Acts 21
After we had torn ourselves away from them, we put out to sea and sailed straight to Kos. The next day we went to Rhodes and from there to Patara. 2 We found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, went on board and set sail. 3 After sighting Cyprus and passing to the south of it, we sailed on to Syria. We landed at Tyre, where our ship was to unload its cargo. 4 We sought out the disciples there and stayed with them seven days. Through the Spirit they urged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. 5 When it was time to leave, we left and continued on our way. All of them, including wives and children, accompanied us out of the city, and there on the beach we knelt to pray. 6 After saying goodbye to each other, we went aboard the ship, and they returned home.
7 We continued our voyage from Tyre and landed at Ptolemais, where we greeted the brothers and sisters and stayed with them for a day. 8 Leaving the next day, we reached Caesarea and stayed at the house of Philip the evangelist, one of the Seven. 9 He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied.
10 After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11 Coming over to us, he took Paul’s belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, “The Holy Spirit says, ‘In this way the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.’”
12 When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul answered, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” 14 When he would not be dissuaded, we gave up and said, “The Lord’s will be done.”
15 After this, we started on our way up to Jerusalem. 16 Some of the disciples from Caesarea accompanied us and brought us to the home of Mnason, where we were to stay. He was a man from Cyprus and one of the early disciples.
Paul’s Arrival at Jerusalem
17 When we arrived at Jerusalem, the brothers and sisters received us warmly. 18 The next day Paul and the rest of us went to see James, and all the elders were present. 19 Paul greeted them and reported in detail what God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.
20 When they heard this, they praised God. Then they said to Paul: “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous for the law. 21 They have been informed that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or live according to our customs. 22 What shall we do? They will certainly hear that you have come, 23 so do what we tell you. There are four men with us who have made a vow. 24 Take these men, join in their purification rites and pay their expenses, so that they can have their heads shaved. Then everyone will know there is no truth in these reports about you, but that you yourself are living in obedience to the law. 25 As for the Gentile believers, we have written to them our decision that they should abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality.”
26 The next day Paul took the men and purified himself along with them. Then he went to the temple to give notice of the date when the days of purification would end and the offering would be made for each of them.
Paul Arrested
27 When the seven days were nearly over, some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul at the temple. They stirred up the whole crowd and seized him, 28 shouting, “Fellow Israelites, help us! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people and our law and this place. And besides, he has brought Greeks into the temple and defiled this holy place.” 29 (They had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with Paul and assumed that Paul had brought him into the temple.)
30 The whole city was aroused, and the people came running from all directions. Seizing Paul, they dragged him from the temple, and immediately the gates were shut. 31 While they were trying to kill him, news reached the commander of the Roman troops that the whole city of Jerusalem was in an uproar. 32 He at once took some officers and soldiers and ran down to the crowd. When the rioters saw the commander and his soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.
33 The commander came up and arrested him and ordered him to be bound with two chains. Then he asked who he was and what he had done. 34 Some in the crowd shouted one thing and some another, and since the commander could not get at the truth because of the uproar, he ordered that Paul be taken into the barracks. 35 When Paul reached the steps, the violence of the mob was so great he had to be carried by the soldiers. 36 The crowd that followed kept shouting, “Get rid of him!”
Paul Speaks to the Crowd
37 As the soldiers were about to take Paul into the barracks, he asked the commander, “May I say something to you?”
“Do you speak Greek?” he replied. 38 “Aren’t you the Egyptian who started a revolt and led four thousand terrorists out into the wilderness some time ago?”
39 Paul answered, “I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no ordinary city. Please let me speak to the people.”
40 After receiving the commander’s permission, Paul stood on the steps and motioned to the crowd. When they were all silent, he said to them in Aramaic:
Are We Willing?
I’ve always been fascinated by the seemingly odd start to this story. We’ve been reading about Paul’s journeys. We read the amazing story of a young man who fell asleep as Paul preached all night, fell out of the window, died, and then was raised back to life.
After a journey by ship with many layovers, Paul arrives at the city of Caesarea where we’re confronted with a unique occurrence. A prophet comes to Paul, takes Paul’s belt, and ties himself up, hands and feet. Although my mind automatically wanders to visits to the rodeo when I was a kid (sorry if that image is now stuck in your mind), it’s the following exchange that grabs my attention: “The Holy Spirit says, ‘In this way the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles’” (11). Going back a few verses, we can note several other believers also trying to convince Paul not to go to Jerusalem.
As I write this devotional, my wife and I are a day away from travelling to another country, on another continent, on a discernment trip for a redeployment we believe the Holy Spirit has been leading us into over the past year. Our kids will be staying with trusted friends for the next ten days.
Although we’ve left our kids with family before, we’ve never left them for quite this long, and certainly not across an ocean thousands of kilometres away. It’s natural for certain thoughts to surface. What if one of them gets hurt? Our friends’ son recently spent several hours in emergency, CT scan and all. What if an earthquake happens (something common in Mexico City)? What if something happens to us?
These are normal thoughts that roll around in the mind of any parent leaving their kids. I’ve travelled enough to know that things will generally be just fine. However, what would I do if I had a number of friends try to convince me not to go on this trip? What if my friends and family urged me not to go? What would I do if someone I trust as spiritually attentive told us not to go, advising us that something bad was going to happen? Would I still go? Would I trust that we have been hearing the voice of the Lord, or would I have doubts? Would I let fear guide me? Would my resolve change?
A few months ago, I heard the story of a young Mexican missionary who had returned from a hard region of the world after a difficult few years (yes, Mexico sends missionaries too!). She was planning to spend a short time back in Mexico before returning, but her pastor forbade her from returning to the field. It was too dangerous, too insecure, and too hard. To my knowledge, she never did return to the country to which God had called her.
After all these warnings, urgings, and pleadings, I love Paul’s response, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus” (13).
Paul was thoroughly convinced regarding where the Holy Spirit was leading him and for what purpose. He knew that it was going to be hard and dangerous. He was aware that he would be detained, and possibly even killed. Yet, he was attentive, willing, and obedient.
We’ve been serving in Mexico for 20+ years. Our children were born here. We love the work God has been doing here, but we’re also excited to see Mexicans being sent to bring the love of Jesus to less-reached places. We feel the Holy Spirit calling us as well.
Will it be hard to leave our friends and ministries? Will it be difficult to learn another culture, and possibly learn another language? Will our kids adjust well as they enter junior and senior high? We don’t know the answer, but we’re willing to say, “yes” (sometimes with fear and trembling), because we know that the Holy Spirit has been speaking to us individually, as a couple, and as a family. We know that the Father loves us and our children. Even more important, we know that God loves every person, every people group, every culture, every language, and desires everyone to know and walk in the love of Jesus (1 Timothy 2:4).
Questions
- As I’ve been contemplating this passage, our upcoming trip, and our immanent redeployment, I’ve asked the following questions.
- Paul’s journey was fraught with danger and opposition. Why did he persist? Was he simply being stubborn and foolish? What moved him forward?
- Despite knowing the risks, Paul trusted that God had a purpose for him in Jerusalem. This trust allowed him to move forward with confidence. Why did he have this trust? Where did his certainty come from?
- In Matthew 28:18-20, we all received a commission from Jesus. Paul’s willingness to suffer for the name of Jesus reflects the sacrificial love that Christ demonstrated on the cross. It reminds us that true discipleship often involves sacrifice and a willingness to put God’s will above our own comfort and safety. How or where do you feel Jesus is calling you to love others? Are you willing to endure earthly hardships to be obedient to the call of the Lord? Are you willing to surrender yourself, your family, your children, your grandchildren so that others can know the love of Jesus?
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank You for the example of Paul and his unwavering commitment to your mission, your vision, your purpose. Help us to have the same courage and trust in your plan for our lives. Strengthen our faith and give us the resolve to follow you, no matter the cost. May we always be willing to sacrifice for the sake of your name and your kingdom. We want to see the world know Jesus. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Author Bio
Rick is married to Susan, and together they have served in Mexico City, along with their two children, for the past 20+ years as International Workers with The Alliance Canada.
Website: https://thealliancecanada.ca/gift/rick-and-susan-kilbrai/
Email: rick.kilbrai@hostedsys.ca
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Luke and Acts taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®
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