ALWAYS ON MISSION Acts 28:17-28 February 24-25, 2018 Beverly Gambrell

Transcription

1 ALWAYS ON MISSION Acts 28:17-28 February 24-25, 2018 Beverly Gambrell We wrap up Acts this week which affords a great opportunity for a summary of Luke s account of The Acts and incorporating our mission as Christians and members of the Second Family. We have our mission statement, our product, our marketing strategy, and our resulting profit of changed lives as this week s funnel for our lesson. Also, for those of you who attended the Lee Strobel event on February 2, there are probably occasions for you to share some of the insights you received that evening in the Actions/Application part at the end as... MISSION STATEMENT Jesus commissioned His disciples in what we refer to as the Great Commission, found in Matthew 28: The book of Acts is the obedience and fleshing out of that statement Our mission s foundation is Jesus, who has been given all authority in heaven and on earth. The assignment is defined Go, make, baptize, teach Jesus promises His presence This is the mission statement of our church as well as our mission statements as His followers. [As the author of Acts, Luke picks up where His gospel account left off, which was also the Lord s commission to His followers in a nutshell You are witnesses of these things (Luke 24:48) MISSION PRODUCT We know our product is the gospel message or Good News of Jesus Christ. Some in our classes, may not be aware of this though, so take a moment to mention this MISSION STRATEGY How in the world do you get the message to all the world? The answer is Acts 1:8. God s Power and Presence The Holy Spirit! God s Plan (our church s Marketing Strategy ) Acts 1:8 o Acts 1:1 8:4 The witness in Jerusalem o o Acts 8:5 12:25 The witness in Judea and Samaria Acts The witness to the uttermost part of the world These chapters have been the focus of our current study. Do your best to give a 1

2 summary of this second part of Acts using the following points which focus on the later chapters through 27 to bring us up to speed for Acts 28. o In Acts 13, the focus switches from Peter to Paul and Antioch Syria becomes headquarters of the church. Paul s three missionary journeys embarked from Antioch Syria. Paul visited the Galatian cities of Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe. Gentile converts do not need to submit to the Law of Moses. They need to abstain from foods sacrificed to idols and from fornication. The council did not compromise doctrinally. Returns to the Galatian churches and Macedonia and Greece, especially the cities of Philippi, Thessalonica and Corinth and later returns to Jerusalem and Antioch. Almost three years in Ephesus, then to Macedonia and Greece again. warned not to go to Jerusalem, but he was determined to do so and was falsely accused of bringing Gentiles into the temple. protect Paul from the mob He is allowed to defend himself before the people and the Sanhedrin which sparks a violent reaction, including a conspiracy among the Jewish leaders to assassinate Paul. Caesarea, where he is imprisoned. While there he defends Christianity before Felix, Festus, and Agrippa. to Rome. 2 P a g e

3 God s Provision and Protection We see this evidenced especially in our lesson this week. Paul and his party survive the shipwreck in chapter 27 and find themselves on the island of Malta, where they are welcomed and cared for. Miracles are performed on Malta as God provides His providential care for Paul and his team and to show His glory to those native to the island. Paul and others set sail for Rome and are welcomed and encouraged by believers as they approach Rome. MISSION MAGNET (Acts 28:17-28) Attract or Repel? Paul s Conviction and Course of Ministry We saw this a couple of weeks ago in Acts 20:24 But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God. o Paul knew he deserved death on the Damascus Road, but instead he had received the Lord s mercy. After this conversion, he believed every day was a gift of grace from God. Every day was given to him he had to proclaim Jesus as the Risen Savior and Lord. This is certainly a worthy conviction and life course for all of us! Paul s Defense to the Jews including his love for his people (Acts 28:17-20) He had been falsely accused and arrested in Jerusalem and handed over to Romans The Romans wanted to release him, but the Jewish leaders protested making the appeal to Caesar necessary He had no charge to make against his people, nor did he have any ill intent toward the Jews In fact his imprisonment was on their behalf and the hope of Israel. He simply wanted one thing their commitment to Christ (v. 20) Paul loved his people! Jews Response to Paul (Acts 28:21-24) 3 P a g e

4 The Jews claimed they had not received any reports or letters against Paul, but wanted to hear from him. Paul preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ. They belong together because the good news of God s kingdom IS the good news about Christ! Some were persuaded, others were not. Paul s Parting Words (Acts 28:25-28) He quoted Isaiah 6:9-10 before saying Therefore let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will also listen. (verse 28) There is a close correspondence between the beginning of his mission (13:14-50) and close of his mission (28:17-28). In both cases, the Jews were responsive and on the next day had a second hearing. There would be substantial resistance and the message would go to the Gentiles. This was in keeping with the pattern throughout Acts: the majority reject the gospel At the beginning at Pisidian Antioch Paul quoted Isaiah 49:6 regarding Jews rejection of gospel (Acts 13:44-50) Here in Rome, Paul quoted Isaiah 6:9-10 from Isaiah s commission regarding Jews rejection of gospel (Acts 28:26-27) Paul concluded both with the emphatic statement he was turning to the Gentiles (13:46, 28:28). These two texts formed the framework for all of Paul s missionary activity. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED Paul had arrived in Rome. The witness of Christ and Christianity had reached the center of the uttermost part of the world at that time. 4 P a g e

5 God had promised Paul he would bear witness in this global city (Acts 23:11), and because of his imprisonment there, he was able to reach people in high places with the gospel message. Although he had envisioned Rome as his launching pad to take the gospel further into the world, he was instrumental in its spread in a culture that would continue to spread the witness of Christ and the Church around the globe. What happened to Paul? Many believe Paul was released and that he kept up his ministry. If so, he was arrested again, probably around 67 AD and this time, he was not in his own leased house. He was on death row in a criminal prison in chains. His second letter to Timothy gives us an idea of his situation at the end of his life. Tradition has Paul being beheaded in Rome around 67/68 AD. Whatever the details of his end, Paul stayed the course of his life which was to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ to the Jew first, then to the Gentile. God always accomplishes His purposes! MISSION CONTINUES (WE ARE) ALWAYS ON MISSION!! (Actions and Applications) Unfinished works Whether paintings, symphonies, or books, we can find unfinished works. Acts is unfinished, but its mission continues. As a church family and as individual believers, we continue to take the gospel message and our testimonies (witness) into the world using the marketing strategy given in Acts 1:8. We must be ready to defend our faith and its message Map your missionary journey Take time to draw a map that includes your routine routes and stops in your everyday life: home work/school gas stops groceries neighbors you pass etc. Label the places and pray for the people you see and encounter. Voila! You have a map of your missionary journeys! Be purposeful in sharing the message. Think of ways you can share your faith, whether through personal encounters and discussions, or by dropping seeds along the way. etc.) 5 P a g e

6 Invite people to church and there are plenty of opportunities to invite people to church! CHURCH EVENTS for INVITATIONS Go Texan Weekend featuring Second Round-Up (dress western/barbecue, etc.) is the very weekend of this lesson! Age Division Activities My classes are in the 60 plus division, and there is always something weekly, monthly, plus big events coming up. Find out what s going on in your groups and invite, invite, invite! We begin a new Bible study curriculum in March! Invite people to join you for a class! You get the picture! BOTTOM LINE: If we follow the pattern of Acts, with the conviction of Paul and the early believers, we can take our product, this same gospel, into the expanding uttermost of this world. Our profit will be the same as it was in Acts lives changed for eternity by Jesus Christ! So we conclude our study of Acts, but its work continues. (WE ARE) ALWAYS ON MISSION! 6 P a g e