One Last Appeal

Introduction

One of the many blessings the Lord has given my wife, Laura, since we’ve lived here is the opportunity to join a couple of book clubs. She’s has made and deepened meaningful relationships with other women and it’s been a source of joy for her. Not to mention, she’s reading, or listening to audiobooks, or telling me about some story....all the time. She’s probably listening to one right now. JK.

I know in this congregation we have those who love books, reading, and maybe even an author or two.

What makes for a good story? According to Laura...for her...a story has to have

Not reality/Escape the everyday.

Good wins through struggle

a likeable animal in that doesn’t die.

Well when were dealing with the book of Acts; it’s author Luke...treats only one of these...and that is good wins through struggle.

Acts 1-28

From the beginning of Acts until its conclusion which we read today...the emphasis of the entire book has been...Jesus has ascended back to heaven...the Holy Spirit has come...and there has been a maniacal focus on Jesus’ final words in Acts 1:7-8

Acts 1:7–8 ESV

He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

First with Peter...then with Paul...the good news (the gospel) of Jesus has been witnessed to in Jerusalem...Judea....Samaria and to the ends of the earth.

So when we read the last verses of Acts ...as we did this morning...we don’t get a satisfying conclusion to Paul’s situation...but we get a perfect book-end to the charge of Jesus from Acts 1...we find Paul doing what all disciples are to do...keep witnessing to Christ!

Acts 28:30–31 ESV

He lived there two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.

Isn’t it interesting to read those last words… “with all boldness and without hindrance”. This coming from Paul who was on house arrest in Rome for two years...

We last left Paul

Last week we talked about how no one can ‘arrest’ (or stop) the gospel...becuase it is God’s will that it be shared and witnessed to throughout the world. Last week we were in Acts 23...today we are in Acts 28.

Paul has been under arrest the entire time. But...just as he did before the Jews in Jerusalem...he used his trials as a platform for witnessing to Jesus...the son of God.

After several trials and a Gilligan’s Island type wreck on the island of Malta (end of Acts 27 and the beginning of Acts 28) and he finally reaches Rome to face trial before Ceasear himself for the charges we discussed last week in Acts 23.

Luke leave it alone

Remember, Luke is the author of Acts...inspired by the Holy Spirit to “write an orderly account” of Christ and the early church...when it comes to the climactic scene of the book where Paul will testify to Jesus before the Roman emporer himself...the story just ends. The ultimate cliff hanger. What happens to Paul? Did he appear before Ceasar? If so what was the result of that trial?

We are not told. The Holy Spirit did not inspire Luke to wirte that part of the story.

When we read a story with an unsatisfacory ending...we don’t like it much. It makes us think their planning a sequel or something and we just wasted our time reading it.

Not so with the Bible...not so with the book of Acts.

Paul was fulfilling Jesus final commandment. One commentator writes this about Paul’s final two years under house arrest in Rome.

IT reads:

“Paul remained in Rome under house arrest for two years. There sat the greatest apostle and spokesman for Christianity—unable to move freely and minister as he desired. However...Paul did not complain or despair. He preached and counseled even while he was confined to quarters. He wrote letters....commonly called his “prison letters” to the Ephesians...Colossians...and Philippians—letters that have impacted millions of believers down through the centuries. He also wrote personal letters...such as the one to Philemon. Luke was with Paul in Rome (2 Tim. 4:11). Timothy often visted him (Phil. 1:1; Col. 1:1; Philemon 1:1)...as did Tychichus (Ephesians 6:21), Epaphroditus (Phil. 4:18), and Mark (Col. 4:10). Paul witnessed to the whoel Roman guard (Phil. 1:13) and was involved with the Roman believers.”

Then they add an application...it reads “If you find yourself in a ‘negative’ or unpleasant situation, look for ways to redeem the circumstances. There is never a time or place in which you can’t glorify and serve God.”

Closing

Acts ends as it begins....with a proclamation...a witnessing...one last appeal to the Jews and gentiles in Rome. To the Jews (who were th reason he was in prison) who continued to fail in their response to the gospel...he quotes Isaiah 6:9-10 to support his point that the gospel is going to the gentiles. One commentator observes “Paul quotes prophecy here not just to explain Israel’s stubbornness but to set the stage for his second point, namely, that in the providence of God redemption was now being offered directly to Gentiles, and they were responding.”

Richard N. Longenecker, “Acts,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Luke–Acts (Revised Edition), ed. Tremper Longman III and David E. Garland, vol. 10 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2007), 1098.

This has been God’s plan all along. The story of Acts ends abruptly. We’re left to wonder what happens to Paul...Tradition tells us he was beheaded in Rome undre Nero some years later...but scripture remains silent on that.

The early church...in finding their way...faced harsh obstacles...and resistance from every quarter...but they persevered beceause the believed in the one who comissioned them...despite their cricumstances.

As Paul said earlier in Acts he is prepared to die for the gospel. He was not afraid.

That’s the take home form the ending of Acts. Be bold in our proclomation of the gospel...of witnessing to Jesus Christ...and never give up no matter how bleak our circumstance may be.

May we be like Paul...who welcomed all...boldly proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ.

Thanks be to God...AMEN.