Navigating Tension: Paul's Journey with Jewish Christians

Devotional

Day 1: Embrace the Tension Between Law and Grace

Paul's journey to Jerusalem in Acts 21 reveals the tension between the law of Moses and the grace of Christ. This tension is not a contradiction, but a complex interplay that reflects the multifaceted nature of God's character. Paul's willingness to engage with the law, despite his emphasis on grace, shows his commitment to bridge the gap between Jewish and Gentile believers. [07:40]

Acts 21:17-19 - "When we arrived at Jerusalem, the brothers and sisters received us warmly. The next day Paul and the rest of us went to see James, and all the elders were present. Paul greeted them and reported in detail what God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry."

Reflection: How can you embrace the tension between law and grace in your own faith journey?

Day 2: Overcoming Prejudices for the Gospel

Paul's encounter with the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem highlights the importance of overcoming prejudices for the sake of the Gospel. Despite the tension and misunderstanding, Paul was determined not to let anything hinder the spread of the Gospel. This calls us to examine our own lives and identify any prejudices that may be hindering our witness for Christ. [33:57]

Acts 21:20-21 - "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. 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.'"

Reflection: What prejudices might you need to overcome to more effectively share the Gospel?

Day 3: Removing Stumbling Blocks for the Gospel

Paul's willingness to participate in the purification rites demonstrates his commitment to remove any stumbling blocks for the Gospel. He was willing to go to great lengths to ensure that nothing in his life would hinder others from coming to Christ. This challenges us to consider what stumbling blocks we might need to remove in our own lives. [54:04]

Acts 21:23-24 - "Do what we tell you. There are four men with us who have made a vow. 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."

Reflection: What might you need to change or sacrifice in your life to remove stumbling blocks for the Gospel?

Day 4: The Power of Christ's Transformation

Paul's transformation from a persecutor of Christians to a devoted follower of Christ is a powerful testament to the transformative power of Christ. His past did not hinder his present ministry, but rather, it served as a testament to the power of Christ's transformation. This encourages us to embrace our past and allow Christ's transformative power to shine through our lives. [53:34]

Acts 9:1-2 - "Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem."

Reflection: How has Christ's transformative power been evident in your life, and how can you use your past to testify to His power?

Day 5: The Importance of Opening Doors for the Gospel

Paul's actions in Jerusalem underscore the importance of opening doors for the Gospel. He was willing to make personal sacrifices and take unconventional steps to ensure that the Gospel could be heard. This challenges us to consider what steps we might need to take to open doors for the Gospel in our own contexts. [44:45]

Acts 21:26 - "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."

Reflection: What steps might you need to take to open doors for the Gospel in your own context?

Sermon Summary

In the sermon, I explored the tension between Paul and the Jewish Christians, who believed that Paul had forsaken the law of Moses. I highlighted that this was not entirely true, but the prejudice and misunderstanding created a lot of tension. I also discussed how Paul was received gladly by the Jerusalem Christians, despite the tension and misunderstanding. I emphasized that Paul spent a significant amount of time recounting the amazing things God had done through the Gentile Christians, which was received with glorification of God by the Jewish Christians.

In the second part of the sermon, I delved into the difficult passage in Acts 21, where Paul is advised not to offend the Jewish Christians. I pointed out that the Jewish Christians were zealous for the law and found it offensive that Paul was teaching Jews among the Gentiles to forsake Moses. Despite Paul's efforts to not offend them, they still tried to kill him. I encouraged the congregation to reflect on what might be getting in the way of others hearing Christ through them and to consider what changes they might need to make in their lives.

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Sermon Clips

1. "Your impression of me is getting in the way so I'm going to kick it out of the way so that I can get enough study with somebody. If it's just one person, it's worth it. He's not going to allow his and people's impression of him to get in the way of them coming to Christ." - 56:27

2. "God has done this incredible thing through these Gentile Christians and he's still working, he's active and he's moving and he's doing things and we're just happy to see it happen." - 39:26

3. "These people, God Has Smiled On them and they have welcomed him. They have sold everything out of their lives that don't look like him and they've transformed." - 35:43

4. "The Jewish Christians need to know that the Gentile Christians are just as good as they are, that they've done everything that God is required to do to be saved and that they are devoted and that they're sold out." - 35:43

5. "These Jewish Christians think that Paul has forsaken the law of Moses, that he's turned his back on it's betrayed Moses's law that he doesn't care anything about the purification rights or the Nazarite vows or or circumcision or any of the things that were so important to Jewish people." - 31:59

Ask a question about this sermon

Chatbot

Transcript

What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?

Were there any personal stories shared?