Old habits die hard.
Have you ever had trouble breaking an old habit?
Jesus said by your tradition you make of none effect
the Word of God. Mark 7:13. He was speaking to religious leaders about
their religious tradition in Judaism.
We may not be familiar with Judaism. But we can imagine
a catholic wanting a relationship with Jesus as Savior and Lord, but clinging
to religious traditions like praying the rosary, praying to Mary, confessing
sins to man rather than God, and believing baby baptisms cleanse from original
sin.
The Jews in our text today believed in Jesus as Messiah
but clung to their religious traditions and expected others to do likewise.
However, they’ve made progress. At first, they thought
all male converts to Christianity even gentiles, needed to be circumcised to be
saved.
They’ve grown past that, but it’s a slow
process.
Now, they’re upset with Paul because of false rumors
that said he taught Jews to forsake the law of Moses.
He never did.
He taught that the law of Moses was never meant to save
you, but to show you, your need for a Savior.
Jesus puts it like this: “Do not think that I came
to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.” Matthew
5:17.
The whole law is fulfilled in Christ. Period. All the law.
All the prophets. All the feasts. All point to Jesus.
Nevertheless, to appease the Jewish believers clinging
to their religious traditions, the Church leaders asked Paul to put on a charade
of sorts, by participating in a ritual purification with four men who had taken
a vow (probably Nazarite) to the Lord. Acts 21:23-24.
The whole scheme was to show that Paul walked
orderly and kept the law. (Acts 21:24). But what really matters is to
do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. Michah 6:8.
Religious tradition puts man’s ways before
God’s.
Yet, out of respect for the elders, love for the lost,
especially for the Jews, Paul agreed, thinking perhaps, it would win the
more to Christ. 1 Corinthians 9:20-22.
He wasn’t bowing to the law of Moses, but the Law
of Love.
Now, even though Paul’s heart was in the right place, the
scheming appeasement plan, was probably not a God idea. Or even a good
idea.
It was, however, a good example of how appeasement
never works.
And a great example of how God can weave His Good plan,
into the goofed-up plans of man.
Even when we make a mess, God can make a
message.
26 Then Paul
took the men, and the next day, having been purified with them, entered
the temple to announce the expiration of the days of purification, at
which time an offering should be made for each one of them. 27 Now
when the seven days were almost ended...
There’s some debate as to what the seven days refers
to.
If this was simply an announcement of the completing
of their vows in seven days, Paul would need to provide eight lambs, four rams,
four baskets of bread, along with wafers, olive oil, grain, and wine. (Because
part of the appeasement plan was that Paul pay the fees).
However, according to Numbers 6:1-15, if
someone taking a Nazarite vow becomes unclean during the vow, they must go
through a seven-day purification process, then start the vow all
over.
In that case the sacrifice would simply be two
turtledoves (and a partridge in a pear tree, just kidding) or two pigeons for
each man. Thus, Paul’s expenses would be much lower.
No matter what, the important thing to note is that whatever
the cost, Paul was all in, purified and prepared to pay the way, and as much
as it depended on him, to live at peace with all men. Just as he had
written in Romans 12:18.
Even if he knew it wasn’t a God idea, or a good idea,
he followed the Law of Love.
Sometimes you just do stuff out of Love. Even if it doesn’t
make good sense. Even if you know it’ll cost you. Even if it makes things harder
for you. You do it anyway, because it might make things better for someone, because
there’s the slightest chance it might give someone a glimpse of God’s love.
It’s simple, but hard. Just follow the Law of Love.
Like, investing rare and precious time talking to your
grandson about school, weird friends, his ex-girlfriend and weightlifting, and
muscles, then, taking the rest of the grandkids to the pool, knowing all the
while it'll cost you sleep, because you’ll have to make up the time, preparing
this Bible Study when you ought to be sleeping.
Doesn’t matter, you just follow the Law of Love.
27...the Jews
from Asia, seeing him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd and laid
hands on him,
Jews from Asia probably met Paul on his third
missionary journey.
Now we’ll see the opposite of the Law of Love: the mob
mentality.
The mob mentality stirs up the crowd to attack one man.
Crucify
Him! Crucify Him! Luke 23:21.
The Law of Love stirs up one man to love the crowd.
Father
forgive them for they know not what they do. Luke 23:34.
The mob mentality forces its own way.
Give
us what we want, or we’ll burn down the system!
The Law of Love yields its own way.
Not
My will but Thine be done. Luke 22:42.
The mob mentality is fueled by mindless rage. They cry
out, like someone screaming, “Fire! Fire!” to engage and enrage
against a common enemy, spewing overexaggerated outright lies.
28 crying out, (Fire! Fire!) “Men of Israel, help! (engage and enrage). This is the man (common enemy) who
teaches all men everywhere... (over exaggerated outright lies).
The Law of Love is fueled by considerate passion.
Love
the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your
mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘Love your
neighbor as yourself.’ Mark 12:30-31.
28...against
the people, the law, and this place; and furthermore he also brought Greeks
into the temple and has defiled this holy place.” 29 (For
they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city,
whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple.)
The mob mentality seeks to divide and conquer.
The Law of Love, seeks to unite and strengthen.
Father
make them one, as we are One. John 17.
The mob mentality is driven by the accuser of the brethren
(Rev. 12:10), and the father of lies (John 8:44).
They falsely accused Paul of teaching against the people,
the law, and the temple, not only that, but they claimed he defiled the temple
by bringing a gentile, Trophimus, into it.
Gentiles were not allowed to go beyond the designated
“Court of the Gentiles” in the temple grounds.
There was a fence with signs stating they were strictly
forbidden from passing. The signs, written in both Greek and Latin, said:
No foreigner may enter within the
barricade which surrounds the temple and enclosure. Anyone who is caught
trespassing will bear personal responsibility for his ensuing death.
This was taken so seriously that the Romans authorized
the Jews to execute anyone that offended this, even if the offender was a Roman
citizen.
30 And all
the city was disturbed; and the people ran together, seized Paul, and dragged
him out of the temple; and immediately the doors were shut.
The mob mentality thrives on chaos.
The Law of Love, thrives on power and love and a
sound mind. 2 Tim. 1:7.
31 Now as they
were seeking to kill him, news came to the commander of the garrison
that all Jerusalem was in an uproar.
The mob mentality seeks to steal, kill and destroy.
The Law of Love, seeks to give life and life more
abundantly. John 10:10.
32 He
immediately took soldiers and centurions, and ran down to them. And when they
saw the commander and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.
The mob mentality takes the law into their own hands
The Law of Love is subject to the governing
authorities. Rom. 13:1-4.
33 Then
the commander came near and took him, and commanded him to
be bound with two chains; and he asked who he was and what he had done. 34 And
some among the multitude cried one thing and some another.
The mob mentality is authored by the lord of confusion.
The Law of Love, is authored by the God of peace. 1 Corinthians 14:33.
34...So when
he could not ascertain the truth because of the tumult, he commanded him to be
taken into the barracks. 35 When he reached the stairs, he
had to be carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the mob. 36 For
the multitude of the people followed after, crying out, “Away with
him!”
Just as mob cried after Jesus, “Crucify Him!...”
The mob mentality is vile and violent.
37 Then as
Paul was about to be led into the barracks, he said to the commander, “May I
speak to you?”
The Law of Love is pure, peaceable. James 3:17.
Rather than cussing and complaining, “I’m innocent!”
Paul politely, peaceably asks, “May I speak to you?”
37...He
replied, “Can you speak Greek? 38 Are you not the Egyptian
who some time ago stirred up a rebellion and led the four thousand assassins
out into the wilderness?”
Paul was well educated.
As a Jew from Tarsus, a Greek city, Paul's first
language was probably koine Greek, the common language of the Roman Empire.
It’s likely he also spoke, Hebrew, Aramaic, and perhaps Latin.
There had been an Egyptian who led a band of rebels to
the Mount of Olives and claimed that they would see Jerusalem destroyed. His followers
were routed by Governor Felix, but he himself escaped.
39 But Paul
said, “I am a Jew from Tarsus, in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city;
and I implore you, permit me to speak to the people.”
The mob mentality is easily angered.
The Law of Love, is swift to hear, slow to
speak, slow to wrath. James 1:19.
Paul could’ve used that time to speak directly to the
commander, to defend himself, and blame the people, but instead, even after
being beaten, he wanted to speak to, not about, the people.
40 So when he
had given him permission, Paul stood on the stairs and motioned with his
hand to the people. And when there was a great silence, he spoke
to them in the Hebrew language, saying,
Some translations say Aramaic.
It doesn't matter.
The Law of Love, speaks the language of love which is understood
in every language.
It need not shout, for the Lord will create a great
silence in the hearts of those who will hear,
It need not be forced, for it is more powerful than all
the raging mobs; all the might of the Roman empire, of all the armies of all
the world.
Walking in the Law of Love, speaking the language of Love,
never fails.
1
Corinthians 13:1-8
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have
become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 And
though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and
all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove
mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And though
I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my
body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.
4 Love
suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not
parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not
behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no
evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity,
but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things,
believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love
never fails
Let's pray.
Lord Jesus, thank You for walking out the
Law of Love at the cost of Your life. Help us to be deaf to the mob, and in
tune with You, to walk with You in Your Love that never fails.
Thank You.
We love You, forever.
Amen.
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Watch online:
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Facing the Mob, Acts 21:26-40
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2) Facing the Mob, Acts 21:26-40
This was feed for you to read. Now it’s Seed for you
to sow.
Thank you for sharing.
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