Acts of the Apostles, Video preaching

Paul arrives in Jerusalem

Paul at Jerusalem                Acts 21:15-30

Paul and his companions finally arrive at their destination in the city of Jerusalem. Interestingly there is no further reference to the reason for his visit—the day of Pentecost.

I  A JOYFUL RECEPTION.

Cp v17-20

  1. A family joy, v17, 20. The terms brethren and brother indicate the reason for this joyful reception. The bonds of the gospel are family bonds. There is a joy in the persons of the saints. Cp 1Pet 1:22, 3:8, 1Jn 3:14.
  2. Joy in the work of God. Paul gave a detailed report of God’s work in his ministry. This occasions more joy. God’s people should always have an interest in what the Lord is doing—even through others.
  3. Glory to God. The Lord is honoured and His work magnified as His people rejoice together in the work done for Him.

II  A PROBLEM AND A PROPOSED SOLUTION.

The problem is revealed in the expression they are all zealous of the law, v20. The reference here is to the ceremonies of the Levitical code.

  1. Paul’s gospel position. Cp 1Cor 7:19-20. He did not advocate what he had been accused of but nor was he zealous for the law. Cp Eph 2:14-16, Col 2:13-17, 20-22, Heb 8:13, 9:6, 10:8-10, 18. Christ by His death had set aside the first/old Levitical covenant
  2. Jewish believers zealous of the law. These believers were holding on to that which God had set aside. This had already been acknowledged with reference to the Gentiles. However, the same truth held good for Jews as well. Cp 10:15. For them to embrace levitical legal ritual was a fearful thing that smacked of bondage rather than the liberty of the gospel and its promises, Gal 4:9-11, 21-31. It was childish and immature, Gal 4:3; it was to live in a spoiled and ruined spiritual condition, and to be worldly minded, Col 2:8, 20.
  3. Weakness. There is a weakness here that struck at the very heart of the gospel. Cp Gal 2:12-14. The Church at Jerusalem under the leadership of the Apostle James had not addressed these issues! The real issue here was the offence of the cross, Gal 6:12. Rather than face head-on the stigma and reproach of the cross from their own nation they had soft-pedalled the issue and this was the result. Thousands of believers had been impacted. The church in Jerusalem had been compromised by a failure to deal with the key issue of the time.

To be continued in Pt2.

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