In one final sermon from the Acts series, we go back to the beginning and tie everything together in one simple little bow: We proclaim the kingdom of God by proclaiming Jesus – crucified, buried, resurrected and ascended.
How would you live your life if you knew Jesus was going to return in 5 years? What kind of urgency would you have? Paul is nearing the end of his life, and he is finishing well, making the most of every opportunity. Always on mission. Never off duty.
Safely on the island of Malta, Paul finds himself welcomed and treated like a god by the local people after he was bitten by a snake and didn't die. Paul didn't get caught up in his own plans – he served the people of Malta, and God provided for his needs.
There are two major theologies that seem to stand against each other - the theology of God's sovereignty and the theology of people's free will. But as Paul and his crew are blown across the Mediterranean Sea, both God's sovereignty and people's responsibility are on full display.
Paul has appealed to Rome, and finally it is decided that they should set sail. But Paul's dream (and most of our lives) doesn't end up looking the way he expected it to look. First of all, he was going to Rome as a prisoner instead of on his own terms, and secondly, they ended up being blown way off course before they were even halfway there.
As Paul stands trial before Governor Festus and King Agrippa, he recounts his conversion story one last time in the book of Acts, including details that he hadn't mentioned before – namely, the specific call of Jesus on his life: to be a servant who turns on the lights in people's stories, and leads them to repentance and faith.
With every trial, Paul gets to bear witness in front of men more and more powerful than before. First the mob, then the religious leaders, then Governor Felix and Governor Festus, and in this passage, he is now in front of King Herod Agrippa and his wife Bernice. But Paul is staying rooted in saying the resurrection of Jesus is the reason he's on trial, and continuing to anchor himself in that truth.
Paul stands trial before Felix the Governor, and gives his defense. Felix began to be very interested in what Paul was saying, and even brought his wife in to potentially fact check Paul’s argument. But all of a sudden, when Paul’s defense turned into sharing the gospel to Felix, the conviction was too much. Felix bailed, said, "I’ll be in touch later, maybe," and two years later, he is out the door leaving Paul in prison for the next Governor to deal with, never having professed faith in Christ.
Three folks from River City talk about their own experiences of Jesus standing by them in difficult times, bringing about transformation, and giving them hope.
The next morning, as Paul sits in prison thanking Jesus for visiting him in the night, his nephew stops in for a visit and lets him know there is an ambush waiting for Paul. The Roman commander takes action, and gives Paul a VIP security escort out of town in the middle of the night to Caesarea where he will await trial.