Unfairly Accused

Paul and the leaders of the Church come to a mutual understanding about his ministry - specifically that he is not preaching against the traditional Jewish law, as early leadership feared. Paul takes steps to publicly show his alignment with Jewish customs, but not everyone is buying it, resulting in a violent mob.

Read: Acts 21:15-34 (NLT)

Explore the Theme: Jesus had come to fulfill the law and release the Jewish people from slavery to the letter of the law. But, the Jewish believers still seem to be hung up on the law and to ignore the fact that Jesus had erased the need for these customs and religious laws. What might have made these believers cling so tightly to the Law?

Paul knew it was no longer traditions and rules but it was grace and love that brought us near to God. What was it that made him give up his need for the law and to embrace the grace that Jesus brought?

Ask God: Where does your heart tend to gravitate? Where do you find that to be a struggle in your own God story? Do you place him in a box of religious acts that need to be performed in order to honor him or represent your ‘religion’? Or do you take advantage of his grace? Take a moment now to imagine yourself before Jesus. Share your answer with him. What would it look like to lean more on his grace as you approach him? What would it look like to take his grace more seriously? Ask him to help you navigate these spaces, as he once helped the early church.

Live it Out: Where do you stand when it comes to truths about rightly representing Jesus and the gospel? Large groups (and mobs!) can be intimidating - it can be easy to feel outnumbered and cave under the pressure of the crowd. Ask God to give you the boldness to stand with the right crowds and to give you wisdom as to how you can best honor him in what you are standing up for.