I Am Ready to Die for Name of the Lord Jesus [Acts 21-22]

Acts 21 describes Paul's whirlwind trip to Jerusalem, meeting with Christians at ports along the way.  It reminds me of our mission trips to Ukraine when we met with people every waking hour - people hungry to hear what God had for them.  Paul had a sense of urgency, an awareness that his life was about to change and that this might be the last time to encourage these dear ones in person.  The Spirit had revealed to many that he was going to be imprisoned and beaten, yet he was determined that Jerusalem was where God wanted him to go.

^{Acts 21}

¹⁰As we were staying there for some days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. ¹¹And coming to us, he took Paul's belt and bound his own feet and hands, and said, "This is what the Holy Spirit says: 'In this way the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.'" ¹²When we had heard this, we as well as the local residents began begging him not to go up to Jerusalem.

  ¹³Then Paul answered, "What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but even to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus."

 ¹⁴And since he would not be persuaded, we fell silent, remarking, "The will of the Lord be done!"

As he entered Jerusalem he walked right into a hotbed of fear and heated debate.

¹⁷After we arrived in Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly.¹⁸And the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present. ¹⁹After he had greeted them, he began to relate one by one the things which God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. ²⁰And when they heard it they began glorifying God; and they said to him, "You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed, and they are all zealous for the Law; ²¹and they have been told about you, that you are teaching all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children nor to walk according to the customs.²²"What, then, is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come.

 

They certainly did hear and  even though Paul did what the elders had told him to do, the people still stirred up a riot against him. Ss the Roman officials took charge they gave Paul an opportunity to speak to the people.  He addressed them in Hebrew and they listened as he told them his own personal story of faith in Jesus.

 

Acts 22

⁶"But it happened that as I was on my way, approaching Damascus about noontime, a very bright light suddenly flashed from heaven all around me, ⁷and I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?'

 ⁸"And I answered, 'Who are You, Lord?' And He said to me, 'I am Jesus the Nazarene, whom you are persecuting.'

 ⁹"And those who were with me saw the light, to be sure, but did not understand the voice of the One who was speaking to me.

 ¹⁰"And I said, 'What shall I do, Lord?' And the Lord said to me, 'Get up and go on into Damascus, and there you will be told of all that has been appointed for you to do.' ¹¹"But since I could not see because of the brightness of that light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me and came into Damascus.
¹²"A certain Ananias, a man who was devout by the standard of the Law, and well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there,¹³came to me, and standing near said to me, 'Brother Saul, receive your sight!' And at that very time I looked up at him.¹⁴"And he said, 'The God of our fathers has appointed you to know His will and to see the Righteous One and to hear an utterance from His mouth. ¹⁵'For you will be a witness for Him to all men of what you have seen and heard. ¹⁶'Now why do you delay? Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His name.'

What a beautiful presentation of the gospel. The people listened because they could not argue with his story.  Be encouraged today to tell someone your story of your own journey of faith.  It is a sweet way to share the gospel with others.

Lord, we praise you for appointing Paul to know Your will and "to see the Righteous One and to hear an utterance from His mouth." Thank You for the life change You made in this man as he repented and called on Jesus' name. We are grateful that You used him to share this good news with the Gentiles. Thank You for our own precious story of how You brought us to Yourself. May we tell it often!