Last Call

Text: Acts 28:11-31

Central Idea of the Text: Paul ministers to Rome and wins many for Christ, both Jews and Gentiles.

Proposition: Keep doing the work God has put before you: preach and serve from his love.

Purpose: All hearers should see love as the motivating factor of how they use the remaining time God has given them.

I was at a preaching seminar this past week, seeking to refuel and evaluate what I’m doing well and where I need to grow. In the process, I had a discussion with one of my fellow pastors at the event. The question came up: do you have a favorite pastor, or a favorite sermon you ever heard. I do have a handful on both counts, but my mind in light of today’s text turned to a sermon by John Piper which later became a book, entitled “Don’t Waste Your Life.” That sermon (preached in April of 2000) has been a sermon that I’ve heard from countless people on, that it was a sermon that moved a generation from complacency to faithful living and obedience. What stuck with me ever since and with so many others who heard it (and which has some bearing on today’s text) was the illustration that he used to to start the sermon.

Three weeks ago we got word at our church that Ruby Eliason and Laura Edwards had both been killed in Cameroon. Ruby was over eighty. Single all her life, she poured it out for one great thing: to make Jesus Christ known among the unreached, the poor, and the sick. Laura was a widow, a medical doctor, pushing eighty years old, and serving at Ruby’s side in Cameroon.

The brakes failed, the car went over the cliff, and they were both killed instantly. And I asked my people: Was that a tragedy? Two lives, driven by one great vision, spent in unheralded service to the perishing poor for the glory of Jesus Christ — two decades after almost all their American counterparts have retired to throw their lives away on trifles in Florida or New Mexico. No. That is not a tragedy. That is a glory.

I tell you what a tragedy is. I’ll read to you from Reader’s Digest (Feb. 1998) what a tragedy is: “Bob and Penny . . . took early retirement from their jobs in the Northeast five years ago when he was 59 and she was 51. Now they live in Punta Gorda, Florida, where they cruise on their 30-foot trawler, play softball and collect shells.”

The American Dream: come to the end of your life — your one and only life — and let the last great work before you give an account to your Creator be, “I collected shells. See my shells.” That is a tragedy. And people today are spending billions of dollars to persuade you to embrace that tragic dream. And I get forty minutes to plead with you: don’t buy it.

From this story, I have seen many moved, and I have been moved to hear the call to serve Jesus and learn to grow in God’s grace and to (As Paul says in Galatians 6:14) boast only in the cross. The thing that moved many of us about that story was the contrast. One set of people were in their 80, and used their life for Jesus to the end. The other set of early retirees in their 50 had 2+ decades, and have nothing but a shell collection to show for it in eternity.

It’s a relevant question for us this morning, because Paul has entered the final years of his life. Will he waste the time? Will he go on to a comfy retirement? Or will he make his life count? Let’s look at the text: Acts 28:11-31. (Read Text)

Acts 28:11–31 “11 After three months we set sail in a ship that had wintered in the island, a ship of Alexandria, with the twin gods as a figurehead. 12 Putting in at Syracuse, we stayed there for three days. 13 And from there we made a circuit and arrived at Rhegium. And after one day a south wind sprang up, and on the second day we came to Puteoli. 14 There we found brothers and were invited to stay with them for seven days. And so we came to Rome. 15 And the brothers there, when they heard about us, came as far as the Forum of Appius and Three Taverns to meet us. On seeing them, Paul thanked God and took courage. 16 And when we came into Rome, Paul was allowed to stay by himself, with the soldier who guarded him. 17 After three days he called together the local leaders of the Jews, and when they had gathered, he said to them, “Brothers, 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. 18 When they had examined me, they wished to set me at liberty, because there was no reason for the death penalty in my case. 19 But because the Jews objected, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar—though I had no charge to bring against my nation. 20 For this reason, therefore, I have asked to see you and speak with you, since it is because of the hope of Israel that I am wearing this chain.” 21 And they said to him, “We have received no letters from Judea about you, and none of the brothers coming here has reported or spoken any evil about you. 22 But we desire to hear from you what your views are, for with regard to this sect we know that everywhere it is spoken against.” 23 When they had appointed a day for him, they came to him at his lodging in greater numbers. From morning till evening he expounded to them, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus both from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets. 24 And some were convinced by what he said, but others disbelieved. 25 And disagreeing among themselves, they departed after Paul had made one statement: “The Holy Spirit was right in saying to your fathers through Isaiah the prophet: 26 “ ‘Go to this people, and say, “You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.” 27 For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed; lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’ 28 Therefore let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen.” 30 He lived there two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him, 31 proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.”

This is the Word of the Lord for us this morning.

Would you pray with me? Lord, thank you for Jesus. It is in his saving work we trust, and it is in his name we come before you as we read your word. Lord thank you for this book of Acts, that Luke recorded with care. His work of recording the witnesses is a blessing to us. Lord, thank you for your church. We thank you for those who you have rescued, and our prayer is that you would continue the Acts work of the church in us, just as you did it thru all the early Christians we have been reading of. Keep us faithful to the works that you gave us from the day of Pentecost. We ask for your blessings of new faith in Christ and baptisms to be witnessed, for powerful answers to prayer to be seen, for the people of Christ to be faithful in the Word and to grow bold in witness. We pray this in Jesus’ name, amen.

Four words. They are seen when you walk in the door here, or the door in the Family Life Center. You see these words: For Jesus. For Auburn. When we were building, I wanted to put those words on the wall to remind us of the great motivating loves in the life of a Christian. We are to love the Lord our God with all our heart, mind and strength, and we are to love our neighbor as ourself. That means we can some those loves up into short phrases. For Jesus. For Auburn. Those phrases have a great bearing on our mission as a church, especially as it is tied to what we see happening in Acts.

Today marks the final sermon of our “Ekklesia” Acts series. We’ve been exploring the church in Action from the ascension of Jesus on, and that work has happened through many people, but especially through Peter & Paul. Paul’s life, testimony, travels and work have formed the last half of this book, and we’ve seen since chapter 19 this slow climb up the hill of Paul’s goal: To see Rome”. He’s already written a letter to the Romans anticipating that hopeful, eventual visit. To get to there he has had to face the angry Jewish leader in Jerusalem, faced death threats from them, been put on trial multiple times, appealed to Rome, taken prisoner on a ship, was lost at sea, survived a mutiny on board, survived a shipwreck and plan to execute the prisoners, survived a venomous snake bite. And now, after the whole crew of soldiers and prisoners survived the shipwreck and winter, they have set sail for Rome.

The text describes their journey. You can imagine the anticipation that builds for all of them. They will travel both by sea and land to get there. They travel past the great mountain Vesuvius and the city of Pompeii, two decades prior to that great volcanic eruption. They head to Rome, the seat of the Emperor Nero, and the home of the great coliseum. But what will Paul do when he comes to Rome? Will he sightsee or retire? Will he waste his life? The text shows us this morning that he does not waste his life, and he doesn’t waste it because he is motivated by Love. Today, we see 3 great motivating loves in Paul’s life.

For Jesus

When Paul shows up, there is a crowd that is there to greet him. But it is not the type of welcome that they were hoping to give, because he shows up with a Chain

Why does Paul wear the chain?

Jesus is the Hope of Israel … promised messiah

Was Paul ever tempted to quit? Yes.

Romans 5:8 “8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

But he looked to Jesus’ example: Philippians 2:4–11 “4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Philippians 3:7–8 “7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ”

Galatians 6:14 “14 But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”

The Love and Lordship of Christ provide the fuel to motivate our worship, our prayers and our work.

For the Jews

Who does Paul see first? The Jews! The local leaders come to him.

They don’t know of the Reputation or trials of Paul. The Jerusalem Jews said good riddance.

Paul has a clean slate … Verse 13. Paul is preaching Kingdom of God and teaching them about Jesus from Law & Prophets.

Paul is bringing together the threads to persuade them … and some do!

You would think that after Jerusalem, Paul would wash his hands of the Jews. But he loves them!

Paul speaks of his deep love for his fellow Jews in Romans 9:1–5 “1 I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit— 2 that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh. 4 They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. 5 To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen.”

He also affirms of them: God has not rejected his people Romans 11:1 “1 I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin.”

Two Words for God’s People:

Love & Pray for the Jews. Do not hate them.[I have an occasion to speak a relevant word today. Do not hate them. Do not wish death upon them. Pray for them. Ask the Lord that he would soften hearts and would provide opportunities for them to believe in Jesus Christ. Paul loved the Jews, and we (even though we are not Jews) should share in that same love and desire for them to be saved. That love motivated Paul, and it should motivate us.}

Love the people where you are.

For the World.

The rejection by the Jews is a dividing line from this point in Rome. As with other cities, as the Jews resist, Paul will go to the Romans.

Verses 28-31 speak of Paul’s work and service to the church. For two years.

Paul’s heart for gentiles and world is apparent.

Paul’s work continues past this point. [The last five years] Places traveled. [Philippi, Corinth, Ephesus, Crete, Miletus and other churches of Asia Minor … maybe more] Books written. [Timothy & Titus letters]

Christ’s command: You will be my witnesses. Acts 1:8 “8 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.””

Paul’s heart for Jesus is a heart for the World. And he sets the example: the church’s heart is a missions heart.

Conclusion:

Paul’s story ends. {Accusations by Nero, Arrest of both Paul and Peter, death by beheading & crucifixion.]

But the church’s story continues. We are Acts Continued.

So what has Acts taught us?

-Responsive Church: To hear the gospel: Turning from sin and being baptized.

-Receptive Church: To be open to God’s will daily & moved by the Holy Spirit.

-Praying Church: To Pray continually and Ask God for anything.

-Praying Church: To praise God for his good works he does in our midst.

-Gathering Church: To meet as a church and never neglect it.

-Faithful Church: To be faithful under pressure.

-Preaching Church: To preach boldly the word, even when we are opposed.

-Biblical Church: To cling faithfully to the word and testimonies we have been given.

-Multiplying Church: To identify and send out faithful leaders and servants so that the whole world hears.

-Growing Church: As we are faithful, God will add to our number.

Are we that church? We have our moments. But I will say this about Acts: Not as much as we need to be. Verse that has sat with me: James 4:2 “You do not have, because you do not ask.”