The Acts of Jesus: Continued - Unhindered
Opening Prayer:
Lord God,
Let me be filled with Your Holy Spirit that I may speak the word of God with boldness.
Together, may our prayers ignite a flame of boldness within, and empower us to walk confidently in our purpose for Your glory and for the coming of Your kingdom.
Amen.
Key Scriptures:
17 Three days later he called together the local Jewish leaders. 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 The Jews objected, so I was compelled to make an appeal to Caesar. I certainly did not intend to bring any charge 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 our people 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.”
23 They arranged to meet Paul on a certain day, and came in even larger numbers to the place where he was staying. He witnessed to them from morning till evening, explaining about the kingdom of God, and from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets he tried to persuade them about Jesus. 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 ancestors 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] 30 For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. 31 He proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ—with all boldness and without hindrance!
Acts 28:17-31
Sermon Summary
Our series “The Acts of Jesus: Continued” carries on this week.
Even though it is Pentecost week and Pentecost occurs in Acts 2, this week to finish off our series on the Acts of Jesus, we are actually going to look at the very end of the book of Acts. At the end of Acts 28 we find Paul under house arrest in Rome, after various trials (some literal) and tribulations. The final two verses of the book tell us that even while under house, Paul spent two years proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ—with all boldness and without hindrance.
He's under house arrest, literally chained to a Roman guard. How is he not hindered? How is this not a horribly disappointing ending to the book? It’s the worst type of cliffhanger: what happened to Paul? We don’t know and we aren’t told. But surely Paul is the main character of the book? Why aren’t we told?
Paul isn’t the main character in the book. A lot happens involving Paul. But the main character is actually the Holy Spirit – the only consistent character in the book, the one through whom so much of the action occurs. What does the Spirit do? The Spirit empowers people to be Jesus’ body in the world, to continue the acts that Jesus did. Pentecost reminds us that God’s intention is still for all people to know Him and be set free to love Him.
But how can Paul continue to preach with boldness and without hindrance? Because he is filled with the Spirit of God empowering all that he does, even under the most trying and dire of circumstances. Paul’s situation was dangerous: chained to a soldier of the world’s greatest kingdom serving the world’s most powerful king while proclaiming Jesus as the world’s real king and His kingdom as well.
Like for Paul, there is someone with/in us that enables us to have confidence and share the gospel with the world. Regardless of the circumstances we find ourselves in, we too can participate in the kingdom of God. By the Spirit, we get to be participants too.
Sometimes it is only after the greatest darkness that the greatest triumph comes. Out of this period of arrest and imprisonment came two main results: his time in prison inspired many of the letters that Paul wrote that make up the New Testament, and, through the large roster of guards, the gospel took hold in the Emperor’s palace. Rather than a cliffhanger, let-down ending, the book ends with an invitation for us to join with God’s Spirit in bringing His kingdom to the world.
Below is a helpful summary of the final few chapters in acts by the Bible Project:
Questions to Consider:
Who would you say the main character in the story is? Why?
In what way would you describe Paul’s situation at the end as hindered?
What does the Spirit do in Acts?
What is hindering you in your life currently? Could that be a conduit for God’s power in your life?
Why the distinction between preaching about the kingdom and the King? What happens if we forget to preach the kingdom with the King?
What does preaching the gospel with boldness and without hinderance look like to you today?
How did Paul’s time in prison and under guard lead to greater things?
What does the Isaiah quote mean? Why is it important?
Practices to Consider:
How can you share/live/embody the gospel through your life this week? What could you do? How might you share the gospel in a new way with someone new?
Prayer Prompts:
Pray for the Holy Spirit to guide you in sharing Jesus with others this week.
Pray for the people of Afghistan.
Additional Resources:
Find the full sermon recording here
For a printable version of this guide click here
If you are interested in going deeper the bible project have a helpful guide to the book of Acts, you can find it here