The readings from Acts chapter 21, starting in verse 1, and the page number in the church
Bible is 1117.
After we had torn ourselves away from them, we put out to sea and sailed straight to Kos.
The next day we went to Rhodes, and from there to Patara.
We found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, went on board and set sail.
After sighting Cyprus and passing to the south of it, we sailed on to Syria.
We landed at Tyre, where our ship was to unload its cargo.
Finding the disciples there, we stayed with them seven days.
Through the Spirit, they urged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem.
But when our time was up, we left and continued on our way.
All the disciples and their wives and children accompanied us out of the city,
and there on the beach we knelt to pray.
After saying goodbye to each other, we went aboard the ship, and they returned home.
We continued our voyage from Tyre and landed at Ptolemaeus,
where we greeted the brothers and stayed with them for a day.
Leaving the next day, we reached Caesarea and stayed at the house of Philip the Evangelist,
one of the seven.
He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied.
After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.
Coming over to us, he took Paul's belt, tied his own hands and feet with it, and said,
The Holy Spirit says,
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 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.
Some of the disciples from Caesarea accompanied us and brought us to the home of Nassan,
where we were to stay.
He was a man from Cyprus and one of the early disciples.
When we arrived at Jerusalem, the brothers received us warmly.
The next day, Paul and the rest of us went to see James, and all the elders were present.
Paul greeted them and reported in detail what God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.
Thanks very much, Simon.
Well, this morning we're going to be ambitious,
and we're going to be looking at three long chapters.
We're not going to read them all, but I do think they are a unit,
and we'll see what they have to tell us.
As Ralph helpfully reminded us earlier, it's not just history, it's actually our history.
It's the history of this church, how it began,
and it's also helping us to see how that mission continues, even in our day.
So let's pray and ask for God's help as we look at his word together.
Father, we thank you for this amazing account
for Luke who wrote down
all that Jesus' name,
all that Jesus began to do and teach through his gospel,
and all that he continues to do through the risen Jesus.
we thank you for this church.
We thank you that our lives and this church is anchored in history
and is anchored in the future,
which gives us meaning and purpose for today,
that we are people who are living out the mission of God.
Lord, please help us this morning to grasp
what that means for us individually,
what it means for us corporately,
and that by your Spirit you would empower us
and that you would equip us as your people
to live that out
in all its wonder
and in its danger.
Please help us this morning, we pray.
In Jesus' name we ask.
Amen.
You've probably never heard of them.
They live hidden away,
deep in the valleys of the Himalayas,
one of the least evangelised
and extreme regions on the face of the earth.
The Kalasha people live here.
They fear mountain fairies
and demonic dogs.
They worship their dead
and they don't know who Jesus is.
The six million Babhi people
also live in the Himalayas.
Between them they have 330 million gods,
but yet they don't have a Saviour.
Today, there are no known believers
among either group.
You see, there are still places
in our world
where the Gospel
has not yet been heard.
And there are still people
who walk this planet
who are still untouched
by the Gospel.
Now, I have a question
about all of this.
But it's not a question for me
and it's not a question for you.
It's a question
that we are going to direct at God.
You see, God has made a promise
that the Gospel
would reach
every people group
on the face
of the earth.
We read it
at the beginning of Acts
and it sets out
the whole theme
of the book.
Let's read it again.
Acts chapter 1
verse 8.
Where the risen Jesus
speaks to his disciples
and this is what he tells them
in Acts 1 verse 8.
You will receive power
when the Holy Spirit
comes on you
and you will be my witnesses
in Jerusalem
and in all Judea
and Samaria
and to the ends
of the earth.
literally to the unreached
peoples of the world.
Now, I want to know
will God keep his promise?
Will God make sure
that the Kalasha people
and the Babhi people
who are living
in the valleys
of the Himalayas
will they get to hear
about Jesus Christ?
Or is this simply
a failed promise?
Because there are places
where the gospel
has never been heard,
there are people
like you and me
with their families
and their children
who remain untouched
by the gospel.
So here is our question
to God
with the greatest respect
and we say it to God
this morning,
will you keep your promise?
will you do
what you said
you will do?
Will you bring
the gospel
to the unreached
peoples
of the earth?
Well, in Acts
21 to 23
we get an answer
from God
because in these chapters
we begin to see
God's promise
fulfilled
and worked out.
But as we read through
we'll discover
that the promise
that God has made
involves people
like you and me.
God's promise
to bring the gospel
to the unreached
people of the world
involves people
like us.
So there's three things
we need to know
about this promise
that God has made
and our participation
in God's mission.
Three things
about the promise
and about our participation
in God's mission.
The first is this.
The mission
that God calls us to
is marked
with suffering.
The mission
that God calls us to
is marked
with suffering.
Acts 21
marks the start
of Paul's
final journey.
We've followed him
on three journeys
so far.
This is his
fourth and final
journey
and it starts
here in chapter 21.
It's a journey
that takes him
into Jerusalem
and then
onto Rome
further
than he has
ever travelled
before
with the gospel.
Because God
has made a promise
to bring the gospel
to the ends
of the earth
and here we begin
to see it being
worked out.
But it's a journey
that's going
to involve
much suffering.
Look at 21
verse 4.
On his way
to Jerusalem
Paul has arrived
at a place
called Tyre
and this is what
we read in verse 4.
Finding the disciples
there
we stayed
with them
seven days.
Through the Spirit
the disciples
urged Paul
not to go
on to Jerusalem.
Now why
don't they want
Paul to go
to Jerusalem?
Well look
down at verse 10.
They travel
down a little bit
further down the coast
and they arrive
at Caesarea.
Verse 10
After we had been
there a number
of days
a prophet
named Agabus
came down
from Judea
coming over
to us
he took
Paul's belt
from round
his waist
he tied
his own hands
and he tied
his feet
with it
and he said
the Holy Spirit
says
in this way
the Jews
of Jerusalem
will bind
the owner
of this belt
and will hand
him over
to the Gentiles.
You see
Paul
has been called
to bring the gospel
to the unreached
peoples
of the earth
but it's going
to be a journey
marked
by suffering.
Now I think
Luke
the author
of Acts
wants us
to see
the similarity
of Paul's
journey
to Jerusalem
and Jesus'
journey
to Jerusalem.
So hold
your finger
in Acts
21
and go back
to Luke
chapter 18.
This is Luke's
first book
which tells us
all about
what Jesus
began
to do
and teach.
Acts is
everything
that follows
on after.
So Luke
chapter 18
verse 31
and as we
read
see the
similarity.
Acts 18
verse 31
Jesus took
the twelve
aside
and told
them
we are
going up
to Jerusalem
and everything
that is
written by
the prophets
about the
Son of Man
will be
fulfilled.
He will
be turned
over to
the Gentiles.
They will
mock him.
They will
insult him.
They will
spit on him.
They will
flog him
and they will
kill him.
You see
as Jesus
went up
to Jerusalem
he knew
he was
going to
die
because the
suffering
on the
cross
was the
way in
which God
would make
salvation
come to
all people
that the
gospel would
be available
to all
people.
And now
Paul in
Acts 21
we see him
as the
model
disciple
who now
follows in
the footsteps
of his
Lord and
Saviour
who follows
the example
of Christ.
So in
Acts 21
verse 12
we read
when we
heard this
we and
the people
there
pleaded
with Paul
not to
go up
to Jerusalem
because they
know
danger
awaits him.
Verse 13
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
echoes
of Jesus'
prayer
in
Gethsemane.
After
this
we got
ready
and we
went up
to
Jerusalem.
You see
bringing
the gospel
always
has
and
it
always
will
mean
suffering.
It's
not that
God
enjoys
watching
his
people
suffer.
No
the
reality
is
when
the
gospel
is
lovingly
taught
and
simply
explained
there
will
be
those
who
have
religious
authority
or
positions
of
authority
or
those
in
political
power
and
they
will
see
that
when
the
gospel
comes
it's
an
attack
on
their
influence
over
people
and
because
of
the
gospel
claims
that
Jesus
is
the
one
and
only
true
saviour
and
king
over
all
peoples
and
that
repentance
and
faith
is
the
only
right
response
there
will
be
always
people
who
will
attack
the
messenger
or
the
bringer
of
that
good
news
as
Jesus
suffered
so
Paul
suffered
and
every
disciple
who
brings
the
gospel
to
the
unreached
will
face
suffering
too
God's
promise
is being
fulfilled
Paul
is going
to go
to
Jerusalem
as
God
has
said
and
from
Jerusalem
he
will
go
on
to
Rome
but
it's
a road
marked
with
suffering
it's
what
we
sang
earlier
on
blessed
be
your
name
in
the
road
marked
with
suffering
you
see
if we
are a
Christian
this
is
our
mission
this
is
what
God
has
called
us
to
this
is
why
we
exist
this
is
why
we
live
this
is
what
our
purpose
is
in
life
we
might
not
be
the
person
who
actually
goes
to
the
Himalayas
maybe
you
are
perhaps
it
will
be
one
of
your
children
but
whatever
our
specific
calling
we
are
all
commanded
to
see
that
the
gospel
goes
to
the
unreached
this
is
our
responsibility
but
let's
be
very
clear
that
it's
going
to
involve
a
life
of
suffering
and
that
will
come
in
all
kinds
of
different
shades
for
some
of
us
it's
going
to
mean
rethinking
how
we
are
going
to
use
our
retirement
package
or
perhaps
letting
go
of
some
of
the
comfort
that
you
treasure
and
that
you
hold
on
to
and
releasing
them
so
that
you
can
support
somebody
else
who
will
go
to
the
unreached
for
others
it
might
mean
forgoing
a
salary
or
an
increase
in
promotion
because
you
take
your
God
given
gifts
and
you
go
and
live
among
the
unreached
the
degree
that
you're
studying
for
in
college
right
now
might
not
be
for
a
nice
comfortable
job
and
home
here
in
this
country
it
might
be
to
take
what
you
learn
and
get
in
college
to
go
and
serve
in
a
different
country
but
for
all
of
us
it
will
mean
turning
our
backs
on
safety
and
security
turning
our
backs
on
comfort
and
pleasure
and
learning
to
embrace
the
words
of
Paul
as
our
motto
for
life
which
we
read
in
verse
13
look at
those
words
I
am
ready
not
only
to
be
bound
but
also
to
die
for
the
name
of
the
Lord
Jesus
God's
promise
is being
fulfilled
but
do not
forget
God's
call
to
mission
is
always
marked
with
suffering
the
second
thing
we
want
to
see
is
that
the
mission
God's
called
us
to
is
not
going
to
fail
the
mission
that
God
called
us
to
is
not
going
to
fail
verse
17
of
chapter
21
when
we
arrived
at
Jerusalem
the
brothers
the
other
Christians
received
us
warmly
now
not
everybody
in
that
city
was
happy
to
see
Paul
as
we
read
through
these
chapters
we'll
discover
that
four
times
Paul
faces
being
killed
within
an inch
of
his
life
while
he's
in
Jerusalem
there
are
four
attacks
on
his
life
but
each
time
God
intervenes
to
save
and
protect
his
messenger
so
that
the
gospel
reaches
the
unreached
let's
have a
look at
these
different
events
the
first
incident
Paul
is
spotted
in
the
temple
chapter
21
verse
28
and
this
is
what
the
people
say
about
Paul
verse
28
men
of
Israel
help
us
this
is
the
man
who
teaches
all
men
everywhere
against
our
people
and
our
law
and
this
place
now
of
course
that
was
not
true
Paul
simply
taught
that
the
law
would
not
get
you
to
God
only
Jesus
can
and
he
taught
that
the
temple
is
not
the
place
to
meet
God
Jesus
is
and
look
at
their
response
verse
30
the
whole
city
was
aroused
and
the
people
came
running
from
all
different
directions
and
remember
this
is
the
time
of
Passover
that
Paul
has
arrived
so
there
were
thousands
more
coming
into
the
city
so
the
whole
city
with
all
these
extra
people
came
running
from
all
directions
seizing
Paul
they
dragged
him
from
the
temple
and
immediately
the
gates
were
shut
and
while
they
were
trying
to
kill
him
news
reached
the
commander
of the
Roman
troops
that
the
whole
city
of
Jerusalem
was
in
uproar
this
is
a
passionate
aggressive
hate
filled
angry
mob
vying
for
Paul's
blood
but
God
has
made
his
promise
he
is
a
mission
to
fulfill
and
it
will
not
fail
verse
32
he
at
once
took
some
officers
and
soldiers
and
ran
down
to
the
crowd
when
the
rioters
saw
the
commander
and
the
soldiers
well
they
didn't
want
to
get
killed
by
them
they
stopped
beating
Paul
we
read
on
that
he
was
taken
into
the
barracks
verse
35
and
when
Paul
reached
the
steps
the
violence
of
the
mob
was
so
great
he
had
to be
carried
by
the
soldiers
for
his
own
safety
and
the
crowd
that
followed
him
kept
shouting
away
with
him
later
on
the
same
crowd
would
have
another
go
at
Paul
chapter
22
verse
22
in
the
third
incident
Paul
is
just
faced
a
Jewish
court
and
again
they
are
very
angry
chapter
23
verse
10
the
dispute
became
so
violent
that
the
commander
was
afraid
Paul
would
be
torn
to
pieces
by
them
he
ordered
the
troops
to
go
down
and
take
him
away
from
them
by
force
and
bring
him
into
the
barracks
for
safety
but
once
again
God
has
his
hand
on
Paul
and
he
preserves
his
life
and
he
gives
Paul
this
assurance
and
this
promise
again
verse
11
the
following
night
the
Lord
stood
near
Paul
and
said
take
courage
as
you
have
testified
about
me
in
Jerusalem
so
you
must
also
testify
in
Rome
God
will
fulfill
his
promise
in
the
fourth
incident
of
Paul's
the
attempted
take
on
his
life
here
is
Paul
in
the
barracks
and
we
read
in
verse
12
of
chapter
23
the
next
morning
the
Jews
formed
a
conspiracy
and
bound
themselves
with
an
oath
not
to
eat
or
drink
until
they
had
killed
Paul
more
than
40
men
were
involved
in
this
plot
they
went
to
the
chief
priest
and
the
elders
and
they
said
we
have
taken
a
solemn
oath
not
to
eat
anything
until
we
have
killed
Paul
now
then
you
and
the
Sanhedrin
petition
the
commander
to bring
him
before
you
on
the
pretext
of
wanting
more
accurate
information
before
his
case
we
are
ready
to
kill
him
before
he
gets
here
you
see
they
have
tried
three
times
already
and
this
time
they
are
determined
to
succeed
in
getting
rid
of
Paul
but
God
has
made
this
promise
he
has
a
mission
to
fulfill
and
this
mission
is
not
going
to
fail
verse
16
but
when
the
son
of
Paul
sister
so
this
is
his
nephew
heard
of
this
plot
he
went
to
the
barracks
and
he
told
Paul
everything
that
they
were
going
to
do
to
him
then
Paul
called
one of
the
centurions
and said
take
this
young
man
to
the
commander
he
has
something
to
tell
him
so
he
took
him
to
the
commander
and
Paul's
nephew
goes
and
tells
the
commander
of
the
Roman
army
all
about
the
plot
to
take
Paul's
life
verse
22
the
commander
dismissed
the
young
man
and
cautioned
him
don't
tell
anyone
that
you
have
reported
this
to
me
three
times
they
tried
to
take
him
again
on
the
fourth
time
they
tried
to
take
him
but
this
time
God
intervenes
not
through
a
Roman
commander
but
through
a
weak
little
boy
to
preserve
God's
messenger
you
see
despite
all
the
plots
to
take
Paul's
life
we
can
be
ensured
that
God's
messenger
is
going
to
be
preserved
whether
it's
a
Roman
commander
who
steps
in
or
whether
it's
an
insignificant
little
boy
what
God
has
promised
God
is
going
to
fulfill
and
God
is
going
to
make
sure
that
the
gospel
does
go to
the
people
of
the
Himalayas
because
God
will
preserve
and
God
will
protect
the
people
that
he
chooses
to
go
there
until
the
job
is
done
God
but
as
we've
said
God
uses
us
to
fulfill
that
promise
so
for
those
who
do
go
and
receive
that
call
to
go
to
the
unreached
whether
you
are
somebody
who
digs
deep
into
your
pocket
so
that
you
can
support
somebody
to
go
or
whether
you
are
actually
somebody
who
does
go
be
sure
of
this
no
one
can
take
the
life
of
one
of
God's
servants
without
God's
permission
our
lives
are
completely
in
God's
hands
the
servants
that
God
calls
to
his
work
and
I
say
this
carefully
but
I
think
it's
true
the
servants
that
God
calls
to
his
work
are
indestructible
until
God
should
call
them
home
we
will
not
die
a
day
early
we
will
not
die
a
day
too
late
God
is
sovereign
over
the
lives
of
his
people
who
support
or
who
will
carry
his
message
to
the
unreached
peoples
of
the
world
God
made
a
promise
his
promise
is
being
fulfilled
and
let's
take
encouragement
that
though
the
road
is
marked
with
suffering
this
will
not
fail
it
will
not
fail
so
he
calls
us
to
a
road
that
is
marked
by
suffering
he
calls
us
to
a
mission
that
is
not
going
to
fail
and
third
the
mission
that
God
calls
us
to
is
set
to
continue
Paul
leaves
Jerusalem
in the
most
extraordinary
of
ways
look at
verse
23
of
chapter
23
the
commander
called
two
of
his
centurions
and
ordered
them
get
ready
a
detachment
of
200
soldiers
70
horsemen
and
200
spearmen
to
go
to
Caesarea
at
nine
tonight
470
armed
men
verse
24
provide
mounts
for
Paul
so
that
he
can
be
taken
safely
to
governor
Felix
isn't
that
extraordinary
the
way
in
which
God
provides
for
the
safe
passage
the
safe
arrival
for
Paul
to
eventually
get
to
Rome
nobody
is
going
to
lay
a
hand
on
God's
man
and
we
know
as
we
read
through
Acts
that
the
gospel
does
reach
Rome
and
it
moves
beyond
Rome
into
Spain
and
into
the
rest
of
Europe
and
it
would
come
to
the
island
of
Ireland
but
the
mission
still
continues
and
we
are
still
part
of
it
because
as we
said
at the
beginning
there
are
many
places
in
this
world
where
the
gospel
has
not
yet
been
heard
and
I
want
us
to
get
the
reality
of
what
that
is
let
me
give
you
some
figures
to
show
the
reality
of
what
we
are
talking
about
this
mission
is
not
finished
with
the
book
of
Acts
it
is
our
life
it's
about
us
there
are
16,000
people
groups
in
the
world
3,700
of those
people
groups
remain
unreached
that
means
they
don't
have
any
Bible
in
their
language
they
don't
have
a
church
established
in
their
people
group
they
don't
have
a
person
who
is
working
in
their
people
group
that
means
there
are
350
million
people
who
have
no
access
to
the
gospel
nobody
to
bring
it
nobody
to
tell
them
nobody
to
give
them
a
scripture
nothing
in
the
Christian
world
there
are
2,100
full-time
Christian
workers
that's
paid
Christian
workers
for every
one million
people
2,100
paid
full-time
Christian
workers
for every
one
million
people
in the
unreached
world
there are
only six
workers
for every
one
million
people
there's
an
imbalance
so the
mission
continues
it is
not
finished
there are
places in
our world
where the
gospel has
not been
heard
there are
still people
like you
and me
with the
same needs
and concerns
for our
children
and our
families
and are
still walking
this planet
and are
untouched
by the
gospel
that's
why we
ask the
question
will God
keep his
promise
well God's
promise remains
it will not
fail
but it
involves
people like
you and
me
it involves
the church
of
Carragoline
and one
way that we
are involved
as a church
is our
support
of many
we've heard
of many
before
through
Radstock
Minnie is
from
Mongolia
she's
now working
in a
cafe
which borders
a country
that is
untouched
by the
gospel
and remains
deeply
hostile
to the
gospel
and Minnie
is at the
minute
working
in getting
her visa
with Mongolia
and the
China embassy
to get
into that
country
that we
won't
mention
and she
is wanting
to go
and live
there
amongst
those
people
to love
them
to serve
them
so that
she can
bring
the good
news
of Christ
it remains
one of the
hardest
places
in the
world
to be
a Christian
torture
prison
and death
await
those
who are
found out
by the
authorities
but listen
to what she
said in a
recent interview
remember
Anthony Adams
who was with
us a little
while ago
he was out
there and he
interviewed her
and he sent
back a clip
of the interview
and he was
asking her
all about
her trip
heading towards
there
and he said
to her
you really
want to go
don't you
and in a
bright
excited
and joyful
voice
she says
and remember
torture and
prison and
death await
those who go
if they are
found out
she says
yes
I really
want
to go
because
Minnie
has understood
the cost
and she
knows
that her
life
is in
God's
sovereign
hands
but what
about my
commitment
what about
your
commitment
well we
need to go
on praying
and supporting
people
like Minnie
but we
also need
to respond
to this
huge
challenge
of reaching
the unreached
with the
gospel
what will it
mean for us
perhaps it
will mean
and I
encourage you
if you are
here with
your husband
or your
wife and
your family
to talk
about this
afterwards
and to
think through
maybe it's
just reviewing
and thinking
yes we are
doing the
things that
we should
be doing
maybe it
will mean
giving a
little bit
more
maybe it
will mean
cutting back
in another
area
maybe it's
going to
mean committing
to praying
for somebody
it might
involve
actually going
or praying
that people
will go
what is my
commitment
but what is
our
commitment
together
as a
church
well as we
consider
our
commitment
I want
us to
move
directly
to
the
Lord's
Supper
and let's
as we
think about
our commitment
let's
remember
Christ's
commitment
to us
we are
a people
who were
unreached
a people
who were
untouched
by the
gospel
by Christ
but yet
he came
into the
world
giving up
his life
for you
and for
me
he took
the path
that is
marked
by suffering
he took
the ultimate
path of
suffering
taking my
sin and
your sin
on the
cross
to die
my death
to die
your death
to take
the wrath
of God
for you
and for
me
to take
the punishment
that you
and I
deserve
to take
the judgment
that is
ours
he took
it on
himself
he would
suffer
hell
so that
we would
never have
to go
to hell
that's the
reality
of Christ
coming
to rescue
us
and to
save us
so as we
think about
our commitment
let's remember
Christ's
commitment
to us
and the
life that
he gave
when he
took bread
in his
hands
and he
broke it
before his
disciples
and he
said
this is my
body
broken
to you
for the
part
ripped
apart
but us
so that
we
could have
life
in all
souls
life
in all
places
Christ
brings back
to us
into our
conscience
so that
we could have
everything
let's remember
Christ's
commitment
to us
so that
the bread
is being
passed away
hold on to
peace
and just
use the
quietness
to be
reflected in
the
faith
and what
life
itself
has been
fun
let's just do that
now
to be quiet
now
go
of
tranquه
he
the
trying
to