Sermon Notes: Acts 21:27-36, Prayer for the Persecuted Church
Have you ever felt physically unsafe because of your faith in Christ? If so, when?
Paul Faces Persecution
“When the seven days were almost completed, the Jews from Asia, seeing [Paul] in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd and laid hands on him,crying out, ‘Men of Israel, help! This is the man who is teaching everyone everywhere against the people and the law and this place. Moreover, he even brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.’For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, and they supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple.Then all the city was stirred up, and the people ran together. They seized Paul and dragged him out of the temple, and at once the gates were shut.And as they were seeking to kill him, word came to the tribune of the cohort that all Jerusalem was in confusion. He at once took soldiers and centurions and ran down to them. And when they saw the tribune and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. Then the tribune came up and arrested [Paul] and ordered him to be bound with two chains. He inquired who he was and what he had done.Some in the crowd were shouting one thing, some another. And as he could not learn the facts because of the uproar, he ordered him to be brought into the barracks.And when he came to the steps, he was actually carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the crowd,for the mob of the people followed, crying out, ‘Away with him!’” (Acts 21:27-36)
What reason do the leaders of the mob give for beating up Paul?
How does the Roman government respond to the situation?
As someone who lives in America, does it seem weird to you that people are physically harming someone because of his faith? Why or why not?
“far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death. Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea.” (2 Corinthians 11:23-25)
According to the verse above, was it out of the ordinary for Paul to face violence over his missionary work? What other kinds of things happened to him?
Why do you think so many people reacted violently to Paul’s ministry?
Persecution Today
What stories do you remember from Sunday morning of Christians being persecuted for their faith right now? Did it surprise you that there is so much persecution of Christians going on worldwide?
Why do you think so many people in so many places are eager to persecute Christians?
What could you do to help your brothers and sisters in Christ who face persecution for their faith?
If you lived in a country where it is physically unsafe to be a Christian, would you still follow Christ? How would it change your faith to live in a place like that?