GOD ESTABLISHES HIS CHURCH IN THE WORLD
God’s Messenger’s can Expect Hostility
Acts 21:17-36
Jerry A Collins
SCC
10.5.03
There may be situations you face
that will require that you take a conciliatory course of action in order to
avoid conflict. I was ushered into the side room of the church I grew up in one
morning after a service by our new pastor. He asked me and two others to cut
our hair above our ears and remove any sideburns so that he could use our gifts
and leadership in the church. If we refused we could not expect to become part
of the ministry leadership he hoped to have in the church. I had a decision to
make. I was conciliatory enough not to cause any conflict so I left the church.
Another situation involved a girl I dated while I was beginning college. I was
beginning my study of NT Greek at the time and using a NASB. She informed me
that in her family they only used the KJV and if her parents learned of my
study and preference it might break their hearts knowing that she was dating
me. Again, the opportunity to be conciliatory. No, I
did not marry her! The Apostle Paul warmly received by the spiritual leadership
when he arrives in
1. SOMETIMES IT IS APPROPRIATE TO FOLLOW THE ADVICE OF OTHER BELIEVERS
(1) Delighted to receive Paul 17-21. In vs
17-21 the leadership in the
(2) Their joy is mixed with concern 20-22. a
potentially serious problem had developed, one they needed Paul’s help to
resolve. First, they reminded him of large numbers of Jewish believers
who remained devoted to the ceremonial aspects of the law vs
20 like the feasts, Sabbath regulations, ritual vows and dietary laws. But why
would they still cling to these? 1. Apostles did not oppose the continuation of
these practices. Nowhere are they condemned for observing them. The
(3) They advise him on a conciliatory course of action 23-25 Paul
is advised to (1) associate with 4 men who have taken a ritual vow by
participating in a ritual purification with them and (2) by paying their
expenses for a head shaving as part of keeping their vow. In this way all will know that there is nothing to the
things which they have been told about you but that you yourself also walk
orderly, keeping the law vs 24b. Then, after
giving this advice, they reaffirm that they still stand behind the principle of
gentile liberty in no sense retreating from or compromising this decision at
the
1. Not lightly or hastily given
23. This had been an ongoing problem and seemed to begin having given a lot of thot to this. Contrasted with earlier advice (
(4) Paul listens to their advice 26. Paul agreed to the proposal.
Doing so would not compromise biblical truth as he himself will write in Romans
14-15, such matters are issues of Christian liberty (1 Cor
9:19-23). Paul had taken similar vows before (
2. WHILE WE ARE FREE TO FOLLOW ADVICE WE ARE NOT FREE FROM IT’S CONSEQUENCES
(1) Before this conciliatory gesture can be completed hostility erupts 27-29. It has been the same everywhere Paul has
served. The grace and patience of god reaching out to the Jewish people thru
his ministry never seemed to be allowed to run it’s
course but repeatedly met with violence and antagonism (
(2) The irony is that the slander against Paul at the moment is in direct contradiction to his present activity 28-29. Hatred jumps to slanderous conclusions with only slivers of evidence.
(3) Thru the most ill-founded slander a near riot provoked 30-32. Interesting that the doors to the temple were shut. This is
the last time in Acts that the
(4) Once again the roman power appears as protector of the Christian witness (18;12-17; 19;35-41) 33-36. God is in control and the powers that exist are ordained of God and can serve His concerns against the violence and hatred of unbelievers.
1.
You must decide for yourself if you will follow advice or not.
2.
You may have to reject advice even when it represents majority view as in 1st
view even Luke objected.
3.
Do not base advice given or received on assumption that God does not want you
to suffer.
4.
Good advice will stand on scripture and not apart from it. 5. Good advice can produce difficult
situations.
6.
Be sure you are willing to live with the consequences
of advice you follow or not.