Before we really get started this morning, I feel the need to say something. In this political season, I think I need to say, “I am Scott Maze and I approve this message” -:).
What if you could say one sentence that the entire world could understand? What would you say? Our study of Acts concludes today by featuring Paul’s steadfast calling on his life. If you asked Paul, “If you could say ONE sentence that the entire world could understand? What would you say?” Jesus died and rose again so that alienated rebellious sinners could experience God’s rich mercy. He has spent four years in chains but Paul has finally arrived in Rome (Acts 28:14)!
“Therefore let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen.” 30 He lived there two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him, 31 proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance” (Acts 28:29–31).
Everything has gone wrong for Paul. Everything! He’s been imprisoned. He’s nearly assassinated. He’s falsely accused. He’s been stoned. While everything has gone wrong for Paul but everything went right for the gospel.
“Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel, 9 for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound” (2 Timothy 2:8–9)!
God supernaturally orchestrates everything so that the gospel is unstoppable. The gospel of God’s rich mercy is offered in His Son, Jesus, is unstoppable.
1. A Disappointing Ending
The final episode of any good TV show is always eagerly anticipated by fans. What’s your favorite TV show? MASH and Dallas, Seinfeld and Friends, or This is Us Here is the most WATCHED series finale ever (in order): 1) MASH (105.9 million), 2) Cheers (84.4 million), 3) Seinfeld (76.3 million), and lastly, 4) Friends (65.9 million). Some long-running TV shows how a wonderful ending while others have a disappointing ending.
Acts’ ending disappoints us. Let’s be honest … this is a disappointing ending for many of us. You have this big exciting story & it drops off without a conclusion. Imagine if I told you about a woman who was about to give birth in the backseat of a taxi but didn’t finish the story. All the excitement builds up but I don’t tell you how it ends for the young mother. You want to know, “Did she have the baby in the cab? Did she make it to the hospital? What was the baby’s name?” We all want to know, “So what happens to Paul?”
Why does Acts end so abruptly? Acts isn’t the story Paul’s life. Instead, Acts is the story of the unstoppable gospel. Acts is leaves you with an open-ended conclusion. And because of the unstoppable progress of the gospel, through faithful people, that story is still unfolding even to this today…
The final words in the Greek text of Acts is the “unhindered.” God supernaturally orchestrates everything so that the gospel is unstoppable. The gospel of God’s rich mercy is offered in His Son, Jesus, is unstoppable. From our perspective, the early church had one obstacle after another. Still, God supernaturally orchestrates everything so that the gospel is unstoppable.
Paul’s Death
Still, Acts doesn’t “put a bow” on Paul’s story. Instead, we see Paul finally arrives in Rome (Acts 28:14). Again, he’s hard at work sharing the gospel with both Jews and the people of Rome just as we have every step along the way. But what happens after Acts?
Let me speak to those in the room who really are students of the Bible for a moment. The two years’ captivity of Acts 28:30 would take us to the year 62, but Luke simply does not tell us what happened after that. It is likely that his accusers never appeared & so the charges against him were dropped. Now, history does speak to Paul’s death & his story after the book of Acts. Early Christian tradition indicates that Paul was released from a Roman prison & had another period of public ministry. He finally was imprisoned again after 64 (the year of the great fire in Rome, which led to the Nero’s persecution of Christians). A well-known historian, Eusebius of Caesarea, tells us that Paul was came a second time to Rome where he was decapitated by the emperor, Nero around AD 64 during Rome’s great fire. It’s is likely during this second arrest that he writes the New Testament books of 1 & 2 Timothy, and Titus. He likely was decapitated under Nero between the years 65 and 67. Most likely, Paul was not yet 60 years old when he became a martyr for the faith: “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing” (2 Timothy 4:6–8).
God supernaturally orchestrates everything around us so that the gospel is unstoppable. The gospel of God’s rich mercy is offered in His Son, Jesus, is unstoppable.
1. A Disappointing Ending
2. An Unwavering Commitment
There is a tenacious determinism to Paul that is really rare. Do you remember Kerri Strug in 1996 Olympics? She eventually graced the cover of a Wheaties box and even met the President. Back before our nation’s women’s gymnastic program was engulfed in a sexual abuse scandal, Keri Strug secured the first ever gold medal for the US women’s team. It was one of the most memorable moments in the history of the games. Up against the hated Russians, the event started with the Americans with a commanding led only to see it evaporate with one mistake after another from the gymnasts before her. The 4’9” Strug was up last. On her first of two attempts she falls, tearing not one but two ligaments in her ankle. Her coach walked up to the hobbling athlete and said, “Kerri, we need you to go one more time. We need you one more time for the gold.” Strug sprinted down the runway and made her second jump — landing on both feet. She makes her second jump with two torn ligaments. At this point, Strug lands hard on both feet, without stumbling! Yet when she lands, she hears another crack in the same ankle. She gingerly picks up her damaged ankle and folds it behind her, keeping her balance, to the shock of everyone in the crowd and everyone watching on TV. She even managed to salute the judges before she collapsed & had to be carried off. When her score of 9.712 flashes on the giant scoreboard, assuring the United States of the gold medal, the U.S. gymnasts and the crowd breaks out in emotional tears of joy. Later, she was even carried to the medal ceremony by her coach because of the severity of her injury. Her single-minded, tenacious determinism on that day wowed everyone!
As we turn page after page in our Bibles, Paul shows a single-minded, tenacious determinism that equally wows us: “When they had appointed a day for him, they came to him at his lodging in greater numbers. From morning till evening he expounded to them, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus both from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets” (Acts 28:23). Few people can power through like Paul. Paul is motived to bring the good news that Jesus died for sinners to every place and everyone. The gospel is for everybody!
Flash Back
When we first met Paul, he was holding the cloaks of the men who stoned the first Christian martyr, Stephen. And the very next time we see Paul, he’s on his way to Damascus for the purpose of snuffing out Christian faith. His life is transformed in the most radical way. Like a police detective taking his suspect into an interrogation room, Paul hears, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me” (Acts 9:4b)? As soon as this heavenly light confronts Paul, he asks, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting” (Acts 9:5). I don’t think Paul was nearly as shocked by the light, the voice, or even the blindness. The one thing Saul never considered was Jesus was still alive. Up until this moment, Saul thought Jesus was dead.
The resurrection was the game-changer. At the heart of an unstoppable gospel is the resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ. Imagine had the early 1940s newspapers read, “Hitler converts to Judaism” & you get a sense of how powerful Paul’s life change happened. God takes Christianity’s greatest enemy & turns him around so he is Christianity’s greatest advocate. Paul’s story teaches us to never write anyone off. If Paul came to Christ, then God is able to chase down anyone. Once Paul understood Jesus was alive, He lost control of his life.
Flash Forward
Now, 30 years later, Paul is still at it. For you men in the room, Paul is a fullback with eight men gang-tackling him and he simply drags the pile to the end zone. Rome had been his goal for the past 7/8 years of his life. Some four years before this, God had given Paul a promise: “…you must testify also in Rome” (Acts 23:11c). It was three to four years since he had written the letter to the church in Rome saying, “I’m on my way.” In the time it takes many people to finish high school or college, Paul keeps his promise. If I make you a promise before in the summer before your freshmen year, would you even remember it when you graduated?
He shrugs off a venomous snakebite, a shipwreck, prison, desertion from friends, and being called the equivalent of what would be called an anti-Semite. Here is a man with a remarkable single-minded devotion to his God-given task. Strug was amazing but her actions were for gold medal. Paul did all this for so people would experience the life-changing love of God. Again, Satan throws every obstacle at Paul. Yes, everything has gone wrong for Paul but everything went right for the gospel: “He lived there two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him, 31 proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance” (Acts 28:30–31). Here he is spending his last days spreading the gospel in Rome. As a result of his determination, we read this: “All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar’s household” (Philippians 4:22).
Success doesn’t happen overnight. Instead, you need a stick-to-a-tive-ness to be successful. Believing friend, do you posses this kind of stick-to-a-tive-ness?
Here are Two Questions for you: Do you care enough about the gospel to forgo American luxurious when God calls you?
Do you believe Jesus Christ is more valuable than any thing else you have?
Personalize the Great Commission
We've heard Jesus’ words where He commands us to “Go into all the world” but recently someone personalized these words for me. You can think of the Great Commission like this: Go into all your house and make disciples. Go into all your workplace and make disciples. Go into all your neighborhood and make disciples. Go into all your school, your football team, your band room and make disciples.
Conclusion
“But pastor, I’ve haven’t experience this. My life is a mess and God is nowhere to be found.” The problem is too many of us are part-time Christians wanting a full-time God. God’s people will be clothed with power. God supernaturally orchestrates everything around us so that the gospel is unstoppable. The gospel of God’s rich mercy is offered in His Son, Jesus, is unstoppable. Remember this: the only reason Paul was able to keep his promise was God keep His promises to Paul: “He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it” (1 Thessalonians 5:24). Life is filled with delays, diversions, and inconveniences. Still, God keeps His promises so you can experience His rich mercy.
