Acts 21:1-22:21: Into Hostile Territory (November 4th, 5th and 6th Readings!)

Paul has two prizes in mind as he comes to his last chapter of ministry, conversion of the leadership of Jerusalem and conversion of leadership in Rome, possibly even of Nero himself. But like his Savior (“who set his face toward Jerusalem” - Luke 9:51), he goes there knowing that life-threatening opposition awaits. His goal is to be there by Pentecost, which will also heighten his danger, a time of great crowds and little protection from Roman authorities against Jewish extremists. That is confirmed by the Christians in Tyre, who urge him “in the Spirit” not to go to Jerusalem. Even the prophet Agabus tells of Paul being bound and handed over to government authorities. Is it possible that Paul was going into danger unnecessarily? Did Luke have his own reservations about the wisdom of Paul’s timing? Was Paul just bullheadedly determined? I think we have to leave room for this possibility. Discerning the guidance of the Spirit is not easy and we can begin to speak in God’s stead rather than speak for him. I am constantly aware of that possibility in my own ministry (because I have confused my words and God’s words more often than I want to admit).

Paul’s time with the Jewish leadership is warm, but they also question the wisdom of his presence there in light of the propaganda being circulated about him advocating total abandonment of the law of Moses (an exaggeration, but a powerful one, especially in the rumor mill!). Paul and his companions are encouraged to shave their heads (they don’t ask Paul to, so perhaps there was no hair left to shave!) and undergo purification rites for the celebration of Pentecost, as a way of demonstrating that they were not hostile to the law of Moses. It does no good, as extremists incite the crowds to lynch Paul and for his own protection, Paul is arrested by the Roman authorities. Those who arrested him are not sure that he wasn’t a terrorist they had been searching for.

Paul makes the typical motion to a crowd that he wishes to speak and finally the crowd is silent. The re-telling of his conversion experience adds that 1) Paul had been a student of the highly respected Gamaliel , 2) that those who were with him on the Damascus road saw the light but did not understand the words of the voice that spoke to him, and 3) that he had a vision that told him to get out of Jerusalem and becoming a preacher to the Gentiles. This telling also shows some of the remorse Paul had for his orchestration of the stoning of Stephen. Notice that his testimony is as vibrantly powerful nearly 30 years later as it was in the beginning.

One of the special experiences of my life was to hear one of my mentor pastors, on his 32nd anniversary of his call to preach, tell his call story. His heart still rejoiced to tell it and his lip quivered with passion and awesome gratitude. I said to myself, “When I get that far along in my ministry, I want to be like that, with that kind of heart and passion.” I was called to ministry in the fall of 1975. It’s been 35 years now, and the heart still rejoices and the lip still quivers. As one of our people said to me after a communion service this past Sunday, “It still never gets old, does it?” He was right. Thanks be to God.