Unstoppable God

Today, we are coming to the end of our series that we have been working on for just over a year. We began 2024 with the book of Luke and we are ending it today with the last chapter and the last several verses of Acts.

The book of Luke is one of the four Gospels. We learned about the life of Christ and why He was sent to this earth. Luke 19:10

Luke 19:10 NIV

10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

is the key verse on why Jesus came. We end Luke’s second letter to Theophilus, by looking at the life of Paul for the last several chapters.

In Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, he describes the difficult journey he has been on.

2 Corinthians 11:25–28 NIV

25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26 I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. 27 I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. 28 Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.

Paul understood the difficulties that many Christians faced during his time. Paul knew about perseverance in the face of opposition. So our text today begins with Paul under house arrest in Rome, after a very long journey and many hardships. However, one thing Paul continues to do. He is still preaching the Gospel.

Nothing can stop the message of Jesus Christ.

Paul had a heart for the people he ministered to. Look at Acts 28:17-22

Acts 28:17–22 NIV

17 Three days later he called together the local Jewish leaders. When they had assembled, Paul said to them: “My brothers, although I have done nothing against our people or against the customs of our ancestors, I was arrested in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans. 18 They examined me and wanted to release me, because I was not guilty of any crime deserving death. 19 The Jews objected, so I was compelled to make an appeal to Caesar. I certainly did not intend to bring any charge against my own people. 20 For this reason I have asked to see you and talk with you. It is because of the hope of Israel that I am bound with this chain.” 21 They replied, “We have not received any letters from Judea concerning you, and none of our people who have come from there has reported or said anything bad about you. 22 But we want to hear what your views are, for we know that people everywhere are talking against this sect.”

Paul calls the Jewish leaders together. He lets them know about the hope of Israel, Jesus as the Messiah. He shares about the love that Jesus has for each of them. And they are open, giving him an opportunity to preach to them.

How often do we take the initiative to share the gospel?

Lifeway Research found out that…

66% of Americans are open to discussing faith with a friend. 51% of Americans are open to discussing faith with a stranger. 48% of Americans are open to discussing faith on social media.

We have to come to a point in our life where we become ready to explain our faith clearly with those around us.

Paul spends an entire day teaching from the Law and the Prophets. He took the time to show them that Jesus is the fulfillment of the Law.

Acts 28:23–29 NIV

23 They arranged to meet Paul on a certain day, and came in even larger numbers to the place where he was staying. He witnessed to them from morning till evening, explaining about the kingdom of God, and from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets he tried to persuade them about Jesus. 24 Some were convinced by what he said, but others would not believe. 25 They disagreed among themselves and began to leave after Paul had made this final statement: “The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your ancestors when he said through Isaiah the prophet: 26 “ ‘Go to this people and say, “You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.” 27 For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’ 28 “Therefore I want you to know that God’s salvation has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen!” 29 After he said this, the Jews left, arguing vigorously among themselves.

As Paul is preaching, some believe and others reject him. He lets them know that the Gospel message is for all people, not just a select group.

God fulfilled His global message through Jesus. Jesus is the anointed one.

How do you receive God’s Word? Are you receptive to it? Or do you resist it? Do you take it as the truth? Or do you push it aside as some ancient book that isn’t for us today?

We need to read it, apply it to our life, and then take the time to share it with others.

Paul had a heart for the nations, we need to be like Paul and work to see people come to a saving knowledge of Jesus.

In the situation that Paul was in, it would seem hard to do what Paul was doing. Verse 30 says…

Acts 28:30 NIV

30 For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him.

The way I understand it, Paul wasn’t in a jail cell like we think of. Paul was in a rented house and he was to stay at this house.

It was during this time that Paul wrote letters. These letters were commonly known as the Prison Epistles. It was the letters Ephesians, Colossians, and Philippians. He also wrote personal letters, like the one to Philemon.

As we read the ending of Acts, we can envision the Gospel going forward to Rome, as the great commission had directed. For the disciples of that day, the world was a much smaller place. And by going to Rome, Paul had now reached the international capital of the Gentiles.

Tradition says that Paul was released after two years of house arrest in Rome and then set off on a fourth missionary journey. We have very little to go on. Luke sums up the life of Paul by saying in verse 31…

Acts 28:31 NIV

31 He proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ—with all boldness and without hindrance!

Paul would later be imprisoned again, probably in Rome. This is where he wrote his last letter, 2nd Timothy.

We get a great look into the life of Paul during the Book of Acts. Luke was a writer of great detail and it makes people wonder why Luke ended Acts with such an abrupt ending.

The truth is, Luke ended the book of Acts beautifully, because it is not a book about the life of Paul but a book about the spread of the gospel, and Luke presented this message clearly. And just as the church started the work. You and I are to continue the work.

Luke said…

Acts 28:31 NIV

31 He proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ—with all boldness and without hindrance!

Each of us could learn from the example that Paul gave us. Don’t quit! Don’t give up! Even in your darkest of days, preach Jesus.

This morning I want to close with an excerpt from N.T. Wright’s Acts for Everyone. He gives a conclusion to the book of Acts beautifully and I want to leave it with you. He wrote.

Acts for Everyone, Part 2: Chapters 13–28 The End Is Where We Start From (Acts 28:23–31)

Jesus of Nazareth, Messiah and Lord: through his servants, through their journeys and their trials, through their pains and their puzzles and their sufferings and their shipwrecks, still reaching out into the future, out beyond Rome and the first century, out across the tracts of time and geography, still confronting men, women and children, rulers, disabled people, local authorities, artisans, governors of islands, wandering tentmakers, philosophers in the market-place, and young men nodding off on windowsills. Luke has brought them all before us, in a dazzling display both of writing and of theology, drawing us in, reminding us once more that this is a drama in which we ourselves have been called to belong to the cast. The journey is ours, the trials and vindications are ours, the sovereign presence of Jesus is ours, the story is ours to pick up and carry on. Luke’s writing, like Paul’s journey, has reached its end, but in his end is our beginning.

Paul, Peter, John, and Luke are not walking through the door. They have fulfilled their mission.

In Paul’s final words to Timothy he said.

2 Timothy 4:7–8 NIV

7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

The job has been handed to you. The time is now for you to continue to go to the nations and take the Gospel message. It is up to us to continue to preach Jesus. It is your turn now.

This morning I want to leave you with this question,

What’s stopping you from sharing the gospel?