Paul in Rome: Facing Limitations - Acts 27:1 - 28:21

No mortal man, living or dead, has ever faced as many problems and limitations as Paul did and still remain successful in his witness for Christ up to the day of his martyrdom. His life is a perfect picture of the life of Jesus Christ all the way from his experience on the road to Damascus to his grave with the exception that he did not die on the cross in order to save lost sinners. His life was totally dedicated to the promotion of his Lord and Savior—he forsook all, even his family, for the cause of Christ. He spent all of his time preaching, teaching, even to the performing of miracles trying to reach the lost. He suffered the same kinds of ridicule, and rejection as Christ did including false acquisitions, imprisonment, floggings and beatings, and was stoned as unto death. Many of his most profitable years were spent in prison or under guard on the way to prison. He survived shipwreck, and being lost at sea without a life preserver, snake bite and total rejection by his own Jewish people. In what so ever condition or place without exception, Paul used every circumstance as an opportunity to preach the crucified Christ. All Christian people should follow his example. Fields are ripe for harvest.

Chapter 27 records Paul’s last journey that started in Ephesus at the sea port on the southern shore of Judah. He had dodged the trial in a Jewish court, and any ambush that had been planned to prevent him from receiving a pardon. Paul was still a prisoner with a hardened Roman centurion named Juluis assigned to guard him on the trip. There has never been any doubt, Dr. Luke wrote the book of Acts, and he is present at their departure and all the way to Rome. This is verified by the use of the pronouns “we” and “us” in the first verse of this chapter. The plural pronouns refer to three people, Paul, Luke and Aristarchus who was from Macedonia and who went with them.

This trip started in October of AD 59. If Christ died in AD 33, this means that Paul had been on his journeys for Christ for the last twenty-six [26] years. The date is known because Luke mentions that it was during the time of the fast and that referred to the Day of Atonement which is in October. Ships of that day had no guidance equipment and the captain used the stars, moon and sun to plot his ship. September was considered as the last safe time for a ship to leave the east on a journey westward toward Africa and Italy; therefore they knew they were taking a chance on this dangerous route.

Julius the guard soon became attached to Paul, and trusted him enough to respect him and even allowed him certain privileges that were not common for a prisoner. Later on in the voyage, he intervened in a plan to kill all prisoners to prevent their escape, and Paul’s life was spared. Have you ever wondered how your life would look up close and personal? Would your captors gain that much respect for you in less than a month?

History and the bible both record that bad weather can be expected in October, and that November and December were the two most dangerous months to sail the Mediterranean. The bad weather days were so predictable and so dangerous that the storms during these months were called “Northeasterners” with all prevailing winds blowing from west to east, making it impossible for a ship to successfully sail against the winds. Actually this year the Northeasterners had already started to move in October, and they soon realized it when they started having delays by the time they reached the southern shores of Asia. They sailed north up the coast and their first stop was at Sidon. From there they had to take the route on the lea side of Cyprus to avoid the prevailing winds.

Their second landing was at Myra in Lycia where they changed to an Alexandrian ship that was sailing for Italy. They sailed west holding close to the southern shore of Asia and landed in Cnidus. Trying to sail on west from Cnidus, the winter storms forced them to drift south to the isle of Crete where they went ashore in Lasea and Fair Havens which was not a favorable place to spend the winter. Paul advised the pilot and owner of the ship not to try to get to Phoenix which was less than a hundred miles west. He warned them saying they would lose their ship and cargo and endanger lives.

They decided to reject his advice and the centurion decided to stay with the ship. The next day the winter storm hit and they lost all control of the ship. They immediately had to start trying to save their ship by passing ropes underneath and binding it like a bale of cotton to prevent it from tearing apart. They used all manpower available to throw everything over board to lessen the load, and were soon in fear of being dashed against the treacherous northern banks of Africa since they were traveling south instead of west.

They went several days without food, sleep or rest. Paul was led by the Spirit to address the men. He spoke sternly to them by telling them that he had warned and they did not listen. And their failure to heed his advice had caused them to lose everything but a battered ship and their life. Now that they were beginning to lose all hope, he tried to encourage them by telling them that if they would have faith and continue to work they would be saved from death at sea. He was not being critical but was trying to convince them that he got his wisdom from God. Then he predicted that they would wash ashore and be saved.

There must have been several prisoners on board. Roman law demanded that centurions who allowed prisoners to escape would be punished and they were making plans to kill all prisoners. Julius had gained faith in Paul and was able to save all the prisoners from the massacre. The storm was in its fourteenth day when Paul finally got them to stop rest and eat. They took readings and found the water was less than a hundred feet deep. The next day they run aground on the island of Malta sixty miles south of Sicily and were greeted by friendly strangers.

They were all wet and cold and started fires by which to warm. 376 men made it ashore without the loss of any life. They had begun to respect Paul, and while gathering driftwood, he was bitten by a poisonous snake, which he shook off and did not suffer any effects. This caused everyone to really believe that he was a protected man. God had made Paul a promise and He would let nothing prevent him from preaching in Rome. God was not finished with Paul yet and had some important things left for him to do and Paul had the faith necessary to believe that he was still in God’s protective hands.

The natives on the island were of Phoenician ancestry. They were a superstitious people and believed in many gods. When some of them observed the snake on Paul’s hand, they predicted sudden death. And when this didn’t happen they believed him to be a god. During Christ’s ministry he performed miracles that caused others to believe. And now in Paul’s ministry living through this storm at sea, and the saving of the lives of 376 people, the healing of many who were ill, as well as surviving a deadly snake bite provided the miracles that caused the governor of Malta, some of the centurions, and others to believe in Christ.

No wonder Paul’s ministry was so fruitful. Three months later Paul boarded another Alexandrian ship destined for Italy. He landed first at Rhegium and then Puteoli they traveled by foot the last 150 miles to Rome. A group of Christians heard that he was coming and they met him at the three taverns at the Forum of Appius about thirty-five miles south of Rome and walked back with him. Have you ever thought so much of a minister that you would walk thirty-five mile to meet him just to get to walk back with him, to talk to him and to hear hem expound the gospel?

28:15- Some may wonder where these Roman Christians came from. The answer is that the Gospel message had already traveled to Rome by different methods. There were Jews living there that had traveled back to the motherland and been converted. It is thought that some of these Jews had been present at Pentecost while Christ was preaching, and then had moved to Rome. And then, Paul had written his letter to the Romans ten years before he arrived there, many had read the letter and believed.

28: 17-20- Paul’s ambition was to preach in Rome and he finally got there but in chains, after shipwreck and many other trials. Because of experiences like these he had written in Romans 8:28 that we should not worry because all things work to our good. These things worked to Paul’s good; gave him a message that men would believe; and solidified his message so that it would never fade.

28:22- Christians were denounced everywhere by the Romans because they were seen as a threat to the Roman government. Christians were committed to one God while the Romans had many including Caesar. Christians taught that the Almighty God was higher than any including Caesar and this was an insult to the Romans.

28:30-31- While under arrest he did more than just preach. He wrote the prison letters, Ephesians, Colossians, and Philippians. He also wrote his personal letters like Philemon. He had several visitors while in prison…Luke, Timothy and Mark and there must have been others.

Tradition says that Paul was released after two years of house arrest in Rome and then set off on his fourth missionary journey. In Philippians, which was written while in prison in Rome, he implied that he would be released from prison and would do further travel. Some think that he traveled to Spain during these years.

The book comes to a sudden end in verse 31, probably because this book is really not about Paul. Can you believe that? No it is not about Paul…it is about the establishment of the church, the growth of the new church and the absolute necessity for the church and its teaching of the new covenant based on the death burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Ephesus: Facing Religious People - Acts 18:23 - 19:41

I do not know about you but I enjoyed the research and study that went into the lesson for last Sunday. Each degree in college requires the student to take one or more classes in sociology, psychology, or philosophy. It is sometimes difficult for a college student to understand how some of these classes will ever be of benefit to them in their chosen field. This has been my position for sometime but as I studied Paul’s observation of the Greek people I became aware that he got to know them by the symbols of their personal beliefs—their religion—which reflected their philosophy regarding life, death and the hereafter. One symbol was of a god that they didn’t know. That one alone told Paul that they were all mixed up and unsure.

The American People are living in a day of dutiful decision making and we have learned from history that decisions are made based on the philosophy of the individuals involved. Therefore, the result of the election to be held in November, in America hinges on the way the majority of the American people believe. Church attendance depends upon the philosophy of the people living in the different areas of the nation. The percentage of the population serving time in prison depends upon the philosophy of the people living in the area where the prison is located. The percentage of inmates that are white, black or other will reflect the philosophy of each race. The early Greek people are best known for their ability to determine what people believe, how they think and how they will act or react in accordance with their philosophy. Their beliefs and arguments were based on reason. Good teachers need the power of reasoning.

We know that the number of members belonging to any designated church or other religious organization, including cults, depends on the philosophy held by the membership. Digging deeper, we find that the choices made by individuals depends upon what literature they read. Baptist and other true believers accept the Bible to be the Truth; The Word of God, and therefore the best guide to produce the philosophy for life on earth and preparation for life in the hereafter. Therefore it is imperative that you study God’s Word in order to grow in faith and works, or to show thyself approved.

During the past century Christians have settled into congregations with trends that we know as “traditional” “liberal’ and “seeker-friendly” churches. The last two groups directs their out-reach programs and worship services toward those that are not Christians but claim to be religious. Being religious at least produces a mind that is open to the teaching of salvation through faith in the Lord, Jesus Christ. It is sad, but those who have not personally studied the Bible often have an incomplete view of what it means to trust, follow, or surrender to Jesus.

During the past 63 years, I have been an active believer in six different Southern Baptist congregations. A} The philosophies of the majority of members in these different churches have ranged from the ultra traditional to the seeker friendly; and some of the seeker friendly churches were more liberal than others. B} Some believe that the church should be for Christians and should focus primary attention on helping Christians grow in discipleship. These usually feel that strong churches are made up of members who are familiar with Baptist teachings. These would have heard of “faith only” and “not by works” and would understand that baptism is by immersion, the security of believers, etc. C} Some churches think their outreach program should focus on all unbelievers, even those who have expressed no interest in any religion. They go into the highways and hedges.

This lesson based on Acts 18:24 through 19:41 gives us insight on how the early Christians, during Paul’s Third Missionary Journeys [which lasted three years, from AD 53 to 57] worked with the “religious people” to bring them to a saving knowledge of Christ. [You will note that the term “religious people” must have pertained to those who worshipped other gods.] How-ever some were seeking the truth but still did not fully understand what it meant to be a true believer in Christ. Today many join but never show any support. They did not have the Holy Spirit, and we know that religion without the Spirit is dead.

Apollos is an example of one searching. He was a learned Jew that had great knowledge of the scripture and had studied about repentance as taught by John the Baptist as the first step in becoming a Christian. He did not know about the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ; neither did he know about the coming of the Holly Spirit and his purpose and mission. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him speak in the synagogue, they invited him to their home where they taught him the complete way to Christ.

Apollos grew up in Alexandria, Egypt which was the second most important city in the Roman Empire; second only to Rome, the Capitol. One of the most noted universities was located there, where Apollos was educated. He was a noted scholar of the University, a renowned debater and orator. And after his full knowledge about Christ he became great in his ability to reason the truth. The power of reasoning was the Greek’s greatest asset in the field of teaching. He became one of the most noted of the converted Jewish leaders—and God used him to do a great work in the church. Time has proven that the gift of reason is a mighty tool in the hands of a devoted teacher. It is sad when we realize that some of the greatest minds have become so contaminated with sin that they are never used for God and good in the classrooms of our universities in America. You ask why, and I say that it is because of their philosophy regarding evolution, their denial of creation. Many deny the truth in God’s Word…the bible.

Chapter 19 begins with Apollos teaching in Corinth, and Paul arriving in Ephesus, the capitol of the Roman province of Asia [a part of the present day Turkey] and the hub of sea and land transportation. Paul was there about two years. On his arrival [the first thing that happened…even before he went to the synagogue to preach] he found about twelve disciples that were still restricted because they only had the teachings of John. Paul asked if they had received the Holy Spirit when they believed. They admitted that they did not know about the Spirit. Then he asked them what baptism they had received and they said… the baptism of John. Read Verses 5, 6, and 7 they are very important. What is your belief regarding speaking in tongues? When asked, can you say?

Note Again: There is some Vandiverism in this explanation—but it is what I believe to be truth—and it is scripture that you must be fully responsible for in your belief. You read, study, get help from sources you have faith in and draw your own conclusions. Then pray for me that I may have rightly divided the Word.

Paul said they had believed. I believe they had accepted Christ but still did not understand that he had died, was resurrected and sent the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost; therefore they did not know about the filling of the Holy Spirit that came to the believers there, and did not know that they had spoken in other tongues—therefore these believers in Ephesus were not complete Christians. That is; they had believed and turned from sin—but had not fully committed their life and turned to Christ—THROUGH FAITH. They knew of him but did not know him personally.

In order to give them a sign [perform a miracle] that would prove to them that they were now a NEW CREATURE Paul laid hands on them and they spoke in tongues. It does not say “other tongues” and it does not indicate that anyone there heard them in their own language. Usually the Holy Spirit filled those who repented of sin and placed their faith in Christ—and I believe it still does. Here in Ephesus, the filling of Spirit happened later because these disciple’s knowledge was incomplete. God was confirming to these believers who did not initially know about the Holy Spirit, that they were now a part of the church. The Holy Spirit fully endorsed them as believers. Again, I believe it was a miracle delivered by God as a sign to them. On the day of Pentecost “speaking in other tongues” was a miracle that was a sign to all present that God was present and working his might and power which from this day forward would be shown to others by their good works. And not by speaking in tongues. Paul advised that we use English. He said that a few words understood was worth more than many that no one knew.

I believe that the incident at Pentecost was the formal outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the church. The other outpourings in the book of Acts were God’s way of uniting new believers to the church. The mark of the church is not merely right doctrine, but it includes right actions, therefore today, here in Heber Springs, our right actions is the evidence of the Holy Spirit at work in each one of our lives…and speaking in tongues is not necessary. Praying, supporting the poor, & good deeds speak louder than tongues.

[It is believed that Apollos faced some problems in the church at Corinth and called on Paul for help. So while in Ephesus, Paul wrote the first letter to the church in Corinth to help solve their problems. Then a few years later this church in Ephesus began having problems that led Paul to write them the Ephesians letter from his prison cell in Rome.]

Paul’s third journey started at Antioch and traveled North and West, visiting the original churches that he had started earlier. Many times we find that there seems to be a skip in the word, and this is one of those times because nothing is said about all of the towns that he visited on his way to Ephesus. Here he entered the synagogue as usual and spoke there for three months. When opposition arose, he took his disciples and moved to the lecture hall of the university where he preached for two years. This is a dry and hot country, and the professors used the school until eleven each morning and then closed until four PM. Paul used the building from eleven to four during the heat of the day and the bible indicates that many were converted. Would you attend five hours daily in a hot auditorium with no air conditioning even if Paul was preaching?


For two years Paul must have made tents early and late in the day and held services five hours in the heat of the day when university people thought it was too hot to work. Hidden in this thought we find Paul and his followers willing to sacrifice in order to have a place to preach and teach. He was there two years; therefore he had to practice his trade to pay his bills. There is no mention of others supporting him financially.

Ephesus was known for the practice of magic and other occult practices. Superstition and the practice of sorcery were common; these are powers of the Devil and can lead to demon procession. Some of these men saw Paul performing miracles in the name of Jesus that were greater than they were able to do. They tried using the name of Jesus in order to gain strength for their work. On one occasion a demon processed turned on the fake healers and overpowered them, tore their clothing and ran them out of the temple. Using Christ’s name in vain is dangerous. Praying in any other name is useless.

Paul’s desire to go to Rome grew and he started making plans to preach there.

Athens: Facing Questions - Acts 17:16 - 19:31

Five days from today, the first athletes will compete in the Olympics in China and lay their lives on the line for the privilege to wear the gold medal. It is impossible for the general public to know the hours spent and the torture endured during years of preparation. It is beyond our minds to know what drives people to work hard and long for a bit of recognition that will be as the fog of the early morning; easy to recognize, but completely gone after a few minutes of the rising sun. If athletes would prepare as well to win eternal life, there is no doubt that we would play a lot of games in heaven. Do you know where and when the first Olympic Games were held?

A short review reminds us that early Gentile Christians were in conflict with the early Jewish thinking and that they were able to settle the dispute by allowing Gentiles to become members of the church without having to observe certain Jewish rituals. The decision supported Paul in his argument that salvation is by grace through faith with nothing else necessary. You can find the final decision recorded in 15: 28-19. The remainder of the chapter addresses plans that were made to make a second Missionary Journey that named churches to be revisited and indication that they would also visit new locations. The lesson today involves the places visited and the work that was done on the second journey; however the major emphasis will be on the work in Athens Greece…the original Olympic city.

Paul and Barnabas decided to split and the result was that Paul and Silas formed one team and Barnabas and John Mark formed another, and now there are two teams involved in this second Missionary Journey. Luke says that Barnabas and Mark went back to Cyprus where Barnabas was born, and then he does not mention them again but follows Paul instead. I am prone to wonder again about the spread of the gospel that is unmentioned. One can assume, I believe, with a high degree of accuracy that Barnabas and Mark made this a profitable missionary journey. Since the first team had laid the foundation, they may have won a majority of the islanders to Christ. You should be aware that this is not the last time John Mark is heard from in the NT, because his witness led him to write the gospel of Mark. Though Paul had been critical of Mark, he actually turned out to be more active than Barnabas and his witness had a greater influence on those who read Mark.

Paul and Silas began and ended their second journey from Antioch of Syria [same place as the first journey] however the second journey was longer and required more time than the first one did. This trip included a follow-up on their work that had been done in the Province of Galatia and a new ministry in the Province of Macedonia. This lesson will zero in on their notable preaching opportunity in Athens Greece and if time permits it will cover the organizing of new churches in Corinth.

The major thrust of this lesson will begin with the first verses of chapter 17 and in Thessalonica where we find Paul in the Jewish Synagogue which was his custom. The first three weeks of his stay were used as a witnessing tourist during the week and he was in the Synagogue each Sabbath reasoning with them from the scriptures. This was a profitable stop in that some Jews and a larger number of Greeks and prominent women accepted Christ before a group of Jewish objectors started a riot in the city. Paul and Silas escaped but Jason was arrested and jailed and had to post bond for freedom.

Under cover of night Paul and Silas escaped and went to Berea where they were accepted and were able to reach a larger number of Jews, and both Greek women and men. The trouble makers from Thessalonica followed them to Berea and soon made it impossible for them to remain successful. Silas and Timothy remained in Berea to distract the agitators while Paul escaped and went to Athens; he left instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him in Athens as soon as possible.

Paul was amazed and greatly distressed to find that Athens was full of idols dedicated to many different gods, even one monument had been built in honor of THE UNKNOWN GOD. He spent his time in the markets of the city during the week and in the Synagogue on the Sabbath. Greece was then and still is a country known for its Epicurean and Stoic philosophers. Much of the background for the philosophers [thinkers] stronghold comes out of this area and still has inroads into our universities that are now teaching the big bang theory, evolution, and who deny the creation story. They soon were openly disputing his message and labeled him as a babbler. They were especially upset at his contention that Jesus was the Son of God, who was crucified and was resurrected. They did not believe in the resurrection as a possibility.

The Epicureans and Stoics were the dominant philosophers in the Greek culture. They believed that seeking happiness and pleasure was the primary goal in life. The Stoics were more disciplined and they placed thinking above feeling and tried to live in harmony with nature. The Greek Council or Court was called the Areopagus and they met in the Acropolis which was built on a hill that allowed people to look down upon the city. Paul addressed the court while being able to look out over the city at numerous idols that dotted the expanse of the city and he referred to them as worthless and meaningless. Paul was convincing and even the elite Philosophers were amazed at his presentations even though they did not totally agree with him.

We must realize that Paul was a noted philosopher in his own right. He was educated in Tarsus, an educational center, and had the knowledge and training to present his beliefs persuasively. Paul was a Jewish rabbi, taught by the greatest teacher of his day, his name was Gamaliel, who had spent his life thinking and reasoning through the writings of OT authors. Both the bible and secular historians applauded both Gamaliel and Paul. Josephus is especially complementary.

Why do Southern Baptist believe strongly in the benefits that regular bible study brings to the church? Our pastors support Sunday school. Every attempt is made to train and appoint teachers that have the ability to teach others and lead people to know Christ personally. When the truth is preached and taught, people listen and respond and the whole process is necessary to accomplish the commission given the church. No teacher is naïve to the point of claiming to be teachers like Christ or Paul, but we must have self-confidence, and that can only come through prayerful study of the word and a desire to serve Jesus Christ and give him the Glory for all positive results.

In verse 22-23 you will note that Paul did not start in a Synagogue…but in their court. He did not begin by teaching Jewish history as he usually did, for this would have been meaningless to the Greek. [Note: We still have a saying today; when we do not understand something we say—“well, that is Greek to me;” and this is the incident that birthed the saying. Paul began by building his argument for the one true God, using examples that they could understand. He moved on into the life of Christ and especially the death and resurrection. [Paul uses good psychology in that—when you are about ready to criticize someone, it is best to brag on them about something they are doing well.] He bragged—“Men of Athens, I see that in every way, you are very religious. As I walked around I found one altar with the inscription: TO AND UNKNOWN GOD.” Then he proceeded to tell them that this unknown god was none other than the Lord Jesus Christ. He reminded them that some of their Greek poets had said that we are the offspring of this god, and they are correct even though they do not know Him. Things have not improved; but rather it is even worse now than then. We have far more religions than they had…but vast majorities do not know who God really is. They do not understand that the Creator God transcends His creation. For example, God created Mohammed; Mohammed was a man who lived and died and is still dead. He can not be God because he was not his own creator. But the Greek proclaimed him as a god, which he cannot be. God was, is, and will always be—He said, “I Am.” This means that God is SOVEREIGN AND IN CONTROL, while at the same time he is as close as a brother and very personal. Paul told the Greeks that they must let God, the Creator of the universe rule their life.

Paul brought them a new point of view…he presented Christ who died and was resurrected and what that meant to people. It meant that He was a blessing to them if accepted—but that it also meant punishment to those who did not accept Him. Just as today, they had no concept of judgment and preferred to worship many gods instead of just one…and they did not believe in the resurrection. Just as today, some sneered, some kept on searching for what they wanted to hear, however, a few believed. Paul never changed his message. He moved on to Corinth in chapter 18 still preaching the truth.

The lesson for us is plain and tells us what we should do. Never hesitate to tell others about Christ and how He died for all people, everywhere. Do not be distressed when some do not believe your message. Sadly, I must warn you that many will not believe you. Your message and your life example will not win some to Christ—you must not expect a positive response to your message. Your warning removes their blood from your hands; if they die in their sins it will never be your fault; and if only a few, or even just one believes and is saved…it is worth your effort. Oh, what a joy it will be when you meet that person who was saved in Heaven and he/she explains what your message meant to them. No Christian should desire to go to heaven alone: their greatest desire should be to take friends, loved ones and other lost people with them. Don’t be surprised to find that God is left-handed, he is and will be for Jesus is sitting on his right hand to help His Father welcome you and you enter the pearly gates.