Please forgive this rough draft format, as these are my raw study notes on the book of Acts. I felt a great sense of urgency to publish them rather than waiting until I had the time to pretty them up. Thank you and I pray that God blesses and encourages you through this material. Stay strong. Live in the Spirit. Encourage each other. Pray. Jesus is coming…
Stacey
Take a few minutes to pray and savor chapter 21 of the book of Acts. Read it with the thought in mind that this is the first display of the power of the Holy Spirit working through man – aside from Christ, that is. Imagine what the Spirit can do through you if you let Him! Then return here and ponder the thoughts, answer the questions, and be sure to leave comments about your own revelations…
21:4 – The Spirit warned the disciples what would happen to Paul. Their humanity warned Paul away from traveling to Jerusalem. Paul felt compelled by the Spirit to go. See 20:22. This shows that we can be sensitive to the Spirit, but do wrong with what He gives us.
21:10-11 – Agabus the prophet predicts Paul’s arrest in Jerusalem. Remember when he predicted the famine in Acts 11:28?
21:18 – All the elders being present indicates the importance of this meeting.
21:21 – all the Jews who live among the Gentiles – the people Paul was accused of misleading.
see chapter 15 for what Paul was really doing.
21:22-26 – by engaging in a practice observed by Jewish law, Paul would show his critics that he did embrace the law, himself.
21:22 – this is a proactive response by the Jerusalem church.
21:23 – this would indicate a Nazirite vow. See Numbers 6:13-21.
21:24 – the leaders hoped Paul’s generosity would help to quell the rumors.
21:25 – this attempt to stop the rumors did not change the position established in the Jerusalem church’s letter to the Gentiles in 15:23-29.
21:28 – all men everywhere – notice how the accusation has expanded from 21:21.
Paul is charged with teaching against the Jews and the law and bringing a Greek into the temple. First charge is similar to what Stephen was charged with in 6:13. Paul knew what happened to Stephen. But remember, according to 21:13, he was ready to die in Jerusalem for Christ’s sake.
21:29 – Paul’s accusers wrongly assumed that Paul brought Trophimus into the part of the temple reserved for Jews just because they saw the two men together.
21:39 – Would you want to talk to these people after they beat you almost to death? This shows Christ’s great character and love in Paul.
• The book of Acts teaches us much about what the Holy Spirit is capable of doing through a mortal life. What have you learned about how He wants to work through you today? What will you do to give up a bit of control to Him?
• What attributes of God do you see in this book?
• What verse of scripture seemed to be God speaking directly to you? What is He teaching you in these verses? How does He want you to respond?
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