PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Acts 21:17-26
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“Then everyone will know… that you yourself are living in obedience to the law.” (Acts 21:24)
To follow the law of Moses or not – this was a serious controversy.
For Jewish Jesus followers, the law was ingrained into their whole being.
They knew Jesus fulfilled the law, but it was still important to them.
In a sense, they were enslaved to the law, not fully realizing their freedom.
Paul didn’t see himself as under the Moses law, but he was willing to follow it.
“To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law.” (1 Corinthians 9:20)
His motivation was love and a desire to meet people where they were, to show them Jesus.
He was willing to accommodate their practices in humility to win them to Jesus.
I meet Jesus followers who live under heavy religious restrictions.
Strict or traditional ways of reading the bible that they insist all must obey.
It is not my job to flaunt my freedom or to irritate or provoke them.
I can respect them, even if I disagree with their views, to win them to Jesus.
Over time, in relationship, with the Spirit, they may grow in their freedom in Jesus.
PRAYER
Lord, I have my own religious hang ups, limited ways of understanding my full freedom in you. Help me to be as patient and sensitive with others in their limitations, as you are with me.
Paul was still a Jew – and he worked hard to communicate the good news of Jesus the Messiah to Jews but also to Gentiles. Paul could speak to both kinds of believers – both Hebrew and Gentile. To avoid offense he could still practice the traditions of his Jewish background – and he preached that those rituals were not required for new believers. Yet, the believers from Hebrew origin would find Paul’s neglect of his Jewish background would be offensive. Paul tried to win the ‘ear’ of Hebrews by speaking to them through their traditions and win the non Hebrews by not requiring them to be Hebrews. We have freedom in Christ and Paul practiced it! Lord help me also to be open and discerning so that I may ‘win’ over more people to consider you as the saviour!
Be an influence of peace and let the peace of Christ flow through His followers. How I live for Jesus and how others live for Him may be different but we both serve the Lord. Serving Him in Christian education there are many different practises of those sending their children to the school, but we all had the same desire to raise His children serving the Lord. That is my desire still today – Christians serving Him as one in the Lord.
1
Praise Him, praise Him, all ye little children,
God is love, God is love;
Praise Him, praise Him, all ye little children,
God is love, God is love.
2
Love Him, love Him, all ye little children,
God is love, God is love;
Love Him, love Him, all ye little children,
God is love, God is love.
3
Thank Him, thank Him, all ye little children,
God is love, God is love;
Thank Him, thank Him, all ye little children,
God is love, God is love.