Paul in Rome
Acts 28:17-31
September 1, 2013
Well tonight we come to the conclusion of our study of the book of Acts.
Really we should say it is the conclusion of the study
Of the recorded book of Acts.
One of the most unique things about the book of Acts
Is that it never winds down, it just abruptly stops.
And the reason for that is because the story is still being written.
For reasons only God can fully know,
He determined to stop Luke’s account here in Rome.
And yet so much more has occurred over the centuries.
Had this letter continued, it quite possibly could have included:
• The eventual execution of Paul
• The exile of John to Patmos
• The continued ministry of Timothy
• On into some of the early church fathers
• I would think much of the reformation would have been included
• Possibly even some of the work of Southern Baptists
The point is, the only way to stop the book of Acts
Is just to stop writing because the church continues.
The Holy Spirit arrived,
And in reality this book cannot be stopped until He leaves.
• The gospels begin with the arrival of Jesus and conclude with His ascension.
• The book of Acts begins with the arrival of the Holy Spirit and since He is still
here, it cannot yet end.
I tell you that because I think it would be wonderful if believers today
Lived their lives like the book of Acts was still being recorded.
What if future generations could pick up the story somewhere around chapter 1 million
And read about your work for the kingdom of God?
You and are a very much a part of this very work.
But tonight, we conclude the revealed portion of this book.
And at the same time we come to the conclusion
Of the immediate event of Paul’s journey to Rome.
You and I know that preaching in Rome was long held desire of Paul.
Romans 1:9-13 “For God, whom I serve in my spirit in the preaching of the gospel of His Son, is my witness as to how unceasingly I make mention of you, always in my prayers making request, if perhaps now at last by the will of God I may succeed in coming to you. For I long to see you so that I may impart some spiritual gift to you, that you may be established; that is, that I may be encouraged together with you while among you, each of us by the other’s faith, both yours and mine. I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that often I have planned to come to you (and have been prevented so far) so that I may obtain some fruit among you also, even as among the rest of the Gentiles.”
Paul had an intense desire to come to Rome and preach the gospel there.
And finally that desire has come to full fruition.
Now we also remember the journey to get here.
• It started with a willingness to go to Jerusalem even though he was warned of danger.
• From there we saw a brutal arrest
• We saw three pathetic trials
• We saw an assassination attempt
• We saw a shipwreck
• We saw a snack bite
• And finally (about 3 years later) Paul made it to Rome.
He is here.
And before the book of Acts closes as far as Scripture is concerned,
We are allowed just a glimpse of Paul’s ministry in this city.
And I’m glad we get to see it.
Here is Paul on a mission field that he had long since desired to go to.
I think it is important that you and I see what he did,
And how he ministered.
There are four things about Paul here in Rome that I want you to see.
#1 HIS CAUSE
Acts 28:17-22
You will notice that Paul really wasted no time getting to work.
It took him three years to get here,
And I’m supposing he felt like enough time had been wasted.
So: “After three days Paul called together those who were the leading men of the Jews…”
When Paul wrote the letter to the Romans,
That was to the church of Rome.
But that isn’t who he greets first.
Furthermore it was the Jews who actually sent him here,
And yet that is who he immediately wants to talk to.
He calls the Jews.
In case you have yet to be convinced, Paul may be the apostle to the Gentiles,
But he loved his fellow brethren.
Romans 9:1-3 “I am telling the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience testifies with me in the Holy Spirit, that I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh,”
Romans 10:1 “Brethren, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation.”
And those statements are supported with actions
Like he just revealed here in Rome.
Paul immediately calls the Jews to himself.
And the purpose is of course to make sure that they understand
WHO he is, WHY he is there, and WHY he is in chains.
(17-19) “After three days Paul called together those who were the leading men of the Jews, and when they came together, he began saying to them, ” Brethren, though I had done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans. “And when they had examined me, they were willing to release me because there was no ground for putting me to death. “But when the Jews objected, I was forced to appeal to Caesar, not that I had any accusation against my nation.”
You may remember that one of the first accusations against Paul
Was that he was anti-Semitic.
He was accused of defiling the temple, preaching against Moses,
And basically defiling Judaism all over the world.
Paul reiterates here that none of those charges were true at all.
And even now, with his appeal to Caesar,
That does not indicate a rejection of Israel,
But merely a necessary action since the Jews of Judea would not listen.
But then Paul reveals his cause:
(20) “For this reason, therefore, I requested to see you and to speak with you, for I am wearing this chain for the sake of the hope of Israel.”
And all of a sudden we see why Paul would call for the Jews.
All of a sudden we see why he would endure such hardship.
• Why would a man continue into synagogue after synagogue?
• Why would a man endure such hatred from his countrymen?
• Why would a man spend three years hated by Jews, and continue to reach out to them?
The answer is because Paul knew what Israel’s only hope was.
And he didn’t mind if it caused him to be chained…
He didn’t mind if it caused him to be imprisoned…
He didn’t mind if it caused him to be shipwrecked…
After all a man that says he could wish himself accursed for his brethren
Certainly wouldn’t mind enduring a chain.
And that is what Paul wants them to know.
I am here, and I have endured simply because I want you to know
“The hope of Israel.”
Can we all recognize here what sort of passion is required in missions?
Can we all recognize what sort of love for the lost that is needed?
Humanity is on a sinking ship, headed for certain doom,
And there is but one hope for survival.
What we wonder is if any care enough for those who are perishing
To endure a little hardship to give them a little hope.
Paul showed up and explained why he was there.
And you will notice that it obviously struck a chord.
(21-22) “They said to him, “We have neither received letters from Judea concerning you, nor have any of the brethren come here and reported or spoken anything bad about you. “But we desire to hear from you what your views are; for concerning this sect, it is known to us that it is spoken against everywhere.”
Their answer was, “We’ve not heard anything about you, but anyone who would come in chains to speak a word to us deserves to be heard.”
Now, let me tell you why that is incredible.
Look at what their impression of Christianity was:
“for concerning this sect, it is known to us that it is spoken against everywhere.”
All these people knew of Christianity was that everyone seemed to hate it.
And you can bet to some degree
They had already passed judgment on Christianity.
• They didn’t know the truth…
• They didn’t know about Christ…
• They just knew that the world hated this teaching…
SO WHY WOULD THEY BE WILLING TO LISTEN TO IT?
Because Paul was willing to endure chains to tell them about it.
His sacrifice bought him a platform.
We learn there.
• Let the world see your passion for Christ.
• Let the world see your desire for all men to know him.
Jesus said it like this:
Matthew 5:14-16 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”
Let the world see your heart.
We live in a day where more and more I hear Christians say that
Their faith is a private affair.
Well if it is, don’t ever expect the opportunity to share it.
Paul’s passion and love were on full display.
He approached these Jews, even in his chains
And won the opportunity to share with them.
He didn’t let his circumstances stop him.
He could have said, “They’ll never listen to a man in chains”
Instead he explained that his chains were a result of his love for them,
And let them be used to open his door.
That is how we go on mission.
Paul had a cause. He explained his passion.
His Cause
#2 HIS CONVICTION
Acts 28:23
Now, getting an open door is certainly good, but it is also essential that
You take advantage of that door when it is opened.
Paul certainly did.
There are actually 4 things I would point out to you in this verse.
Because I think they give good insight into how we share.
1) PAUL’S DEMEANOR
“When they had set a day for Paul, they came to him at his lodging in large numbers; and he was explaining to them by solemnly testifying about the kingdom of God”
I don’t know why this stuck out to me so much this time,
But I think it is important to note that Paul
Was “solemnly testifying about the kingdom of God”
In other words, Paul was serious.
“solemnly testify” is one word in the Greek,
And in reality it is an intensified form of the word which means to testify.
The idea being here is that there is no fooling around.
Let me give you another example where
This intensified form of the word is used.
Luke 16:27-28 “And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, that you send him to my father’s house — for I have five brothers — in order that he may warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’”
There the word is translated “warn them”
And it is from a man already in hell,
Wanting someone to go warn his five brothers not go come there.
Do you suppose that man was serious?
Well that is the type of seriousness Paul has.
And that is a good reminder.
The truths we share with the world are serious truths.
They are not for the purpose of entertainment,
Nor are they to be manipulated to make sure everyone has a good time.
This is serious stuff,
And Paul was serious as he talked about the kingdom.
2) PAUL’S DESIRE
“and trying to persuade them concerning Jesus”
Paul was a preacher of truth, serious truth,
But let’s not forget that he also had a goal in mind.
• He wanted men to trust in Jesus.
• He desired men to trust in Jesus.
• He begged men to trust in Jesus.
Just as you would seek to talk a potential suicide jumper down off the ledge,
Or would try to talk a drug user to put away the drugs.
Paul had a definite goal in mind.
2 Corinthians 5:20-21 “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
Paul had a strong desire,
And when we take the gospel we can learn from that.
It is serious truth and we must desperately desire men to hear it.
• I promise you if we don’t take it serious, neither will they,
• And if we don’t care, they won’t either.
Paul’s Demeanor, Paul’s Desire
3) PAUL’S DOCUMENT
“from both the Law of Moses and from the Prophets”
We don’t have to spend much time here, because you understand this,
But we only have one authority and that is the word of God.
No one cares (nor should they) what you or I think about spiritual things.
What God thinks is all that matters.
We are not here to deliver our experiences or our logic.
We are here to deliver the truths that God has revealed for humanity.
In doing this, we allow God to direct the hearts of men.
Paul was a preacher, and he was a preacher of the book.
4) PAUL’S DEDICATION
“from morning until evening”
He was giving them the truth in all seriousness and with all desire.
We learned earlier when dealing with the lost
To put your passion on display. Let them see why you love Jesus.
Here we learn to be thorough with the truth.
Let them see your passion and then thoroughly give them the truth.
In one sense the gospel is simple, but in another sense it is extremely deep. Study to be an approved workman
And be ready to give men a solid explanation to the gospel.
Be thorough, be thorough, be thorough
• Let them know about the holiness of God
• Let them know about the sinfulness of man
• Let them know about the redemption of Christ
• Let them know about the requirement of faith
Thoroughly give people the word of God.
Paul’s Cause, Paul’s Conviction
#3 HIS CONFRONTATION
Acts 28:24-29
Now here we see again that regardless of how good the gospel is presented, there will always be men who reject it.
It’s not because you were not thorough or convincing enough,
Rather it is because men love their sin and desire to stay in it.
“Some were being persuaded by the things spoken, but others would not believe. And when they did not agree with one another, they began leaving after Paul had spoken one parting word…”
So you recognize that not everyone liked what Paul had to say,
And they even decided to leave.
They were rejecting Paul’s message.
However notice how Paul responded.
• He didn’t lower the standard…
• He didn’t tolerate their sin…
• He didn’t somehow try to reshape Christianity to look like what they already believed…
People do that today.
People reject the gospel and so we ask, “Well what do you believe?”
And they respond with some weird and often vague statement about God
And him being creator, and who knows what all.
And then we look for common ground, saying, “Well I believe all that, you aren’t far from being a Christian.”
And we see people who do that sort of thing and sort of blur the lines.
Paul did not here go on a search about all they had in common
And just seek to unify on those things.
Paul had laid forth the gospel and it was all or none.
And when they reject it and begin to leave
Paul has a parting word for them.
“The Holy Spirit rightly spoke through Isaiah the prophet to your fathers, saying, ‘GO TO THIS PEOPLE AND SAY, “YOU WILL KEEP ON HEARING,BUT WILL NOT UNDERSTAND; AND YOU WILL KEEP ON SEEING, BUT WILL NOT PERCEIVE; FOR THE HEART OF THIS PEOPLE HAS BECOME DULL, AND WITH THEIR EARS THEY SCARCELY HEAR, AND THEY HAVE CLOSED THEIR EYES; OTHERWISE THEY MIGHT SEE WITH THEIR EYES, AND HEAR WITH THEIR EARS, AND UNDERSTAND WITH THEIR HEART AND RETURN, AND I WOULD HEAL THEM.”‘ “Therefore let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will also listen.” [When he had spoken these words, the Jews departed, having a great dispute among themselves.]”
Paul quotes there from Isaiah 6.
Incidentally, no Old Testament passage
Is quoted more in the New Testament than that one.
Paul isn’t tolerant at all.
He is direct, he is uncompromising.
They rejected the gospel…
They rejected Christ…
There was no unity or fellowship to be found here.
And when they left Paul did not try to sugar coat it.
• He did not try to leave things on a positive note.
• He told them the truth once again.
They were stubborn people who followed the path of other stubborn people and they were going to suffer as a result.
From here we learn from Paul that when you share,
“STAND YOUR GROUND”
The gospel is not flexible.
The gospel doesn’t yield.
The gospel is the most gracious offer humanity ever received,
But it still required repentance and faith from those who receive it.
If they won’t give that, they cannot be saved.
We are not offering up the gospel for men to evaluate it.
We are offering the gospel for men to believe it.
If they don’t believe it, we most certainly do not change it.
Furthermore we have to make sure that
When sinners reject the gospel
That they know they are rejecting the gospel.
It does no good for a sinner to reject the truth
And then us make them feel like the kind of accepted it.
That is called false assurance and we want no part of giving that out.
When men reject they need to know where they stand
And clearly Paul left no doubt as to where they stood.
They were men with dull hearts, deaf ears, and closed eyes.
They have not returned to the Lord and they are not spiritually healed.
Make no bones about it, stand your ground.
His Cause, His Conviction, His Confrontation
#4 HIS COMMITMENT
Acts 28:30-31
There is Paul, rejected by those he came to reach,
But he certainly didn’t hand up his spurs.
“two full years”
“welcoming all”
“preaching the kingdom”
“teaching concerning the Lord Jesus Christ”
“with all openness”
“unhindered”
He didn’t take no for an answer,
And he didn’t allow a little discouragement to end his ministry.
He was a preacher of truth to all who would hear it,
And as long as someone would hear it, he would preach it.
Never bashful
Never ashamed
Never distracted
And what a tremendous lesson for us as well.
When you purpose to reach the world around you
Explain your passion – let people see your love for Jesus and why you are here.
Be thorough – tell them seriously and thoroughly the truth of God’s gospel.
Stand your ground – the gospel gives a clear requirement, stick to it.
NEVER STOP
You may not realize this,
But the Bible actually does have a word for Christian retirement.
It’s called DEATH
But as long as we are in this life
We are called to continue to proclaim the truth.
I love what Peter said in his twilight years:
2 Peter 1:12-15 “Therefore, I will always be ready to remind you of these things, even though you already know them, and have been established in the truth which is present with you. I consider it right, as long as I am in this earthly dwelling, to stir you up by way of reminder, knowing that the laying aside of my earthly dwelling is imminent, as also our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. And I will also be diligent that at any time after my departure you will be able to call these things to mind.”
In 2 Timothy 4 Paul reveals that “the time of his departure has come” and yet he is still writing to encourage Timothy and if Timothy comes Paul wants him in verse 13 to “bring the parchments”
Paul was not stopping until the Lord called him home.
And what a tremendous way to close our study of the book of Acts.
Don’t stop
The book of Acts just continues on,
And in heaven its pages are still be written.
Press on with the truth of the gospel, and don’t quit.
The Holy Spirit is here,
He is still working to equip and empower believers
To take the truth of Jesus Christ to a lost and dying world.
• We have a mission
• We have a calling
• We are the church
And we must continue!
And so, this book ends for us right where it started:
Acts 1:8 “but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”
