39 Session 21

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WELCOME

If you have only once chance to say one thing to those who mean the most to you on earth, what would you say & why?

WORD

Acts 21:15-20 New International Version (NIV) says

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. ( Read Acts 21:15-40)

Paul & the team have now arrived in Jerusalem, bearing a much needed financial gift for the brethren. It is amazing how this gift was given by Gentile believers for their Jewish brethren in Christ. The gospel of Jesus truly has the power to unify us & remove barriers that naturally exists between people from different backgrounds. It was also a testimony of Paul's fruitful ministry to the Gentiles despite of all the troubles he encountered along the way. What motivated Paul as he planted churches from one Gentile city to the next can be seen through his own words in

2 Corinthians 5:14 New International Version (NIV) says

14 For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.

which tells us that it was the love of Christ. This was what Paul held as of highest importance in his life.

Acts 21:16 New International Version (NIV) says

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.

introduces us to a long-time believer from Cyprus named Mnason. He welcomed Paul & his team to stay at home. Nothing more is said of him, but Mnason was probably discipled by those early believers who fled persecution in Jerusalem which Saul instigated. Now, because of Jesus, Mnason & the rest of the Jerusalem brethren welcomed Paul gladly.

Acts 21:17 New International Version (NIV) says

Paul's Arrival at Jerusalem

17 When we arrived at Jerusalem, the brothers and sisters received us warmly.

Mnason, like Philip has obviously forgiven Paul & release to him now as a brother in Christ. How about us, is there someone from our family ( and Victory church family) who has hurt us in the past, that we do not welcome warmly because we have not forgiven them?

Acts 21:8-9 New International Version (NIV) says

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.

Paul recounts in detail all that God has done among the Gentiles & the Jerusalem elders were glad & glorified God.

Acts 21:19-20 New International Version (NIV) says

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.

We celebrate God's goodness when we count every blessing He gives, small or great as we give Him thanks & glory that He deserves. The Lord is doing many amazing things among us. What has God done in your life that you can thank Him & give glory to Him for?

Acts 21:21-26 New International Version (NIV) says

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.

seems to act as a buffer between the warm hospitality of the believers & the hostile reception by unbelievers towards Paul. This passage shows us how Paul was "firm with the essentials" & "flexible with the non-essentials" of the CHRISTIAN FAITH. With non-essentials such as certain religious practices-in this case, the purification rituals that Jews who have come from Gentile places must undergo when they enter Jerusalem-Paul was more than willing to fulfill so as not to cause anyone to question his gospel message & teachings about Christ. He followed the instructions of the Jerusalem church elders & completed what was required for his ritual purification. What are some of the essentials of the Christian faith that we must be firm with? This is so important, as Jesus himself considered it so crucial when He prayed that all believers in Him will become one.

John 17:20-21 New International Version (NIV) says

Jesus Prays for All Believers

20 "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.

When we are united in the essentials of the faith, then the world will know that we belong to Jesus & they will take notice of the love we have within THE FAMILY OF GOD. The deity of Christ, the Trinity, the gospel, SALVATION, BY GRACE alone by faith alone are some of these essentials. Some of the non- essentials that we ought to be flexible about would be the style of worship services, signs & wonders, timing of the SECOND COMING of Christ, divorce & remarriage. To fellow believers, the one thing that we should say ought to be"I LOVE YOU. LET US MAJOR ON THE ESSENTIALS." Someone once wisely gave this guideline we all should follow, "IN ESSENTIALS-UNITY, IN NON ESSENTIALS-LIBERTY, IN ALL THINGS-CHARITY." Despite Paul's submission to the non-esential Jewish religious beliefs, his presence in Jerusalem during Pentecost was met with hostility by the Jews. He was falsely accused that he "is the man who preaches to all men everywhere against our people & the law & this place & besides he has even brought Greeks into the temple & has defiled this holy place".

Acts 21:28 New International Version (NIV) says

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."

The situation quickly became dangerous for Paul, especially since the accusation had to do with the Law. The Feast of Pentecost was by then a Jewish celebration of how God gave the Law to Israel. Paul soon found himself violently brought out of the city gates, getting beaten by a Jewish mob intent on ending his life.

Acts 21:30-31 New International Version (NIV) says

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.

But God, just in time, rescued Paul through the Roman authorities-a commander took Paul, bound in chains & had him protected by soldiers from the angry crowd who wanted him dead.

Acts 21:32-38 New International Version (NIV) says

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?"

Paul, bound in chains, knew this day would come-as Agabus prophesied back

in Acts 21:10-11 New International Version (NIV) says

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.'"

Blooded & badly beaten, yet calm & focused, Paul courteously asked permission from the Roman commander to allow him to address his detractors. The commander allows Paul to speak & while the apostle spoke in Greek to the commander, he now turns to speak to his fellow Jews in Aramaic. Under extreme stress, Paul displays amazing self-control & focus, traits that can only come from the filling of the Holy Spirit! This is where Acts 21 ends, & we may wonder what would Paul tell this crowd of hostile unbelievers? This was probably the only chance he would ever get to address this group of people. We will learn more about this in Acts 22, but we can be certain that this is the truth that we are to share to those who are not yet believers in Christ:"JESUS LOVES YOU. HE IS THE ESSENTIAL FOR YOUR LIFE."

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

How are you living your life right now? Do you FOCUS on the Truth that Matters?

Faith-Do you believe God has a mission for you? Is it to share Christ to your co workers, disciple your family members or perhaps be more involved in mission endeavors in other cities?

mia answer: Yes i believe God has a mission for me; it is to share His word to my cousin who had mild stroke; God also wants me to be get involved in Family Ministry in CCF

Opportunity-What occasions does God give you to share His love & truth on a daily basis? How can you maximize those opportunity this week?

mia answer: God give me all the time that I need to share His love & truth on a daily basis; I am not sure if I maximize those opportunity this week

Courage-What are you afraid of in terms of living all out for Jesus? Is it perhaps the hostile reception of unbelievers? What promise of God in the Bible can you claim to counter this fear?

mia answer: I am afraid of the verse that I am going to use in terms of living all out for Jesus; for me it is not being hostile reception of unbeliever;

Unity-How can you best love God's people despite our differences? How can you promote unity among believers?

mia answer: I can best love God's people depsite our differences by respecting their faith; I can promote unity among believers by treating them as a real friend

Sacrifice-What do you need to give up for Jesus' sake so that you may be able to fulfill His mission for me?

mia answer: I need to give up cellphone games for Jesus' sake so that I may be able to fulfill His mission for me

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