Friday: Further Study – Arrest in Jerusalem
Further Study: “On this occasion, Paul and his companions formally presented to the leaders of the work at Jerusalem the contributions forwarded by the Gentile churches for the support of the poor among their Jewish brethren. …
“These freewill offerings betokened the loyalty of the Gentile converts to the organized work of God throughout the world and should have been received by all with grateful acknowledgment, yet it was apparent to Paul and his companions that even among those before whom they now stood were some who were unable to appreciate the spirit of brotherly love that had prompted the gifts.”—Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, pp. 399, 400.
Image © Stan Myers from GoodSalt.com
“Had the leaders in the church fully surrendered their feeling of bitterness toward the apostle, and accepted him as one specially called of God to bear the gospel to the Gentiles, the Lord would have spared him to them. God had not ordained that Paul’s labors should so soon end, but He did not work a miracle to counteract the train of circumstances to which the course of the leaders in the church at Jerusalem had given rise.
“The same spirit is still leading to the same results. A neglect to appreciate and improve the provisions of divine grace has deprived the church of many a blessing. How often would the Lord have prolonged the work of some faithful minister, had his labors been appreciated! But if the church permits the enemy of souls to pervert the understanding, so that they misrepresent and misinterpret the words and acts of the servant of Christ; if they allow themselves to stand in his way and hinder his usefulness, the Lord sometimes removes from them the blessing which He gave. … ”
“After the hands are folded upon the pulseless breast, when the voice of warning and encouragement is silent, then the obdurate may be aroused to see and prize the blessings they have cast from them. Their death may accomplish that which their life has failed to do.”—Pages 417, 418.
Discussion Questions:
|
(22)
Saturday: Courage - Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to the promised land. God has given each one of us an opportunity to work in His vineyard.
Sunday: Compromise - Compromise in the absolute truth cannot lead to success.
Monday: Hatred - Hatred for Paul lead the Jews to accuse him of wrong doing without investigation.
Tuesday: Opportunity - Paul knew he would not get an opportunity to address captivated audience and he used that opportunity to proclaim his love about the gospel.
Wednesday: Crushed - A rose crushed still carries the fragrance of rose. A christian abiding in Christ alone can face martyrdom in the character of Christ.
Thursday: Circumstances - Notwithstanding the circumstances and situation God shows he is still in control of the situations in our lives.
Friday: Arrested - Bound by chain. confided behind prison walls. Paul continued to testify to the gospel.
Can we apply what happened at Jerusalem to our current day in reverse?
At the last GC the views of countries who felt they should stick to the 'old' ways resulted in hampering the progress of the rest of the world in being able to expand the work in new biblical ways.
EGW's words in Acts of the Apostles (399-401) are a warning:
Note the following words:
they had failed to keep step with the advancing Providences of God
unacquainted personally with the changing circumstances and peculiar needs met by laborers in distant field
In the earlier years of the gospel work among the Gentiles some of the leading brethren at Jerusalem, clinging to former prejudices and habits of thought, had not co-operated heartily with Paul and his associates. In their anxiety to preserve a few meaningless forms and ceremonies, they had lost sight of the blessing that would come to them and to the cause they loved, through an effort to unite in one all parts of the Lord's work. Although desirous of safeguarding the best interests of the Christian church, they had failed to keep step with the advancing Providences of God, and in their human wisdom attempted to throw about workers many unnecessary restrictions. Thus there arose a group of men who were unacquainted personally with the changing circumstances and peculiar needs met by laborers in distant fields, yet who insisted that they had the authority to direct their brethren in these fields to follow certain specified methods of labor. They felt as if the work of preaching the gospel should be carried forward in harmony with their opinions.
Rehashing old discussions: Maybe Paul did not make a series of bad mistakes. Maybe he was led by the Holy Spirit in all he did. If so then the aspostles who came to him by the Holy Spirit, Acts 21:4, warning him to stay and futher God's work among the Gentiles, I really can not believe they were wrong either. I am satisfied to leave it as God's mistery. For those who have been following all the blogs in the last two weeks I am withdrawing my previous opinion. I agree with Mark, the Bible or EGW does not point to Paul making a mistake, why should we? Unless to make a point. I do believe though that we can't hold the the author to his statment as being bad, because we must realize it is his own opinion. I don't think any one should get offended by labeling their statement as an opinion. In my humble opinion.
Good Day
John
John, as quoted in the lesson, Ellen White says that the Holy Spirit did not authorize Paul to go as far as he did.
As a matter of fact, by going through the Jewish purification rites he essentially opposed what he had been teaching for years - that in Christ, there is no difference between Jews and Gentiles. Participating in such rites was thus meaningless for Christians. Thus, even if Ellen had not written that, the Bible demonstrates pretty clearly that Paul compromised his teachings.
The messages from the Holy Spirit regarding what was awaiting him in Jerusalem did not necessarily say that he was not supposed to go there. Paul went to Jerusalem, knowing full well what awaited him. He went because he believed the Spirit was leading him.
I am sorry I missed that, I even read the chapters in Acts of the Aspostiles pertaining Acts 20,21,and 22, some how I missed that. Thanks for pointing that out.
Wonderful Summary.
This lesson teaches us a lot. In all circumstances "STAND AND BE COUNTED"