August 16th, 2012
Today’s reading from Encounter with God

Rough Justice

Please see the links to our EXTRA Bible Study notes at the bottom of the page.

Opening Prayer

Father, give me sight to see my sins, grace to confess them, the will to forsake them, wisdom to learn from them.

Read Acts 21:27-22:2

[27] When the seven days were nearly over, some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul at the temple. They stirred up the whole crowd and seized him, [28] shouting, “Fellow Israelites, help us! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people and our law and this place. And besides, he has brought Greeks into the temple and defiled this holy place.” [29] (They had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with Paul and assumed that Paul had brought him into the temple.) [30] The whole city was aroused, and the people came running from all directions. Seizing Paul, they dragged him from the temple, and immediately the gates were shut. [31] While they were trying to kill him, news reached the commander of the Roman troops that the whole city of Jerusalem was in an uproar. [32] He at once took some officers and soldiers and ran down to the crowd. When the rioters saw the commander and his soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. [33] The commander came up and arrested him and ordered him to be bound with two chains. Then he asked who he was and what he had done. [34] Some in the crowd shouted one thing and some another, and since the commander could not get at the truth because of the uproar, he ordered that Paul be taken into the barracks. [35] When Paul reached the steps, the violence of the mob was so great he had to be carried by the soldiers. [36] The crowd that followed kept shouting, “Get rid of him!” [37] As the soldiers were about to take Paul into the barracks, he asked the commander, “May I say something to you?” “Do you speak Greek?” he replied. [38] “Aren’t you the Egyptian who started a revolt and led four thousand terrorists out into the wilderness some time ago?” [39] Paul answered, “I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no ordinary city. Please let me speak to the people.” [40] After receiving the commander’s permission, Paul stood on the steps and motioned to the crowd. When they were all silent, he said to them in Aramaic: [1] “Brothers and fathers, listen now to my defense.” [2] When they heard him speak to them in Aramaic, they became very quiet. Then Paul said:

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society.

Meditate

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Rev. 2:7,11,17,29). Take some time now to listen to the Spirit.

Think Further

False accusation, mob rule and the cry of “Away with him” (36) all point to a strong connection between the experiences of Paul and Jesus. Jesus came to his own people “but his own did not receive him” (John 1:11). Now Paul endures similar treatment initiated by fellow Jews from the province of Asia and quickly reinforced by a large crowd in Jerusalem. Those best placed to understand Paul’s mission are the very ones most threatened by his message and most vigorous in their opposition. It was ever thus, as Stephen ably demonstrated in the very sermon that, ironically, precipitated his death in the presence of Saul (ch. 7)!

Often it is the most religious who find the Gospel most objectionable. It challenges preconceptions about God and the nature and scope of his grace. How easy to resist the Holy Spirit’s message of change because change attacks our traditions and our cozy understanding of whom God will save. Tim Keller’s book The Prodigal God, based on the story of the prodigal son, exposes the “elder brother” tendency prevalent in our hearts. He states: “The anger and superiority of elder brothers, all growing out of insecurity, fear and inner emptiness, can create a huge body of guilt-ridden, spiritually-blind people, which is one of the great sources of social injustice, war and violence.”

The Romans’ intervention saves Paul from certain death at the hands of the mob. The Roman commander is the first to listen to Paul. The crowd mentality means that little heed is given to what Paul has actually said and done. That’s the first sign of resisting the Holy Spirit; we just don’t listen. Our minds are made up before a word is spoken or any evidence examined. Weighing and discerning are essential, but stopped ears and hard hearts are ungodly—and unteachable.

Apply

It’s easy to caricature the views and actions of others. Is there someone or some group that you need to listen to in order to understand them properly?

Closing prayer

Lord, there are so many voices speaking to me these days, at times I fail to hear You. Help me filter out other voices and hear You clearly.

Click here to sign up to receive the EXTRAs via email each quarter.

© 2024 Scripture Union U.S.A. All rights reserved. Reproduction of the whole or any part of the contents without written permission is prohibited.

Encounter with God is published in the USA under license from Scripture Union England and Wales, Trinity House, Opal Court, Opal Drive, Fox Milne, Milton Keynes, MK15 0DF.

View all readings

Get ENCOUNTER:

in your email:

in Print:

Become a Member | Visit our store