Pastor David Higa
“God’s Love for Israel"
Acts 21:26-22:21
But Paul said, “I am a Jew from Tarsus, in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city; and I implore you, permit me to speak to the people. [Acts 21:39]
“…speak to the people,” that would be the people in Jerusalem. Paul loved his Jewish countrymen and desired that they Jesus their Messiah. “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.” [Romans 10:1-4]
Paul loved Israel because God loves Israel, it really was that simple, it is a similar simple appeal today.
However, they only knew Law, a list of do’s and don’ts, which is a similar impediment today. That was why Paul longed for his countrymen to come to the knowledge of grace, God’s grace through the gift of His Son Jesus Christ.
Paul’s desire was to preach the Gospel of Jesus in Jerusalem early in his Christian faith. “But the Lord said to him [Ananias], ‘Go, for he [Saul] is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.’” [Acts 9:15, bold and parentheticals are my addition]
This was just after Paul’s conversion. Now, 20 years later, he gives his conversion testimony [in Hebrew] to his countrymen in Jerusalem, then [in Greek] to Roman governors Felix and Festus, King Herod Agrippa II, and likely to Caesar in Rome [ref. Acts 27:24].
We should remember, however, that this was fulfilled through Paul’s obedience to go to Jerusalem amid misinterpreted prophecies not to [ref. Acts 20:22-23; 21:4; 21:11-12]. The prophecies were indeed accurate but only Paul interpreted them accurately.
He was bound and beaten as recorded in our passage this morning. It underscored that it would be through Jerusalem that Paul would bear the name of Jesus “before kings, and the children of Israel.”
The way up is down in the Kingdom. Jesus must increase and we must decrease. It is only when we die to self that God’s purposes are fully fulfilled in our lives.
“But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.” [Acts 20:24]
