Acts 28:16-31
SS Lesson for 08/29/2010
Devotional Scripture: Ps 3:2-6
The concept of the outline of the lesson came from NIV Standard Lesson Commentary. This week's lesson examines Growing in Joy and Peace. The study's aim is to realize that a servant of God should be a faithful witness wherever he goes. The study's application is to trust God to care for us in all types of situations.
Why Did the Jews Reject Jesus?
After the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, condemned Jesus to be executed, he commissioned that a sign be placed on Jesus’ cross. The sign—written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin—identified Jesus as the “King of the Jews.” All four Gospels tell of the sign, but John’s Gospel includes this unique detail: the Jewish leaders were offended and objected to Pilate. They wanted no part of any sort of legitimate recognition of Jesus (John 19:19–22). This little story is consistent with the general pattern portrayed in the New Testament. For the most part, the Jewish people of Paul’s day were unreceptive to Paul’s claims that Jesus was the prophesied Messiah, the heir of David. The Jews who accepted the claims of the early Christian evangelists such as Paul—like many who accepted Jesus from his own teaching—were often driven from the synagogue and cut off from the Jewish community. (See John 9:22.) Why? There is no clear answer to this. We can say that faith is an individual decision and that each Jewish person in the ancient world made a personal choice concerning Jesus. This is true, but it does not fully explain the widespread and violent opposition to the Christian message, particularly by Jewish leaders in various locations. After Paul’s final, fateful confrontation with the temple leaders in Jerusalem, they characterized him as a “troublemaker” who was causing trouble among Jews all over the world (Acts 24:5). This animosity erupted with such force on one occasion that the governing Romans had to use military force to rescue Paul from his imminent death at the hands of a Jewish mob (Acts 21:31–36). This never caused Paul to reject his people. He was a Jew until the day he died. He longed for the salvation of his Jewish brothers and sisters (Romans 9:2, 3). He took no pleasure in Jewish unbelief. He spoke with great anguish when he told King Agrippa that he was accused of betrayal by the Jews, when he was simply proclaiming the fulfillment of Jewish hopes and prophecy (Acts 26:7). Elsewhere, Paul looked at the unbelief of the Jewish nation as an opportunity for Gentiles to become grafted into the people of God (Romans 11:17). Even in this, Paul held out the hope that the Jews would be grafted back in at a later date (Romans 11:23). In many ways, the book of Acts is the chronicle of this unfortunate rejection of Jesus by the Jews. Paul often began his work in a new city by going to the synagogue. There, using scriptural arguments, he would attempt to prove that Jesus was indeed the promised Messiah (see Acts 17:1–3). This strategy generally produced a few disciples, but often resulted in Paul’s being driven from the synagogue and the city. In Lystra, the unbelieving Jews even attempted to kill Paul by stoning him (Acts 14:19). Acts ends with Paul in Rome, the great imperial city. He used this opportunity to preach Christ to the Jews there, but he received a mixed reception and many did not believe him. At this point, Paul saw that the Old Testament prophets not only spoke of the Messiah, but they also foresaw the unbelief of Israel. Paul quoted Isaiah 6:9, 10 to the crowd, a horrifying prediction of the rejection of God’s message. Why did they rebuff Paul’s preaching? Acts does not give us a specific reason. Whatever the cause, Luke (the author of Acts) is more interested in the result: Paul turns to the Gentiles with the offer of salvation through faith in Christ (Acts 13:46; 28:28).
Lesson Background
Both the book of Acts and Paul’s writings testify to the apostle’s strong desire to preach the gospel in the great city of Rome. This was based on Paul’s conviction that God had destined him to do this (Acts 23:11) and a personal yearning to do so (Romans 1:15). Paul had grown up in Tarsus and had significant ministries in Antioch, Corinth, and Ephesus. These were major, important cities in the Roman Empire, but they did not compare with Rome itself. The old saying that “all roads lead to Rome” was true in many ways. Rome was the center of power, of wealth, and of culture for the entire empire. It had no peer. Some have compared Paul’s desire to go to Rome with that of the aspiring actor who goes to Hollywood or the talented songwriter who goes to Nashville. This is a false portrayal! Paul did not want to go to Rome to further his career. His motivation was a strategic move for the success of the gospel. If Rome could have a strong Christian presence, it would have an oversized impact on the rest of the empire. Just as all roads led to Rome, those roads carried people and ideas from Rome to the farthest corners of the world. Christian tradition credits Peter and Paul with founding the church in Rome, but this is almost certainly not accurate. There was already a church in Rome when Paul arrived, about AD 60. We know there were residents of Rome in the crowd in Jerusalem some 30 years earlier on the Day of Pentecost to hear Peter preach the first gospel message (Acts 2:10). It is likely that the church was present in Rome for many years before Paul’s arrival. This does not deny, however, that the two great apostles had a huge positive impact on the Roman church and helped to increase its size and influence. Paul got the first hint of his eventual ministry in Rome during his Damascus road experience. At that time, it was revealed that he would preach to “Gentiles and their kings” (Acts 9:15). The ultimate Gentile king was the Roman emperor, and Paul’s appeal to Caesar (see Acts 27:24) gave him the potential opportunity to share the gospel with this very person. This did not happen quickly. Paul endured two years imprisonment in Caesarea Maritime before making his appeal (Acts 24:27). His trip to Rome was not a pleasant journey. He was under armed guard and had to live through a terrifying storm and a shipwreck on Malta (Acts 27:14–28:1). The book of Acts ends with Paul having finally reached Rome and awaiting his audience with the emperor. This is the backdrop for today’s lesson.
Paul was a witness for Christ regardless of his circumstances or location. He was sent to Rome at his own request in order to appeal the case brought against him by the Jews in Jerusalem. Although those charges were false and led to his imprisonment, Paul continued to preach the gospel. God upheld him throughout all of his ordeal. Paul took advantage of his situation to witness to the Jewish leadership in Rome. He explained that his Christian faith and the messianic hopes of Israel were in agreement. Some of Paul's Jewish listeners responded by faith and embraced the gospel. The providence of God is evident throughout Paul's life. Paul followed God's plan of going to the Jews first, then to the Gentiles. He preached freely in Rome even though he was not a free man himself. Falsely accused by his fellow Jews, Paul had testified in his own defense before the multitude, the Sanhedrin, Felix, Festus, and Agrippa. He was deprived of justice. In what may have been an act of desperation, he had exercised his right of Roman citizenship and appealed his case to Caesar in Rome. Proclamation of the Word of God promises good results. Isaiah 55:11 says, "So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." Our text shows how this was true in Paul's experience.
(Scriptural Text from the New King James Version; cross-references from the NIV)
16 Now when we came to Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard; but Paul was permitted to dwell by himself with the soldier who guarded him.
17 And it came to pass after three days that Paul called the leaders of the Jews together. So when they had come together, he said to them: "Men and brethren, 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,
18 who, when they had examined me, wanted to let me go, because there was no cause for putting me to death.
19 But when the Jews spoke against it, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar, not that I had anything of which to accuse my nation.
20 For this reason therefore I have called for you, to see you and speak with you, because for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain."
21 Then they said to him, "We neither received letters from Judea concerning you, nor have any of the brethren who came reported or spoken any evil of you.
22 But we desire to hear from you what you think; for concerning this sect, we know that it is spoken against everywhere."
15 One witness is not enough to convict a man accused of any crime or offense he may have committed. A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.
13 Then two scoundrels came and sat opposite him and brought charges against Naboth before the people, saying, "Naboth has cursed both God and the king." So they took him outside the city and stoned him to death.
20 Remember the words I spoke to you: 'No servant is greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. 21 They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the One who sent me.
8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.
12 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.
22 All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.
22 Blessed are you when men hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man.
8 Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.
24 And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. 25 Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.
19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."
5 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.
12 Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
4 As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work.
15 Be very careful, then, how you live — not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.
23 So when they had appointed him a day, many came to him at his lodging, to whom he explained and solemnly testified of the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets, from morning till evening.
24 And some were persuaded by the things which were spoken, and some disbelieved.
25 So when they did not agree among themselves, they departed after Paul had said one word: "The Holy Spirit spoke rightly through Isaiah the prophet to our fathers,
26 saying, 'Go to this people and say: 'Hearing you will hear, and shall not understand; And seeing you will see, and not perceive;
27 For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them."'
28 "Therefore let it be known to you that the salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will hear it!"
29 And when he had said these words, the Jews departed and had a great dispute among themselves.
5 One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 He who regards one day as special, does so to the Lord. He who eats meat, eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains, does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God.
12 That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.
5 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well.
3 After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.
17 For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."
8 None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him"— 10 but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.
9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11 For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body.
9 And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ,
10 His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms,
10 And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,
13 Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. 14 As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy."
12 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God — this is your spiritual act of worship. 2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will.
8 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law.
6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.
30 Then Paul dwelt two whole years in his own rented house, and received all who came to him,
31 preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him.
8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
10 For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
11 You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
14 "But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand.
9 God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.
12 So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! 13 No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
13 if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself.
23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.
6 So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"
A popular theory in the church today is that God makes “divine appointments” for believers to share the gospel with nonbelievers. Whether this is true or not, we should not deny that opportunities are presented to us in unexpected ways. Perhaps a coworker turns to us for comfort or advice. Maybe a relative asks us about our church or our faith. There might be a friend or neighbor who opens the door for sharing one’s faith in a casual conversation. Paul’s evangelistic efforts in Rome were not the culmination of a well- executed strategic plan. He found himself in the imperial city after a lengthy, unjust imprisonment in Caesarea and with a legal cloud hanging over him. His initial outreach to the Jews of Rome did not receive the response for which he had hoped. It may have seemed that the timing was wrong, that he should have hunkered down to wait for a better time to preach the gospel to the Romans. But Paul was not wired that way. There was no wrong time for him to tell people about Jesus. He did not wait for a divine appointment. When he was unable to preach in a certain region, he went elsewhere. When he encountered stubborn unbelief, he moved on to find those who were more receptive. Whenever the gospel is preached, some believe and some do not. Some believe only after many encounters with Christians and the Word. Some hear many times but never do submit to the lordship of Jesus. But we, in our limited knowledge and perception, never know which person is in what category at any particular time. May we follow Paul’s example and always be ready to present and defend Jesus (1 Peter 3:15). If it is a divine appointment, we have no right to cancel it.
The Scriptures reveal that God is the God of opportunity. He makes opportunities for His servants to proclaim His Word. In Revelation 3:7, we read, "He... openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth." If He desires to open a door of opportunity, no one can prevent the door from opening. According to Revelation 3:8, the Lord does not just open doors; He opens specific doors for specific people. He told the church at Philadelphia, "Behold, I have set before thee (italics added) an open door." God's opportunities are always prepared for the people whom He has prepared to receive them. Paul spent his entire ministry simply going through doors of opportunity created by the Lord. One such opportunity has been recorded for us in Acts 28:30-31. Paul was brought to Rome as a prisoner. On the surface, this appeared to be a closed door, for Paul was kept from his missionary travels. However, things are not always what they appear to be. Paul's imprisonment in Rome was not God closing the door of his service; rather, it was an open door to a different kind of service. At this moment, Paul was not in a dungeon, hidden away in some secluded spot in Rome. Instead of being confined to an isolated cell, cut off from people, he was under house arrest in his own dwelling. He had much contact with people. He was free to receive anyone who came to visit him. Even though a Roman soldier guarded him twenty-four hours a day, he was free to preach the great truths concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. No one threatened him or his visitors. The Scriptural text emphasizes that he ministered "with all confidence." Paul spent two years optimizing this incredible opportunity. There is no human explanation for it. No one could have planned it or made it happen. Paul's open door was a work of God, showing that the Lord's servants must follow Him into the most negative situations, confident that He will open a door that no man can shut. We read in John 21 that the disciples fished all night and caught nothing. The door was closed. Then Jesus told them to cast the net on the right side of the ship and they would be successful. Reluctantly, they followed the Lord's leading, and suddenly the net overflowed with fish! The Lord opened the door, and no one could shut it. These two years of captivity may have been the two best years of Paul's life and ministry. In evaluating this open door, we need to realize that Paul did not have to seek out people to evangelize and edify, as he did on his missionary trips. God brought the people to him. We also need to realize that Paul was not being persecuted or abused during these two years of imprisonment. Ironically, Paul enjoyed the protection of the Roman Empire as he preached against the false gods of Rome! Let us learn from Paul's open door. Take a careful look at your circumstances. The door may not be closed. Instead, a different kind of open door may be before you. Perhaps it is the opportunity of a lifetime!
1. Faithfulness to God often means persecution from people (Acts 28:16)
2. The hardships we face provide unique opportunities for ministry (vs. 17-20)
3. Faithful endurance of trials will often earn us a hearing with unbelievers (vs. 21-22)
4. Our circumstances change, but our message must always be the same (vs. 23-25)
5. Faithful obedience to God breeds boldness in proclaiming His message (vs. 28-29)
6. We should take advantage of every opportunity to explain the gospel (vs. 30-31)
The gospel of Jesus Christ is never bound. Paul's life illustrates this truth. Whether he was singing in Philippi's jail, in chains before Agrippa, a prisoner aboard a ship, or under house arrest in Rome, Paul was able to present the truth of Christ to needy souls.
Paul had appealed to Caesar in his hearing before Festus (25:11). Now Paul had arrived in Rome and been put under house arrest, with a soldier watching him. Realizing that his Jewish accusers before Festus might have sent word about him to Rome, Paul called the chief of the Jews to come hear his story. Since the text reads "when they were come together" (28:17), evidently a group of Jewish leaders did indeed come to see him. As he shared with the Jewish leaders why he was imprisoned in Rome, Paul used these words: "Because that for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain" (Acts 28:20). Evidently Paul did not talk about Jesus first but referred to the nation of Israel and the Jewish Messiah. Very wisely, he was establishing his Jewish credentials with the leaders. The men who came to hear Paul told him that they had not received any letters about him. Nor had any of the Jews who came from Judea spoken badly about him. Men had made false accusations against Paul, but God was in charge and protected him. God is sovereign over the affairs of men. Man proposes, but God disposes. The believer needs to remember this in every aspect of life and as he observes what happens in the world.
God had allowed Paul to be confined at this time for a purpose. Paul recognized this and used his experience as a platform from which to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. To explain the gospel to the Jewish leaders who had gathered to hear him, Paul showed how the law of Moses and the Old Testament prophets had foretold Jesus Christ's Person and work. Paul continued proclaiming Christ to his listeners from morning to evening. What was the response to Paul's sharing of the good news that the Christ who was prophesied in the Old Testament had come to die for the sins of men and had risen again to provide forgiveness of sin and eternal life for all who would trust in Him as Saviour? The response was divided. Some believed, and some did not.
When many of the Jews rejected the message that Jesus was the Messiah and Savior, Paul told them before they left that in light of their rejection of the gospel message (which Isaiah 6:9-10 foretold), the gospel was going out to the Gentiles, who would hear it. Paul's words caused the Jewish leaders to further discuss what Paul taught. The Jewish leaders' rejection of the truth did not cause Paul to stop telling others the gospel message. During Paul's two years of confinement, he kept telling those who came to see him that salvation was through accepting the gospel of Christ. Paul knew that the gospel was not bound by men. God was behind it and upheld it with His unlimited power. God does the same today!