Lessons From Acts – Lesson 38
We have set the stage for Paul’s mistake and will start to see the consequences of it.
Paul had already made the mistakes of getting inward focused, and miss interpreted what the Holy Spirit was telling him and Paul refused to listen to the people got sent in the Spirit to tell Paul not to go to Jerusalem. And Paul refused to listen to the Prophet of God.
It was not just one thing. Paul was off and could not see it and would not listen to the counsel of other Spirit led Christians and it did not matter how many God sent. I see the love of God in this. Even though Paul was off, God still loved him and tried and tried and tried to save Paul from going to Jerusalem.
And we saw that is was actually a whole series of mistakes leading up to this and the whole thing tends to go downhill. That is the way it normally works when a guy gets off track.
And it took time. This is the way it usually works. A man who is on track and walking close to God at 9am does not usually commit the whopper of a mistake at 1:30. Normally it is a process that takes a little time. A process of slipping, of going down hill. A process is getting more and more off.
That is the way it was with Paul. His thinking was off and almost walked into a hostile crowd but he did listen to counsel. They we see him get more and more self-focused. And finally Paul was actually a little short and almost angry with those trying to give him counsel.
So Paul stubbornly goes to Jerusalem.
Act 21:16 There went with us also certain of the disciples of Caesarea, and brought with them one Mnason of Cyprus, an old disciple, with whom we should lodge.
Act 21:17 And when we were come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly.
Act 21:18 And the day following Paul went in with us unto James; and all the elders were present.
Act 21:19 And when he had saluted them, he declared particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry.
Act 21:20 And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord, and said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law:
James is the one talking here. Notice Paul tells them of what the Lord has done among the Gentiles thru Paul, and the reaction is nice but short. They give God glory for it and quickly change the subject.
James starts right in with see Paul how many thousands of Jews there are which believe and are all zealous of the law. Notice James says all of them.
Now it is great that thousands believe, but something is a little off here. Believers should be zealous of grace! They should be zealous of the simplicity of the gospel. They should be zealous of the liberty there is in Christ. Zealous of His work on the cross.
They should not be zealous for the law. The law is cold and hard and unforgiving. The law was just a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ.
The law was a burden that none could bear. After Peter gave the gospel to the first gentiles and they got saved and James was not happy about it, Peter said this.
Act 15:7 And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.
Act 15:8 And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;
Act 15:9 And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
Act 15:10 Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
2 things I want to mention. 1 Peter declared that there is no difference between Gentiles and Jews. Everyone is saved the same way by faith.
And 2 notice Peter says about the law, It is a yoke upon the neck. And our fathers were not able to bear it and here it is, Peter says we (meaning the Jews) are not able to bear it. Why be so zealous for the law that no one is able to bear. James had this declared to him by Peter.
And Paul knew better. Not all that long ago, maybe only a year, Paul wrote Romans.
Rom 3:9 What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;
Rom 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
Paul taught that Jews are no better than Gentiles. Both are under sin.
Paul wrote that the purpose of the law was to make everyone guilty before God.
Rom 3:19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
Rom 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
The law justifies no one. The law shows every guilty before God.
Paul wrote we have peace with God thru Jesus. We are justified by faith. And into this grace we stand and rejoice.
Rom 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
Rom 5:2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
Paul wrote to these Romans that they are not under the law, but under grace.
Rom 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
Paul wrote that we are become dead to the law by the body of Christ.
Rom 7:4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.
Paul wrote that we are delivered from the law and that we should not serve in the oldness of the letter meaning we should not serve in the oldness of the law.
Rom 7:6 But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.
Paul wrote that Christ is the end of the law for every one that believes.
Rom 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
For everyone. Everyone means everyone. Both the Gentile believer and the Jewish believer. So Paul taught and gave the Word of God that Christ is the end of the law for the Jews as well.
One more.
Rom 10:11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
Rom 10:12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
There is no difference between the Jew and the Greek. That is really clear. Paul wrote all of this when he was on track. Paul knew better.
But standing before him is James and James is telling Paul something different. James is saying that there is a difference. James is telling Paul that Jews still must be under the law after they are saved.
And James uses the old but flawed reasoning that numbers prove that you are right.
Act 21:20 And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord, and said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law:
James is saying I am not the only one who believes and is zealous for the law. Look at the thousands of others here who think the same.
It is the look at my numbers and that proves I am right. That flawed reasoning is still used today. Every rock n roll outfit uses it. Any outfit that is off track but has numbers will use this flawed argument.
James then uses another flawed argument. It is the, what others think matters. Both of those are flawed. The only correct thing to base truth on and what you believe and what you do on is the Word of God. It is the Word of God that is to be the final authority on all matters of faith and practice. Not numbers, and not what others think, and certainly not feelings.
James now hits Paul with the what others think.
Act 21:21 And they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs.
Act 21:22 What is it therefore? the multitude must needs come together: for they will hear that thou art come.
Act 21:23 Do therefore this that we say to thee: We have four men which have a vow on them;
Act 21:24 Them take, and purify thyself with them, and be at charges with them, that they may shave their heads: and all may know that those things, whereof they were informed concerning thee, are nothing; but that thou thyself also walkest orderly, and keepest the law.
James is basically saying Paul change what you do based on what others think. O’ that is really wicked. Paul you do not want them to think wrong of you. So sacrifice your principals and do this. Why? Because of what others think.
James is going to get Paul to go against scripture based on the look at the numbers and what others think arguments.
That is James’ argument. And notice the flawed, well, Hypocrisy. The ceremony was for those that had a vow on them. Anyone doing it is showing forth by their actions that they had a vow. But Paul had no vow.
So in effect James is telling Paul to break one of the 10 commandments and lie. Not with words but by doing the ritual Paul would in effect be saying with his actions that he had a vow when Paul had no vow. And the reason given to do this is what others think. And the I have the numbers so I am right, and you are a Jew so you are still under the law.
James was teaching that Jews are different than Gentiles and Jews are still under law. All of those are wrong reasons and flawed. James is really off here.
And here is another principal that you see today. When a man gets off track, even though he knows better, he can be easily influenced by someone who is even more off.
I have seen this also many times, but we don’t have the time right now for the examples.
James then once again goes into how there is a difference between the Jew and the Greek. We have already established that this is false teaching and how Paul knew this.
Act 21:25 As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication.
Act 21:26 Then Paul took the men, and the next day purifying himself with them entered into the temple, to signify the accomplishment of the days of purification, until that an offering should be offered for every one of them.
So Paul did wrong. This is Paul’s huge mistake. Paul started with smaller mistakes and it kept going downhill until Paul makes this huge mistake.
What Paul did here went against the scripture that God had Paul write. This went against what Paul taught. It went against God’s Word that God gave Paul. Paul betrayed God’s Word on many levels here.
Now you should start to see why God did not want Paul to go to Jerusalem. It was both to save Paul from the consequences that are coming, but God was also trying to stop Paul from betraying God’s Word.
James really pulled one over on Paul. And of course sin never pays in the end. Going against the will of God never ends well. And that is what Paul did, Paul did something that God tried and tried and tried to get Paul to not do.
What happens is that the people have the opposite reaction of what James said would happen. James said if the people see Paul do this that they will accept Paul.
Instead it generates an angry mob.
Act 21:27 And when the seven days were almost ended, the Jews which were of Asia, when they saw him in the temple, stirred up all the people, and laid hands on him,
Act 21:28 Crying out, Men of Israel, help: This is the man, that teacheth all men every where against the people, and the law, and this place: and further brought Greeks also into the temple, and hath polluted this holy place.
Act 21:29 (For they had seen before with him in the city Trophimus an Ephesian, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple.)
Act 21:30 And all the city was moved, and the people ran together: and they took Paul, and drew him out of the temple: and forthwith the doors were shut.
The mob was started by someone who stirred up the emotions that were already at play. Just like Demetrius did. But notice all the city was moved. All the city ran together and they took Paul.
And they get violent. This is what I think would have happened if Paul would have walked into that theatre at Ephesus.
Act 21:31 And as they went about to kill him, tidings came unto the chief captain of the band, that all Jerusalem was in an uproar.
They are going to literally kill Paul. Murder him right there. They went about to kill him. All Jerusalem is in an uproar.
And it is only because of a powerful governmental force that Paul is saved. Roman soldiers come to the uproar and then stop the beating of Paul.
Act 21:32 Who immediately took soldiers and centurions, and ran down unto them: and when they saw the chief captain and the soldiers, they left beating of Paul.
The mob was beating Paul to death. The soldiers got there just in time. Of course I don’t think that was an accident or left to chance. God still has future plans for Paul. Our Lord made sure the soldiers got there in time.
Act 21:33 Then the chief captain came near, and took him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains; and demanded who he was, and what he had done.
Act 21:34 And some cried one thing, some another, among the multitude: and when he could not know the certainty for the tumult, he commanded him to be carried into the castle.
Act 21:35 And when he came upon the stairs, so it was, that he was borne of the soldiers for the violence of the people.
Act 21:36 For the multitude of the people followed after, crying, Away with him.
The people are violent. Paul asks to speak, and does speak.
The people only listen because of the soldiers and like all mobs will not really listen or change their minds. The mental state of the mob mentality does not leave much room for contemplation or reason.
Act 21:37 And as Paul was to be led into the castle, he said unto the chief captain, May I speak unto thee? Who said, Canst thou speak Greek?
Act 21:38 Art not thou that Egyptian, which before these days madest an uproar, and leddest out into the wilderness four thousand men that were murderers?
Act 21:39 But Paul said, I am a man which am a Jew of Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city: and, I beseech thee, suffer me to speak unto the people.
Act 21:40 And when he had given him licence, Paul stood on the stairs, and beckoned with the hand unto the people. And when there was made a great silence, he spake unto them in the Hebrew tongue, saying,
Act 22:1 Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defence which I make now unto you.
Act 22:2 (And when they heard that he spake in the Hebrew tongue to them, they kept the more silence: and he saith,)
Paul then tells them his testimony, how he was taught the law of the fathers and how he persecuted Christians and how on the Damascus road he saw and talked to Jesus.
And how he was present when they stoned Stephen and was consenting to his death. Paul even kept the coats of those that killed Stephen.
And how Jesus told him that now he will be sent to the Gentiles. Look at verse 21.
Act 22:21 And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles.
Act 22:22 And they gave him audience unto this word, and then lifted up their voices, and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth: for it is not fit that he should live.
Act 22:23 And as they cried out, and cast off their clothes, and threw dust into the air,
The mobs reaction to Paul and his speech.
It is not fit that he should live. And as they cried that out they cast off their clothes and threw dust into the air.
They lost it. The crowd is in a murderous uproar. Paul only lived because of the Roman soldiers.
At one time James sent men to Antioch when Paul and Peter was there and they got Peter to quit eating with the Gentiles and Paul stood up to that and gave them an earful.
At one time Paul was strong and bold and stood up against Jews still being under law.
But Paul went off track and kept going down hill and refused to see it, refused to listen to others, and ended up not standing for God’s truth that God gave Paul to give to the world.
There is no difference between the Jew and the Greek all are saved the same way.
And Rom 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
Instead of standing up to James and instead of doing all to stand for God’s Word and God’s truth. Paul went against that truth and gave validity and a testimony that what James taught was right. Paul did that by doing that ceremony.
This is not a little mistake. This is a huge whopper of a mistake.
Paul ended up doing what before he stood against.
This is all recorded for us to learn from. So that we don’t make the same mistake. It shows us the great need every Christian has to stay close to God and to fear getting inward focused.
And it is a warning that if Christians are coming to us and in love pointing out that we are off track, then we would do well to put the brakes on and change course.
Because if we don’t, we will continue to go downhill and end up doing something that brings disgrace to the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus.
And of course spare ourselves the consequences that come with our messing up.