Saint Paul Rescued from the Multitude

In one paragraph

Pastor Mark walked through five chapters of Acts, following Paul from his arrival in Jerusalem through his imprisonment, his appearances before the Sanhedrin, Governor Felix, Governor Festus, and finally King Agrippa. The message stayed close to the text, reading long stretches of scripture and letting the events carry the weight. The thread running through all of it was Paul telling his story,...

Read together

1. Acts 21:15-17 Paul and companions arrive in Jerusalem, welcomed by the brothers and sisters
2. Acts 21:18-26 Paul meets with James and elders, agrees to join men in purification ceremony
3. Acts 21:27-32 Jews from Asia rouse a mob against Paul in the temple, Roman commander intervenes
4. Acts 21:33-36 Paul arrested, bound with two chains, crowd cries kill him
5. Acts 21:37-40 Paul asks commander to speak, addresses crowd in Aramaic
6. Acts 22:1-21 Paul gives his defense, recounting his conversion and call to the Gentiles
7. Acts 22:22-29 Crowd erupts at mention of Gentiles, Paul invokes his Roman citizenship
8. Acts 22:30 Commander orders Paul brought before the high council
9. Acts 23:1-10 Paul before the Sanhedrin, divides council by invoking resurrection
10. Acts 23:11 The Lord appears to Paul and tells him he must preach in Rome
11. Acts 23:12-22 Plot to kill Paul uncovered, his nephew warns the commander
12. Acts 23:23-35 Commander sends Paul under guard to Governor Felix with a letter
13. Acts 24:1-9 Tertullus presents charges against Paul before Felix
14. Acts 24:10-21 Paul presents his defense before Felix
15. Acts 24:22-27 Felix adjourns, keeps Paul in custody for two years
16. Acts 25:1-12 Festus hears accusations against Paul, Paul appeals to Caesar
17. Acts 25:13-27 King Agrippa arrives, Festus describes Paul's case
18. Acts 26:1-23 Paul gives his defense before Agrippa, recounts his conversion again
19. Acts 26:24-32 Festus calls Paul insane, Paul appeals to Agrippa, found innocent
20. 2 Corinthians 13:14 Benediction closing the service

Talk about it

1. Paul kept telling his story every time he got the chance, even in chains before kings and commanders. When did you last tell someone what God has done in your life, and what holds you back from doing it more often?
2. The Jerusalem church leaders were worried about what people had heard through the rumor mill about Paul. How do you think a congregation should handle situations where a reputation, fairly or unfairly, gets ahead of the truth?
3. Paul appealed to the division between the Pharisees and Sadducees to buy himself breathing room. He was playing it smart in a dangerous situation. Where is the line between wise as serpents and harmless as doves when you are defending yourself or your faith?
4. Felix kept putting off a decision about Paul for two years, partly out of political calculation and partly hoping for a bribe. What does his procrastination say about what it costs us when we refuse to act on what we already know is right?
5. Paul told Agrippa he prayed that everyone in that room would become like him, except for the chains. He wanted people to share his faith but not his suffering. What does that kind of genuine, costly desire for others look like in your own relationships?