MORE PLACES TO GO TO: DESTINATION JERUSALEM P/15

 

                                                                                    Read Part One HERE

A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS 

                        PART XXII - V

"I, Paul, had told the crowd in front of the temple that I had been stopped in my tracks by a bright Light when I was on my way to Damascus.... I had shared with them as well my encounter with the Voice from heaven.... This Voice had told me He was Jesus Whom I had been persecuting.... I had been told by that same Voice to go to Damascus to wait for His instructions....It was then time to tell them of my visitor in Damascus... A man named Ananias...I gave them specific details about this man Ananias... For they needed to know that he was a very devout and highly respected Jew... Moreover, they needed to know that it was because of his prayers that I could see once again... Everyone in front of me had accepted that I had been blinded by the bright Light from heaven... However, they knew too that I was no longer blind... For I could freely move around...Therefore, something must have happened to me to cause me to see once again.... It must, therefore, have made sense to them that the prayer prayed by the man Ananias had made me well."... Please read the typed out attachment when we learn what happened when Paul received prayer from a man named Ananias....

 

                    ATTACHMENT A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS

                                                          PART XXII - V

Paul then continued by telling the crowd in front of the temple in Jerusalem  about a man named Ananias who had come to see him, as you can read in Acts 22:12

"A man named Ananias came to see me. He was a devout observer of the law and higly respected by all the Jews living there."

The people would have wondered why Ananias had come to see Paul so he, realising that, shared the following details with them as you can read in Acts 22:13

"He (Ananias) stood beside me and said, "Brother Saul, receive your sight! And at that very moment I was able to see him."

Ananias had come for the purpose of praying for Paul's healing. And Paul was indeed healed the moment he was prayed for. 

Read Part Sixteen HERE

MORE PLACES TO GO TO: DESTINATION JERUSALEM P/14

 

                                                                                   Read Part One HERE

A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS 

                      PART XXII - IV

"I, Paul, allowed the crowd at the temple in Jerusalem a few moments to consider the revelation that the Voice I had heard from heaven when I was on my way to Damascus, was none other than the Voice of the Lord Jesus.... He is the One Whom I had been persecuting....I then shared with them that I needed to ask the Lord what to do next.... For I no longer knew what I was to do... The crowd needed to know that I was no longer the confident person I had been before my encounter with the bright Light from heaven... Before my encounter with the bright Light from heaven I knew exactly where I was going... And I knew what I was going to do...But since my encounter with the bright Light I had lost all confidence in myself... And I had lost confidence in my mission... I was then in need of new direction.... And only the Voice could give me that direction.... Thankfully the Voice spoke again... This time He told me to get up.... And then go into Damascus... I tried to get up... However, the bright Light had blinded me... So I could not see.... Therefore, I had to rely on my companions to take me by the hand... And that is how I entered Damascus."

                       ATTACHMENT A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS

                                                            PART XXII - IV

Paul then continued sharing with the crowd at the temple in Jerusalem his next question, which you can read about in Acts 22:10a

"What shall I do, Lord?" I asked.

All he could do was wait for the Voice to reply to him. All his confidence had vanished the moment he had seen the bright Light and had heard the Voice. The Voice did not wait long to speak again as you can read in Acts 22:10b

"Get up," the Lord said, "and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do."

The people looked at Paul wondering if what he had told them could be true for, surely, if he had been in the Presence of the Lord, as he had claimed, then he must have been affected by it in some way.... Then they next heard Paul tell them that he had been so blinded by the bright Light that he had needed help to get into Damascus as you can read in Acts 22:11

"My companions led me by the hand into Damascus, because the brilliance of the light blinded me."

That made sense to them... So they were willing to hear what more Paul had to say to them.

Read Part Fifteen HERE

MORE PLACES TO GO TO: DESTINATON JERUSALEM P/13

 Read Part One HERE

                                         
A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS

                    PART XXII - III

 "I, Paul, had shared with the crowd at the temple here in Jerusalem about the Voice from heaven Who had spoken to me when I was on my way to Damascus....I then waited.... I wondered what the people would think of my experience... I then noticed some people whispering to each other....No doubt, they were asking each other if what I had told them could be true... Thankfully, the whispering soon stopped... So I continued speaking.... I knew what I wanted to share next with them was of great importance.... For I was about to share with them Who had spoken to me.... It was Jesus of Nazareth Who had spoken to me!!... The revelation that Jesus Himelf had spoken to me had been a great shock to me at that time... Likewise, the people in front of me would equally be shocked to hear that the Lord Jesus had spoken to me... And they would be shocked to hear that I had been persecuting Him."... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn what Paul reveals about the Voice from heaven Who had spoken to him....

                    ATTACHMENT A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS

                                                            PART XXII - III

Paul could hear some of the crowd at the temple in Jerusalem murmuring to each other, "Could it be true that a Voice spoke to him?"... However, others told them to be quiet for they wanted to hear who had spoken to him. Paul then told the crowd that had asked the Person Who had spoken to him who He was as you can read in Acts 22:8a

"Who are You, Lord?"

The Voice then answered him in a way that he had never expected to hear as you can read in Acts 22:8b

"I am Jesus of Nazareth, Who you are persecuting."

Paul was, of course, shocked to hear these words. The crowd would have been shocked to hear these words as well. They would not have known what to make of them.

Read Part Fourteen HERE

MORE PLACES TO GO TO: DESTINATION JERUSALEM P/12

 

                                                                                    Read Part One HERE

A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS

                     PART XXII - II

"I, Paul, continued to tell my story about my trip to Damascus to the crowd in front of the temple here in Jerusalem... while doing so I watched their faces.... They seemed to quietly take in everything I had said so far... But I knew that their moods could change just like that... It was very important that they remain quiet....So I could finish my story... And could convince them that I am really one of them... I then knew it was time to tell them about the bright Light from heaven... So I did.... I needed to let them know as well that that this bright Light from heaven had had a great effect on me... So I told them I had fallen down after I saw that bright Light from heaven... Moreover, I needed to let them know about this Voice from heaven... And that this Voice from heaven had called me by my name....And they needed, furthermore, to know that this Voice from heaven had asked me a question I never expected to hear."....Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn of Paul's continued speech to the crowd gathered in front of the temple....

                         ATTACHMENT A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS

                                                              PART XXII - II

The crowd in front of the temple in Jersualem had been listening intently to all the details Paul had shared... So far these details had been very encouraging. Perhaps they had misjudged this man Paul and he was one of them after all, just as he had said....                                                                                        Paul looked at the faces in front of him wondering what their reaction would be to the rest of his story. He knew that so far they had been very happy with what he had told them. But he was now going to share with them what had happened when he had come to Damascus. And he was not sure what they would think of his experience at that time. He knew one thing: he needed to be very detailed about what he was going to share with them for they needed to know everything what had happened to him that day in order for them to be able to judge correctly what had taken place. So he began to tell them about a brigh Light from heaven as you can read in Acts 22:6

"About noon, as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright Light from heaven flashed around me."

He could sense the people wondering what his reaction had been to this bright Light so he continued by telling them that he had fallen to the ground as you can read in Acts 22:7

"I fell to the ground and heard a Voice say to me, "Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute Me?"

Pau then shared that he had been addressed by a Voice he had never heard before. And that this Voice made a statement about him he had never even considered.

Read Part Thirteen HERE

MORE PLACES TO GO TO: DESTINATION JERUSALEM P/11

 

                                                                                   Read Part One HERE

A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS 

                       PART XXII - I                                                                                          

"I, Paul, looked at the crowd that had gathered at the temple here in Jerusalem..... It was hard to believe they were the same people who only a moment ago had been beating me... They may well have beaten me to death if the Roman Commander had not stepped in... I then began to speak to them in Aramaic....For that is the language they speak... I began to share with them that I too am Jewish as they are....And that I love God just as they do.... I told them as well that I was trained by none other than Gamaliel....Everyone in Jerusalem knows and respects Gamaliel... It is a real honour to have been trained by Gamaliel.... I next shared with them that I was the great persecutor of the followers of Jesus... Because I believed that pleased God....And that I had even gone to Damascus to find these followers of Jesus."....Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn what Paul began to share with the crowd in front of the temple....

 

                     ATTACHMENT A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS

                                                               PART XXII - I                                                                                        

Paul had been saved from the rioters in Jersualem by the Roman Commander who allowed him to speak to the crowd. And he spoke to them in Aramaic as you can read in Acts 22:2

When they heard in speak in Aramaic, they became very quiet.

Paul knew it was important for the people to know who he was and what his background was as you can read in Acts 22:3

Then Paul said, "I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city. Under Gamaliel I was thoroughly trained in the law of our fathers and just as jealous for God as any of you are today."

Paul wanted these Jewish people in front of him to know that he was one of them for he too was a Jew, like they were. Moreover, he had been trained in the law of Moses. He, furthermore, told them who had trained him in the law of Moses: it was none other than Gamaliel who had trained him. Everyone there would have known Gamaliel for he was a very well known and highly respected Pharisee.

He next shared with them that as a trained Pharisee, he had begun to persecute the followers of the Way, not just in Jerusalem, but all the way to Damascus as you can read in Acts 22:4-5

"I persecuted the followers of this Way to their death, arresting both men and women and throwing them into prison, as also the High Priest and the Council can testify. I even obtained letters from them to their brothers in Damascus and went there to bring these people as prisoners to Jerusalem to be punished."     

The crowd in front of him listened intently to Paul as he shared these details with them.

Read Part Twelve HERE

                                                                                  

MORE PLACES TO GO TO: DESTINATION JERUSALEM P/10

   

                                                                                  Read Part One HERE

A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS

                        PART XXI - V

"My Jewish brothers here in Jerusalem are very fickle... And I, Paul, used to be like them.... Thankfully, the Lord has changed me so much.... The reason I say this is because earlier on they were beating me.... But God preserved my life by sending the Roman commander to me.... He stopped them from continuing to beat me....He then had me arrested.... No doubt, that was for my sake.... That way he could keep me safe.... I then asked if I could address the crowd.... He allowed me to do so once he realised that I am a Jew... I then stood on the steps of the temple and motioned to the crowd... They became silent.... The same people who not too long ago had been rioting and beating me were then silent.... That was a God-given opportunity to speak to them... However, I knew I should handle it wisely... So I began to address them as brothers and fathers... And I spoke to them in our common language.... The Aramaic language.".... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn of the time that Paul addressed the crowd outside the temple....

      

                    ATTACHMENT A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS

                                                           PART XXI - V

The Jews in Jerusalem even tried to kill Paul but, thankfully, the commander of the Roman troops was able to prevent that from happening as you can read in Acts 21:32

He at once took some officers and soldiers and ran down to the crowd. When the rioters saw the commander and soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.

The commander had Paul arrested. However, after Paul asked if he could speak to the people, the commander gave him permission as you can read in Acts 21:40 - Acts 22:1

Having received 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, "Brothers and fathers, listen now to my defense."

Once the commander realised that Paul was a Jew, he allowed him to speak to the people. Paul addressed them in their own language. Hearing him speak to them in their own language helped them to quiet down. 

Read Part Eleven HERE

          

MORE PLACES TO GO TO: DESTINATION JERUSALEM P/9

 Read Part One HERE

A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS 

                     PART XXI - IV

"I, Paul, have been on quite a journey.... But I eventually managed to arrive in Jerusalem.... I have been staying at the home of one of the believers since my arrival... The first day after my arrival I went to see James... I met with other leaders of the church as well....They asked me to join some men in their purification rites.... For that would help all the Jewish people know that I am still living in obedience to the law of Moses.... I did so.... Nevertheless, a riot broke out... I was dragged from the temple... It seems the warnings of the Holy Spirit about me having to face challenges while in Jerusalem are beginning to come true."... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn of his meeting with James and the elders of the church in Jerusalem....

                         ATTACHMENT A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS

                                                              PART XXI - IV 

Once Paul arrived in Jerusalem he went to see James and the elders of the church in Jerusalem as you can read in Acts 21:18

The next day Paul and the rest of us went to see James, and all the elders were present.

At the meeting the elders brought up some rumours that had arisen among the Jews that Paul was no longer obedient to the Jewish laws, so they asked him to confirm there is no truth to these rumours as you can read in Acts 21:21-24

"They have been informed that you each all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses, telling them not to circumcise their childrten or live according to our customs.What shalll we do? They will certainly hear that you have come, so do what we tell you. There are four men with us who have made a vow. Take these men, join in their purification rites and pay their expenses, so that they can have their heads shaved. Then everybody will know that there is no truth in these reports about you, but that you yourself are living in obedience to the law."

Nevertheless, a riot broke out related to Paul because of a misunderstanding. Soon the whole city was in uproar as we can read in Acts 21:30

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.

It looks like Paul's life is in danger  of being killed by a mob.

Read Part Ten HERE

                      

MORE PLACES TO GO TO: DESTINATION JERUSALEM P/8

 

                                                                                    Read Part One HERE

A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACT

                      PART XXI - III 

"While I, Paul, was visting Philip, the evangelist in Casarea, we welcomed the prophet Agabus in our midst.... He was known among us as a true prophet.... He had in the past predicted about a famine.... At that time believers had provided financial help for those who might be in need of it... It was very good to see him again... He came to warn me that difficulties would arise for me once I arrived in Jerusalem... I thanked him for his warning knowing that it is indeed true... But I would not be persuaded to cancel my trip to Jerusalem... I knew that it was the Lord's will for me to go there... The believers in Caesarea then understood that nothing they said would make me change my mind... It was then time for me to leave... Some of the believers accompanied me... We eventually arrived at the home of a believer named Mnason... He welcomed me in his home... I have now arrived in Jerusalem."... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn of Paul's meeting in Caesarea with the prophet Agabus...

                     ATTACHMENT A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS

                                                           PART XXI - III

Even the words of a visiting prophet named Agabus, who had come to Caesarea, could not stop Paul from going up to Jerusalem as you can read in Acts 21:11-15

Coming over to us, he took Paul's belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, "The Holy Spirit sauys, "In this way the Jews of Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles." When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, "Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus." When he would not be dissuaded, we gave up and said, "The Lord's will be done." After this, we got ready and went up to Jerusalem.

Paul was determined to go to Jerusalem and he was fully prepared to face any opposition... His life was in God's hands and He trusted God to take care of him regardless of the circumstances. Once the believers in Caesarea understood that, they were willing to let him go and some believers even accompanied him to Jerusalem as you can read in Acts 21:16

Some of the disciples from Caesarea accompanied us, and brought us to the home of Mnason, where we were to stay. He was a man from Cyprus and one of the early disciples.

So Paul finally arrived in Jerusalem.

Read Part Nine HERE

MORE PLACES TO GO TO: DESTINATION JERUSALEM P/7

   

                                                                                    Read Part One HERE

A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS

                       PART XXI - II

"Having left Tyre, I, Paul, continued my journey to Jerusalem... However, before getting there I had a stopover at Caesarea.... I decided to see if the evangelist Philip was in town... I knew where he lived so I went to his home.... And I knocked on his door.... To my delight he himself opened the door... We had a great reunion.... At one point in my life he was my enemy... It was because of me that Philip had to leave Jersusalem... For I persecuted the Church in those days... But I no longer persecute the Church... I now preach the Good News of the Lord Jesus Christ.. As does Philip... So today we are brothers in Christ.... I can now see how God used even the persecution by sending Philip to Samaria to preach the Gospel there....He eventually ended up in Caesarea.... And he is still in Caesarea.... How amazing is our God!!... Only He could have worked things out in such a way that Philip and I are brothers in Christ.... And we are co-workers in the Kingdom of God.".... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn of Paul's stopover in Caesarea...

                          ATTACHMENT A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS

                                                            PART XXI - II

Paul, having left Tyre, continued his journey to Jerusalem, stopping at Caesarea, where he stayed at the home of Philip, the evangelist. Philip had originally travelled from Jersualem to a city in Samaria after persecution had broken out as you can read in Acts 8:5

Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Christ there.

He was then told to go to the Desert Road where he ment an Ethiopian eunuch when he shared the Gospel with him and afterwards baptised him as you can read in Acts 8:38

And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptised him.

Philip from there on travelled to other places, eventually ending up in Caesarea as you can read in Acts 8:40

Philip, however, appeared in Azotus and travelled about, preaching the Gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.

That is where Paul finds him as you can read in Acts 21:8-9

Leaving the next day, we reached Caesarea and stayed at the house of Philip, the evangelist, one of the Seven.

Their meeting would have been a very happy occasion. They will have remembered the time that Paul was the archenemy of the believers. But today he was one of them... Only God could have made that possible... No doubt, Paul shared with Philip his burden to go to Jersualem, despite what he senses will happen to him there.

Read Part Eight HERE