Acts 21

Acts 21-22
1/4/09
I. Review:
A. Saying goodbye to the elders of Ephesus Paul and those travelling with him depart from Miletus
II. Warnings on the way to Jerusalem.
Acts 21:1 (NKJV)
1 Now it came to pass, that when we had departed from them and set sail, running a straight course we came to Cos, the following day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara.
A. Each of these stops evidently represented one day of travel on the ship they first boarded.
Acts 21:2 (NKJV)
2 And finding a ship sailing over to Phoenicia, we went aboard and set sail.
B. Instead of staying on the first ship which pulled into a port each night, in Patara they found a ship that sailed directly to Phoenicia and boarded it for the trip.
Acts 21:3-4 (NKJV)
3 When we had sighted Cyprus, we passed it on the left, sailed to Syria, and landed at Tyre; for there the ship was to unload her cargo.
4 And finding disciples, we stayed there seven days. They told Paul through the Spirit not to go up to Jerusalem.
C. Sailing south of Cyprus they arrived in Tyre and were there for seven days as the ship unloaded her cargo.
1. It is interesting to note that the church (believers) had spread to this region due to the persecution earlier championed by Paul.
2. The word translated “finding” disciples means to find by searching.
a) With all the intensity that accompanied him on his missionary journeys, particularly those of this third journey, and knowing that trouble is waiting for him in Jerusalem, instead of kicking back and taking a break, Paul is searching out fellowship and ministry opportunity.
(1) It is dangerous to take a break from our faith!
(a) What do I mean; when we are on vacation we need to keep up our spiritual practices…
3. Note they told Paul or urged him through the Spirit not to go up to Jerusalem.
a) So the question comes up was Paul violating the will of God in insisting in continuing on to Jerusalem?
(1) I don’t believe so, rather I believe he was merely being warned and prepared by the Spirit for what awaited him.
(2) Consider the following verses as we ponder God’s will and Paul’s character.
Acts 19:21 (NKJV)
21 When these things were accomplished, Paul purposed in the Spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.”
Acts 20:22 (NKJV)
22 And see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there,
(3) Both of these verses imply that it was God’s will that Paul continue on to Jerusalem.
(a) At least that is what Paul believed.
Acts 21:14 (NKJV)
14 So when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, “The will of the Lord be done.”
(b) And then in chapter-23
Acts 23:11 (NKJV)
11 But the following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome.”
(4) Why would God give him such comfort if he was stubbornly insisting on doing what God was warning him not to do?
(5) And Paul could say
Acts 23:1 (NKJV)
1 Then Paul, looking earnestly at the council, said, “Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.”
4. It is not difficult to conclude that Paul was right in the center of God’s will:
a) In spite of the warnings (even discouragement) Paul pressed forward undeterred, truly ready to die for the cause of Christ and the call God had given him.
Acts 21:5-6 (NKJV)
5 When we had come to the end of those days, we departed and went on our way; and they all accompanied us, with wives and children, till we were out of the city. And we knelt down on the shore and prayed.
6 When we had taken our leave of one another, we boarded the ship, and they returned home.
D. This is the first meeting with these believers in Tyre but look at the strong bond that developed between them and Paul in only a week.
1. What a wonderful thing the family of God is, and the bond that we have in Christ. (If we let it!!)
a) Especially when you get around someone that you can really talk about the things of God with and not feel belittled or condemned.
b) And note their public prayer as they kneeled on the beach and prayed as they said goodbye to one another.
(1) What a witness, and often we don’t even know it…
(a) Illustration – the couple I saw praying in Boston at the restaurant.
Acts 21:7 (NKJV)
7 And when we had finished our voyage from Tyre, we came to Ptolemais, greeted the brethren, and stayed with them one day.
E. Leaving Tyre they sailed another 20 miles to Ptolemais for a one day stop and again they encouraged the church there.
Acts 21:8-9 (NKJV)
8 On the next day we who were Paul’s companions departed and came to Caesarea, and entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him.
9 Now this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied.
III. Caesarea and Philip.
A. What an interesting meeting this must have been.
1. Philip the evangelist was one of the original seven deacons along with Stephen the first martyr.
2. Paul was present (perhaps even the instigator) as Stephen was stoned to death.
a) And now here is Paul knocking at Philip’s door and taking advantage of his hospitality.
b) What an amazing bridge the cross is…
B. And Philip had seven virgin daughters who prophesied.
1. Again a marvelous testimony of a man in whom we see the qualities of Christian character at work for all these years, reaching into the lives of his own children.
2. Also note that the spiritual gifts were not limited to men.
1 Corinthians 11:5 (NKJV)
5 But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, for that is one and the same as if her head were shaved.
a) An appropriate way, which does not usurp authority.

Acts 21:10-11 (NKJV)
10 And as we stayed many days, a certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.
11 When he had come to us, he took Paul’s belt, bound his own hands and feet, and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’ ”
IV. Agabus the prophet was introduced to us in Acts-11 where he prophesied concerning a coming famine in the days of Claudius Caesar ( which came to pass).
A. He in very dramatic fashion as prophets often did prophesies of the arrest and trouble awaiting Paul in Jerusalem, to be instigated by the Jews, but turned over to the Roman courts.
1. Again we shall see that he is a true prophet in this matter.
2. The standard of a prophet:
Deuteronomy 18:20-22 (NKJV)
20 But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in My name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.’
21 And if you say in your heart, ‘How shall we know the word which the Lord has not spoken?’—
22 when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him.
B. The Response by those who heard and by Paul.
Acts 21:12-14 (NKJV)
12 Now when we heard these things, both we and those from that place pleaded with him not to go up to Jerusalem.
13 Then Paul answered, “What do you mean by weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”
14 So when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, “The will of the Lord be done.”
C. Those who heard pleaded with Paul not to go, but Paul says he not only ready to be bound but he is ready to die.
1. Giving counsel to others is an interesting deal, I wonder if we don’t get in the way sometimes of what God wants to do through circumstances.

a) It is not always easy to know…
b) Ultimately we have to fall back on letting the will of God be done – that is to rely upon Him to work it out or to work all things together for the good…
Acts 21:15-16 (NKJV)
15 And after those days we packed and went up to Jerusalem.
16 Also some of the disciples from Caesarea went with us and brought with them a certain Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple, with whom we were to lodge.
D. From Caesarea to Jerusalem is a journey of 65 miles and would take two to three days depending on if they were walking or riding.
1. Notice that a contingency from Caesarea traveled with them; sometimes it is good to have fellowship and encouragement along the way.
2. We don’t really know much about Mnason, he was an early convert from Cyprus (perhaps from the first missionary Journey of Paul and Barnabas).
a) Some feel that his house was located midway between the two cities and was a convenient place to stay.
Acts 21:17 (NKJV)
17 And when we had come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly.
V. When Paul arrived in Jerusalem He was received gladly.
Acts 21:18-25 (NKJV)
18 On the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present.
19 When he had greeted them, he told in detail those things which God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.
20 And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord. And they said to him, “You see, brother, how many myriads of Jews there are who have believed, and they are all zealous for the law;
21 but they have been informed about you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children nor to walk according to the customs.
22 What then? The assembly must certainly meet, for they will hear that you have come.
23 Therefore do what we tell you: We have four men who have taken a vow.
24 Take them and be purified with them, and pay their expenses so that they may shave their heads, and that all may know that those things of which they were informed concerning you are nothing, but that you yourself also walk orderly and keep the law.
25 But concerning the Gentiles who believe, we have written and decided that they should observe no such thing, except that they should keep themselves from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality.”
VI. When Paul presented to them what God had been doing in the Gentile church through his ministry they glorified God for it, but they were also concerned about the rumors flying around which they knew would bring trouble.
A. Here is a clear picture for us of the end result of rumors.
1. Paul the rumors are that you are teaching Jews everywhere to forsake to law.
2. While Paul said that physical circumcision was religiously inconsequential he never taught the Jews not to be circumcised.
B. In light of the rumors the elders urged Paul to go with these 4 men who had taken a Nazarite vow and to accompany and sponsor them in the purification process.
1. In doing so to demonstrate that he still had a reverence for the Jewish laws.
a) Paul said he became all things to all men…
2. But the leaders also clarified that they were standing behind their decision concerning the Gentile church and the Jerusalem counsel held earlier.
C. The plan did not work.
Acts 21:26-30 (NKJV)
26 Then Paul took the men, and the next day, having been purified with them, entered the temple to announce the expiration of the days of purification, at which time an offering should be made for each one of them.
27 Now when the seven days were almost ended, the Jews from Asia, seeing him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd and laid hands on him,
28 crying out, “Men of Israel, help! This is the man who teaches all men everywhere against the people, the law, and this place; and furthermore he also brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.”
29 (For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple.)
30 And all the city was disturbed; and the people ran together, seized Paul, and dragged him out of the temple; and immediately the doors were shut.
D. The Jewish crowd (stirred by Jews from Asia) thought Paul had brought into the Temple unclean Gentiles and had defiled the temple and we see the crowd mentality at work again and the whole city is in an uproar.
1. They seized Paul drug him out of the Temple and began to beat him and were ready to kill him.
Acts 21:31-32 (NKJV)
31 Now as they were seeking to kill him, news came to the commander of the garrison that all Jerusalem was in an uproar.
32 He immediately took soldiers and centurions, and ran down to them. And when they saw the commander and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.
2. And as the commander of the Roman garrison hearing of the riot that broken out rushes to scene with his soldiers they stopped beating Paul.
a) Commander – chiliarchos/ khil•ee•ar•khos (1000)
b) Centurions – hekatontarches/ hek•at•on•tar•khace (100)
Acts 21:33-36 (NKJV)
33 Then the commander came near and took him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains; and he asked who he was and what he had done.
34 And some among the multitude cried one thing and some another. So when he could not ascertain the truth because of the tumult, he commanded him to be taken into the barracks.
35 When he reached the stairs, he had to be carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the mob.
36 For the multitude of the people followed after, crying out, “Away with him!”
E. The confusion was so great, and the intensity of the hatred to strong that the commander of the Roman garrison put two chains on Paul thinking he must really be bad.

1. And as he was led away toward the fortress of Antonia the crowd followed along crying away with him (just as they did with Jesus).

VII. Paul makes his defense.
Acts 21:37-40 (NKJV)
37 Then as Paul was about to be led into the barracks, he said to the commander, “May I speak to you?” He replied, “Can you speak Greek?
38 Are you not the Egyptian who some time ago stirred up a rebellion and led the four thousand assassins out into the wilderness?”
39 But Paul said, “I am a Jew from Tarsus, in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city; and I implore you, permit me to speak to the people.”
40 So when he had given him permission, Paul stood on the stairs and motioned with his hand to the people. And when there was a great silence, he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, saying,
VIII. Paul speaking in Greek which surprised the commander who thought he was a notorious Egyptian that had sparked another riot and then escaped.
A. Assuring the commander that he was a Jew in fact from an important city (with a good reputation and a learning center) asked permission to address the Jews (He held back sharing at this point that he was a Roman citizen).
1. And when permission was given he began to speak to the crowd in the Hebrew language.
a) As Paul makes his defense to the crowd he does so in three parts.
(1) Vv1-5 his conduct before conversion.
(2) Vv-6-16 the testimony of his conversion.
(3) Vv-17-21 his commission to minister.
(4) Which we will look at next time: