Unconventional Wisdom

Series: Acts: We’re on a Mission from God

Message: Unconventional Wisdom

Text: Acts 21:1-16

Date: July 4, 2021

Big Idea: Have you ever felt led of God to do something that other trusted friends and advisors are counseling you against? Such is the case with Paul in Acts 21. He’s feeling led to go to Jerusalem, but more than one prophet, as well as his traveling companions, and other Christians are advising him against that plan. What do you do in those situations?

SLIDE 1 image of Chau and map

INTRO: In November, 2018, a 26 yr. old missionary by the name of John Chau was killed by the isolated tribe he was attempting to share the gospel with. When Chau’s death became international news, not only did secular media condemn his actions but so did many Christians who described it as reckless and even unethical. Was it?

-Have you ever felt led of God to do something that other trusted friends and advisors were counseling you against? Such is the case with Paul in Acts 21. In the preceding chapter (Acts 20:21) he’s revealed that he’s feeling led, compelled as some versions will translate it, to go to Jerusalem, stating “not knowing what will happen to me there.” However, more than one prophet, as well as his traveling companions, and other Christians are advising him against that plan. What do you do in those situations?

Whereas I don’t even begin to suppose to have the answers for your particular situation, there are some things we can glean from Paul’s experience with this that Luke has recorded for us in Acts 21.

Verses 1-7 are somewhat of an itinerary and so for the sake of time, we’re going to pick up in 21:8 where we also see the usage of the pronoun “we” meaning that Luke has rejoined the team.

ACTS 21:8-15 - Caesarea

On the next day we departed and came to Caesarea, and we entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven (deacons, along with Stephen Acts 6), and stayed with him. 9 He had four unmarried daughters, who prophesied.

-Back in Acts 2 Peter had stated that Pentecost was a sign that we’d entered into the last days, the final age, before the Day of the Lord, but that before that day of the Lord, God would pour out His spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy (Acts 2:17). Philip’s daughters are doing just that and…

-This is Philip the deacon who we first meet in Acts 6 (34AD), and who, ironically, fled Jerusalem, because of the persecution being led by none other than Paul.

SLIDE 1

But Saul (aka Paul) was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison. 4 Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word. 5 Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ. (Acts 8:3-5)

We’re not given the details but sometime after his encounter with an Ethiopian eunuch in the middle of nowhere Philip has gotten married and now living in Caesarea and has four daughters.

Because of Jesus those who were once enemies (Paul and Philip) are now allies, friends.

While we were staying for many days (at Phillips home), a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.

You remember ol’ Aggie right?

We were first introduced to Agabus in Acts 11 (46-47AD). He’s a resident of Jerusalem who traveled to Antioch where he prophesied to the church there that a famine for the Roman empire was coming.

SLIDE 2

And one of them named Agabus stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world. This took place in the days of Claudius (a Caesar who ruled in between Caligula and Nero). (Acts 11:28)

Six Degrees of Separation: it’s the theory that through acquaintances you can be connected to anyone on the planet.

For example, I’m six degrees separated from Justin Bieber. I used to work with Stephen Baldwin, whose daughter Hailey, is now married to Justin Bieber. I’ve never met Justin but I’m loosely acquainted with him. That’s six degrees of separation.

SLIDE 3

Six Degrees of Separation

-Phillip: as a result of Paul’s persecution of the church, over 20 years ago, in Acts 8, he takes the gospel into Samaria and eventually ends up in Casearea. (Acts 8:3-5). He’s now providing lodging for what was once the osama bin laden to Christians.

-Agabus was the one who showed up in Antioch and prophesied a famine. (Acts 11:28)

-Claudius was the Caesar who expelled Jews from living in Rome, including Priscilla and Aquilla who relocated to Corinth which incidentally is where and how Paul met them. (Acts 18:2)