11th Nov 2010

Acts 21:37-22:21 – Paul Speaks to the Crowd

• “A word for mentors - Never give up giving out”
• I read a cool tweet yesterday, one of the few I retweet;
• Failure without a mentor is disaster. Failure with a mentor is development
• I could not agree more; neither I might suggest, could Paul the Apostle.
• As Paul is being carted off to prison for his own protection, he tells the crowd the story of how he came to follow Jesus.
• [Sometimes I think he did this just to wind them up – but I’m sure he didn’t]
• It’s a story we know well – ‘Paul on the Road to Damascus’
• But in it he mentions a fact that has much more significance that we might think.
• Under Gamaliel I was thoroughly trained in the law of our Fathers.
• Let me give you some facts on Gamaliel.
• He was the grandson of Hillel – a man whose teaching and teaching style greatly influence Jesus.
• He defended Peter and the disciples many years previously by saying that “If their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men.”
• He was wise and highly respected – the first Rabbi to be called Rabban “Our Rabbi” rather than just my Rabbi.
• He was a tolerant man.
• Practical in his application of scripture
• He urged that the Sabbath laws be relaxed a little
• He defended women’s rights in divorce [note he got this from his granddad]
• He proposed kindness towards the gentles.
• Initially very few of these traits would be seen in Paul’s life.
• Eventually all of them were!
• Giving yourself to others only pays off in the long term!
• Even short term blessings pale into significance compared to the long term ones.
• Never give up giving out!
• Praying for stubborn persistence today.