- Covered In His Dust
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- Acts Chapter 21 (part 2)
"When disciples followed a rabbi, they followed him closely so they would never be out of his sight, never be someplace where they couldn’t hear him speak. They followed him so closely that his sandals often kicked up dust."
May you be covered in His dust.
If this is your first time receiving Covered in His Dust, WELCOME. I’d love to hear where you’re reading from. Just reply and let me know.
Before you dive into my notes, I encourage you to read Chapter 21 first.
Yes, I include all the scripture below, but there’s something about sitting with the whole chapter first — giving yourself room to be curious.
What doesn’t make sense?
What catches you off guard?
Who’s that?
Those questions will make the notes hit deeper.
To those hungry for His Word—may grace and peace meet you right where you are today ☀️
Last week we left off with Paul heading straight into the fire.
No detours. No delay. Just quiet courage and a heart set on obedience.
He’s not alone. The ones who tried to stop him are now walking beside him. And together, they enter Jerusalem.
But what waits for them isn’t celebration.
That’s where we’re picking up. The tension is rising and Paul’s mission about to cost him more than anyone expected.
Let’s get into it!
When we had come to Jerusalem, the brothers received us gladly. On the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present.
Paul hadn’t been to Jerusalem in nearly five years.
No updates.
No letters.
No livestreams from the mission field.
Just whispers. Stories. Second-hand reports that God was doing something radical among the Gentiles.
And now he’s back. After riots, arrests, beatings, and miracles.
And they’re waiting for him.
“The brothers received us gladly.”
That line hit me.
After everything, they still welcomed him. No suspicion. No tension. Just joy. This is what it looks like when the church gets it right.
The next day, Paul goes straight to James.
To the same man who once thought Jesus was crazy.
To the same man who now leads the Jerusalem church.
With all the elders there, this was no casual meeting.
After greeting them, he related one by one the things that God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. And when they heard it, they glorified God.
In those days, greetings weren’t a quick handshake or a nod from across the room.
They were physical.
They were personal.
They meant something.
A kiss on the cheek. An embrace. Hands gripping shoulders. Whispers of “peace be with you” and “grace to you, brother.”
This was how believers greeted each other—especially after years apart.
So when Paul walked through the door in Jerusalem, it wasn’t quiet. It wasn’t formal.
It was hugs… tears… and joy.
They would’ve been dressed in long, earth-toned robes, white or beige linen, maybe with a belt or sash tied at the waist. Sandals dusty from the road. Beards untrimmed from travel. And yet their eyes full of fire. Their hearts full of the Holy Spirit.
Men who had only heard stories about what God was doing through Paul were now seeing him face to face.
Alive. Standing in front of them.
After greeting them, Paul began to speak. Not with a flashy speech or a dramatic testimony, but with story after story—one by one—of what God had done through his ministry.
He talked about the Gentiles.
The conversions.
The miracles.
The churches springing up in cities most of them had never seen.
The opposition.
The riots.
The nights in prison.
And the moments when the Holy Spirit showed up and did what no man could do.
But through it all, Paul made one thing clear. This wasn’t about him. It wasn’t about his strategy or gifting or strength.
It was God.
For some of them, it was probably the first time hearing all of this directly from Paul. They’d heard whispers. Reports. Maybe the occasional letter or traveler passing through. But now, they were hearing it from the source. And what they heard left no room for jealousy or doubt.
They glorified God.
That moment right there? That’s what unity looks like. They didn’t push back. They didn’t question how the Gentiles fit in. They didn’t ask Paul to tone it down. They just worshiped.
Because when God is clearly at work, the only right response is praise.
And they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed. They are all zealous for the law, and they have been told about you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or walk according to our customs.
Wait. What?
The elders are basically saying, “Paul, we’re glad you’re here. God is doing amazing things through you. But… we’ve got a problem.”
Thousands of Jewish believers who DO follow Jesus are still zealous for the law. They haven’t let go of circumcision, temple customs, or Mosaic traditions. And rumors are flying.
Word on the street is: Paul’s telling Jews to abandon Moses. Not just Gentiles, but Jews living among the Gentiles.
And to a Jew in Jerusalem, that’s betrayal.
Here’s the thing…
Paul never told Jewish believers they couldn’t circumcise their children. He just made it clear that circumcision doesn’t save you. He fought for Gentiles not to be forced into it, but he didn’t tell Jews to throw out their heritage.
In fact, back in Acts 16:3, he had Timothy circumcised, because his mom was Jewish.
Paul’s message was never “walk away from Moses.” It was: Moses points to Jesus. You’re not saved by the law, you’re saved by grace.
But the rumors distorted that. And now the leaders in Jerusalem are trying to figure out how to keep the peace.
Paul hasn’t even unpacked his bag. And already, a storm is brewing.
What then is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come.
Do therefore what we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow; take these men and purify yourself along with them and pay their expenses, so that they may shave their heads. Thus all will know that there is nothing in what they have been told about you, but that you yourself also live in observance of the law.
The elders aren’t turning on Paul. They trust him. They know the rumors aren’t true. But they also know their people.
Thousands of Jewish believers—zealous for the law, proud of their heritage—have heard things. And once those rumors spread in Jerusalem, it doesn’t take much to set a crowd on fire.
So they make a suggestion.
There are four men under a vow. A Nazirite vow. A season of consecration. Purity. No wine. No haircuts. No unclean contact. (See Numbers 6:1–21.)
At the end of the vow, they shave their heads and offer sacrifices. It’s a public act. Sacred. Costly.
And now, they’re asking Paul to join them. To go through purification himself. To pay the costs. To stand beside them so everyone watching knows that Paul isn’t against the law. He’s not out to tear down Moses.
It seems like a compromise but it’s a strategy. An effort to keep the peace.
As Paul listens, I wonder if he feels the shift in the air. Does he glance at Luke? At the others who came with him? The Holy Spirit had already warned him. Over and over again.
And now he’s here.
In Jerusalem.
In the temple.
Surrounded by tension.
Is this it?
Is it about to go down?
But as for the Gentiles who have believed, we have sent a letter with our judgment that they should abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality.”
This line is important, because it’s a reminder that the leaders haven’t forgotten about the Gentiles.
They’re saying: “Paul, we’re asking you to do this for the sake of the Jews here in Jerusalem. But we haven’t changed what we decided about the Gentiles.”
They're referring back to Acts 15, the Jerusalem Council. That moment where the leaders, including James, decided not to burden Gentile believers with the law of Moses.
So they repeat it here:
No idol sacrifices
No blood
No strangled animals
No sexual immorality
Not because those things save you, but because they were deeply offensive to Jewish believers. This was about unity. About keeping the church together without compromising the gospel.
And just to be clear, they say it again:
“Nothing about the gospel has changed. The Gentiles are still free. This isn’t about salvation. It’s about peace.”
Then Paul took the men, and the next day he purified himself along with them and went into the temple, giving notice when the days of purification would be fulfilled and the offering presented for each one of them.
So Paul agrees.
He takes the men. Purifies himself. Walks into the temple.
He gives notice and lets them know when the days of purification will be complete and the offerings will be made.
No speeches.
No defense.
No drama.
He knows what the Spirit said. He knows this could be the beginning of the end. But he goes anyway.
Because Paul wasn’t trying to survive Jerusalem. He was trying to follow Jesus.
When the seven days were almost completed, the Jews from Asia, seeing him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd and laid hands on him, crying out, “Men of Israel, help! This is the man who is teaching everyone everywhere against the people and the law and this place. Moreover, he even brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.”
For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, and they supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple.
This is it.
The moment everything starts to unravel.
The temple was made up of several sections.
There were outer courts where all Jews could enter.
Then the inner courts, where sacrifices were made.
But there were clear boundaries. Gentiles were not allowed past a certain point.
This wasn’t just a tradition, it was law. Archaeologists have even found stone inscriptions from the temple that warned:
“No foreigner is to enter within the balustrade and enclosure around the temple. Whoever is caught will be personally responsible for his ensuing death.”
The crowd believed Paul had crossed that line. But he hadn’t.
Their accusation wasn’t true.
We’re so close!
Paul has done everything right. He’s walked in humility. Honored the law. Followed the Spirit.
But now, because of a lie, he’s surrounded by a furious crowd.
Accused of defiling the temple.
Misunderstood.
Mistreated.
And moments from being torn apart.
Next week, we’ll see what happens when faithfulness collides with fury. And how God steps in at just the right moment.
It’s about to get loud.
Two-Minute Inspiration
I love you,
George
Uncovering Scripture
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George Sisneros is a full-time missionary in Guatemala and the founder of Ordinary Missionaries and the El Rosario Christian Academy for Boys.
He’s been married to his wife, Vonda, for 26 years. He’s a father to nine children, five adopted.
In 2024, George and his wife expanded to Cuba, joining forces with nine pastors committed to transforming lives through the gospel.