Paul’s Arrival at Jerusalem

Meditations on The Acts of the Apostles

 April 19, 2021

Paul’s Arrival at Jerusalem

They have been informed that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or live according to our customs.

Acts 21:21

Read: Acts 21:15-26       

A good summary of Paul’s understanding of what it meant to be a Christian is found in Romans 6,7, & 8. A couple of verses that capture Paul’s heart:

But now we have been released from the law, for we died to it and are no longer captive to its power. Now we can serve God, not in the old way of obeying the letter of the law, but in the new way of living in the Spirit. (Romans 7:6 NLT)

 

So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. (Romans 8:1-2 NLT)

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free, Paul wrote to the Galatians (5:1), yet it seemed this message fell on deaf ears in Jerusalem.  And for this message, Paul spent the rest of his life in chains.

My Takeaway: Religious laws and traditions provide a comfort level where the people know what to expect. Those laws and traditions also provide control and establishes a pecking order of faithful adherents. Change can be frightening. It can also be liberating.    

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2021 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.