The Book of Acts
The Final and First Chapter
Acts 28:17–31
Tonight we come to the last few verses of what has been a long and detailed study of the book of Acts. Acts 28:17-31. These are the final details of the first recorded look at the history of the church. And in one way of looking at it, we could say we are studying the final chapter.
But in reality, it's not the final chapter. It's the first chapter. This was the beginning point of the church on the earth and it will continue, under the promise of Jesus Christ Himself, until He's finished with it and we go home to be with Him.
So the paragraph we’re going to look at is the end, but it is only the end of the first chapter. It records for us the beginning phases of the fulfillment of the Great Commission. Jesus said His followers would be witnesses to the uttermost parts of the world and we've traveled with them for two years as the church has gone from Jerusalem, through Judea, to throughout Samaria, and all the way through the world, to the city of Rome.
And at this point, the record ceases, but it's not the end of the story. In fact, you and I right now in the Spring of 2019 are still writing the continuation of the book of Acts as the Spirit of God continues to build the church of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The book of Acts, in a very real sense, is an unfinished book. In fact, ends without an ending.
If we were reading it for the very first time and we read verses 30 and 31, we would expect there is more to come. That has led many to speculate that there may be a lost paragraph or chapter.
We are told the Paul stayed in Rome in two years and preached and had freedom to do so, and then it just abruptly ends. We aren't told what happened to Paul at the end of that two years. We don’t hear what happened in the growth of the church at Rome. It seems to be very, very incomplete.
But I believe that is by design of the Holy Spirit as He intentionally leaves the story without an ending.
So we'll be content to end our study with these final verses as we continue to live what Paul and those who went before him began.
Let me give you a simple little outline for this text, then we'll draw from it some truths to help us apply it.
The text divides very neatly into five sections, and again, these aren't the kind of points that will lead you to say, "Wow! I would have never seen that if the preacher didn't point it out!" They are very obvious, simple truths that begin with
1. The Introduction
Paul arrives in Rome and introduces himself to the city. I think his intention is to make an impact with the gospel. Now keep in mind, historians estimate the population of Rome at this time around 2 million. That is a sizeable task for a missionary, but Paul as a strategy.
verses 17 -20
He introduces himself, first of all,
- to the Jews
The Jews own history says there was anywhere from 7 to 12 synagogues operating in Rome at this time in history. So Paul assembles the Jewish leaders in Rome and explains why he's in town.
By the way, that was always Paul's pattern. He always went to the Jews first, because if he went to the Gentiles first, it didn't do any good to go the Jews later. He would have been ignored.
And even though all the trouble he's experiencing is because of Jews, he still starts there. In spite of the way they treated him, he still had a great love and burden for his people.
Now Paul is in a very delicate situation. He's there as a prisoner, and he's accused by Jews and he needs to show that he is innocent of any charges and at the same time not alienate his Jewish audience.
So he gives a brief defense. By the way, this is the sixth and final time he will defend himself before a Jewish audience since his arrest in Jerusalem, and every time he gives the same defense. He has done nothing to profane the temple or blaspheme God or Moses. And as he affirms here, none of those charges were ever sustained.
In every appearance before Felix, Festus, and Agrippa, he has been found innocent. Why was he not freed?
verse 19
Because of the Jews. And he underscores the fact that it was not him being offensive to the Jews. They're the ones who keep bringing it up, but he has nothing against the nation of Israel. he's jsut defending himself.
And that's why he's brought them together, according to verse 20.
And then he hits on the real issue. He is there, bound in chains because he has shared the Hope of Israel.
In other words, I'm preaching the Messiah, the resurrected Son of God, Jesus Christ. That was the real issue that got him into trouble.
The real issue the Jews had was not political or blasphemy or rebellion against Rome. It was he preacher Jesus Christ, crucified and resurrected. That was the issue all the way back in chapter 23, verse 6.
And understand, the problem was not in believing or teaching about a Messiah and the doctrine of the resurrection. Those were both vital parts of the Jewish faith. The problem was he said Jesus was the Messiah and He had resurrected. Paul's problem was he believed in Jesus.
So he begins with this introduction, and that leads to the second point which is
2. Their Interest
As you would expect, these Jews showed tremendous interest in what he said. I would guess Paul just wanted a fair hearing, and apparently that's what he got.
verse 21
Isn’t this amazing? I promise you that wouldn't have happened if it was a Baptist church! They haven't heard anything good, bad or indifferent about Paul, and then notice the first part of
verse 22a
They wanted to hear more!
And the reason they wanted to hear more was because
verse 22b
By the way, that's a reference to Christianity. I don't know who they'd been listening, but the public perception and reputation of Christianity was not good, at least as far as these Jews were concerned.
That leads us to the third point of the outline and that is
3. The Invitation
verse 23
In other words, they spent a long time together, from early in the morning until sundown.
Notice, his subject was "the kingdom of God", but he focused particular attention on Jesus. That would mean he was presenting Jesus as the king of the kingdom or that He was God's Messiah, and the tool he used to support his argument was the Old Testament, and in particular, the Law and Prophets.
His intention is to prove the gospel of Jesus Christ is the true and necessary fulfillment of Israel’s religion, of Old Testament history, and the typology of Moses Old Testament prophecy, as it was spoken by the prophets. So, he takes the Old Testament, the Jewish Scriptures, and interprets the coming, the death, and the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
And I would guess it wasn't just a sermon, but a day filled with dialogue and questions and debate. And notice how they responded.
verse 24
That is the division that always comes in response to the preaching of the gospel; some believe and some don't. And that is a reminder that the response to the gospel of Jesus Christ is based upon a man’s own faith. Some exercised faith and believed and others didn't.
And what an exciting time it must have been to see some of these Jewish leaders come to know their Messiah! And Paul's only been in town for three days! How he must have been encouraged! After all, he's there to defend himself with his life on the line!
But he is there, more importantly, to do what he always did and that was to preach the gospel! And while I know Paul rejoiced in those that were saved, how sad it must have made him that the majority refused the gospel.
In fact, through Paul, the Spirit of God repeats a prophecy from Isaiah regarding those who refuse to believe.
verses 25-28
That is really the culmination of a struggle that runs throughout the book of Acts, and in many ways, runs throughout the Old Testament. And what we find here seems to be the last attempt God makes to reach out to the Hebrew people. In fact, the story of Acts is actually the story of God pursuing and striving with the Hebrew people that began with Abraham.
Historically, throughout all of the Old Testament, Israel failed to respond to the information and revelation God provided them.
Time after time, you find the Israelites grieving the heart of God. They go through judgment after judgment. They were taken into captivity and rebelled until, finally, the entire northern kingdom disintegrates. Israel was continually failing to live up to her covenant with God. And yet God was gracious with them.
And finally, Christ came and the very first announcement of His coming was made by John the Baptist to Israel. And we often lose sight of the fact that Christ came first to Israel.
Christ preached to Israel. He told his followers to go only to the Jews. At Pentecost, when the church was born, the Spirit of God was sent to the midst of Israel.
Then, as the church scattered, the apostle Paul went first to Israel. As we saw in tonight's text, he would first meet with the Jews and go into the synagogues.
And finally, now we come to Rome and we hear this last solemn abandonment of Israel, and in just ten short years from this time, Rome would destroy Jerusalem.
And what we call Judaism today is just a faint shadow of what Judaism really is. It was all destroyed, just as God said. And what we hear through Paul here at Rome is the last biblical warning to Israel, the last time God ever went to the Jew first.
Now, the words that Paul quotes in this passage are taken from Isaiah 6. Isaiah spoke them at a time when Israel was in sin. Our Lord Jesus spoke them in Matthew 13, showing the kingdom would be taken from Israel. John quotes the same words in John, chapter 12, and now Paul quotes them.
Isaiah, Jesus, John, and Paul all quote the very same words. And basically, the message is a verse of commentary on the consequences of refusing to respond to God. What began as a willful act turned into a judgment from God.
They refused to listen and see and now they can't hear or understand. God sealed their ears and eyes and minds.
So does that mean there is no hope for Israel? Is God through with Israel? No. God would also use Paul to write Romans 9 which tells us Acts 28 was not a permanent situation. And we don't have time to get into all that, but suffice it to say God can't be forever through with Israel because that would be a violation of His covenant with her.
There will come a day when the nation will recognize Jesus as Messiah, but for the time being, God has set Israel aside, the kingdom is postponed, and the Gentiles are drawn to Him.
And that's what verse 28 is saying.
verse 28
Some day God will restore Israel, but in the meantime, we, as Gentiles in the church are the recipients of all the promises and blessings that rightfully belong to the Jews.
That leads us to the fourth point which we'll call
4. The Incompletion
verses 29-31
Paul had a certain measure of freedom, and apparently, people came and went all the time. And notice, he was preaching and teaching without any interference.
You know what he did in these two years? He led a whole bunch of people to Christ as we'll see in a minute, he wrote the book of Colossians, and the book of Philemon and the book of Ephesians and the book of Philippians, and eventually wrote 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus.
Now from those few details of the last chapter of the book of Acts, we gain some valuable insights into effective evangelism. For instance, we learn where he preached and that was anywhere.
According to verse 16, he preached as a prisoner. Verse 20 tells us he was bond in chains. He was in a household, verse 23 tells us. Verse 30 tells us he dwelt in his own hired house, always preaching, verse 31 says. There was no restriction as to where the pulpit was. Where did he preach? Wherever he was.
If he was in a prison, he preached there. If he was in a marketplace, he preached there. If he was in a synagogue, he preached there. It didn’t matter where he was. Evangelism is something that goes on anywhere.
And how did he preach? I’m going to give you three thoughts. Number one, he preached lovingly. Notice verses 17 to 20. Remember how gentle he was to the Jews, how he said, “I'm not here because I'm upset with my nation!" In spite of all that’s been done to me, I'm not angry." He preached lovingly.
Second, he preached biblically. He taught directly from the Word of God as explained the Kingdom and the ministry of Jesus, just as it was recorded in the law of Moses and out of the prophets.
He preached lovingly, he preached biblically, and thirdly, he preached doctrinally. That is, he taught the great doctrines of the kingdom - verse 31. The things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. Verse 23 indicates he taught concerning the kingdom of God. He preached lovingly, biblically and doctrinally.
That's where he preached and how he preached. So when did he preach? The text indicates four things:
Number one - promptly, verse 17, after three days he began.
Second thing, tirelessly; verse 23, he preached from morning till evening, tirelessly.
Thirdly, he preached constantly; for two whole years he preached, verse 30 and 31.
And I like it at the end of verse 31: “with all confidence” - he preached boldly.
When did he preach? Promptly, tirelessly, incessantly, and with great boldness. That’s just kind of an addition.
To whom did he preach? Verse 17, to the Jews; verse 28, to the Gentiles; to anybody.
And what did he preach? What was Paul’s message? Verse 23, persuading them concerning Jesus. Verse 31, teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. He preached Jesus, that’s who and what he preached.
So what does that say to us? Remember, we're still writing the book! I would suggest we follow the same pattern that worked so well for Paul.
Where are we to preach? Wherever we are.
How are we to preach? Lovingly, biblically, doctrinally.
When are we to preach? Promptly, tirelessly, incessantly, and with boldness.
To whom are we to preach? Jew or Gentile; anybody that will listen.
And what are we to preach? Jesus Christ.
And what should we expect when we do?
Verse 24, some believed, and verse 29, some argued and went away. Some believe and some do not.
Let’s pray.
