Here’s the audio and outline for my sermon on Acts 28:11-31 “ROME!” preached at Cross of Christ Fellowship.
“ROME!” Acts 28:11-32
Intro: Attributes of God: eternal, omniscience, omnipotent, omnipresence, aseity. FAITHFULNESS OF GOD
-Faithfulness of God= God is true and consistent to Himself and His Promises
-As we reach the end of Acts we are reminded of the faithfulness of God
-When we behold the faithfulness of God, it leads us to adore and worship Him
-This also is the key to greater faithfulness to God ourselves!
MP: Beholding the faithfulness of God leads us to a greater faithfulness to God.
CONTEXT: End of Acts!
-Initial promise Jesus made in Acts 1:8 is shown to have been fulfilled through book
-This portion of Acts follows Paul’s attempt to get from Jerusalem to Rome
-Paul was arrested, almost killed multiple times
-Jesus promised Paul that he would be a witness in Rome
-After many trials, 3 years of hardships, Paul finally arrives at Rome!
TODAY: Paul’s arrival at Rome and conclusion of Acts
-We see God’s faithfulness to Paul: the promise Jesus made to Paul—he would get to Rome—came true!
-We see God’s faithfulness to promise of Acts 1:8—Christians are witness of Jesus to end of the earth!
Beholding the faithfulness of God leads us to a greater faithfulness to God.
1. Paul’s Arrival at Rome (11-16):
-Final Stages of Traveling (11-14a)
-After 3 months in Malta, Paul is on a new ship (11)
-Syracuse to Rhegium to Puteoli
–NOTE: Hospitality of Christians at Puteoli (13)
–APP: Let’s practice hospitality! Invite each other and unbelievers in our homes!
-Rome at LAST! (14b-16)
-Paul has finally made it to Rome! (14b)
-Fulfillment of 23:11!
-We see the faithfulness of Christ’s promise to Paul.
-Some Christians from Rome came and greeted Paul (15a)
-Paul’s RESPONSE: “Paul thanked God and took courage.” (15b)
–GRATITUDE: “thanked God”
–COURAGE: “took courage”
-RIGHT Response to the Faithfulness of God: Courage & Gratitude
-Paul was still a prison, even in Rome, as he awaited his trial before emperor (16)
2. Paul’s Ministry in Rome (17-31)
Luke records Paul’s initial and 2 year ministry in Rome
-Gratitude and Courage lead to a faithful ministry Rome: 17-31
-Faithfulness of God to Paul, led him to a greater faithfulness to God in Rome.
-As we consider the end of the book, we see the FAITHFULNESS OF GOD!
-The promise Jesus made in Acts 1:8, has experienced at least an initial fulfillment with gospel in Rome-Paul’s Initial Ministry to the Jews in Rome (17-28)
-Paul began by reaching out the Jews of Rome (17-20)
-He testified to his innocence, unfair persecution, and appeal to Caesar
-The Roman Jews had not heard of Paul and wanted to learn more (21-22) -Paul spent a full day ‘expounding’ and ‘testifying’ to the Jews about Jesus (23)
–NOTE: “Kingdom of God”: ‘God’s people in God’s place under God’s rule
-Key concept in Acts: promised in OT, brought to earth in Jesus, expand now on Earth
–“trying to convince them about Jesus both from Law of Moses and the Prophets”
-Paul’s preached sought to convince and persuade from OT Scriptures
-MIXED Response (24)
-Some convinced; Other disbelieved
–QUESTION: How might this encourage us in evangelism?
-After disagreement, they depart after Paul quotes Isaiah 6:9-10 (25-27)
-“Salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles, they will listen” (28)
-Same thing happened in other cities Paul visited
NOTE: Becoming a Christian means experiencing the “salvation of God”: the salvation of a FAITHFUL GOD.
-God is our holy Creator, faithful and holy: FAITHFUL GOD!
-We are sinners in desperate need of salvation: salvation from power and penalty of Jesus. UNFAITHFUL.
-Jesus is the Savior who died for sinners: the FAITHFUL ONE who died for the FAITHLESS
-If we believe in Jesus we will be saved: saved by FAITH ALONE.
-THROUGH THE GOSPEL WE EXPERIENCE THE SALVATION OF GOD!
-Paul’s Gospel Ministry in Rome (30-31)
-Paul spent 2 years ministering the gospel in Rome (30)
-Paul ‘welcomed all who came to him’ àsurely Gentiles AND Jews
-Paul’s message: “kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ” (31)
–NOTE: “teaching…with all boldness and without hindrance”
-Paul was literally chained, but at same time ‘without hindrance’
COMMENTATORS: Here we see the triumph of the gospel, going forward without hindrance.
Question: IS THIS KIND OF ENDING FOR ACTS YOU EXPECTED?
-Unresolved issues: appeal to Caesar, release, reception by church…
-John Chrysostom: “The author brings his narrative to this point, and leaves the hearer thirsty for more”
-Traditional View: Paul was released, ministered more (possibly made it to Spain), arrested again, executed
-During this initial Roman imprisonment Paul wrote Ephesians, Colossians, Philemon, Philippians
-Phil 1:12-14
-What looks like certain failure for us God often uses for great gain!
OBSERVE: Here at the end of Acts, we see the FAITHFULNESS OF GOD!
-Promise made in Acts 1:8 has been worked out throughout the book
-Rome was ‘end of the Earth’ if you were at Jerusalem.
NOTE: The task is still unfinished
-More people need to hear the gospel, more churches to plant, more work to do.
OUR RESPONSE
Beholding the faithfulness of God ought to lead to a great faithfulness to God.
I. Unbeliever: Yesterday’s topic of “regret”
-Yes, we do need to cast off regrets due to false guilt or situations out of our control
-But, we shouldn’t ignore regret due to real guilt against God and others.
-We have sinned and broken God’s Law
-God is a faithful Judge to punish sin and evil.
-Come to Christ in faith and you will experience the “salvation of God”
II. Believer: Let’s allow the faithfulness of God to motivate us to a greater faithfulness to God
1 Because God is faithful to answer prayer we can be faithful to pray.
2 Because God is faithful to build his church we can be faithful to evangelize.
3 Because God is faithful to discipline his children we can be faithful to obey Him as He sanctifies us.
4 Because God is faithful to give us the Holy Spirit we can be faithful to serve in the power of the Holy Spirit
5 Because God is faithful to His promises we can be faithful to trust in what He will bring about.
6 Because God is faithful to His Word we can be faithful to read and believe the Bible.
7 Because God is faithful to His people we can be faithful to delight in love and be committed to Him.
8 Because God is faithful to Himself we can be faithful to set our hope fully in Him and not ourselves.
END: Beholding the faithfulness of God ought to lead to a great faithfulness to God.
