https://youtu.be/kI6q6oxSVeg

“The Debt I Owe”

Acts 21:15-36 NKJV

James was the recognized leader of

the Jerusalem church. Paul is coming under his authority giving him a detail

account of his missionary efforts.

We find out in ch. 24 that Paul had

brought a collection for the Jerusalem church, as a sign of unity

James tells Paul of the rumors of him

and how it has produced hostility in the Jewish people, and so he offers a

solution- purify himself according to Jewish custom

Paul, submitting to James’ authority,

thought it a good thing to become like the Jewish believers in order to bring

unity among the gentile and the Jewish converts.

What exactly was James concern?

1.It was not a salvation issue, both

men agreed that salvation was in Jesus alone and not in the keeping of the law,

but for matters that were not sin; it was a means of unity

2. It was not about Paul teaching

that circumcision was not necessary for salvation, but about what Paul was

teaching the Jews who live among the gentiles

3. it was not about the moral law,

but about Jewish customs

In a word, should Jewish believers

continue to observe Jewish cultural practices? Cultural practices were a

nonissue if one believes they are saved by grace.

EX: There is a long history of church tradition. It is a nonissue to say the Lord’s prayer or recite the Apostles Creed, as long as one does not believe that those things are what saves you. Advent, etc. these are customs and traditions

Paul agrees to shaving his head, as a

Nazirite vow and purify himself in the temple:

1. join four others in purification

rites

2. Paul should pay their expenses

Paul submitted to James authority-

there was an agreement in doctrine and ethically, but a concession in the area

of practice.

The purification ritual fell under

“matters indifferent” and a truly emancipated spirit such as Paul’s is not in

bondage to its own emancipation.

It was not a quid pro quo, but a

sensitive mutual Christian forbearance for the sake of unity

Paul then is accused falsely by the

Jews ironically, that this should be the charge against Paul at a time when he

himself is undergoing purification so that he would not defile the temple.

The question then is:

why would Paul put himself through all this agony?

Paul was a debtor.

Romans 1:14 “I am debtor both to

the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise. 15 So,

as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome

also. 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God

unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the

Greek. 17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith:

as it is written, The just shall live by faith.”

What does it mean to

you?

1. It is God who works

in you.

v.19 Paul reported what

God had done through his ministry to the gentiles- not what Paul had done with

God’s help.

Did you know that the

apostle Paul changed his own name? (Paul being the Roman counter part for Saul)