Acts 21.17-40
Paul’s return to Jerusalem starts with celebration but ends in chains. Although his teaching is called into question, he demonstrates by his actions the unity that he desires for the Church…for both Jewish and Gentile believers. Meanwhile unbelieving Jews from Ephesus falsely accuse him of defiling the temple.
It’s difficult not to react and even overreact when we are misunderstood. We often want to justify or redirect or defend or deny. And in the process we tend to complicate things and make them much worse. We repay evil for evil, insult for insult. We want to be understood without taking time to understand the other person. That’s why I love that Paul didn’t launch into a diatribe seeking to defend himself. He simply cleared up the misunderstanding by his actions. We can definitely learn something from Paul in this…he was no pushover. We’ve seen that over and over. He just genuinely loved his people.
And I think that love is evident in Paul’s willingness to participate in the Nazirite vow. Paul never stopped being Jewish, but he wasn’t a slave to it. I love what he says in 1 Corinthians 9.19-22, “For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more. 20To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law though not being myself under the Law, so that I might win those who are under the Law; 21to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law. 22To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some. 23I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it.” For Paul, the gospel was worth it. It was worth giving up his rights. It was worth being misunderstood. It was worth suffering for.
Sometimes our misunderstandings are with those who like us…friends or family including our church family, etc. And sometimes our misunderstandings are with those who don’t like us…maybe at all. The goal isn’t to prove that we are right and they are wrong, but peace and harmony, truth in love…unity and ultimately pointing them to Jesus.
Paul didn’t defend himself…neither did Jesus. Peter says it this way, “For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, 22WHO COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH; 23and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; 24and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed” (1 Peter 2.21-24).
Let me challenge you this week to look for the mutual win. To understand before being understood. To expect the best in others and maybe, just maybe, inspire the best in them. Even if you are misunderstood.
pro rege
This post is based on a sermon from our Acts series. Download the podcast at: Central Christian Church Main Service, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter: @ccclancaster
Central Christian Church 