1. TEXT: Acts 18:23 - 28; Chapters 19:20-23

2. Paulsthird journey occupied about four years, muchof which was spent at Ephesus.We shall briefly trace the journey: 1.Paul left Antioch and passed through Galatia andPhyrgia enroute to Ephesus. 2. Preparation for Pauls labors at Ephesus had beenmade by Apollos who had been instructed by Aquilaand Priscilla. Paul remained here for three years.Through his labors, the seven churches of Asia wereestablished 3. 3. Paul went to Troas to await Titus with news fromthe church at Corinth. As the news did not come, Paultook ship and sailed to Europe. 4. Paul again visited Philippi, Thessalonica, andBerea. 5. He visited Corinth to take care of troubles whichhad arisen there. 6. Paul returned by way of Philippi, Troas, Assos andMitylene. He briefly visited Chios, Samos andTrogyllium. 4. 7. He arrived at Miletus and sent for theEphesian elders. He gave them a farewelladdress and charge. 8. At Patara, Paul took another ship forPhoenicia. 9. Reaching the coast of Phoenicia, the shipremained a week at Tyre to unload its cargo.Here Paul found a church. 5. 10. He sailed along the coast to Ptolemaiswhere Paul spent a day with the church. 11. Arriving at Caesarea, Paul met Philip whohad lived here for twenty years. 12. For the last time Paul entered the city ofJerusalem where he soon became the prisonerof the Lord. 6. Exceptfor the three years spent at Ephesus, Paulseemed to be in a hurry on his third journey. He had a strong urge to hasten to Jerusalem. Apparently he had a burden to preach to HebrewChristians at Jerusalem. It has been suggested that it was his burden thatcaused him to write the epistle to the Hebrews while aprisoner in Rome. Both at Tyre and Caesarea, he was warned about whatwas going to happen at Jerusalem. Agabus prophesied that he was going to be bound inJerusalem. In spite of this, Paul was determined to doGods will. 7. Act 21:10 And as we tarried there many days, there camedown from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus. Act 21:11 And when he was come unto us, he took Paulsgirdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thussaith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bindthe man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him intothe hands of the Gentiles. Act 21:12 And when we heard these things, both we, andthey of that place, besought him not to go up to Jerusalem. Act 21:13 Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep andto break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only,but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the LordJesus. 8. Some of the Jewish believers in Jerusalem wereaccusing Paul of forbidding the Gentile believers to becircumcised. The leaders in the Church felt that something had tobe done to appease these Jewish Christians and toassure them that Paul was not against the Mosaic law. They felt that they had the answer. It was that Paul would go to the temple with four menwho had taken a vow. They had to be purified and tooffer a number of offerings. It was suggested that Paul would purify himself andpay for these offerings. Paul, in his desire to be allthings to all men, agreed. 9. Act 21:21 And they are informed of thee, that thou teachestall the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses,saying that they ought not to circumcise their children,neither to walk after the customs. Act 21:22 What is it therefore? the multitude must needscome together: for they will hear that thou art come. Act 21:23 Do therefore this that we say to thee: We havefour men which have a vow on them; Act 21:24 Them take, and purify thyself with them, and beat charges with them, that they may shave their heads: andall may know that those things, whereof they were informedconcerning thee, are nothing; but that thou thyself alsowalkest orderly, and keepest the law. 10. Act 21:25 As touching the Gentiles which believe,we have written and concluded that they observeno such thing, save only that they keep themselvesfrom things offered to idols, and from blood, andfrom strangled, and from fornication. Act 21:26 Then Paul took the men, and the nextday purifying himself with them entered into thetemple, to signify the accomplishment of the daysof purification, until that an offering should beoffered for every one of them. 11. His conduct was misunderstood. He was recognized by certain of theorthodox Jewswho leaped to the conclusion that Paul was trying todesecrate the holy shrine by bringing Gentiles into theInner Court. A mob fell upon him and would have beaten him todeath had not the Roman sentries interfered. Rescued out of the hands of the mob by the Romancaptain, Paul begged leave to speak to his nation andwas granted permission. After a great silence descended on the multitude, Paulspoke to them in the Hebrew tongue. 12. Asa result of his imprisonment, Paul was given opportunity five times to preach Christ to audiences of ever-increasing importance. 1. He spoke to Israel as a nation (chapter 22). 2. He spoke to the Sanhedrin, the religiousleaders of the Jewish people (chapter 23). 13. 3. He spoke before Felix, the Roman governor(chapter 24). 4. He spoke before Governor Festus (chapter25). 5. He spoke before King Agrippa (chapter 26). From the common people to the king, he wasable to witness to the saving grace of JesusChrist. 14. Paul elaborated on his condition as a true Jew. He referred to the facts of his birth, hiseducation, his zeal for the traditions of thelaw, and his persecution of the Christians. He then told about his conversion and whathappened to him on the road to Damascus. He spoke of being commission to preach to theGentiles. 15. Whenhe spoke about preaching to theGentiles, there was a storm of protest from themob. The captain did not understand so he preparedto have Paul scourged to make him confess. Paul appealed to his Roman citizenship whichexempted him from such treatment. 16. Thenext day the captain had Paul taken before theSanhedrin. Paul divided the group by stating that he was beingcalled in question concerning the hope andresurrection of the dead. The meeting was thrown into such uproar that thecaptain had to rescue Paul by force or he would havebeen killed. The next day, forty Jews banded together under anoath not to eat anything until they had killed Paul. 17. Theymade their plan known to some of theSanhedrin and Pauls nephew heard about it. As a result Paul was sent that very night underheavy escort to Felix, the governor inCaesarea. The captain also sent a letter stating his beliefin Pauls innocence and exalting his own partin the entire matter.