Paul in Rome
The Church: Origin and Purpose • Sermon • Submitted
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· 8 viewsPaul's ministry in Rome concludes.
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Paul in Rome
From Beginning to End
Can you believe we are finishing up the book of Acts?
We started in January of 2020.
We have journeyed from the Ascension of Jesus to Paul’s arrival in Rome.
In between we have read about the initial growth and expansion of the church. It followed a pattern set by something Jesus said to his disciples just before he returned to the Father.
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.”
In Jerusalem
Pentacost
Miracles of healing
Unity in the church
Ananias and Saphirra
Church problems
Church leadership
The ministry and martyrdom of Stephen
In Judea and Samaria
Philip preaches in Samaria, to the Ethiopian treasures, and along the coast.
God affirms the filling of Samaritans and Gentiles with the filling of the Holy Spirit
God calls Saul/Paul
Peter is sent to Cornelius
The apostle James is killed
Peter imprisoned and released by angels
To the ends of the earth!
We first follow Paul and Barnabas
Paul stoned
The elders in Jerusalem confirm the ministry of the Gospel to the Gentiles and give approval of Paul’s ministry
Paul and Barnabas split up
Paul and Silas are joined by Timothy
Paul returns to Jerusalem with a gift for the church
Paul is wrongfully accused by the Jews and imprisoned
Paul appeals to Caesar
Paul is shipwrecked
We have come a long way in a year. God has encouraged and challenged us through the example of the early church to live out our faith with boldness and purpose.
Today our study ends in Rome with Paul.
PRAY
READ
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.
Welcomed
God fulfilled his word to Paul:
He would stand before Ceasar
All aboard the ship would survive
Paul was taken care of and encouraged.
Acts is filled with a repeated theme of the Gospel going to the Jews who largely reject it only to see the Gentiles embrace the Truth.
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.
The Gospel Rejected . . . Again.
Paul goes first to the Jews
They are skeptical and eventually reject his message
Why have the Jews rejected the Gospel?
When Jesus was asked what the greatest command was he answered this way?
37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.
38 This is the great and first commandment.
39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”
The Jews had rejected God by rejecting Jesus. They were violating the first command.
The Jews hated the Gentiles and were in violation of the second command.
This hatred stemmed from the development of their own ways of doing things.
Listen to the words of Jesus:
1 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples,
2 “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat,
3 so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice.
4 They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger.
5 They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long,
6 and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues
7 and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others.
8 But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers.
9 And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven.
10 Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ.
11 The greatest among you shall be your servant.
12 Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
13 “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in.
15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves.
Paul says of them in the book of Romans:
1 Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved.
2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.
3 For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.
4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
What is the warning to us?
Are you religious or are you in a relationship with God?
Are you following rules of your own making or submitting your life to the Word of God?
Are you counting on your righteous acts or the Righteous One, Jesus Christ?
Are you loving your neighbor?
With all that is dividing people in the world, what can us?
As the church, I think our final lesson from the book of Acts is to take to heart this warning. That the Gospel is what matters. The call to be his witnesses is what matters.
18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Let’s Go!