Acts Chapter 21 Part 1

[Music] Shalom and welcome to via after Israel a Hebrew phrase which means you shall love Israel we hope you'll stay with us for the next 30 minutes as our teacher dr. Baruch shares his expose Ettore teaching from the Bible dr. Baruch is the senior lecturer at the Sarah Avraham Institute based in Israel although all courses are taught in Hebrew at the Institute dr. Baruch is pleased to share this weekly address in English to find out more about our work in Israel please visit us on the web at love Israel you are G that's one word love Israel o RG now here's Baruch with today's lesson there is a very important word that appears several places in the scripture and that is that word zeal we find that God is a jealous God and it's because of his zeal that he is going to bring about the good things of his promises we see scripturally that zeal is always in relationship to the will of God so let me ask you tonight are you a zealous believer do you have a zeal that comes through the anointing of the Holy Spirit that has brought about a change in you how you think what you do that your behavior has become radically different now when we look at the Word of God and we're going to see an example of that tonight when people are believing when they have responded to the gospel invitation having done so they become zealous for the things of God that they have a different mindset a different set of values they're motivated by different things and it is very easily to discern a believer from a non-believer because of this godly zeal and where that zeal leads them so let me ask you again do you have a godly zeal in your life well with that said look with me once more as we're in our study the book of Acts and we're now ready for X chapter 21 now Paul he has been travelling and we're going to see today as well as we continue our study that Paul is traveling in in many ways he's going from boat to boat from island to island to nation to nation with one place upon his mind and that is Jerusalem he wants to get to Jerusalem and one of the things that he's going to do first and foremost is to report to report before the elders in Jerusalem what God has been doing in his life now let me challenge you to do something this week maybe tomorrow get a piece of paper and write down what God is doing in your life how he is moving you directing you how that zeal that you should have what is that producing in your life what are you jealous for and how is that zeal bringing change into others and and here's the key manifesting God's glory see we are remember that Psalm we read from some 132 about those who keep the covenant they are going to have a testimony there's going to be a witness that God is going to move and bring about change so zeal leads to change so what changes are your life experiencing what changes are you brain about in those that you are ministering to and every believer and I mean every believer should have a list of people that they are influencing with Kingdom truth now Paul look with me to verse 1 Acts chapter 21 verse 1 Paul and what we find here for a good portion of the scripture is just kind of a log a travel log of the places that Paul is passing through sometimes we know nothing about a stop and other times were given some important information so let's begin Acts chapter 21 and verse 1 we read here and as it came about so this is a term of a narrative he's telling us what's happening in his life now Paul's not the speaker he's the subject of the one who's telling the story and most understand that this is Luke and Luke's not alone there are others who are traveling with him and part of the individuals who are traveling with Paul and we read here that as it came about that they sailed and it says in the first person we sailed and we separate it from them those and where they were and they made a straight course now that is they traveled with a purpose and that is significant for us we should be people that are moving about with a purpose so they traveled some will say they run straight and we find that they came in two coasts now Coast is a small island it's a Greek island of today not far from the Turkish border and there's a series of islands and they're going one by one through them passing on their way towards the Land of Israel and when we read this and if you know geography in this part it all makes sense this is not some fairy tell some story that someone made up but it's all very logical so we came into coasts and on the next day into roads and if you look you will find it is a very short distance indeed from coast to roads and from there into Patara verse two and finding a boat so the boat that they were on it came to an end there at Patara and finding a boat we pass into Phoenicia so he's traveling to different places and embarking they found this boat they embarked that as they entered into it and we sailed and we find here that something was manifested now I believe some of the Bible's they will use a word discovered remember they didn't have elaborate navigation systems they didn't have GPS so they were traveling and notice what they did it says here and finding Cyprus and also leaving it from the left side now this is significant because if you are a good student of history you will find that oftentimes people would leave snipers on that location because it was calmer so this is another indication that what we're reading is historically accurate there are some spiritual interpretations of that left side and and what Paul was saying but let's just take the simple understanding discovering Cyprus finding it it says that they did something they left it and on the left side and we find they they traveled on into Syria now Syria was a big geographical area it can also take part of what we call Lebanon today so they traveled into Syria and landed at a place called tiring and from there we find that the boat that they were on was unloading its cargo so Paul is part of a group that is keeping track Luke is running down this travel log not only when they change boats but even when the boats arrived at their destination and removed the cargo from the the boat verse four and seeking disciples so there they are and what were they doing seeking fellow believers and they remain there for seven days and many and this is significant there were many individuals with Paul and these were the ones that they were encountering perhaps these disciples and what we find is there's going to be a consistent message notice what it speaks here about many of these individuals not just a few but there was a consistency of what the Spirit of God was revealing to disciples we find look again at the middle of verse four and many who were with Paul they were saying through the Holy Spirit literally through the spirit not to go up into Jerusalem now notice a very Jewish way of speaking about going up to Jerusalem we find biblically that in the Bible and of those of Jewish descent it's always going up to Jerusalem or down from Jerusalem but this upward calling and they were speaking here these disciples they were warning Paul by means of the spirit not to enter into Jerusalem now the question we have to ask is why why was the Holy Spirit warning Paul and there's a reason for that first of all Paul is committed he believes that he needs to be in Jerusalem he's going there for a couple different purposes God's going to use him and remember the prophecy when Paul came to faith he was told that he is going to be used by God to bear testimony to Kings two rulers two leaders and gods going to begin to fulfill that prophecy in this passage things are going to be set up for that to become reality so he's warned the Spirit is not telling them not to go what the Spirit is revealing is that Paul's going to suffer that Paul's going to be bound that there's going to be much opposition and the purpose is that for Paul to flee from this but rather to be spiritually prepared now let's just stop for a moment when we look at the future that believers going to happen have when we encounter the last days and I believe they're on the horizon biblically speaking it is going to be a difficult time for followers of Messiah we see the foretaste of that all around us in the world and what we should do is to not flee from that naturality we can't we are going to enter into a time of persecution as well as Paul is at his name and Paul didn't avoid it but what did he say as we're going to see that he had made preparations so the Spirit of God is not warning Paul to flee away from these things but it's to tell him get ready to suffer and if I were going to give you a message tonight prophetically it would be that get ready to suffer remember what we talked about last week about there were chains and afflictions that is our future get ready for it the scripture is clear and we see these things drawing near to believers look now if you would to verse 5 and when it came about that we completed the days that we finished the time there we find that they went forth and it says and we journeyed now what this is saying is they were going forth from this location they were beginning their journey and noticed something so consistency in in the scriptures in what Paul was doing we find that those who were accompanied us all of them meaning both women and children until outside the city so this group who was traveling towards Jerusalem they had spent some time and when they finished that time and was ready now to press on to continue that journey those of the disciples remember they were looking for fellow believers and therefore when they began their journey there were those families both men women and children that they accompanied them and those what it says all of them unto outside the city and what do they do well this is the second time we read that we saw this last week as well it says that that they set their knee which is a edium for they bowed their knee upon the shore and what did they do they prayed now we don't know what they prayed obviously for traveling safety for mercy upon the way but also I would suspect that God would use their travels for his purpose that God would take these men and use them because they were zealous for the things of God they wanted to be used by him so are you zealous to be used by him to accomplish his will his desires his purposes these individuals were look now to verse 6 and having said Shalom that's one of the ways it's a a greeting of departure having said Shalom to one another we find that they embarked into the boat and finally they that is those who accompany them it says but they meaning the ones who accompany them they return to their own meaning their own home so once again there was a separation of Paul and those traveling with them from the ones that they had stayed and lodged with for a period of time now look if you would to to verse 7 but we we find here we completed the journey from tirade and it says we went down into a place called Potamus now that is some Bibles if you check they'll say acre I don't know why it's called acre that's kind of a a different name than what it's called today today if you go there you'll know it by the name Akko we find a four name a term for this port city and we find the name that is used today in Israel Akko so now coming down from tyre a and it's not a long journey they arrive into the Land of Israel into the port city called here pitoni as' and we know it by Akko and what did they do they greeted once more it says here and they greeted the Brethren and what else it says they remain one day with them at this city of Akko verse 8 and on the next day they departed who did the ones that were around Paul meaning accompanied Paul and they came literally it says and we came into Caesarea so if you look at a map you will see how they traveled going into Coast's then roat's then on into Patara and then ultimately into tyre a and then Akko and now the Roman capital for this area of land called Caesarea and by the way you can go to Caesarea today and see the the relics the the excavations of this ancient Roman city that was in the Land of Israel so look again verse 8 on the next day we departed those who were accompanied Paul and we came into Caesarea and entered into the house of a very significant individual that is Philip and notice what he's called here Philip the Evangelist and it says as we continue on being out of or from the Senate now what does that mean well I said he was a significant individual he was known as an evangelist and if you go back and let me just give you a citation if you look sometime at the book of Acts earlier chapter 6 and verse 3 you're going to see that seven men were appointed to serve to minister in a unique way that Minister that servant is what many people are calling deacons and they were individuals that took care for the the leaders of the congregation in Jerusalem the needs of others we find that those leaders the Apostles they wanted to focus in on prayer and the word very important that you see those two things going together the prayer and the word you cannot Minister the Word of God if you are not serious about prayer it is prayer that gives us the ability the insight the anointing in order to look at God's Word so they wanted to focus on prayer and the word and therefore for the needs of the people for surfing in organizing the various ministries they appointed these seven individuals and this one Philip the Evangelist he was one of them and they remain with him verse nine and to this one there were four virgin daughters and these were were prophets that is they were prophesying now notice there was four four usually speaks of a global a worldly message and when I say worldly message that is the number four helps us to understand the world and what these were speaking well they were speaking the same things that we saw earlier and it's trying to tell us this that the world was opposed to Paul's purpose what Paul was submitting to what Paul was zealous for in other words the prophecy here that was being spoken was how the world was in opposition to what Paul was all about look now two to verse 10 we find here that we remained arrogant Luke is telling the story about those who are traveling with Paul and it says we remained many days and a certain one now notice a certain one came down from Judea and he was a prophet by the name of Agabus and what he is going to prophesy is a more specific a more detailed message that we looked at earlier and more than likely what these four daughters were also confirming this is the message the prophetic revelation that was being given to Paul and notice what he says verse 11 and coming to us so once again Luke is their first hand he's travelling and he sees this prophet from Judea having come down from Judea that same going down from the Jerusalem area and those what happens having come to us he did something and this one lifted up the belt of Paul now some Bibles will say he took but if you look at this word it is if you do a study of it it is the word to lift and this is important because this term oftentimes speaks of being lifted up for the purpose of crucifixion remember no where are they there in Caesarea a Roman city in Israel and what the Romans did of course we all know this they like to crucify individuals that they saw was a threat to the Roman administration the Romans accomplishing their will and let's just pause for a moment and and see what's really at the foundation of this whole issue and that's this you have what we talked about in the book of psalms earlier from Psalm 132 you know one of the key words it didn't say much about it but the word meaning may new not feed Manuka is is rest my new hottie is my rest and what we find here is that God wants to give us a kingdom rests and there's an inherent relationship between this kingdom rest and I don't care who you are that's what you're seeking that's what your soul is yearning for that's what is going to bring peace to your body and that is a kingdom arrest but the world is opposition to that the world doesn't want that and what's happening here is this this this one is saying that the Roman Empire he is going to this Empire is going to lift up Paul's belt what is that well it could be a reference to Paul being put to death the context is going to bear that out but it also can mean simply that Paul is going to be lifted up and this purpose of being left it up is for him to testify for him to speak truth and notice how Paul he has discernment in regard to this we'll see that in a moment but look again at the text back in verse 11 and coming to us he lifted up the belt of Paul and also he bound his hands and his feet meaning his own some would say Paul and he said thus says the Holy Spirit now the Spirit earlier said if we go back to verse 4 don't go into Jerusalem then we have these daughters also prophesying and the scripture is telling us in the way that we should rightly interpret it there is a strong message and this is the conclusion what is it that Paul you are going to have your hands and your feet bound this is what the Holy Spirit is saying that the man whom is the belt this belt thus the Judeans now this means not the Jewish people by and large but it's a term in this context which speaks to the leadership of Israel hi you who Dean which means the Judeans says the Jew gions in Jerusalem they are going to bind and deliver you into the hands of the Gentiles now this is very similar to what happened to you sure himself that he was arrested and we find that he went bound you read carefully the Gospels he was arrested he wasn't bound but when he was turned over to Pontius Pilate turned over to the Roman Authority they bound him and what this man is saying is that Paul if you go to Jerusalem you are going to be bound that is arrested that you are going to be shackled and keep reading that you are going to be turned over to who well you re very carefully the Gentiles now that should send fear into because that word for being lifted up turned over to the Romans well there's a hint of crucifixion but notice Paul's response we'll come to that in a few minutes so once more verse verse 11 he says thus the Judeans and Jerusalem they will bound and they will deliver you into the hands of the Gentiles verse 12 and as we heard these things we encouraged now this is they tried to get Paul to do something they encouraged and also notice what it says we and all the ones in the place that that he should not go into Jerusalem meaning don't go up to Jerusalem but look now at Paul's response Paul hears this but Paul has discernment Paul understands that anything that might happen to him among the nation's see God told him that you are going to be proclaiming my truth to the nation's two kings and leaders now kings there was no king at that time in Jerusalem they were waiting for the return of the king of kings so Paul had discernment and understood that this was going to be used for him to bear witness and notice what he sent us we're in verse 13 but now this word means in kind of contrast to what everyone else was saying everyone else was hearing the holy spirit and that there was going to be opposition strong opposition to Paul they got that right but Paul had the discernment to understand that God wanted to use that he understood that he was called to suffer so I'm asked you do you realize that that you are going to encounter opposition that you have a calling on your life to suffer to suffer persecution for your faith in the gospel so Paul answered and those what he said what are you doing crying and breaking my heart now Paul saw the love Paul saw the concern he understood what they were trying to encourage him to do or not do and that is to go into Jerusalem because Paul knew this prophet this one who came down from Judea that he was sent to prepare Paul for what he was going to encounter but Paul didn't hear this as flee from this no Paul heard this as what God had prepared him to do and we're going to see that without any shadow of a doubt in a moment Paul understood his call and if you're going to be pleasing to God you and I need to understand our call and to be zealous to be passionate to be committed to it and until you want to serve God you're not going to have that Clare call in your life so Paul answers and he says what are you doing crying and breaking my heart second half of verse 13 for I and he says not only leaning this I'm not only willing to be bound but also to die in Jerusalem so he says I'm not only ready to be bound but also to be put to death in Jerusalem and he says here and it continues on the order might be different but it uses a word and this word means preparation and then the next word echo has to do with having something and he says I have and it's odd in English to say this way but it's very important that we understand it I have preparation what Paul is saying is I had been prepared for this encounter having come to faith I have understood what it means to be a disciple part of being a disciple is having a totally different perspective being zealous to serve the master and in the same way Messiah said you know they hated me they're gonna hate you they persecuted me they're going to persecute you we need to understand that things are changing drastically all throughout the world and Paul says what are you doing crying and and breaking my heart for I and not only ready to be bound but to be put to death in Jerusalem for I have preparation how by the name of the Lord Yeshua or he's ready to suffer and in behalf of the name you'll Oh Lord you're sure now two things I want us to see here and that is first and foremost Paul understands Messiah as Lord that he is the master and that he meaning assures the master and he Paul is a servant not too long ago I was speaking elsewhere and and one of the ways that Paul speaks about himself is gulose what is that a servant or better understood oftentimes as a slave so Paul nurse stood in this relationship that he had with the Living God with the resurrected Messiah he understood that he was a slave and that is so different to many and what they're teaching that they want to say oh we are the kids the king's kids and therefore we should have all the benefits of the royal family well you know what that is a kingdom reality in the future that's not our calling today no what does Paul say I'm ready to be bound he understood that was his calling and to be put to death and he says I have preparation and behalf of the Lord Messiah Yeshua so Paul nurse stood the lordship and he understood that suffering for Messiah was the call of every believer he was prepared for that verse 14 now in verse 14 it says but not convincing him now the word here is that they could not convince Paul of what they were saying which was don't Paul go to Jerusalem and the implication here is that that they were saying that not no Paul we don't think you should go but you make the decision no the the text speaks quite differently from that that they were this shichi they were exhorting now the word that I translated encouraging can also be exporting in a sense of a very strong beseech II and when they realized that they were not able to convinced him they cease and were saying the will the Lord made be now that's what they should have done from beginning to pray with Paul that Paul would experience God's will in his life now there are those who teach falsely that if it's God's will it's going to be you know what an example of that which is not God's will is sin understand that God's will is perfect and in the end what God has has determined will be but there are many things that happen in the world that God has no part of whatsoever meaning this God didn't want it God didn't cause it but because of his nature of his sovereignty he allows it but don't think that God allowing something happen means in some way that there's his stamp of approval upon it and if it's taking shape that we should just uh go along with it or just stand idly by no we need to understand that we respond in obedience to truth righteousness justice that which reflects the character of God earlier tonight at our study Center here in Israel we were studying from the book of Isaiah in chapter 42 and one of the things that that 40 seconds chapter speaks of is the coming of Messiah for him to be making justice for him to be bringing about righteousness that's what ultimately he is going to do and what do we know well there's going to be much opposition to it in that passage from Isaiah it's not going to be any problem for him to accomplish that and what we need to realize is that we're supposed to be about that today doing that same thing executing as the Prophet Zechariah says being individuals that execute justice and that means that we're going to encounter opposition but we're supposed to be more than over comers look if you would to verse 14 and again having not been successful in convincing Paul not to go to Jerusalem it says that they cease and they were saying the Lord the will of the Lord made be verse 15 and after many of these days they packed up and they went up in to Jerusalem now what I like here is that they knew that there was going to be difficulty but they didn't withdraw they didn't say well Paul we don't think we should go and therefore you go by yourself and we're not no they remain with him it's very clear look again and after these days they they packed up and they went up into Jerusalem and came with us the disciples from Caesarea and they brought it says here a certain one from Cyprus up from Cyprus one whom they lodged with or would be lodging with and his name was manis own and he was an elective he was a Talmud he was a Talmud fatique now that's Hebrew Talmud disciple fatique has to do with a a season one who was a veteran someone who had been a disciple for a long time and I think that's so significant that when they were in this situation they sought someone who had many years experience being a disciple of the his influence is going to be very critical in this passage so he was there this one whom they lodged with verse 17 and having arrived in Jerusalem the Brethren they received us with great joy so what did Paul do him and those who were travelling with him they arrived they came into Jerusalem going up into Jerusalem and the first thing they did was submit the Brethren that is fellow believers and notice they did so and we find on verse 18 and on the next day Paul entered in with us to Yakko Yakko that's James and we know from Acts chapter 15 when Paul was in Jerusalem last time when he went up to Jerusalem for that council in Jerusalem to set straight his ministry how he was doing that what God had had a wrought through him and how James spoke and commissioned all individuals on the matter of sharing the gospel how and to whom to share that gospel so once more look at this on the next day Paul with us entered into Yaakov and all the elders being present and verse 19 and greeting them he did something now the term here is a term of great specifics he began to specify very clearly and one thing after another that's what the text says he began to specify according to each event each thing what God had done and I like that not what he had done not what the disciples had done but what God had done among the nations that is among the Gentile believers now one could translate that as I started to in the nation spinning in those countries outside of Israel and we don't have to read too far to remember that many times he was interacting with Jewish individuals dwelling in the Diaspora dwelling in other places outside of Israel so Paul and I imagine this took a long time Paul spoke in detail when we look at the Hebrew translation of the Greek that's what it says Paul spoke in detail specifying what God had done among the nations and through his ministry meaning what God did by his ministry now look at verse 20 now everything that we've done thus far is to bring us to this twentieth verse which is the last verse that we're going to study tonight and be assured of something this verse ought to change your your vantage point we need to see it in the proper terms we're going to set that up tonight and next week we're going to begin with that same verse as we press on in complete chapter 21 but notice what it says here Paul's coming into the leader of what we could talk as the church in Jerusalem that first congregation in Jerusalem these early disciples under the leadership of James and notice he came in Paul he detailed all what God had done outside of Israel and notice the response we read verse 20 and the ones hearing what did they do all not just James but all the ones there and the emphasis here is not the ones with Paul but all those elders remember we've already seen the text emphasized that they came together and when the elders all the elders had arrived Paul began to speak and these individuals that says having heard what do they do they glorified the Lord very important why Lord because Paul was submissive its emphasizing that when we are obedient to his rule in our life we're going to have things to praise him for and Laura find the Lord they said also to him see brother now they saw Paul in a a strong way as a fellow brother a joint believer a joint worker and the call this same call that James was leading those early believers in Jerusalem and notice what he says this last part of our verse 20 he says and the user's word poss-eye now this speaks about a large number how many Mildred's now the next word is a word speaking for ten thousands now what the text says do you see how many Mildred's how many 10 thousands there are not just ten thousand but in the plural there are many ten thousands of individuals what individuals Jewish individuals that are believers and all of them now this is something important they're all have something in common now look again at the context they're speaking those who have heard and gave glory to God and they tell Paul see rather I want you to be hold this that's what they're saying to Paul how many Mildred's how many 10 thousands upon 10 thousands of Jewish individuals who have believed believe what that same gospel message and notice it says here and this is what's important we read and all every one of them now this is not an a unique experience a few have this but most don't know all believers that's what the text is leading us to conclude all believers have this shared experience it is normative for those who have met the Risen Messiah those who understand the truth of the gospel and this kingdom call upon us and the gospel message is a kingdom message says and all being zealous for what the law now that is an extraordinary statement all being zealous of the law how should we understand that what is the intent of being zealous of the law what does that mean in the practical sense for us today well those are the things that we're going to talk about next week and in the meantime we need to ask ourselves do I have that zeal and is my zeal rightly motivated what is it that interests me about my faith I think if you were to ask many people well they would have a very different motivation if you were to ask them having come to faith through the grace of God having accepted the work of Messiah upon that cross what what would you say has happened to you what is it that has been transformed in your life what are you what are you committed to what are you jealous formed I wonder how many would say I am Salas for the law and understanding what that means because that statement being zealous for the law has significant implications and as I said we're going to learn what they are next week and until that time may God richly bless you may you grow and deepen your relationship in Messiah shul may you be praying this week for a zeal that is pleasing to God a zeal that is focus upon that which is the will of God until next week Shalom from history well we hope you will benefit from today's message and share it with others police plan to join us each week at this time and on this channel for our broadcast of love Israel org again to find out more about us please visit our website love israel dot o-r-g there you will find articles in numerous other lectures by Beru these teachings are in video form may download them or watch them in streaming video until next week may the lord bless you in our Messiah Yeshua that is Jesus as you walk with Him Shalom from Israel [Music]

Channel: LoveIsrael.org

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Keywords: Bible & Teaching, Creation, Israel, Missions & Ministry, Religion, Spiritual Growth, Education

Id: TMiQ045SpIg

Length: 50min 6sec (3006 seconds)

Published: Sun Mar 03 2019