[Notes of a sermon preached at St. Andrew’s, Eaton (Norwich) on 4th May, 2025.  The introductory questions were posed with tongue somewhat in cheek.]

Acts 21:17-36

Are you a Calvinist, or an Arminian?

Do you think that the universe was created in six literal days a few thousand years ago, or did it begin with a ‘Big Bang’ nearly 14 billion years ago?

Do you prefer to sing traditional hymns, or contemporary worship songs?

In the current crisis in the Middle East, are your sympathies more with Israel, or with Palestine?

Where do you stand on the rights of the unborn child, assisted dying, pacifism, gay marriage, gender reassignment, infant baptism, women in ministry, predestination, the eternal subordination of the Son, the ‘filioque’ clause …?

[These are all issues over which Christians have disagreed – sometimes vigorously, sometimes vehemently!]

More personally: is there a Christian brother or sister, with whom you have an unresolved disagreement, or against whom you harbour a long-term grudge, or are not on speaking terms?

How do we handle our differences and disagreements?

Paul has reached the end of his 3^rd and final missionary journey.  Along with Luke and others, he arrives in Jerusalem.  The next day, they visit James and the other leaders of the Jerusalem church.

At first, they are received with gladness, as they tell of what God has been doing in Ephesus, Corinth, Philippi, Thessalonica and elsewhere.

But then tensions surface, v21.  A rumour has been circulating that Paul has been teaching all the Jews dispersed among the Gentiles to abandon the law of Moses.

A solution is proposed, 23f.  ‘We have four men who have taken a Jewish vow.  “Paul, why don’t you join these men, participate in the rite of purification with them, and pay for the shaving of their heads. Then everyone will know that the rumours are false, and that you really do respect and observe the law.’

Paul agrees to the plan.

Not promising sermon material, at first glance – ‘The one where Paul pays for the haircuts of four strangers.’

But, actually, it suggests a number of practical lessons about how Christians in every age can handle their differences and disagreements.

1. Value truth over hearsay

The whole thing started with a rumour.  ‘They have been told…”, v21.

‘A rumour will travel halfway round the world, while the truth is still tying its shoelaces.’

Lev 19:16 – “Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people.”  (Picture it!)

I heard of a woman who had a good way with gossipers.  If someone tried to share an unkind piece of gossip about someone else, she would say: ‘Let’s both go and ask her if it’s true.’  Result!

Eph 4:15 – ‘Speaking the truth in love.’

2. Choose the right hills to die on

For Paul, some issues were critical, and worth contending for.  At Antioch, he opposed Simon Peter to his face (Gal 2:11).

But this present issue was not critical, and so Paul was willing to compromise.

1 Cor 9:20 – ‘To the Jews I became like a Jew to gain the Jews.’

Some Christians seem to disagree with everything.  They are contrarians.

Once I was approached by a group of youngsters from another church.  ‘We see that you’re carrying an NIV Bible.  Don’t you know that only the Authorised Version can be trusted?’  ‘Who says so?’  ‘Our pastor.’  ‘Why do you think it’s important to confront me about this?’  Because Jude v3 says that we are to “contend for the faith”.’  But I don’t think that was the right hill to die on, do you?

At the other end of the scale, there are some who tend to agree with everything.  They are as easy as an old slipper, and about as valuable.

Just as parents need to choose their battles carefully (you can’t win them all!), so do Christians.  We need to learn when to speak, and when to remain silent.

Psa 141:3 – ‘Set a guard over my mouth, LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips.’  (Picture it!)

Three sentries: ‘Is it true?  Is it necessary?  Is it kind?’

3. Build bridges, not barriers

This is what Paul sought to do.  He could have simply denied that rumour.  But he was willing to demonstrate its untruth in a practical, visible way.

‘Blessed are the peacemakers.’

This will involve being sensitive to one another’s culture.

As Christians, we believe that all Scripture is God-breathed; inspired.  But we might not feel strongly about the Bible as a physical object.  We might not, for example,  think twice about placing a copy on the floor.  But someone from a Muslim background might think, “You can’t think much of your Bible if you treat it like that.”  Since someone pointed that out to me a few years ago, I’ve been a little more careful in that regard.

In what ways do we strive to include, rather than to exclude?  To work for resolution, rather than discord?

‘He drew a circle that shut me out.  Heretic! Rebel!  A thing to flout.  But love and I had the wit to win: we drew a circle that brought him in.’

Conclusion

In the interests of peace and harmony, Paul agrees to the plan.

He goes into the temple to complete his part of the vow, and it all turns very nasty.  He’s set upon by unbelieving Jews, and arrested by the Roman authorities.

This will be Paul’s very last day as a free man.  More about his further adventures on the next few Sunday mornings.

For the time being, let us resolve, with God’s help, to value truth over hearsay, choose the right mountains to die on, and build bridges, not barriers.

And so let us be at peace with God, and with one another.  For the sake of Christ and the gospel.