Sunday, January 18, 2009 
Scripture reading: Acts 21: 17-26
17 When we arrived in Jerusalem, the brothers welcomed us warmly. 18The next day Paul went with us to visit James; and all the elders were present. 19After greeting them, he related one by one the things that God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. 20When they heard it, they praised God. Then they said to him, ‘You see, brother, how many thousands of believers there are among the Jews, and they are all zealous for the law. 21They have been told about you that you teach all the Jews living among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, and that you tell them not to circumcise their children or observe the customs. 22What then is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come. 23So do what we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow. 24Join these men, go through the rite of purification with them, and pay for the shaving of their heads. Thus all will know that there is nothing in what they have been told about you, but that you yourself observe and guard the law. 25But as for the Gentiles who have become believers, we have sent a letter with our judgement that they should abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is strangled* and from fornication.’ 26Then Paul took the men, and the next day, having purified himself, he entered the temple with them, making public the completion of the days of purification when the sacrifice would be made for each of them.
Sermon Title: "TAKE IT ON THE CHIN" Sunday, January 18, 2009
PASTOR HUDSON: Acts 21, Verses 17
through 26 is an obscure text which does not
often get singled out for treatment. This is more
of a human interest story about the dynamics of one
group engaging with another group and their differing
points of view and perspectives. Today we're going to
be talking about what Paul can teach us through his
particular example in this text that can help us shape
our priorities and put our focus in places it really
needs to be.
What has transpired in this story is a clash of
two world views of the gospel. From Paul's point of
view, when he returned to Jerusalem from one of his
many missions, he believed the gospel of Christ had
been effective in the lives of individuals and the
church was growing and flourishing.
However, in the outer, more remote regions of
Jerusalem, the gospel was perceived differently.
Their perception was basically if you accept Jesus
Christ as your Lord and Savior, you are set free from
the observance of law, which certainly caused the two
world views to be very different in their viewpoints
and perspectives.
What's simply going on here is a struggle between
the preferences of the two different groups. Now what
does that mean to a church in any generation? Well,
this story that is now nearly 2,000 years old is still
our story. It doesn't matter what particular slice of
the Christian church world we come out of.
There is a passage in the New Testament where
Paul talks about the various ways in which people
would preach the gospel. Paul said, I don't care as
long as the gospel is preached. If they discredit me
and simply preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and
that's their real motive, then as long as someone is
hearing about Jesus that's all that matters.
You know, I don't think Paul particularly enjoyed
going through this process of dealing with differing
world views of the gospel, none of us would. Some of
us would probably feel a little coerced or forced into
doing something which we're not accustom, but he did
it because he saw that the higher priority was let's
continue reaching people for Christ.
How much better it would be if we as a church
could say it doesn't matter whatever path we choose as
long as somebody finds Jesus Christ, as long as we
make a difference. Like the sermon title this morning
says, take it on the chin no matter what it is. There
are several directions we can go. Paul's experience
in this obscure story reminds us there will be times
just in the human experience we'll simply take a deep
breath and say it's okay as long as people are being
touched by the message of Jesus Christ.
How flexible are we as a congregation entering a
new year with our goal and mission being to reach
people for Jesus Christ? We don't mind doing this or
that because it is very insignificant compared to
reaching someone for our Lord and Savior. I think
there are some astounding things at our doorstep.
Let's let that question resonate within our hearts
today.
In the name of the Father, Son and the Holy
Spirit, Amen.