All Things to All People

Acts 21, 21:11-24

·         Paul still refers to them as disciples though they had been called Christians in Antioch 21:4

·         With-ness 21:8

I.                     Paul’s desire to go to Jerusalem

a.       Paul wanted to get to Jerusalem to celebrate the feast—probably Pentecost 18:21, 20:16

b.       Jerusalem was going to be a stop on one of Paul’s missionary journeys 19:21

c.       Paul felt like the Holy Spirit really intended for him to go to Jerusalem 20:22

                                                   i.      We must learn to make spiritual decisions

                                                 ii.      What is God’s will for your life

                                                iii.      Where would God have you serve

                                                iv.      What would God have you to give and do, work, live, and a host of other decisions

                                                  v.      God’s will may lead you into suffering but getting out of God’s will--will definitely lead you into suffering and trouble

d.       Paul definitely loved his people and wanted them saved Romans 9, 10

e.       There would be a great crowd of people in Jerusalem that already knew much Bible maybe ready to be saved

II.                   Danger could not hinder Paul from doing what he thought was God’s will

a.       Paul had been warned many times 20:23

b.       Some spoke through the Spirit and asked him not to go to Jerusalem—he evidently thought that this was another warning and not a command 21:4

c.       Agabus warns him that he will be suffering 21:11

d.       Accomplishing God’s purpose was more important than Paul’s life 20:24

e.       Paul felt that for the name of the Lord Jesus there was no sacrifice too great 21:13

III.                  Paul’s response to the accusations

a.       Arriving in Jerusalem Paul was received of the brethren gladly 21:17

b.       Paul shared with James and the other pastors all that God had been doing among the Gentiles through his ministry 21:19

c.       Then Paul heard how God was also working among the Jews 21:20

d.       The rumor is that Paul teaches the Jews to forsake Moses and to deny their culture and traditions 21:21

e.       They want Paul to clear up the “misunderstanding” 21:24

                                                   i.      Paul never denied the value of the law—it is a schoolmaster to take us to Jesus Galatians 3:24-25

                                                 ii.      But once saved we are dead to the law Galatians 2:19

                                                iii.      Paul had come to Jerusalem in Acts 15 to stop the work of the Judaizers

                                                iv.      There problem was that the Jews would not follow the customs and not that the Gentiles were not under Jewish law or customs 21:25

f.         Paul evidently uses the “all things” principle in Jerusalem I Corinthians 9:19-23

                                                   i.      He takes on himself a Jewish vow and tries to prove to his people that he is still Jewish and respects the customs

                                                 ii.      It fails because they feel that he preaches every where against the people 21:28

                                                iii.      Many Jewish believers couldn’t separate between their culture and Biblical truth

g.       Sooner or later there will have to come a division

                                                   i.      Paul was a Jew and he loved them very much

                                                 ii.      There are not 2 gospels one for the Jews and another for the Gentiles

                                                iii.      So the Jews that loved the law were right or wrong not both 21:20

                                                iv.      Keeping rules helps you feel that you have some merit—some righteousness Philippians 3:9

                                                  v.      We live holy lives because of what He has done in our lives not to get Him to do something in our lives