[Linux4christians] Saturday - Acts 28:11-31

Fri Nov 11 22:01:19 EST 2011

    Saturday

      Acts 28:11-31

Paul Finally Reaches Rome

28:11 After three months we put out to sea in an Alexandrian ship that 
had wintered at the island and had the "Heavenly Twins" as its 
figurehead. 28:12 We put in at Syracuse and stayed there three days.

28:13 From there we cast off and arrived at Rhegium, and after one day a 
south wind sprang up and on the second day we came to Puteoli. 28:14 
There we found some brothers and were invited to stay with them seven 
days. And in this way we came to Rome.

28:15 The brothers from there, when they heard about us, came as far as 
the Forum of Appius and Three Taverns to meet us. When he saw them, Paul 
thanked God and took courage.

28:16 When we entered Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself, with 
the soldier who was guarding him.

Paul Addresses the Jewish Community in Rome

28:17 After three days Paul called the local Jewish leaders together. 
When they had assembled, he said to them, "Brothers, although I had done 
nothing against our people or the customs of our ancestors, from 
Jerusalem I was handed over as a prisoner to the Romans. 28:18 When they 
had heard my case, they wanted to release me, because there was no basis 
for a death sentence against me.

28:19 But when the Jews objected, I was forced to appeal to Caesar -- 
not that I had some charge to bring against my own people. 28:20 So for 
this reason I have asked to see you and speak with you, for I am bound 
with this chain because of the hope of Israel."

28:21 They replied, "We have received no letters from Judea about you, 
nor have any of the brothers come from there and reported or said 
anything bad about you. 28:22 But we would like to hear from you what 
you think, for regarding this sect we know that people everywhere speak 
against it."

28:23 They set a day to meet with him, and they came to him where he was 
staying in even greater numbers. From morning until evening he explained 
things to them, testifying about the kingdom of God and trying to 
convince them about Jesus from both the law of Moses and the prophets.

28:24 Some were convinced by what he said, but others refused to 
believe. 28:25 So they began to leave, unable to agree among themselves, 
after Paul made one last statement: "The Holy Spirit spoke rightly to 
your ancestors through the prophet Isaiah 28:26 when he said,

'/*Go*//**//*to*//**//*this*//**//*people*//**//*and*//**//*say,*/"/*You*//**//*will*//**//*keep*//**//*on*//**//*hearing,*/ 
/*but*//**//*will*//**//*never*//**//*understand,and*//**//*you*//**//*will*//**//*keep*//**//*on*//**//*looking,*/ 
/*but*//**//*will*//**//*never*//**//*perceive*//./

28:27 
/*For*//**//*the*//**//*heart*//**//*of*//**//*this*//**//*people*//**//*has*//**//*become*//**//*dull,*/and 
their ears are hard of hearing, and they have closed their eyes, so that 
they would not see with their eyes and hear with their ears and 
understand with their heart /*and*//**//*turn,*/ 
/*and*//**//*I*//**//*would*//**//*heal*//**//*them*//./"'

28:28 "Therefore be advised that this salvation from God has been sent 
to the Gentiles; they will listen!"

28:29 [[EMPTY]]

28:30 Paul lived there two whole years in his own rented quarters and 
welcomed all who came to him, 28:31 proclaiming the kingdom of God and 
teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with complete boldness and without 
restriction.

      Prayer

Lord, You enabled Paul to survive murderous plots in order that he might 
be Your instrument to preach Christ in Rome. He did so and some received 
Your truth while others rejected it. May I be faithful, no matter the 
resistance, and know that I am in partnership with Your Holy Spirit and 
that the harvest is Yours.

      Summary & Commentary

After many months of travel Paul reached Rome, met some 
brothers-in-Christ, and was allowed to reside outside of prison with his 
guard.

Paul addressed the Jewish leaders in Rome, explaining the false charges 
in Caesarea and Jerusalem and his need to appeal to Caesar to avoid 
their efforts to murder him. The locals replied that they had received 
no letters or visitors carrying any charges against Paul. They did note 
that there was a general negativity against Christianity and wanted to 
hear about it first-hand from Paul.

Paul preached Christ to the religious leaders and their followers, some 
believed but many refused, at which time Paul declared that he would 
also share Christ with the Gentiles because they were more likely to listen.

Paul preached and taught anyone who would listen, Jew or Gentile in 
Rome, for two years.

According to the NET Translator's Notes verse 28:29 is omitted in many 
modern translations as better scholarship has determined that it has a 
high probability of being a scribal addition rather than of the earliest 
antique sources.

      Interaction

Consider

No matter how he tried the enemy could not keep Paul from preaching in Rome.

Discuss

Why were the Gentiles more receptive than the Jews?

        Reflect

Paul always started with the Jews by declaring his history of felicity 
to Jewish law and his service as a zealous religious leader, then he 
reminded them of the prophesies, and finally he showed them how it all 
led to Christ.

Share

When have you been surprised at the unexpected receptivity of a person 
or group instead of those whom you expected to be receptive to Biblical 
truth?

      Faith in Action

        Prayer:

Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a person of group you have ignored 
but who are ready to hear.

        Action:

Today I will reach out to that person or group whom the Holy Spirit has 
revealed and I will share with them the message of Christ.

Be Specific ______________________________________________________

             Sunday's text will be:  Romans 1 - 3

-- 

Draw nearer to the Lord and He will bless you,
Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day!
David M. Colburn, DMin. MaCo
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Savannah-Statesboro needs a Bible College/Seminary!
Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com
Bible Resources: http://bible.org
Teacher's Verse: John 7:16
I don't google I SEARCH! Yippy.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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