Title: The Hope of Israel
Scripture: Acts 28
Life itself seems to tell us things that we can reasonably expect. Doesn’t it? Things that I, as a U.S. citizen, can reasonably expect may be somewhat different than those say of a North Korean citizen, or an Australian, or someone from a number of other countries. Additionally, things that I, as a U.S. citizen and from the southern United States, can reasonably expect may be somewhat different than those say of a person from the northern United States.
Our personal environment and the people in it instill within each one of us certain values and ethics. The upbringing by our parents or guardians instills within us certain values and ethics. Those values and ethics were influenced by every person that has entered our life until this breath in time. Those values and ethics influence any decision, any action, any endeavor that we undertake or are faced with. Every situation and every circumstance that enters our life passes through our values and ethics that have influenced us until that very breath in time.
Our reasonable expectations then, which are cultured or grown by people, past influences and circumstances are driven to resolve or explain every picture that is captured by our mind’s eye. Our reasonable expectations attempt to explain every thing, every picture, that is captured by our mind’s eye.
For some people, when they became a Christian, many of those values and ethics stayed the same, and, for some people, when they became a Christian, many of those values and ethics changed. As an example, I may have been brought up not to tell a lie, or not to hurt other people, which, when I became a Christian, remained virtually the same. Conversely, what if I grew up in a family where drinking beer, wine, or some type of alcohol was okay? Then my reasonable expectations when I see someone drinking wine with their dinner, or having a beer at the local pub after work would seem okay. The thought that drinking alcoholic drink in any form and in moderation would be okay, until I become a Christian. When I became a Christian, this reasonable expectation should have changed to, as Paul says in 1st Corinthians 6:12,
“Everything is permissible for me--but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible for me--but I will not be mastered by anything.”
The thought of drinking alcohol in any form should have changed to ‘being of no benefit.’ The taste of the alcohol does not change, unless God desires it to, of course. The thought should have simply changed to something similar to “I don’t need this in my life anymore.”
The changing of basic reasonable expectations of the new-born Christian is something that sets the Christian apart from the non-Christian. At this point, though, we have to change the wording from reasonable expectations to the word – hope. When we became a Christian a glorious thing took place. Instilled with our hearts was the hope of someday spending eternity with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. All of our hopes and the foundation of those hopes changed not only in direction, but in focus and the dependency upon Whom those hopes exist.
Like an airplane on its way to the wrong airport, our hopes were re-routed. And, not only were they re-routed, but, we became acutely aware of where those hopes are founded and maintained, Jesus Christ.
Colossians 1:27 tells us,
Christ in you the hope of glory.
This is what we became acutely aware of when we became a Christian. And through the hope that is founded in Jesus Christ, other hopefulness is expected or anticipated. Some of those hopes are:
I. The Hope of Life
II. The Hope of Fellowship
III. The Hope of Principles
IV. The Hope of the Conviction
I. The Hope of Life
28:1 Once safely on shore, we found out that the island was called Malta. 2 The islanders showed us unusual kindness. They built a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold. 3 Paul gathered a pile of brushwood and, as he put it on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand. 4 When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, "This man must be a murderer; for though he escaped from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live." 5 But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. 6 The people expected him to swell up or suddenly fall dead, but after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god. 7 There was an estate nearby that belonged to Publius, the chief official of the island. He welcomed us to his home and for three days entertained us hospitably. 8 His father was sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him and, after prayer, placed his hands on him and healed him. 9 When this had happened, the rest of the sick on the island came and were cured. 10 They honored us in many ways and when we were ready to sail, they furnished us with the supplies we needed.
I can almost hear the words of those sitting around the fire with the survivors, Tsk, Tsk, justice has not allowed him to live, they said. Yet Paul continued to stand and continued to live. Justice has not allowed him to live, they said. Yet Paul shook off the snake and went about his business. The reasonable expectation of the villagers was that Paul should have died, but he did not. They waited a long time, the scripture says, but nothing unusual happened to him. When after that long time nothing unusual had happened to him, their reasonable expectations changed. They changed their minds, and what did they say? They said he was a god.
These people believed in circumstances. They believed in consequences. They believed that the world worked things out and a person would, one way or another, get what was coming to them whether that punishment came by man or by a god. They believed that if someone did something wrong, that in the end, he would pay for his injustice. So when Paul, a prisoner of the Roman centurion, was bitten by a snake, they reasoned that he was guilty of whatever crime he was being held for, and that a god, or gods, was punishing him for it.
These people were victims of their own society which influenced their reasonable expectations. They grew up with these distorted expectations, these slanted anticipations or this twisted hope of life. They grew up believing that life would be okay, if they were good. If I’m good, then the gods won’t have anything to say or do to me. If I’m good, I won’t be held accountable for anything and will enjoy a peaceful life.
They grew up with these expectations. They fashioned their hope of life on this premise. So, when Paul was bitten by a snake, they were quick to attribute it to a god carrying out his or her revenge on Paul for something bad he had done.
But, then, he didn’t die. This confounds things, this confuses things. And when he did not die, their reasoning was interrupted with new reasoning, ‘he must be a god.’ This was a logical assumption for them. This was a rational explanation of the peculiar thing that was going on in front of their very eyes. The logical answer to being bit by a snake in the first century was that you would die.
Their hope for life was amended. Their hope for life was re-formed for a brief time as Paul continued to live and go about gathering wood. Can you imagine the conversation?
Whoa, get back. Look at that snake, and it’s still biting his hand. He’s done for, for sure. He must have done something terrible to have to go through the fear of death in a shipwreck only to be killed by a snake. Yea, remember when my cousin Vinny got bit by that snake? Took only 10 minutes and he was dead. There was nothing we could do for him. Same snake, and in a few minutes we’ll see the same tragic results as cousin Vinny.
They changed their minds when they saw that Paul continued to live. And, they changed their minds to the only reasonable expectation that they could have, they called him a god. Again, a reasonable expectation based on their values and ethics which had been influenced by their upbringing in a pagan world. But, all that would change. It would change with the healing of the town official’s father and countless others, which, no doubt were blamed on the living God of the Bible. We, after reading the book of Acts, and the epistles, can reasonably assume that Paul brought the Word of God to these people.
Their hope of life was abruptly changed. In just a three month period, a whole civilization, the island of Malta, was changed from a country that believed in Greek mythology and various other religious dependencies, to Christianity. Their hope of life was changed.
How about you? Was your hope of life changed when you put your faith in Jesus Christ? It should have. When you put your faith in Jesus Christ, your reasonable expectations should have changed. When you put your faith in Jesus Christ, you were inspired by and instilled with the hope of life.
That small group of people that came to the rescue of the shipwrecked victims, went out into the rest of the island. That small group of people that came and were healed on the estate of Publius, went back out in the rest of the island with their reasonable expectations changed to the hope of life and they spread the Word of God, the good news of Jesus Christ, the hope of Glory, the hope of Life.
They had the hope of life, and they wanted others to share in it. What about you? Do you have the hope of life? If you do, don’t you want other people to share in it? Or, do you want to keep it all to yourself?
II. The Hope of Fellowship
11 After three months we put out to sea in a ship that had wintered in the island. It was an Alexandrian ship with the figurehead of the twin gods Castor and Pollux. 12 We put in at Syracuse and stayed there three days. 13 From there we set sail and arrived at Rhegium. The next day the south wind came up, and on the following day we reached Puteoli. 14 There we found some brothers who invited us to spend a week with them. And so we came to Rome. 15 The brothers there had heard that we were coming, and they traveled as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns to meet us. At the sight of these men Paul thanked God and was encouraged. 16 When we got to Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself, with a soldier to guard him.
It took as little as three months to instill within the people of Malta the hope of life in Jesus Christ and the joy that accompanies that hope. But, joy is not the only thing that accompanies the hope of life. Can you see the logical progression? There is hope in Christ Jesus. When that initial hope in the redemptive Christ is found, there is hope in life in Christ Jesus. And, when that hope in life in Christ is realized there is hope in fellowship in Christ. It’s a logical progression, and there are lot’s of benefits.
Whether you are from Korea, the U.S., Canada, or Vietnam, when you become a Christian, there will always be a hope of fellowship. This is fellowship that can only be appreciated by Christians. This is fellowship that will only come to fruition through this logical progression. Realize the hope of glory, realize the hope of life, and then realize the hope of fellowship that follows. These realizations quickly become reasonable expectations and will only come through one thing, meeting together in Jesus’ name. We are strongly admonished in Hebrews 10:25 to attend church, and church functions:
Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
In a small town called Puteoli, just over 100 miles southeast of Rome, Paul and his group of believers found some brothers. Brothers that did not shirk at their fellowship responsibilities, but opened their arms and invited Paul and the others to spend some time with them.
Who do you know that would invite a suspected criminal into their house? [oh, what will my friends think?] Who do you know that would invite into their house someone chained to a guard? [oh, what are the neighbors going to think?] Who do you know that would run the risk of inviting into their home a person that has been tried in a court of law? [oh, what would my family think?]
My friends, that’s what God is all about and Paul thanked God. But, it doesn’t stop there. When you step out of your comfort zone to reach out that hand of fellowship, people not only thank God for you doing it, but they are encouraged.
Encouragement is a big thing. Reaching out to your sisters and brothers in the hope of fellowship will encourage your sisters and brothers to attend church, to evangelize, to witness, to teach, to use whatever spiritual gift they might have. Fellowship is the catalyst, the means by which encouragement can be realized. And, encouragement is the catalyst to getting involved in the family of God.
If you never venture out of your house, how can you fellowship? And, subsequently, if you never fellowship, how can you encourage? You can call it the ‘one-two punch’ of Christianity. The hope of fellowship brings encouragement.
When I’m on my way to church, I’m encouraged when I know that I’ll meet great people at church. I’m lifted up. That’s the power of Christ, isn’t it? That’s the power of Christ working through the hope of Christ, working through the hope of life, working through the hope of fellowship, working through me! Amen?
The brothers in Rome had heard that Paul and the others were on their way to Rome. What did they do? What did they say to each other? [oh well, he’ll be here soon enough…let’s just wait.] No! They couldn’t wait because they wanted the adrenaline of encouragement that is promised with fellowship. They wanted the power of Christ coursing through their blood, so they traveled over 40 miles along the Appian Way to meet Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus.
Christ in you, the hope of Glory, the hope of life, the hope of fellowship.
III. The Hope of Principles
17 Three days later he called together the leaders of the Jews. When they had assembled, Paul said to them: "My brothers, although I have done nothing against our people or against the customs of our ancestors, I was arrested in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans. 18 They examined me and wanted to release me, because I was not guilty of any crime deserving death. 19 But when the Jews objected, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar--not that I had any charge to bring against my own people. 20 For this reason I have asked to see you and talk with you. It is because of the hope of Israel that I am bound with this chain." 21 They replied, "We have not received any letters from Judea concerning you, and none of the brothers who have come from there has reported or said anything bad about you. 22 But we want to hear what your views are, for we know that people everywhere are talking against this sect."
The hope of Israel has Paul in chains, Jesus Christ. Yet, when you are talking with a non-Christian, it is very difficult to make that point. As such, Paul appealed to the hope of principles to rule in the hearts of the Jewish people there in Rome.
Throughout Paul’s long ministry, every time he entered a city he would follow the same pattern, the same principles. If there was a synagogue, he would go to that synagogue first and present the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He would allow the Jew the first opportunity to hear about the salvation found in no other, then, he would go to the Gentile.
It was the same in Rome. He called in the leaders of the Jews and presented his hope of principles. He presented the principles, or standards, that God had long ago established in the heart, mind, and culture of the Jewish nation.
Not unlike the Christian, the Jew of that time had the hope of God, the hope of life, and the hope of fellowship, as synagogues were found in many, many, cities. Through the works of God through the teaching of Moses, the hope of principles is established on a well-built foundation. This is the hope that Paul appeals to when he meets with the leaders of the Jews.
When you put your faith in Jesus Christ, your reasonable expectations changed to hope. When you became a believer you were infused with the hope of life. When you became a Christian you died to sin and loneliness and were re-born to a guilt-free life and unending fellowship with the Creator of the Universe. When you stood up and told everyone I surrender all, your old principles and reasonable expectations were reformed, transformed, converted, renewed, and improved through the power of the blood of Jesus Christ. You began to see life differently. You began to walk a little differently. You began to hold yourself a little differently. You began to talk a little differently. Why? Because your life principles have undergone a dramatic foundational change. Now, there is hope.
IV. The Hope of the Conviction
23 They arranged to meet Paul on a certain day, and came in even larger numbers to the place where he was staying. From morning till evening he explained and declared to them the kingdom of God and tried to convince them about Jesus from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets. 24 Some were convinced by what he said, but others would not believe. 25 They disagreed among themselves and began to leave after Paul had made this final statement: "The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your forefathers when he said through Isaiah the prophet: 26 "’Go to this people and say, "You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving." 27 For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’ 28 "Therefore I want you to know that God’s salvation has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen!"
29 … (KJV And when he had said these words, the Jews departed, and had great reasoning among themselves. KJV)
30 For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. 31 Boldly and without hindrance he preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ.
Now we turn to those around us. Our friends, our family, our relatives, our co-workers, because we also have the hope of conviction. Paul now relies upon the hope of conviction. He appropriately relied on the moving of the Spirit in the hearts of those that heard his message.
He could only explain. He could only declare. He could only announce to his listeners the kingdom of God. He evangelized, and let the Spirit of God work. Some believed, and some did not.
The hope of conviction is where we are relegated to after we proclaim the Word of God. The hope of conviction is where we take our place after we announce that eternal life is found in no other than Jesus Christ.
Christ in you, the hope of Glory! Christ in you, the hope of life! Christ in you, the hope of fellowship! Christ in you the hope of principles! Then, we retire, we stop, and we pray for the hope of conviction in the heart of the unbeliever that is found in the Spirit of God at work in the heart of that unbeliever.
(Romans 1:20) For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
The hope of conviction is real. The hope of conviction is presently at work in every heart of every individual in every part of the world. Non-Christian or Christian, the hope of conviction is real. Whether we or they choose to hearken unto the call of God that is crying to us from the inside out, or whether we choose to follow the saying,
You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
The hope of conviction is real and apparent in every prayer meeting that meets to lift up unsaved friends and family members. The hope of conviction in their lives is sought after time and time again. We pray that the Lord would convict our mother, or our sister, or our friend to follow the path of Jesus Christ.
The power of Christ in one’s life is powerful and it is unmistakable. It must be tapped into to realize the full force of the hope that it contains.
Christ in you the hope of glory.
V. Conclusion.
Acts 27:20 tells us:
When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging, we finally gave up all hope of being saved.
When there is neither sun or stars in your life, like those sailors in that verse in Acts 27, we finally give up all hope…
When there is neither Jesus or His hopes (love, joy, peace, etc.), we finally give up all hope…and lapse into depression, or get moody, or even get sick.
Jesus brings hope. He brings the hope of glory, which brings the hope of life, which brings the hope of fellowship, which has the hope of principles, all of which, when others see Him in us, result in the hope of conviction of the Holy Spirit in their hearts.
