By Jay T. Robertson, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Christian Studies, University of Mobile
ALWAYS ON MISSION
Acts 28:17–28
Acts is the unfolding story of the people of God, filled with the Spirit of God, engaging in the mission of God. Acts ends on a big “to be continued.” Luke never set out to write a biography of Paul. His goal was to describe the acts of Jesus accomplished by the Holy Spirit. His first book, the Gospel of Luke, set out to tell “all that Jesus began to do and teach until the day he was taken up” (Acts 1:1–2). The Book of Acts is about all that Jesus continued to do after that point. Luke ends the Book of Acts with Paul teaching about the kingdom of God and the Lord Jesus Christ. The book is finished, but the mission Jesus gave to the church is not. Filled by the Holy Spirit, we spread the gospel to the nations.
The Journey (17–20)
Three days after arriving in Rome, Paul called the local Jewish leaders. It had always been Paul’s strategy to speak first with the Jewish community. Despite the persecution he had experienced from the Jewish people throughout his ministry, he had no desire for vengeance, no countercharges to bring against his countrymen. Therefore, he called for the local leaders of the Jews to meet with him. Paul probably assumed they had heard about him from the Jews in Jerusalem. He faced a delicate task. He needed to explain why he was a prisoner and defend his innocence, all while not alienating the Jews in Rome.
After declaring his innocence, he mentioned that it was because of “the hope of Israel” that he was a prisoner of the Romans. This phrase was intended to create interest about Paul’s main message. By using Old Testament terminology familiar to them, Paul was setting up the Jewish leaders of Rome to hear his proclamation of the risen Christ.
The Seekers (21–23)
The group of Jewish leaders denied any knowledge of Paul’s case. They had heard nothing officially, having received no letters from Judea about him, or unofficially, since none of the brothers coming to Rome had reported or spoken anything evil about him.
The local Jewish leaders expressed interest in hearing his message. They claimed to have no real understanding of Christianity though there was a church in Rome. They did know that this “sect” was spoken against everywhere. Their first meeting with Paul set up the second meeting. The Jews wanted to hear more so Paul welcomed them and sought to persuade them about Christ’s significance through the use of the Law of Moses and the Prophets.
The meeting requested by the Jews was not a quick gospel presentation followed by a call to repent and believe. Paul taught them all day, taking time to unpack the plan of God within the context of the Hebrew Scriptures. People today are saturated with ignorance when it comes to the Word. We must patiently teach people that God created a perfect world that was broken by human sin. We must explain that God, out of love, sent His only Son into this world to redeem sinners. Paul magnified Jesus as the Messiah throughout his teaching, imitating the pattern set forth by Jesus on the road to Emmaus. He described Jesus as the long anticipated Ruler, the true and better David, whose kingdom was inaugurated at His first coming and will be consummated at His second.
The Response (24–28)
Some of the Jews believed the message while others did not. So Paul declared that the gospel will be proclaimed to the Gentiles. He spent two years teaching everyone who would come and listen. He taught about the kingdom of God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
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