Our journey through Acts concludes today.  Once again I ask that you might read the entire chapter of Acts 28.  As Paul lands from his shipwreck, he is bitten by a viper and everyone thinks he will die.  Instead he is fine and goes on to heal the sick on the island.  Eventually they make the journey to Rome on another ship and when he arrives he is eager to share the message of the Gospel.  The following verses are Paul’s word to his fellow Jews when he arrives in Rome.  Let’s look at it together today.  

After three months we put out to sea in a ship that had wintered in the island—it was an Alexandrian ship with the figurehead of the twin gods Castor and Pollux. 12 We put in at Syracuse and stayed there three days. 13 From there we set sail and arrived at Rhegium. The next day the south wind came up, and on the following day we reached Puteoli. 14 There we found some brothers and sisters who invited us to spend a week with them. And so we came to Rome. 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. 16 When we got to Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself, with a soldier  17 Three days later he called together the local Jewish leaders. When they had assembled, Paul said to them: “My brothers, although I have done nothing against our people or against the customs of our ancestors, I was arrested in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans. 18 They examined me and wanted to release me, because I was not guilty of any crime deserving death. 19 The Jews objected, so I was compelled to make an appeal to Caesar. I certainly did not intend to bring any charge against my own people. 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.” 21 They replied, “We have not received any letters from Judea concerning you, and none of our people who have come from there has reported or said anything bad about you. 22 But we want to hear what your views are, for we know that people everywhere are talking against this sect.” 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. 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: “‘Go to this people and say, “You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. ”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.’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!

After all that Paul has been through, when he finally arrives in Rome he is able to preach freely for two years the message of Jesus.  This is incredible and some of his most productive ministry occurs as he reaches the end of his journey.  It makes me think about being productive in our own personal ministries no matter where we might be in life.  Perhaps we are near the end like Paul.  Maybe we are in the middle or even just getting started.  No matter the case God wants to use each and every one of us to share his message of love, grace, and hope to the world.  No matter what you are walking through in life take encouragement from the life of Paul.  Prison, shipwrecks, persecution, snake bites, opposition from other Christians and Jews, hunger, pain, a thorn in the flesh.  Everything that he walked through he took as another opportunity for the Gospel.  I pray that we might all do the same.  

In His Grip,

Pastor Dave