Lesson Notes

Introduction

• Studying the Book of Acts to see how the Holy Spirit empowered and propelled the early church out into a hostile world that it turned “upside down”
• I pray that will happen again now and that we’ll be part of it!
• First, a few pictures from the places mentioned last week in Athens and Corinth
• Tonight: a very rapid flight through the final portion of Acts – Paul’s arrest and journey to Rome in chains
  • I will mostly tell and read the story with much less commentary and explanation
  • I think much of this is straightforward, but don’t hesitate to ask questions!

A Quick Summary of Paul’s 3rd Missionary Journey

• Described in Acts 19-20
• Paul set out and visited the churches from his 1st journey
• Then he went to Ephesus, which he’d only briefly visited previously
• He stayed about 3 years – teac hing first in the synagogue and later in the hall of Tyrannus
• Paul did extraordinary miracles in addition to teaching boldly
• The Spirit convinced Paul to visit the churches from his 2nd journey then go to Jerusalem
• Meanwhile, the growth of Christianity threatened the economic interests of Ephesus
  • Ephesus was a major pilgrimage spot because of the temple of Artemis
  • Big money was made by the silversmiths casting idols and items for Artemis
  • They made trouble and a riot broke out
  • The town clerk calmed everyone down and Paul took this as his cue to leave
• He visited Greece and Macedonia
• In Troas his late-night preaching and teaching put a young man to sleep who fell out a window and died, but Paul raised him back to life
• As Paul traveled to Jerusalem, he stopped in Miletus and called the elders of the Ephesian church to visit him
• His mindset as he said farewell: Read Acts 20: 18b-32

Jerusalem

Acts 21-23

• Read Acts 21: 7-14
• Read 21: 27-36
• Paul gives his testimony to the crowd – his Jewish upbringing and encounter with Jesus
• The Romans were going to flog him until he said he was a citizen ad thus needed a proper hearing
  • The Roman tribute brought Paul before the Jewish religious council
  • Paul divided the council by appealing to the hope of the resurrection of the dead – the Pharisees and Sadducees began arguing violently with each other
  • Paul was taken back to the Roman barracks where Christ appeared to him
  • Acts 23: 11, “The following night the Lord stood by him and said, ‘Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome.'”
  • As we have heard said throughout Acts – what people meant for evil, God used for the advance of the Gospel.
  • Paul’s enemies will be the ones that give him opportunity to preach before kings and proclaim the gospel to Rome
  • A group of Jews in Jerusalem formed a conspiracy to kill Paul, which his nephew learned about, reported to Paul who reported it to the tribune
  • Paul was taken by massive military guard to Caesarea in the night to Felix
  • Read Acts 23: 23-35

Caesarea

Acts 24-26

• Paul will be imprisoned in Caesarea for over 2 years with several opportunities to proclaim the gospel to high Roman officials
• First, a few pictures from Caesarea
• Chapter 24 beings with a hearing before Felix the governor
  • The high priest and other leaders claimed Paul stirred up riots throughout the empire and tried to profane the temple
  • Paul denied the charges, cited lack of evidence and said this is simply about the resurrection of the dead
• Read Acts 24: 22-26
  • Interesting insight into the disturbing power of the Gospel on unbelievers!
  • Frequent conversations with authorities
  • God provides for relatively comfortable situation, but still imprisoned for 2 years!
• Once Festus arrived in Jerusalem, the leaders asked him to deal with Paul that Paul be sent to Jerusalem so they could ambush him. Festus made them come to Caesarea
• Read Acts 25: 6-12
  • Paul dramatically exercises his right ot have his case heard before Caesar
  • While dangerous, it also would get his case unstuck
  • God uses Paul’s citizenship rights to take the gospel to Rome
• Herod Agrippa II and his wife Bernice came to pay their respects to Festus, who shared the details of the case with them, seeking advice
  • Agrippa asked to hear Paul speak
  • Read Acts 25:23-27
• Paul is then invited to speak freely before Agrippa
  • He begins with his personal history as a Pharisee and opponent of Jesus
  • Read Acts 26:12-23
  • Verses 17-18 – note Paul’s deep awareness of the Gentile situation!
  • Verses 22-23 – and Paul’s deep awareness of God’s continuing help and the reality that the Old Testament pointed to Christ
• Read Acts 26:24-32
  • Note that response – not everybody is ready to respond favorably to the Gospel – but we proclaim it anyway
  • People often need to hear several times as Agrippa acknowledges the unfamiliarity of it
  • We aren’t responsible for the response – that’s about God and the hearer

The Journey to Rome

Acts 27-28

• So begins a 6+ month journey to Rome
• They started in the fall of 59 AD when the Mediterranean becomes very dangerous
• Paul advised against the trip, but was ignored
• Their ship was caught in a violent storm for two weeks, battling to survive the violent winds and high seas
• Read Acts 27:21-38
• They ran aground and as the ship began to break apart, they swam or floated ashore on pieces of the ship
• Once again, Paul does the miraculous – Read Acts 28: 1-10
• Paul arrives in Rome and connects with the local Jewish leaders who know nothing about his case, but want to hear about Christianity
• Read Acts 28:23-31
• A few final thoughts as we close out the book of Acts
  • Notice that closing emphasis on boldness, which we’ve seen throughout – the church prayed for that and God honored that prayer. May we pray for that!
  • Notice how God used opposition to Paul to find a journey to Rom in which he preached Christ without hindrance
    • We’re in a season of rising opposition – to churches gathering, to the teaching of the Bible, to evangelism
    • But God can still use opposition to advance the gospel
  • Christianity appears on the decline in the US, the culture is reverting to a Greco-Roman kind of culture in many ways
    • Rather than lament, be inspired by Acts
    • The early church turned that world upside down – not by their own strength and influence for they had none!
    • Through bold obedience and by the power of the Holy Spirit
  • Notice how Spirit-led, flexible, and adaptable Peter and Paul and the early church were – they knew what they planned to do tomorrow, but always submitted those plans to God’s will, changing on a dime in response to God’s work – sometimes working through persecution
    • We too must be extremely flexible as we’re learning painfully in 2020
    • We can learn from this and make our plans but let the Spirit lead our life and our ministry
    • We must become so reliant on God that we’re comfortable tossing our plans aside and so filled with the Spirit and faithful that nothing hinders us, not even entrenched opposition
  • The very same Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are present and at work today – in the world, the church, and in us
    • Do not despair or grow weary of doing good
    • Call on them and live in faithful, flexible, bold obedience
    • Pray for God to turn the world upside down for the gospel once again!