This Sunday we find Paul in a very unenviable situation. In fact, it looks utterly hopeless. Paul has been mobbed and arrested by the Romans. The Roman Tribune allowed him to speak to the crowd in the hopes that he would calm them and disperse them. Last week we examined what Paul said to the crowd as he explained the testimony of how the Lord Jesus transformed and called him. However, Paul is not allowed to finish his proclamation to the mob in the Temple courts. As we pick up in Acts 22:22, the crowd again goes berserk at the mention of Paul being sent to invite the Gentiles into God’s covenant. At this point, things go from bad to worse. From Acts 22:22-23:11 we will examine how Paul navigates the impossible situation he now finds himself in. Though Paul does not act sinlessly throughout the next events, we do see some principles of wisdom in his actions that Jesus’ witnesses must understand in order to be faithful in hostile situations. Whether we are speaking of overt persecution and attacks from the world or hostility from individuals to whom we bear witness, we must be ready to give a defense for the hope that is within us, and to do so with gentleness and respect. Sunday we will see how to do so even when circumstances seem chaotic and hopeless.

God gives the Sabbath to His people and uses the manna to teach them how to observe it.

Paul speaks to the crowd that just mobbed him in the temple court. He delivers the testimony of how Christ transformed his life

This Sunday we will look at the rest of chapter 21. This will be part 1 of Paul’s first defense after his arrest. Acts 21:27-22:29 is actually one unit so we will take it in two parts. Over the course of Paul’s journey back to Jerusalem multiple people warned him not to go because imprisonments and afflictions awaited him. And once he arrived in Jerusalem, he was immediately confronted with a problem among Jewish Christians. They had heard rumors about his teaching about Moses and Jewish customs. To ease the consciences of the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem, Paul humbles himself and participates in a purification ritual in the temple. Our text Sunday picks up as he is in the temple doing just that. While Paul is doing all he can to honor God, keep peace among the churches, and show love to the Jewish Christians, he is accused and mobbed by the Jews in the Temple court. They are intent on killing him and the only thing that stops them is the Roman garrison stationed there. But things go from bad to worse as Paul himself is arrested and put in chains. From this point in Acts, Paul will not again be a free man.

Christ’s witness are accused wrongfully and treated unjustly all through scripture and all through church history. Jesus has sent us into a fallen world intent on using any means necessary to silence His message. It should not come as a surprise when suffering, affliction, and even imprisonment happens to disciples because of their witness for Christ. We are often slandered, misrepresented, and demonized in the culture and media. And things may get alot worse in the near future. But what we see in this passage is Paul sees all this injustice and affliction happening to him because God has called him to it. Paul sees this as an opportunity to preach the gospel to this mob intent on killing him. He understands that God’s priority is the glory of His name and the furthering of His kingdom. Paul’s safety, comfort, and preference is irrelevant. God places his witnesses where he wills so that they will be His witnesses especially through hardship. So even when obeying Christ means risk to our health, safety, reputation, or comfort - we can be faithful knowing that this world is not our home, and this life is meant for honoring Jesus.

As we continue in Acts 21 this Sunday, we are quickly coming to the last time that we see Paul as a free man. Over the last few weeks, we have seen much of Paul’s heart for Christ and for the gospel mission. Last week in Acts 21:1-16, we saw Paul committed to finish the course Jesus had set him upon, despite everyone around him counseling against it. Paul said that he was not only ready to be imprisoned but ready to die for the name of Jesus. That is what Jesus commands of all those who follow Him. Jesus said, "For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and for the gospel will save it." (Mark 8:35). In Acts 21:17-36, we find that Paul was not only willing to give his physical life but was also willing to humble himself and lay down some of his personal liberties in Christ for the sake of unity among the body of Christ. As he enters Jerusalem and meets with the elders of the Jerusalem church, they share that misinformation has been circulating about him among the Jerusalem church. The Jewish Christians have been told that Paul is teaching all Jews outside of Jerusalem that they must stop living like Jews in order to be faithful to Christ. To remedy this, they propose Paul go through a "purification" ritual in the temple so that the Jewish Christians will know these things are not true. That sounds like something Paul, who rails against anyone suggesting the law (or any part of it) can be added to the gospel, would never do. But he does! Why? That is the question we will examine this Sunday.

There is definitely alot going on at FBC! I am thankful for our church’s faithfulness to follow God’s calling wherever He is leading. That is exemplified in our text for Sunday. In Acts 20:1-16 Paul is on his final journey back to Jerusalem as a free man. As he spoke passionately to the Ephesian elders in ch. 20, he told them that in every city the Spirit was revealing to him that imprisonment and afflictions awaited him in Jerusalem. Yet, Paul did not sway from his calling. As we follow him on his return journey, Paul will stop in several places and minister to believers in the churches of different cities. The love and hospitality between all the believers is striking as Paul and his ministry team lodge with different believers. But everywhere Paul stays, everyone around him warns him not to go to Jerusalem. Indeed, even his own ministry team will join the chorus to keep him from heading into danger and tribulation. They love him dearly and want him to avoid suffering. This has a profound effect upon Paul’s heart, but he does not deviate from what he knows Jesus has called him to do. He is quite literally following in the footsteps of his Lord.

Paul is devoted to the will of Christ despite what everyone around him thinks and despite the consequences that he knows will result. He is living out Jesus’ call for the one who would follow Him to "deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Him."

God hears the grumbling of Israel and tests their faith by sending them bread from heaven

Sunday we continue examining Paul’s final words to the elders of the Ephesian church in Acts 20:28-38. As we saw last week in verses 17-27, Paul began by reminding them of his example among them. He lived and served among them for three years with humility and tears, despite the trials he faced. He taught the whole counsel of God unapologetically and therefore was innocent of anyone’s blood. Paul gave this reminder as an example of what the pastors of the church must do now that he is leaving them for good. As we examine the rest of his speech (v. 28-38) Paul moves to the direct exhortation of what pastors and church leaders are called to do. Without ambiguity, he lays out their responsibility before God as well as the ways and means they are to fulfill their calling.

This passage has been particularly convicting and formative for me over these last two weeks. Here we find God’s infallible testimony of what elders / pastors are called to be and to do. Here we find Paul’s pastoral theology and practice laid out in the Holy Scriptures, and it is here that the church is informed as to what God expects of those who are called to teach and lead as overseers of Christ’s church. Sunday we will look at what it must look like for the God called pastors to "shepherd the church of God, which He obtained with His own blood." We will also examine the under-shepherd’s call regarding "keeping watch" for the "fierce wolves" that arise from outside and inside the church.

With all the incredible things happening at FBC, I though about taking a break from Acts for a few weeks. I assumed I would focus on what the church would need to do - who we needed to be during this time. But, as we have seen so many times, God has placed us in the exact text we need, at exactly the right time. Sunday we will continue in Acts 20, examining the final instructions that Paul gives to the elders (the pastors) of the church in Ephesus. He is on his way back to Jerusalem and instead of stopping in Ephesus, he stops nearby and calls the leaders of the church out to meet with him.

Because of the depth of Paul’s speech to the Ephesian elders, we will break it up into two parts. This Sunday we will look at the example of Paul’s life and ministry (v.17-27) and next Sunday we will look at his exhortation for the elders to shepherd and oversee the church of God in v.28-35. But it would do well for you to prepare by reading the entire passage.

In our text Sunday (v.17-27), Paul reminds the elders of the example that he set for them in the three years he served the Lord among them. He reminds them how he lived, how he taught, and how with humility and tears he invested into them. He reminds them of how he preached the gospel to all people, leaving nothing out from the whole counsel of God. Paul isn’t just telling them these things to jog their memory. He is putting forth his ministry as an example of how they are to shepherd the church as he leaves them for the last time. Paul’s speech to the Ephesian elders shows the body of Christ the calling, responsibility, and demands of those whom God calls to shepherd His church. Yet the application of this passage does not end there. As Paul gives the example of his ministry we see an example of the heart and practices for all those who make disciples.