November 26, 2025 • 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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Episode Transcript
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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' 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 king.
With great tears, Paul left to Fisis to Jerusalem. Now
(02:04):
we 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):
I'm so glad you've joined us on the Bible in
a Year podcast today. But before we get to today's episode,
I want you to know that I would absolutely love
to send you my daily devotional that will give you
fresh encouragement every single morning and day from the moment
we wake up to the moment our head finally hits
the pillow. There are thousands of things demanding our attention,
(02:43):
but it's in the midst of all this crush and
hustle and bustle that you and I need peace and
truth in God's Word. That's why I want to help
you spend time each day growing in God's life giving,
life changing Word by sending you my free daily email
devotional PowerPoint Today. So visit Jagraham dot org to sign
(03:05):
up for your PowerPoint Today devotional. That's Jagraham dot org
Jack Graham dot Org. 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
(03:26):
Holy Spirit. We also heard Paul's farewell to the church
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
(03:47):
in Asia will stir up hatred towards this godly man,
nearly killing the Apostle Paul. So let's listen now to
this reading from the Book of Acts.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
Paul went into Jerusalem under the 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 since he had
(04:19):
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 the home of James,
(04:41):
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 heard
(05:02):
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
(05:23):
Pharisees could convert, then 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
(05:43):
was the best plan they had. If Paul remained hidden
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
teach of the synagogues. To Paul, it was a refreshing
reminder of how much Jesus had done for him. Every
(06:06):
ceremonial law written in the Law of Moses pointed towards
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
(06:26):
came to Jerusalem. The group of Asian Jews had come
to Jerusalem for the Passover. However, when they saw Paul,
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.
(06:49):
Before he could get up, a strong hand held the
back of his head down into the water. Paul flailed
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
(07:10):
who has been teaching people to abandon our law in
this temple. Gasps and chuckles filled the air. The Jews
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
(07:31):
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
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
(07:51):
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
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
(08:12):
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
swung open, and the judge was surprised by a half
dead man in chains, followed by a hundred angry Jews.
(08:32):
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.
Others said he had violated the law of God and
(08:52):
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
(09:13):
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 shattered
(09:35):
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 his
zeal for persecuting the church. He even told them about
the Lord meeting him on the road to Damascus. Paul
(09:57):
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
(10:20):
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
(10:40):
Paul was strict 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
to 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
(11:02):
lawful to 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 (11:25):
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'
(11:48):
own brother, He too liked. 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, not least of all because he brought
(12:10):
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
(12:33):
only a half truth. 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
(12:56):
now Paul had an opportunity to eliminate these rumors 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
(13:19):
did just exactly as James advised and participated in the
rights 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
(13:42):
inherently 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
(14:04):
to do 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 begin to shout accusations at him and stir
(14:25):
up the crowds 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.
(14:48):
I imagine he had never 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 celt 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
(15:08):
Hebrew language, Paul 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,
(15:31):
he was unstoppable. He continued to bear witness to what
God had done in his life and how he called
him to lead 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
(15:54):
salvation in Christ. 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
(16:14):
voices and said, away with such a fellow from the earth,
for he 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,
(16:38):
who could not understand Paul's words and saw the crowd's reaction,
ordered 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
(16:59):
his trial before the Council of Jewish Leaders the next
time hear. God, 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,
(17:23):
fill us with your 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 to today's Bible in a Year podcast.
I'm Jack Graham from Dallas, Texas, and before we go,
I want you to know that I would love to
send you my daily devotional to give you fresh encouragement
(17:46):
every single day. So visit Jackgraham dot org to sign up.
For your PowerPoint Today devotional. That's Jack Graham dot org.
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' 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 king.
With great tears, Paul left to Fisis to Jerusalem. Now
(02:04):
we 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):
I'm so glad you've joined us on the Bible in
a Year podcast today. But before we get to today's episode,
I want you to know that I would absolutely love
to send you my daily devotional that will give you
fresh encouragement every single morning and day from the moment
we wake up to the moment our head finally hits
the pillow. There are thousands of things demanding our attention,
(02:43):
but it's in the midst of all this crush and
hustle and bustle that you and I need peace and
truth in God's Word. That's why I want to help
you spend time each day growing in God's life giving,
life changing Word by sending you my free daily email
devotional PowerPoint Today. So visit Jagraham dot org to sign
(03:05):
up for your PowerPoint Today devotional. That's Jagraham dot org
Jack Graham dot Org. 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
(03:26):
Holy Spirit. We also heard Paul's farewell to the church
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
(03:47):
in Asia will stir up hatred towards this godly man,
nearly killing the Apostle Paul. So let's listen now to
this reading from the Book of Acts.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
Paul went into Jerusalem under the 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 since he had
(04:19):
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 the home of James,
(04:41):
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 heard
(05:02):
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
(05:23):
Pharisees could convert, then 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
(05:43):
was the best plan they had. If Paul remained hidden
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
teach of the synagogues. To Paul, it was a refreshing
reminder of how much Jesus had done for him. Every
(06:06):
ceremonial law written in the Law of Moses pointed towards
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
(06:26):
came to Jerusalem. The group of Asian Jews had come
to Jerusalem for the Passover. However, when they saw Paul,
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.
(06:49):
Before he could get up, a strong hand held the
back of his head down into the water. Paul flailed
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
(07:10):
who has been teaching people to abandon our law in
this temple. Gasps and chuckles filled the air. The Jews
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
(07:31):
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
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
(07:51):
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
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
(08:12):
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
swung open, and the judge was surprised by a half
dead man in chains, followed by a hundred angry Jews.
(08:32):
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.
Others said he had violated the law of God and
(08:52):
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
(09:13):
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 shattered
(09:35):
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 his
zeal for persecuting the church. He even told them about
the Lord meeting him on the road to Damascus. Paul
(09:57):
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
(10:20):
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
(10:40):
Paul was strict 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
to 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
(11:02):
lawful to 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 (11:25):
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'
(11:48):
own brother, He too liked. 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, not least of all because he brought
(12:10):
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
(12:33):
only a half truth. 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
(12:56):
now Paul had an opportunity to eliminate these rumors 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
(13:19):
did just exactly as James advised and participated in the
rights 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
(13:42):
inherently 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
(14:04):
to do 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 begin to shout accusations at him and stir
(14:25):
up the crowds 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.
(14:48):
I imagine he had never 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 celt 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
(15:08):
Hebrew language, Paul 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,
(15:31):
he was unstoppable. He continued to bear witness to what
God had done in his life and how he called
him to lead 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
(15:54):
salvation in Christ. 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
(16:14):
voices and said, away with such a fellow from the earth,
for he 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,
(16:38):
who could not understand Paul's words and saw the crowd's reaction,
ordered 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
(16:59):
his trial before the Council of Jewish Leaders the next
time hear. God, 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,
(17:23):
fill us with your 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 to today's Bible in a Year podcast.
I'm Jack Graham from Dallas, Texas, and before we go,
I want you to know that I would love to
send you my daily devotional to give you fresh encouragement
(17:46):
every single day. So visit Jackgraham dot org to sign up.
For your PowerPoint Today devotional. That's Jack Graham dot org.
Host
Jack Graham
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