Hard Heads, Heavy Hearts and the Fidelity of God

Thomas Agnew

Acts of the Apostles • Sermon • Submitted 5 years ago

Acts 21:1–23:11

Disobedience

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Introduction

We all love superhero sagas. That is why the Marvel Cinematic Universe is so popular. But one aspect as to why MCU is so popular is that each of the heroes at one point or another display their true humanity. They are broken. They are flawed. They are hard headed. All of the above!

This also is what separates Christianity from the pantheon of world religions. Other religions do their best to show their heroes as almost godlike. Buddha? Muhammod? NOT Chrisitianity!

Christianity consistency shows us the humanity of it main players (besides Jesus.). These men and women are deeply broken. Abraham on 2 occasions lies about his relationship with his wife Sarai saying she is his sister so that he would not be killed by the kings of his day. Moses, the appointed of God to the enslaved people of Israel murders an Egyptian soldier in his rage. David, a man after God’s heart, victimizes another man’s wife after seeing bathing one afternoon. Even sets her husband up to be murdered. Peter who would be a key leader in the church, consistently did stupid things and even denied his Lord in his moment of need.

But one person I have never put in that list is Paul. He seems so bold, heroic, and determined. That is why as I prepared to preach this week, I was struck with the hardheadedness of Paul and his lack of listening to the Lord.

Main Point - “Even in our hardheaded resistance to Spirit’s leading, God’s love and purposes are unfailing for his people”

A Hard Headed Resistance & A Heavy Hearted Plea

I know this is hard to believe, but I was a hard headed child. I know what you are thinking, “No, Not you!” When ever I was being roudy or disobedient, my granddad would all me to him and say, “If you are going to be hard headed then you are need your noggin scrubbed.” He would proceed to take his middle knuckle and scrub my head. This was my Granddad’s way of endearing himself to me and my brother when we were being headstrong.

I think what we see taking shape in Paul’s life is a bit of hard headedness. Heres the problem, hardheadedness is not always a bad thing. Yes, being hard often times means that a person can be unteachable in some areas but in others it can mean that the person is determined and resilient. He or she is headstrong!

Commentators disagree about which is the case here with Paul. I agree with James Montgomery Boice (late famed pastor of 2nd Pres in Philly) who feels the burden of proof lies with Paul and the what is really going on with Paul’s “call” to Jerusalem is more hard headed resistance to the Spirit and the loving care of the church than it is his resilience to the threats that he knows he will face there.

Let me show you why I believe that:

Acts 20_22-24 - Paul tells his Ephesian brothers that this will likely be his last time with them. Why? Because he is on his way to Jerusalem, compelled by the Spirit.

It’s not entirely clear in the Greek whether Paul means by the use of “compelling” in v.22 as to whether the Spirit was leading him there or that the Spirit was warning him about what awaits him in Jerusalem. The Greek is a bit ambiguous on this matter.

But I think we are helped by what follows in v.23. here is says the Spirit warns him about the chains and affliction that await him in Jerusalem. This doesn’t indicate that the Spirit is directing him to go to Jerusalem.

I TAKE this to mean that the Spirit has been working double time in Paul’s life in order to warn him to not go there. He has been warning him in every town.

How has he been warned? Perhaps the same way we see in 21:7-12. Philip the Evangelist (we met him in chapter 7&8) apparently has 4 daughters who have the gift of prophecy. In addition, Agabus takes Paul’s belt and wraps around himself as a visible demonstration of what would befall Paul if he goes to Jerusalem.

In vs. 12, we see the whole company of people, including Luke himself, pleading with Paul to not go to Jerusalem.

THEREFORE THIS IS WHAT I CONCLUDE -

Paul is being hard headed in his resistance to the Holy Spirit as well as the good counsel of the church to not proceed with is plans to go to Jerusalem.

Perhaps what we see here is some of Paul’s humanity showing through. There is good determination but there is also unholy/sinful determination

Though God spoke 2/3rd of the NT through Paul to us perfectly, we must recognize even the best of men like Paul Peter, etc are still fraught with sin

There is BOTH a wonderful encouragement in this for us yet a clear warning.

It’s encouraging because even the best of men and women that God uses still are walking with a limp in some ways. The Bible is not a book super heroes who accomplished great things for God. It’s a Self Attestation of God’s redeeming work among broken sinners.

It’s WARNING because it should give us pause about what we claim as God’s leading or call in our lives. We have all felt an impulse that we thought was God’s leading but only to see it blow up in our face. Examples

Those of us who are headstrong need to be careful not to say the Spirit is leading me when in reality it you that is leading you. It’s Me who is leading me.

2 APPLICATIONS HERE - I’LL GIVE THEM IN THE FORM OF 2 QUESTIONS: -

Where are we consistently resistant to the Spirit

A Heavy Hearted Plea

Where are prone to live a spiritually individualistic life? Seperated, distanced from the body of Christ?

Application -Where are prone to live a spiritually individualistic life? Seperated, distanced from the body of Christ?

A Misguided Religious Tokenism & It’s Consequences

Now one reason I left out about why I feel that Paul is being hard headed is because of what transpires when he gets to Jerusalem. Whatever we are to believe about whether the Spirit led him to or was warning him from, there is no doubt that what transpires is potential Gospel compromise.

In vs.17-20, the church at Jerusalem celebrates what God has done through Paul among the Gentiles. BUT in saying that, notice that James takes a “B” line toward fear. In v.20-21 “The Gospel has been powerfully moving here in Jerusalem among the Jews but much of what they are hearing about you is that you endorse not only Gentiles being free from Gentile customs but also Jews as well. ALL OF THIS WAS A LIE

Never fear, James and the leaders have a plan, but its a plan rooted in Compromise. It’s not rooted in Spirit driven confidence that unites this body of believer. Rather it’s rooted in being reactive from a place of unhealthy fear.

The big elephant in the room here is “why in the world would Paul agree to this now?” I mean he was so assured of the Gospel when came in for the Jerusalem Council. What has changed? We can’t say for sure but here is my thoughts:

Perhaps, He is just tired and really wants to come home. He’s been at nonstop for years and the fruit he has been seeing is more and more difficult to harvest.

Perhaps, we see some of his heart. Perhaps, he has been so far removed from his Jewish roots that he want’s so badly to see his own people come to the Lord that he is not willing to consider the consequences. says....His heart is breaking over the fact that even though the Gospel has broken through, the very people who were the vehicle to these promises are not the very ones who will judged by them as well.

THE PLAN & RESULT

Paul was to join 4 poor men who would take a nazarite vow for purity and then conclude it with offering a sacrifice in the Temple as atonement for sin like the rest. I hope you can see the problem. The same Paul who confronted Peter for his hypocrisy for removing himself from fellowship with Gentiles when the Judaizers came to town, the same Paul who eloquently confronted the Galatians for trusting in another Gospel by keeping the Law and circumcision is now offering a sacrifice for his sin when Jesus was the full and final sacrifice he had been proclaiming all those years.

Perhaps Paul, like us, in our weary estate is just wanting a little normalcy or more over, maybe in his effort to advance the Gospel, he dances too close to abandoning the Gospel as well.

Well, the Jews spot Paul in the Temple and they see right through it. They are not interested in his holy vows. They want him to disavow himself from his mission to the Gentiles and show that they should be utterly cut off from God and themselves. They take him into custody and before it is over, they beat him to a pulp. So much so, when the Roman authorities come on the scene, they had to carry him away.

Even in Paul impassioned defense in 21:37-22:21, they are willing to listen to him until he brings up his heart for and God’s commission to him to include non-Jewish people into the redemptive community of God. this is the most aggregious of offenses and intolerable in every way.

Application - Where we prone to bow to spiritual accommodation? Religious/cultural or otherwise.

A Well Reasoned Testimony

Application - Where might our testimony of life change encourage us to press through the difficulty of our own decisions?

A Faithful Intervention

So we be tempted to say, “well Paul has gotten himself into a real pickle this time.” You are right. It might even seem that what has transpired because of Paul’s hardheadedness and subsequent “all most” Gospel compromise would mean that Paul was on his own in this mess now.

NOT SO FAST!

In 21:27-30, Paul was taken in the Temple gates “NEAR” the end of his 7 day vow, just before he would have to offer his sacrifice, the crowd snatches and beats him. Could it be that God always Paul to dance all the way up to the line of his mis-guided attempt to rescue him from his ultimate compromise just before he does it? I THINK SO.

I believe that God uses the crowd and subsequently the involvement of the Roman authorities to preserve Paul and right the course for Paul’s mission. After all, from here, Paul would have amazing opportunities to share the Gospel good news in a more full way to the highest authorities in Roman society. He would share his personal testimony with the crowd, Felix and Agrippa. Agrippa himself asked Paul if he was trying to persuade him to believe.

But 23:11, after Paul had stood before the Sanhedrin and put in a safe house by the Roman authorities to protect him from the murderous intent of the Jews, The Lord comes to Paul and speaks these words…READ v.11

AMAZING - The great Apostle Paul was going to finish race well in spite of his own misguided attempts to appease the Jews and willingness to compromise the Gospel.

How many of us here today are tempted to believe that God is through with us? Or if we make the wrong move, God will drop the hammer upon us? Perhaps there will be consequences…yes! Perhaps there will dark circumstances that we will have to face. BUT NONETHELESS, God will not abandon us. God had brought Paul this far and he will take Him further still! He will do the same for you…and for me.

Application - Are you tempted to believe that God will abandon you if you make the wrong decision? Is God ready to drop the boot and crush you? Where are tempted to believe that God is through with you?

FINAL THOUGHTS

Confront -

Some of us in here are hard head, perhaps even hard hearted and you have figured out a way to live your life within your own abilities. You may dress it will bible but its no less a resistance to the Good counsel of the Spirit and His church.

The most dangerous Christians are usually the ones who stand outside or above the church. They won’t depend on other brothers and sisters for community and guidance. They won’t submit to the leaders of their church and ask for counsel about major life decisions. Christianity has become an autonomous enterprise.

Comfort

Nonetheless, the Lord will gently lead you back to himself. He may allow you to go through the raging waters of your creating but he will no likewise cast you out. He love you. If you have trusted Jesus, placed your faith in his atoning work on your behalf, return to the Lord, love ones! Return to the Lord!

Connect

If you are not yet a believer, let me encourage you to take a good hard look around. Take a good hard look at the “who’s who” of the Bible. There are no super heroes in the Bible except the wonder working person of Jesus, the Son of God come to set sinners free.

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