Fear
Acts 21:1-14
September 15, 2002
Intro:
A. The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”—Franklin D. Roosevelt
B. “Fear is that little darkroom where negatives are developed.”—Michael Pritchard.
C. “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”—King David
D. Today in Acts 21, we find that the apostle Paul had to face some grave fears.
I. Some disciples urged Paul not to go to Jerusalem.
Acts 21:1-6 (NIV), After we had torn ourselves away from them, we put out to sea and sailed straight to Cos. The next day we went to Rhodes and from there to Patara. 2 We found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, went on board and set sail. 3 After sighting Cyprus and passing to the south of it, we sailed on to Syria. We landed at Tyre, where our ship was to unload its cargo. 4 Finding the disciples there, we stayed with them seven days. Through the Spirit they urged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. 5 But when our time was up, we left and continued on our way. All the disciples and their wives and children accompanied us out of the city, and there on the beach we knelt to pray. 6 After saying good-by to each other, we went aboard the ship, and they returned home.
A. Luke says that they had to tear themselves away from the Ephesian Elders.
1. Last Sunday we studied that emotional farewell address that Paul gave them.
2. Why was it so emotional?
3. Acts 20:22-25 (NIV), "And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. 23 I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. 24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me--the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace. 25 "Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again.
4. Acts 20:36-38 (NIV), When he had said this, he knelt down with all of them and prayed. 37 They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him. 38 What grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face again. Then they accompanied him to the ship.
5. Acts 21:1 (NIV), After we had torn ourselves away from them, we put out to sea and sailed straight to Cos.
6. It was so emotional because Paul had said that they would never see his face again.
7. Paul said that he was compelled by the Spirit to go to Jerusalem.
8. He had no details about what was going to happen to him there, he only knew that the HS was warning him about prison and hardships.
9. So it was an emotional farewell and they wept and embraced and they had to tear themselves away from the Ephesians.
B. After the emotional farewell in Ephesus, Paul set sail and came to the city of Tyre.
1. In the city of Tyre, they found some disciples there.
2. Paul and his entourage stayed in Tyre for seven days.
3. While they were there, the NIV says they urged Paul not to go to Jerusalem.
4. Clearly, they were pretty concerned about Paul.
5. Clearly, they didn’t want anything bad to happen to Paul.
6. Clearly, they cared about Paul personally and corporately for the kingdom of God.
II. A prophet urged Paul not to go to Jerusalem.
Acts 21:10-11 (NIV), After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11 Coming over to us, he took Paul’s belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, "The Holy Spirit says, ’In this way the Jews of Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.’"
A. After leaving Tyre, they went to Caesarea where they stayed with Philip the Evangelist.
1. We studied about Philip a couple of times before this.
a. We first met Philip in Acts 6 in the choosing of the 7 to take care of feeding the widows.
b. Philip was part of the seven in the 15,000 member first church who were known to be full of the HS and wisdom to take care of the daily distribution of food.
c. Next we meet up with Philip again in Acts 8 when he encountered the Ethiopian Eunuch.
d. Philip ran up alongside the Ethiopian’s chariot and climbed up and explained the Scriptures to him and stopped alongside the road and baptized the Ethiopian.
e. Acts 8:39-40 (NIV), When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. 40 Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.
2. Now we come across Philip again and he is still in Caesarea.
a. Philip is married and has four unmarried daughters still living at home.
b. Philip had four daughters who were all prophets.
c. Philip had four daughters who were all preachers.
d. And Paul and his traveling companions stayed at Philip’s house.
e. That’s all that Luke says about Philip or his daughters.
f. He just happens to mention that Paul stayed in the same house who four female preachers and moves on.
g. I think God just likes to mess with us!
B. But while Paul was staying in Caesarea, another prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.
1. Agabus made the trek down to Caesarea and then put on a little one-man drama in typical prophet style.
2. Agabus walked over to Paul and took his belt.
3. He somehow managed to tie up his own hands and feet with the belt and said, “The Holy Spirit says, ‘In this way the Jews of Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.’”
4. Agabus warned Paul about going to Jerusalem.
III. His friends urged Paul not to go to Jerusalem.
Acts 21:12-14 (NIV), When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul answered, "Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus." 14 When he would not be dissuaded, we gave up and said, "The Lord’s will be done."
A. When Paul’s traveling friends heard this, they pleaded with Paul not to go to Jerusalem.
1. Paul’s traveling friends were obviously pretty concerned about what the HS had said through Agabus.
2. They probably remembered that the disciples in Tyre had urged Paul not to go either.
B. But Paul is still sure that the Spirit was indeed compelling him to go as he had said in 20:22.
1. Paul asked them why they were weeping and breaking his heart.
2. Paul said he ready not only to be bound, but also to die for Christ.
3. Paul knew the dangers that lay ahead; he had known them for a long time.
4. The Spirit had been warning him for some time, but he was still ready to go.
C. When Paul would not be dissuaded, they gave up and said, “The Lord’s will be done.”
Transition: Have you ever had a time when everyone seemed to think that you were making a big mistake?
1. Have you ever had a time when even your Christian friends and family thought you were doing the wrong thing?
2. Have you ever had a time when you weren’t doing something that was anti-Scriptural, but everyone seemed to think you should do one thing, but you really felt like you should do something else?
3. During those times did you ever fear that you were going to upset God if you made the wrong decision?
4. During those times did you ever fear that if you made the wrong choice God was going to punish you or abandon you?
5. You weren’t doing something wrong like running off with someone else’s spouse, but you were contemplating a major decision in your life that may cause you a lot of heartache and strife and you were afraid that you might chose something that was outside of God’s will for your life?
6. Literally EVERYONE told Paul that he was crazy to go to Jerusalem.
7. Were you ever scared to do something because of things people said would happen?
8. Even the HS was warning him of the dangers that lay ahead.
9. But Paul still felt compelled to go!
10. Was Paul making the right decision? Was Paul going against the HS?
11. Would God punish Him for making the wrong decision?
12. Would God abandon Him for making the wrong decision?
13. If we continue to read this chapter we find that Paul did go to Jerusalem and he did get arrested.
14. Was this God’s punishment for not making the right decision?
15. I think all of us would be quick to say that even if Paul made the wrong decision, this was probably NOT God’s punishment on him.
16. However, when it comes to our own lives and our own decisions, we’re not always as quick to accept that for ourselves. Why is that?
17. Do we think we are somehow less in God’s eyes than Paul?
18. Do we think that God somehow cared more for Paul than he does us?
19. Why is it that we fear things in our own lives, when we know deep down inside that God has promised to NEVER leave us or forsake us?
20. In chapter 22 we read of Paul’s defense where he shares the good news of Jesus Christ with those in Jerusalem. But did God abandon or punish Paul?
IV. Christ told and showed Paul that He was still in His Will.
Acts 23:11-17 (NIV), The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, "Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome." 12 The next morning the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul. 13 More than forty men were involved in this plot. 14 They went to the chief priests and elders and said, "We have taken a solemn oath not to eat anything until we have killed Paul. 15 Now then, you and the Sanhedrin petition the commander to bring him before you on the pretext of wanting more accurate information about his case. We are ready to kill him before he gets here." 16 But when the son of Paul’s sister heard of this plot, he went into the barracks and told Paul. 17 Then Paul called one of the centurions and said, "Take this young man to the commander; he has something to tell him."
A. First, Christ very clearly told the apostle that he was still very much in the center of God’s will.
1. Christ told Paul that he should be encouraged.
2. Paul should be encouraged because Christ was still speaking to Him.
3. Paul should be encouraged because he had not made a decision that had removed him from the center of God’s will.
4. Paul should be encouraged because he had done a wonderful job at testifying about Christ in Jerusalem.
5. Paul should be encouraged because Christ had still more for Paul to do.
6. Paul should be encouraged because Christ still wanted Paul to testify in Rome.
7. Christ told Paul that even though everyone had warned him not to go to Jerusalem, God was still with Him, God still loved him, and he was still in the center of His will.
B. Second Christ very clearly showed the apostle that he was still very much in the center of God’s will.
1. Now we see that 40 Jews made an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul.
2. Clearly, that is not God’s plan for Paul.
3. We know that Christ has other plans for Paul.
4. Christ has plans to use Paul to testify in Rome.
5. So does this plot have a chance at succeeding?
6. No, these men are going to starve to death if they determine to keep their vow!
8. The 40 went to the chief priests and elders and inform them of their oath.
9. Paul’s nephew overhears their conversation.
10. Paul’s nephew went and told Paul about it.
11. Some people may want to label this as gossip.
12. Here’s a young man who overhears someone’s business and then goes and tells someone else.
13. Did the apostle Paul rebuke him for gossiping—hardly!
14. No Paul turns around and tells someone else the story—he tells the prison guard to go to tell it the jail commander.
15. This was all God’s plan to rescue Paul and make sure that he testified in Rome.
16. Some may call this young man a gossip, but he was CLEARLY God’s messenger.
17. God was SHOWING Paul that he was not outside His will.
18. God was SHOWING Paul that even though everyone else told him he was wrong, God was still taking care of him.
Conclusion:
A. Will God turn away from someone who is clearly seeking Him with all his heart soul, mind, and strength?
1. And let me take this a step farther: Let’s assume for only a moment that the apostle did make the wrong decision.
2. IF that were true, we see outside of this story a man who was truly seeking to follow God’s Kingdom.
3. Outside of this story we see a man through whom God did WONDROUS things.
4. Outside of this story we see a man who was lead by the Spirit of God.
5. But just for a moment lets assume that Paul misread the Spirit.
6. Let’s assume for just a moment that the disciples, prophets, and friends were all understanding the Spirit’s true message and the apostle made the WRONG decision by going to Jerusalem.
7. God’s looking down at this and is watching a man who is unquestionably devoted to Him.
8. God warns him repeatedly not to go to Jerusalem, but he misunderstands and goes to Jerusalem anyway.
9. Let’s put this in another scenario…
a. If my child is really trying to please me.
b. My child is really working hard to learn to live correctly, but then makes a wrong choice—do I abandon him?
c. My child’s heart is unquestionably in the right place and is clearly trying to please me, but messes something up.
d. Do I get upset with him and tell him he’s on his own?
10. Absolutely not and neither does God!
B. The truth of the matter is that it is not easy discerning God’s will even when you’ve had a lot of practice at it.
1. It is often difficult to discern what the best of several good choices are.
2. Now, we’re not talking about bad choices like stealing, or adultery, we’re talking about making the best choice out of several good choices.
3. It is often very difficult to determine God’s will.
4. But even if we miss the best choice, but are still making a good decision that is within God’s plan, will God abandon us?
5. NO, God has promised to never leave us or forsake us!
C. [Needless Fear]
The early American Indians had a unique practice of training young braves.
On the night of a boy’s thirteenth birthday, after learning hunting, scouting, and fishing skills, he was put to one final test.
He was placed in a dense forest to spend the entire night alone.
Until then, he had never been away from the security of the family and tribe.
But on this night, he was blindfolded and taken several miles away.
When he took off the blindfold, he was in the middle of a thick woods, and he was terrified.
Every time a twig snapped, he visualized a wild animal ready to pounce.
After what seemed like an eternity, dawn broke and the first rays of sunlight entered the interior of the forest.
Looking around, the boy saw flowers, trees, and the outline of a path.
Then to his utter astonishment, he beheld the figure of a man standing just a few feet away, armed with bow and arrow.
It was his father.
He had been there all night long.
1. Friends, do you see that this is how it really is with our heavenly Farther and us?
2. The truth of our story today, I believe is that Paul did make the right decision.
3. I believe the HS told the others was going to happen and they naturally didn’t want to it happen and they tried to stop Paul from going.
4. But I believe that going to Jerusalem was God’s plan and Paul did do the right thing.
5. How could Paul do that? Because he knew his Father was right there with Him even though no one could see him.
D. Even the most experienced of Christians often have a difficult time following God and the Spirit’s leading in our lives.
1. But friends we have nothing to fear.
2. As long as we are seeking God with all of our hearts—no matter what happens He’s right there with us!
3. We need to walk through this life as well as the valley of the shadow of death with no fear because He is standing and walking right near us with His rod and His staff!
4. There is no need to fear the future, He’ right there with us!
5. There is no need to fear decisions, He’s right there with us!
6. There is no need to fear hardships, He’s right there with us!
7. Like the apostle Paul, there is no need to even fear death, He’s right there with us!
