The Things God Had Done

As we return to our series in Acts this week, we find Paul and his companions finally arriving in Jerusalem, where he once again is at the centre of a major controversy and scandal. Unfortunately, this situation is not unlike many disagreements or scandals that we face in the church today. We see this when a church leader has a moral failing or there is a doctrinal dispute between different groups. Sometimes these issues are very public, impacting the church at large, and other times they occur between factions within the four walls of the local church. In either case, the disunity that it causes is heartbreaking for all involved and devastating to our Christian witness.

While these situations are usually dealt with corporately, the church is made up of individuals, and therefore it is important for us to consider our personal response.  How can I respond in a way that glorifies God? How can we strive to maintain unity in the face of conflict? As we look into Acts 21:17-26, I believe that James and Paul provide a great example of how we can respond to both of those questions. Join us this Sunday in person or online.

Series: The Book of Acts
Message 59: The Things God Had Done
Text: Acts 21:17-26
Nathan Hooper
November 2, 2025

When controversy threatens the unity of my church…

…I will celebrate what God is doing (v. 17-20a)

Ephesians 4:4-6

The union of believers is grounded in the mystical union of Christ and His church…If I am in Christ and you are in Christ, and if He is in us, then we experience a profound unity in Christ.
– R.C. Sproul

1 Corinthians 4:7

…I will clarify the issue at hand (v. 20b-21)

…Paul saw one’s status in Christ as transcending the distinction between Jew and Gentile. Being in Christ neither required that a Gentile become a Jew nor that a Jew cease to be a Jew.
– John B. Polhill – New American Commentary

Proverbs 14:29

Proverbs 15:18

2 Timothy 2:23-25b

Controversy, when it appears, should drive the church to Christ and to the Scriptures as believers seek to know all that the Bible teaches. [SLIDE 15] Disputes and debates must send the church to its knees in prayer as believers seek a common mind led by the Holy Spirit. Controversy, rightly handled, will serve to warn the church of the danger of doctrinal apathy and the necessity of personal humility.
– Albert Mohler

…I will seek wise counsel (v. 22-25)

Neither the church nor its leaders are helped if they gloss over friction in the church. James and the elders who want to help Paul (re-) gain the trust of the Jewish believers, model effective church leadership. Truth and people are crucial and must be protected…
– Eckhard Schnabel, Exegetical Commentary

Addressing conflict is not easy work. It’s like plunging the toilet: messy, unpleasant, but necessary. Ignoring conflict only exacerbates it, like closing the basement door as the black mold creeps up the walls. It’s not going to go away by itself, and the results will be catastrophic.
– Steven Lee, Desiring God

Hebrews 10:23-25

…and I will do what most benefits the church. (v. 26)

A truly emancipated spirit such as Paul’s is not in bondage to its own emancipation.
– F.F. Bruce

1 Corinthians 9:19-23