Ministering In Rome

INTRO

The last half of the book of Acts is all about Paul and sets up many of his epistles. This last chapter was written somewhere around 61 or 62 AD. The previous chapter described Paul’s journey to Rome. In today’s chapter, Paul finally arrived in Rome.

TEACHING

Acts 28:1–6: Malta, the island Paul and his companions ran aground on, is just south of Sicily off the coast of Italy. Paul and the crew were wet from having to swim to shore, but the natives built them a fire in an act of “extraordinary kindness” (v. 2). Though the natives built the fire, Paul went to gather wood to keep it going in a picture of service, just as Jesus “did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life—a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28).

A viper came out because of the heat and bit Paul on the hand. The natives assumed Paul was a murderer because the viper bit him and that “justice” would not allow him to live. However, Paul shook the viper off of his hand like nothing happened, and it fell in the fire. Though the natives waited for the venom to make Paul swell up or fall over dead, nothing happened to him. As a result, the natives decided Paul was, in fact, a god. Something was different about Paul that the natives recognized was beyond human. They recognized the presence of God inside him.

Acts 28:7–10: Publius, “the leading man of the island,” welcomed Paul and his companions and took care of them for three days. Publius’ father was sick with “fever and dysentery” (v. 8). After Paul prayed for him, God healed him. Word spread around the island, and “the rest . . . who had diseases also came and were cured” (v. 9). Paul simply walked in obedience to God by praying for Publius’ father. Through the authority that Paul had as an apostle, God healed him. When the glory of God shone through that act, the natives saw it and wanted to be a part of it. When it came time for Paul and the crew to leave, the natives gave them everything they needed for the journey.

Acts 28:11–16: The ship Paul boarded had a figurehead of “the Twin Brothers,” pagan gods, at the stern of the ship. Paul did not shy away from this pagan display. Instead, he walked in his authority, confident God had provided the means by which he was to get to Rome. After several more stops and days, Paul finally arrived in Rome. Upon his arrival in Rome, the believers in the city came to greet Paul. Having found favor with the centurion in charge of him, Paul was permitted to stay by himself with a soldier to guard him.

Acts 28:17–20: Three days after his arrival in Rome, Paul called the Jewish leaders to his house. At the meeting, he recounted his journey from Jerusalem to the present day and summarized that the reason he was in chains before them in Rome was “for the hope of Israel,” that is, Paul’s belief in Jesus as the Messiah.

Acts 28:21–28: The Jewish leaders in Rome had not heard any word about Paul from the Jews in Jerusalem, but they were curious about “this sect,” being Christians, whom they only knew were “spoken against everywhere” (v. 22). When they came to Paul’s house to hear him out, they stayed all day to listen to him share about Jesus from the Law and the Prophets. Paul convinced some to believe, but others did not believe. In response to the unbelieving Jews, Paul quoted Isaiah 6:9-10 (vv. 26–27), which led to those who remained at his house to walk away. Paul wrote about the Jews’ rejection of Jesus, in the book of Romans, nearly four years prior to his arrival in Rome. This was not new to him; it was something with which he was very familiar.

Acts 28:28–31: As the Jews left his house, Paul declared the gospel would be “sent to the Gentiles; they will listen” (v. 28). For the next two years, Paul remained in his house and shared the gospel “with full boldness and without hindrance” (v. 31).

CLOSING

There are five points that underscore Paul’s boldness in his ministry:

1. His conversion— In Acts 9, Paul met Jesus on the road to Damascus. “As he traveled and was nearing Damascus, a light from heaven suddenly flashed around him. Falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’ ‘Who are you, Lord?’ he said. ‘I am Jesus, the One you are persecuting,’ He replied” (Acts 9:3–5). Paul went from someone who persecuted the church to living his life for the Lord.

His call— “But get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do” (Acts 9:6). Paul said yes to Jesus, then Jesus told him what to do. We are all called by the Lord to do something for His sake.

His call was confirmed— “There was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias. And the Lord said to him in a vision, ‘Ananias!’ ‘Here I am, Lord!’ he said. ‘get up and go to the street called Straight,’ the Lord said to him, ‘to the house of Judas and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, since he is praying there. In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and placing his hands on him so he can regain his sight.’ ‘Lord,’ Ananias answered, ‘I have heard from many people about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. And he has authority here from the chief priests to arrest all who call on Your name.’ But the Lord said to Him, ‘Go! For this man is My chosen instrument to take My name to the Gentiles, kings, and the Israelites. I will show him how much he must suffer for My name!’” (Acts 9:10–16). Ananias confirmed the call Paul heard from the Lord.

His commission— “Then He said to me, ‘Go, because I will send you far away to the Gentiles’” (Acts 20:21). God sent Paul to the Gentiles. Paul heard God say, “Go!” and he went.

His communication— “But when God, who from my birth set me apart and called me by His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son in me, so that I could preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone” (Galatians 1:15–16). There is something about telling other people what God has called you to do—it reaffirms what you heard is true. Paul communicates over and over again to others what God has called him to do. He didn’t do it out of arrogance but so that others would understand what he was doing, as a reminder to himself, and for accountability (Ephesians 3:1-2, 8; 1 Timothy 2:7).

All of you have a calling by God, just like Paul. When you are called, you receive the authority to do what God has asked you to do.