Acts 21: Are You Ready To Be Bound?
Verse of the Day: (V13) “Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”
1. Bound (V1-14)
V12 “And when we heard these things, both we, and they of that place, besought him not to go up to Jerusalem.”
Though Prophet Agabus had prophesied that Apostle Paul would be bound and arrested in Jerusalem, and his disciples discouraged him from going there, yet Paul chose to go to Jerusalem, and even to die there, because he desired to do God’s will and for Jesus’ sake.
V13 “Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”
2. Believe (V15-26)
V19 “And when he had saluted them, he declared particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry.”
When Paul arrived in Jerusalem, he gladly shared with the church that many Gentiles from Asia had believed in Christ. The church learned that God loved the Jews and the Gentiles, and desired that all be saved from fiery hell and be promoted to pearly heaven.
V20 “And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord, and said unto him Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law:”
3. Beating (V27-40)
V28 “Crying out, Men of Israel, help: This is the man, that teacheth all men every where against the people, and the law, and this place: and further brought Greeks also into the temple, and hath polluted this holy place.”
However, there was a group of unbelieving Jews from Asia, who hated Paul and God’s truth of reaching out to the Gentiles, and began to stir up trouble, and accused Paul of going against Moses’ law and polluting the holy temple by allowing the Greeks to enter it. The people believed these Jews, and began to chase Paul out of the temple, and almost beat him to death, before the chief captain and his soldiers intercepted and arrested him.
V32 “Who immediately took soldiers and centurions, and ran down unto them: and when they saw the chief captain and the soldiers, they left beating Paul.”
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to be ready to be bound and also to die for You.
