Giving Trip Gone Bad But Made Good By God
Note: Jesus Christ never wanted Paul to go to Jerusalem.
In which pursuit also
traveling to Damascus with authority and power of decision from the
chief priests, at midday, along the highway, O king, I and those with
me saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun; shining around me.
And all of us falling to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me and
saying in the Hebrew dialect, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me? It
is hard for you to kick against the goads. And I said, Who are you,
lord? And He said, I am Jesus whom you persecute. But rise and stand on
your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a
minister and a witness both of what you saw, and in what I shall appear
to you; delivering you from the people and the nations, to whom I now
send you in order to open their eyes so that they may turn from
darkness to light, and from the authority of Satan to God, so that they
may receive remission of sins and an inheritance among those who are
sanctified by faith in Me. Acts 26:12-18
Note: Paul made a vow to go to Jerusalem for Pentecost.
And Paul having
remained many days more, taking leave of the brothers, he sailed from
there into Syria. And Priscilla and Aquila were with him. And Paul had
shorn his head in Cenchrea, for he had a vow. And he came to Ephesus
and left them there. But he himself entered into the synagogue and
reasoned with the Jews. And they asking him to stay a longer time with
them, he did not consent but took leave of them, saying, I must by all
means keep this feast that is coming in Jerusalem, but I will return
again to you, God willing. And he sailed from Ephesus. And when he had
landed at Caesarea and had gone up to greet the church, he went down to
Antioch. Acts 18:18-22
Note: Paul asked a collection for Jerusalem church from many Gentile churches.
But now I am going to
Jerusalem to minister to the saints. For it has pleased those of
Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints
in Jerusalem. Truly it has pleased them, and they are their debtors.
For if the nations have been made partakers of their spiritual things,
their duty is also to minister to them in fleshly things. Romans
15:25-27
Note: Paul asked a collection for Jerusalem church from many Gentile churches.
And concerning the
collection for the saints, as I charged the churches of Galatia, so
also you do. On the first of the sabbaths let each of you put by
himself, storing up whatever he is prospered, so that there may be no
collections when I come. And when I come, whomever you shall approve by
your letters, I will send them to bring your gift to Jerusalem. And if
it is suitable for me to go also, they shall go with me. 1 Corinthians
16:1-4
Note: Paul reminded the Corinth church about giving to the Jerusalem church.
And, brothers, we
make known to you the grace of God which has been given among the
churches of Macedonia; that in much testing of trouble, the overflowing
of their joy, and the depth of their poverty, abounded to the riches of
their generosity. For I testify that according to their ability, and
beyond their ability; they gave willingly; with much beseeching,
begging us that they might receive of us the grace and the fellowship
of the ministry to the saints. And not as we hoped, but first they gave
themselves to the Lord, and to us through the will of God, for us to
call on Titus, that even as he began before, so he would also complete
this grace to you also. But even as you abound in everything, in faith,
and in word, and in knowledge, and in all earnestness, and in your love
to us; you should abound in this grace also. I do not speak according
to command, but through the eagerness of others, and testing the
trueness of your love. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
that, though He was rich, for your sakes He became poor, in order that
you might be made rich through His poverty. And in this I give my
judgment; for this is profitable for you, who began before, not only to
do, but also to be willing a year ago. But now also finish the doing of
it, so that, as there was a readiness to will, so also the finishing,
giving out of what you have. For if the eagerness is present, it is
acceptable according to what one has, and not according to what one
does not have. For it is not that others may have ease, but you
trouble; but by equality in the present time; your abundance for their
need, that their abundance also may be for your need; so that there may
be equality; as it is written, "He gathering much, he had nothing left
over; and he gathering little did not have less." 2 Corinthians 8:1-15
For indeed regarding
the ministry to the saints, it is not necessary for me to write to you.
For I know your eagerness, of which I boast to Macedonia on your
behalf, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal has aroused the
greater number. Yet I sent the brothers, lest our boasting (which is on
your behalf) should not be in vain, that, as I said, you may be ready.
I say this lest perhaps Macedonians should come with me and find you
unprepared. We (not to say you) would then be put to shame in this
confident boasting. Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the
brothers that they would go forward to you, and make up beforehand your
blessing, it having been promised that this would be ready, thus as a
matter of blessing, and not as of covetousness. 2 Corinthians 9:1-5
Note: The Holy Spirit warned Paul not to return to Jerusalem.
And from Miletus he
sent to Ephesus and called the elders of the church. And when they had
come to him, he said to them, You know how I was with you at all times,
from the first day I arrived in Asia, serving the Lord with all
humility of mind, and many tears and temptations happening to me
through the plots of the Jews; and how I kept back nothing that was
profitable, but have shown you and have taught you publicly, and from
house to house, testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks,
repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. And now,
behold, I am going bound by the Spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the
things that shall happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit
witnesses in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions await me.
Acts 20:17-23
And sighting Cyprus,
and leaving it on the left, we sailed into Syria, and came down to
Tyre. For the ship was to unload its cargo there. And finding
disciples, we stayed there seven days; who said to Paul through the
Spirit that he should not go up to Jerusalem. Acts 21:3-4
And as we stayed more
days, a certain prophet from Judea named Agabus came down. And coming
to us, and taking Paul's belt, and binding his hands and feet, he said,
The Holy Spirit says these things: So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind
the man whose belt this is, and will deliver him into the hands of the
nations. And when we heard these things, both we and those of the place
begged him not to go up to Jerusalem. Acts 21:10-12
Note: Did James and the elders glorify God due to the Gentile money?
And we being in
Jerusalem, the brothers received us gladly. And on the next day Paul
went with us to James. And all the elders were present. And having
greeted them, he related one by one what things God had done among the
nations by his ministry. And hearing, they glorified the Lord, and said
to him, you see, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are who
believe, and they are all zealous of the Law. Acts 21:17-20
Note: Was the Jerusalem church poor due to being zealous for the Law?
Therefore do this,
what we say to you: We have four men who have a vow on themselves;
taking them, be purified with them, and be at expense for them, so that
they may shave their heads. And all may know that what they have been
told about you is nothing, but you yourself also walk orderly and keep
the Law. Acts 21:23-24
Note: The Jerusalem temple was a den of thieves.
And they came to
Jerusalem. And entering into the temple, Jesus began to cast out those
who bought and sold in the temple. And He overthrew the tables of the
money-changers and the seats of those who sold doves. And He would not
allow any to carry a vessel through the temple. And He taught, saying
to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called the house of
prayer for all nations?’ But you have made it a den of thieves.” And
the scribes and the chief priests heard. And they sought how they might
destroy Him. For they feared Him, because all the people were
astonished at His doctrine. Mark 11:15-18
Note: What was the Law according to Leviticus?
Lev 1:3 If his offering is a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish.
Lev 1:10 And if his
offering is of the flocks, of the sheep, or of the goats, for a burnt
offering, he shall bring a male without blemish.
Lev 1:14 And if the
burnt sacrifice for his offering to the LORD is out of fowls, then he
shall bring his offering of turtle-doves or of young pigeons.
Lev 2:1 And when anyone will offer a food offering to the LORD, his offering shall be of fine flour.
Lev 2:4 And if
you bring a sacrifice of a food offering baked in the oven, it shall be
unleavened cakes of fine flour mixed with oil, or unleavened wafers
anointed with oil.
Lev 2:11 Any food offering which you shall bring to the LORD shall not be made with leaven.
Lev 2:13 And every sacrifice of your food offering shall you season with salt.
Lev 3:1 And if his
offering is a sacrifice of peace offering, if he offers from the herd,
whether it is a male or female, he shall offer it without blemish
before the LORD.
Lev 4:1-3 And the
LORD spoke to Moses saying, Speak to the sons of Israel, saying: If a
soul shall sin through ignorance against any of the commandments of
Jehovah concerning things which ought not to be done, and shall do any
one of them, if the priest who is anointed sins, resulting in guilt to
the people, then he shall bring for his sin, which he has sinned, a
young bull, a son of the herd without blemish, to the LORD for a sin
offering.
Note: John the Baptist had declared Jesus Christ as the ultimate sacrifice.
The next day John
sees Jesus coming to him and says, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes
away the sin of the world! This is He of whom I said, After me comes a
Man who has been before me, for He preceded me. And I did not know Him,
but that He be revealed to Israel, therefore I have come baptizing with
water.” And John bore record, saying, “I saw the Spirit descending from
Heaven like a dove, and He abode on Him. And I did not know Him, but He
who sent me to baptize with water, that One said to me, ‘Upon whom you
shall see the Spirit descending, and remaining upon Him, He is the One
who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I saw and bore record that this
is the Son of God.” John 1:29-34
Note: Jesus Christ declared Himself the ultimate sacrifice of the New Covenant.
“For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” Matthew 26:28
And He said to them, “This is My blood of the New Covenant, which is poured out for many.” Mark 14:24
In the same way He
took the cup, after having dined, saying, “This cup is the new covenant
in My blood, which is being poured out for you.” Luke 22:20
Note: Jesus Christ reminded Paul that he was going to Rome.
And the following
night the Lord stood by him and said, be of good cheer, Paul, for as
you have testified of Me in Jerusalem, so you also must bear witness at
Rome. Acts 23:11
Note: Paul had time to write about the New Covenant back to Jerusalem.
And he commanded a
centurion to keep Paul and to let him have liberty, and not to forbid
anyone of his own to minister or come to him. Acts 24:23
But when Christ had
become a high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more
perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this
building nor by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood He
entered once for all into the Holies, having obtained eternal
redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and of goats and the ashes
of a heifer sprinkling the unclean sanctifies to the purifying of the
flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ (who through the eternal
Spirit offered Himself without spot to God) purge your conscience from
dead works to serve the living God? And for this cause He is the
Mediator of the new covenant, so that by means of death, for the
redemption of the transgressions that were under the first covenant,
those who are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.
For where a covenant is, the death of him covenanting must be offered.
For a covenant is affirmed over those dead, since it never has force
when The one covenanting is living. From which we see that neither was
the first covenant dedicated without blood. For when Moses had spoken
every precept to all the people according to the Law, he took the blood
of calves and of goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and
sprinkled both the book, and all the people, saying, "This is the blood
of the covenant which God has enjoined to you." And likewise he
sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the
ministry. And almost all things are by the law purged with blood, and
without shedding of blood is no remission. Therefore it was necessary
that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with
these, but the heavenly things themselves were purified with better
sacrifices than these. For Christ has not entered into the Holy of
Holies made with hands, which are the figures of the true, but into
Heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us. Nor yet
that He should offer Himself often, even as the high priest enters into
the Holy of Holies every year with the blood of others (for then He
must have suffered often since the foundation of the world), but now
once in the end of the world He has appeared to put away sin by the
sacrifice of Himself. Hebrews 9:11-26
Note: Luke had the opportunity to write his Gospel while in Caesarea.
Since many took in
hand to draw up an account concerning the matters which have been borne
out among us, even as those who from the beginning delivered to us,
becoming eye-witnesses and ministers of the Word, it seemed good to me
also, following all things accurately from the very first, to write to
you in order, most excellent Theophilus, so that you might know the
certainty of those things in which you have been instructed. Luke 1:1-4
Note: Giving should be directed toward the basic needs of food and clothing.
But godliness with
contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and
it is clear that we can carry nothing out. But having food and
clothing, we will be content. But they who will be rich fall into
temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts which
plunge men into destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a
root of all evils, of which some having lusted after, they were seduced
from the faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 1
Timothy 6:6-10
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