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SENT TO THE GENTILES
THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES
CHAPTER 28
I knew you’d be
back soon for this one! Welcome back to Daily Bread, as we conclude the
study of the book of Acts, and find out what happens to Paul as he makes his
final journey to Rome.
When they had
escaped the shipwreck, they learned that the island that they swam to for
safety was called Melita. The island had an uncivilized culture yet the
people of the Island showed them great kindness. They kindled a fire, and
welcomed everyone, because of the present rain, and because of the cold.
Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, and a viper
(snake) jumped out of the heat of the fire, and fastened onto his hand! When
the people of the Island saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said
among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he has
escaped the sea, still vengeance won’t allow him to live.
Paul shook off the
snake into the fire, and suffered no harm! They stared, expecting his hand
to swell, or for him to fall down dead suddenly as they knew the effects of
this type of snake's bite, but after no harm came to him for a long time,
they changed their minds, and said that he must be a god or something
because the snake's bite did not harm him as it would any other.
The chief
man of the island, whose name was Publius gave them lodgings for three days.
And it came to pass, that the father of Publius was sick of a fever and
dysentery: to whom Paul visited, and prayed, and laid his hands on him, and
healed him. When he did this, others also, which had diseases on the island,
came, and were healed, and they honored them with many honors. When they
left, they gave them all the necessities they needed for their journey.
After three months
they departed on a ship of Alexandria, which had wintered in the isle, whose
sign was Castor and Pollux (the two bright stars in the Gemini
constellation). They landed at Syracuse and stayed there for three days, and
from there they circled around and came to Rhegium. After one day the south
wind blew, and the next day they came to Puteoli, where they found brethren,
and were asked to stay with them seven days, and then they went toward Rome.
When the Christian
brethren heard they were there, they went to meet them as far as Appii
forum, and The three taverns, whom when Paul saw, he thanked God, and was
inspired by the presence of the Christian brethren. When they came to Rome,
Julius delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard, but Paul was
allowed to stay by himself with a soldier that guarded him. After three days
Paul called the chief of the Jewish people together, and when they were
gathered, he said to them,
Men and brethren, though I have committed nothing
against the people, or customs of our fathers, still, I was delivered as
a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans, who, when they
had questioned me, would have let me go, because there was no cause of
death in me. But when the Jewish people disagreed, I was moved to appeal
to Cæsar, not that I had anything to
accuse my nation of. This is the reason I’ve called for you, to see you,
and to speak with you: because that for the hope of Israel I am bound
with this chain.
And they said to
him, We neither received letters out of Judæa
concerning you, and none of the brethren that came showed or spoke any harm
of you. But we wish to hear what you think, because concerning this
Christianity, we know that every where it is spoken against. They appointed
him a day, and many came to hear as he explained and testified the kingdom
of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and
out of the prophets, from morning till evening.
Some believed the things that Paul said, and some didn’t. When they
couldn’t agree among themselves, they left after Paul said this:
The Holy Ghost spoke well by Isaiah the prophet, to our
fathers, saying, Go to this people and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and
shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive: For the
heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing,
and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes,
and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be
converted, and I should heal them
Isaiah 6:9-10
... Be it known therefore to you, that the salvation of God is sent to
the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.
And when he had
said these words, the Jewish people left, disputing among themselves. And
Paul stayed two whole years in his own rented house, and welcomed all that
came in to him, preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things
which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding
him.
Now ... Please excuse the lack of finesse in my words, but there ain’t
nuthin’ wrong with that! Good old Paul, after all he’d been through, stoned,
imprisoned, accused, blasphemed against, even shipwrecked, and they never
even heard of him in Rome! Paul got his wish, and Jesus got His Will done .
. . God wanted Paul to visit Rome to testify of Jesus and spread the
good news, and that’s just what he did! Some people will do anything to
spread the Gospel according to the Lord’s will, and those early Christians
whose words and deeds we love to mirror in our own lives, those who we call
Apostles, were not so very different from you and I. All we have to do is
ACT!
Congratulations on completing the study of the book of the Acts of the
Apostles with Daily Bread! There are still more great messages ahead in the
New Testament, so come on back and join in again, as we continue our studies
and strengthen our abilities to understand, honor, and spread God’s word.
God Bless.
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