Back To The Future
Acts 28:1-31
Chili & Caroling; Next Sunday service.
I'll be preaching a message I've entitled "Back to the Future." Watch this!
That future is now in the past. We reached that movie date a little less than 2 months ago. It was called "Back To The Future Day," October 21, 2015. That date was some 30 years away from the original setting of the film in 1985. What's interesting is in the making of the movie set 30 years in the future, the filmmakers tried to predict what life would be like in 2015. It got some things right, and it also got some things wrong.
It predicted rightly that there would be:
Flat screen TV's hanging over fireplaces, Electronics at the dinner table,
A Baseball Team in Miami, Florida - none of which existed in 1985
What it got wrong: Flying cars, double-ties being fashionable, and the Cubs winning the World Series. None of which have happened!
But then there are some things that over the 30 year-span stayed exactly the same - namely, the personalities and proclivities of the film's main characters - Marty McFly, Doc Brown, and of course the antagonist... Biff.
I've entitled my message this morning, "Back To The Future." We've spent the last 11 months going verse by verse through the entire book of Acts. Acts is a historical account of Jesus' continual work on earth through His church. Acts began at Jesus' ascension around 30 AD, and concludes here in chapter 28 with the apostle Paul under house arrest in the capital of the empire, Rome in 64 AD. Acts covers some over 30 years of history.
But the last chapter of the book of Acts was not the last chapter of the church. The church has continued on for the last 2,000 years, and the church WILL continue on for eternity. But while many things have changed in the world, there are some things that have remained exactly the same.
This morning we're going to consider those things. We'll see God's work in the apostle Paul's life here in chapter 28 - a chapter that is over 30 years after the birth of the church. But what we'll notice is the same values and priorities that existed at Pentecost are still at work in Paul's life. And the application for us is this - as we look back on the early church, we're also looking at the future. For us to be a church on Mission; a church that emulates what the early church did, we must be committed to the same values and priorities that marked this church.
In fact, we can see these three values and priorities of the church in the final words Jesus spoke to the gathered disciples in Jerusalem just before his ascension. Throughout this series I've noted multiple times that Acts 1:8 is the theme verse for the entire book. Let's look at it again: "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." Acts 1:8
As we go through the entirety of chapter 28 today, we will notice how the three components of Acts 1:8 are lived out in the life and ministry of the apostle Paul. In fact, as I studied this passage I realized Acts 1:8 is really the outline of Acts chapter 28. And by God's grace Acts 1:8 will be the outline for LVBC. So as we go back to the future in our final message in this series, let's consider three components that existed in the first year of the church, the 30th year of the church and should exist in every generation of Christ's church. First of all to be a church on mission, there must be...
I. A Demonstration Of SPIRITUAL POWER
Jesus' promise in Acts 1:8 was... "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you...
As we come to chapter 28 we find this is in fact the case. If you were with us last week you remember the harrowing adventure Paul endured with 276 people on the way from Caesarea on the coast of Palestine, across the Mediterranean Sea to Rome. A journey that should have taken 5 weeks by ship ended up being over 4 months long. They got caught in a typhoon, hurled all the ships cargo overboard to save their lives, and drifted at sea for weeks before being grounded on a sand bar just off the coast of Malta. The rough surf crashed upon the stern of the boat and broke it to pieces. Leaving the 276 passengers of the freighter swimming and floating on debris from the ship to the coast of the island of Malta. That's where we pick up the story in verse 1 of chapter 28:
1After we were brought safely through, we then learned that the island was called Malta. 2The native people showed us unusual kindness, for they kindled a fire and welcomed us all, because it had begun to rain and was cold.
Malta is a small island - 18 miles long, 8 miles wide - in between Sicily and the northern African coast. The word there for "native" is barbaroi - from which we get "barbarian." This word was used to describe any non-Greek speaking culture. Luke, the inspired author who was Paul's companion on this journey, says they showed them unusual kindness. The fate of shipwrecked seafarers on some barbarian island was an uncertain prospect. You could be killed by the natives, or taken as slaves by the island tribe. These 276 men were welcomed kindly by the natives and they immediately built a bonfire by which the drenched survivors could warm up.
Now it's during their stay on Malta we will see a clear demonstration of Spiritual power. First of all,
A. Through PROTECTION from harm
Notice what happens to Paul as he works to keep fuel to the fire:
3When Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and put them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened on his hand. 4When the native people saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “No doubt this man is a murderer. Though he has escaped from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live.”
The natives would obviously be familiar with the types of snakes that are on the island of Malta, and seeing this particular snake bite Paul they recognized it as a venomous snake. Their conclusion was that since Paul was a prisoner, in shackles and being guarded by a soldier, he must be the worst kind of criminal - a murderer. They believed the god of Justice, which is why it’s capitalized in the text; they believed the god of Justice was meting out judgment upon Paul for his crimes. The sea didn’t kill him, but the snake will, they thought. Notice what happens next…
5He, however, shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm. 6They were waiting for him to swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But when they had waited a long time and saw no misfortune come to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god.
After Paul shows no signs whatsoever of the poisonous effects of a viper bite, they change their view of him from a murderer to a god. Of course he’s been mistaken for a god before in Acts 14 when he and Barnabas were in Lystra. Those in Lystra called them by the Greek god names Zeus and Hermes. Of course Paul was not a god, but rather he was filled and empowered by the very Spirit of God. And the Spirit of God had a purpose for Paul. That purpose was to go to Rome. If you'll remember, the Lord Jesus himself confirmed that purpose to him in Acts 23: The following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome.” Acts 23:11
We saw last week how on that doomed boat ride through the sea, the Lord again confirmed his purpose for Paul through an angelic visit: 23For this very night there stood before me an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I worship, 24and he said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar.’ Acts 27:23-24
A riot couldn’t stop God’s plan, a murder plot of 40 men in Jerusalem couldn’t stop God’s plan; high ranking Jewish accusers, Roman governors, even a typhoon at sea couldn’t stop God’s plan. What makes you think a little poisonous snake in the sticks is going to stop God’s plan?
I shared this quote 4 weeks ago from Kent Hughes, and it applies here as well: “God's servants are immortal until their work is done. No servant of God dies a premature death.” Kent Hughes
And church, this should give us confidence, this should give us assurance to press forward on mission, taking bold risks for the gospel. Why? Because we have the same Spirit that protected Paul from the snake bite who is also the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead residing within us. That’s power! But this Holy Spirit empowerment is not only demonstrated through protection from harm, but secondly…
B. Through COMPASSION for the hurting
It stands to reason, if we have the Spirit of Jesus residing in us; if we are being led & controlled by the Spirit of Jesus, stands to reason we’ll see people the way Jesus saw them. And how did Jesus see people? - with eyes of compassion. And that’s exactly what we see in Paul.
7Now in the neighborhood of that place were lands belonging to the chief man of the island, named Publius, who received us and entertained us hospitably for three days. Obviously if the people are starting to say that Paul is a god because a poisonous snake did not affect him, words going to get back to the chief of those natives on the island - Publius. So Publius throws a 3-day party for Paul and his companions - Luke and Aristarchus. 8It happened that the father of Publius lay sick with fever and dysentery. And Paul visited him and prayed, and putting his hands on him healed him. 9And when this had taken place, the rest of the people on the island who had diseases also came and were cured.
God had supernaturally given the apostle Paul the spiritual gift of healing. Healing is one of the spiritual gifts Paul lists in 1 Corinthians 12. Here's what we know about Spiritual gifts: they are divinely distributed and supernaturally empowered. Also remember, Luke was a physician. No doubt Luke found plenty of medical work to do among the natives on the island of Malta as well. This is something of an unplanned medical mission trip. And is there any doubt that throughout the process they spoke much of Jesus? The islanders are so grateful and appreciative of their compassionate care, notice how they send them off in verse 10: 10They also honored us greatly, and when we were about to sail, they put on board whatever we needed.
They swam to the island of Malta with nothing but the drenched clothes on their backs. They left the island with a full supply for the remainder of the journey. Luke says they gave them, "whatever we needed."
11After three months That would have been the months of November, December and January... we set sail in a ship that had wintered in the island, a ship of Alexandria, with the twin gods as a figurehead.
In passing Luke mentions the ship bore the insignia of the twin gods. In Greek it's literally "sons of Zeus." In Greek mythology these twin brothers were the patron deities of the seas, and sailors regarded them as protectors. This is just another indication of Luke's remarkable detail in recording these events. Remember, this is not a fable or fairy tale, these are actual events with real people.
12Putting in at Syracuse, we stayed there for three days. Last week we saw they wanted to go to Phoenix for the winter, this week they go to Syracuse. No, different Syracuse. 13And from there we made a circuit and arrived at Rhegium. And after one day a south wind sprang up, and on the second day we came to Puteoli. 14There we found brothers (These are Christians) and were invited to stay with them for seven days. And so we came to Rome. 15And the brothers there, when they heard about us, came as far as the Forum of Appius and Three Taverns to meet us. On seeing them, Paul thanked God and took courage.
I want you to consider that last sentence for a moment. These Christian brothers - who are nameless and faceless to us - they hear about the great Apostle Paul being in Rome, and so they travel from miles and miles around to meet Paul. Now Paul had written the book of Romans some 10 years earlier. That was a letter that was circulated throughout the Christian churches in Rome. Now Paul has come to Rome on a divine mission. And no doubt he's come with some fear and trepidation for what lay ahead. But notice again how the presence of these Christian brothers impacted Paul: On seeing them, Paul thanked God and took courage.
And I would submit to you that just as Paul was supernaturally infused Holy Spirit power that protected him from a snake bit; and just as Paul was supernaturally infused with Holy Spirit power for the purpose of healing the sick; I would submit that these brothers are every bit as filled with the Spirit as the great apostle Paul. Their encouragement, their grace, their hospitality, their mercy, their service to him are all spiritual gifts that gave Paul a heart of thanksgiving and great courage to move forward.
These Roman Christians were living out what Paul had written to them 10 years earlier: 4For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, 5so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. 6Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them. Romans 12:4-6
And the same is true of this body as well. Part of what it means to be a church on mission is every member here functioning through the divinely distributed Spiritual gifts he has imparted to us.
We all need each other! We are members of one another. We don't all have the same function and role, but that doesn't make any one here any less a part of the body. And as we function in the body, according to our unique gifting, that is a demonstration of Spiritual Power. Which leads to my second point this morning...
II. A Devotion To GOSPEL PROCLAMATION
Jesus said in Acts 1:8, "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you and you will be my witnesses...
As we go back to the future we see that Jesus’ intention for His church was to proclaim the gospel, to be witnesses. And what we see in chapter 28 of Acts, over 30 years later, this is indeed what Paul is focused on – proclaiming the gospel.
Look at verse 16 as Luke sets up for us Paul's living conditions in Rome:16And when we came into Rome, Paul was allowed to stay by himself, with the soldier who guarded him. Paul is under house arrest. Later in the text we’ll see that he’s under house arrest for two years, and that he is actually in chains.
So what did Paul do for this 2 year house arrest? Did he play solitaire, did he take up knitting – no – he got to the purpose of his coming to Rome, to proclaim the gospel. And he got to that rather quickly. Notice verse 17:
17After three days he called together the local leaders of the Jews,
Now this was the first of two meetings with the local Jewish leaders that Luke tells us Paul organized. And each of those meetings had a very specific purpose, a specific goal within the context of proclaiming the gospel. In the first meeting, here's what Paul did...
A. He established CREDIBILITY
Now think about this, Paul calls all the Jewish leaders together and what would be the first thing they notice about Paul? That he’s in chains; that he’s being guarded 24/7 by a Roman soldier. It’s like Ricky says to Lucy, “You’ve got some explaining to do.” Paul has some explaining to do to these Jewish leaders; he’s got to establish some credibility with them. Let’s see how he does it. 17After three days he called together the local leaders of the Jews, and when they had gathered, he said to them, “Brothers, though I had done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans. 18When they had examined me, they wished to set me at liberty, because there was no reason for the death penalty in my case. 19But because the Jews objected, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar—though I had no charge to bring against my nation.
Now I want you to notice that Paul is purposefully skating on a very fine line here. On one hand he wants to verify his innocence to his fellow Jews, and he wants to establish some camaraderie with them, so he refers to them as brothers. But on the other hand, he doesn’t want to impugn or malign the Jews in Jerusalem, so he just says, “they objected so I was forced to appeal to Caesar – though I had nothing to bring against my own people.” Paul is very clearly and carefully and intentionally sharing his story in such a way that he establishes maximum credibility with his hearers.
Paul continues: 20For this reason, therefore, I have asked to see you and speak with you, since it is because of the hope of Israel that I am wearing this chain.” Paul is creating a connection with them. He’s in chains because of their common hope – the hope of Israel, which of course would be the promised Messiah.
Paul’s conciliatory approach was apparently very effective: 21And they said to him, “We have received no letters from Judea about you, and none of the brothers coming here has reported or spoken any evil about you. Watch this… 22But we desire to hear from you what your views are, for with regard to this sect (the sect being Christianity) we know that everywhere it is spoken against.”
Now obviously this is just a summary of the first meeting, but Luke has given us a snapshot into their conversation. It was with great intentionality Paul seeks to establish his own credibility with those he desires to share the gospel with. Did you notice that in this first meeting, he didn’t even mention Jesus, didn’t mention the cross, didn’t mention the resurrection, didn’t mention faith and repentance; he didn't mention he himself was a Christian. So what was he doing? He was earning the right to be heard.
Think about it, Paul had been waiting and longing and desiring and planning to share the gospel in Rome for over 2 years. He finally gets there, he calls a meeting of the Jewish leaders; people actually show up and he never gets around to sharing the gospel. You might ask, "Paul, what are you doing?" Here’s what he’s doing – he’s taking the time to establish credibility with his listeners, he’s earning the right to be heard. He establishes so much credibility with them, they say, "We want to know your opinion of Christianity.” I can just imagine as a missionary, as an evangelist, Paul is just salivating at the chance to tell them about Jesus. But he waits. He waits until their next meeting. And at the next meeting, he lowers the truth bomb. Because at the second meeting…
B. He explained truth CLEARLY
This is amazing what happens. Look at verse 23:
23When they had appointed a day for him, they came to him at his lodging in greater numbers. So in between the two meetings, word starts spreading around that there’s a well-educated, articulate Pharisee from Jerusalem, who’s been around the block – he’s quite a world traveler. And man, does he have some stories to tell. And on top of that, he’s a prisoner, in chains and being guarded 24/7 by a Roman soldier.
So this crowd shows up, and what does Paul do? Verse 23 continues: From morning till evening he expounded to them, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus both from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets. This is the common practice we’ve seen from Paul again and again. He reasons, he explains, he expounds and he persuades. And he does this from morning until evening. This is not a 2 minute 30 second gospel presentation through a little tract – this is a lengthy, careful all-out assault with gospel truth.
And I love how Luke put it! He said he was “trying to convince them about Jesus.” Talk about a motto for life; talk about a purpose for living; talk about a reason to get out of bed in the morning!
Hey man, what’s your plans for this weekend? “Oh not much, I'm just going to try to convince people about Jesus.”
So, what are you going to college for, “Oh, I’m going to college because I’m trying to convince people about Jesus.” “No, I mean what are you going to major in?” Oh, I’m going to major in business, engineering, exercise science, early childhood education – because I’m trying to convince people about Jesus.”
Hey, what’s your plans for vacation this summer, “Oh, I’ll be trying to convince people about Jesus.” What a motto for life! That could be your computer screensaver, put it on your smartphone home screen; put that on your mirror so you read it when you brush your teeth in the morning, make a t-shirt – because this is the essence of what it means to be a church on mission, this is the essence of what it means to be a Christian on mission – we live and breathe and move because we are trying to convince people about Jesus!
And the way Paul did it was first: he established his personal credibility, and then he explained truth clearly. What was the result? Did everybody in the house get saved? No. We need to have realistic expectations. Here’s the result, verse 24: 24And some were convinced by what he said, but others disbelieved. Some will be convinced, but others will go on disbelieving.
As we go back to the future, all the way back to Acts chapter 1, this is what Jesus has given his church to do. And this is what we see Paul doing 3 decades later. And this is what we're called to do 20 centuries later.
A demonstration of Spiritual Power
A devotion to Gospel Proclamation, but finally…
III. A Dedication To MISSIONAL PURPOSE
"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."
That’s the third component of Jesus’ instruction all the way back in chapter 1, and it’s the third component we see through Paul here in chapter 28. Let’s keep reading…
25And disagreeing among themselves, they departed after Paul had made one statement: “The Holy Spirit was right in saying to your fathers through Isaiah the prophet:
26“‘Go to this people, and say, “You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.” 27For this people's heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed; lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’ 28Therefore let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen.”
First Paul quotes from Isaiah 6:9-10, a passage Jesus also quoted about the failure of the Jews to accept the truth about the Messiah. The quote ends at verse 27. Verse 28 is Paul’s own words. And it was verse 28 that was the final straw which caused the crowd to disperse. He goes and says the “G” word again – Gentiles. Remember, when he said the “G” word in Jerusalem 5 months earlier, the mob called for his death. He says it here in Rome, and everybody leaves the party. But Paul is simply verbalizing what Jesus commanded – Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the end of the earth.
2000 years later, that focus has not changed. We are called, as a church on mission, to take the gospel, across the street and around the world; to neighbors and nations; to try to convince people about Jesus, here in Lookout Valley, in Chattanooga, TN, US and to the very end of the earth.
That purpose and mission has not changed. And it will not change until Jesus returns. Jesus said as much in Matthew 24: “And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” Matthew 24:14
Do you want Jesus to return? Do you want the Lord of Lords to set all things right? Then we'd better get on mission with our lives to fulfill His commission! Paul lived with a dedication to missional purpose, and so should we.
Look how the book of Acts ends. Two marvelous verses:
30He lived there two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him, 31proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.
Paul lived his life on mission – even as a prisoner in chains.
You know, it’s the stuff of Hollywood to imagine that we can go back to the future. That we can get in a time machine and change the past to affect the future. That's Hollywood fiction. But here's some gospel fact: As we continue to be a church on mission, with ever increasing increments; we will by God's grace, be used by God to impact the future of hundreds and even thousands of lives. Why? Because we preach a very real gospel, to a very real people, who will live a very real future in a very real eternity. The stakes couldn't be any higher.
Last Thought: No matter how far into the future we go, Christ’s MISSION for the church will remain UNCHANGED!
A mission that says we must be...
Dependent on Spiritual Power
Devoted to Gospel Proclamation
Dedicated to Missional Purpose!
