1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:12,760 Test, test, testing, one, testing. Testing, yeah. 2 00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:59,980 Thank you. 3 00:01:00,000 --> 00:01:29,980 Thank you. 4 00:01:30,000 --> 00:01:59,980 Thank you. 5 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:29,980 Let's pray. 6 00:05:30,000 --> 00:05:59,980 Let's pray. 7 00:06:00,000 --> 00:06:29,980 Let's pray. 8 00:06:30,000 --> 00:06:53,000 We'll be singing in just a moment. One of the things we're going to see this morning is we'll be in Acts chapter 28, the very last part of the book of Acts. We're going to spend two weeks here. And one of the things I want you to see this morning is that as Paul is in prison, I want you to see how God is at work and doing things for the good of the church and for the good of those who need to hear the gospel. 9 00:06:53,000 --> 00:07:00,000 So we're going to sing a lot about God's goodness this morning and a lot about how God is in control. I'm going to start with Blessed Be Your Name. 10 00:07:18,000 --> 00:07:21,000 Blessed Be Your Name 11 00:07:21,000 --> 00:07:25,000 In the land that is plentiful 12 00:07:25,000 --> 00:07:29,000 Where the streams of abundance flow 13 00:07:29,000 --> 00:07:31,000 Blessed Be Your Name 14 00:07:31,000 --> 00:07:37,000 Blessed Be Your Name 15 00:07:37,000 --> 00:07:41,000 When I'm found in the desert place 16 00:07:41,000 --> 00:07:45,000 Though I walk through the wilderness 17 00:07:45,000 --> 00:07:50,000 Blessed Be Your Name 18 00:07:50,000 --> 00:07:54,000 Every blessing you pour out 19 00:07:54,000 --> 00:07:58,000 I'll turn back to praise 20 00:07:58,000 --> 00:08:02,000 When the darkness closes in Lord 21 00:08:02,000 --> 00:08:05,000 Still I will say 22 00:08:05,000 --> 00:08:09,000 Blessed Be the Name of the Lord 23 00:08:09,000 --> 00:08:13,000 Blessed Be Your Name 24 00:08:13,000 --> 00:08:17,000 Blessed Be the Name of the Lord 25 00:08:17,000 --> 00:08:21,000 Blessed Be Your Glorious Name 26 00:08:21,000 --> 00:08:28,000 Blessed Be Your Name 27 00:08:28,000 --> 00:08:32,000 When the sun's shining down on me 28 00:08:32,000 --> 00:08:36,000 When the world's all as it should be 29 00:08:36,000 --> 00:08:38,000 Blessed Be Your Name 30 00:08:41,000 --> 00:08:44,000 Blessed Be Your Name 31 00:08:44,000 --> 00:08:48,000 On the road marked with suffering 32 00:08:48,000 --> 00:08:52,000 Though there's pain in the offering 33 00:08:52,000 --> 00:08:54,000 Blessed Be Your Name 34 00:08:54,000 --> 00:09:00,000 Every blessing you pour out 35 00:09:00,000 --> 00:09:04,000 I turn back to praise 36 00:09:04,000 --> 00:09:09,000 When the darkness closes in door 37 00:09:09,000 --> 00:09:12,000 Still I will say 38 00:09:12,000 --> 00:09:15,000 Blessed be the name of the Lord 39 00:09:15,000 --> 00:09:19,000 Blessed be Your name 40 00:09:19,000 --> 00:09:23,000 Blessed be the name of the Lord 41 00:09:23,000 --> 00:09:28,000 Blessed be Your glorious name 42 00:09:39,000 --> 00:09:58,160 I raise a hallelujah in the presence of my enemies. 43 00:10:00,300 --> 00:10:21,600 I raise a hallelujah louder than the unbelief. I raise a hallelujah. My weapon is a melody. 44 00:10:21,600 --> 00:10:42,900 I raise a hallelujah. Heaven comes to fight for me. I'm gonna sing in the middle of the storm. Louder and louder, you're gonna hear my praises roar. Up from the ashes, hope will be. 45 00:10:42,900 --> 00:11:05,400 Death is defeated. The King is alive. I raise a hallelujah with everything inside of me. 46 00:11:05,400 --> 00:11:35,380 I raise a hallelujah with everything inside of me. I raise a hallelujah. I will watch the darkness gleam. I raise a hallelujah in the middle of the mystery. 47 00:11:35,380 --> 00:12:05,360 I raise a hallelujah. Fear you lost your hold on me. I'm gonna sing in the middle of the storm. Louder and louder, you're gonna hear my praises roar. 48 00:12:05,360 --> 00:12:35,340 I will rise. Death is defeated. The King is alive. Sing a little louder in the presence of my enemies. Sing a little louder, louder than the unbelief. Sing a little louder. My weapon is a melody. Sing a little louder. 49 00:12:35,340 --> 00:13:05,320 Heaven comes to fight for me. I'm gonna sing in the middle of the storm. Louder and louder. You're gonna hear my praises roar. Up from the ashes, hope will arise. Death is defeated. The King is alive. 50 00:13:05,320 --> 00:13:35,300 in the middle of the storm. Louder and louder. You're gonna hear my praises roar. Up from the ashes, hope will arise. Death is defeated. The King is alive. 51 00:13:35,300 --> 00:14:05,280 It's online. We're going to move into our prayer and share time. So you're gonna be, we'll be muted here just for a little bit during that time of prayer requests. There'll be a video playing for you online, and there is a number on Facebook in the description of the video, and on our website if you're watching there, if you would like to text us your prayer requests so we can pray for you. 52 00:14:05,280 --> 00:14:35,260 We'll be right back. 53 00:14:35,260 --> 00:15:05,240 We'll be right back. 54 00:15:05,240 --> 00:15:07,240 Let's pray. 55 00:15:35,240 --> 00:15:37,240 Let's pray. 56 00:16:05,240 --> 00:16:07,240 Let's pray. 57 00:16:35,240 --> 00:16:58,240 We gather around the table this morning, we're going to sing, "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing." 58 00:17:05,240 --> 00:17:29,240 Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing, tune my heart to sing Thy grace. Streams of mercy never ceasing, call for songs of loudest praise. 59 00:17:29,240 --> 00:17:49,240 Teach me some melodious sonnet, sung by flaming tongues above. Praise Thy mountain fixed upon it, mount of Thy redeeming love. 60 00:17:49,240 --> 00:18:09,240 Here I raise my Ebenezer, hither by Thy help I'm come. And I hope by Thy good pleasure, safely to arrive at home. 61 00:18:09,240 --> 00:18:29,240 Jesus sought me when a stranger Wandering from the fold of God, He to rescue me from danger Interposed His precious blood. 62 00:18:29,240 --> 00:18:57,240 Oh, to grace, how great a debtor Daily I'm constrained to be. Let thy grace, Lord, like a fetter, Bind my wandering heart to thee. 63 00:18:57,240 --> 00:19:25,240 Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it. Prone to leave the God I love. Here's my heart, Lord. Take and seal it. Seal it for thy courts above. 64 00:19:25,240 --> 00:19:36,240 In this morning, we talked a little bit last week about the power of unity and the fact that as we come to this table, this is a time to remember Jesus. 65 00:19:36,240 --> 00:19:43,240 It's also a time to remember and to celebrate with the community that Jesus created through the cross. 66 00:19:43,240 --> 00:19:53,240 And so I just want to read this very simply this morning from Philippians, the second chapter, as Paul writes while he's in prison in Rome to the Philippian church. 67 00:19:53,240 --> 00:20:03,240 And he will encourage them in community, but not just to love one another, but he'll give them the foundation upon which that love is built upon. 68 00:20:03,240 --> 00:20:19,240 So he says this, "If there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord of one mind. 69 00:20:19,240 --> 00:20:30,240 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourself. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but to the interests of others. 70 00:20:30,240 --> 00:20:40,240 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, although he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be held on to. 71 00:20:40,240 --> 00:20:53,240 But he emptied himself by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men, and being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on the cross. 72 00:20:53,240 --> 00:21:13,240 Therefore God has highly exalted him, and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, the glory of God the Father. Let's pray. 73 00:21:13,240 --> 00:21:35,240 Father, I thank you for Jesus. We thank you for his love for us, that he emptied himself and became a servant, that he died on the cross. We thank you for the resurrection and the hope that it brings, and we look forward to the day when every tongue will sing of the Lordship of your Son. 74 00:21:35,240 --> 00:21:48,240 And so we thank you for the good news of the Gospel this morning. We also thank you for how the Gospel changes us and transforms us, that it allows us to love one another, to forgive one another, to walk with one another through life. 75 00:21:48,240 --> 00:22:02,240 And so, as we partake of this bread and drink this cup this morning, remind us of the sacrifice of your Son, and remind us that we are part of a new community, and that we love each other just like you have loved us. 76 00:22:02,240 --> 00:22:07,240 It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. 77 00:22:07,240 --> 00:22:29,240 Jesus says to the disciples, and Paul will say to the church in 1 Corinthians 11, Jesus will say, "This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me." 78 00:22:29,240 --> 00:22:42,240 Then Jesus will take the cup, and he will say, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this as often as you drink it in remembrance of me." 79 00:22:42,240 --> 00:22:50,240 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. 80 00:22:59,240 --> 00:23:13,240 This morning's reading is from the last chapter of the book of Acts. 81 00:23:13,240 --> 00:23:22,240 And when we came into Rome, Paul was allowed to stay by himself with the soldier who guarded him. 82 00:23:22,240 --> 00:23:48,240 After three days, Paul called together the local leaders of the Jews, and when they had gathered, Paul said to them, "Brothers, though I have 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." 83 00:23:48,240 --> 00:24:09,240 When they had examined me, they wished to set me at liberty, because there was no reason for the death penalty in my case, but because the Jews objected, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar, though I had no charge to bring against my nation. 84 00:24:09,240 --> 00:24:24,240 For this reason, therefore, I have asked to see you and to speak with you, since it is because of the hope of Israel that I am wearing these chains. 85 00:24:24,240 --> 00:24:38,240 And they said to him, "We have received no letters from Judea about you, and none of the brothers coming have had a report or spoken any evil about you. 86 00:24:38,240 --> 00:24:51,240 But we desire to hear from you what your views are. For with regards to this sect, we know that everywhere it is spoken against." 87 00:24:51,240 --> 00:25:07,240 Paul lived there for two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of God, 88 00:25:07,240 --> 00:25:16,240 and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance. This is the word of the Lord. 89 00:25:16,240 --> 00:25:28,240 All right, we're taking a look at a few verses this morning from Acts, the 28th chapter. You may have noticed, as Brent read, we're not going to look at everything. 90 00:25:28,240 --> 00:25:36,240 We're going to take this sort of last section of the book of Acts. We're going to deal with it in two sections, two Sundays. So this Sunday, we're going to take a look. 91 00:25:36,240 --> 00:25:46,240 We're going to take a look at how Paul sort of behaves during his time in prison and what's going on and how he acts and what he does. 92 00:25:46,240 --> 00:25:58,240 And then next Sunday, we're going to talk about hearing the gospel and responding to the gospel because one of the parts that Brent did not read this morning was Paul's sermon to these Jews who gathered together. 93 00:25:58,240 --> 00:26:05,240 And so we're going to essentially take a look at sort of three big things that happened to Paul during this time, and hopefully we'll see how 94 00:26:05,240 --> 00:26:16,240 God works to change us, to help us to love others, how he helps us to continue in our work, and how he provides powerfully through the midst of it. 95 00:26:16,240 --> 00:26:22,240 So let's go ahead and have a word of prayer, and we'll dive right into it. Father in heaven, thank you for loving us. Thank you for taking care of us. 96 00:26:22,240 --> 00:26:34,240 We thank you for your church and your people. Help us this morning as we look at your will and our plans to help us to see that ultimately your will is what is 97 00:26:34,240 --> 00:26:42,240 best for us and best for your church. And so help us in those moments where it seems like our plans get a little scrambled, that you would 98 00:26:42,240 --> 00:26:50,240 encourage us with the fact that you are working in and through those difficult circumstances in life. It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. 99 00:26:50,240 --> 00:26:58,240 Now probably all of us have had those moments where things did not go according to plan. I remember one time that was particularly 100 00:26:58,240 --> 00:27:05,240 memorable for me. I had gotten some snow tires from my dad. They were brand new. I brought them down with me, and it was 101 00:27:05,240 --> 00:27:11,240 winter. I was getting ready to drive to Vermont, so I drove over to the garage and said, "Hey, can you put these tires on my car?" 102 00:27:11,240 --> 00:27:16,240 Because Dad didn't have any cars they would fit on, and so they'd get them on my car, and I'm heading out first thing in the 103 00:27:16,240 --> 00:27:22,240 morning, and I'm feeling pretty good, right? You got four new tires on the car, full tank of gas. It's like a perfect day. 104 00:27:22,240 --> 00:27:27,240 There's not any traffic, and I'm heading down 81. I didn't even make it to Clearbrook, and you hear that 105 00:27:27,240 --> 00:27:35,240 of a tire going flat. So I pull over on the side of 81, which is probably one of the worst places to try to change 106 00:27:35,240 --> 00:27:42,240 a tire, and thankfully a trooper pulled him behind me and turned on his lights, so I was able to get my tire changed 107 00:27:42,240 --> 00:27:48,240 and pulled off to the gas station, and in the time that it took me to go from there to the little gas station 108 00:27:48,240 --> 00:27:56,240 on that spare tire, at that point, three of the other tires, the last three tires, were starting to go flat 109 00:27:56,240 --> 00:28:03,240 as well. And so, you know, I called some folks from the church, and we got the tires off the car, took them back. 110 00:28:03,240 --> 00:28:09,240 Turns out, when they mounted them, they didn't, I guess, seat them properly on the car, and I was like, 111 00:28:09,240 --> 00:28:14,240 "Hey, look, you know, my day has been ruined. My travel has been ruined. This tire is completely destroyed," 112 00:28:14,240 --> 00:28:20,240 because it almost went instantly flat. It didn't blow, but it just went flat at 70 miles an hour, and they're like, 113 00:28:20,240 --> 00:28:25,240 "Well, I don't know. What did you tell you? You're kind of out of luck." And so, there I was, nothing 114 00:28:25,240 --> 00:28:30,240 going according to plan. And it can be frustrating, and it can be difficult for us in those moments. 115 00:28:30,240 --> 00:28:35,240 And our tendency might be to get angry, or we just say, "You know what? I'm just going to give up." 116 00:28:35,240 --> 00:28:41,240 Right? And so, when things don't go according to plan, it is a struggle for us. And this morning, we see Paul 117 00:28:41,240 --> 00:28:47,240 coming to Rome. And the interesting thing is, this has been Paul's plan for a while. When he writes the book of 118 00:28:47,240 --> 00:28:54,240 Romans in chapter one, he will say this, "I'm eager to preach the gospel to those of you who are in Rome." 119 00:28:54,240 --> 00:29:02,240 But Paul's plan was not to arrive in Rome in chains. His plan was to make a quick stop, preach to the church, 120 00:29:02,240 --> 00:29:08,240 be encouraged by them, encourage them, teach them about the gospel, maybe have some of his needs met for the 121 00:29:08,240 --> 00:29:15,240 next missionary journey. And his goal is to go to Spain. In fact, he'll say that in Romans 15. He says, "I hope to 122 00:29:15,240 --> 00:29:23,240 see you as I go to Spain, and to be helped on my journey there by you, once I have enjoyed your company for a while." 123 00:29:23,240 --> 00:29:29,240 And the very first verse that Brent read this morning shows that's not going to happen. Right? 124 00:29:29,240 --> 00:29:36,240 Paul, in verse 16, comes to Rome, is allowed to stay by himself. So that doesn't sound so bad until you hear 125 00:29:36,240 --> 00:29:43,240 that it's with the soldier who guarded him. And so here you have, in the very beginning of the end 126 00:29:43,240 --> 00:29:52,240 of Acts chapter 28, you have this picture of our plans and God's will. And what we find is what Paul 127 00:29:52,240 --> 00:29:59,240 had planned ultimately in this time, in this place, was not in the will of God. Now, God 128 00:29:59,240 --> 00:30:05,240 doesn't frustrate our plans or change our plans because he's being petty, but because he knows 129 00:30:05,240 --> 00:30:12,240 more and sees more and understands more than we do. Just like a parent with children, when 130 00:30:12,240 --> 00:30:17,240 we give our kids guidance, I'm not doing it because I don't want them doing something fun 131 00:30:17,240 --> 00:30:21,240 or having some joy. I'm doing it because I see where that can end up down the road. 132 00:30:21,240 --> 00:30:27,240 And it may hurt them or may cause some problems in the future. And so I say, you know, don't 133 00:30:27,240 --> 00:30:32,240 do that because that's not something good to do, right? And so we understand from our 134 00:30:32,240 --> 00:30:37,240 perspective, especially if we're older, looking at those who are younger, that we can see those 135 00:30:37,240 --> 00:30:43,240 things happening sort of spread out through their life. And so when God changes our plans, when 136 00:30:43,240 --> 00:30:47,240 God puts up a block in our plans, he's not doing it because he says, "You know what would really 137 00:30:47,240 --> 00:30:54,240 mess up their day?" He's doing it for our good and for the good of his church. Which 138 00:30:54,240 --> 00:30:59,240 brings some to the place where they say, "I just won't make any plans," right? If God's just 139 00:30:59,240 --> 00:31:03,240 going to have his plan, then I'm not going to do anything. That's not what James says when 140 00:31:03,240 --> 00:31:09,240 he writes to the church. He says, "We make our plans, but in the making of our plans we ask 141 00:31:09,240 --> 00:31:16,240 God, we depend on God, and ultimately if God says to do something different, we follow him." 142 00:31:16,240 --> 00:31:22,240 And so Paul has become very good at doing that. And what you're going to find is his 143 00:31:22,240 --> 00:31:26,240 destination has changed, right? He's no longer on his way to Spain, but he's at his 144 00:31:26,240 --> 00:31:32,240 final destination there in Rome, but his mission has not changed. He's going to 145 00:31:32,240 --> 00:31:39,240 continue to preach and to share the gospel in Rome. And so the first thing we find is 146 00:31:39,240 --> 00:31:45,240 Paul begins to preach to those who are skeptical. Look at verse 17. "After three 147 00:31:45,240 --> 00:31:49,240 days, he called together the local leaders of the Jews, and when they had 148 00:31:49,240 --> 00:31:52,240 gathered, he said to them, 'Brothers, though I have done nothing against our 149 00:31:52,240 --> 00:31:56,240 people or the customs of the fathers, yet I was delivered as a prisoner from 150 00:31:56,240 --> 00:32:01,240 Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans.'" Right? So Paul here is making a really, 151 00:32:01,240 --> 00:32:09,240 really bold move, right? How has he gotten to be in chains? It's by 152 00:32:09,240 --> 00:32:14,240 gathering together the Jewish leaders and preaching Jesus. And so what does Paul 153 00:32:14,240 --> 00:32:19,240 do once he's in chains? He gathers together the Jewish leaders and begins 154 00:32:19,240 --> 00:32:25,240 to preach to them Jesus. Three days in Rome, right? Probably one day to find a 155 00:32:25,240 --> 00:32:29,240 place, one day to get settled, and third day he goes, "Hey guys, 156 00:32:29,240 --> 00:32:34,240 why don't you come over so I can tell you about Jesus?" The very thing that got him 157 00:32:34,240 --> 00:32:38,240 in trouble in the first place. And remember, the Jewish reaction in general of 158 00:32:38,240 --> 00:32:43,240 the leaders has not been good to Paul over his last three missionary 159 00:32:43,240 --> 00:32:49,240 journeys. In Antioch, in Acts chapter 13, it says, "When the Jews saw the crowds, 160 00:32:49,240 --> 00:32:53,240 they were filled with jealousy and began to contradict what was spoken by 161 00:32:53,240 --> 00:32:58,240 Paul, reviling him." So as Paul is preaching and teaching, they're beginning to 162 00:32:58,240 --> 00:33:02,240 shout him down, they're beginning to insult him. A little later in the chapter, 163 00:33:02,240 --> 00:33:06,240 the Jews incited the devout women of high standing and the leading men in the 164 00:33:06,240 --> 00:33:12,240 city, stirred up against persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out 165 00:33:12,240 --> 00:33:18,240 of the district. Chapter later in Iconium, "When an attempt was made by both the 166 00:33:18,240 --> 00:33:23,240 Gentiles and the Jews with their rulers to mistreat them and stone them," that means 167 00:33:23,240 --> 00:33:27,240 throw rocks at them until they are dead, "they learned of it and fled to Lystra 168 00:33:27,240 --> 00:33:32,240 and Derbe, and there they continued to preach the gospel. And in Lystra, the Jews 169 00:33:32,240 --> 00:33:37,240 came from Antioch and Iconium, having persuaded the crowds, they stoned Paul, 170 00:33:37,240 --> 00:33:41,240 dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead." So his first missionary journey, 171 00:33:41,240 --> 00:33:45,240 he gets to this point where opposition from these Jewish leaders has gotten so 172 00:33:45,240 --> 00:33:49,240 bad they throw rocks at him until they think he's dead, and then they drag the body 173 00:33:49,240 --> 00:33:54,240 outside the city and just leave it. And then for a bit things go quiet. 174 00:33:54,240 --> 00:33:58,240 Paul will return to Jerusalem. He'll meet with the church. He'll set out again on his 175 00:33:58,240 --> 00:34:03,240 missionary journey. You see that in Acts 17, verse 5. He's in Thessalonica. 176 00:34:03,240 --> 00:34:07,240 "But the Jews were jealous, and taking some of the wicked men of the rabble, 177 00:34:07,240 --> 00:34:10,240 they formed a mob and set the city in an uproar and attacked the house 178 00:34:10,240 --> 00:34:15,240 of Jason, seeking to bring them out to the crowd. And then in Berea, 179 00:34:15,240 --> 00:34:18,240 when the Jews from Thessalonica learned the word of God was proclaimed 180 00:34:18,240 --> 00:34:23,240 by Paul in Berea also, they came there, too, agitating and stirring up the crowds. 181 00:34:23,240 --> 00:34:27,240 And then in Corinth, when Galileo was proconsul of Achaia, 182 00:34:27,240 --> 00:34:33,240 the Jews made a united attack on Paul and brought him before the tribunal. 183 00:34:33,240 --> 00:34:36,240 Then Paul will spend time in Ephesus and on his trip home. 184 00:34:36,240 --> 00:34:39,240 He's going to speak to the Ephesian elders. He's going to come to Jerusalem. 185 00:34:39,240 --> 00:34:45,240 And when he comes to Jerusalem, in order to appease those who had been so adamantly against him, 186 00:34:45,240 --> 00:34:51,240 he goes and engages in this sort of purification, time of purification in the temple. 187 00:34:51,240 --> 00:34:56,240 And in Acts 21:27, when the seven days of his purification are almost completed, 188 00:34:56,240 --> 00:35:00,240 the Jews from Asia, seeing him in the temple, that's the place he's just come from, 189 00:35:00,240 --> 00:35:05,240 stirred up the whole crowd and laid hands on him, crying out, "Men of Israel, help!" 190 00:35:05,240 --> 00:35:12,240 This is the man who is teaching everyone everywhere against the people and the law and this place. 191 00:35:12,240 --> 00:35:16,240 Moreover, he even brought Greeks into this temple and defiled the holy place. 192 00:35:16,240 --> 00:35:20,240 From that point, this crowd tries to murder the apostle Paul. 193 00:35:20,240 --> 00:35:23,240 They shut the gates of the temple so it can't be defiled anymore. 194 00:35:23,240 --> 00:35:26,240 The mob gathers around him, begins to beat him. 195 00:35:26,240 --> 00:35:30,240 And at that point, the Roman garrison, the station near the temple, comes busting in. 196 00:35:30,240 --> 00:35:33,240 They grab Paul, and they start to drag him out. 197 00:35:33,240 --> 00:35:35,240 Paul says, "Can I address the crowd?" 198 00:35:35,240 --> 00:35:37,240 He preaches to the crowd. 199 00:35:37,240 --> 00:35:39,240 Starts another riot. 200 00:35:39,240 --> 00:35:40,240 They drag him back. 201 00:35:40,240 --> 00:35:41,240 They're going to beat him. 202 00:35:41,240 --> 00:35:42,240 Turns out he's a Roman citizen. 203 00:35:42,240 --> 00:35:43,240 They can't do that. 204 00:35:43,240 --> 00:35:46,240 The next day, they take him before the Jewish high court. 205 00:35:46,240 --> 00:35:50,240 Starts another mini-riot and argument in the court. 206 00:35:50,240 --> 00:35:54,240 They take him, and they said, "We're going to send him to the regional authorities rather than here." 207 00:35:54,240 --> 00:36:00,240 And at the same time, like 40 of the Jewish men say, "We're not going to eat or drink until Paul is dead." 208 00:36:00,240 --> 00:36:06,240 And this plot to kill him for the next, essentially three years, Paul is going to be from ruler to ruler, 209 00:36:06,240 --> 00:36:10,240 spending an excessive amount of time in jail as the ruler hopes for a bribe, 210 00:36:10,240 --> 00:36:14,240 facing these false accusations until eventually he's sent to Rome. 211 00:36:14,240 --> 00:36:18,240 On the trip, he is shipwrecked, spends three months shipwrecked on an island, 212 00:36:18,240 --> 00:36:24,240 eventually comes to Rome, is in jail, and the very first thing he does when he gets to Rome is what? 213 00:36:24,240 --> 00:36:29,240 To call together the leaders of the people who have been persecuting him this entire time, 214 00:36:29,240 --> 00:36:32,240 and began to tell them about Jesus. 215 00:36:32,240 --> 00:36:38,240 And he says, "I'm telling you about the hope of Israel." 216 00:36:38,240 --> 00:36:41,240 It's remarkable that Paul would do that. 217 00:36:41,240 --> 00:36:46,240 And what's interesting is his audience does not seem to be necessarily a friendly one, right? 218 00:36:46,240 --> 00:36:49,240 So he says, "These people have been persecuting me. 219 00:36:49,240 --> 00:36:52,240 False charges left and right." Listen to what they say. 220 00:36:52,240 --> 00:36:54,240 "We have received no letters from Judea about you. 221 00:36:54,240 --> 00:36:57,240 None of the brothers coming here have reported or spoken any evil about you." 222 00:36:57,240 --> 00:36:59,240 So that sounds pretty good. 223 00:36:59,240 --> 00:37:05,240 "But we desire to hear from you what your views are, for with regard to this sect we know everywhere it's spoken against." 224 00:37:05,240 --> 00:37:14,240 Yeah, we'll hear what you have to say about Christianity because we have heard absolutely nothing good about Jesus and his followers from anyone. 225 00:37:14,240 --> 00:37:16,240 So do you hear? There's a little bit of dishonesty there, I think. 226 00:37:16,240 --> 00:37:22,240 We haven't heard anything from anyone, but all we've heard is negative from everyone, right? 227 00:37:22,240 --> 00:37:25,240 So there is probably a little more going on here than we realize. 228 00:37:25,240 --> 00:37:29,240 And so here was my thought as I read through this. 229 00:37:29,240 --> 00:37:33,240 Why does Paul even bother, right? 230 00:37:33,240 --> 00:37:37,240 Here is a group of people who have had a history with him. 231 00:37:37,240 --> 00:37:47,240 And in some cases have chased him, not just across cities, but across regions, and all the way to Jerusalem to seek to do him harm. 232 00:37:47,240 --> 00:37:50,240 Why would he bother? 233 00:37:50,240 --> 00:37:53,240 Why wouldn't he just say, "You know what? 234 00:37:53,240 --> 00:37:56,240 There's people who really want to hear the gospel. I'll deal with them." 235 00:37:56,240 --> 00:38:00,240 It's because Paul wants everyone to hear the gospel. 236 00:38:00,240 --> 00:38:06,240 And one of the things that the gospel does is that God equips us for the task that he gives us. 237 00:38:06,240 --> 00:38:16,240 And Paul, knowing God's love and forgiveness when Paul was a sinner, can't help but seek to love and forgive those who have gone against him. 238 00:38:16,240 --> 00:38:21,240 And so he patiently seeks to entreat them with the gospel. 239 00:38:21,240 --> 00:38:26,240 The gospel properly applied to our lives. 240 00:38:26,240 --> 00:38:32,240 We see Jesus' goodness and how he loves us and how he forgives us. 241 00:38:32,240 --> 00:38:37,240 It changes how we treat those, even those who have wronged us. 242 00:38:37,240 --> 00:38:42,240 The gospel allows us to forgive and to love and gives us courage. 243 00:38:42,240 --> 00:38:50,240 God transforms you and you see it in the fact that Paul would even speak to this group who has sought to do him harm. 244 00:38:50,240 --> 00:38:54,240 The second group I want you to see is almost the complete opposite. 245 00:38:54,240 --> 00:38:58,240 It's the gospel for those who are excited about Jesus. 246 00:38:58,240 --> 00:39:02,240 And so he lived there for two whole years at his own expense 247 00:39:02,240 --> 00:39:06,240 and welcomed all those who came to him proclaiming the kingdom of God 248 00:39:06,240 --> 00:39:10,240 and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ without hindrance. 249 00:39:10,240 --> 00:39:16,240 So Paul, as he would have got to town, he would have rented probably a little small apartment. 250 00:39:16,240 --> 00:39:20,240 Sometimes we picture him in the house. That's not quite likely. 251 00:39:20,240 --> 00:39:26,240 Around Rome at this time, there's like 45,000 of these buildings called Insuli. 252 00:39:26,240 --> 00:39:28,240 They're like four or five stories tall. 253 00:39:28,240 --> 00:39:34,240 A lot of times on the bottom level, they would have shops and places to buy merchants. 254 00:39:34,240 --> 00:39:39,240 And then sort of on the stories above, they'd be divided into rooms like we would think modern apartments. 255 00:39:39,240 --> 00:39:42,240 And you could rent these and live out of these places. 256 00:39:42,240 --> 00:39:47,240 Some of them were kind of tumbled down. Some of them were in good condition, likely. 257 00:39:47,240 --> 00:39:51,240 Paul is next to the Roman soldiers. They're barracks. 258 00:39:51,240 --> 00:39:57,240 So he's in an area that's probably not too bad, but notice that he's paying for it himself. 259 00:39:57,240 --> 00:40:05,240 And as he's living in this place, it says that anyone, he welcomed all who came to him. 260 00:40:05,240 --> 00:40:08,240 And the picture there of welcome is a pretty remarkable one, right? 261 00:40:08,240 --> 00:40:14,240 Because sometimes you look out, somebody's knocking on your door, and you're just like, "Oh, man," right? 262 00:40:14,240 --> 00:40:20,240 So there was a couple of salesmen that occasionally go through the neighborhood, and they want to talk to you about this or talk to you about that. 263 00:40:20,240 --> 00:40:26,240 And we kind of see them because they always park in the bottom of the parking lot, and then they walk with a whole handful of flyers. 264 00:40:26,240 --> 00:40:31,240 And when you see them coming up around the parking lot, it's like, "Everybody inside, under the bed, turn off all the lights." 265 00:40:31,240 --> 00:40:33,240 Because it's like, "I don't want to talk to them," right? 266 00:40:33,240 --> 00:40:38,240 But then there's people that you're excited to see and people you're excited to talk about. 267 00:40:38,240 --> 00:40:44,240 And so notice that these people who were always in Paul's house for two years, 268 00:40:44,240 --> 00:40:54,240 Paul is not going, "Oh, man, here's more people," but rather joyfully proclaims the gospel to anyone, and he does it boldly. 269 00:40:54,240 --> 00:41:00,240 And that word means openly and plainly, right? He's not speaking in some kind of code, right? 270 00:41:00,240 --> 00:41:07,240 Even though there's a Roman soldier there next to him, even though he's in trouble for preaching the gospel, 271 00:41:07,240 --> 00:41:13,240 he still does so boldly and openly, and nobody stops him for two years. 272 00:41:13,240 --> 00:41:18,240 And so the church, I imagine the church leadership learns, new Christians learn, 273 00:41:18,240 --> 00:41:26,240 maybe people who don't even know Jesus come and learn from the Apostle Paul. It's remarkable. 274 00:41:26,240 --> 00:41:32,240 I want to go back to verse 16 and see how God is at work through all of this. 275 00:41:32,240 --> 00:41:38,240 When we came to Rome, Paul was allowed to stay by himself with the soldier who guarded him. 276 00:41:38,240 --> 00:41:43,240 That seems a little inconvenient, right, to have sort of a permanent roommate. 277 00:41:43,240 --> 00:41:49,240 Depending on how this was arranged, it's likely that Paul would have been chained to a Roman soldier. 278 00:41:49,240 --> 00:41:54,240 So it's not just like your roommate's in the house and the soldier has this room here and you have this room here, 279 00:41:54,240 --> 00:41:59,240 but rather 24 hours a day, Paul was chained to the Roman soldier. 280 00:41:59,240 --> 00:42:05,240 The Roman soldier would come in and out based on shifts, but Paul, regardless of what he's doing, is attached to a Roman soldier 281 00:42:05,240 --> 00:42:08,240 so that he would not be able to escape. 282 00:42:08,240 --> 00:42:11,240 So today, if you're on house arrest, you get a little ankle monitor, 283 00:42:11,240 --> 00:42:16,240 and if you go out past the perimeter, it beeps, tells you you can't do that. 284 00:42:16,240 --> 00:42:21,240 Paul has a Roman soldier who, if you go out past the perimeter, he probably hits you with a sword, right? 285 00:42:21,240 --> 00:42:24,240 So this is what is happening to the Apostle Paul. 286 00:42:24,240 --> 00:42:30,240 He's chained to a Roman soldier, but I want you to see what happens during this time. 287 00:42:30,240 --> 00:42:39,240 First of all, during this time, Paul will write the letters to the Ephesians, the Philippians, the Colossians, and Philemon. 288 00:42:39,240 --> 00:42:44,240 And he is not just going to write these out. 289 00:42:44,240 --> 00:42:49,240 Most of the letters that Paul wrote, he dictated to someone who wrote them down for him. 290 00:42:49,240 --> 00:42:53,240 So Paul would essentially just talk, and somebody would write it down. 291 00:42:53,240 --> 00:43:00,240 And so, the whole time, he's chained to a Roman soldier who is hearing the Gospel to the Ephesians and to the Colossians. 292 00:43:00,240 --> 00:43:07,240 He's hearing Philemon read, he's hearing Philippians dictated, all of these things. 293 00:43:07,240 --> 00:43:11,240 But this Roman soldier is also hearing Paul preach to these Jewish leaders. 294 00:43:11,240 --> 00:43:14,240 He's also hearing Paul, for two years, preach to the Romans. 295 00:43:14,240 --> 00:43:22,240 So all these soldiers, sort of in and out, constantly rotating, are hearing the Gospel over and over again. 296 00:43:22,240 --> 00:43:25,240 And what's remarkable, and this is how God turns things upside down, right? 297 00:43:25,240 --> 00:43:28,240 We look at this and say, "Paul's the captive." 298 00:43:28,240 --> 00:43:38,240 But in reality, Paul is the guy presenting the Gospel, and that Roman soldier at the other end of the chain is the one who is the captive audience. 299 00:43:38,240 --> 00:43:43,240 And as a result, God does something wonderful. Listen to Philippians 1:12-14. 300 00:43:43,240 --> 00:43:49,240 I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the Gospel. 301 00:43:49,240 --> 00:43:51,240 That's Paul being imprisoned in Rome. 302 00:43:51,240 --> 00:43:58,240 So that it has become known through the whole Imperial Guard and all the rest that my imprisonment is from Christ. 303 00:43:58,240 --> 00:44:05,240 And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are so much bold to speak the word without fear. 304 00:44:05,240 --> 00:44:12,240 And so when Paul says the Gospel has become known throughout the whole Imperial Guard, that's the regiment 305 00:44:12,240 --> 00:44:15,240 that would have been guarding him. 306 00:44:15,240 --> 00:44:22,240 At this point in time, somewhere between 8,000 and 10,000 soldiers, each taking a shift, likely during part of the day. 307 00:44:22,240 --> 00:44:24,240 There are several soldiers every day. 308 00:44:24,240 --> 00:44:32,240 And by the time he writes this letter, the word of the Gospel has spread through this entire group of soldiers. 309 00:44:32,240 --> 00:44:38,240 But more than that, in Philippians chapter 4, Paul will say this, as he sort of does his greeting section. 310 00:44:38,240 --> 00:44:43,240 Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me greet you. 311 00:44:43,240 --> 00:44:51,240 And then listen to this: "All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar's household." 312 00:44:51,240 --> 00:44:56,240 Right? Not just the soldiers who guard Caesar are becoming Christians, 313 00:44:56,240 --> 00:45:03,240 but members of Caesar's household are Christians because of Paul's testimony. 314 00:45:03,240 --> 00:45:10,240 So here he is, looking like he's trapped, chained to a Roman soldier, awaiting trial, but what's happening? 315 00:45:10,240 --> 00:45:16,240 He's encouraging the church by writing letters. He's encouraging us by penning these letters. 316 00:45:16,240 --> 00:45:20,240 The Gospel is moving through the soldiers, it's moving through the royal house, 317 00:45:20,240 --> 00:45:29,240 maybe even the royal family, all while it seems like Paul is a captive, the Gospel is advancing. 318 00:45:29,240 --> 00:45:43,240 I love that God is at work in the life of the Apostle Paul, even when it seems like he's stuck in this little house, chained to this Roman soldier. 319 00:45:43,240 --> 00:45:50,240 The Gospel advances. Let's pray. Father, help us to see the power of the Gospel. 320 00:45:50,240 --> 00:45:58,240 That as Paul said of his imprisonment, those who saw him were more bold about the Gospel. 321 00:45:58,240 --> 00:46:06,240 Help us to be more bold in proclaiming the Gospel. Help us to see that even when it seems like our world's been turned upside down, 322 00:46:06,240 --> 00:46:14,240 you have given us opportunities to share the good news about Jesus, that you have given us hope, that you've given us strength, 323 00:46:14,240 --> 00:46:22,240 and you have worked to make things happen for the good of your church and of your people. 324 00:46:22,240 --> 00:46:30,240 So encourage us this morning, if we're feeling stuck, that you are with us, that we are not alone, and that you have work for us to do. 325 00:46:30,240 --> 00:46:34,240 It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. 326 00:46:34,240 --> 00:46:40,240 We're going to stand and sing "Behold Our God." 327 00:46:52,240 --> 00:47:06,240 Who has held the oceans in His hands? Who has numbered every grain of sand? 328 00:47:06,240 --> 00:47:20,240 Kings and nations tremble at His voice. All creation rises to rejoice. 329 00:47:20,240 --> 00:47:48,240 Behold our God, seated on His throne. Come, let us adore Him. Behold our King, nothing can compare. Come, let us adore Him. 330 00:47:48,240 --> 00:48:16,240 Who has felt the nails upon His bearing all the guilt of sinful man? God eternal, humble to 331 00:48:16,240 --> 00:48:44,240 the grave. Jesus, Savior, is announced to reign. Behold our God, seated on His throne. Come, let us adore Him. Behold our King. 332 00:48:44,240 --> 00:48:56,240 Nothing can compare. Come, let us adore Him. 333 00:48:56,240 --> 00:49:12,240 We are thankful that you are here with us this morning, both in person and online. Just a couple of announcements. Due to the folks we have traveling, we will not have any Wednesday night Bible study this Wednesday or next Wednesday. 334 00:49:12,240 --> 00:49:27,240 So I just wanted to make you aware of that. Also coming up on August the 14th, I think the second Sunday in August, you know we're, Derek and Chrissy are expecting a new little one. 335 00:49:27,240 --> 00:49:34,240 So we're going to do kind of a, I guess it's a sprinkle, so it's not a full-blown baby shower, but kind of a, we'll get together and have a meal. 336 00:49:34,240 --> 00:49:41,240 We'll send out some more details about that. So if you want to go ahead and mark that on your calendars for August 14th, 337 00:49:41,240 --> 00:49:52,240 we'll be doing that after service. So just a quick update on where Stu is. He just finished, like three minutes ago, 45 miles. 338 00:49:52,240 --> 00:50:02,240 So he's got another 12 miles to go. So, and then he's got 13.6 miles to run. So he's doing, moving right along. 339 00:50:02,240 --> 00:50:10,240 So we'll go ahead and have a word of prayer, read the verse of Scripture, and sing the doxology. Father in heaven, thank you for 340 00:50:10,240 --> 00:50:16,240 taking care of us. Thank you for allowing us to be here this morning. We thank you for your church and your 341 00:50:16,240 --> 00:50:23,240 people. We thank you for Paul and how he, even in the midst of his plans being changed in an uncertain future, 342 00:50:23,240 --> 00:50:30,240 proclaimed the gospel. Help us to do the same. It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. 343 00:50:30,240 --> 00:50:39,240 Paul will write at the end of Colossians, he'll say this, "Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with 344 00:50:39,240 --> 00:50:43,240 thanksgiving." Let's go ahead and sing the Dock song. 345 00:50:43,240 --> 00:51:08,240 Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise Him, all creatures here below. Praise Him above ye heavenly hosts. Praise Father, 346 00:51:08,240 --> 00:51:11,240 Son, and Holy Ghost.