“I HAVE FOUGHT THE GOOD FIGHT…”                    Acts of the Apostles Part 30 Teaching Ministry of Rick Trice

April 23, 2006

Trinity Fellowship

Raton, NM

Acts 28

Hebrews 12:26-29

2 Timothy 4:6-8

(READ ACTS 28: 1-6)

AFTER THE SHIPWRECK, PAUL AND THE OTHER SURVIVORS ARE WASHED UP ON MALTA WHERE THEY STAY FOR THREE MONTHS.

THE VIPER (V 3)

PAUL IS BITTEN BY A DEADLY SNAKE; NO ONE IS SUPPOSED TO LIVE FROM THIS, BUT PAUL DOES.  NOW, WE ALL KNOW IT IS HIS FAITH AND THE POWER OF GOD THAT KEEPS HIM UNHARMED, BUT LET'S LOOK AT PAUL'S ACTIONS HERE:

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN SOMETHING GRABS YOU? 

WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN SOMETHING SUDDENLY HURTS?

YOU TRY TO SHAKE IT OFF!  

IT’S A PHYSICAL REACTION.  YOU TOUCH A HOT STOVE, YOU JERK YOUR HAND AWAY.  GOD CREATED YOUR BODY TO REACT THAT WAY.   

SO WHAT ABOUT OUR SPIRIT?  WHEN SOMETHING GRABS AT OUR SPIRIT, OR ATTACKS US IN THE SPIRIT WORLD; HOW DO WE REACT?

WE USUALLY MOPE AROUND.  WE TALK ABOUT IT BEING THE “CROSS WE HAVE TO BEAR.”

I BELIEVE GOD HAS GIVEN US THE ABILITY TO ACT IN THE SPIRIT WORLD THE SAME WAY WE REACT IN THE PHYSICAL.  “SHAKE IT OFF.”  JESUS “SHOOK THE DUST” OFF HIS SANDELS AFTER LEAVING A TOWN OF UNBELIEF.  GOD “SHOOK THE EARTH AND THE TEMPLE” WHEN JESUS DIED ON THE CROSS.   

(HEB 12:26 FF)  WHEN GOD SHAKES SOMETHING OUT, HE THEN REMOVES THE LOOSE PIECES INTO THE “CONSUMING FIRE”; WHATEVER REMAINS IS “UNSHAKEABLE” BECAUSE IT IS OF GOD’S KINGDOM.  

WE ARE THEN TO WORSHIP HIM FOR WHAT REMAINS.

 ROME (V 11-30)

AFTER THREE MONTHS, PAUL ARRIVES IN ROME, WHERE HE IS ALLOWED TO LIVE IN HIS OWN PLACE, UNDER HIS OWN EXPENSE, WITH ONLY A GUARD AT HAND.  HE IS WAITING TO BE CALLED BY CAESAR TO DEFEND HIMSELF.  HE MEETS IN THE MEANTIME WITH THE LOCAL BRETHREN, AND CALLS A GROUP OF JEWS TO MEET WITH THEM.  THEY HAVE NOT HEARD OF ANY CHARGES AGAINST PAUL, AND LISTEN TO HIM.  AS USUAL, SOME RECEIVE CHRIST; SOME REJECT HIM.

AND HE QUOTES ISAIAH (V 26-27) REGARDING THIS, AND JUSTIFIES HIS MISSION TO THE GENTILES.  

THE LAST VERSE OF ACTS SAYS HE PREACHED FOR TWO YEARS ABOUT JESUS CHRIST, “QUITE OPENLY AND UNHINDERED.” 

PAULS’S END?

MANY THINK THAT AFTER THESE TWO YEARS, PAULS WAS EXECUTED.  BUT BIBLE SCHOLARS BELIEVE THAT HE WAS ACTUALLY RELEASED.  ROMAN LAW REQUIRED AN APPEAL BEFORE CAESAR TO TAKE PLACE WITHIN TWO YEARS. 

 MANY PEOPLE THINK HE WAS RELEASED, BECAUSE MANY OF THE EVENTS HE WROTE ABOUT IN THE LETTERS OF I TIMOTHY AND TITUS ARE NOT MENTIONED IN ACTS, AND THAT HE PROBABLY WROTE THEM AFTER THIS FIRST IMPRISONMENT.  SOME HISTORICAL WRITINGS INDICATE HE MIGHT HAVE EVEN MADE A MISSION TRIP TO SPAIN, WHICH HE TALKED ABOUT..

 HE ALSO ALLUDES TO A PREVIOUS RELEASE IN 2 TIMOTHY 4: 16-18 (READ)

WHATEVER THE EVENTS, 2 TIMOTHY WAS DEFINITELY FELT TO HAVE BEEN WRITTEN JUST PRIOR TO PAUL’S EXECUTION. 

IN A LETTER FROM CLEMENT OF ROME TO THE CHURCH IN CORINTH., ABOUT THIRTY YEARS AFTER PAUL’S DEATH, WE’RE TOLD, “…WHEN HE HAD BORNE HIS TESTIMONY BEFORE THE RULERS, SO HE DEPARTED FROM THIS WORLD AND WENT UNTO THE HOLY PLACE, HAVING BEEN FOUND A NOTABLE PATTERN OF PATIENT ENDURANCE.”

BUT PAUL’S OWN WORDS REGARDING HIS END ARE THE BEST:

 "NOW THE TIME HAS COME FOR ME TO DIE.  MY LIFE IS LIKE A DRINK OFFERING, BEING POURED OUT UPON THE ALTAR.  I HAVE FOUGHT WELL.  I HAVE FINISHED THE RACE, AND I HAVE BEEN FAITHFUL.  SO A CROWN WILL BE GIVEN TO ME FOR PLEASING THE LORD.  HE JUDGES FAIRLY, AND ON THE DAY OF JUDGMENT HE WILL GIVE A CROWN TO ME AND TO EVERYONE ESLE WHO WANT HIM TO APPEAR WITH POWER."  (2 TIMOTHY 4:6-8)

 MY HOPE AT THE END OF MY DAYS IS TO BE ABLE TO SAY THE SAME THING.