I Am Ready To Be Bound and Die

 

Acts 21:1-36

Key Verse 21:13

 

Then Paul answered, 'Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.'

 

Paul's example in this passage is one of many reasons he so commended and honored in Christian history.  He looks like a super-Christian. Paul's resolute attitude and obedience resembles the image of Jesus who was determined to obey God the Father and die on the cross for the sin of the world. But we can see that this resolution and faith is what the Lord is looking for from all believers. Through learning Jesus’ obedience to God’s will, Paul became the Lord’s reliable and useful servant. I pray that we may learn from this example and become reliable and useful servants of the Lord. 

 

1. The journey to Jerusalem (1-16)

 

In verses 1-16, we see the final stops of Paul's journey to Jerusalem. Verse 1 says that Paul and his companions had to tear themselves away from the Ephesians, and then they put out to sea. We saw in the previous passage how much Paul had loved them as a shepherd and how much they had loved Paul in the Lord. He tried not to spend too much time with them because he knew it would be hard to get away. He was urgent to get to Jerusalem, but he made a few more stops along the way. Wherever the boat landed, Paul made efforts to have a fellowship with the believers he could find.

 

Look at verses 4-6. "4Finding the disciples there, we stayed with them seven days. Through the Spirit they urged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. 5But when our time was up, we left and continued on our way. All the disciples and their wives and children accompanied us out of the city, and there on the beach we knelt to pray. 6After saying good-by to each other, we went aboard the ship, and they returned home."

 

What kind of fellowship did they have together? They prayed and they talked about the work of God. Specifically, through the Holy Spirit the disciples urged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. These disciples were not Paul’s Bible students. But they were his spiritual family in Christ and did not want Paul to suffer in Jerusalem. Paul was going to Jerusalem because he was compelled by the Spirit to do so. But now these believers urged him through the Spirit not to go. It was at times a difficult fellowship to have, but Paul was firm in his decision to obey the Holy Spirit and left them after prayer.

 

Next Paul went to Ptolemais where they greeted the brothers and stayed with them for a day, and then they went to Caesarea where they stayed the bulk of their days at the home of Philip the Evangelist. Paul had visited Caesarea at least twice before, but this is the first time it is mentioned that he had a fellowship with Philip. Verse 8 tells us that this Philip was one of the Seven (cf. Acts 6:1-7), a group of men who were known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom to help the apostles take care of the believers in Jerusalem. He had a ministry in Samaria, helped an Ethiopian eunuch, and then the Spirit brought him to Caesarea. His ministry outside of Jerusalem began with Paul, who at that time was persecuting the church. After Paul had assisted in the death of Stephen, who was also one of the Seven, a great persecution broke out and the disciples were scattered, including Philip. Now the great persecutor Paul, who had participated in killing Philip's close coworker Stephen, was having a fellowship with Philip in his home for a number of days. Their fellowship was the clear work of Jesus. It must have been very graceful.

 

Paul and his companions stayed there a number of days (Luke doesn't tell us how long). Then the prophet Agabus came down from Judea with a direct message for Paul from the Holy Spirit. Look at verses 10-11. "10After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11Coming over to us, he took Paul's belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, 'The Holy Spirit says, "In this way the Jews of Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles." ' "

 

Look at verse 12. "When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem." Again, all the disciples and Paul’s companions, told him not to go. This time they “pleaded” with him. And again he told them clearly that he was going.

 

Let's consider Paul's response to them. Look at verse 13. "Then Paul answered, 'Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.' "

 

First, he said, "Why are you weeping and breaking my heart?" It was very difficult for Paul to see and hear what the people were telling him. It was not easy for him at all. Paul was no stranger to hardships and sufferings. The persecution against him was so great that at one point the Lord Jesus came to him and said, "Do not be afraid, keep on speaking, do not be silent..." Paul wasn't a superman who did not feel the weight of the persecutions. But now he says that he is ready to suffer and die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. Still he told them, "I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus." "I am ready..." 

It is clear that Paul’s firm decision was not one he made quickly or lightly. It is also clear that Paul’s preparation was the work of the Holy Spirit. Let’s trace his journey to Jerusalem.

In chapter 19, during his ministry in Ephesus, Paul had made the decision to go to Jerusalem, and then to Rome. And then in chapter 20, as he was making his way there, he said to the disciples, "22And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. 23I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me." 

It was the Holy Spirit who compelled Paul to go to Jerusalem. 

We see that up to this point the Holy Spirit did not tell Paul that he would surely be rescued and that he would go on to Rome, although it was the Lord’s plan to do so. Instead, the Holy Spirit only warned him of the coming hardships and imprisonment.  Why? It is because persecutions or no persecutions, hardships or no hardships, was not the point. Those were secondary, at best, for the Holy Spirit was helping Paul to submit himself in obedience to the Lord without condition. In fact, his arrest in Jerusalem became a great blessing, for it was his ticket to go to Rome, and along the way he had the opportunity to teach and preach about Jesus Christ to many, including governors, kings, officials, all according to Jesus’ calling on the road to Damascus. He didn’t know that at that time, but it means that he didn’t need to know those things yet. He had to make his heart fully ready to obey the Lord’s will first. 

  

For this reason, Paul's journey to Jerusalem closely resembles that of Jesus'. The Bible says that Jesus "knew all that was going to happen to him" (John 18:4). And still his resolution was firm. Luke 9:51 says, "As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem." And as Jesus journeyed to Jerusalem, he also readied himself by prayer. On the night of his arrest, he went to the Garden of Gethsemane, and he prayed, "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done" (Luke 22:42). He readied himself by submitting to God's will, and throwing away his will. And the Spirit that was leading Paul and getting him ready is the same Spirit of Jesus. So we find that being ready means fully submitting to God's will. He was resolute to obey God even to sufferings and giving up his life. 

In this way, Jesus pleased God. In this way, Paul also pleased God and became a reliable and useful servant. What sets Paul apart? It was not his ambition or great knowledge, it was his submission to the Lord who showed his grace to Paul. And in the same way, we too can became useful and reliable servants of the Lord. 

 

But this requires more than just lip service. At one time, the Apostle Peter also said, "Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you" (Mark 14:31). Peter spoke out of his pride and ambition. And we know that he failed and disowned Jesus three times.  What made Paul different? Here, he spoke in full submission to the Lord. He was not doing this out of his own pride or ambition or good-mindedness even. He was ready to suffer and give up his life "for the name of the Lord Jesus" (13). The purpose of the journey was for the name of the Lord Jesus. 

These days a lot of churches like to organize trips to visit the "holy land" Jerusalem. Many expect a great miracle to happen through visiting this holy land. But in Jesus' day and in Paul's day it was very dangerous to go to Jerusalem. Jesus once said, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you..." 

 

Look at verse 14. "When he would not be dissuaded, we gave up and said, 'The Lord's will be done.' " Even though Paul told them he was ready, they still tried to dissuade him. But finally they gave up and said, "The Lord's will be done." The Holy Spirit also helped these believers to also pray for God's will, not their own. Then Paul and his companions went to Jerusalem.

 

This passage moved me very much. It challenged me, asking how much I am ready to submit to the Lord, or just secure my own life. Jesus’ command in Matthew 28: 19-20 has been very heavy on my heart. "Go and make disciples of all nations..." God has enabled me to visit many other UBF ministries in other nations, in Europe, the UK, and third world countries in Africa and South America. Each time I visit, my heart stays there but my body comes back to the US. I want to do something to obey Jesus’ commands, but really I’m scared. I rationalize that the US needs gospel workers. So I thought about this matter so much. What is the difference between serving the Lord here or there? The difference is simply my attitude and faith. I was not ready to suffer in other places or think about separating my kids from their grandparents. The saying is true, “There is no place like the US.” Now I am very thankful for this passage to fix my faith and attitude before Jesus. I pray based on this passage that my family can clear our debt and go out as missionaries to a third world country for the name of the Lord Jesus, if it is the Lord’s will. I pray that many Americans will not graduate and just think about getting jobs and families, but will also go out as missionaries in obedience to Jesus’ command.

 

2. Paul's report and arrest in Jerusalem.

 

Let's read verses 17-21. "17When we arrived at Jerusalem, the brothers received us warmly. 18The next day Paul and the rest of us went to see James, and all the elders were present. 19Paul greeted them and reported in detail what God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. 20When they heard this, they praised God. Then they said to Paul: "You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous for the law. 21They 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."

 

Paul was eager to share all that God had done among the Gentiles in great detail. The elders praised God, but were more concerned the controversy regarding Paul's teaching to the Jews who lived in the Gentile areas, specifically that he was teaching them to abandon the law and their Jewish customs and so live like Gentiles.

 

They were very much misinformed. The content of Paul’s teachings was always Jesus Christ. When he taught about Genesis, he taught Jesus. When he taught regarding the law, he taught Christ, who fulfills the law. He taught how Christians fulfill the law by faith in Jesus and by the power of the Holy Spirit, for he found all righteousness met fully by faith in Jesus.

 

Paul did not argue with them or clarify his teaching. He humbly submitted to their request and went ahead with the ritual. Clearly, he did not want to cause a division in the church. To these Jews he became like a Jew to win them over. However, this eventually led to his arrest.

 

Look at verses 26-32. "26The next day Paul took the men and purified himself along with them. Then he went to the temple to give notice of the date when the days of purification would end and the offering would be made for each of them. 27When the seven days were nearly over, some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul at the temple. They stirred up the whole crowd and seized him, 28shouting, "Men of Israel, help us! This is the man who teaches all men everywhere against our people and our law and this place. And besides, he has brought Greeks into the temple area and defiled this holy place." 29(They had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with Paul and assumed that Paul had brought him into the temple area.) 30The whole city was aroused, and the people came running from all directions. Seizing Paul, they dragged him from the temple, and immediately the gates were shut. 31While they were trying to kill him, news reached the commander of the Roman troops that the whole city of Jerusalem was in an uproar. 32He at once took some officers and soldiers and ran down to the crowd. When the rioters saw the commander and his soldiers, they stopped beating Paul."

 

Paul went to the temple as prescribed and was discovered by the Jews there. They captured him and brought many accusations against him as they were trying to kill him. As they were beating him and tossing him here and there, Paul did not shout for them to stop, or that he was being falsely accused, although the attack was fierce. He was quiet. He resembles Jesus who was quiet while being falsely accused and beat and then crucified. He resembles Stephen, whose death Paul had given approval to many years ago. Paul looked like the loser here, but he was the one who won the victory because he obeyed Jesus and he submitted to the Lord's will. He was shining there with a glorious victory.

 

Finally, a Roman soldier intervened and put a stop to the beating and riot by arresting Paul. Paul was finally bound as the Holy Spirit had said. And the people kept shouting, "Away with him!" 

From this passage we learn of the Holy Spirit’s work to prepare Paul to serve the Lord fully, submitting to God’s will. I pray that we too may listen to the leading of the Holy Spirit and become useful and reliable servants of the Lord.

 

One Word: Ready to do the Lord's will

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