city of Jerusalem that has a scale model of the Jerusalem in Jesus day the temple in Jesus day so you can see the legs of some people standing behind. So it's a scale model of herod's Temple. And the reason there's a need for this is if you go to Jerusalem today, the Temple Mount is there. But there is a mosque on the Temple Mount today. So you you need a model to get a picture of what it was, like, in Jesus day. And what you're looking at is the Antonia Fortress, which was a location of a Roman Garrison, located, on the North End of the temple. So you see the Antonia Fortress and then on the right of the picture, you see, The temple courts. This Roman Garrison was located there for the purpose of keeping the peace. And if you were the commander of the Roman Garrison and there was a big Riot that got completely out of control. It was your neck that was going to be on the line. So if you wonder how the commander heard, there was a Ruckus going on and went down to where the Ruckus was, and how he got there so fast, here's the explanation. He was perhaps worn by somebody, who was up at the top of one of those Towers watching things happen, and maybe he was in one of those upper rooms and he ran down and into the temple Precinct and there must have been some scaring us to the soldiers because as soon as an angry mob saw them, They? Quiet it down. All of this comes to calmness about that but about two other things. Paul says, to the Garrison commander in Greek,

and the Garrison Commander says, You speak Greek? Aren't you that Egyptian Guy? This is so hilarious and took 4,000 people out into the wilderness. I mean, this is how rumors get started Falls like no.

My name is Paul. I'm a Jew. I happen to be from Tarsus, which is a Roman city that does a. It's, it's got a reputation. I'm I'm, I'm June and I and I speak good Greek because of where I'm from and somehow The Garrison Commander respect that because the Garrison Commander gives him permission to talk to the crowd. And the other thing that happens is after Paul raises his hand and gets her, but his attention. He speaks to the Jews but this time not in Greek. But in Aramaic, which is their Hometown language and because he had lived in their Hometown for a long time. I'll bet he spoke with a Jerusalem accent. So, what did they think? They, they probably thought? He's from Ephesus? Yes. He's a Jew, but a Jew in name, only, he's probably not educated. He probably doesn't understand it all. And he's been leading a stray all these people? Because she just doesn't know. But now Wait. That guy. He's got a Jerusalem accent and he sounds pretty well-educated and we think we would like to listen to what he has to say.

And this is like a Netflix series because we we get led up to the Bow. Wow, and now it's the end of this episode. We have to come back next week to find out what happens, but I think there's one more thing to say about the story and it is Oh, I had two pictures and this is good. So I can't forget it. Sorry. This is a picture of an actual stone sign from the Temple area. And there was in the temple area that the court of Gentiles. And then there was about a 5-foot high wall, that Gentiles were not allowed to go inside of that. We're Jews could go and you weren't supposed to cross it, and this is the sign that was there in the temple. Today. It's in an archaeological Museum in Istanbul. It's in Greek, and this is what it says. Foreigners must not enter inside the value straight. That's this wall or into the forecourt around the sanctuary. Whoever is caught will have himself to blame for his ensuing death. Welcome to Jerusalem. If you're a foreigner and you go inside this gate, we're going to kill you. That's what the sign, that's the sign. That's what it said. So that's why there's a mob ready to draw some blood because of what happens. Okay, there's one more thing to see about this story and the way we see it, I think is to look between the lines. And if we look between the lines, we see that God has staged this whole thing. Just as he did with Jesus. The Elders of the church as from their perspective. Their plan was a complete failure there. The one Paul got in trouble because he was doing what they said. He should do. He was at the temple, doing that thing about the four guys and that's where he got spotted. So their idea was a terrible idea. It didn't work one lick, Paul's friends. Their worst nightmare about what might happen to Paul in Jerusalem was coming true. But as far as God is concerned, he's got Paul on the stage. And this is Paul who speaks Greek and Aramaic. So he's got the perfect person on the stage and he's got. Once again, a crowd of people that he loves who are about to hear the gospel of his son in Jesus Christ. This is like God staged this whole thing. just like, he staged it with Jesus and Here's the hint for that. What did the crowd say? It was interesting that Justin's words that he read were slightly different than what we're on our screen. Our screen said, get rid of him. I think Justin's words were away with him. The New Testament is written in Greek. So in Greek, it's two words. I r f which means take away and Kim. So what they said what the crowd yelled was?

and, In Luke chapter 23 verse 18, a mob just like this. When pilot said, would you like me to release you Jesus or Barabbas? They said, two words, i r f, same exact word, and to tan, which is not him. But this. So at Jesus, the mob yelled.

They were slightly nicer to Paul, then they were to Jesus. At least they called Paul him. Jesus, they called this. But it's two mobs. Same place. Same exact treatment. God. Set this up. Just the way he intended.

All right. So how do you apply a story like that? First of all, I don't about you, but it feels kind of contemporary to me. We have lots of riots. And one thing about a riot is there are a few people there who who have the cause in mind and who are trying to lead a reaction for the sake of the cause. And there's a bunch of people there who don't have a clue what's going on. They just like a riot, man. We're going to pull over some cars. We're going to break some, windows were going to lose some stores. Going to burn some stuff down. Why?

All right. So that's a maybe that's why it feels contemporary to me. I don't have a hard time imagining that there's a few people who who they're wrong, but they've got in mind policy on these things. And there's a bunch of people who don't know whether Paul even who he is, but they heard somebody did something and they're just accepting what they hear. And then there's the rabble-rouser, they don't care any riots, a good Riot and they're just jumping in and I don't know about you, but that feels like the country I live in.

And so I think we ought to ask a question. Do I get caught up in this kind of thing? Do I get caught up in the frenzy? Do I pass along information that I heard from somebody else, without being sure about it. Do I unthinkingly? Enter the mob? I would say. I've listened to the media. Right. That was that mean it's so huge, but I I certainly have listened and I've gotten exercised about what I heard and I've assumed that what I heard is true, without really having checked it out and, and been agitated about it. No, I haven't broken. Any one doesn't have tipped over any cars and have included any stores. But I've been angry about something happening without necessarily knowing for sure. Seems like that's a good question for us to think about, but here's the bigger one. Do I pause to wonder what God may, be up to, when I see a crisis or do I just jump to solve it? Because what if God's staging the whole thing? So, five personality. I jump, if if I see your crisis, I'm by personality. I'm I'm on it. I'm fixing the crisis and and I can I create a little anxiety for my partner sometime because I jumped before everything is all worked out. I call it ready. Fire aim, and I laugh but it's not funny to everybody. It's only funny to some of us.

This is the way we are. We God put us together because we need each other and there's a good side to my personality and there's a shadow side to my personality. Just as the case is with you.

What I'm learning is to ask a question, this crisis, is it? Should there be a freak out right now? And should we try to make it go differently? Or could it be that God is staging this thing that's happening.

Life can be complicated. That's what I see. Should the leaders of the Church of asphalt to do that. I don't know. Should Paul have gone along with it. I'm not really sure. It's such a great area. Sort of thing where they're some Jews who had become Christians that were in the mob that was ready to to kill Paul. Maybe. Maybe there were some of this fellow Jesus followers who just were exercised about the Jewish culture and his approach to it, that were part of the attack. All, this is so complicated. How in the world? Do we live Faithfully in a world, where it's so complicated? There's one calm person in this story. And it's Paul. Paul's comb. He's on the stage. He's got the gifts. He knows how to speak, Greek to that guy and you knows how to speak Aramaic to those people. And he's about to present the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and He's not worried about it because God, the father is present. Jesus. Lord is present. God. The holy spirit is present.

That's the way it is for us. It's complicated. But Father, Son and Holy Spirit are present.

Even the roof is commenting.

Hey, man, do you too?

Okay, you should end. That's a great story. I was so much fun. I can't wait till next week to find out what happens next. Let's, let's pray.

Lord, there's so many things. We don't know the answer to We we like it to be simple where we are tempted to jump on that Simplicity bandwagon and pass along what we heard. Because it's simple that it just, it might not be true. It's complicated.

Yet, we can be calm, like Paul. Because you are present, father, you are present. Son, you are present. Holy Spirit. We're back to where we started today. We want to be present to your presents. We invite you to come.

And as we head into a week, where it's complicated. Show yourself there. Show us. What to do? help us to pause and ask how you might be present and active, what you might be staging, even when it doesn't look like you could possibly be staging a We pray that you would rise up. To show your compassion in the greater Cedar Springs Community.

To your presents and people who are looking for you. In Jesus name, amen.

What's a closer service with How Great Thou Art would you please rise?

My baby.

Okay.

My God is Awesome.

Myra.

Dial David.

Antique.

All right.

John can I borrow you as soon as we're done to be on a Prayer team with me? Are you available? Okay, John and I are going to be up front if anybody wants to pray about anything today. We love to play with you. I have some anointing oil in my bag over there. I'll get it. And I don't know. Maybe you need healing or wisdom or guidance or provision. Let's look that up to God while you're here. And now it's receive a blessing, May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. And the love of God, the Father And The Fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all. And everybody said, amen. Have a great day. You're dismissed.

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