“The Will of the Lord Be Done” (Acts 21-23)

“Now when we heard these things, both we and those from that place pleaded with him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, ‘What do you mean by weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus’.  So when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, ‘The will of the Lord be done’”. (Acts 21:12-14)

When brethren won’t listen to the gospel, we must say, “The will of the Lord be done”, keep loving them, and accept that no one is perfect. We must NOT be hateful people, expecting perfection from others, and despising faults, as if we have none of our own (Matt 7:1-5).  Paul was told by the Spirit not to go, but in fleshly heroism, he decided against it.  We read, “And finding disciples, we stayed there seven days. They told Paul through the Spirit not to go up to Jerusalem”, and again, “And as we stayed many days, a certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.  When he had come to us, he took Paul’s belt, bound his own hands and feet, and said, ‘Thus says the Holy Spirit, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles’” (vs4, 10-11).  Yet, the brethren loved him all the same and acknowledged that God is in control of rebellion.

We preach the gospel, say the things the Spirit says, and then God alone applies it to our hearers. There is no way for the best man to obey spiritual truth, except it be given to him, and saints, for a season, or in a particular area, will be blind.  Don’t hate, but submit to Christ, knowing that He cares for His people, and if He won’t leave them or forsake them, then neither should we (Heb 13:5-6).

Don’t be a person who looks upon the faults of others and magnifies them, when you know your own faults are only hidden by God.   

Secondly, it doesn’t matter how zealous we are or how well we know people: salvation’s of the Lord; it is GOD’S work from start to finish, so they won’t hear because of you (Acts 22:17-21). We read, “Now it happened”, Paul says, “when I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, that I was in a trance and saw Him saying to me, ‘Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, for they will not receive your testimony concerning Me.’  So I said, ‘Lord, they know that in every synagogue I imprisoned and beat those who believe on You.  And when the blood of Your martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by consenting to his death, and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.’  Then He said to me, ‘Depart, for I will send you far from here to the Gentiles.’”  Let us be faithful to Christ and use our gifts wisely, but let us never think that our gifts or anything about us can take the place of grace. Here is Christ saying, “Get out of Jerusalem quickly”, and, “they will not receive your testimony concerning Me”. And, Paul essentially says, “Lord, they know me.  I can do it”.

Paul’s pride caused him to go back, and there is this sin in all of us, even the best.  Yet, the Lord stood by Him, and we stand by our brothers.  We LEARN from their mistakes, never thinking that talent, zeal, or anything else is sufficient. We can’t preach salvation by grace, and look to ourselves to make grace happen, or think that if you use the right formula, then results will be automatic!  One man powerfully preaches Christ, and he is murdered. Another, with less zeal gets more results. Only GRACE can change the heart, and we must keep our eyes on this, obeying the Lord.

Grace doesn’t mean that I lie on God or speak unlovingly to others; it means that God uses the truth spoken in love, but it is STILL God saving, not the man.  

Finally, take God’s cheer and encouragement!  We read in the next chapter, “But the following night the Lord stood by him and said, ‘Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome” (Acts 23:11).  Christ stands by you, forgives your sinfulness, and He uses you still!  It is one of life’s great burdens to know your sins, your failures, and to be UTTERLY disappointed in yourself.  Here, Paul is in prison, having relied upon human wisdom and cowardice, and he is exposed.  He stooped so low in self-degradation, that we read, “But when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, ‘Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee; concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead I am being judged” (Acts 23:6).  Yet, God remains faithful, and so we continue testifying of Christ because He stands with us.

Don’t think your failures define you.  Many an imperfect man has preached Christ, and there’s only been One Perfect Man who lived.  John the Baptist doubted that Jesus was the Christ (Matt 11:1-6), Paul went back to Jerusalem (Acts 20-21), and Peter refused to be one with his Gentile brothers (Gal 2:11-13).  These saints erred, but they weren’t rejected or put out of the ministry.  God gave them repentance, and He bears patiently with His church, even as we must RECEIVE His comfort and continue preaching.

Don’t let the past or present troubles BECAUSE OF your past deter you. Receive the grace of God in Christ, receive His promise that He is with you, and receive the truth that you still have usefulness to contribute.