ACTS SERIES: "A Misunderstood Missionary"

Sermon Scripture:  Acts 21:17-36

Sermon Notes are available for you to follow along below, or are available for download here

Sermon Notes:

ONE BIG QUESTION:

• Do we as a church consider the people we are trying to reach as more important than ____________?
  • Are we so hopeful that God will work in the future that we are willing to be _____________ today?
  • Are we willing to say, “This is not about _____?”
  • Are we willing to be misunderstood for the sake of reaching lost people?

A Misunderstood Missionary

• Paul was misunderstood in his ___________. (21:1-16)
  • His Christian friends tried to ___________ him from danger.
  • Paul was relentless in his ____________ of Jesus, in spite of danger.
• Paul was misunderstood in his _____________. (21:17-40)
  • The elders in Jerusalem heard about Paul’s work among the Gentiles and ____________.
  • The elders then express concern about Paul’s teachings to the Jews that were based on ________.
    • Some thought Paul was teaching _______ they should no longer follow the OT law.
    • Paul had only taught ___________ that they were not required to keep the OT law.
      • God’s grace gave the Gentiles freedom to __________ from the law.
      • God’s grace gave the Jews freedom to __________ the law.
        
  • The elders ask Paul to publicly display his unity with the Jewish church by performing a vow.
    • Question: Why would Paul go through with it?
      • Paul loved the __________ nation. (Romans 9:1)
      • Paul loved the __________. (1 Cor. 9:19-22)
      • Paul desired __________ within the church.
      • Paul desired __________ between Jews and Gentiles.
    • Question: Did Paul compromise the gospel?
      • Though some may question Paul’s judgment, the motive of his heart was _______.
      • Paul was trying to become all things to all men in order to save _______.
      • Paul acted out of _______ by trying to avoid being offensive to his Jewish brothers.
  • Paul is arrested after some Jews assume he brought a Gentile into the inner courts of the temple.
    • Just like Jesus, Paul was falsely ___________.
    • Just like Jesus, Paul was wrongfully ___________.
• Paul was misunderstood in his ____________. (22:1-29)
  • He told about his former ___________. (v. 1-5)
    • When you share your testimony, tell about your past without glorifying your _______.
  • He told about his miraculous ____________. (v. 6-16)
    • When you share your testimony, make it more about _________ than about _______.
  • He told about his special ___________. (v. 17-21)
    • When you share your testimony, elevate God’s purpose of _________ in the gospel.
• Even if we are misunderstood…
  • Let’s be fervent to __________ for the lost.
  • Let’s be faithful to __________ to the lost.