Bound for Rome

Paul’s journey to Rome…

was met with many difficulties…

He travelled as a prisoner…bound in chains.

He suffered perils at sea…and shipwreck.

He was stranded on an island…with Barbarians.

And bitten by a deadly viper...

And yet, he continued on…

Preaching. Healing. Overcoming.

And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul:  Acts 19:11

And so he sailed on…

ever fulfilling what God paced before him…

And after three months we departed in a ship of Alexandria, which had wintered in the isle, whose sign was Castor and Pollux. And landing at Syracuse, we tarried there three days.

And from thence we fetched a compass, and came to Rhegium: and after one day the south wind blew, and we came the next day to Puteoli: Where we found brethren, and were desired to tarry with them seven days: and so we went toward Rome.  

Acts 28:11-14

Upon their arrival in Rome…

Paul was given some liberty…

And when we came to Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard: but Paul was suffered to dwell by himself with a soldier that kept him.   Acts 28:16

And after three days…

he called the chief of the Jews together…

…and when they were come together, he said unto them, Men and brethren, though I have committed nothing against the people, or customs of our fathers, yet was I delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans.

Who, when they had examined me, would have let me go, because there was no cause of death in me. But when the Jews spake against it, I was constrained to appeal unto Caesar; not that I had ought to accuse my nation of.

For this cause therefore have I called for you,

to see you, and to speak with you:

because that for the hope of Israel

I am bound with this chain.

Acts 28:17-20

And they said unto him…

We neither received letters out of Judaea concerning thee, neither any of the brethren that came shewed or spake any harm of thee. But we desire to hear of thee what thou thinkest: for as concerning this sect, we know that every where it is spoken against.   Acts 28:21-22

And so he taught them…

from morning till evening…

expounding the Kingdom of God…

and persuading them of Christ.

And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening.

And some believed the things which were spoken,

and some believed not.

And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word, Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers,

Saying, Go unto this people, and say…

Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand;

and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive:

For the heart of this people is waxed gross,

and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed;

lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears,

and understand with their heart, and should be converted,

and I should heal them.

Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it. And when he had said these words, the Jews departed, and had great reasoning among themselves.   Acts 28:23-30

And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him, Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.   Acts 28:31

Steadfast. Valiant. Unwavering. Fixed.

Paul labored  among them…

with one goal in mind…

In his own words…

Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.

2 Corinthians 5:9-11

Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds;

but the word of God is not bound. Therefore I endure all things

for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation

which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.  

2 Timothy 2:9-10

What are you laboring for?

Effectiveness!

Paul remained in Ephesus for a season…

teaching and preaching…

the word of God.

Around that time…

strong opposition arose against Paul…

For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made silver shrines for Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsmen;  Whom he called together with the workmen of like occupation, and said, Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth.   

Moreover ye see and hear…

that not alone at Ephesus…

but almost throughout all Asia…

                                               

this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people,

saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands:

So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at nought; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshippeth.  

Acts 19:24-27 

So potent was Paul’s preaching…

it threatened to annihilate the market for idols.

For this, they were very upset…

And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.  Acts 19:28 

Agitation. Chaos. Pandemonium.

And the whole city was filled with confusion: and having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul's companions in travel, they rushed with one accord into the theatre.  Acts 19:29 

Some therefore cried one thing, and some another: for the assembly was confused; and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together.   

Acts 19:32

Chaos and confusion reigned…

for nearly 2 hours…

And they drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. And Alexander beckoned with the hand, and would have made his defence unto the people.  But when they knew that he was a Jew, all with one voice about the space of two hours cried out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.  Acts 19:33-34 

Until the voice of reason…

subdued the riot…

And when the townclerk had appeased the people, he said, Ye men of Ephesus, what man is there that knoweth not how that the city of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great goddess Diana, and of the image which fell down from Jupiter?

Seeing then that these things cannot be spoken against, ye ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rashly.  Acts 19:35-36 

And cleared up the trouble…

For ye have brought hither these men, which are neither robbers of churches, nor yet blasphemers of your goddess.  Wherefore if Demetrius, and the craftsmen which are with him, have a matter against any man, the law is open, and there are deputies: let them implead one another.  But if ye enquire any thing concerning other matters, it shall be determined in a lawful assembly.  For we are in danger to be called in question for this day's uproar, there being no cause whereby we may give an account of this concourse. 

And when he had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly.  Acts 19:37-41 

And after the uproar was ceased, Paul called unto him the disciples, and embraced them, and departed for to go into Macedonia. Acts 20:1

For more than 2 years Paul had a profound effect on the city of Ephesus…

It would never be the same.

Exceptional preaching.

Bountiful conversions.

Intense opposition.

Impassioned upheaval.

They would not soon forget all that God accomplished in their streets…

How about the streets of  YOUR city?

Are you in the game…or sitting on the bench?

The Call

In  the words of the King…

We are to preach…

for HIM…

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.  Matthew 28:19-20  

And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.  Mark 16:15 

And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.  Luke 14:23 

What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops.  Matthew 10:27 

We are to have a single eye…

for HIM…

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Matthew 6:33 

And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.  Mark 12:30 

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!  No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.  Matthew 6:19-24 

We are to leave the world behind…

to follow HIM…

And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.  For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?  Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.  Mark 8:34-38 

And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's, But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.  Mark 10:29-30 

We are to suffer persecution…

for His name…

But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues;  And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.  Matthew 10:17 -18

And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death.  Matthew 10:21 

The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord.  It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household? Matthew 10:24-25 

We are to endure hardship…

for His name…

Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.  Matthew 5:10-12 

And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.  Matthew 10:22 

Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me.   John 15:20-21 

We are to  give up everything…

for HIM…

And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.  Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.  And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house.  And Jesus said unto him,

No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.  Luke 9:59-62

Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven. Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.  For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.  And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.  He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.  And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.  

Matthew 10:32-39 

For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother. Matthew 12:50 

But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

Matthew 24:13   

Preaching. Shame. Persecution. Endurance.

Blessed. Fellowship. Treasure. Eternity.

For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.

Matthew 18:11

If you are walking in His footsteps…

you will do it…for HIM

Opportunity in Athens.

In Athens…

Paul was deeply stirred…

Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.  Acts 17:16 

And beginning at the synagogue…

He disputed…

    with the Jews…

with devout persons…

with  folks in the marketplace…

and with the philosophers of his day.  Acts 17:17 

Inquisitive, they pressed him with questions…

Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered him. And some said, What will this babbler say? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection.  And they took him, and brought him unto Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is?  For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean.   (For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing.)  Acts 17:18-21 

Seizing the opportunity…

Paul stood up and preached…

Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious.  For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.  Acts 17:22-23 

God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;  Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;  Acts 17:24-25 

For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.  Acts 17:28 

And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.  Acts 17:30-31 

Intriguing. Compelling. Inviting.

Some mocked the gospel…

And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter. Acts 17:32  

While others believed…

Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed: among the which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.  Acts 17:34 

Unto the salvation of their souls!

Stirred by the Spirit of God…

For the superstition and idolatry of the people…

Paul seized the opportunity…

To publically glorify the Living God…

And to declare His truth to all who would listen!

Are you ready for your next opportunity to share the gospel?

In one, brief moment, you could  touch the heart of one desperate soul, by ministering the words of LIFE.

               

Conspiracy in Iconium!

After Paul and Barnabus left Antioch…

they entered into Iconium…

And it came to pass in Iconium, that they went both together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake, that a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed.  Acts 14:1 

So spake they…

that a great multitude were converted!

So spake they…

that  their enemies conspired against them…

But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles, and made their minds evil affected against the brethren.  Acts 14:2 

So spake they…

that the city was divided…

But the multitude of the city was divided: and part held with the Jews, and part with the apostles.  Acts 14:4 

So they continued…

with the boldness and power…

of the Living God!

Long time therefore abode they speaking boldly in the Lord, which gave testimony unto the word of his grace, and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands.  Acts 14:3 

Until, a conspiracy was discovered…

And when there was an assault made both of the Gentiles, and also of the Jews with their rulers, to use them despitefully, and to stone them… Acts 14:5  

 And turned to their advantage…

They were ware of it, and fled unto Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and unto the region that lieth round about:  And there they preached the gospel. Act 14:6-7

And the gospel message spread abroad!

And it came to pass, in Lystra,

they met a desperate soul…

                                                with a GREAT need…

And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother's womb, who never had walked:  The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed,  said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked.    Acts 14:8-10

Behold! The healing power of the Living God

revealed for all to see!

The people were…

Awestruck. Astonished. Mistaken…

So given to the vanities of idolatry…

And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men. And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker.  Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people.  Act 14:11-13 

Paul and Barnabus scarcely restrained them…

Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out,  And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein:  Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways.  Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.  And with these sayings scarce restrained they the people, that they had not done sacrifice unto them.  Acts 14:14-18 

In the midst of that…

enemies rose up against them…

and stoned Paul …leaving him for dead.

And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead.  Acts 14:19

 Unwavering, the disciples looked  on…

Resolute. Fearless. Valiant.

Paul walked back into the city…

Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and came into the city: and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe. Acts14:20  

And continued to preach…

and teach…

And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch,  Acts14:21 

Determined. Courageous. Steadfast.

The disciples returned and  continued …

Confirming. Ministering. Exhorting.

Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.  And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.  Acts 14:22-23

Effective preaching.

Bountiful harvest.

Intense persecution.

Productive perseverance.

Extraordinary needs.

Incredible  miracles.

Valiant disciples.

Thriving church.

AMEN!

May it be so…again!