Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another – showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 THE MESSAGE.

This is the will of God, your sanctification. 1 Thessalonians 4:3.

Our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body. Philippians 3:20-21.

I keep thinking we are so removed today from the ways of the ancient civilizations that were steeped in idol worship and the darkness that brought; because idol worship leads us away from the worship of the only true God, Creator God – Father, Son, Spirit. One of the things I learned in Open Table Conference is how predatory sex was in the times we are reading about here in Acts. Status was everything. Those with status used sexually those of lesser status whether women, men or children, because they thought it was their right. And we see that today in the abuse sexually of minors by those in power. Every problem in our complicated world today can be helped by listening to God with an open heart and a willingness to see how much better devotion to holiness is. Creator God is Holy and His Love is Holy and good and for our good with Him and with one another. The difference between darkness and Light, literally and spiritually. Think of the changes needed in the world of our chapter. Not just for Jews but for Gentiles also. As we heard in the sermon yesterday, the Prophets and the Law were about the Heart (Prophets) and about Behavior (the Law). Can we see how much we need to understand the heart of all things Good that Creator God brings; and see the behaviors causing great harm needing God’s help with us to turn away from, then and now? And in our chapter, Acts 21, Paul is traveling a lot and now they are trying to warn him against going to Jerusalem. Travel by ship then must have been time-consuming and dependent upon the weather being favorable. They set sail to Cos, Rhodes, Patara, Phoenicia, in sight of Cyprus to Syria, to Tyre so the ship could unload cargo, v. 1-3. After looking up the disciples, we stayed there seven days; and they kept telling Paul through the Spirit not to set foot in Jerusalem. When our days there were ended, we left and started on our journey, while they all, with wives and children, escorted us until we were out of the city. After kneeling down on the beach and praying, we said farewell to one another. Then we went on board the ship, and they returned home again. v. 4-6. They sail to Ptolemais, and come to Caesarea, and entering the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, we stayed with him. Now this man had four virgin daughters who were prophetesses. As we were staying there for some days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. And coming to us, he took Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands, and said, “This is what the Holy Spirit says: ‘In this way the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’” When we had heard this, we, as well as the local residents began begging him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but even to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” And since he would not be persuaded, we fell silent, remarking, “The will of the Lord be done!” v. 8-14. They arrive at Jerusalem. Paul met James and all the elders and related to them all that God had done among the Gentiles through Paul’s ministry, v. 15-19. And when they heard it they began glorifying God; and they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed, and they are all zealous for the Law; and they have been told about you, that you are teaching all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children nor to walk according to the customs. What, then, is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come. Therefore do this that we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow; take them and purify yourself along with them, and pay their expenses so that they may shave their heads; and all will know that there is nothing to the things which they have been told about you, but that you yourself also walk orderly, keeping the Law. v. 20-24. The Gentiles have already been given their need to abstain from meat sacrificed to idols, from blood and what is strangled and from fornication, v. 25. The changes now needed from both sides in how God is leading His people takes time to live and understand. Paul does as they ask. He is a Jew learned in all the Law. He is also the Apostle to the Gentiles. But above all, he is God’s. And then the Jews see Paul in the temple and they are incensed and stir up the crowd and the whole city is provoked to the extent Paul is dragged out of the temple, and the commander of the Roman cohort, a commander of one thousand troops, runs to the disturbance. The people had been beating Paul so severely the commander removes him from them to take him to their barracks, v. 26-34. When he got to the stairs, he was carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the mob; for the multitude of the people kept following them, shouting, “Away with him!” As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the commander, “May I say something to you?” And he said, “Do you know Greek? Then you are not the Egyptian who some time ago stirred up a revolt and led the four thousand men of the Assassins out into the wilderness?” But Paul said, “I am a Jew of Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no insignificant city; and I beg you, allow me to speak to the people.” When he had given him permission, Paul, standing on the stairs, motioned to the people with his hand; and when there was a great hush, he spoke to them in the Hebrew dialect saying…v. 35-40. What Paul says we read tomorrow in the next chapter.

There is so much we need to understand. Jesus, the Son, Creator God, came into our world of men at just the right time. Can we imagine or understand that impact any better, two thousand years later, than the people living then, Jew and Gentile? His active ministry lasted only three years. And everything changed! And everything before that time and everything since then including now, still needs to change and understand with a heart open to God. We can’t do this without Him. We were never meant to. Our world today is different, and yet in all the ways that matter in our need for God’s help, we are just the same. That’s why He came.