August 29, 2023 | Be On Mission
Paul Meets with the Jerusalem Elders
Scripture: Acts 21:17-26(NIV)
17 When we arrived at Jerusalem, the brothers and sisters received us warmly. 18 The next day Paul and the rest of us went to see James, and all the elders were present. 19 Paul greeted them and reported in detail what God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.
20 When they heard this, they praised God. Then they said to Paul: “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous for the law. 21 They have been informed that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or live according to our customs. 22 What shall we do? They will certainly hear that you have come, 23 so do what we tell you. There are four men with us who have made a vow. 24 Take these men, join in their purification rites and pay their expenses, so that they can have their heads shaved. Then everyone will know there is no truth in these reports about you, but that you yourself are living in obedience to the law. 25 As for the Gentile believers, we have written to them our decision that they should abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality.”
26 The next day Paul took the men and purified himself along with them. Then he went to the temple to give notice of the date when the days of purification would end and the offering would be made for each of them.
Devotional
In the sixth chapter of the book of Numbers in the Old Testament, regulations are spelled out for those taking a special “Nazirite” vow of dedication to the Lord. They must abstain from fermented drink, let their hair grow long, and not go near a dead body. If someone died in their presence, they had to shave their head and present a sacrificial offering of one lamb plus two doves or pigeons.
To show that he was obedient to the law of God, Paul paid for the four haircuts, four lambs, and eight birds, so that the men could rededicate themselves with vows to the priest at the temple. This was done because many of the people in Jerusalem were accusing Paul of teaching “all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or live according to our customs” (Acts 21:21).
Paul was a pragmatist. He knew that following Jewish rules and regulations would not bring a person salvation. Only Jesus could do that. Yet he had his protégé Timothy circumcised (Acts 16:3) and shaved his own head (Acts 18:18) so as not to offend the Jews and comply with their customs.
Even though Paul believed he was heading into a firestorm when he went back to Jerusalem at the end of his third missionary journey, he didn’t want to add unnecessary fuel to the fire. Still, he wouldn’t cave in all the way. Paul and the church leaders stood by their decision to not require Gentiles to be circumcised in order to become Christians, and reiterated their decision that “they should abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality” (Acts 15:20, 29; 21:25).
What are the tenets of faith that are an immovable anchor for you? In what areas do you think it is okay to be flexible?
Poem
Have You Heard!
Have you heard the glory deeds
The Spirit’s work among us!
The miracle of souls a-fire!
The wonderment of souls alive!
The great God-works before our eyes!
Come listen to our witness!
Have you shared the glory deeds
The Spirit’s work you’ve witnessed?
Prayers answered true?
God’s work through you?
Christ’s kingdom in full view?
Go tell and be on mission!
