Engage Reflections -- Acts 27-28

by ricks 30. January 2010 21:06
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Today we wind up our month long study in Acts. I hope you have grown in your faith and are increasingly engaged with the people around you. Both the study and the dialogue have been helpful for me. Continue to pray for our All Church Strategy Session. Also, I encourage you to surf here to this blog next week as we chat about the theme "Acts 29."

Acts 27-28 is the story of Paul's journey to Rome. God uses Paul to save the lives of 276 people (27:37) on board the ship; and once aground on the island of Malta, God heals many people through Paul. Finally, when Paul reaches Rome, he calls Jewish leaders to tell them about the Messiah, explains and describes the Kingdom of God (28:23), and some are convinced while others would not believe (28:24). Eventually, Paul tells the hard-hearted Jews that he was going to the Gentiles with the good news and the book of Acts closes -- not with Paul's trial before Caesar which I personally would love to have read about -- but with Paul as a prisoner in his rented home "boldly and without hindrance he proclaimed the Kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ" (28:31).

So why do you think that the story ends here?

 

 

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1/31/2010 8:56:49 AM #

Pastor Rick -

Here's my thoughts on Acts 27.

1 - What ingredients are necessary for spiritual transformation?
- Another chapter where spiritual transformation is not significantly captured.  However, it is apparent that Paul finally gains credibility with the ship’s crew and passengers when they throw the wheat overboard.  They wouldn’t have done that without having high confidence that land was near, and all they had was Paul’s word.

2 - How were followers of Christ engaged?
- Paul’s character was evident to the centurion because he was allowed to visit friends at Sidon and be cared for.
- Paul displayed boldness in sharing his visions with the crew of the ship.

3 - What is God saying to our church and me?
- While Luke doesn’t capture it, I am confident that there was not a single passenger on that ship who had not been personally evangelized by Paul.  

- Brett

Brett H United States |

1/31/2010 8:57:05 AM #

Pastor Rick -

Here's my thoughts on Acts 28.

1 - What ingredients are necessary for spiritual transformation?
- Expository preaching!  Paul was “trying to persuade them concerning Jesus, from both the Law of Moses and from the Prophets, from morning until evening.” (v. 23)

2 - How were followers of Christ engaged?
- Paul continued to minister through healing and preaching on Malta and in Rome.  He was very direct with the Jews, showing how many of them were fulfilling the passage from Isaiah stating that they would hear but not understand.
- While not captured here, we know that Paul was very active even though he was imprisoned.  Many epistles were written during his captivity and have become priceless Scripture to us.  
- Paul had clearly earned a significant degree of freedom as a prisoner.  This would only be possible through the evidence of his integrity.  Knowing that the guards of prisoners would be killed if their charge escaped, they would not give such freedom lightly.

3 - What is God saying to our church and me?
- Even when our circumstances are difficult and don’t appear to be fair or just, we are still called to be stewards of the gifts God has given us and to serve Him.  

- Brett

Brett H United States |

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