Give Me That Old Time Legalistic Religion

Series: We’re on a Mission from God

Message: Give Me that Old Time Legalistic Religion

Text: Acts 22:22

Big Idea: Jesus had numerous confrontations with the legalists, who among other reasons, sought to kill Him for healing on the Sabbath (Mt. 13:14). Paul also experienced opposition from the legalists of his day as will you and I. None of us are completely immune from its’ affects and we too must guard our hearts from presenting a message and lifestyle that God never intended.

INTRO: Traffic School. We at least knew why we were there. What about Paul? Why is he in such hot water? Why is he in and out of jail?

Arriving on the scene of a riot, Paul, the victim, is arrested. The Tribune (Claudius Lysius) asks “Are you the Egyptian?” (the leader of a Jewish opposition group). “No, I’m not,” said Paul (21:38). So why are the Jews seeking to kill Paul? What’s got them so riled up?

What’s going on? What’s the real issue?

Paul had asked for permission to share his story, his testimony. He proceeds to share his life before Christ, his transformation, and then what his life has been like sense. He says that as he was praying in the temple Jesus calls him to take the gospel to the Gentiles.

SLIDE 1

And He said to me, “Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.” Up to this word they listened to him. Then they raised their voices and said, “Away with such a fellow from the earth! For he should not be allowed to live.” And as they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and flinging dust into the air, the tribune ordered him to be brought into the barracks, saying that he should be examined by flogging, to find out why they were shouting against him like this. (Acts 22:20-24)

They were listening intently (22:2) to his story until he says God sent him to the Gentiles. Upon hearing this they absolutely lose it.

“Up to this word they listened to him”. What word? Gentiles. Then they raised their voices and said, “Away with such a fellow from the earth! For he should not be allowed to live.” And as they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and flinging dust into the air.

It’s as if Gentile is a 4 letter word to them. Even though God had said to Abraham that through him all the peoples of the earth would be blessed. Even though through the prophets, such as Isaiah, God had said that His temple would be a house of prayer for the nations and that the Jews were to be a light to the nations…upon hearing it’s implementation, that it’s actually happening…they freak out.

So what’s going on?

-They’ve been oppressed by the Gentiles from the beginning. This is why “Loving your enemies” is a tough pill to swallow. For the sake of the gospel we always need to overlook our offenses. The goal of the enemy is to allow bitterness to limit our reach.

-The real problem is legalism and the traditions that come with it.

-You will be a blessing to the nations. You will be a light to the world, but over time they’ve become very inclusive and inwardly focused. Inwardly focused often results in some form of legalism.

SLID

1-Legalism hardens hearts. (i.e., it hardens the spiritual arteries)

“Men of Israel, help! This is the man who is teaching everyone everywhere against the people and the law and this place (not God). Moreover, he even brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.” (Acts 21:27-28)

-Acts 19 they are zealous for the Law…not God, but zealous for the Law.

They seized Paul and dragged him out of the temple, and at once the gates were shut. And as they were seeking to kill him (Acts 21:30-31a)

Let that sink in-they were trying to kill him. People on the Temple Mount going in to offer their prayers, sacrifices, and offerings want to kill another human because Gentiles are coming into the Kingdom of God. Pretty sad isn’t it.

There’s so much hatred and preconceived prejudices that they cannot think objectively much less biblically. Their hearts have become hardened through legalism and here we once again see their true colors-they were trying to kill him (21:31).

How can this be? It was God’s intent that all the nations of the earth be blessed through Abraham? It was God’s desire that Israel be a light unto the world? That the temple even be a house of prayer for the nations. Legalism is presents a misleading portrayal of God.

SLIDE

image of Queen Mary

Illus: RMS Queen Mary cruise ship was in service 1936-67 and made over 1,000 voyages before being decommissioned. When it was commissioned in 1936 the RMS Queen Mary was the most awe-inspiring ocean-going vessel in the world. She was 1,019 feet long, at 81,237 tons displaced twice the tonnage of the Titanic, had 12 decks and carried 1,957 passengers attended by a crew of 1,174. In WW2 it was converted for transporting troops. The Queen Mary was retired from regular passenger service in 1967 after making 1,001 Atlantic Ocean crossings, and is presently harbored in the port of Long Beach, California where it was repurposed into a museum, movie theater, mall, shops, restaurants, and hotel, etc. You can book a room there.