Acts 21:1-39

“Ready To Be Bound…”

Acts 21:1-39 Lesson 24
Key verses 21:13 NIU UBF 11/9/08


“Then Paul answered, ‘Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.’”

In today’s passage Paul reaches Jerusalem. Paul went there hoping to unite the Gentile churches with the Jerusalem church. But the unification doesn’t seem to work among the majority of the Jews. Nevertheless, Paul acted by faith and did what was right in the sight of God. Today we learn God’s broken shepherd heart for the people of Israel. We also learn Paul’s zealous spirit and absolute obedience to God’s mission. May the Spirit guide us to accept one word of God through this passage.

First, God’s Broken Heart And Paul’s Obedience (1-14).

The Christians had genuine love, or Koininia, for one another. Look at verse 1. “After we had torn ourselves away from them, we put out to sea and sailed straight to Cos….” It was not easy for Paul to leave the Ephesian elders, nor for them to say good-by to him Their love relationship was deep and genuine. Their parting is described as tearing themselves away. I think all people long for this type of pure love relationship with others, but “outside of Christ” it sadly eludes them. But it is very much a reality in Christ, when we commit ourselves to him and to the body of believers.

Once underway, there was no hesitation in Paul nor delay. Paul sailed straight to Cos, to Rhodes, and on to Patara. Paul took the most direct route to Jerusalem. They found a ship sailing for Phoenicia (2). It seems to have been a cargo ship…a most uncomfortable vessel. Maybe they sat atop some boxes or in between come clay vessels (amphora) filled with olive oil. But with no thought to comfort, only to speed, they went on board and set sail. Soon, they sighted Cyprus and passed to the south of it (3). At last, they landed at Tyre (4), putting their feet on Palestinian soil. While the ship unloaded its cargo, Paul and his companions found the disciples of Jesus. They stayed with them seven days. These Christians were not “Paul’s disciples.” However, they were his spiritual family in Christ. Paul loved the whole body of Christ, all fellow Christians wherever he found them. By the same token, the Christians at Tyre loved Paul dearly. They must have heard how God had used Paul for world mission and participated in prayer with him and for him.

The Christians there expressed their love for Paul. Verse 4b says, “Through the Spirit they urged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem.” This can be confusing. The Holy Spirit had been compelling Paul to go to Jerusalem (20:22). Was the Holy Spirit now telling Paul not to go to Jerusalem though these Christians? No, not at all. Rather, the Christians in Tyre expressed their deep compassion and love for Paul through the Holy Spirit. Perhaps they urged him to continue preaching the gospel to the Gentiles since God had been using him so greatly. But they did not want to see him got to Jerusalem to suffer. They were like a loving mother sending her son off to war. She may know that he has to go, but she expresses undying affection for him and seeks any alternative to spare him. Paul was touched by their love. However, when the time came, Paul went on his way. Paul did not waver in his course. Realizing this, all the disciples in Tyre, together with their wives and children cried and prayed together with Paul on the beach. Then Paul continued his voyage. Their love for each other is amazing and inspiring!

Paul met found a spiritual house church to stay with. Look at verse 8. They came to Caesarea, the home of Philip the evangelist. He was one of the original seven deacons (Ac 6:5). According to Acts 8, Philip had preached the gospel powerfully in Samaria and then, led by the Spirit, evangelized the Ethiopian eunuch by teaching him who Jesus is based on Isaiah chapter 53. Then Philip went to Caesarea, where he must have lived since then. (Ac 8:40). Now he had four unmarried daughters who prophesied. While other teenage girls talked about clothes, shopping and “boys,” Philip’s daughters liked prophesy. That necessarily means that they liked to study the Bible, talk about God and pray for world mission.

Philip’s home was spiritual. There might have been many suitors visiting, too afraid to ask Philip’s daughters out on a date. There must have been daily devotionals and many of God’s flock coming and going from their home. The word of God was overflowing. There must have been praise, singing and deep fellowship among the believers. It was a good place for Paul to spend time in prayer. There, he must have confirmed his decision to obey God in prayer. He must have asked God’s wisdom how to enter Jerusalem. He probably counseled his Gentile coworkers on how to get accustomed to Jewish life. It was a wonderful time of spiritual preparation. But this stay could not be permanent. It was the calm before the storm.

I am very much encouraged by the house church of Philip. Nowadays there is a feeling that Christian children are bound to succumb to the temptations of the world and fall away from Christ. There is scarcely a Christian family where the majority of their kids have not either fallen away from Jesus or who do not follow Christ. At the hospital, I talk to other nurses about our kids. I tell them about the activities of my house church. They say, “Just wait…they will rebel.” They speak as if this is the norm and the only hope for my kids…to rebel against the Lord and possibly come to Christ later in life. In a recent article by Meredith Miller, she states that students develop an identity lock box, where they store their religious beliefs, practices and convictions during their college years, as they develop other areas of their identity. In an attempt to fit into the American mainstream, they put parts of their identity that does not fit into the cultural mainstream, into a lock box. Their religious identity is such a thing that goes in. They navigate the remainder of their college life, with this identity locked away hoping to re-open it later in life. When they do, they hope to find it unharmed but the reality is they often find their religious identities disengaged with the realities of the world around them. (The Lockbox Theory’s Implication for Your Students. Meredith Miller, Oct 7,2008) I ask myself, “Why is this the expected norm for our house churches?” It does not have to be. We can have house churches like that of Philip the Evangelist where all of our children prophesy the word of God to their own generation. Acts 2:17-18 reads, “'In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. 18Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.” May God raise up house churches for every campus in the USA and Canada so that our nations my become Kingdoms of Priests and Holy Nations.

Future hardships were prophesied to Paul. Look at verse 10. A prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. This is his second appearance in the book of Acts. At Antioch, Agabus had prophesied that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world. The church members believed this and sent a relief offering to the Christians in Jerusalem. And indeed, it happened just as Agabus had prophesied (Ac 11:28). Now Agabus came up to Paul, took his belt and tied his own hands and feet with it. Then he said, “The Holy Spirit says, ‘In this way the Jews of Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles’” (11). Agabus’ prophetic words cut to the heart. Everyone realized that Paul would be arrested and handed over to the Gentiles in Jerusalem.

How did Paul’s company react? Look at verse 12. “When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem.” They pleaded tearfully with Paul not to go. Perhaps it was because Agabus’ prophecy was very convincing. Perhaps it was because they were near Jerusalem and the reality of the danger to Paul was apparent to all. In any case, their inner hearts were revealed. They did not want Paul to suffer and die. They loved Paul and wanted to spare him. They were so grieved at the thought of his trials in Jerusalem that they wept. It is understandable for they loved him, but it was not helpful for Paul to do what God wanted him to do. They made it more difficult for Paul to obey God’s will, from which he could not deviate.

How did Paul respond? Look at verse 13. “Then Paul answered, ‘Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.’” Paul’s heart was breaking. He could not ignore the tears and pleading of his beloved coworkers. Nevertheless, Paul stated clearly, “I am ready to die in Jerusalem for the name of Jesus.” Though Paul’s heart was breaking, he was steadfast in his obedience to the will of God. Paul had prayerfully decided to submit his will to God’s will. Paul’s surrender to God’s will was complete. Paul was no longer living by his will; he was dwelling in God’s will (Gal 2:20). When he heard Agabus’ prophecy, he was not afraid. He accepted it. He was ready to fulfill God’s mission at the cost of his life. Let’s read verse 13 together. “Then Paul answered, ‘Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.’”

Why was it so important for Paul to go to Jerusalem? Of course, it was God’s will, so he had to obey it. However, Paul’s obedience was not slavish, saying with a sad face, “Oh well. I guess I have to do this.” No! It came from his gratitude for Jesus’ grace. It came from his understanding of God’s heart. God had chosen Israel to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. God wanted to plant world mission vision in Jerusalem. Otherwise, she would be a hindrance to gospel work. Paul hoped and prayed for their restoration. Paul believed that when Israel turned to God, a great blessing would be poured out on the whole world. He said in Romans 11:11-12, “Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their fullness bring!” Many Puritan Bible scholars believed that the restoration of the Jews would be the beginning of a worldwide spiritual revival.

Though Paul’s vision was great, the cost to go to Jerusalem was very high. Paul had to decide to give his life. Paul has the image of our Lord Jesus Christ who went to Jerusalem to die on the cross to obey God’s will for world salvation. In order to obey the will of God, Jesus struggled hard. Hebrews 5:8,9 says, “Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.” Obedience was not easy, even for Jesus. At the last moment, Jesus had to fight a fierce spiritual battle in prayer. In Luke 22:42 Jesus prayed, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”

Paul said, “I am ready....” Look at verse 13 again. Paul did not suddenly decide to obey Christ at the risk of his life. Rather, by God’s help and through deep and continual spiritual struggle, he was now ready. Tracing his steps, we can see how this came about. He had been compelled by the Spirit to go to Jerusalem (Ac 20:22). It was what God really wanted him to do. However, God did not make it easy for him. The Holy Spirit did not overwhelm him constantly with peace and joy. Rather, the Holy Spirit made him face reality. The Holy Spirit warned him that prison and hardships awaited him (Ac 20:23). Paul had to decide to take the pain that awaited him for the sole purpose of fulfilling the will of God. Paul must have renewed his decision every day. He said in 1 Corinthians 15:31, “I die every day–I mean that brothers....” Jesus taught his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Lk 9:23). Paul fought a daily spiritual battle in prayer. Finally, he submitted his will to God and was ready to obey. The weeping of his coworkers was like a final exam. Paul passed with A marks. Paul was ready to embrace anything that happened to him in Jerusalem for Jesus’ names’ sake.

When someone has made a decision to die for Jesus to fulfill his mission, there will be resistance even from coworkers. Like Paul, in the final analysis, we must obey God, even when our hearts are breaking because of our dear coworkers. A couple of years ago M and I and their son N decided to move to the capital of an African Muslim nation in order to be American missionaries. What! American missionaries in a African Muslim city? In the same city where Islamists habitate? In the same city where people hate Americans let alone Christians? No wonder many people tried to persuade them not to go. But they were praying to go for years. They were confident that God prepared them for this very task. They knew it was the will of God. They not only knew it was the will of God to go, but last year they moved into a neighborhood and an apartment block occupied by Muslims. Though mindful of other peoples’ concern, they made the journey anyway. It was to obey the will of Christ. Now we can see that God is going to use their family to reach out to Muslim souls in that country. God has been blessing them thus far. Their decision of faith and their life of mission expands our own world mission vision.

There is a day in which all America honors Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. What made him great? It was his decision to obey the will of God at the cost of his life. He realized that challenging the racism and elitism of American society was dangerous. Yet, just before his assassination, he said, “Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I’m not concerned about that now. I just want to do God’s will, and He’s allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I’ve looked over and I’ve seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you, but I want you to know tonight, that we as a people will get to the Promised Land. And I’m happy tonight; I’m not worried about anything. I’m not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.” Others had the same spirit. Think of Abraham Lincoln. President elect Obama has some of this “metal” in him for he knows the dangers of what he is doing, but he moved forward with what he believed.

We believe that God is making North America like a city on a hill, a light to the Gentiles, a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. God is raising spiritual leaders who can spread the gospel and bring healing to wounded young souls. God is raising Ph.D. shepherds and lay shepherds, who will transform our society into one that reveals his glory in the world. God is raising missionaries who are willing to go to all nations to spread the gospel of salvation in a dying world. It is not really nations who obey God’s will. It is individual people who obey God’s will. One person who decides to obey God’s will at the cost of his life is like a holy nation. What kind of decision of obedience have you made? Bob Vonmoss decided to stay in Mongolia as a permanent missionary, even marrying a Mongolian. Chris Sagel decided to 10 years ago to remain in Korea as a permanent missionary, 2,000 miles from his beloved family. Josh and Mary Jeong decided to go to North Korea as missionaries as God opens the way. May God help each of us to struggle daily in prayer until we can decide to obey God’s will for us. This requires a personal decision that each of us must make; no one can make it for us. May God strengthen you in your daily spiritual struggle until you can say like Paul, “I am ready to be bound; ready to die for Jesus.”

Second, Praise God, But... (15-26).

After Paul clearly expressed his obedience to Christ, the company of coworkers gave up and said, “The Lord’s will be done.” Then they made their final ascent to Jerusalem. They went quietly to the home of Mnason, an early disciple and a native of Cyprus. Paul’s Gentile companions would probably have been comfortable there. They met the brothers in Jerusalem who received them warmly. Then Paul and his company greeted James, the leader of the Jerusalem church, and all the elders who were present. Paul reported in detail what God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.

The Jerusalem church members praised God for his work among the Gentiles (20). They also reiterated their decision to accept the Gentiles with some conditions (25). But they were most concerned about how to deal with the controversy surrounding Paul. Many Christian Jews were confused by false reports that Paul was anti-Jewish. They did not realize that Paul’s motto was, “First for the Jew, then for the Gentile.” To clear up this misunderstanding, the Jerusalem church leaders proposed that Paul join in some purification rites to clearly identify himself as a Jew who kept the law. In this way, they hoped to break down barriers between Jewish and Gentile Christians. Paul humbly agreed to this. However, it did not work as they had hoped.

Third, Paul’s Courage Under Trial (27-39).

Look at verse 27. Bad elements among Asian Jews made false accusations against Paul, starting a riot. It became so violent that Paul’s life was in danger. The whole city seemed to participate in it. However, through the Roman commander and his soldiers, God spared Paul’s life. Look at verse 33. They arrested Paul and bound him with two chains. It was the exact fulfillment of Agabus’ prophecy. In that situation, many people would be so frightened that they would panic. But Paul did not. He was well prepared spiritually. He faced the situation with God’s peace and wisdom. He spoke to the commander in Greek. This opened the way for him to speak to the crowd. By faith, Paul turned the chaotic situation into the opportunity to deliver his message. Paul was indeed prepared to die in Jerusalem. So he was fearless. We learn here that a person who decides to obey God at the cost of his life becomes courageous and wise. We can see here that when Paul said he was ready to die for Jesus in Jerusalem, he meant it.

Many people only try to save their lives moment by moment. But Jesus said, “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it” (Mk 8:35). May God help each of us to follow the example of St. Paul and give our lives for Jesus and the gospel. Then we can please God. We can be courageous and victorious in this life and gain eternal life in the age to come.