by Zeke Flores<\/p>\n
We love our friends and family, so we want to keep them from harm. When we know a certain course will lead to hurt or injury, we do what we can to persuade them otherwise.<\/p>\n
That’s what Paul’s friends tried to do in Acts 21. A prophet warned that going to Jerusalem would only be dangerous for Paul. So, his friends did what friends do: They tried to talk him out of going. But Paul already knew that the way of the gospel would be hard. He already knew that suffering for Christ was his calling. He might have already known that eventually he would die for the cause.<\/p>\n
Amazingly, Paul is not afraid. He will do what needs to be done to serve the Savior, even in hostile Jerusalem. He is compelled by the Spirit and committed to doing God’s will.<\/p>\nPaul’s example is a picture of someone who is rooted in Jesus. He is ready to be bound as a prisoner because he is already bound to Jesus.
\nSo, he went to Jerusalem anyway.\n
See, Paul made up his mind that no matter where he went, no matter what he did, and no matter what lay in store, he would glorify Christ, even if it meant he got hurt in the process, and that was the key.<\/p>\n
He. Made. Up. His. Mind.<\/p>\n
Make up\u00a0your<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0<\/strong>mind.<\/p>\n “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus<\/em>” (Acts 21:13).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" by Zeke Flores We love our friends and family, so we want to keep them from harm. When we know a certain course will lead to hurt or injury, we do what we can to persuade them otherwise. That’s what Paul’s friends tried to do in Acts 21. A prophet warned that going to Jerusalem…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[1288],"class_list":["post-89832","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article","tag-steadfastness"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":58868,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/a-prosperous-journey\/","url_meta":{"origin":89832,"position":0},"title":"A Prosperous Journey","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 8, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"by Walton Weaver via\u00a0Truth Magazine\u00a0Vol. XLIV: 10 p19 May 18, 2000 Paul had a great desire to go to Rome. He knew however that if such an opportunity presented itself, God would have to open up the way. His prayer that God might do this for him is given to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":51921,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-last-years-of-pauls-life\/","url_meta":{"origin":89832,"position":1},"title":"The Last Years of Paul’s Life","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 19, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Philippians 2:17-30 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Paul had written the Roman brethren that he would like to go to Spain after seeing them - Romans 15:23-25, 28 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Things didn\u2019t go quite as Paul planned. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0B.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0After going to Jerusalem, he was arrested, but he did go to Rome \u2013\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":94207,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/bound-and-determined\/","url_meta":{"origin":89832,"position":2},"title":"Bound and Determined","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 24, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"by Gary Henry via WordPoints.com \"When he came and had seen the grace of God, he was glad, and encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord\" (Acts 11:23). Barnabas knew it was not enough for the new Christians in Antioch to have obeyed\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/determined-300x300.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":6914,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/why-did-paul-say-he-left-titus-in-crete\/","url_meta":{"origin":89832,"position":3},"title":"Why did Paul say he left Titus in Crete?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"July 16, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I just discovered your website after searching the Internet for \u201cPaul\u2019s letter to the Laodiceans\u201d.\u00a0\u00a0Your explanation\u00a0is very interesting and has merit.\u00a0 Thank you for providing answers to so many questions that arise from time to time. Now that I think about it, I have a question:\u00a0 How do you\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":40671,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-reality-of-unreason\/","url_meta":{"origin":89832,"position":4},"title":"The Reality of Unreason","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 14, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"by Matthew W. Bassford One of the most fascinating exchanges in the New Testament appears toward the end of Paul's defense before the Jerusalem mob, in Acts 22:17-21. The incident that Paul relates took place shortly after his conversion, after he had fled from Damascus and returned to Jerusalem, still\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/locked-300x200.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":18236,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/how-could-the-gospel-have-been-preached-to-every-creature\/","url_meta":{"origin":89832,"position":5},"title":"How could the gospel have been preached to every creature?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 26, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: My brother and I disagree about Matthew 24:14. I used it in relation to where Paul said the Gospel has been preached in all the world. 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