Title: Persecution/Acts 21:17-36
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Main text: Acts 21:17-36 Title: Lesson 59 from Jerusalem
Sermon: Topic: Persecution
Date: July 23, 1999 Location: Jugok Church
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1. The Jerusalem Church that received Paul (17-26)
① Reception of the Jerusalem Church
When Paul arrived at the church in Jerusalem, the brothers welcomed him. The word brethren here does not refer to the entire Jerusalem church. Because there were zealous Judaism Christians in the Jerusalem church. Who, then, were those who were willing to accept Paul? Perhaps the people who received favor from Paul, those who were moved by Paul's work, that is, those who cherished and loved him, welcomed and received him.
The church should always be willing to welcome those who come. I hope that they will be willing to welcome anyone and become saints who unwittingly receive angels.
② Paul’s mission report
The next day after arriving in Jerusalem, Paul visited James, the brother of Jesus and the leader of the Jerusalem church. At the same time, all the leaders of the Jerusalem church were gathered there, and Paul must have reported the mission there and gave the yearbook sent by the Gentile churches. Paul always valued the Jerusalem church, and gave a mission report to that church. Why did Paul make a special mission report to the Jerusalem church? Because it is the church that is the mother of the church. Another reason is that the Jerusalem church also wanted the passion for missions to follow. This is because the mission report gives them a deeper understanding and interest in missions. Last time, an elder came to the Korean Bible Society and talked about missions through the Bible, and once again I became interested in missions through the Bible. Now, our Jugok Church must also become a missionary church with a deep interest in missions and passion.
The subject of mission - God
Paul makes it clear that God is the ruler of the mission. In fact, how much effort and effort did Paul put on his third missionary journey? But Paul clearly knew that the subject of mission was God. God is in charge of missions. Sending Jesus is also a mission. Missions are the same words as Jesus' last will to us. The Holy Spirit commands and directs missions within us. Therefore, the leader of the mission is Jehovah God. The reason the missionary church grows and the missionaries are blessed is because they do the work that God is doing with joy.
Missionary Instrument - Paul “by his service”
Service is the word 'diakonia', derived from 'diakonos' meaning servant or worker.
In the Bible, it is sometimes translated as ‘mission’ or ‘office’.
In other words, it can be seen that Paul was used as an instrument for God's mission.
God is in charge of the mission of building His kingdom, and Paul was used as that instrument.
God always works through humans. Paul confesses himself as God's instrument for missionary work. What a precious confession.
Usually when people do something, I always do it. we did We are proud of our strength, our abilities, and our results. However, Paul confessed that he was used as an instrument of God despite many evangelism and saving souls over three times.
It is very important that anyone becomes an instrument in the hands of God. Because whoever is the instrument in God's hand, God's power is revealed. Even dry bones and useless staffs become instruments of power when they are in God's hands. Please pray that you will be caught in God's hand. Please pray to become an instrument of God.
Object of Mission - Gentiles
Paul testified of God's work among the Gentiles in the Jerusalem church. The object of God's mission is that everyone is included. In particular, Jews are people who are filled with a sense of choice. They believed that God loved only them, and gave them the law and the tabernacle. However, Paul clearly testifies that there is no limit to the work of God's missions, and that a greater work took place among the Gentiles than among the Jews.
The target of missions is all those who do not know God. We have a responsibility to share the gospel with them.
③ Glory to God
When Paul finished all the reports, all the leaders of Jerusalem who were present gave glory to God.
What he did was to glorify God.
“See your deeds and glorify God”
That testimony brought glory to God.
Paul's mission report is also a testimony. Paul's testimony was to glorify God alone. Among those who testify, there are people who sell because they are proud of themselves. Paul's testimony was to glorify God alone.
“All glory to God All glory to God All glory to God I am free”
"Raise your voice, hallelujah, raise your voice, hallelujah, raise your voice, hallelujah, I'm free"
④ The Jerusalem church's trick to save Paul
When Paul visited Jerusalem, there were thousands of Jews who strictly kept the Law who believed in Jesus. But they heard a rumor about Paul, and the rumor misunderstood Paul. The rumor was that Paul had betrayed the commandments of Moses and told the Jews not to circumcise their sons. These rumors led to false preconceived notions of Paul. These rumors were slander by Jews living in the Gentiles who were hostile to Paul.
In the end, the elders in Jerusalem decided to pay a fee for the four men who had made a vow and came to an end in order to show that Paul knew and obeyed the laws of Judea. Why did Paul do this? To say that he did it just to live, it can be said that he could not be so weak that he came to Jerusalem. Therefore, there is another reason for this attitude of Paul.
(1 Corinthians 9:19-22) "I was free to all, but I made myself a slave to all in order that I might win more. To the Jews I became like a Jew that I might win them, but to those who are under the law I I became as one who is not under the law, but under the law, so that I might gain those who are under the law. To those who do not have the law, I am not without the law to God, but rather as those under the law of Christ and without the law, as those who are without the law. To the weak I became like the weak, so that I might win the weak, and to many I was made various things, so that I might save some.”
In other words, what Paul accepted such a proposal was the zeal of Paul's mission to save even one Jew in Jerusalem.
2. Persecution of the Jews (27-36)
because of prejudice
The Jews persecuted Paul because of a misunderstanding of Paul.
He was charged with taking a foreigner into the temple and desecrating the temple, and being charged with teaching blasphemy against the people, the law, and the temple. But all this came from a misunderstanding. It is a misunderstanding that a foreigner was taken to the temple because he was with a foreigner in the city. And that's not the wrong teaching. Paul's true teaching was not that you should not be circumcised or keep the law, but that even Gentiles should not be compelled to circumcise or obey the law, and it was not that they would be saved. So, for Paul, faith in Christ was important, but did he observe the law and be circumcised? Wasn't it? wasn't that important. Some Jews protested against Paul's teachings and insisted that Gentiles also be circumcised and keep the law.
dragged out of the castle
If the angry crowd killed Paul in the temple, they would defile the temple of God, and because it was against the law, they took Paul out quickly.
taken away by the Roman army.
At that time, it was the Jewish festival of Pentecost, and Roman soldiers were watching the Jews. But immediately there was a commotion persecuting Paul, and Roman soldiers grabbed him and bound him with two chains and led him away. Just as Paul had prophesied, he was bound in chains and led away.
The subject of mission is God
the tool is
target is a stranger
Let's give glory to God only
Paul's thorough humility and devotion for evangelism
Paul being persecuted according to God's will