Acts 21:27-36 – When the seven days were nearly over, some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul at the temple. They stirred up the whole crowd and seized him, 28 shouting, “Fellow Israelites, help us! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people and our law and this place. And besides, he has brought Greeks into the temple and defiled this holy place.” 29 (They had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with Paul and assumed that Paul had brought him into the temple.) 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. 31 While they were trying to kill him, news reached the commander of the Roman troops that the whole city of Jerusalem was in an uproar. 32 He at once took some officers and soldiers and ran down to the crowd. When the rioters saw the commander and his soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. 33 The commander came up and arrested him and ordered him to be bound with two chains. Then he asked who he was and what he had done. 34 Some in the crowd shouted one thing and some another, and since the commander could not get at the truth because of the uproar, he ordered that Paul be taken into the barracks. 35 When Paul reached the steps, the violence of the mob was so great he had to be carried by the soldiers. 36 The crowd that followed kept shouting, “Get rid of him!”
“shouting, “Fellow Israelites, help us! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people and our law and this place. And besides, he has brought Greeks into the temple and defiled this holy place.” 29 (They had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with Paul and assumed that Paul had brought him into the temple.)” Again Paul was falsely accused. His words were twisted to use against Him. People who had no right to do so judged his words wrongly. Jesus had said that it would happen to His followers (Matthew 5:11). In our day we also know it to be true. How often it is said, and believed, that Christians do not like a certain group of people because of sin. It is a lie. Because we hold to the truth many equate that to be hate. For true followers of Christ hate is not what rules in the heart. It is love that rules in the heart. Living in peace, as much as we are able, is what flows from the throne of God (Romans 12:18). Some lie about us, or ignorantly accuse us, just as they did to Paul. Though they wrongly accused him Paul still loved them (as we will read in V39. Jesus, in His dying moments continued to teach those who were responsible for His crucifixion as He called out for them to hear “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”). (Matthew 27:46) He was quoting from Psalm 22:1 which is a messianic scripture. Rabbis of the day often quoted a scripture, or part of it, and the students were to find the quoted scripture and learn its meaning. So Jesus, as He was in the last tortuous moments of His life, was reaching out in love so that even after some of His death some may discover who He truly was.
Paul spoke the truth and was hated for it, but he remained faithful to His Lord. Jesus, though He knew that He would be hated for it, spoke the truth and remained faithful to the Father (John 12:49). We speak the truth of Word of God, though we know that we will be persecuted for doing so. We also are wrongly accused, but the Lord has beforehand warned us that this would happen (Matthew 5:11-12). So like Jesus spoke the truth regardless of consequences, like Paul spoke the truth regardless of consequences, we may hold to and speak the truth, regardless of consequences. It is He whom we most greatly seek to please! (Galatians 1:10) So we love all of God’s creation, even if the midst of them hating us. Can it be painful? Yes, of course. But it the love of God we seek the most and since we have it, it is the love of God, expressed through Jesus, that we most seek to share with the world. If we can love others as God has loved us we obey a high command from Jesus (Matthew 22:39). So, though wrongly accused, let us do right. Let us love the one who lights the fire to consume us. After all if the condemnation of the world falls upon us, then we endure with the multitudes who have endured before us (1 Peter 4:12-14). Praise God who calls us to be scorned by the world for His sake and to be eternally loved and kept by God. Our God is faithful, good and He loves us. He has assured us that we will live with Him forever! Let’s praise God in all we do (Colossians 3:17) and never back down from holding to His Word. Oh how we love Jesus! Thank you Lord! Thank you Lord!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown You, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of You but to do justly, to love mercy, And to walk humbly with Your God.
Numbers 6:24-26 “The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.