Paul in Jerusalem

Paul comes to Jerusalem by Pentecost by AD 57.

• He had lots of training in the city 15-20 years before this & knew the city well.
• Paul knew this journey would be his last so he shared as much as possible with the church leaders.
  The Jews had been fed false reports about Paul before he even got to the city.
• The liars claimed Paul was teaching them to forsake Moses & not to observe the commandments.
• The church leaders were concerned about the Jew's response to Paul's presence so they had a plan to help Paul blend in.
• The plan involved purification & Paul chose to give up his rights to differ to the Jewish culture.
  Trouble makers spread rumors about Paul when they saw him in the city causing an uproar.
• The Jews thought Paul brought a Gentile into the holy area of the temple.
  The uproar is so bad, hundreds of Roman soldiers had to come down to rescue Paul.
• The leader of the Roman soldier's must have been very confused about Paul. He thought Paul was a convicted insurgent & then was shocked when Paul spoke Greek and made a respectful request.
• Paul turns around and requests to speak to the very crowd that the soldiers had rescued him from.
  This chapter leaves us with a cliff hanger.
  Lessons Paul wants us to learn:

1. Stand firm in the Gospel & proclaim it boldly @ every opportunity.
2. Where it doesn't violate the gospel, seek to accommodate others.
3. Be humble & bold.
4. Be aware of areas in other people's lives that is an area of weakness that may cause them to fall and avoid that area to build them up.