Grace & Truth Church
Acts of Jesus through the Holy Spirit - wk 27
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- Acts 28Today we are looking at the last chapter in Acts! I hope it has been as interesting and inciteful for you as it has been for me. Studying this book one chapter at a time while remembering that it is the acts of Jesus through the Holy Spirit with His disciples has really been helpful for me to have a little bit better understanding about what God was doing in the early days of the church. The entire book of Acts has been a sort of reverberation or echo of Jesus, His life, His ministry, His persecution, His execution, and His resurrection.The book of Acts is like the ripples in the water after a stone was thrown. If Jesus was the stone and His death and resurrection was the splash, the book of Acts contains the echoing stories that ride the ripples across the waters, spreading throughout the world. In fact, though we have come to the end of this book, it ends in a way that leaves the story open as if to say that these ripples will continue to travel across the wilderness bearing witness to the hope we have in Christ.Even though Acts is very factual and historical, in many ways it is also very poetic. Not in the traditional sense of what a poem is, but in the way that it is so interconnected and woven into Jesus’ story. In the way that there are so many tiny details that are somewhat hidden that ask us to hunt them down.Luke wrote Acts. He also wrote the Gospel of Luke. The two are meant to be read together. He intended the reader to see the details, make the connections, and search the scriptures. Being able to search through God’s word and be familiar with it is an important ability for all of Jesus’ disciples to learn. Especially today.When we reach the end of Acts we are supposed to see ourselves fall into the story and carry it forward, like a torch that is being passed from one disciple to another. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, Jesus continues to work through us today, just as He did the disciples two thousand years ago.Let’s take a moment to see how this book closes and see what lessons it teaches us today. First let’s pray…PrayLast time we talked about Paul’s ship wreck on Malta. They had decided to sail just a little further before waiting for winter to pass. Even though they were only planning to go a little further, they were taking a huge risk because the dangerous season for sailing had already arrived. After leaving shore the winds changed and pushed them way off course and eventually destroyed their ship.After staying on the island for three months, Paul, Luke, and Aristarchus jumped on another ship and headed North. You can see from the map they went to Syracuse, Rhegium, and finally to Puteoli. From their they traveled on land to Rome, which was about a one hundred and forty mile walk across rough terrain.There is an interesting detail to note here, as Paul enters Rome. Look at verse 15...
Acts 28:15 NIV 15 The brothers and sisters there had heard that we were coming, and they traveled as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns to meet us. At the sight of these people Paul thanked God and was encouraged.This means that these people traveled about forty miles to meet Paul and company. It’s a small detail, but is another echo of Jesus. Luke wants us to see Paul’s final entry into Rome as an echo of Jesus’ final entry into Jerusalem. Not to say that Paul is a messiah entering a holy city, but to show that Paul is following in the footsteps of his master, even prepared to die.After arriving in Rome, Paul called together the local Jewish leaders. He told them why he was here in Rome and under arrest. He told them that he could have been released, but the Jews objected so he had to make an appeal to Caesar. Then in verse twenty he says…Acts 28:20 NIV 20 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.”Paul is setting up his testimony with this statement. He is getting ahead of the distraction of the lies previously set forth about him causing riots and profaning the temple. He wants to focus their meeting on the hope of Israel. These Jewish leaders would have known what Paul was talking about when he said the phrase. The phrase is broad and can refer to at least three intertwined strands of Jewish thought…The resurrection of the deadThe renewal and restoration of IsraelThe fulfillment of God’s covenant promises to bless the nations through Israel.In his testimony, Paul will do what he has consistently done with interactions such as this. He plans to show that all of these thoughts are fully realized in Jesus, the Messiah, and in His resurrection. These connections can be found throughout the Old Testament.I don’t want to spend a whole bunch of time in the weeds, but I do want you to have the information for your study time so I have included Nate’s notes on these topics in your notes. The main idea here is that Paul is able to go straight to the deep conversations with these guys and not have a bunch of heated emotional arguments that ultimately go nowhere. As we continue, you can see that is exactly what happens.__________________________________________________________________The Resurrection HopeDaniel 12:2–3 — “Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame…”Isaiah 25:7–8 — Yahweh will “swallow up death forever; the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces.”Isaiah 26:19 — “Your dead shall live; their bodies shall rise. You who dwell in the dust, awake and sing for joy!”Ezekiel 37:1–14 (Valley of Dry Bones) — This is national restoration imagery but often tied to resurrection hope.Psalm 16:9–10 — “You will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption.” (Applied to Jesus’ resurrection in Acts 2)Hosea 13:14 — “Shall I ransom them from the power of Sheol? O Death, where are your plagues?” (Echoed in 1 Corinthians 15)The Messianic HopeGenesis 3:15 — The seed of the woman crushing the serpent’s head.Genesis 12:1–3; 22:18 — Abrahamic promise: blessing to all nations.2 Samuel 7:12–16 — Davidic covenant: an eternal throne.Isaiah 9:6–7 — The Son will rule with justice and peace forever.Isaiah 11:1–10 — The shoot from Jesse bringing justice and knowledge of the Lord to the nations.Micah 5:2–4 — A Ruler from Bethlehem who shepherds in God’s strength.Covenant and Restoration HopeJeremiah 31:31–34 — The New Covenant: forgiveness of sins, God’s law written on the heart.Ezekiel 36:24–28 — God will cleanse, give a new heart, and put His Spirit within.Isaiah 49:6 — Servant of the Lord: “a light for the nations, that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”Isaiah 60:1–3 — Nations come to Israel’s light.Zechariah 8:20–23 — Peoples of many nations seek the Lord in Jerusalem.Isaiah 2:2–4 / Micah 4:1–3 — Nations streaming to Zion, swords beaten into plowshares.Habakkuk 2:14 — “The earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD.”Isaiah 65:17–25 — New heavens and new earth, harmony in creation once again.____________________________________________________The Jews are willing to meet with Paul and listen to him. From their response, it appears that they have not heard anything about Paul. This is strange considering what Paul has been through and how hard the Jews from Jerusalem have tried to assassinate him.There is a lot of speculation about this, but here are a couple of noteworthy thoughts. At this point, the Christian presence is well established. Tensions between Christians and Jews have already been high in Rome. In fact, ten years prior to this moment, the Jews were expelled from Rome by Edict for continually rioting about the Christ followers. This was confirmed for us in Acts 18:2.So, some people say that the Jews who are in Rome at this time are either willfully ignorant of the Christians or they do know about Christianity but are pretending to know nothing to stay out of trouble. Remember that Paul is still under arrest and being guarded by Roman soldiers. That would probably encourage anyone to bite their tongue for a short time.It is all speculation though, and really doesn’t matter. I just found it interesting. Let’s look at what Paul says to them during his testimony...Acts 28:23 NIV 23 They arranged to meet Paul on a certain day, and came in even larger numbers to the place where he was staying. He witnessed to them from morning till evening, explaining about the kingdom of God, and from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets he tried to persuade them about Jesus.Pause. This is interesting. This statement sounds familiar. I know if uncle Lawrence was here he would have already stopped me to say, but it sounds like something Luke wrote in his Gospel about Jesus appearing to two men on the road to Emmaus…Luke 24:27 NIV 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.Luke is showing us more echoes of Jesus. Very cool! So how did the Jews respond to Paul?Acts 28:24–25 NIV 24 Some were convinced by what he said, but others would not believe. 25 They disagreed among themselves and began to leave after Paul had made this final statement: “The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your ancestors when he said through Isaiah the prophet:Pause for just a second. I just want to point out the way he begins this statement. He doesn’t simply say, “The Bible says…” or, “Scripture says…” or even, “The LORD said through the prophet Isaiah…” Paul said, “The Holy Spirit!” He is providing this picture of the Bible as being the living Word of God. It’s more than words on a page that we reference for teaching. It’s God’s living Word that moves and speaks even now. And Paul is here in agreement with Him!What was God’s message through the Holy Spirit?…Acts 28:26–27 NIV 26 “ ‘Go to this people and say, “You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.” 27 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.’Here is an interesting note about what Paul is saying to the Jews. Paul tweaks the message just a bit. In Isaiah, the hardening of the people’s heart appears to be an act of judgement performed by God…Isaiah 6:10 NIV 10 Make the heart of this people calloused; make their ears dull and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”Paul tweaks this and places the hardening on the people, as a self-hardening, self-blinding choice they are making…Acts 28:27 NIV 27 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.’So what is the result of the calloused hearts of those who wouldn’t hear the message of salvation?Acts 28:28–31 NIV 28 “Therefore I want you to know that God’s salvation has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen!” 29 30 For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. 31 He proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ—with all boldness and without hindrance!God’s message didn’t go away because they wouldn’t hear it. The mission didn’t stop because the people ignored it. It moved to someone who would listen. I like the way Nate Sala said it, “rejection of the Gospel doesn’t end the mission, it just redirects it.” Jesus taught this same idea to His disciples…Matthew 10:14 NIV 14 If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet.Clearly, Paul couldn’t shake the dust off his feet and leave town. He was under arrest! He stayed in Rome in his Air BnB and shared the Good News with everyone that he could. Shaking the dust off of your feet was a symbolic gesture meant to show that you had done all that you could and now the responsibility was on the ones who heard the message.As our study of Acts comes to a close, I think it gives us a powerful lesson that is ironic in a way. To me, the end of Acts is teaching us that even though the book has come to a close, it doesn’t.Instead of seeing the Book of Acts as an ending, we should see it as a transition to our story. Acts of Jesus through the Holy Spirit in ME!That is how the entire book was structured. First, it was Jesus passing the torch to the Apostles. Then He passed it to the church. Then He passed it to Paul. Now we are left holding this torch. The question was turned to me, are my eyes and ears open to God’s message of salvation?After responding to that question and closing the book, one of the first questions that we should probably address is, “What’s the plan?”What is YOUR plan?Think back to what we learned from Paul over the last few weeks. He clearly had a plan. Every time he walked into a new place he shared the Gospel with boldness, faced rejection, then pivoted and continued the mission. First to the Jews, then to the Gentiles. The mission never ended.It is interesting to me that even under arrest Paul stuck to his standard operating procedure of first bringing the Gospel to the Jews, then after being rejected taking it to the Gentiles. He had a plan. We need a plan. How will I respond to rejection? How will I respond to confrontation? What am I going to do to be prepared for every situation (or at least as many as possible)? How do I plan to grow in God’s Word? How will I grow my relationship with God? How can I share that with someone else?These are all questions that Acts forces me to consider as I reach the conclusion of the book. Ironically, by forcing me to ask these questions it is also forcing me to consider that answering these questions will require me to read it again!I’m interested in your thoughts. What stuck out to you the most from this chapter or even from the entire book?Pray Acts 28:15NKJV
Acts 28:20NKJV
Acts 28:23NKJV
Luke 24:27NKJV
Acts 28NKJV
Acts 28:26–27NKJV
Isaiah 6:10NKJV
Acts 28:27NKJV
Acts 28:28–31NKJV
Matthew 10:14NKJV
