The Mission Continues
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Video: Bible Project 4:49
So this morning we are going to finish our series called “Ekklessia”. This series has taken through the the book of Acts as our general outline for more than a year and I thought that this video might help refresh our memories on where we have been even as it leads us to the “open- ended” end of the book.
And we have been reading and learning from the Apostles Paul’s life for some time now and the end of Acts will prove to be no different. What we have seen, and maybe even have envied, is Paul’s great faith to do what God has called him to do despite facing great hardships and opposition all along the way.
This has brought us to evaluate our own lives. We know that none of us are Apostles like Paul, but there is a sense that we too have been sent by Jesus to play our part in His mission. We are an extension of the Apostles ministry in that we take what we have of their stories and their writings about the way of Jesus and share it with the world.
Remember all the way back to the beginning of the book of Acts to our theme verse that we returned to over and over again. When Jesus was saying his final goodbyes and He said...
Acts 1:8 (ESV)
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
And indeed it did spread like wildfire from Jerusalem out to all Judea and Samaria and as we have followed the story of the Apostle Paul we saw how it was spread to the end of the known world in their day. And since that day it has spread even further. They didn’t even know about the dirt that we are standing on right now. They didn’t even know that our world existed. And here we are literally on the other side of the world.
I brought my kids Globe in to show you. First take a look at that map of how far Paul traveled. This finger here is pretty much covering all of that that the Apostle Paul traveled…but from that point the message of the Gospel, the Good News of Jesus Christ has traveled throughout the world. And wherever the Gospel went, Jesus build another part of His Church there. All the way over here to us at little ole’ Friendship Church in Mondovi, WI.
This is the continued mission of Jesus’ Church and we each play a part in it. We have seen the Christian Church take many forms over the years and around the world, but central to it’s mission is this calling from Jesus to be His witnesses and take the message of the Gospel and all of it’s implications and applications to ends of the earth.
Tension
And the catalyst that drove God’s people out into the World was one of the most prominent themes of the second half of the book of Acts and especially in the life of the Apostle Paul. That theme is the theme of facing suffering and opposition for the cause of Christ.
We don’t like the idea of opposition or suffering, and we shouldn’t. It was not a part of God’s good design when He created the world, but it was introduced when our first parents Adam and Eve rebelled against God’s good design. They chose to ignore God’s Word and instead to do what was right in their own eyes, and from that point forward our world has been plagued with sufferings of all different kinds.
This has made anyone’s desire to live according to God’s good Word, will and ways a steep and challenging uphill climb. Of course, in our sinful flesh we have no hope of living according to God’s good design, but when we see it when we look at Jesus. Jesus lived perfectly good and right and in our world it led him to a life of suffering and opposition that culminated in his excruciating death on the cross.
So even though we shouldn’t like the idea of suffering, as followers of Jesus, we should never expect that our lives will be “suffering” free. Anyone selling that message is a “snake oil” salesman. Maybe a “serpent oil” salesman would be more appropriate.
There will always be a cost to following Jesus, but even as God used Jesus’ suffering to bring about our redemption, He can use the suffering that we face in our lives to accomplishing His good plan too. We may look at the events in our life and wonder just what God is up to. Questioning God’s purposes, timing, methodology—or all three, but what Paul’s story shows us...maybe more than anything else.. is that obeying God’s will, His word and His ways is so worth it!
So lets see how this played out for the Apostle Paul in the last two chapter of the book of Acts. You will find this part of his story on page 936 in the Bibles in the chairs. Let’s pray and then get after the end of this great story together.
Truth
So if you took the opportunity to read that last two chapters of the book of Acts this past week…(just a gentle reminder of that challenge) then you might have noticed that it reads a lot like a exciting adventure novel. Luke employs some language that also makes you think that you are reading something like a “Captain’s log” as he describes Paul’s perilous Journey to Rome.
One of the major players that we meet in the journey is a Roman Centurion named Julius who was responsible to deliver both Paul and some other prisoners safely to Rome. We don’t know how, where or why but Julius took a liking to Paul and this would prove to be a blessing at many times along the journey. Even saving his life at one point.
The first act of kindness Julius showed was to allow Paul to have visitors to attend to his need at their first stop about 40 miles up the coast from Caesarea to Sidon. (map) This first leg of the journey, shown in orange, was on an merchant ship that was heading northwest to Asia. Even early on in the trip showed itself to be difficult as the “winds were against” them it says they took the protected north side of the island of Cyprus and traveled along the coast. Eventually they arrived in Asia and got off in the coastal city of Myra. From there the centurion secured another merchant ship, one bound for Italy and Rome (green line).
And when you picture these ships, don’t think little fishing vessel here. These Merchant ships were huge, in addition to the mass of cargo in the hull they often carried hundreds of passengers on board. The size of these vessels were actually not surpassed until the beginning of the 19th century. These were big ships, and later on Luke tells us that this one had 276 passengers on board.
And each one of them would have been thrown around together as ship continued to hit rough waters and opposing winds so it took them many days to make the short distance to land on the island of Crete, which was a problem because it was getting late in the year and nobody wanted to be traveling the Mediterranean Sea in the winter months. It was just too dangerous.
Picking up in verse 9 we read:
Acts 27:9–12 (ESV)
9 Since much time had passed, and the voyage was now dangerous because even the Fast was already over, (Yom Kippur, the day of Atonement usually in early October so very close to the danger zone) Paul advised them, 10 saying, “Sirs, I perceive that the voyage will be with injury and much loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives.”11 But the centurion paid more attention to the pilot and to the owner of the ship than to what Paul said.
12 And because the harbor was not suitable to spend the winter in, the majority decided to put out to sea from there, on the chance that somehow they could reach Phoenix, a harbor of Crete, facing both southwest and northwest, and spend the winter there.
So with the names of these cities in mind, take a look at this next map. They were at Fair Havens and they just wanted to scoot down on the blue line to the city of Phoenix to wait out the dangerous winter months…but... as you can see from the path of the green line, they never got to Phoenix. They ended up being blown out to sea.
Listen to how masterfully Luke tells this story...
Acts 27:13–20 (ESV)
13 Now when the south wind blew gently, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, they weighed anchor and sailed along Crete, close to the shore. 14 But soon a tempestuous wind, called the northeaster, struck down from the land. 15 And when the ship was caught and could not face the wind, we gave way to it and were driven along. 16 Running under the lee of a small island called Cauda, we managed with difficulty to secure the ship’s boat. 17 After hoisting it up, they used supports to undergird the ship. Then, fearing that they would run aground on the Syrtis, they lowered the gear, and thus they were driven along.
Such great story telling.
So that you know, Sytis was know as a place where ships would go to die. Every sailor of the Mediterranean knew to avoid this region because it was full of blind rock formations and shallow pools that grab ahold of a ship and rip it apart board by board. So few ships returned from there that seafaring legends of terrible sea monsters developed. Something like the Kraken …so No sailor wanted to be anywhere near Syrtis.
18 Since we were violently storm-tossed, they began the next day to jettison the cargo. 19 And on the third day they threw the ship’s tackle overboard with their own hands. 20 When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope of our being saved was at last abandoned.
It is at dire times like this where authentic faith really shines. It’s one thing to say you believe something when things are calm and you can see your way to what is next...but when the storms of life come... the unexpected, uncontrollable, unwelcomed storms... that is when authentic faith is revealed.
What we will see here in Paul’s example is that...
1. Authentic faith produces real courage (Acts 27:1-20)
1. Authentic faith produces real courage (Acts 27:1-20)
Don’t forget the dramatic scene here, especially since Luke has done such a great job laying it out for us. They are being tossed around by a tempest of a storm and then in verse 21
Acts 27:21–26 (ESV)
21 Since they had been without food for a long time, Paul stood up among them and said, “Men, you should have listened to me and not have set sail from Crete and incurred this injury and loss.
“Really Paul?” Is this really the best time for an “I told you so”? They already threw out the tackle, it wouldn’t take too much to grab ahold of you and... but that is not what this is. Paul isn’t saying, “Told you so” he is saying, “You didn’t listen to me before, but you see how I was right! So listen to me now!”
How many times has God done this for us. It might seem as a big “I told you so” but really it is Him saying “You see now how I was right, will you listen to me now?”
Paul gave these sailors a similar message from the Lord.
22 Yet now I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. 23 For this very night there stood before me an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I worship, 24 and he said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar.
And behold, God has granted you all those who sail with you.’ 25 So take heart, men, for I have faith in God that it will be exactly as I have been told. 26 But we must run aground on some island.”
Authentic faith produces real courage, and real courage is found in the face of our storms, not in the safe harbors. As the crew and everyone onboard had completely lost hope, Paul was able to encourage the crew that His God was faithful and that His God has spoken. .
Secondly, we see that this...
2. Faith-based courage leads to action (Acts 27:27-36).
2. Faith-based courage leads to action (Acts 27:27-36).
They launched out on what was supposed to be a “three hour tour, (a three hour tour) and now they have been at sea for at least 2 weeks and things are not looking good. In a panic, the crew even tries to take an “everyman for themselves” decision
30 And as the sailors were seeking to escape from the ship, and had lowered the ship’s boat into the sea under pretense of laying out anchors from the bow, 31 Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved.” 32 Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the ship’s boat and let it go.
This part of the story brings us to an interesting question. Paul had God’s promise that no one from the ship would be lost…and yet here he told the soldiers that if they didn’t take action they would not be saved? So which is it Paul? Had God promised to save them all or not?
This is the game that we often play with God. Forgetting how his sovereignty is such a mystery, we use it to become lax or lazy. Especially God calls us to do something hard. We tell ourselves that we have faith that God will take care of it even if we don’t do what He has asked us to do.
“God’s got this”, so I will just “let go and let God” or cry out “Jesus take the wheel”.
I get the sentiment behind those statements...but we can never forget that God has always chosen to work through His people. He is not limited by our willingness to participate in his plans...but real faith is not sitting back and watching God do stuff. God does a lot of “His stuff” through His people.
Taking action doesn’t eliminate the faith component, it affirms it. Since we have faith that God is going to accomplish His purposes in this World we can boldly act and leave the results up to God.
Faith-based courage leads to action, and like Paul we can demonstrate our faith in God’s promises by acting in line with them.
So with the sailors no longer able to “jump ship” they all continued on together and Paul, true to form, stops to encouraged the whole crew once more:
Acts 27:33–36 (ESV)
33 As day was about to dawn, Paul urged them all to take some food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day that you have continued in suspense and without food, having taken nothing. 34 Therefore I urge you to take some food. For it will give you strength, for not a hair is to perish from the head of any of you.”
35 And when he had said these things, he took bread, and giving thanks to God in the presence of all he broke it and began to eat. 36 Then they all were encouraged and ate some food themselves.
Finally this morning,
3. Courage-based action glorifies God (Acts 28:1–6).
3. Courage-based action glorifies God (Acts 28:1–6).
So just as God said, they were able to run the ship into a reef somewhere, they had no idea where, and some of the soldiers suggested that they kill all the prisoners so that they didn’t escape. This is where Julius stepped in and wishing to save Paul he kept them from following through with that plan and instead sent them all swimming for shore.
Moving into chapter 28 we read
Acts 28:1–6 (ESV)
1 After we were brought safely through, we then learned that the island was called Malta. 2 The native people showed us unusual kindness, for they kindled a fire and welcomed us all, because it had begun to rain and was cold. 3 When Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and put them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened on his hand.
4 When the native people saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “No doubt this man is a murderer. Though he has escaped from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live.”
5 He, however, shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm. 6 They were waiting for him to swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But when they had waited a long time and saw no misfortune come to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god.
So God used this encounter with a poisonous snake to show His power over nature, a power that can call any people to faith in Him. And while they may have started out with a wrong picture of what caused Paul to be unharmed by the viper, eventually they came to know that it was not Paul but the God whom he served that was the true source of this power.
We know this because if you were to travel to the island of Malta today you could learn about the Ekklesia, the Church that has been thriving there since this time. They even call one of the Islands “St Paul’s Island” complete with a memorial statue because they believe that it may have been where God shipwrecked Paul there.
And while that shipwreck brought disastrous results for the ship, for the people of Malta it brought the life-giving message of Jesus Christ. And in appreciation for Paul’s extended ministry there, it says
Acts 28:10–11 (ESV)
10 They also honored us greatly, and when we were about to sail, they put on board whatever we needed. 11 After three months we set sail in a ship that had wintered in the island, a ship of Alexandria, ...
You can see the route then on this last map...
Acts 28:14b–16 (ESV)
And so we came to Rome. 15 And the brothers there, when they heard about us, came as far as the Forum of Appius and Three Taverns to meet us. On seeing them, Paul thanked God and took courage. 16 And when we came into Rome, Paul was allowed to stay by himself, with the soldier who guarded him.
Gospel Application
Paul longed to go to Rome, to see the Gospel effect the epicenter of the Roman culture and command, but I doubt he pictured it happening with him in chains. Paul’s confidence in God’s power and purpose gave him the ability to pursue God’s plan even though it would lead him to a place of danger. Because he knew that if the Gospel message thrived there then it would move out to the ends of the earth. (pick up globe)
Are we willing to trust God that much?
1. Authentic faith produces real courage (Acts 27:21–26)
2. Faith-based courage leads to action (Acts 27:27-32).
3. Courage-based action glorifies God (Acts 28:1–6).
Landing
With that in mind, let me remind you of the 4 action steps that I put forth to you over the past couple weeks:
1. Pre-read the text for each Sunday
2. Participate in the Table Talk Groups
3. Volunteer as a Monthly Mentor in the Children’s ministry
4. Volunteer once this next year to do the weekly reading in front of the Church
I encourage you to consider committing to these things. I will have sign ups this coming week and would love to have each one of you take your next step toward a courageous faith that glorifies God. The journey is so worth it.
Let’s pray into this together.