We are continuing in our study through the Book of Acts, looking at the life of Paul in these latter chapters,

who was the modern evangelist of his day in the first century AD, traveling more than 10,000 miles throughout the known world at that time,

primarily through parts of Europe and Turkey

and the Middle East, sharing the good news of Jesus Christ.

Many people heard him and believed and put their faith and trust in Jesus, but others did not,

particularly the Jews who rejected Jesus and therefore who rejected Paul,

who was preaching Jesus as the Messiah and the way to be saved.

And while in Jerusalem, Paul encounters some of those unbelieving Jews who have become hostile towards him.

Again, because he, as a Jew, Paul is preaching a message that is contrary to what the Jews

were used to, which is the understanding that righteousness came through obedience to the law.

And when Christ comes, he says, the law was pointing to the need for a Savior. He said,

I came not to abolish the law, but that the law might be fulfilled through me. Jesus is the

righteous requirement now. And he dies on a cross for the sins of the whole world. And whoever

puts their faith and trust in Jesus can have their sins forgiven, can have a relationship with him and go to heaven when they

die. But for the Jews in Paul's day who rejected Jesus as Messiah, they were strict

adherence to the letter of the law, they saw Paul as a traitor to Judaism, and they rejected

him along with Jesus. And so when Paul is here in

Jerusalem, this hostile mob literally attacks Paul. They physically attack him. He has to be rescued

by some Roman soldiers who was stationed there in Jerusalem. Again, this is first century A.D.

It's part of the Roman Empire.

And this commander of the Roman garrison takes Paul for his own life and rescues him

and puts him in prison.

...