Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Evening Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/ev/ev19980802.htm

ACTS: THE LOCAL CHURCH AS GOD'S AGENCY FOR DISCIPLING MEN
Part L: Opting For The Highest Calling Of Obeying God Over The High Motive Of Loving Other Believers
(Acts 21:1-14)
  1. Introduction
    1. When given the challenging choice of either expressing our love for fellow Christians or of doing the assignment given to us of God, what of the two pathways is a believer supposed to take?
    2. The choice is very difficult, for Jesus Himself claimed that loving the brethren in Christ demonstrates to the world our faith's validity, John 13:35. Also, one of His last admonitions to the disciples in the upper room was for them to treat one another with a loving servant's attitude, Jn. 13:1-4, 12-15.
    3. The Apostle Paul exampled for us what choice we should make in such a case, and WHY, as follows:
  2. Opting For The Highest Calling Of Obeying God Over The High Motive Of Loving Fellow Believers.
    1. When Paul was told by godly prophets at Tyre of afflictions awaiting him in Jerusalem, he still continued on his way though he had been urged not to do so by loving believers, Acts 21:1-6:
      1. In journeying from Miletus toward Jerusalem, Paul's ship stopped in Tyre to unload cargo, Acts 21:1-3.
      2. Since this took time, Paul went on shore to contact believers to fellowship with them, Acts 21:4a.
      3. In the process, the Holy Spirit signaled through these believers that Paul would face troubles in Jerusalem, so these Christians urged Paul not to continue his journey toward Jerusalem, Acts 21:4b.
      4. As evidenced in the parting on the shore, there was much loving concern for Paul's welfare, and the group knelt with him there to pray an emotionally intense prayer, fearing never to see him again, 21:5b.
      5. Still, Paul headed on toward Jerusalem, leaving these believers to return to their homes, 21:5a, 6.
    2. When Paul was informed by the famous godly prophet, Agabus at Caesarea of trouble were he to enter Jerusalem, though urged by Caesarean believers and Paul's own companions not to travel on, Paul resisted.
      1. Sailing on to Caesarea, Paul and his friends stayed with believers who had the gift of prophecy, 21:7-9.
      2. As he abode there, prophet Agabus arrived, 21:10. Agabus was the prophet of note who had predicted the Judean famine in Acts 11:28 that led to Paul's trip to Jerusalem with a relief offering, Acts 11:29-30.
      3. Agabus took Paul's sash and bound his hands and feet, symbolically relaying that Jerusalem's Jews would thus bind and deliver Paul into the hands of the Gentiles, Acts 21:11.
      4. Since this was the notable Agabus, not only the believers in Caesarea but even Paul's traveling companions, including Luke, besought him not to continue on his way to Jerusalem, Acts 21:12.
      5. However, Paul resisted this expression of love from his fellow believers, Acts 21:13b.
    3. In Paul's statement in Acts 21:13a within the broad context of Acts, we see that Paul was correctly choosing to put loving and obeying God's assignment above loving and heeding his fellow believers:
      1. The verb "break" in v. 13 of the KJV ("breaking" NIV) is used only by Luke, and comes from a medical term, thrupto, to crush a bladder or kidney stone, Moulton & Milligan, Vocab. of the Grk. N.T., p. 607.
      2. Luke amends thrupto with sun to coin a word, sunthrupto, meaning the whole group of believers at Caesarea with Agabus and Paul's own traveling companions were all together affecting him with grief! The use of this specifically medical term, with Luke being the Beloved Physician according to Col. 4:14, signaled Paul's being burdened by urgings from even his very close companion, Luke!
      3. Nevertheless, Paul stated that he was ready not only to be bound but to die for the name of the Lord in Jerusalem no matter how emotionally painful it was to Paul for his friends to urge him otherwise.
      4. Paul intended to finish his God-given assignment of witnessing the Gospel, Acts 20:24, so he put his love and obedience for God above the love and urgings of fellow believers, G. C. Morgan, Acts, p. 481.
      5. Luke and the others gave in to Paul, admitting that he correctly wanted to do God's will, Acts 21:14.
Lesson: As Paul correctly put his love and obedience to God above the loving concern and urgings of loving brethren to preserve him from martyrdom, so we today are CORRECT in placing our love for God and obedience to HIM above relationships and lov ing urgings of fellow Christians. As G. C. Morgan writes in his Acts commentary, p. 481: "The motive . . . of all these people, Luke included was a very high motive. It was love for Paul. Paul's motive was an infinitely higher motive. It was lov e for the Lord, and passion for the accomplishment of His purpose." May we copy Paul's example!