During what seems to be a certain disaster, as the ship Paul is traveling in is driven by a storm for fourteen days, the Lord uses him to maintain hope and in Acts 27:35–36 “And after he said these things and took bread, he gave thanks to God in front of them all, and after breaking it, he began to eat. 36 So they all were encouraged”. After wintering on the island of Malta, they find their way to Rome where Paul in Acts 28:30-31 “stayed two whole years in his own rented house, and welcomed all who came to him, 31 proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness, without hindrance”. But there comes a point, where people have heard and made a decision so Paul brings the book to a close in Acts 28:28 “let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles. They also will listen!”.
I Believe God That It Will Be
Acts 27:27-38
They had been driven by the storm for “many days” in Acts 27:20 and an angel of the Lord brought a message to Paul that he shared with the men of the ship in
Acts 27:24 saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul! It is necessary for you to stand before Caesar, and behold, God has graciously granted you all who are sailing with you.’
Paul continues to encourage them all asking them to trust God as he does in
Acts 27:25 “Therefore keep up your courage, men, for I believe God that it will be like this—according to the way it was told to me”.
They are still driven by the storm and more days pass and “when the fourteenth night had come” in Acts 27:27 “the sailors suspected they were approaching some land”. There was a chance some of “the sailors” could make land by a lifeboat in Acts 27:30 but Paul knew, either by the message he had received from the angel or by word of wisdom in the middle of this situation, that they all needed to stay together in Acts 27:31. Paul now takes charge and speaks to them all in
Acts 27:33 “And until the day was about to come, Paul was urging them all to take some food, saying, ‘Today is the fourteenth day you have waited anxiously, and you have continued without eating, having taken nothing’”.
So, Paul stood before them all in
Acts 27:35–36 “And after he said these things and took bread, he gave thanks to God in front of them all, and after breaking it, he began to eat. 36 So they all were encouraged and partook of food themselves.”
They Held Course for the Beach
Acts 27:39-44
The Local Inhabitants Showed Extraordinary Kindness
Acts 28:1-10
After Three Months We Put Out to Sea
Because of the Hope of Israel I am Wearing This Chain
Acts 28:17-22
Paul has arrived in Rome and while he is still under guard, what we might call house arrest, Paul is free to have visitors. Paul “called together those who were the most prominent of the Jews” in Acts 28:17 to explain what he was doing in Rome and what had transpired in Jerusalem. As Paul recounts that “I had done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers” and that in Acts 28:19 “I was forced to appeal to Caesar” then Paul says in
Acts 28:20 “Therefore for this reason I have requested to see you and to speak with you, for because of the hope of Israel I am wearing this chain!”
It was reasonable for Paul to assume the Jews in Rome had heard his story, he had been in prison in Caesarea for two years, but they had not heard anything in
Acts 28:21 And they said to him, “We have received no letters about you from Judea, nor has any of the brothers come and reported or spoken anything evil about you.
So, they were open to hearing what Paul had to say in Acts 28:22.
This Salvation of God Has Been Sent to the Gentiles
Acts 28:23-31
So, as Paul has established himself in Rome, he begins teaching in
Acts 28:23 “And when they had set a day with him, many more came to him at his lodging place, to whom he was explaining from early in the morning until evening, testifying about the kingdom of God and attempting to convince them about Jesus from both the law of Moses and the prophets”.
and he continued from his house in
Acts 28:30-31 “So he stayed two whole years in his own rented house, and welcomed all who came to him, 31 proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness, without hindrance”.
and as is always the case as the gospel is preached, in
Acts 28:24 “And some were convinced by what was said, but others refused to believe”.
So, in Acts 28: 26-27 Paul quotes Isaiah 6:9-10 and makes a powerful statement in
Acts 28:28 “let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles. They also will listen!”
Study Verses
- Acts 27:27-38 I Believe God That It Will Be
- Acts 28:17-22 Because of the Hope of Israel I am Wearing This Chain
- Acts 28:23-31 This Salvation of God Has Been Sent to the Gentiles
Today’s Reading
- Acts 27:27-44
- Acts 28:1-31
