May the peace of the Lord be with you.
Topic: THE RELIGIOUS WOULD ALWAYS ATTACK THE MESSAGE OF GRACE
Acts 21:17-40 King James Version (KJV)
17 And when we were come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly.
18 And the day following Paul went in with us unto James; and all the elders were present.
19 And when he had saluted them, he declared particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry.
20 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:
21 And they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs.
22 What is it therefore? the multitude must needs come together: for they will hear that thou art come.
23 Do therefore this that we say to thee: We have four men which have a vow on them;
24 Them take, and purify thyself with them, and be at charges with them, that they may shave their heads: and all may know that those things, whereof they were informed concerning thee, are nothing; but that thou thyself also walkest orderly, and keepest the law.
25 As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication.
26 Then Paul took the men, and the next day purifying himself with them entered into the temple, to signify the accomplishment of the days of purification, until that an offering should be offered for every one of them.
27 And when the seven days were almost ended, the Jews which were of Asia, when they saw him in the temple, stirred up all the people, and laid hands on him,
28 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.
29 (For they had seen before with him in the city Trophimus an Ephesian, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple.)
30 And all the city was moved, and the people ran together: and they took Paul, and drew him out of the temple: and forthwith the doors were shut.
31 And as they went about to kill him, tidings came unto the chief captain of the band, that all Jerusalem was in an uproar.
32 Who immediately took soldiers and centurions, and ran down unto them: and when they saw the chief captain and the soldiers, they left beating of Paul.
33 Then the chief captain came near, and took him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains; and demanded who he was, and what he had done.
34 And some cried one thing, some another, among the multitude: and when he could not know the certainty for the tumult, he commanded him to be carried into the castle.
35 And when he came upon the stairs, so it was, that he was borne of the soldiers for the violence of the people.
36 For the multitude of the people followed after, crying, Away with him.
37 And as Paul was to be led into the castle, he said unto the chief captain, May I speak unto thee? Who said, Canst thou speak Greek?
38 Art not thou that Egyptian, which before these days madest an uproar, and leddest out into the wilderness four thousand men that were murderers?
39 But Paul said, I am a man which am a Jew of Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city: and, I beseech thee, suffer me to speak unto the people.
40 And when he had given him licence, Paul stood on the stairs, and beckoned with the hand unto the people. And when there was made a great silence, he spake unto them in the Hebrew tongue, saying,
Beloved, our text for today is very long so I would keep the exhortation short and simple.
Beloved, if you are committed to the Gospel of Grace, which is the Message of the Kingdom that Jesus brought to us and left us with, you will always be under attack, especially by the religious like Jesus and Paul were under during their time here on earth.
The Pharisees attacked Jesus' message and tried to make all think His Message was wrong and unacceptable. The Jews also attacked Paul for similar reasons and like they killed Jesus wanted to kill him too.
Beloved, the Message of Grace sounds too good to be true but it is truth. It sounds so liberal and it's as if it is going to multiply sin and cause people not to obey God but rather, it preaches the Love and Mercies of God, this Love makes sinners know they are welcome into the Fathers open arms and it teaches them repentance by the mercies of God, salvation by Grace when you believe in Jesus and causes the children of God to live in love and extend this Love to all who encounters them;
As against a strict set of laws which is preached as though God is a headmaster or principal with a whip by Him, waiting to punish you at the slightest slip. This message of the law preaches a hostile God who is not friendly and fatherly. This message drives sinners away and causes many to fall away or continue in sin and shy away from God.
But don't be deceived, the very preachers of the law or those who mix law and grace are the worst culprits of the offences in the law. They just hide their offences and shortfalls then pretend as though they are perfect and walk in obedience to the law or to the provisions in the law.
Beloved please walk in grace, live by grace and do all things by grace. God is Grace and He wants you to come to Him and do all things through Christ who strengthens you. Live by grace and nothing else.
As for us preachers of Grace, we have to know this one thing: they will always attack us, attack our message and even try to kill us but with Jesus on our side, it will not work so be strong, stand in the authority of the name of Jesus and preach Grace without any limitations, to all you encounter or stand before.
Beloved, *IT'S ALL ABOUT JESUS* and no one else. Jesus is Grace, His message of the Kingdom is Grace, look up to Him and live, preaching Grace always, under all circumstances and in all things to the glory of His holy name.
_DEPOPULATING HELL BY FIRE TO POPULATE HEAVEN BY GRACE THROUGH EVANGELIZATION IN THE NAME OF JESUS AND HIS FINISHED WORKS ON THE CROSS_
#itsallaboutjesus
