Acts 21:4 — And having sought out the disciples, we stayed there for seven days. And through the Spirit they were telling Paul not to go on to Jerusalem.
…10 While we were staying for many days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11 And coming to us, he took Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘This is how the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’ ” 12 When we heard this, we and the people there urged him not to go up to Jerusalem. (ESV)
Acts 21:13 - Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” 14 And since he would not be persuaded, we ceased and said, “Let the will of the Lord be done.” 15 After these days we got ready and went up to Jerusalem.
HAVE YOU EVER FELT LIKE YOU WERE THE ONLY ONE WHO WAS RIGHT ABOUT SOMETHING?
Acts 21:30 – Then all the city was stirred up, and the people ran together. They seized Paul and dragged him out of the temple, and at once the gates were shut. 31 And as they were seeking to kill him, word came to the tribune of the cohort that all Jerusalem was in confusion. 32 He at once took soldiers and centurions and ran down to them. And when they saw the tribune and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. 33 Then the tribune came up and arrested him and ordered him to be bound with two chains…
Sometimes doing
Acts 19:21— Now after these events Paul resolved in the Spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia and go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.”
Acts 20:22- And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there, 23 except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me. 24 But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.
TAKEAWAYS
Do not listen to spiritual people
Do not
Don’t assume every
Exodus 14:1-31; 1 Peter 4:12–19; 1 Peter 5:9–10
Do not define success merely on
SOMETIMES THE
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BIBLE STUDY QUESTIONS
1) Looking back at your notes from this week’s teaching, was there anything you heard for the first time or something that caught your attention, challenged, or confused you? What blessed you the most?
2) In Acts 21 Paul had options. He was surrounded by people who loved him and were offering him opportunities that were easier and seemingly more sensible options than the one he was determined to make. What opportunities do you have that are not God’s will?
3) Read Deuteronomy 1:5-8. God called Moses to leave a mountain—a place where he’d grown comfortable. Moses’ new path would be far from easy. He was going to enter the land of the Amorites and Canaanites, who were feared warriors. He was about to risk the lives of everyone with him—men, women, and children—in the process of following God’s will. Both young and old would once again be in danger. Moses’ confidence was based on one thing: what God had spoken. May your confidence be grounded in the same thing, and may you trust God at His word (Deuteronomy 1:8).
What is God calling you to do now? What comforts is He calling you to leave behind? What have you been ignoring?
4) Read Psalm 44. Psalm 44 is bold. The psalmist asks the Lord to “wake up”? Who dares ask God to wake up? The psalmist doesn’t stop with these questions. He makes claims regarding God that seem like accusations: “you have rejected and disgraced us,” “you have given us as sheep for food,” and “you have sold your people cheaply” (Psalm 44:9, 11, 12). How do we deal with these types of psalms? Should we be as bold in our relationship with God?
5) The claims in Psalm 44 aren’t made without reason. Compare verse 1 with verse 13. In verse 1 the psalmist talks about learning about the godly history of his nation, but in verse 13 he laments that his nation is now ungodly. He had heard stories of God’s past faithfulness—how he delivered His people in battles. He also knew that God was using his nation to reach other nations in the world with the gospel. But the psalmist was experiencing something different in his personal experiences. The psalmist was confused and dismayed.
The psalmist wrestles with his experience because he knows God’s will. He wants to trust in God but what he sees in his world is making it difficult. It’s not much different from our own experience, as we wrestle with evil, sorrow, and pain, and as we wonder about God’s work in the world. But amid the confusion, we still need to place trust in God. Although the psalmist questions boldly, he acknowledges, “In God, we boast all the day, and we will give thanks to your name forever” (Psalm 44:8). At the end of the psalm, he still petitions God for help, on the basis of His love: “Rise up! Be a help for us, and redeem us for the sake of your loyal love” (Psalm 44:26).
Do you trust in God’s love and deliverance, even when circumstances seem grim? Do you boldly petition Him for help, acknowledging His good character in the process?
6) How do each of the following Scriptures give you confidence in your trials? How can the following Scriptures help you place your trust in God rather than people?
1 Peter 4:12–19
1 Peter 5:9–10
Luke 12:5-7
7) Pray for one another. Pray that you and your church leaders courageously follow the leadership of the Holy Spirit.
