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Bibles to Acts 21. Acts chapter 
21, as we work our way through this wonderful book concerning 
the early church, the making of disciples, the planting of 
churches, we have finished the three missionary journeys of 
the Apostle Paul. He comes now to the city of Jerusalem, 
the last recorded visit of Paul to this particular city, and 
we'll read specifically beginning in verse 17 to the end of the 
chapter. So Acts chapter 21, beginning 
in verse 17. And when we had come to Jerusalem, 
the brethren received us gladly. On the following day, Paul went 
in with us to James, and all the elders were present. When 
he had greeted them, he told in detail those things which 
God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. And when 
they heard it, they glorified the Lord. And they said to him, 
You see, brother, how many myriads of Jews there are who have believed, 
and they are all zealous for the law. But they have been informed 
about you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles 
to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise 
their children, nor to walk according to the customs. What then? The 
assembly must certainly meet, for they will hear that you have 
come. Therefore, do what we tell you. We have four men who have 
taken a vow. Take them and be purified with 
them, and pay their expenses so that they may shave their 
heads, and that all may know that those things of which they 
were informed concerning you are nothing, but that you yourself 
also walk orderly and keep the law. But concerning the Gentiles 
who believe, we have written and decided that they should 
observe no such thing, except that they should keep themselves 
from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, 
and from sexual immorality. 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. 
Now, when the seven days were almost ended, the Jews from Asia, 
seeing him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd and laid hands 
on him, crying out, Men of Israel, help! This is the man who teaches 
all men everywhere against the people, the law, and this place. 
And furthermore, he also brought Greeks into the temple and has 
defiled this holy place. For they had previously seen 
Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, whom they supposed 
that Paul had brought into the temple. 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. Now as they were seeking to kill him, news came to the 
commander of the garrison that all Jerusalem was in an uproar. 
He immediately took soldiers and centurions and ran down to 
them. And when they saw the commander and the soldiers, they stopped 
beating Paul. 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. And some among the multitude 
cried one thing and some another. So when he could not ascertain 
the truth because of the tumult, he commanded him to be taken 
into the barracks. When he reached the stairs, he 
had to be carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the 
mob. For the multitude of the people followed after, crying 
out, away with him. Then as Paul was about to be 
led into the barracks, he said to the commander, may I speak 
to you? He replied, can you speak Greek? Are you not the Egyptian 
who some time ago stirred up a rebellion and led the 4,000 
assassins out into the wilderness? 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. So when he had given 
him permission, Paul stood on the stairs and motioned with 
his hand to the people. Amen. Well, let us pray. Father, 
we come now to the Word of God again. We ask that you would 
bless our time as we look to Scripture. We ask that you would 
encourage our hearts as we see the practice of the early church. 
And as well, God, remind us there is nothing new under the sun. 
The people we prayed for in the last hour, with reference to 
the persecuted church, we see it here in the first century, 
relative to the Apostle Paul. Suffering, being beaten, almost 
to the point of death. Father, I ask that you would 
just cause us to realize that statement of Paul in 2 Timothy 
3, that all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer 
persecution. We ask for the ministry and the 
aid of your Holy Spirit now. Again, we pray that you would 
forgive us for all of our sin and anything that would darken 
our understanding. And we pray this through Jesus Christ our 
Lord. Amen. Well, this is the occasion by 
which Paul comes now to Jerusalem. He's arrested, as the chapter 
makes clear, and that will open up a series of defenses. Paul 
defends himself before these particular Jews in the city, 
he defends himself before the Sanhedrin, and then he is called 
to stand before civil government, various rulers at that time in 
the Roman Empire. So the rest of the book is taken 
up with Paul's defenses of his ministry of the gospel. Well, 
in this particular chapter, there are two things we ought to recognize 
are in the reading today. First, this meeting with James 
in Jerusalem, and then secondly, this arrest in the temple that 
takes place. So with reference to this meeting 
with James, it is a crucial passage, and I want to look at it under 
four considerations. First, the reception in verses 
17 and 18. Secondly, the report in verse 
19. The response in verses 20 to 
22. And then finally, the recommendation 
in verses 23 to 25. So Paul has conducted these three 
missionary journeys. He has desired to be back in 
Jerusalem by the time of the Feast of Pentecost, the Day of 
Pentecost. He makes that clear in chapter 20 at verse 16, and 
he has arrived thus. All of the Jews that are in the 
temple are likely there because it was, in fact, the Day of Pentecost. So as we come to this section, 
he arrives in Jerusalem and notice how the brethren receive him. 
Verse 17 tells us, and when we had come to Jerusalem, remember 
the we there indicates that Luke is with Paul at this particular 
time. It will not continue to the end 
of the book, but presently Luke, the one who wrote this particular 
book, is with Paul. So when we had come to Jerusalem, 
the brethren received us gladly. There was no difference, there 
was no difficulty, there was no tension between the saints 
of Christ in Jerusalem and the mighty apostle Paul. The same 
thing obtains with reference to the next day. Notice in verse 
18, he goes to meet with James and the elders of the church. 
Now the James here is the Lord's half-brother. We meet that James 
in Matthew 13. We meet that James in John 7. But that James wasn't converted 
during the earthly ministry of our Lord. It was most likely 
that he was converted after the resurrection. We see that in 
1 Corinthians chapter 15. We know that he's a leader in 
the church because of Galatians chapter 2. And we know that he's 
a leader in the church because of the book of Acts. You've already 
seen or we've already made notice of this in chapter 12 and then 
again in chapter 15. It is this Pastor James that 
presides over the Jerusalem Council in Acts chapter 15. And so now 
Paul the Apostle has returned with these brethren, these companions 
from the Gentile churches and with a financial gift to meet 
with James and the elders. Now notice the particular report 
that is given in verse 19. When he had greeted them, he 
told in detail those things which God had done among the Gentiles 
through his ministry. So he tells of the work of God. He highlights that this missionary 
enterprise has been successful. He doesn't come back and say, 
oh, the entire empire is contrary. The Gentiles want nothing to 
do with it. No, remember way back when God gave a promise 
to Abraham that in Abraham's seed, all the nations of the 
earth would be blessed. We see that being realized, we 
see that being fulfilled in the ministry of the Apostle Paul 
as he goes about these various missionary journeys. So he has 
these traveling companions with him as he meets with James so 
that they can see with their very eyes the handiwork of Christ 
in the salvation of these Gentiles, in the salvation of these persons 
under the same covenant promises that the Jews who had been saved 
had benefited from. As well, he deposits in their 
care the money that he had collected. Luke doesn't indicate it in this 
particular passage, but Paul indicates it in Romans 15. He 
talks about going to Gentile churches, taking up collections 
for the poor in Jerusalem. So no doubt as he arrives here, 
he's not only highlighting the work of God in the salvation 
of sinners, but he is presenting bags of money. I don't know how 
many bags, I don't know how much money, but there was a degree 
of money that Paul presents to Pastor James for the benefit 
of the poor in the church in Jerusalem. Again, it's not indicated 
here, but later on when Paul is called to testify before Festus, 
he says, now after many years, I came to bring alms and offerings 
to my nation. So he has come to tell them of 
the work of God in the salvation of sinners, but as well to present 
these financial gifts from these sinners that have been saved 
among the Gentile churches. Paul's argument in Romans 15 
is very simple and clear. If the Gentiles have benefited 
spiritually from the Jewish religion, at least the Old Testament version, 
then the Gentiles should benefit the Jews who are suffering with 
their financial contributions. So it's a wonderful time, it's 
a blessed time of union at this particular juncture. And there 
are persons who read the rest of this section, and they feel 
like, or they perceive, that there is this tension between 
James and Paul. There is no such thing. Everybody's 
happy. Everybody's delighting in God. 
Everybody's glorifying God, because that's what you do when you hear 
that sinners are saved by sovereign grace. When you hear that persons 
are conquered by the precious blood of the Lamb, you don't 
grumble. You don't whine, you don't complain, and you don't 
sort of say, well, I don't think that this is right or legit. 
No, they glorify God. That is the response of persons 
that hear that Christ's gospel goes forth conquering and to 
conquer. So they're received well by the brethren. They give 
the good report and glory to God. Now notice the response 
in verses 20 and following. 20 to 22, the glory given. 28 
says, and when they heard it, they glorified the Lord. Again, 
it was a happy occasion. They were delighting. They were 
joyful. Whatever happens beyond this 
in the passage, we mustn't forget this. This is a time of thanksgiving 
to our triune God for his having blessed the gospel as preached 
by Paul to Gentile peoples and such that they were saved and 
churches were founded. And Paul has a sampling of those 
men with him. And he has money from them to 
deposit with James for the care of the people in Jerusalem. Now, 
notice the issue concerning the Jews. This is the issue that 
we're going to spend a bit of time on. Notice in verse 20b, 
"...they said to him, You see, brother, how many myriads of 
Jews there are who have believed, and they are all zealous for 
the law." The first thing we ought to appreciate is the multitude 
of Jewish converts. The multitude of Jewish converts. 
I don't know why the new King James departs from just about 
every English translation and keeps the word myriad there. 
If you're using any other version, you have thousands. There were 
a lot of people. I think we often believe that 
it was only a handful of Jews that believed the gospel of Jesus 
Christ when it was initially preached by the apostles. That's 
not the case. We see that there were multitudes 
that actually believed. Again, another reason to celebrate 
and rejoice. The gospel goes forth to the 
Gentiles, but it also conquers the Jews. Not just based on the 
fact that they are Jews. Some people teach that today. 
They don't need Jesus by virtue of the fact that they're Jews, 
they're going to be okay. That's not what the Bible teaches. 
Jews today need the blood of Jesus. Jews today need to confess 
the Messiahship of Jesus Christ. Jews today need to own Him as 
Lord and Savior. Well, in this instance, Paul 
had preached not only to Gentiles, but the gospel had gone to Jews, 
and there were myriads of them that had believed. but it created 
a bit of a problem that the church needs to resolve or deal with. 
Notice how these Jewish converts are described. They are zealous 
for the law. They are zealous for the law. 
Now, when we consider the law, typically we refer to the law 
of Moses. And for those who are theologically 
inclined, we know that the law of Moses is threefold. There's 
the moral law, the Ten Commandments, that are always binding on all 
men everywhere. They are for everybody. It doesn't 
matter whether you're a Jew or a Gentile. These are the perfections 
of God revealed in terms of law. How do we know God's holy? Because 
He tells us not to be idolaters. How do we know God is holy? Because 
He tells us not to be blasphemers. How do we know God is holy? Because 
He tells us not to be Sabbath breakers. How do we know God 
is holy? Because He tells us not to be insubordinate to authority 
over us, or to murder other people, or to commit adultery with other 
people's spouses, or to be a thief, or a liar, or a covetous person. 
The moral law is unchanging, whether you're Jew, Gentile, 
whether you live in America or Canada or wherever, the law of 
God, the moral law, is binding on all men everywhere. But in 
the Old Covenant, they also have what was called judicial laws. 
Those were the laws to govern the civil polity. When they left 
Egypt and they went into the land of Canaan, they had a law 
code to regulate their daily lives and their conduct. And 
that law code is great, it's wonderful, but it's no longer 
binding the way it was when that theocratic people were on the 
earth. We can learn from it, and we 
can apply certain aspects of its wisdom to our own situation, 
but that judicial law of Moses is no longer obligatory. But 
with reference to the third part of the division, there's the 
ceremonial law. And the ceremonial law sort of 
prefigured the coming of Christ. There were types and shadows, 
and it dealt with worship and the way that we approach God. 
The fact that we go on in this passage to find out that what 
they thought Paul was prohibiting was the circumcision of children 
and the customs of the Jews, we know they're dealing with 
ceremonial law. The question here is not, did 
Paul tell people it was okay to go commit murder? No, that's 
not the issue. The zeal for the law had to do 
with the customs that the Jews had been accustomed with. And 
so they got this report, probably from Judaizers, or probably from 
persons that didn't know any better, that Paul was against 
this, that Paul said no more ceremonial law. Now, as we read 
through the New Testament, we need to be mindful of the way 
that Paul deals with that ceremonial law. We're going to turn to that 
in just a moment, but suffice to say right now that when a 
problem confronted the church, they didn't run and hide. They 
didn't say, forget it, let's disband, let's no longer meet. This offends us, so therefore, 
let's take our marbles and go home. That's not what they did. 
They hashed it out. They dealt with it, they manned 
up, and with reference to a possible offense caused to some of God's 
people, they went and dealt with it accordingly. It's a beautiful 
pattern that we should follow. Now, with reference to the issue 
involved with the Jewish converts, notice in verse 21 again, "...but 
they have been informed about you that you teach all the Jews 
who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they 
ought not to circumcise their children, nor to walk according 
to the customs." In the first place, these Jewish converts 
among the Gentiles had been informed. They didn't know firsthand. They 
hadn't actually heard Paul. It was a rumbling amongst the 
people. And they thought, oh, this Paul is contrary to these 
customs. This Paul wants to de-Jew the 
Jews. And so this caused a bit of concern 
on their part. Notice as well that the concern 
was not over salvation. It's not a salvation matter. 
Rather, it has to do with the circumcision of children and 
customs practiced by the Jewish people. Notice as well the idea 
that Paul taught Jewish converts to forsake Moses. Now again, 
we need to be sensitive to this question because there are instances 
vis-a-vis the book of Galatians where Paul does teach that if 
you're getting circumcised as a means of acceptance with God, 
then you're wrong. In other words, the way of acceptance 
with God is not through faith in Christ plus circumcision. The way to acceptance with God 
is faith in Christ alone. Circumcision does not benefit 
you in that regard. Circumcision does not add on 
to the finished work of our Lord Jesus as something that God says, 
okay, now I'm gonna accept you. Brethren, the glory of the gospel 
of Jesus Christ is grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ 
alone. It isn't us plus, or it isn't 
him plus, it isn't him plus our works, our obedience, our observance 
to any ceremony of Moses. It is through the blood of Jesus 
Christ, his Son, that we have the forgiveness of sins. It is 
through the life and death and resurrection of his Son that 
we receive the imputed righteousness of Christ, and it's received 
by faith alone. So you need to understand the 
issue at hand in this particular situation. The apostle Paul, 
as well, with reference to the law of Moses, taught that the 
people of God needed to abide by it. In Romans chapter 13, 
not the ceremonies, not circumcision, but moral law. So for Paul, the 
moral law was in play. Romans 13, how do I know what 
love to my brother looks like? Well, it looks pretty simple. 
You don't murder him. You don't have relations with his wife. 
You don't steal from him. There is concrete expression 
of what love to one another looks like. It's not nebulous, it's 
not emotion, it's not feeling, but it's obedience in terms of 
God's holy law. When Paul comes to deal with 
Ephesians, the Gentile children in Ephesus, he says, children, 
obey your parents and the Lord, for this is right. honor your 
father and your mother. This is the first commandment 
with a promise. So Paul accepts the abiding validity 
of the moral law, but relative to the ceremonies, if you're 
trying to do these in order to supplement faith in Christ, in 
order to be saved, then you're wrong! Don't do that. It's grace 
through faith in Christ and that alone. There is no circumcision, 
there is no sacrament of the church, there is no other competing 
thing or other obligatory thing that the people of God must put 
on in order to be accepted. The beauty is, nothing in my 
hand I bring, simply to thy cross I cling. Foul I to the fountain 
fly, wash me, Savior, or I die. Now, in terms of the ceremonial 
law, again, Paul condemns with reference to salvation. But with 
reference to the ceremonies under Moses, the Apostle Paul did teach 
that circumcision for salvation was wrong. And essentially, the 
argument in Galatians 5 is simple. If you do this, then you're obligated 
to keep the entirety of the law. Now, you may not get everything 
I'm saying right now. I suspect that might be the case. 
I don't think anybody ever gets everything that they hear, but 
this one thing you must get. There are one of two ways to 
approach God. There are one of two ways to 
seek acceptance with God. Now that assumes or presupposes 
that we need acceptance, and we do, because the Bible says 
that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. The 
Bible says all we, like sheep, have gone astray. The Bible says 
there is none righteous, no, not one. The Bible tells us there 
is no fear of God in the hearts of men. So that's the problem. That's the bad news. But how 
do we find acceptance with God? You have one of two choices. 
The first is Jesus Christ. The glory of Christ as that blessed 
one who obeyed the Father's law, who died a sacrificial death, 
and who was raised again the third day. All those who look 
to Him in faith will have everlasting life. That is the good news. That is the gospel of our salvation. The other way is to try it on 
your own. To try it on your own means you 
have to perfectly, exactly, entirely, and perpetually keep the law. 
Now, I'm not going to spend a lot of time trying to convince you 
how foolish that is. If you know yourself even that 
much, and you ask yourself the question, am I a sinner before 
God? You'll have to conclude, yes. 
The two chief commandments are love to God. With all your heart, 
soul, mind, and strength, you've already failed. The second is 
like it. Love your neighbor as yourself. 
I suspect you've fallen there, too, or failed there. So in order 
to be accepted by God based on law, it has to be perfect. It has to be exact. It has to 
be entire. But Paul never says you can have 
a bit of law and a bit of Jesus and together find your acceptance 
with God. No. This is why he condemns circumcision 
as an attempt to find favor with God. If you choose that path, 
then you're a debtor to keep the entirety of God's law. That, 
my friend, is bad news. That, my friend, is devastating 
news. The best news is to look unto 
the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved. So while Paul 
speaks of circumcision that way, his practice was different. Paul, 
with reference to circumcision, if it was not practiced as a 
means of acceptance with God, for Paul it was an indifferent 
matter. He says as much in 1 Corinthians 
and in Galatians, and we'll see that in just a moment. So the 
apostle taught that circumcision, not for salvation, was an indifferent 
matter. Indifferent simply means you're 
not going to go to hell if you do this or you don't. It's indifferent. There's nothing about being circumcised, 
as long as you're not trying to do it, so that God will reward 
you with salvation. There's nothing about that that 
is necessarily wrong. We've already seen it in the 
book of Acts. Acts chapter 16, when Paul meets with Timothy 
and Paul knows they're going to go into Jewish regions, what 
does Paul do? He has Timothy circumcised. Why? Because he doesn't want 
to create unnecessary offense when he goes to these Jewish 
regions. That's what's happening in this passage as well. Paul 
doesn't want to give any offense. He wants to be able to be all 
things to all men everywhere, such that he may win them to 
Christ. If the Jews are going to be offended, let it be at 
the thought of a bloodied, battered, broken Messiah that was raised 
again the third day. Let it not be over Paul saying 
that circumcision necessarily is an evil or wicked thing. It's 
necessarily evil and wicked if you use it to try to get favor 
with God. But if you're doing it as a custom, 
if you're doing it in light of everything you've ever learned, 
then it's not necessarily wrong. In fact, turn to 1 Corinthians 
chapter 7, just to see and to evidence where he says that this 
is in fact an indifferent matter. 1 Corinthians 7, 17. But as God has distributed to 
each one, as the Lord has called each one, so let him walk. And 
so I ordain in all the churches, was anyone called while circumcised? 
Let him not become uncircumcised. Was anyone called while uncircumcised? 
Let him not be circumcised. Circumcision is nothing, and 
uncircumcision is nothing, but keeping the commandments of God 
is what matters. Incidentally, what Paul says 
there in verse 19 underscores what I said earlier about the 
threefold division of the law. There were the ceremonial laws 
that Paul describes here as nothing. But what does matter? Keeping 
the commandments of God. Not being an idolater. Not being 
a blasphemer. Not being insubordinate to governing 
authority. Not being a Sabbath-breaker. 
Not being a murderer. That's what matters. It is an 
indifferent matter if you get circumcised not for acceptance 
with God, but because it is the way that it is. Notice in Galatians 
chapter 5. Galatians chapter 5. Verse three, I testify again 
to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the 
whole law. That's where he's condemning the idea of circumcision. Because if you choose circumcision 
as the pathway of your acceptance with God, it's not just circumcision, 
there's a whole host of other laws that you're gonna have to 
comply with too in order to be received by God. But then notice 
in chapter six at verse 14, He says, God forbid that I should 
boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom 
the world has been crucified to me and I to the world. For 
in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything 
but a new creation. When we go back to the book of 
Acts, in Acts chapter 21, we ought to conclude that Paul, 
when he complies with the instruction of James and the elders to engage 
in this Jewish custom, or this particular oath or vow, he's 
doing it not as an obligation such that he will be accepted 
before God, but as a means of not hurting, not offending, the 
Jews among the Gentiles. John Gill says, it is true, the 
Apostle taught that circumcision was abolished and that it was 
nothing. Yea, that to submit to it as necessary to salvation 
was hurtful and pernicious. But as a thing indifferent, he 
allowed of it among weak brethren, and in condescension to their 
weakness, did administer it himself. Again, if you come to this passage 
and you don't properly reflect and forget about the fact that 
Paul has Timothy circumcised, you're going to have a problem 
trying to understand what is happening. If persons choose 
circumcision as the pathway of acceptance with God, Paul will 
speak condemningly against that approach. But if persons practice 
circumcision or these other customs, not with a view to acceptance 
with God, but because it's part of their culture, because it's 
part of the way they do things, then Paul doesn't speak condemningly. Paul, in fact, will facilitate 
it vis-a-vis Timothy when they go into a Jewish populated region, 
such that he would not give unnecessary offense with reference to these 
Jews who had been converted among the Gentiles. That is where the 
argument or the debate or where the discussion rather is. One 
man says, in a word, should Jewish believers continue to observe 
Jewish cultural practices? The rumor was that Paul was teaching 
them not to. Go back to chapter 18 for just 
a moment. In the book of Acts, Acts chapter 
18. Notice at verse 18 in chapter 
18, so Paul still remained a good while, then he took leave of 
the brethren and sailed for Syria and Priscilla and Aquila were 
with him. He had his hair cut off at Santeria for he had taken 
a vow. Now, do you think the mighty 
apostle Paul, that champion of justification by faith alone, 
took that vow or enters in alongside of these four men in chapter 
21 who took a vow as thinking that this somehow rendered him 
acceptable to God, you're wrong. These are ceremonies that were 
still observed, and I think Poole is right. They were not yet deadly, 
but they were dead. Not yet deadly because they were 
still in use at this transitory time or transition time in the 
church, but they were dead. The significance in terms of 
these things from an Old Covenant perspective and a ceremonial 
law perspective were no longer binding. The ceremonial law ultimately 
is satisfied and obeyed and fulfilled by our Lord Jesus Christ, one 
of the emphases in the book of Hebrews. So back to chapter 21, 
Paul complies. Notice in verse 22 first, it 
says, what then? Now there's a bit of a difficult 
reading here, a different reading. What then? The assembly must 
certainly meet, for they will hear that you have come. So according 
to James and the elders, it sounds as if Paul is being told, look, 
the assembly is going to meet. They need to hear that whatever 
happens, and then we'll proceed from there. I think the other 
versions get it better. They say, what then is to be 
done, they will certainly hear that you have come. They being 
the Jewish converts from among the Gentiles. The fact that they 
immediately prescribe a recommendation seems to tilt the case that way. 
James and the elders don't say, we're going to wait for the assembly 
of the church. They've heard that you've come. We're going 
to give a rendering and a verdict, and then we'll let you know how 
to operate. No, they already tell them. what it is or tell 
Paul what it is that he's supposed to do in order to not give this 
unnecessary offense to Jewish believers, to those among the 
Gentiles who had been converted. Now, notice their recommendation 
in verses 23 to 25. First, they make a recommendation 
with reference to the Jews in verses 23 and 24, and then a 
reference to the Gentiles in verse 25. Notice with reference 
to the Jews, the vow that is being told Paul to comply with 
is probably like the vow in Acts 18.18. Most interpreters see 
it as the law of the Nazarite from Numbers chapter 6. The various 
sacrifices, the fact that they had to shave their heads, all 
those components seem to indicate that it was the case that what 
was in view was the law of the Nazarite. So the apostle was 
to accompany these four men and pay their expenses. The apostle 
was to give this observance to these ceremonial laws, again, 
not thinking that him and the four guys are going to be saved 
as a result, but so as not to give unnecessary offense to the 
Jewish believers, to the Jewish converts. The apostle was to 
do this because he wanted to keep the peace between the Jews 
and the Gentiles. Now, that may strike us odd, 
but it's true. This fellow had such a large 
heart, and this fellow was so concerned about love among the 
brethren, that he would go to these lengths, if necessary, 
to make sure that persons were not needlessly offended. We can 
all learn a lot from Paul in this passage. We can learn a 
lot from Paul in his dealings on Christian liberty in 1 Corinthians 
chapters 8, 9, and 10. We can learn a lot from this 
mighty apostle that he is willing to let go of his liberties for 
the sake of others. He is willing, if it offends 
someone for whom Jesus died, to see Paul eating a steak, Paul 
would say, I'll never have a steak again if it'll cause that person 
to stumble. There was a peacemaking spirit 
about this brother. There was a spirit of conciliation 
in his heart. There was this desire to facilitate 
the camaraderie between Jews and Gentiles. I just don't think 
we appreciate how big this breach was in the first century. A Jew 
would wake up in the morning and thank God that he had not 
been born a woman. Thank God that he had not been 
born a Gentile. This was the reality. They looked 
at Gentiles as if they were dogs. And now God is saving Gentiles, 
adding them to the churches. And already in Acts chapter 15, 
they said to the Gentiles, you don't have to be Jews and Christians. In other words, with reference 
to Gentiles, you believe the gospel, you don't need to be 
circumcised. This is probably how they had 
been informed. Because Paul tells Gentiles, 
you don't need to be circumcised. Foolish Jews say, well, he's 
against circumcision. He's against the law of Moses. 
That's how it erupted. That's how it arrived. So instead 
of Paul saying, oh, they just need their ears clean. They didn't 
hear me properly. No, he says, OK, I'm not going 
to compromise anything by this. I'm not going to destroy the 
gospel by this. I'm not going to hurt Christ 
by this. I'm not teaching or preaching 
that this is necessary unto salvation. Again, he's trying to facilitate 
harmony between Jews and Gentiles. Some see tension between James 
and Paul. That's a wrong reading of the 
text, brethren. The papacy tension between James 
and Paul over James chapter 2. That's a wrong reading of the 
text. Paul and James are at one with 
each other. They are harmonized with one 
another. They both preach sovereign grace, faith in Jesus Christ, 
and blessed salvation conferred by God to sinners. And so in 
this instance, it's not as a religious obligation, but rather it was 
in the spirit and in the light of 1 Corinthians 9, 19 to 23. 
In fact, you can turn there. 1 Corinthians 9, 19 to 23. 1 Corinthians 9.19, For though 
I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, 
that I might win the more. And to the Jews I became as a 
Jew, that I might win Jews. To those who are under the law 
as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law. 
To those who are without law, as without law, not being without 
law toward God, but under law toward Christ, that I might win 
those who are without law. To the weak I became as weak, 
that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all 
men, that I might by all means save some. Now this I do for 
the gospel's sake, that I may be partaker of it with you. Brethren, 
when he says, I do all things so that I may win all men, we 
know he doesn't mean sin. I do all things. I shoot heroin 
with the guys downtown so they will see how good Christianity 
is. That's not what he means. If he's going to the Jews, he 
will not needlessly offend them. If he's going to the Gentiles, 
he will not needlessly offend them. He will be all things to 
all men so that he might win son to Jesus. That's the overarching 
emphasis in the mind and heart of the apostle. And that's how 
we see him functioning here in his own life and ministry in 
the book of Acts. Again, Matthew Poole says, to 
take away the scandal that was taken up by the Jews against 
him, these ceremonies, being as yet not deadly or evil, though 
they were dead and indifferent. And the text is very specific 
at the end of verse 24 in Acts 21. But that you yourself also 
walk orderly and keep the law. Again, not as an obligation in 
order to be accepted by God, but so as not to give offense 
to these Jews who are still circumcising their children and who are still 
feasting on the day of Pentecost. Don't hinder that, don't disenfranchise 
them, but rather be all things to all men, so that you might 
win some. So that's Paul's conduct with 
reference to the Jews, and it's evident that he complies according 
to verse 26. But before we get to verse 26, 
how are we going to deal with the Gentiles? Because that will 
inevitably come out. If the Gentiles now see Paul 
going into the temple with these four men to keep an oath or a 
vow, the Gentiles might scratch their collective heads and say, 
well, do we need to do that too? Do we need to get circumcised? 
Do we need to, you know, forget about Acts 15? No! James and the Apostles, or the 
elders rather, hold up Acts 15 as binding for this current situation. Look at verse 25. But concerning 
the Gentiles who believe, we have written and decided that 
they should observe no such thing. They don't have to shave their 
heads. They don't have to take the Law of the Nazarite. They 
don't have to celebrate the Feast of Pentecost. They don't have 
to get circumcised. They don't have to circumcise 
their children. Again, this was already established in chapter 
15 at the Jerusalem Council. Concerning the Gentiles who believe, 
we have written and decided that they should observe no such thing, 
except that they should keep themselves from things offered 
to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality. Now, the specifics given at the 
Council are upheld here. And we saw there, again, it wasn't 
a comprehensive code of ethics for the Gentiles, but rather 
it was a means by which Gentiles could function alongside of the 
Jews without causing all kinds of offense. See, the point in 
the church, brethren, and again, this might be lost on us, is 
that we all get along. That Jews and Gentiles can sit 
in the same pew and worship God. That whites and blacks can sit 
in the same pew and worship God. That persons from different social 
economic strata can sit with rich people and worship God. 
You see, when we get to heaven, there's going to be this great 
multitude that no man can number from every tribe, every tongue, 
every people, and every nation. I've often thought if that's 
what the church triumphant looks like, the church militant ought 
to be seeking to imitate that now. To have a church confined 
to one ethnic group seems to run roughshod over the entirety 
of New Testament data wherein Jews and Gentiles are the people 
of God, the Israel of God, who worship the God of Israel through 
our Lord Jesus Christ in accordance with the covenant promises laid 
down by God. Brethren, this is good to get 
along, and if we can not needlessly offend one another, then let's 
listen to the text and not needlessly offend one another. We get so 
arrogant and so proud about our preferences, and I'm right and 
everybody else is wrong. Brethren, the list of things 
that you should insist on in that sort of a manner is very 
short. You should insist on that with 
reference to the true and living God. Father, Son, Spirit. You should insist on that with 
reference to Christology. Who is Jesus Christ? One person, 
two natures. You should insist on that relative 
to salvation. Grace alone, through faith alone 
and Christ alone. Beyond that, your diet shouldn't 
be anybody else's law. Beyond that, your costumes, your 
habits, your preferences, your things, they shouldn't be everybody 
else's law. And yet we get into the church, 
and we get so narrow-minded, and we get so convinced that 
we're right and everybody's wrong. Brethren, that's not the spirit 
of the church in the first century. They were conciliatory. Paul did this because it wasn't 
an offense to God, it didn't compromise the gospel, but it 
helped facilitate relationship between the Jews and the Gentiles. 
Perhaps we in the church today ought to follow this particular 
model and stop insisting on things that are out here. The list, 
again, of things you should be willing to die for and draw the 
line in the sand for is probably not as long as you might think 
it is. When I came up here, my list was a lot longer. It's gotten 
a lot narrower. Because of the reality that good 
men differ on a whole host of things, and that's great, that's 
fine. Brethren, it is okay to disagree 
on eschatology. It is not okay to disagree on 
the way of salvation. It's okay to disagree on certain 
things affecting us by the civil government. It's not that everybody 
on one side has everything right. A big concern in this COVID is 
the division that is producing among the people of God. There 
are two different ways, and of course, we all think we're absolutely 
right, and so we're going to alienate the other group. How 
about love? How about charity? How about 
a willingness to yield? How about a recognition that 
not everybody has all the answers, and sometimes we make mistakes? 
It's amazing the kinds of grace we give to the government and 
to the scientists, but the church Boy, if we have any difference, 
we're wrong and we're out. And it's not just me saying this 
because of our situation. If you're listening to the prayer 
letters at the prayer meetings, you will hear that in unison. This thing has caused division. 
Why? Because we think we're right 
and everybody else is wrong. But brethren, that's no reason 
to divide the church. That's no reason to unnecessarily 
offend brethren. I'm not suggesting we don't have 
our positions. I'm not suggesting we don't research. 
I'm just suggesting that if we're going to divide, if we're going 
to destroy, let it be over who Jesus Christ is. Let it be over, 
I'm not actually advocating for this, I know it kind of sounds 
like that, but let it be over those things that are most crucial, 
not those things that we're doing the best we can to try to figure 
out along the way. So Paul is a model peacemaker 
relative to the church of Jesus Christ. Now let's look, secondly, 
I didn't want to leave this, we're going to have the baptism 
next Sunday, didn't want to leave this because there is a strong 
connection between the two halves in the chapter. So we have Paul 
does what Paul does. Paul does what Paul does. Notice 
the arrest in Jerusalem. There's two sections here. First, 
the riot in the temple, and secondly, the rescue by the Romans. God 
is sovereign, God is good, God is gracious. There's an instance, 
and we'll probably see it in our studies in the life of David, 
where God uses the Philistines to save David. Kind of an interesting 
God, isn't he? He uses Philistines to deliver 
David from Israelites. Well, in this instance, he uses 
Romans to deliver Paul from Israelites or from Jews. Notice the riot 
in the temple in verses 26 to 30. So Paul complies, verse 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. Now note the instigators. Look at who causes the issue 
here. Verse 27, now when the seven 
days were almost ended, the Jews from Asia, likely Ephesus. Ephesus was one of the chief 
cities in the province of Asia. And the fact that they know who 
Trophimus is indicates that these were Jews from the city of Ephesus. Again, they're present in Jerusalem 
because it's the day of Pentecost. This is a feast day on the Jewish 
calendar. So obviously a lot of Jews would 
be present at this time. So verse 27, when the seven days 
were almost ended, the Jews from Asia, seeing him, Paul, in the 
temple, stirred up the whole crowd and laid hands on him, 
crying out, men of Israel, help. This is the man who teaches all 
men everywhere against the people, the law, and this place. And 
furthermore, he also brought Greeks into the temple and has 
defiled this holy place. Boy, the weather patterns must 
have been messed up because of Paul. I mean, are these drama 
queens or what? Could they get any more exaggerating? He teaches all men everywhere 
against the Jews. He teaches all men everywhere 
against the law. He teaches all men everywhere 
against this holy place, this temple. Sounds just like Acts 
6, doesn't it? when the opponents of Stephen 
charged Stephen with blaspheming the law of Moses and speaking 
ill of the temple. Sounds like Matthew 26, 61, when 
Jesus, before the Sanhedrin, is accused of having said that 
the temple would be torn down. Remember, in terms of national 
identity, for the Jew, the temple was everything. And so they respond 
this way to the apostle. Notice, the allegation is clear. He teaches all men everywhere. 
And then they allege, look at the end of verse 27, he also 
brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place. Now, before we see it, the rationale 
or look at the rationale, I want to say at the first place that 
this is not accurate. It is simply inaccurate. Paul 
loved Trophimus. Paul didn't want to jeopardize 
Trophimus. See, the way the temple was constructed 
is that there was an outer court for the Gentiles. Obviously, 
Gentiles could go there. But then there was another court 
where the Israelites went. And then there was another court 
where the priests went. And then there was the Holy of 
Holies where only the high priest went. So it was kind of like 
concentric circles. So for the Apostle Paul to take 
Trophimus into a place that was unauthorized would have meant 
a death sentence to Trophimus. Listen to the Jewish historian 
Josephus. He's talking about the levels 
in or the concentric circles in the temple. He says, this 
was encompassed by a stone wall for a partition. He's talking 
about that that divided the court of the Gentiles from the court 
of the Israelites. So the Israelites could go further 
in the temple complex. They couldn't go to the Holy 
of Holies, as I said, only the high priests. But with reference 
to the Gentiles, they could not penetrate that partition. He 
says, this was encompassed by a stone wall for a partition 
with an inscription which forbade any foreigner to go in under 
pain of death. Now that's confirmed everywhere. 
And the fact that there was a barracks nearby on the northwest corner 
of the temple was the Fortress of Antonia. It was built by Herod 
the Great, named after Mark Antony. And the fact that there was a 
garrison of soldiers there, there were a thousand soldiers there, 
and these centurions each commanded a hundred troops. So when the 
Romans find out about this, they're there immediately. Why? Because 
it was a feast day in Jerusalem. Remember they didn't want to 
accuse Jesus during the feast because they understood that 
the Romans would stomp it out? I think I've told you before, 
Chaz wouldn't have survived in the Roman Empire. That kind of 
barbarism, that kind of rebellion, that kind of insubordination 
and riotousness, the empire would have put down. They would have 
crushed it. And that's precisely what's happening 
in this instance, the fact that the Romans are there. If somebody, 
unauthorized, went into the temple, they could be executed. Now note 
the reasoning or the rationale for why they allege that Paul 
brought Trophimus in there. Verse 29, For they had previously 
seen Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, whom they supposed 
that Paul had brought into the temple. Brethren, as you read 
the New Testament, you realize there's nothing new under the 
sun. These men are fools. If I saw one of you in the city 
walking with another one of you, and then I suppose that you both 
went into a particular place, on what basis? Unless I saw it, 
unless it was confirmed, unless it was verified, especially in 
a capital offense. You cannot operate based on supposition. Well, Trophimus was with Paul, 
so therefore Paul brought him into the temple. Can I just tell 
you, that's horrible logic. If you actually think they're 
right, then may I encourage you to take a course on logic. It 
will help you immensely and tremendously. Because this was absolutely wrong 
on their part to conclude. that the Apostle would jeopardize 
his friend Trophimus. But think of this point as well. Paul's in the act of peacemaking, 
isn't he? Paul is in the act of conciliation. Paul wants to make sure he gives 
no unnecessary offense to Jews. Would he haul a Gentile into 
their temple? That would give them necessary 
offense. That would cause them to act 
the way that they did. So the very idea that Paul did 
this is patently false. Now notice what they do in light 
of this. They have it in in their heads 
that Paul is wrong, Paul has sinned, Paul is needing to be 
punished. 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. That's how 
they dealt with this scenario. And while I don't think this 
is Luke's prerogative to tell us something about the temple 
and gospel preaching, it is symbolic. It's the last reference to the 
temple in the book of Acts. And what's the last reference 
to the temple in the book of Acts telling us? Don't listen 
to the true message of the God of heaven and earth. Are you 
curious as to why their temple was eventually destroyed in A.D. 70? They had turned it into a 
den of thieves. They had prostituted it. They 
had made the father's house into something that was an abomination. 
That's why the Olivet Discourse. That's why the prophecy concerning 
the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. So again, I don't 
think that's Luke's point, but it does speak something symbolically 
that the temple has no truck, with the true preacher of God's 
holy word. So they cast him out and then 
notice verse 31. Now, as they were seeking to 
kill him, news came to the commander of the garrison. This commander 
was Claudius Lysias. He's indicated in 23, 26 and 
24, 22. It says now as they were seeking 
to kill him, they were seeking to kill him by beating him. Verse 
32 is very clear. They weren't going to do this. They weren't thinking about doing 
this. They were in the act of trying 
to murder the Apostle Paul. That's what's happening in this 
situation. So Paul, peace lover, conciliation, 
going about doing those things to not needlessly offend the 
Jews, is now being beaten within an inch of his life. The Romans 
step in and save him. The Romans step in. Why? Because 
they're concerned about this little thing called justice. 
They're concerned about this thing called due process. They're 
concerned about those things that Western civilization is 
founded upon. That's why when we see the abuse 
of such things in our own current situation, we ought to cry out 
to God. Because when we lose sight of 
due process, when we lose sight of the maxim of Solomon, that 
the first to plead his cause seems right until his neighbor 
comes and examines him, we can forget all attempts at civil 
society. We have to have these bedrock 
foundational principles, and thanks be to God Almighty that 
the Romans were more committed to due process in this instance 
than these Jews. All they had in their mind was 
Paul bad. All they had in their mind is 
Paul wicked. All they had in their mind was 
Paul sinful, and therefore Paul must die. The Romans are to be 
given the win at this particular point, at this particular juncture. Later on, the Romans are going 
to turn up their opposition against the Christian church. But at 
this point, They are not. At this point, they want to maintain 
justice. So verse 31, now as they were 
seeking to kill him, news came to the commander of the garrison, 
again a thousand troops, that all Jerusalem was in an uproar. 
He immediately, notice that, that response, he immediately, 
again, northwest corner, Fortress of Antonia, that's where the 
barracks were, that's where Paul is transported. So they come 
down these stairs, two centurions means 200 troops. That's how 
little they gave any legitimacy to that kind of an uproar. They 
stomped it. They crushed it. They would not 
allow this to go on. It is a good example of civil 
justice in a particular context. So verse 32, "...immediately 
took soldiers and centurions and ran down to them. And when 
they saw the commander and soldiers, they stopped beating Paul." They 
knew. that if we continue to beat Paul 
without due process, without a legitimate arrest, without 
a trial, without all the things that are supposed to occur, then 
we're going to be in trouble. They were smart enough to figure 
that out. Then verse 33, the commander came near and took 
him and commanded him to be bound with two chains. And he asked 
him who he was and what he had done. He bound him with two chains, 
likely to two soldiers. He initially likely thought that 
Paul was a criminal. He initially likely thought that 
Paul had done something to cause this uproar. But he also knew 
that they couldn't just engage in beating him to death, that 
jurisprudence had to rule the day, that they had to do this 
legally if Paul was this vile man. If he was the instigator 
behind this uproar, if he was guilty, well, then he would stay 
on trial, they would give the sentence, and then he would be 
duly punished. You can't just take the law into 
your own hands. Again, strange thought, I realize 
that, but we're not supposed to do it. We're supposed to comply 
with God's law and man's law, insofar as man's law does not 
tell us to violate God's law. And so that's what's happening 
in the situation. They save Paul. Notice, verse 
34. And some among the multitude 
cried one thing and some another. Just like the riot in Ephesus, 
the same sort of thing. in Acts chapter 19. So when he 
could not ascertain the truth because of the tumult, he commanded 
him to be taken into the barracks. When he reached the stairs, he 
had to be carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the 
mob. For the multitude of the people followed after, crying 
out, away with them, away with them. They cried out that about 
25 years previous to this. in the life and ministry of our 
Lord Jesus. Remember when he's in the same city, they cry out, 
away with him, away with him, crucify him. They want Barabbas, 
they don't want Jesus. So the same sort of animosity 
obtains with reference to the Apostle Paul that it did with 
his master, the Lord Jesus Christ. Now notice the request made by 
Paul in verses 37 to 40. Verse 37, And as Paul was about 
to be led into the barracks, he said to the commander, May 
I speak to you? He replied, Can you speak Greek? 
He thought it would assume that he was probably a speaker of 
Aramaic, which Paul was. That's the most likely interpretation 
of the Hebrew that was spoken at this particular time. But 
Paul was a man who knew things, and Paul knew Greek, and so Paul 
speaks to him in Greek. And so this surprises the commander. 
He says, can you speak Greek? Are you not the Egyptian who 
some time ago stirred up a rebellion and led the 4,000 assassins out 
into the wilderness? Now, that is in Josephus as well. It describes an Egyptian that 
did that very thing with some sicarii, which were assassins 
that would carry daggers and move about people and stab and 
that sort of thing. So there had been that revolt. 
There had been that issue. But the commander, the leader, 
this Egyptian, had managed to escape at the time. So as far 
as the commander, Lysias, is concerned, or Claudius is concerned 
here, he thinks that Paul might be that guy. So here's how Paul 
responds. He gives him his pedigree. Verse 
39, 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. In other words, I'm not that guy. I'm not the Egyptian. I'm not the fellow that is in 
charge of assassins that carry their little daggers, walk around 
the city and poke people to death. That's not me. So he converges 
upon this particular commander, and then notice in verse 40, 
so when he had given him permission, Paul stood on the stairs and 
motioned with his hand to the people. So you see that what 
happens here is completely contrary, not only to Roman law, but to 
biblical law. The Jews weren't supposed to 
operate this way. You don't summarily execute someone. This isn't Stalin's Russia. This 
isn't the Gulags and the Soviet Empire. This is what ought to 
happen. The first to plead his cause 
seems right until his neighbor comes and examines him. There's 
the Law of Witnesses, Deuteronomy 17 and 19. For whatever reason, 
well, not for whatever reason, in their hatred for Jesus, and 
in their hatred for Paul who preached Jesus, they forgot all 
about biblical law, operated apart from Roman law, and simply 
wanted to destroy the Apostle Paul. So the Romans swoop in, 
they arrest him, but then, when they hear who he is, they back 
off a bit, and they let Paul address the Jews. And that's 
what he does in chapter 22, to give a defense. So I know that 
was a lot of information and I apologize, but again, I didn't 
want to leave it for two weeks because we have connection. Paul's 
in the temple because he's on a peacemaking journey. It's one 
of those things, right? What's a nice guy like me doing 
in a Roman cell? He was simply doing what God 
had commanded him to do in the proclamation of the gospel. He 
was simply doing what James and the elders in the church in Jerusalem 
had bid him to do to facilitate good traffic between the Jews 
and the Gentiles. He didn't bring Trophimus in 
there because he loved Trophimus and he wouldn't want Trophimus 
to be executed. He didn't bring Trophimus in 
there either because he wanted to facilitate harmony between 
Jews and Gentiles. Why would he knowingly do something 
that would give necessary offense to the Jews? We see the rage 
of the Jews not responding according to the Bible and simply not responding 
according to Roman civil law. They take the matter into their 
own hands based on a supposition Well, Trophimus was in the city 
with him, so therefore he must have brought him into the temple. 
Brethren, that is not the way to make a case. That is not the 
way to satisfy the requirements to execute a human being. We 
have to be more responsible. We have to be more logical. We 
have to be more rational when it comes to jurisprudence and 
the implementation of punishments for criminal activity. Now, in 
conclusion, and I hope we've seen, the harmony between James 
and Paul. I'd love to see that idea vanish 
from the face of the professing church. They were not at odds. 
They preached the same gospel, grace through faith in Christ. 
James preaches that in the epistle to James. It is obvious, of his 
own will. He brought us forth by the word 
of truth, James 1.18. My brethren, those who hold the 
faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, James 2.1, don't do it with partiality. James affirms justification by 
faith alone, just like Paul affirms justification by faith alone. 
James is dealing with a crowd of people, or a church of people, 
that have said, I believe, but there's no sanctification, there's 
no good works, there's no concrete evidence, there's no lively fruits 
or evidences. That's the emphasis in James 
2. Paul has the same emphasis. After highlighting sovereign 
grace, In Ephesians 2, 8 and 9, he then in verse 10 says, 
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, 
which God had prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. 
Both men teach the doctrine of justification by faith alone, 
and both men teach sanctification as the inevitable result of those 
justified freely by God's grace. So if you have Roman Catholic 
friends, or perhaps you've ever heard this charge, that James 
and Paul were at odds with each other, they weren't. And this 
chapter further illustrates that, further evidences that, and shows 
us the harmony between these two men. Secondly, we ought to 
appreciate, or finally, we already dealt with the rage of the Jews 
against Paul, the power of God in the gospel as preached by 
Paul. Look back for just a moment at verse 19. When he had greeted 
them, he told in detail those things which God had done among 
the Gentiles. Didn't we just see that in 1 
Corinthians 3? Paul plants, Apollos waters, but who gives the increase? Paul wasn't just making that 
up in 1 Corinthians. Paul had seen it. Paul had witnessed 
it. Paul had lived it. Paul knew 
it experientially. Paul understood the glory of 
God in the gospel of Jesus Christ, that in the wisdom of God, the 
world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through 
the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. 
So when we appreciate the power of God unto salvation for everyone 
who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek, we ought 
to appreciate it as God's people and rejoice. We ought to express 
gratitude at the grace that has been shown us to overcome the 
guilt that is within us. But if you're not a Christian, 
understand it's the power of God. Understand that God is in 
the business of saving sinners. God is represented by the Father 
in the prodigal son in Luke 15. When that prodigal son comes 
to himself and says, I know what I'll do, I'll go back to my father's 
house, not because I'm repentant, not because I'm now believing 
on Jesus, but because I can be hired on as a day slave and at 
least get enough food to fill my belly until the day that I 
die. He's a mercenary in his approach 
back to the father's house. It's God of grace that sees him 
while he's a long way off. It's the God of grace that runs 
to him. It's the God of grace that falls 
on him. It's the God of grace that kisses 
him. It's the God of grace who puts a ring on his finger. It's 
the God of grace who puts a robe on his back. The prodigal wasn't 
saved, and then he comes back to the father's house. The prodigal 
is a mercenary. The prodigal is thinking, I'm 
just going to go back and do what I need to do to be a day 
laborer. It's the God of grace that's on display there in Luke 
15. It's the God of grace that's 
on display here in the salvation of Gentiles. It's the God of 
grace on display here in the salvation of a myriad or of a 
thousand of thousands of Jews. That God of grace is still there. He's still here. He's still enthroned, 
and He still receives sinners unto Himself through the Son, 
the Lord Jesus Christ. If you know not this God, then 
believe on Him. You may not understand all the 
ins and outs about Roman law and about Claudius Lysias and 
about all the events that transpire here in Acts chapter 21, but 
this much you should know. God saves sinners. And it's a 
blessed thing when you understand yourself to be a sinner. And 
it's a blessed thing when you understand yourself to be a miserable 
failure. And it's a blessed thing when you understand that God 
is the God who runs and who falls and who kisses and who puts rings 
on and who puts robes on. It's that God that the Bible 
presents from Genesis to the Book of Revelation. So don't 
tarry, don't wait, don't listen to bad theology. Oh, he'll never 
take me. Oh, he's in the business of taking 
wretches just like you, because he's taken wretches just like 
the rest of us. So don't tarry, don't wait, believe 
on the Lord Jesus Christ. And the Bible says you will be 
saved. Well, let us pray. Our Father, 
we thank You for Your Word, and we thank You for this section 
in the book of Acts, and for the ministry of the Apostle. 
And God, I pray that You would help us to learn the lessons 
concerning that practical conduct among one another, as well help 
us to see the hand of God and the covenant promises of God. 
wherein you promised to Abraham that from his seed a great multitude 
would be saved, every nation on the face of the earth. And 
we see that realized, being fulfilled in the ministry of the apostle 
as he goes to these Gentile churches, as he preaches to Gentile persons 
and sees them saved and then makes churches or founds churches. 
God, help us to see your graciousness in the salvation of sinners. 
And may this indeed cause us, as your people, to respond with 
great thankfulness and gratitude. And for those who are not yet 
your people, I pray that they would come by grace to believe 
on Him, who is altogether lovely and chief among 10,000. And we 
pray this through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.