Reaching Rome

Paul Arrives At Rome

Acts 28:16–24 NIV84

When we got to Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself, with a soldier to guard him. Three days later he called together the leaders of the Jews. 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. They examined me and wanted to release me, because I was not guilty of any crime deserving death. But when the Jews objected, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar—not that I had any charge to bring against my own people. 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.” They replied, “We have not received any letters from Judea concerning you, and none of the brothers who have come from there has reported or said anything bad about you. But we want to hear what your views are, for we know that people everywhere are talking against this sect.” They arranged to meet Paul on a certain day, and came in even larger numbers to the place where he was staying. From morning till evening he explained and declared to them the kingdom of God and tried to convince them about Jesus from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets. Some were convinced by what he said, but others would not believe.

Acts 28:16-

A. Paul lives by himself—under guard

Throughout much of Paul’s time in Rome he was under house arrest

B. Three days later he meets with the Jews

Paul begins to share his case. Paul was a Jew’s Jew and did nothing against the Jewish people or their customs. So really he should not have been charged with anything and he should not be under house arrest in Rome.

C. Nothing against Paul

The Jews in Rome tell Paul they have not received anything from Judea concerning him. But they want to hear from him to see what his views are all about.

D. They talk with Paul again.

He talked with them from morning till evening. He was talking about the Kingdom of God and Jesus the Messiah. He used the Law of Moses and the Prophets to show Jesus was indeed the Messiah.

E. Some believed others would not believe.

Acts 28:25 NIV84

They disagreed among themselves and began to leave after Paul had made this final statement: “The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your forefathers when he said through Isaiah the prophet:

Acts 28:35

For many the truth of the Gospel was just too much for them to accept. When Paul quoted from Isaiah it was more than many of them could stand.

The Message of Isaiah

Acts 28:26–28 NIV84

“ ‘Go to this people and say, “You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.” 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.’ “Therefore I want you to know that God’s salvation has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen!”

Acts 28:26-

As the Jews of Paul’s day heard the words of Isaiah they would have been disturbed. But to hear that God would extend salvation to the Gentiles was far more than many of them could listen or hear.

So What?

This morning I want to go straight to the “So What” of this passage. All week long I’ve been thinking about verses 26 and 27. I wonder if God would give this same message to the church in America.

I’m in no way saying that the church in America is Israel. However, I see that this warning could be somewhat for us!

In many ways the American church is ever hearing but never understanding. Today we have more Bibles in our language than any other people group. We have more podcasts, TV shows, more access to preaching than ever before, but it makes no difference in our churches. We can hear the gospel all day long, but do we understand? Do we understand what we are hearing!

Likewise, we can see! We have Christian movies, and books like never before! But so many lives are not impacted at all.

Isaiah says three things happened to the Jewish people. I believe these three things have happened to many in our churches today.

The people’s hears have become calloused. We have tolerated sin for so long that we have become desensitized to it. Many justify their behaviors and actions. Others have redefined their behaviors and actions so they say they’re not sinning. But many of us simply turn a blind eye to sin and pretend it’s not there.

Our ears have become plugged up. I talk to so many people who complain that they don’t hear from God like they used to. Or that they have never heard God. I believe one of the reasons we don’t hear God today is because we don’t want to hear what God has to say.

Finally we have closed our eyes so that we don’t see God or anything that has to do with God. Furthermore, we ignore the sin around us.

It is time we once again open our eyes to see what God wants to show us. We need to open our ears to hear what God wants to say to us. And we need to open our hearts and turn back to God. If we would do these things God might actually heal us as a people.

Around the world there is a revival going on. People from all kinds of faiths are coming to know Jesus. But here in the United States it often feels like God is silent, and that His movement is slow.

My prayer for me this morning, and my prayer for you is that each of us would once again see with perceiving, hear with understanding, and open our hearts to the mission God has for us.