Unstoppable ChurchSample

Acts 21:26-40 NKJV– Paul Goes from His Life Being Threatened to Receiving Imperial Protection in Jerusalem:

Always be in a state of readiness to present the Gospel.

In business, many have claimed that “luck favors the prepared.” Meaning, the more one is prepared to immediately jump on a good opportunity when it presents itself, the more confidence the person will have about not missing out on big opportunities, even if the window of opportunity presents itself for just a brief moment of time. Being in a state of readiness affords a person more opportunities to take advantage of than a person who has not prepared for the big moment.

For those in business, these big opportunities sometimes come at the oddest times. Sometimes they come as you engage with people you meet on an airplane, meet at a wedding reception, talk to while in line at a coffee shop, or while sharing an Uber ride. And because one’s mind has already thought through what is needed to make a business dream come true or has already assessed what organizational needs exist, s/he is always thinking of what will provide for his/her needs or solve a problem. Thus, one is so mentally prepared that all s/he need to hear is a keyword to know who to contact that may hold the key to the next big opportunity. And s/he jumps at the chance to take full advantage of the opportunity.

Paul preached this very principle when it comes to sharing the Gospel. Paul wrote to Timothy to always “be ready in season and out of season” (II Timothy 4:2b NKJV). Even the Apostle Peter emphasized the importance of “being ready always to give an answer to every man that asks you of the hope that is in you,” (I Peter 3:15 NKJV). And in Acts 21:26-40, we see how Paul demonstrated that he was in a state of readiness to share the Gospel at one of the oddest times. As a result, Paul took advantage of a unique window of opportunity to present the Gospel to a large, diverse audience who heard this life-changing truth.

In business, many have claimed that “luck favors the prepared.” Meaning, the more one is prepared to immediately jump on a good opportunity when it presents itself, the more confidence the person will have about not missing out on big opportunities, even if the window of opportunity presents itself for just a brief moment of time. Being in a state of readiness affords a person more opportunities to take advantage of than a person who has not prepared for the big moment.d near the end of the time of worship, Paul came alone to the priest to inform him that he had satisfied his season of purification (Acts 21:26). And immediately Paul was met with opposition to his very presence at the temple (Acts 21:27). They accused him of bringing his Greek friend, Trophimus, into the Jewish-reserved portion of the temple and defiling it (even though they had only seen Paul walking around the city with him). They accused Paul of speaking blasphemously against the Jewish people, the Torah, and the Temple (Acts 21:28-29). Interestingly, these final three accusations were very similar to what the Jewish leaders accused Stephen of approximately 20 years earlier in Acts 6:13-14 and Jesus all throughout his ministry. Immediately, the Jewish people grabbed Paul in riot mob fashion and dragged him out of the Temple area (Acts 21:30), and their intent was to kill him (Acts 19:31a).

In response to the quickly escalating riot (Acts 21:30a), the commander of the Roman garrison immediately came to quell the riot (Acts 21:32-33a). Upon their presence, the Jewish people immediately stopped beating Paul (Acts 21:32b). The Roman soldiers bound Paul for the moment and attempted to learn the reason for the uprising from the raucous crowd (Acts 21:33-34). Being unable to discern the reason, they decided to take him inside the garrison. The mob pushed on them so much that Paul was unable to walk up a staircase quickly enough. The soldiers actually picked him up and carried him up the stairs (Acts 21:35). But when they were still outside, about to enter the building, Paul made a very unexpected request of the Roman Commander (Acts 21:37).

At that moment, Paul was about to make a request of the Roman Commander that he undoubtedly had never received before from a person who was literally being carried away from a mob for his safety. Paul saw an opportunity to be able to share the Gospel with the people who wanted to kill him, and he wanted to take full advantage of it! After he requested to speak to the Commander (Acts 21:37), Paul asked if he could address the mob (Acts 21:39). Before granting permission, the Roman Commander needed to make sure Paul was not a criminal. He asked Paul, “Are you not the Egyptian who some time ago stirred up a rebellion and led the four thousand assassins out into the wilderness” (Acts 21:38 NKJV)? At that moment, the commander got two different criminals confused. There was a Jewish-Egyptian man who, three years prior, claimed to be a prophet, garnered a few thousand followers, went up on the Mount of Olives, and prepared to take over Jerusalem. He was famous for believing that upon his command, the walls of the city of Jerusalem would fall and grant him unobstructed access to the city. When he and his followers congregated on top of the Mount of Olives, the Roman brigades marched up the mountain and slaughtered a few hundred of them and captured a couple of hundred of them, but the Jewish-Egyptian man fled. Then there was a separate incident in the recent past where Jewish extremists called Sicarii (“sick-CAR-eye” named after their weapon of choice, “a curved blade dagger”) assassinated the High Priest Jonathan and were continually on Rome’s radar as they would approach in stealth, kill, and then conceal their dagger and identity again. Either way, the Roman Commander was not about to give a known killer and leader of a revolt a platform. But Paul simply informed him that he was a Jewish man who lived in Tarsus, far from Egypt in Cilicia, a city that is significant (Acts 21:39). Paul said this to demonstrate that he was intelligent, studied, and somewhat sophisticated compared to what was expected from the criminals the Roman Commander referred to.

Being granted permission, Paul stood on the staircase, utilizing it as an elevated stage, and began to speak in the Hebrew language known by the entire crowd. Of course, it is very likely that the Roman Commander and his soldiers were unable to understand what Paul was saying. So, they were forced to judge the threat level of this moment only by the tone of the crowd. And it was silent—completely silent.

What was Paul about to say?! And why would Paul think this is an opportune time to talk to his would-be killers? What was Paul thinking?! Probably something like, “These conditions are perfect for me to proclaim the Gospel! I’m surrounded by approximately 200 Roman soldiers. I’m flanked by two centurions, and I’m standing right next to the Roman Commander. The Roman soldiers are not going to stop me from preaching, as they probably will not even know what I am saying. And the Jews are not about to rush me, as it would be at their peril to do so. So, why not jump at the opportunity?! I’m ready! I’m prepared. But I only have a few seconds to decide, or I will miss my window of opportunity. This window of opportunity goes away if I am taken into that building…”

Acts 21:40 NKJV, “So when he had given him permission, Paul stood on the stairs and motioned with his hand to the people. And when there was a great silence, he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, saying…”

Ponder & Pray Today…

Reflect on a very meaningful conversation (spiritual, business, relationship, family, etc.) you had in your life. Ponder the significance of it. And then ask yourself how your life would be different if you had not engaged in that conversation at that very moment. Ask yourself how your life would be different if you had not engaged in that conversation at that very moment. Lastly, is there a spiritual conversation that you know needs to occur with someone? Are you prepared to have it when the window of opportunity presents itself? If not, ask yourself what you need to do to prepare for when the opportunity arises.

What was Paul about to say?! And why would Paul think this is an opportune time to talk to his would-be killers? What was Paul thinking?! Probably something like, “These conditions are perfect for me to proclaim the Gospel! I’m surrounded by approximately 200 Roman soldiers. I’m flanked by two centurions, and I’m standing right next to the Roman Commander. The Roman soldiers are not going to stop me from preaching, as they probably will not even know what I am saying. And the Jews are not about to rush me, as it would be at their peril to do so. So, why not jump at the opportunity?! I’m ready! I’m prepared. But I only have a few seconds to decide, or I will miss my window of opportunity. This window of opportunity goes away if I am taken into that building…” …” ”