Unstoppable 2

Text: Acts 28:11-31

Theme: The book of Acts’ final entry shows Paul still at his mission.

Key verses: “It was three months after the shipwreck that we set sail on another ship that had wintered at the island–an Alexandrian ship with the twin gods as its figurehead” (v. 11). “There we found some believers, who invited us to spend a week with them. And so we came to Rome. The brothers and sisters in Rome had heard we were coming, and they came to meet us…When Paul saw them, he was encouraged and thanked God. When we arrived in Rome, Paul was permitted to have his own private lodging, though he was guarded by a soldier. Three days after Paul’s arrival, he called together the local Jewish leaders. He said to them..” (v. 14-17a). “I asked you to come here today so we could get acquainted and so I could explain to you that I am bound with this chain because I believe that the hope of Israel–the Messiah–has already come” (v. 20). “So a time was set, and on that day a large number of people came to Paul’s lodging. He explained and testified about the Kingdom of God and tried to persuade them about Jesus from the Scriptures. Using the law of Moses and the books of the prophets, he spoke to them from morning until evening. Some were persuaded by the things he said, but others did not believe. And after they had argued back and forth among themselves, they left with this final word from Paul: ‘The Holy Spirit was right when he said to your ancestors through Isaiah the prophet, ‘Go and say to this people: When you hear what I say, you will not understand…’” (v. 23-26a). “So I want you to know that this salvation from God has also been offered to the Gentiles, and they will accept it.’ For the next two years, Paul lived in Rome at his own expense. He welcomed all who visited him, boldly proclaiming the Kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ. And no one tried to stop him” (v. 28-31).

What I believe God said to me: Glad you’ve allowed more time to sit and soak with me today. I love you deeply, and I want you to love me in return. ReNew New England was a great success only because my hand was on it. And now you get to rest some and celebrate the fruit of your labors. Today, you can also focus more fully and listen better to the Spirit through the Word. So, let’s jump into this final passage in Acts. Imagine if you were the author of this historical book. You would probably have a good sense of the importance of what you were chronicling. You would probably realize your creation could be read for years and centuries to come as a prime example of how to live out the Christian faith and display God’s glory to the nations. As one who had traveled countless roads and oceans with Paul, you would also no doubt have a deep respect and appreciation for Paul and the Kingdom leader he is. Whether the actual author of Acts intended to close his book here is anyone’s guess. It’s not quite the wrap up and resolve one might expect from such a grand adventure as Acts describes. But, let’s suppose the author did mean to end with this passage. If you were the one writing it, and this was your intended stopping place, wouldn’t you think even more carefully about the last words you might ever pen regarding acts of the apostles? Wouldn’t you want to capture a fitting final image of the powerful man of God Paul had been? With that kind of filter in mind, let’s look again at these closing verses. Notice in these final verses that Paul was presented as a man of faith, of favor, of humanness, of gratitude, of accomplishment, and of mission. Paul was clearly a man of faith because after three (comfortable) months on the island, they “set sail” again toward Rome. True, there were Roman guards responsible for his safe delivery to Caesar. They decided when they would leave and sail again. However, Paul’s strong influence may have sped that decision along, as he was probably gung-ho to get back on his journey to Rome. Paul never stopped believing in my purpose and what I told him he would do. Paul was also clearly favored by me because of the unique ship I provided for him to sail on. Alexandrian ships were large grain ships that transported wheat from Egypt to Rome, a crucial part of the Roman economy. These ships were known for their size and sturdiness, making them suitable for long voyages. The mention of an Alexandrian ship highlights my providence to provide a reliable means of transportation for Paul and his companions. Paul showed his humanness, in that, he was and needed to be “encouraged” when he was met by brothers and sisters in Rome. Paul’s response of thanking me wasn’t haphazard for him. He was deliberate and consistent as chronicled throughout his writings and missionary journeys. This attitude of gratitude is a hallmark of Paul’s ministry and serves as an example for believers to acknowledge my divine hand in their lives, even among their trials. He was confined to one house and kept under guard. The key phrase to notice is that he was “permitted to have his own private lodging.” This allowed him to continue his writings and ministry unhindered. His status as a Roman citizen and as a trusted person highlights his accomplished and exalted position, even while under arrest. When Paul told the Jews that “this salvation has also been offered to the Gentiles,” he was acknowledging with full confidence that his mission to the Gentiles had in fact been accomplished. Finally, the writer of Acts made sure his readers would know that Paul was a faithful man who never stopped proclaiming my Gospel to anyone and everyone he could. He was both teaching those who came to him to learn and proclaiming truth to those who needed to hear. In these ways and because of my grace, he was truly unstoppable.

What I said to God: Father, thank You for speaking to me again today and for opening Your holy Word to me to learn from and gain wisdom. I want to be more like Paul as he was always striving to be more like You. I don’t know if any of these might be written or said of me in the days and years after my death. But as long as You find me faithful and true, that is enough for me. I thank You that You have declared me forgiven and redeemed; Your child forever I will be. What a great comfort and source of strength. You have shown me some amazing things as we’ve journeyed together through the book of Acts. I wonder if one day You might lead us to publish some of these devotionals to help others as You have helped me. Your wonderful will be done, my wonderful and awesome Lord and Savior.