Acts 28:17–31 - Unhindered

Remember, you're not the center of the story. And that's good news!

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SINCE WE LAST LEFT OFF... After surviving the shipwreck and getting stranded on the island of Malta, Paul and Luke finally make it to Rome. As he waits for his trial before Caesar, Paul has been placed under house arrest.

Acts 28:17–31 (NASB95)

¹⁷ After three days Paul called together those who were the leading men of the Jews, and when they came together, he began saying to them, “Brethren, 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 And when they had examined me, they were willing to release me because there was no ground for putting me to death. ¹⁹ But when the Jews objected, I was forced to appeal to Caesar, not that I had any accusation against my nation. ²⁰ For this reason, therefore, I requested to see you and to speak with you, for I am wearing this chain for the sake of the hope of Israel.”

²¹ They said to him, “We have neither received letters from Judea concerning you, nor have any of the brethren come here and reported or spoken anything bad about you. ²² But we desire to hear from you what your views are; for concerning this sect, it is known to us that it is spoken against everywhere.”

²³ When they had set a day for Paul, they came to him at his lodging in large numbers; and he was explaining to them by solemnly testifying about the kingdom of God and trying to persuade them concerning Jesus, from both the Law of Moses and from the Prophets, from morning until evening. ²⁴ Some were being persuaded by the things spoken, but others would not believe.

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³⁰ And he stayed two full years in his own rented quarters and was welcoming all who came to him, ³¹ preaching the kingdom of God and teaching concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all openness, unhindered.

Canons of Dordt

Point II, Article 5: The Mandate to Proclaim the Gospel to All

It is the promise of the gospel that whoever believes in Christ crucified shall not perish but have eternal life. This promise, together with the command to repent and believe, ought to be announced and declared without differentiation or discrimination to all nations and people, to whom God in his good pleasure sends the gospel.

Summary

Not everyone is satisfied with how the book of Acts ends. Luke gives an inordinate amount of space to the shipwreck narrative we looked at yesterday. Although it's certainly an exciting story that shows God's providential care, it really doesn't do much to advance the story of the early church, which has been the overall point of Acts.

Then Paul receives a somewhat anticlimactic welcome once he finally arrives in Rome. Getting to Rome has been one of Paul's primary goals throughout his missionary journey, but when he shows up, the leading men of the Jews that Paul called together make it seem seem like they've never heard of him.

It's hard to tell what Luke expects us to think of thier statement. Perhaps they're being honest, but it's probable that they knew quite well who Paul was and were just being coy to protect their own skin. Afterall, they're aware that Paul's sect is spoken against everywhere.

But these leaders do make good on their promise to come back and hear what Paul's views were, and when that day arrived, people came to Paul at his lodging in large numbers. From then on, the same pattern unpacks that has been seen throughout the entire book of Acts: some were being persuaded by the things spoken, but others would not believe.

  Dig Deeper  

Then the book just ends. No details are given regarding the outcome of Paul's trial. We do know from his epistles that things get worse for Paul, but our faithful historian and narrator Luke never reports on Paul's ultimate fate. We only know from extra-biblical accounts that Paul was quite likely executed in Rome not long after the events described in this final chapter of Acts.

But it's in moments like this that although the Bible tells the story of so many heroes of the faith, the Bible is not really about any of them. God used these people, sometimes in mighty and miraculous ways to carry His will forward to its ultimate completion in the life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ.

So the book of Acts is no more about Paul or Peter (whose ultimate fate isn't recorded in the Bible either) any more than the Old Testament was about a particular nationality of people. It's all been about the LORD's covenant faithfulness in redeeming His people. So Luke suddenly, yet appropriately, brings Paul's story to a close with him simply continuing to preach the kingdom of God and teach concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all openness, unhindered.

Let this abrupt ending to Acts keep your own ego in check. Yes, as a chosen image bearer of God, you're special and important and your life and work matter greatly. But the overall Story isn't about you. Efforts to keep yourself at the center hinder you from fully participating in the Story that really matters. So set your story aside, and like Paul, focus on preaching and teaching the gospel however the Lord has equipped you to do so, living life for the Lord, unhindered.

AAA Prayer (About)

• ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who continues to work out His grand story of salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ;

• ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you'll unhinder your participation in this story by letting go of your desire to make it all about you;

• ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

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