Sermon Tone Analysis

THOUGH A PRISONER, HE’S NOT IMPRISONED

So by God’s providence Paul reached Rome safe and sound.

But he arrived as a prisoner!

Christ’s promise that be would testify in Rome had not included that information.

OPEN DOOR

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THOUGH A PRISONER, HE’S NOT IMPRISONED

TWO YEAR STAY

With the time reference, Luke provides the last biographical note on Paul.

He fails to disclose Paul’s release, subsequent travels, second imprisonment, and death.

IT’S GENERALLY THOUGHT THAT HE WAS EITHER TRIED AND FOUND INNOCENT OR THAT HIS ACCUSERS NEVER CAME AND CHARGES WERE DROPPED

With the time reference, Luke provides the last biographical note on Paul.

He fails to disclose Paul’s release, subsequent travels, second imprisonment, and death.

We know from his epistles that Paul expected to be released from prison (see , ; ) and would need lodging in Colosse ().

The pastoral Epistles include references to places that are not mentioned in Acts.

Hence we conclude that Paul must have travelled to Ephesus and Macedonia (; ), Nicopolis (), and Troas ().

And finally, in his last epistle he writes that his execution is at hand ().

Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953–2001).

Exposition of the Acts of the Apostles (Vol.

17, p. 966).

Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.

Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953–2001).

Exposition of the Acts of the Apostles (Vol.

17, p. 966).

Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.

Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953–2001).

Exposition of the Acts of the Apostles (Vol.

17, p. 966).

Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.

Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953–2001).

Exposition of the Acts of the Apostles (Vol.

17, p. 966).

Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.

Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953–2001).

Exposition of the Acts of the Apostles (Vol.

17, p. 966).

Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.

HIS CIRCUMSTANCES MEAN THAT MANY HEAR THE GOSPEL, SOME ARE SAVED!

Probably he resumed his tent-making, in order to pay his way.

But when visitors came to see him, he laid aside his manual labour for evangelism.

Information as to what happened beyond that time comes from extrabiblical sources and from hints in the last few of Paul’s letters.

First Clement 5.7 (written A.D. 95, perhaps the earliest known orthodox Christian writing after the NT) speaks of Paul preaching in “the limits of the west,” which probably indicates his fulfilling his desire to preach in Spain (see Rom. 15:24).

The church historian Eusebius, writing in A.D. 325, cites the tradition that Paul was freed from confinement and carried on a further ministry until he was arrested and placed in a second Roman imprisonment, at which time he was martyred (Ecclesiastical History 2.22).

EVERYONE’S WELCOME

HIS CIRCUMSTANCES MEAN THAT MANY HEAR THE GOSPEL, SOME ARE SAVED!

“welcoming” Luke uses this term often with the connotation of “heartily welcome” (cf.

18:27; 28:30 and paradechōmai in 15:4).

It is used of the crowd welcoming Jesus in Luke 8:40 and 9:11.

It is used of welcoming the gospel as preached by Peter in Acts 2:41.

Probably he resumed his tent-making, in order to pay his way.

But when visitors came to see him, he laid aside his manual labour for evangelism.

In God’s sovereignty, Paul’s time in prison was not wasted, for it was during his Roman imprisonment that he wrote the letters to the Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon.

The time after Paul’s release from his first imprisonment (mid-60s) would be when he wrote 1 Timothy and Titus.

He probably wrote his last letter, 2 Timothy, during his second imprisonment, as he awaited execution (cf. 2 Tim.

4:6–8).

HIS CIRCUMSTANCES MEAN THAT MANY HEAR THE GOSPEL, SOME ARE SAVED!Z

HOW YOU UNDERSTAND YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES DETERMINES HOW THEY AFFECT YOU

BITTERNESS AND DEPRESSION CAN BE LINKED TO ATTITUDE

Even our World Understands This

The Power of Positive Thinking

Zippidy Do Da ...

Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah Zip-A-Dee-A

My oh my what a wonderful day

Plenty of sunshine headed my way

Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah Zip-A-Dee-A

Bob B. Soxx & the Blue Jeans, a Phil Spector-produced American rhythm and blues trio from Los Angeles, recorded "Zip-a-Dee Doo-Dah" using the Wrecking Crew[3] in late 1962.

Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah Zip-A-Dee-A

My oh my what a wonderful day

Plenty of sunshine headed my way

Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah Zip-A-Dee-A

Mister blue birds on my shoulder

It's the truth

It's actual

Everything is satisfactual

So let the sun shine in, face it with a grin

Smilers never lose and frowners never win

So let the sun shine in, face it with a grin

Open up your heart and let the sun shine in

Mister blue birds on my shoulder

It's the truth

It's actual

Everything is satisfactual

CHRISTIANS HAVE A FAR BETTER PERSPECTIVE ON LIFE

TROUBLE IS REAL, CAN BE HORRIBLE

But God Is More Than Able To Sustain and Bring Good

A weight is attached to a rope, not to break, but to prove it.

Pressure is applied to a boiler, not to burst it, but to certify its power of resistance.

The testing process here confers no strength.

But when a sailor has to navigate his ship under a heavy gale and in a difficult channel; or when a general has to fight against a superior force and on disadvantageous ground, skill and courage are not only tested, but improved.

The test has brought experience, and by practice is every faculty perfected.

So, faith grows stronger by exercise, and patience by the enduring of sorrow.

The Koh-I-Noor diamond, when it came into the Queen of England’s possession, was a misshapen lump.

It was necessary to have its corners cut off and its sides reduced to symmetry.

No unskillful hand was permitted to touch it.

Men of science were summoned to consider its nature and capacities.

They examined the form of its crystals and the consistency of its parts.

They considered the direction of the grain and the side on which it would bear pressure.

With their instructions, the jewel was placed in the hands of an experienced lapidary, and by long, patient, careful labor its sides were ground down to the desired proportions.

The gem was hard and needed a heavy pressure.

It was precious and needed every precaution that science and skill could suggest to get it cut and polished into shape without cracking it in the process.

The effort was successful.

The hard diamond was fashioned into forms of beauty and yet sustained no damage by the greatness of the pressure to which it was subjected.