November 25, 2024 • 17 mins
In this Bible Story, Paul attempts to make peace with the jews in Jerusalem by adhering to their ceremonies. However, his reputation for starting churches precedes him. Paul is universally hated among the Jews in Jerusalem, so they beat him and try to kill him. Luckily, he is saved by the Judge of Jerusalem, where Paul would get a fair trial as a Roman citizen. This story is inspired by Acts 21:15-22:30. Go to BibleinaYear.com and learn the Bible in a Year.
Today's Bible verse is Acts 22:25 from the King James Version.
Episode 237: As Paul and Luke entered Jerusalem during Passover, they made their way to the home of James the brother of Jesus. There James advised Paul to attend a purification ceremony to appease the Jews. On the last day, however, some Jews from Asia came and incited a mob against him. The mob was so fierce that it required the Roman officials to break it up and bring Paul on their shoulders to the judge. Once there Paul asked the judge if he could address the crowd. But this only served to rile up the mob even more.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Let us pray, and as they bound him with thongs,
Paul said, under the centurion that stood by, is it
lawful for you to scourge a man that is a
Roman and uncondemned acts? Twenty two twenty five. Dear Jesus,
because you have called me to be an effective leader,
(00:23):
teach me through your Holy Spirit, not only what to say,
but how to say it in order to most powerfully
impact my listeners when I speak. Help me to take
into account impact and not image. Help me to evaluate
my audience and communicate in a way that best connects
(00:46):
to my listeners. As I do so, help me give
them practical applications to the message they are receiving from me,
and how to execute your words of truth and impact
in their lives. By your grace, Jesus and through your power,
(01:06):
I declare that I am a master communicator and that
I am equipped to deliver with impact and empathy the
message placed in my heart in Jesus's name, Amen, thank
you for praying with us today. Continue your time with
(01:27):
God by listening to today's Bible story, brought to you
by Bible in a year dot Com.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
Paul beaten in Jerusalem in our last story Paul said
goodbye to the Ephesian church. He knew that danger awaited
him in Jerusalem. The threat of danger and death was present,
but Paul was determined to preach the Gospel to his kin.
With great tears, Paul left Ephesus to Jerusalem. Now we
(02:04):
see Paul taken up by an angry mob of Jews.
He is beaten and nearly killed, but saved ultimately by
his Roman citizenship, inspired by the Book of Acts.
Speaker 3 (02:18):
Hello, this is Jack Graham once again with the Bible
in a year podcast. In our last episode, we heard
how Paul brought a young man back to life after
the youth fell from a third story window. God continued
to work through this great man in both his words
and the signs he performed in the power of the
Holy Spirit. We also heard Paul's farewell to the church
(02:40):
at Ephesus, which he dearly loved. Today we'll find Paul
in Jerusalem, together with the church there, led by Jesus's
own brother James, who gives wise counsel to Paul. Despite
his best efforts to make peace, the Jewish religious establishment
in Asia will stir up hatred towards this godly man,
(03:00):
nearly killing the Apostle Paul, So let's listen now to
this reading from the Book of Acts.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
Paul went into Jerusalem under the cover of night. He
and Luke wandered in through the city, gates, hoods over
their faces, and torches snuffed. It was passover and the
city was still filled with activity. Paul and Luke weaved
through groups of people, avoiding fires and torches. Paul looked
around the city. It had been a very long time
(03:28):
since he had been in Jerusalem. The sweet spring air
blew through the city, and Paul caught a glimpse of
the large temple looming in the distance. The temple God's
holy dwelling. Paul smiled. He was thankful that now, thanks
to Jesus, God dwelled in the hearts of men and
women who believed. Luke and Paul made their way to
(03:49):
the home of James, Jesus's brother. He greeted them warmly,
and the three of them shared a meal with the elders.
The church in Jerusalem was thriving under the leadership of James. However,
the Jews were becoming increasingly more angry by the day.
They are all zealous for the law, James said, and
they speak about you quite often, Paul. Even I have
(04:12):
heard stories from them. They say you tell them not
to circumcise their children, and to forsake Moses. James took
a sip from his cup. There was clear concern on
his face for keeping Paul safe. To the Jews, Paul
was more than a threat. He was the best among them,
and he turned to Jesus. If Paul, a Pharisee of pharisees,
(04:33):
could convert, than anyone could. So Paul represented vulnerability. They
will hear that you have come, James said. You must
do as I say. If you want to stay alive,
you will go to the temple and cleanse yourself. You
will take part in the ceremonies so that they can
clearly see you are not a menace to them. It
was the best plan they had. If Paul remained hidden
(04:56):
in the city for too long, it would only make
him seem more guilty. So the next day Paul went
into the temple for the ceremony of purification. For seven days,
he went through the old Jewish customs and attended the
teachings of the synagogues. To Paul, it was a refreshing
reminder of how much Jesus had done for him. Every
ceremonial law written in the Law of Moses pointed towards
(05:20):
the greater cleansing of Christ. So Paul went through the
ceremonies joyfully, for they pointed towards a greater truth. Seven
days passed and Paul was nearly completed paying homage to
the Jewish traditions. That was until the Jews from Asia
came to Jerusalem. The group of Asian Jews had come
to Jerusalem for the Passover. However, when they saw Paul,
(05:43):
all they could think about was murder. Paul silently sat
in the courtyard, watching the birds glide over the temple.
All was peaceful until Paul received a swift blow to
the back of his head. Paul fell forward into a fountain.
Before he could get up, a strong hand held the
back of his head down into the water. Paul flailed
(06:04):
his arms trying to break free. The men threw him
out of the water and grabbed him by the hair.
They dragged him into the middle of the courtyard. At
this point, many people stopped to watch what was happening.
Men of Israel. The men said, this is the man
who has been teaching people to abandon our law in
this temple. Gasps and chuckles filled the air. The Jews
(06:27):
from Asia stirred up the crowd and formed a mob
that stormed out of the temple, with Paul being drugged
by his hair. Once the gates closed behind them, they
kicked him into a wall. Paul was surrounded. His back
was against the wall, and a sea of angry glares
were before him. They looked at Paul like hungry wolves,
ready to grab the throat. Paul knew that death was
(06:50):
a possibility coming to Jerusalem, so he breathed deeply and
chose to accept whatever the Lord had for him. The
Chief Judge of Jerusalem got word that there was an
angry mob forming outside the temple. He wasted no time
and had centurions sent down at once. The soldiers ran
down to where Paul was backed into a corner being
(07:11):
beaten to death. The mob was shouting out accusations towards Paul,
so no centurion could get a good idea of what
he was in trouble for. They acted quickly, for Paul
was receiving the fury of over one hundred men. The
soldiers broke up the angry mob and dispersed them. Then
they bound Paul and took him to the judge. The
crowd followed, shouting lies and spinning deceit. The courtroom doors
(07:36):
swung open, and the judge was surprised by a half
dead man in chains, followed by a hundred angry Jews.
They all shouted and spat in Paul's direction. However, Paul
kept his head down. What has this man done, the
judge asked. However, he could not get a good answer,
for all of them were speaking at once. Some said
he was a sorcerer. Others said he corrupted their children.
(08:00):
He said he had violated the law of God and
the law of the land. None of these were true,
but the judge had no way of knowing. The soldiers
were guarding Paul to make sure he was not killed
by the mob behind them. The judge was growing flustered
and ordered for Paul to be taken to the barracks.
As Paul was being taken away, he whispered calmly to
the judge, may I say something to you. The judge
(08:23):
was perplexed. You can speak Greek. I thought you were
the Egyptian assassin everyone has been talking about. Who are
you I am a Jew from Tarsus, Paul replied, I
beg you please permit me to speak with the people.
The judge nodded and motioned him forward to the podium.
Paul leaned against the large piece of wood. Someone had
(08:44):
shattered his right knee. He was in excruciating pain, but
he must speak. There was a great hush among the crowd,
and Paul began to speak in the Hebrew language to
his brothers and sisters. He told them about his upbringing
and time as a pharisee. He told them about it
zeal for persecuting the church. He even told them about
the Lord meeting him on the road to Damascus. Paul
(09:07):
gave a heartfelt plea to the people before him, a
plea to understand the love God has for them, a
plea to consider the sacrifice of Jesus. I held the
robes while people stoned Stephen. Paul said, I know the
zeal you hold. It is why I left Jerusalem. Before
Paul could speak again, they raised their voices and called
(09:29):
for his death. They shouted and threw off their cloaks
to attack him. They flung rocks and dust in the air.
The judge did not understand Hebrew. Therefore, he did not
understand what Paul was speaking about. So the judge assumed
Paul must be guilty to rile up a crowd to
such rage. He ordered for Paul to be flogged. So
(09:49):
Paul was stripped, naked and tied to a post. Paul
could hear the whips being tested behind him. He tensed
his whole body and prepared himself for what was about
take place. Then Paul remembered something. Paul was born in Tarsus.
He was a Roman citizen by birth. Paul turned his
head to the centurion and asked, is it lawful to
(10:12):
flog a Roman citizen without a hearing? The soldier stopped
in his tracks and Paul was immediately released from his chains.
Yet the trial was not over. Paul would have to
sit before a Roman court. Paul would with the Pharisees.
If that didn't go well, he may even have to
be before Caesar himself.
Speaker 3 (10:35):
As we hear God's word today, we find Paul and
Luke back in Jerusalem. This place had been Paul's home
for years, and now, after a long journey, he was home.
But things were different now. He was no longer a
part of the religious elite. He was a man changed
by Christ by the power of the Gospel working in
his life. Paul was welcomed into the home of James, Jesus'
(10:58):
own brother, who, like Paul, had once rejected Jesus, but now,
because of the Resurrection, Jesus' brother, his half brother, actually
is leader of the church in Jerusalem. He told Paul
of the many Jews who had come to faith in Christ.
These Jewish Christians were certainly grateful to have Paul with them,
(11:18):
not least of all because he brought with him an
offering for the church in Jerusalem that he had gathered
from Gentile churches. At the same time, these Jewish Christians
were a bit suspicious of Paul. They still observed all
the Jewish laws, but word had come to them that
Paul was telling Gentiles, non Jews and Jews alike to
abandon Jewish traditions, including circumcision. This was only a half truth.
(11:45):
Paul did not call Gentiles to adhere to Jewish customs
because they had a new identity in Christ. They are
now a part of God's eternal family. But he certainly
wasn't calling on Jewish believers to abandon their Jewish customs.
This was surely a tactic of the enemy to sow
division and disunity in the Church, and now Paul had
(12:06):
an opportunity to eliminate these rumors and show his unity
with Jewish believers. With this in mind, James wisely counseled
Paul to join four Jewish men who were going to
fulfill a vow in a ceremony of purification. Paul would
not only take part in the ceremony, but he would
help cover their expenses for the process. Paul did just
(12:30):
exactly as James advised and participated in the rites of
Jewish purification. The ceremony actually pointed people to Christ and
what Christ had already accomplished. Religious rites and traditions do
not cleanse from sin. Only Christ can do that, and
Paul knew this. Paul understood that there was nothing inherently
(12:52):
wrong with the customs, but they certainly did not save
or even helped to save. Paul then joins with these
Jewish believers as an alignment of their faith and Christian fellowship.
He was practicing what he had always preached. Words He
wrote to the believers in Rome, reminding them not to
be a stumbling block to other believers, but to do
(13:14):
what leads to peace and mutual edification that is building up.
Paul's biggest problem was not with Jewish Christians, but with unbelievers,
both Jews and Gentiles, but in particular unbelieving Jews who
came from Asia and seeing Paul in the temple, began
to shout accusations at him and stir up the crowds
(13:36):
against him. We're told that the whole city turned against Paul,
and he was dragged out of the temple into the streets,
where the mob began to beat him. Paul certainly must
have thought this was the end of his life, but
the chief judge in Jerusalem sent soldiers and centurions to
break up the fight. To break up the mob, Paul
was rescued just in time. I imagined. He had never
(13:59):
been so glad to have been arrested. At least now
he would be in safe hands for a while and
he would get his day in court. Before he could
be taken away to a cel, Paul managed to speak
to the judge, who was surprised that Paul spoke Greek.
He asked for permission to speak to the crowd, and
the judge allowed it. Then in the Hebrew language, Paul
(14:19):
began to give his own testimony to the Jews. He
told them of how he once persecuted the followers of Jesus,
but how the Lord had appeared to him on the
road to Damascus and saved him. He knew how zealous
that these people were, and he knew that his witness
could lead to his own death. But that did not
stop the apostle Paul. Because of Christ, he was unstoppable.
(14:43):
He continued to bear witness to what God had done
in his life and how he called him to leave
Jerusalem and go to the Gentiles, to go to the
nations to share the good news. What is remarkable about
this is that Paul had been rescued from danger, but
for the sake of the Gospel, he stepped right back
into the fight, telling his story of salvation in Christ.
(15:06):
Some might call him a freak or a fool, but
he was a fool for Christ's sake. He would never
stop telling the wonderful things that Christ had done in
his life. The crowd grew angry once again upon hearing
his words, and we read in Acts twenty two twenty
two these words. Then they raised their voices and said,
away with such a fellow from the earth, for he
(15:28):
should not be allowed to live. Their shouts are reminiscent
of what the crowd said at the trial of Jesus
when they said crucify him, crucify him. Paul was certainly
identified with Christ, not only in life, but in suffering
and rejection by his own people. The judge, who could
not understand Paul's words and saw the crowd's reaction, ordered
(15:51):
that he'd be flogged. But Paul, knowing his rights as
a citizen of Rome since he was born in Tarsus,
appealed on the basis of his Roman citizenship for a just,
fair hearing. This wise action by Paul meant that he
would stand before a court, and we'll hear about his
trial before the counsel of Jewish leaders the next time hear. God,
(16:13):
we thank you for the example of Paul's courage and faithfulness.
May we also be courageous, bold and brave as we
share our faith. May we never allow the circumstances or
consequences of our actions for Christ to stop us from
being bold witnesses for him. God, fill us with your
(16:33):
spirit that we may speak of your love and your
grace in our lives and never stop until you come
for us in Jesus' name. Amen. Thank you for listening
once again to today's Bible in a Year podcast. It's
been such an incredible adventure walking through the Word of
God with you. I'm pastor Jack Graham from Dallas, Texas.
(16:55):
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(17:16):
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(17:37):
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have a wonderful day.
Let us pray, and as they bound him with thongs,
Paul said, under the centurion that stood by, is it
lawful for you to scourge a man that is a
Roman and uncondemned acts? Twenty two twenty five. Dear Jesus,
because you have called me to be an effective leader,
(00:23):
teach me through your Holy Spirit, not only what to say,
but how to say it in order to most powerfully
impact my listeners when I speak. Help me to take
into account impact and not image. Help me to evaluate
my audience and communicate in a way that best connects
(00:46):
to my listeners. As I do so, help me give
them practical applications to the message they are receiving from me,
and how to execute your words of truth and impact
in their lives. By your grace, Jesus and through your power,
(01:06):
I declare that I am a master communicator and that
I am equipped to deliver with impact and empathy the
message placed in my heart in Jesus's name, Amen, thank
you for praying with us today. Continue your time with
(01:27):
God by listening to today's Bible story, brought to you
by Bible in a year dot Com.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
Paul beaten in Jerusalem in our last story Paul said
goodbye to the Ephesian church. He knew that danger awaited
him in Jerusalem. The threat of danger and death was present,
but Paul was determined to preach the Gospel to his kin.
With great tears, Paul left Ephesus to Jerusalem. Now we
(02:04):
see Paul taken up by an angry mob of Jews.
He is beaten and nearly killed, but saved ultimately by
his Roman citizenship, inspired by the Book of Acts.
Speaker 3 (02:18):
Hello, this is Jack Graham once again with the Bible
in a year podcast. In our last episode, we heard
how Paul brought a young man back to life after
the youth fell from a third story window. God continued
to work through this great man in both his words
and the signs he performed in the power of the
Holy Spirit. We also heard Paul's farewell to the church
(02:40):
at Ephesus, which he dearly loved. Today we'll find Paul
in Jerusalem, together with the church there, led by Jesus's
own brother James, who gives wise counsel to Paul. Despite
his best efforts to make peace, the Jewish religious establishment
in Asia will stir up hatred towards this godly man,
(03:00):
nearly killing the Apostle Paul, So let's listen now to
this reading from the Book of Acts.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
Paul went into Jerusalem under the cover of night. He
and Luke wandered in through the city, gates, hoods over
their faces, and torches snuffed. It was passover and the
city was still filled with activity. Paul and Luke weaved
through groups of people, avoiding fires and torches. Paul looked
around the city. It had been a very long time
(03:28):
since he had been in Jerusalem. The sweet spring air
blew through the city, and Paul caught a glimpse of
the large temple looming in the distance. The temple God's
holy dwelling. Paul smiled. He was thankful that now, thanks
to Jesus, God dwelled in the hearts of men and
women who believed. Luke and Paul made their way to
(03:49):
the home of James, Jesus's brother. He greeted them warmly,
and the three of them shared a meal with the elders.
The church in Jerusalem was thriving under the leadership of James. However,
the Jews were becoming increasingly more angry by the day.
They are all zealous for the law, James said, and
they speak about you quite often, Paul. Even I have
(04:12):
heard stories from them. They say you tell them not
to circumcise their children, and to forsake Moses. James took
a sip from his cup. There was clear concern on
his face for keeping Paul safe. To the Jews, Paul
was more than a threat. He was the best among them,
and he turned to Jesus. If Paul, a Pharisee of pharisees,
(04:33):
could convert, than anyone could. So Paul represented vulnerability. They
will hear that you have come, James said. You must
do as I say. If you want to stay alive,
you will go to the temple and cleanse yourself. You
will take part in the ceremonies so that they can
clearly see you are not a menace to them. It
was the best plan they had. If Paul remained hidden
(04:56):
in the city for too long, it would only make
him seem more guilty. So the next day Paul went
into the temple for the ceremony of purification. For seven days,
he went through the old Jewish customs and attended the
teachings of the synagogues. To Paul, it was a refreshing
reminder of how much Jesus had done for him. Every
ceremonial law written in the Law of Moses pointed towards
(05:20):
the greater cleansing of Christ. So Paul went through the
ceremonies joyfully, for they pointed towards a greater truth. Seven
days passed and Paul was nearly completed paying homage to
the Jewish traditions. That was until the Jews from Asia
came to Jerusalem. The group of Asian Jews had come
to Jerusalem for the Passover. However, when they saw Paul,
(05:43):
all they could think about was murder. Paul silently sat
in the courtyard, watching the birds glide over the temple.
All was peaceful until Paul received a swift blow to
the back of his head. Paul fell forward into a fountain.
Before he could get up, a strong hand held the
back of his head down into the water. Paul flailed
(06:04):
his arms trying to break free. The men threw him
out of the water and grabbed him by the hair.
They dragged him into the middle of the courtyard. At
this point, many people stopped to watch what was happening.
Men of Israel. The men said, this is the man
who has been teaching people to abandon our law in
this temple. Gasps and chuckles filled the air. The Jews
(06:27):
from Asia stirred up the crowd and formed a mob
that stormed out of the temple, with Paul being drugged
by his hair. Once the gates closed behind them, they
kicked him into a wall. Paul was surrounded. His back
was against the wall, and a sea of angry glares
were before him. They looked at Paul like hungry wolves,
ready to grab the throat. Paul knew that death was
(06:50):
a possibility coming to Jerusalem, so he breathed deeply and
chose to accept whatever the Lord had for him. The
Chief Judge of Jerusalem got word that there was an
angry mob forming outside the temple. He wasted no time
and had centurions sent down at once. The soldiers ran
down to where Paul was backed into a corner being
(07:11):
beaten to death. The mob was shouting out accusations towards Paul,
so no centurion could get a good idea of what
he was in trouble for. They acted quickly, for Paul
was receiving the fury of over one hundred men. The
soldiers broke up the angry mob and dispersed them. Then
they bound Paul and took him to the judge. The
crowd followed, shouting lies and spinning deceit. The courtroom doors
(07:36):
swung open, and the judge was surprised by a half
dead man in chains, followed by a hundred angry Jews.
They all shouted and spat in Paul's direction. However, Paul
kept his head down. What has this man done, the
judge asked. However, he could not get a good answer,
for all of them were speaking at once. Some said
he was a sorcerer. Others said he corrupted their children.
(08:00):
He said he had violated the law of God and
the law of the land. None of these were true,
but the judge had no way of knowing. The soldiers
were guarding Paul to make sure he was not killed
by the mob behind them. The judge was growing flustered
and ordered for Paul to be taken to the barracks.
As Paul was being taken away, he whispered calmly to
the judge, may I say something to you. The judge
(08:23):
was perplexed. You can speak Greek. I thought you were
the Egyptian assassin everyone has been talking about. Who are
you I am a Jew from Tarsus, Paul replied, I
beg you please permit me to speak with the people.
The judge nodded and motioned him forward to the podium.
Paul leaned against the large piece of wood. Someone had
(08:44):
shattered his right knee. He was in excruciating pain, but
he must speak. There was a great hush among the crowd,
and Paul began to speak in the Hebrew language to
his brothers and sisters. He told them about his upbringing
and time as a pharisee. He told them about it
zeal for persecuting the church. He even told them about
the Lord meeting him on the road to Damascus. Paul
(09:07):
gave a heartfelt plea to the people before him, a
plea to understand the love God has for them, a
plea to consider the sacrifice of Jesus. I held the
robes while people stoned Stephen. Paul said, I know the
zeal you hold. It is why I left Jerusalem. Before
Paul could speak again, they raised their voices and called
(09:29):
for his death. They shouted and threw off their cloaks
to attack him. They flung rocks and dust in the air.
The judge did not understand Hebrew. Therefore, he did not
understand what Paul was speaking about. So the judge assumed
Paul must be guilty to rile up a crowd to
such rage. He ordered for Paul to be flogged. So
(09:49):
Paul was stripped, naked and tied to a post. Paul
could hear the whips being tested behind him. He tensed
his whole body and prepared himself for what was about
take place. Then Paul remembered something. Paul was born in Tarsus.
He was a Roman citizen by birth. Paul turned his
head to the centurion and asked, is it lawful to
(10:12):
flog a Roman citizen without a hearing? The soldier stopped
in his tracks and Paul was immediately released from his chains.
Yet the trial was not over. Paul would have to
sit before a Roman court. Paul would with the Pharisees.
If that didn't go well, he may even have to
be before Caesar himself.
Speaker 3 (10:35):
As we hear God's word today, we find Paul and
Luke back in Jerusalem. This place had been Paul's home
for years, and now, after a long journey, he was home.
But things were different now. He was no longer a
part of the religious elite. He was a man changed
by Christ by the power of the Gospel working in
his life. Paul was welcomed into the home of James, Jesus'
(10:58):
own brother, who, like Paul, had once rejected Jesus, but now,
because of the Resurrection, Jesus' brother, his half brother, actually
is leader of the church in Jerusalem. He told Paul
of the many Jews who had come to faith in Christ.
These Jewish Christians were certainly grateful to have Paul with them,
(11:18):
not least of all because he brought with him an
offering for the church in Jerusalem that he had gathered
from Gentile churches. At the same time, these Jewish Christians
were a bit suspicious of Paul. They still observed all
the Jewish laws, but word had come to them that
Paul was telling Gentiles, non Jews and Jews alike to
abandon Jewish traditions, including circumcision. This was only a half truth.
(11:45):
Paul did not call Gentiles to adhere to Jewish customs
because they had a new identity in Christ. They are
now a part of God's eternal family. But he certainly
wasn't calling on Jewish believers to abandon their Jewish customs.
This was surely a tactic of the enemy to sow
division and disunity in the Church, and now Paul had
(12:06):
an opportunity to eliminate these rumors and show his unity
with Jewish believers. With this in mind, James wisely counseled
Paul to join four Jewish men who were going to
fulfill a vow in a ceremony of purification. Paul would
not only take part in the ceremony, but he would
help cover their expenses for the process. Paul did just
(12:30):
exactly as James advised and participated in the rites of
Jewish purification. The ceremony actually pointed people to Christ and
what Christ had already accomplished. Religious rites and traditions do
not cleanse from sin. Only Christ can do that, and
Paul knew this. Paul understood that there was nothing inherently
(12:52):
wrong with the customs, but they certainly did not save
or even helped to save. Paul then joins with these
Jewish believers as an alignment of their faith and Christian fellowship.
He was practicing what he had always preached. Words He
wrote to the believers in Rome, reminding them not to
be a stumbling block to other believers, but to do
(13:14):
what leads to peace and mutual edification that is building up.
Paul's biggest problem was not with Jewish Christians, but with unbelievers,
both Jews and Gentiles, but in particular unbelieving Jews who
came from Asia and seeing Paul in the temple, began
to shout accusations at him and stir up the crowds
(13:36):
against him. We're told that the whole city turned against Paul,
and he was dragged out of the temple into the streets,
where the mob began to beat him. Paul certainly must
have thought this was the end of his life, but
the chief judge in Jerusalem sent soldiers and centurions to
break up the fight. To break up the mob, Paul
was rescued just in time. I imagined. He had never
(13:59):
been so glad to have been arrested. At least now
he would be in safe hands for a while and
he would get his day in court. Before he could
be taken away to a cel, Paul managed to speak
to the judge, who was surprised that Paul spoke Greek.
He asked for permission to speak to the crowd, and
the judge allowed it. Then in the Hebrew language, Paul
(14:19):
began to give his own testimony to the Jews. He
told them of how he once persecuted the followers of Jesus,
but how the Lord had appeared to him on the
road to Damascus and saved him. He knew how zealous
that these people were, and he knew that his witness
could lead to his own death. But that did not
stop the apostle Paul. Because of Christ, he was unstoppable.
(14:43):
He continued to bear witness to what God had done
in his life and how he called him to leave
Jerusalem and go to the Gentiles, to go to the
nations to share the good news. What is remarkable about
this is that Paul had been rescued from danger, but
for the sake of the Gospel, he stepped right back
into the fight, telling his story of salvation in Christ.
(15:06):
Some might call him a freak or a fool, but
he was a fool for Christ's sake. He would never
stop telling the wonderful things that Christ had done in
his life. The crowd grew angry once again upon hearing
his words, and we read in Acts twenty two twenty
two these words. Then they raised their voices and said,
away with such a fellow from the earth, for he
(15:28):
should not be allowed to live. Their shouts are reminiscent
of what the crowd said at the trial of Jesus
when they said crucify him, crucify him. Paul was certainly
identified with Christ, not only in life, but in suffering
and rejection by his own people. The judge, who could
not understand Paul's words and saw the crowd's reaction, ordered
(15:51):
that he'd be flogged. But Paul, knowing his rights as
a citizen of Rome since he was born in Tarsus,
appealed on the basis of his Roman citizenship for a just,
fair hearing. This wise action by Paul meant that he
would stand before a court, and we'll hear about his
trial before the counsel of Jewish leaders the next time hear. God,
(16:13):
we thank you for the example of Paul's courage and faithfulness.
May we also be courageous, bold and brave as we
share our faith. May we never allow the circumstances or
consequences of our actions for Christ to stop us from
being bold witnesses for him. God, fill us with your
(16:33):
spirit that we may speak of your love and your
grace in our lives and never stop until you come
for us in Jesus' name. Amen. Thank you for listening
once again to today's Bible in a Year podcast. It's
been such an incredible adventure walking through the Word of
God with you. I'm pastor Jack Graham from Dallas, Texas.
(16:55):
You can download the Prey dot com app and make
Bible study and prayer priority in your life. If you
have enjoyed this podcast appreciated it, tell someone else. We
now have over twenty seven million downloads of the Bible
in a Year podcast. We're grateful for each one who
is listening, So why don't you tell someone else and
(17:16):
let others know of what Christ is doing in your life.
You can help ensure that more people can hear these
life changing readings from God's Word. With a gift today
to keep these gospel centered messages reaching people around the world.
Please give at Bibleindeyear dot com. And if you want
free resources as to how you can tap into God's
(17:37):
power for your life, then be sure to go to
my website which is Jack Graham dot org. Again, that's
Jack Graham dot org and you will find plenty of
resources as to how you can know Christ, how you
can grow in your faith, and how you can share
the love of Christ with others. God bless you and
have a wonderful day.
Host
Jack Graham
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