Sermon Tone Analysis

Intro:

AG:

TS: This is the final chapter of the first book of the history of the Christian Church.

According to the plan given by the risen Lord, we have been following the witnesses as they act in response to the Great Commission by taking the Gospel message to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth.

Luke tells the story of the rapid growth of Christianity, as it moves from Jerusalem to Rome; and there he ends.

RS: The book is an unfinished fragment, and incomplete, because every person ever born or yet to be born, have a place in the book.

You and I today are part of the same story begun by Jesus when He said, "upon this rock I will build my church."

The ending has been recorded in Revelation.

Jesus will write the last line and place the final period.

Paul in Rome

The Setting

At long last Paul reached his goal of Rome!

Paul arrived in Rome in the days when she was under an imperial dictatorship.

The Republic had passed away and the city of Rome and the empire were under the tyranny of an emperor

These were the days of Nero, perhaps the worst of the emperors.

Nero Claudius Caesar ruled Rome from 54 A.D. until his death by suicide 14 years later.

He is best known for his debaucheries, political murders, persecution of Christians and a passion for music that led to the probably apocryphal rumor that Nero “fiddled” while Rome burned during the great fire of 64 A.D.

When Paul arrived in Rome, Nero's hands were red with the blood of those he murdered.

Perhaps the most infamous of Rome’s emperors, Nero Claudius Caesar (37-68 A.D.) ruled Rome from 54 A.D. until his death by suicide 14 years later.

He is best known for his debaucheries, political murders, persecution of Christians and a passion for music that led to the probably apocryphal rumor that Nero “fiddled” while Rome burned during the great fire of 64 A.D.

His mother Agrippina, had been murdered about a year before Paul’s arrival;

In all probability, Octavia his wife was also already murdered.

Nero occupied the throne of the Caesars, and he was cruel, indecent, and weak.

Rome at that time was the very center of paganism.

The Circumstance

Paul's time in Rome wasn't that of a typical prisoner.

Paul, as a Roman citizen, was given preferential treatment.

He was allowed to lodge in the city, where he was placed under light house arrest in the custody of a Roman soldier to whom he would be gently chained.

We can be sure that Paul diligently witnessed to those men, that he told them about Jesus, that some of them became believers, and that most of them became his friends.

The Actions

Shortly after arriving in Rome, Paul called a meeting of his own people; for he could not, as was his custom in other cities, go to them, for he was a prisoner, chained to a soldier.

However, he was treated considerately during his first imprisonment.

Acts 28:23-29

Paul shared the gospel with His fellow Jews

Paul shared the gospel with His fellow Jews

He again focused on the hope of the resurrection

He explained Jesus as the fulfillment of the OT law and prophets

Some were persuaded, yet others rejected.

After rejection, he turned the masses of Gentiles in Rome

Paul stayed true to character and pattern even here in Rome.

The Application

The book abruptly ends.

There is no death of the hero.

There is no victory and happily ever after

It just stopped.

Probably because at the time of the writing, Paul was still under house arrest.

Paul’s story from history:

Paul had long cherished a desire to visit Spain.

Clemens Romanus, a contemporary, affirms that Paul did travel to the “extremity of the west”

Rome couldn’t be considered that extreme!

Many of his writings such as 2 Tim appear to indicate he had been free and was back in prison.

Most likely, he was freed around 62 AD

2 years later after the Great Fire in 64 AD, Nero blamed Christians and stepped up his persecution of them.

It is believed that Paul was imprisoned again in that persecution of the late 60’s

His death is believed to have come after the Great Fire of Rome in July of 64 and the end of Nero’s reign in 68 AD.

1 Clement 95-96 AD suggests that both Paul and Peter were martyred.

Ignatius in 110, Dionysius of Corinth in 170ish AD, also said this.

The Acts of Paul (an apocryphal work and Tertullian all say he was beheaded under the command of Nero.

The Application

As we have seen throughout this entire series, Paul is a great example for us to follow.

As we have seen throughout this entire series, Paul is a great example for us to follow.

Today, I want to encourage us to finish by focusing on this one last example – the way Paul lived an unhindered life and had an unhindered ministry.

I don’t mean unencumbered –

I don’t mean unencumbered –

I’m not talking about having no obstacles or challenges or troubles

I’m not talking about having no obstacles or challenges or troubles

I’m talking about being unhindered in spite of obstacles and challenges and troubles.

Paul had more than his share of those!

I’m talking about being unhindered in spite of obstacles and challenges and troubles.

I’m talking about being unhindered in spite of obstacles and challenges and troubles.

I believe Paul armed himself with two attitudes that helped him to be truly unhindered, contentment and commitment.

I believe Paul armed himself with two attitudes that helped him to be truly unhindered, contentment and commitment.

1st Paul’s life and ministry were unhindered because of contentment.

1st Paul’s life and ministry were unhindered because of contentment.

Paul wrote the book of Philippians during his 2yr house arrest.

Paul wrote the book of Philippians during his 2 yr house arrest.

He wrote this letter while confined in a rented house chained to a Roman soldier.

He wrote this letter while confined in a rented house chained to a Roman soldier.

a daily reminder that he wasn’t free in spite of his loose confinement

The letter bubbles over with joy and rejoicing –

In spite of the circumstances, the letter bubbles over with joy and rejoicing –

not because his circumstances are so great, but because his relationship with God and his resulting attitude are so good.

not because his circumstances are so great, but because his relationship with God and his resulting attitude are so good.

Did you notice that two times in two verses, Paul said, “I have learned to be content…”?

Contentment doesn’t come naturally, rather it is something that must be learned.

Contentment was something that Paul had to cultivate.

Contentment- self-sufficient (REB, NAB), find resources in self (NEB), manage whatever one has (NJB), (+)

Swanson, J. (1997).

Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains: Greek (New Testament) (electronic ed.).

Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

Paul had learned how to not allow circumstances to impact him negatively.

It is so important that we learn that kind of contentment.

Life is hard and we will often find ourselves in situations that are far less than ideal.

Life can be difficult and frustrating and painfully unbearable.

If a man like Paul who faced so much hardship and opposition could live beyond his awful circumstances, so can we.

To do that:

Christ must become our central focus

He alone can empower us and teach us to live above and beyond our circumstances.

2nd, Paul’s life and ministry were unhindered because of his attitude of commitment.

Paul’s primary commitment in life was serving and glorifying God.