Acts 21:17-26

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. 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.

Toddlers

When toddlers start running, the challenge of feeding them begins. How do you make your toddler children eat their food? Do you normally give the food they choose? Do you ask your children what they want? Or, do you give them foods that are beneficial to their health? Who should decide for the right food of younger children: parents or children?

This parental problem about feeding young children has similarity in the church family. Majority of church-goers are still in process of achieving spiritual maturity in their faith. In our church, spiritual matters are taken care of by the Board of Elders according to the church Constitution and By-laws. We need to pray earnestly that God would raise elders who are more mature spiritually.

Problems have occurred in the past and may occur in the future when the Constitution is mistakenly interpreted. And when disagreement arises, does it matter to ignore the warning of a single voice? What is the guarantee that the majority decision is God’s will? Should not unanimous decision be taken into serious consideration for spiritual matters? Should politicking be given a place in spiritual matters? Can politicking in the church bring praise to God?

1. Praise

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

The pronoun “we” implies that the author of the Book of Acts, who was presume to be Dr Luke, did not leave Paul but joined him when Paul went to Jerusalem. Before they came to Jerusalem, Dr Luke, together with the disciples in Caesarea, pleaded with Paul not to go to Jerusalem.

Bible scholars have agreed that Dr Luke was a medical doctor. What can we learn from Dr Luke? It’s not uncommon that Christians with successful secular profession, especially, those who have material wealth could innocently if not irresponsibly presume that their secular qualification has given them confidence to lead the church spiritually. Not so with Dr Luke. He, being a medical doctor, never assumed that Paul should listen to his spiritual advice. He followed the spiritual leadership of Paul. Dr Luke has been a constant companion of Paul, and recorded that Paul’s ministry resulted to praises in Jerusalem. Dr Luke never denied that he did nothing while accompanying Paul. But he never took any credit to himself.

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…

Dr Luke wrote, “the ministry of Paul to the Gentiles” brought praise to James and all the elders in Jerusalem. He could have included himself simply wrote that it was “their” ministry, and not just Paul’s ministry, right?

The Holy Spirit who inspired Dr Luke to write the Book of Acts made it sure that credit was given to Paul for his ministry. Dr Luke as the writer was to not be forgotten though. His ministry was to record events, and he was discipled by Paul.

Paul reported his ministry in details in Jerusalem. He shared with James and all the elders in Jerusalem everything that God has done through his ministry to the Gentiles. When Paul reported what God has done through his ministry, did he boast about what God has been doing in his life? It says in Romans 12:15, ¹⁵Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.

It is easy to mourn with those who mourn, but to rejoice with those who rejoice reveals a person’s heart.

Political Opposition

In politics, political oppositions are expected to oppose the government if the ruling party is not governing properly. Political oppositions should not stop at just opposing something instead they should present a better alternative. Moreover, it is not ordinary for the opposition party to rejoice when the ruling party are appreciated for their excellent work.

Similarly, Paul has been doing great thing in his ministry and Jewish leaders were envious of his success because they expected him to fail. They did not agree that the Lord is the One working in and through the ministry of Paul. In their animosity against Paul, they perverted his messages to discourage Jewish converts.

2.  Perversion

²⁰ … Then they said to Paul: “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous for the law.  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.

Those Jewish converts who were zealous for the law must have been new or young in their faith in Christ. They did not easily forget their doctrinal background. And when they heard perverted news that presumed to have originated from Paul, those zealous Jewish converts were easily disturbed because they just cannot ignore or dismiss their doctrinal backgrounds. Doctrinal background can certainly affect a believer’s actuation. It is not easy to unlearn spiritual beliefs, but by God’s grace, a person will know the truth and disregard things not beneficial to faith.

 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.

Here is another example of good suggestions from believers. Paul did not mind heeding their suggestion. Paul knew for sure that whatever they do, or whatever good suggestion he will listen to, the persecution that the Holy Spirit warned him earlier will certainly happen. Good suggestions can extend or postpone any expected problem but if concerns are within God’s design, nothing can hinder.

What if!

Have you ever used the phrase “What if?” There are many “what if” ideas in life we can assume that could have changed history. “What if” ideas are entertained just for logical exercises or fantasy but they can never be a reality.

Those who find it hard to welcome the Golden State Warriors as this year’s NBA Champion would fantasize that Cleveland Cavaliers would have been the NBA champion if all their basketball stars are healthy. Well, some of the NBA teams can also claim similar fantasy if all their basketball stars are healthy, right?

Do “What if” ideas in Christianity serve as perversions to discredit what God has designed? Those who opposed the ministry of Paul did not know that when they perverted Paul’s, they did it for their own disadvantage.

When God allows persecution, it’s because God want us to grow in our spiritual life. Persecution is a barometer if we have reached the next level of spirituality. Genuine disciple will always be persecuted. Persecution is God’s designed to mark the spiritual growth of disciples from ordinary believers.

><((‘> … ><(((‘> tmec\2021 <‘)))>< … <‘))><