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Strengthening Faith Through Divine Warnings: Acts 21-22
October 27, 2025 · 14 min
Uncover Paul's journey and learn how God prepares us for trials, strengthening our mission.
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Paul's Journey to Jerusalem: Warnings and Boldness 0:10 Good morning. Welcome to Stand on the Word. Alright. Today, we are back in the book of Acts in our chronological journey. And if you're new to this journey, we're almost done. End of the year, we will have0:21 finished our 2 year journey through the bible. And I just wanna commend those of you who have been on this journey from the start. If you're new, you need to get the reading plan. You can find it at f r c dot o r g slash0:33 bible because it is a chronological reading of the Bible. Alright. Today, we're in chapters 21 and 22 of Acts. Does God warn us of what is coming, and then0:45 how should we respond? Verse 13. Then Paul answered, what do you mean by weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. Now these are0:56 2 very, very insightful and relevant chapters given what is happening in the world around us today. Relevant chapters given what is happening in the world around us today. And if we're listening to the voice of the Holy1:06 Spirit, I think we understand that this abs this has application to the days that we're living in and the days ahead. Now Paul was headed to Jerusalem as his third missionary journey had come1:18 to an end. And in his parting comments to the leadership at the church of Ephesus back in chapter 21 of my favorite chapters, He he says this in verse 22, and see now I go bound in the spirit1:30 to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city saying that chains and tribulations await me. But none of these things move1:42 me, nor do I count my life dear to myself so that I may finish my race with joy and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. What a1:53 great passage. So these warnings of the Holy Spirit that Paul's talking about only seems to intensify as he moves close closer to Jerusalem. Verse 10, chapter 21.2:06 And as we state many days, a certain prophet named named Agabus came down from Judea. When he had come to us, he took Paul's belt, bound his own hands and feet, and said,2:18 thus says the Holy Spirit, so shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hand of the Gentiles. Now when we heard these things, both we and those2:30 from that place pleaded with him not to go to up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, what do you mean by weeping and breaking my heart? For For I am ready not only to be bound,2:42 but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. So when we would not when he would not be persuaded, we see saying the will of the Lord be done.2:54 Now should these warnings surprise us? No. Not at all. God informs those who fear or reverence him of of what's ahead. Psalm 25 14,3:05 the secret of the Lord is with those who fear him, and he will show them his covenant. In Amos chapter 3 verse 7, surely, the Lord does nothing unless he3:17 reveals his secret to his servant, the prophets. Now this is not confined just to the Old Testament. Look at what Jesus says in John chapter 15 verse 14. You are my friends3:29 if you do whatever I command you. No longer I do do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing. But I have called you friends for all things that I have heard from my father, I3:41 have made known to you. Here is the real question. It's not is God telling us what's happening, it's are we listening? In John 15, Jesus goes into what they3:53 or more accurately, what we are going to face in the age of the church. Verse 18 of chapter 15 of of John. If the world hates you, you know that it hated me before it hated you. Should we be4:05 surprised by the hostility to churches? No. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you were not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore, the world hates you. Remember the4:16 word that I said to you. A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If you kept my word if they kept my word, they would keep yours also. But all these things, they4:28 will do to you for my name's sake because they do not know him who sent me. Why are we given this general warning of the difficulty that4:40 we will face as followers of Christ? Verse 1 of chapter 16 as Jesus continues here, he says this, these things I have spoken to you that you should not be made4:52 to stumble. Alright? Paul was being prepared with these warnings so that his heart would be firm in his stand for the lord Jesus and his mission accomplished.5:04 So how do we prepare? Well, I think there's there's actually a great case study in Peter. Peter was given a very similar warning that came straight from Jesus in Luke chapter 225:15 verse 31. And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, indeed, Satan has asked for you that he may sift you as wheat. That's what Jesus is warning about. He's warning us of the same thing. But I have prayed for you, and Jesus is5:27 praying for us, by the way, too. He's sitting at the right hand of the father making intercession. Again, in Luke 22, that your faith should not fail, and when you have returned to me, strengthen your brother. But he5:38 said to him, lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death. Then he said, I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny me 3 time deny 3 times that you5:50 know me. So we know what happened. Peter denied Jesus 3 time 3 times. So how was it that both Peter and Paul responded with the same resoluteness?6:02 Both of them said, we're ready to die for Jesus. But Peter denied him, and Paul died following Christ. Why the difference? Let me go back to the rest of what Jesus said in John chapter6:14 15 verse 26. But when the helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, he will testify of me, and you also will bear witness6:26 because you have been with me from the beginning. The difference here's the difference. The difference was the Holy Spirit. Peter did not have the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit didn't had not yet been given. Peter was6:36 attempting to stand in his own strength. His motives were good, but the flesh was weak because he didn't have the Holy Spirit, where Paul was standing in the strength of the Holy Spirit. God has clearly warned us6:48 in his word what is coming. Right? In in in some ways, it is now here. If we are to stand as faithful witnesses, standing on the word, if we're to stand as faithful witnesses for him, we must be7:00 filled with the power of his might through the Holy Spirit. And here's the key. We must actively choose to be filled with the7:11 spirit, reading the word of God, praying, spending time with the Lord, meditating upon his word, and acting upon his word, meaning obeying the word. Alright. Back to7:23 Acts. Paul gets to Jerusalem, verse 17 of chapter 21. And when he had come to Jerusalem, the brother brethren received him gladly. On the following day, Paul went in with us to7:35 James, and all the elders were present. When he had greeted them, he told in detail the things that which God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. And when they heard it, they glorified God. So7:47 everything was great. And they said to him, you see, brother, how many myriads of Jews there are who have believed, and they are all zealous for the law? But they have been informed about you that you teach all Jews7:58 who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children or to walk according to the customs. What then? The assembly must certainly meet,8:10 for they will hear that you have come. So the warm welcome quickly devolves into a that that persistent debate over the law. Now keep in mind that Paul had had brought8:22 an offering from the gentile churches, okay, to aid the church in Jerusalem, bringing a financial gift to help them because of the persecution, and I think there was a famine going on at the same time. So he has to8:34 defend himself once again against the Judaizers. So he's instructed to try and appease those who believed that he had forsaken the law of Moses. Alright? Verse8:46 23. Therefore, do what we tell you. We have 4 men who have taken a vow. Take them and be purified with them and pay their expenses so that they may shave their heads and that all8:58 may know that those things of which they were informed concerning you are nothing, but that you yourself also walk orderly and keep the law. So he submits to the leadership of the church9:10 there in Jerusalem, but it's clear that appeasement does not work. Verse 26. Then Paul took them in, and the next day, having been purified with him, entered the temple to announce the expiration of the9:21 days of purification at which time an offering should be made for each 1 of them. Now when the 7 days were almost ended, the Jews from Asia, seeing him in the temple, stirred up the9:33 whole crowd and laid hands on him. Now had he not been prepared, I think he would have been he would have given into despair. He would have said, what is this? Verse 39. Drop down to9:45 verse 39. But Paul said, I am a Jew from Tarsus of Silasseea, a citizen of no means city, and I implore you,9:57 permit me to speak to the people. So when he had given him permission, Paul stood on the stairs and motioned with his hand to the people. And when there was a great silence, he spoke to them10:09 in the Hebrew language saying, brethren and fathers, hear my defense before you now. And when they heard that he spoke to them in Hebrew the Hebrew language, they kept all the more silent.10:21 Then, we read the rest of, of this. He gives his testimony of his encounter with Jesus. He always loved to tell the story of that encounter. We read it in verse or in chapter 9. But I I I I wanna I10:32 wanna drop down to 1 final point. Go down to verse 25. So the the he he tells the story. They get all upset, wanna grab him again. And so the, the centurion,10:45 the commander, they take him, and they and look at verse 25. And they bound him with they bound him, and and he said to the centurion who stood by, is it lawful for you to scourge a man10:57 who is a Roman and uncondemned? So they they were gonna they were gonna beat him, with the whip and find out why why the people were upset. Doesn't make sense, but that's what they were gonna11:09 do. When the centurion heard that, he went and told the commander saying, take care what you do, for this man is a Roman. Then the commander came and said to him, tell me, are you a Roman? He11:21 said, yes. The commander answered, with a large sum, I obtained this citizenship. And Paul said, but I was born a citizen. Then immediately, those who were about to examine him, I mean, beating11:32 him and then, you know, then that's how they examined him. He withdrew from them, and the commander also was also afraid after he found out that he was a Roman and because he had bound11:44 him. So here here's the point from this. Paul was not passive in this process. Yes, he knew difficulty was coming. Yes, he knew opposition would be there. Yes, he was told he would be bound, but he was not11:56 passive in the process. He exercised his rights to advance his mission, God's mission that he was given, and I believe we should do the same. I don't believe we should be passive in the12:08 resistance, in the opposition. I don't believe we should be passive to the cancel culture, but I think we should be confident because of the conviction that we have in standing upon God's word, but knowing12:20 that it's coming so that we are not given to despair. Alright. Here's our takeaway, I believe, this morning from Acts chapters 21 and 22. The Holy Spirit's warnings of persecution awaiting Paul did not12:32 deter him, but prepared him to proclaim the gospel with even greater boldness in the final decade of his life. What appeared to be12:44 defeat in the eyes of the world was in reality the unfolding of God's sovereign plan. So rather than shrinking back in fear or silence, Paul pressed forward12:56 with confidence and courage, and his ministry culminated in a divine crescendo that continues to echo through the millennia. What a great passageStanding Firm Amid Persecution 13:09 of scripture. Father, we thank you for your word, for the instruction, Lord, very relevant to where we find ourselves today. And I pray for those that are on this journey from literally around the world, especially those13:20 right now that might be facing persecution, opposition. May you strengthen them, encourage them, and, Lord, help us to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit speaking to us. May we13:32 have competence and courage in standing upon your word, upon the truth. We pray and ask this in Jesus' name. Amen. Alright. Thanks for joining me this13:43 morning, and until next time, keep standing on the word.13:49 Today's study comes from the Stand on the Word Bible Reading Plan available for free at frc dot org slash bible. By following along in just a few minutes a day, you14:01 can read through the entire Bible in just 2 years. Learn more and request the free reading guide at frc dot org slash bible.In this video 0:00 Paul's Journey to Jerusalem: Warnings and Boldness13:04 Standing Firm Amid Persecution
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