Thanks, guys. And now you can take your Bibles and join me as we finish up today Acts. We're in Acts chapter 28. We're going to be looking at verses 17 to 31. And I've been praying about what the Lord would have me to do for our next series. And so I know what I'm going to be doing, Lord willing. If you want to find out, you have to come next Sunday. I'll tell you, if you want to see me at the connection point, I'll tell you what I'm going to be preaching through. This is just the way that Acts, I love the way that Acts ends. And you're going to see why in a few minutes. Have you ever read one of those books where you get to the end of the chapter and then you can choose, either turn to page 17 or head to page 127, and then you just kinda, you can weave these different paths, right? And the story can be different. It's like multiple stories in one book. It just depends on which step you choose next, right? And sometimes, as we read through this book of Acts, it's kind of looked like that's how it's been with Paul, right? That he kind of makes this choice, and then that, and then, well, turn to this page, and then you see this. All right, so that gives him these two options, right? But what if he'd have chosen back here this other thing? But here's the great thing we understand, that though God has given us a free will, God, as a pastor friend of mine has said, God's given you a brain, and He expects you to use it. He's given you His Word to guide you. So take the Word of God and the principles therein, and make wise choices, In a way in which you understand you're gonna exercise accountability before God for those choices. We're not infallible, but God's word is. So follow God's word and make wise choices. Learn from those choices. And as Dr. Bob Jones Sr., who founded Bob Jones University said, the right path leads out to the right place. Dwells as the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and he delights in his way. But when you come to the end of the book of Acts, you don't see the end. It's open. And I love when I'm reading a classic, when I'm reading some classical literature, some sort of like classic fiction. that at the end, I believe one of the signs of an excellent writer is that even though they bring the story to somewhat of a conclusion, there's always something left to the reader's imagination about what may come next. And that's what we find in the book of Acts. But there's some things that I want to challenge you with from God's Word. Luke does not concerning himself with recording what happened to Paul after this first trial, because he's going to come to his first trial here at Rome, all right? And the Bible doesn't record that first trial here in Acts, but we know that it happens, okay? And then, the history and the tradition of the early church tells us that Paul is acquitted, that he's free for several years, and then that he is arrested again and he is executed under Nero's rule. Most likely though, and many scholars believe this, that Paul, after this first trial where he is acquitted of all charges, there really aren't any charges, right, really that are gonna stick. And so he comes before the emperor, he's acquitted of all charges, he's given his freedom. Many Bible scholars believe that Paul probably went up into Spain. He had a passion to get into Spain and to begin to spread the gospel. And so many Bible scholars believe it's very likely that he did that and then went back to some of the churches that he had established in the first three missionary journeys and visited with them again before he's arrested and brought back to Rome. where then, after the second trial, he's imprisoned and he is beheaded. But I want you to see how, as Luke records this, how the Spirit moved Luke to end this book of Acts, and let's learn from the example that we find in these following verses. So let's look, beginning in verse 17. And it came to pass that after three days, Paul called the chief of the Jews together, and when they were come together, he said unto them, Men and brethren, though I have committed nothing against the people or customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans, who when they had examined me would have let me go, because there was no cause of death in me. But when the Jews spake against it, I was constrained to appeal unto Caesar, not that I had ought to accuse my nation of. For this cause, therefore, I have called for you to see you and to speak with you, because that for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain. They said unto him, We neither receive letters out of Judea concerning thee, neither any of the brethren that came showed or spake any harm of thee. But we desire to hear of thee what thou thinkest. For as concerning this sect, we know that everywhere it is spoken against." So, first instruction we see from this passage of scripture is that God wants us to, first of all, initiate contact. Paul used his identity as a Jew, and he would have been considered a Jewish rabbi. Remember, they say, well, we're interested in hearing about this sect. So they saw Christianity, or the Way, as a sect within Judaism, a movement within Judaism. And so Paul would have been considered one of the chief rabbis of that particular sect. Just like you have the Pharisees, the Sadducees, there were other minor groups that were known as sects, S-E-C-T-S, right? And Christianity was one of those. in their minds, in their consideration. Everywhere we hear about this, we hear the negative things about it. It's spoken against them. We're curious. We want to hear from you. He used his background as a Jew, he used this opportunity to portray or to give the gospel, and so he initiates contact. As we're initiating contact with folks in the community, what can we use? Well, we can use our background. Maybe we have some sort of a cultural background where we can identify with other people. It may be work-related, it might be hobby-related, it might be some experience we've had in life. that we're able to share with somebody else that kind of gives us that connection or that inroads to initiate contact for the sake of the gospel. Are there times when people may initiate contact with us? Well, they may contact us about, for instance, let's say that you're at work. and you have a testimony of one who, look, what I'm gonna do, and you don't go around preaching this, but this is the way you live. You are doing your job, not with eye service as a man pleaser, but you're doing the will of God from the heart. What you do at work, you do heartily, ask to the Lord, and not an amen. You're not doing it just to please your boss, to get a raise, or whatever. You are doing it because you're gonna do what you believe is pleasing to God. Now that does mean that you submit yourself to the authority of that boss or supervisor, so long as they're not telling you to do something immoral and unethical, right? Because God is ultimately our authority, and as Peter and the apostles said to the Sanhedrin, we ought to obey God rather than men. But rarely do we find ourselves in that particular situation in work. But the idea being that even though maybe I've initiated that through my testimony, I've had opportunities to invite people to Bible studies, or I've shared my faith and my testimony, And maybe in just living that consistent life, sometime, somebody comes up to me and they say, hey, listen, I've got this real problem. My grandpa's going through this, or my wife's going through that, or my husband's going through that, or hey, I've got this upcoming medical test, would you pray for me? And they may initiate that conversation, but usually they initiate that conversation because they already know that you're a believer who cares about them, who loves the Lord, and has a relationship with God. And so they come to you and ask for your help to pray for that person. And what a wonderful opportunity, not only to pray for that need, but to also pray the gospel for that person at that time, right? But God wants us to initiate contact, not just wait until other people bring up the subject. We need to be turning the subject the other way and as God would give us opportunities to initiate contact. One of the great ways that you can initiate contact is if you move into a new apartment complex or you move into a new neighborhood and rather than wait for your neighbors to invite you and welcome you to the neighborhood, you go around and just invite them and say, Hey, we just moved here. We want to get to know you. Hey, we're going to have, We're going to have a little time tonight. We're going to have some dessert and coffee and stuff, and we'd love for you to come over." Or, hey, we're going to grill out hot dogs and hamburgers. We want you to come over and just drop in. We just want to get to know you a little bit, find out a little bit more about our neighbors. And so you're just initiating contact in those kind of ways. And then as it's life-touching life, you'll have opportunities Maybe you have everybody over, right? And you say, hey, listen, we're followers of Jesus. And so before we start eating all this wonderful food, we're just gonna pray and ask the Lord to bless it and to bless you. And so you have a word of prayer. And so you're initiating those kind of contacts. Paul used here, he used this explanation of why he's come to Rome under Roman guard for a trial. And he uses his explanation, not only of his impending trial and why he's here, but also as an expression of goodwill towards his nation. He still identifies as a Jew. He said, hey, listen, I want you to understand something. Even though I was accused of the Sanhedrin at Jerusalem, and they wanted to kill me. And so I came under Roman protection. And after that, even Felix offered, because basically what happened, Felix offered to say, Hey, listen, you want to go back up to Jerusalem and I'll go up with you and then you can be held by trial up there and I'll oversee it. And Paul realized, no way, they tried to assassinate me before. And that really, we know from the scripture, Luke's account, the Holy Spirit gave him insight and he understood that that's what the Jews were going to do. They were going to ambush Paul on his way back up to Jerusalem before he even got to that hearing and murder him on the way. And so Paul says, no, listen, I have to appeal to Caesar. And that's what he's telling these Roman Jews. I had to appeal to Caesar. And they found nothing on which to try me there, so I had to appeal to Nero, to Caesar, and here I am. But I want you to understand, I have nothing to accuse my nation of. It is no ill will towards the Sanhedrin. It's no ill will towards any of my nation. I love my nation. And he explains that. And then Paul clarified the essence of his trial. He says, for the hope of the resurrection. For the hope of Israel, Jesus, is the resurrection and the life. The hope of Israel is Messiah, the resurrection and the life. Peter preaches faith in the resurrected Christ in Acts chapters two and three. Paul does so through the later chapters of Acts in Acts 24, 26, and even the beginning of Acts 28. We see how that Paul preaches, listen, man's only hope is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Acts 4, 12. Peter preached and said, there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved. The apostle John wrote in his gospel, in John 14 verse six, Jesus saith unto them, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the Father but by me. There's only one way to eternal life. There's only one way to have your sins forgiven. It's not through denomination or a church, or it's not through some religious ritual like baptism, or memorizing and stating a catechism and getting a certificate. It's none of those things. It's not hoping that your good works outweigh your bad works. Salvation is not a works less than he mentioned both Ephesians 2 9. Salvation is a gracious gift that God gives and he offers to all who will acknowledge their sinners He acknowledged that Jesus, God's perfect son, died on the cross and fully paid the price and the penalty for their sin in their place and for their sins, that he was buried and being God, conquered death in the grave, resurrected from the dead. And then the wonderful promise in Romans 10, 13, that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. And that's what Paul is preaching. The writer said the whole world was lost in the darkness of sin. The light of the world is Jesus. Jesus is mankind's hope. How did Paul know that these Jews were interested in Christianity? Because if you look in verse 22, they said, but we desire to hear of thee what thou thinkest. For as concerning the sect, we know that everywhere it is spoken against. How did Paul know that these particular Jews at Rome were curious about the gospel, that they would be interested? Here's the point. He wouldn't have known if he'd never initiated contact. And you know, I wonder how many gospel opportunities we've missed because we didn't initiate contact. Because sometimes we have this misunderstanding that I'm going to be faithful with the gospel, that I've got to sit down with the person with my Bible for 15 minutes and explain the way of salvation to them. And what we don't understand is that within 20 or 30 seconds, we ought to be able to share our salvation testimony with the verse that God's Spirit used to illumine our understanding so that we might share the gospel or at least plant a seed of the gospel. Let me give you mine in 30 seconds, okay, just as an example or illustration of this. My dad started a church, pastored it for five years, and then went in evangelism. He's a traveling preacher. I started memorizing verses of scripture when I was two years old. When I was four years old at the Rifle Range Baptist Church in Winter Haven, Florida, the pastor's wife, Mrs. Simpson, was teaching a Sunday school lesson. God had been working in my heart that I was a sinner. By the way, I got enough spankings from mom and dad to know I was a sinner, right? And I know what the Bible said. I memorized Romans 6, 23, for the wages of sin is death. But I also memorized the other part, the gift of God's eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. And Mrs. Simpson that morning gave an invitation in Children's Church. And I went forward and Mrs. Simpson herself took me into a little cinder block Sunday school classroom, a little white chair. We sat down and she began to review the gospel with me. And the verse that she shared with me that I'd also memorized, was the verse that got to limit my understanding was, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved, Acts 16 31. How simple that is. Any four year old can understand. Believe, put your faith in Jesus Christ and you can be saved. You know you're a sinner. You know you're on your way to hell because of your sin. You know that Jesus is God and he loves you. He died and rose again. Believe on him. Put your trust in him. Put it all on him. and you can be saved. There, that's my gospel in about, I don't know, you can time it and go back and look at the recording on the message and see how long I took. 30 seconds a minute, maybe? And you don't have that opportunity every time. But you know, even just something like, we're coming on the Thanksgiving season, right? And people are talking about things and sometimes people are grumbling, you can say, you know what, I am so thankful that I have life from God. I'm thankful I'm alive today, but I'm also thankful I'm gonna always be alive. I have eternal life through Jesus Christ. Man, people are gonna look at you like calf staring at a new gate, you know? But that's okay. And you know what? Through that, maybe you're gonna be able to give them a gospel tract or give them your phone number where they can text you later and you can set something up. Hey, listen, it's amazing. Krista and I can tell you of times when people have just, we've just, hey, how you doing? Somebody in Lowe's parking lot one time asked this lady, how you doing? And she told us. But she could sense that we really cared. And we had an opportunity to pray with her, and for her, and we prayed the gospel, and we gave her a gospel tract, and she gave us her personal information that we handed off to our pastor, because we were going to be heading on the road to meetings, so that he could follow up with her. Folks, we don't know if people are interested in the gospel, because we can't read their hearts and minds. But there are people around us every day and we would think these people have no thought of God in their mind, no thought of eternity, no guilt of sin. They don't care. That's a lie of the devil. Because God is always at work. And he's at work in people's hearts. And we can pray for and look for and trust that God will give us divine appointments. And as Paul gathers these people in and he explains himself, he found out, hey, they're curious to hear about the way. Hot dog, this is an opportunity to give them a good dose of the gospel. So, second of all, seek to share the gospel. Look at verse 23. And when they had appointed him a day, do you see this? They set up an appointment. Hey, listen, isn't it worth it to treat somebody to lunch? or to coffee, to be able to share with them the way of salvation. Maybe just to stop and to listen what they're going through, what their struggles are, and share with them how that God loves them and that though you're concerned with them, God is too, but that they have an even greater need and that need is for salvation. And God's interested in both their eternal needs as well as their temporal needs. Here, man, he's seeking to share the gospel. And he gets, look at this opportunity. When they appointed him a day, there came to him, many came to him. And that word many means many more than came the first time. There were 11 synagogues, between 11 and 13. We know for sure there were 11 separate major synagogues in the city of Rome. And some believe 13. I tend to believe it's probably 13. We'll say, just for the sake of argument, it was 11. And so out of these 11, leaders from most, if not all, of those synagogues came to Paul when he called them the first time. Now, the Bible says, many more. Verse 23, many more came. There was a huge crowd of Jews that came to Paul's house. Now remember, Paul had a rented house. God had facilitated it because Paul was just chained to a Roman guard, lightly chained. He rented his own home. He had some liberty. called these Jews. They appointed him a day. They set up an appointment and they came. Interesting. They appointed him a what? A day, not an hour, but a day. You know, one of the things that I learned in Morocco that was so cool was that you can sit down with those people and just talk and they're never in a rush and you can talk. and you have things in your mind, you know, oh, I need to do this, oh, I hope I get to do that, or whatever, but you know what? Those people will just sit and talk with you, and talk, and talk, and talk, and talk. And I got to thinking, you know what? I wonder how many times, even if we set up a gospel appointment, are we soul conscious enough and impassioned enough that if we miss another appointment, We'd be willing to miss it to continue to answer questions and share the gospel. Would you be willing to take an entire day if God provided you that opportunity just to sit down with somebody and share the day and share the word of God with them? I'm not talking about just arguing and debating. I'm talking about maybe answering some questions, maybe through the word of God, helping them to overcome some misunderstandings so they can understand that it is reasonable for them to consider seriously the claims of the gospel. But they appointed him an entire day and man, Paul took advantage of it. Look at this. to whom he expounded 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, from dawn till dark. Isn't that something? That is some thorough sharing the Jewish leaders scheduled this day. for Paul to share his thoughts. You know what I imagine Paul probably fasted and prayed and studied in preparation for this, don't you? And you know, that may be one of the advantages. We get an opportunity, we have initiated a gospel conversation. that I think that when we get an opportunity and God gives us an opportunity to initiate a conversation, especially if it's in our local area. Now, it's a different thing if I have an opportunity to witness sometimes to people on the plane, and at the end of that flight, I'm probably never gonna meet them again because they're getting a connecting flight and I'm going home or vice versa or something, but I can at least hand them a gospel tract and one of my business cards with my phone number on it and try to get their information so that I can follow up, but especially if there in the area to be able to set up an appointment and have a future date, have that set. And that gives me time to fast and to pray and to recruit other prayer support and to study the scriptures and to be prepared to share the gospel. Folks, If you would study and prepare because of something that you would need, some aptitude test at work to continue in that job or to get a raise or a promotion, would you not spend thorough time preparing? If you were applying for a top flight, top shelf level job, wouldn't you spend time praying about it? Wouldn't you spend time studying on that and preparing for that and doing all you could? How much more for an eternal soul, folks? I believe that Paul really prepared, fasted, prayed, studied. He sought to follow up this initial conversation, and God gave him that opportunity. Mark 8, verses 28 and 29. After Jesus cast the demon out of the little boy, the Bible says, and he came into the house, and his disciples asked him privately, why could we not cast him out? And Jesus said, this kind cometh forth by nothing but by prayer and fasting. Prayer and fasting. There's preparation. Prayer and fasting don't leverage some extra power to force God to do what I want him to do. Fasting and prayer is an expression of deep dependence upon God where I'm truly seeking his will and emptying myself of myself to be filled with his spirit. in a way that is seriously dedicated to whatever God has for that situation. Fasting in prayer. Paul expounded and testified in a systematic, detailed fashion, set forth from the scriptures of the gospel while giving testimony as a witness in collaboration. So look back, if you would, with me in verse 23. The Bible says, He expounded. That idea of expounding is a systematic foundation going on. Now if you'll look in Acts, we have these different patterns. If it is Peter or Paul mainly addressing a Jewish audience, where do they start? They start with God's choosing Israel as a nation. They start with the patriarchs and they move through, right? But where, when they're speaking to Gentiles, do they start? With creation. And they move their way through to the gospel, see? And so that's what Paul's doing. He's expounding to these Jews from the patriarchs and from the law and the prophets. He's tracing Israel history in God's work. And as one writer puts it, describes it, the crimson thread of redemption through Messiah. He's tracing it through the scriptures, but he's also giving testimony. He's collaborating with his personal testimony, that systematic truth. So there is a, if you would, this is a complimentary, these two compliment together as he is presenting the gospel, both by his expanding of the scriptures and his testifying. And he's testifying what, look at this in verse 23, this is important, the kingdom of God. Now I could stop and preach a message just on this phrase, all right, but I'm just gonna put a couple of passages of scripture because we are to be about the work of the kingdom of God. The Bible says in Acts 1, 1-3, the former treatise, this is the way the book starts off as Luke, by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, is writing this treatise to Theophilus. He writes, The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and to teach. He's referring back to the Gospel of Luke. Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he threw the Holy Ghost and given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen, to whom also he showed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen in them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God. Jesus, after he resurrected, before he ascends, what is he teaching to his disciples and the apostles? The things concerning the kingdom of God. How did he begin his ministry? Mark 1, 14 and 15. Now after that, John, that's John the Baptist, was put in prison. Jesus came into Galilee preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God and saying, the time is fulfilled. The kingdom of God is at hand. Here it is. Repent ye and believe the gospel. Someone wrote, Paul undoubtedly taught what Jesus taught, that in Jesus, God brought a spiritual kingdom that would take root in men's heart before it took over the governments of this world. Now, as Paul's expounding and testifying, notice that he emphasizes the Word of God even more than his testimony. Though his testimony and his witness compliments the Word of God, he expounds to them, and the Bible makes this very clear, from the Law and the Prophets, the Old Testament Scriptures. And while we share our testimony, our authority, the truth is in the Word of God. We must make much of the Scriptures. So, first, initiate contact. Second, seek to share the gospel. Third, expect mixed results. Look at verses 24 to 29. And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not. And when they had agreed not among themselves, they departed. After that, Paul had spoken one word. Well spake the Holy Ghost by Isaias the prophet unto our father, saying, Go unto 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, 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. Be it known therefore unto you that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it. And when he had said these words, the Jews departed and had great reasoning among themselves. The imperfect tense of the verbs reads thus, some began to be persuaded, some continued to disbelief. Some people will listen and believe the gospel. You know, Paul did not give up on the Jews. As a nation, they rejected Jesus as Messiah, but individually, many Jews put faith in Jesus Christ. Lenski, based on early church history, writes, Paul won to Christ more than half of these Jewish leaders that first day. And the use of the imperfect implies the work of the message of the gospel continued far beyond that one day. He continues, rabbis and leaders of the synagogues took the gospel back to their congregations and entire synagogues were converted. Unbelieving Jews withdrawing to other synagogues, at least four or perhaps five of the synagogues at Rome were thus transformed. So four or five of the major synagogues out of the 11 major ones in the city of Rome, those rabbis, those leaders put faith in Messiah, in Jesus Christ, went back to their synagogues and began to preach the gospel. Now, when you remember that, even as we read in our scripture reading this morning, Three years before Paul was able to arrive at Rome, there was already a vibrant church started. There were believers and there was a church at Rome. So why then does God need to send Paul to Rome? There's already a church established. The gospel has already been proclaimed. Believers are being discipled. Paul writes the most in depth, involved of all of his epistles, as far as doctoring the book of Romans to those believers long before he arrives. So why did God mean to send Paul to Rome? Because there were a bunch of Jews that had not yet believed on Christ. God's mission was for Paul to reach those Jews, and God set up the ideal circumstances and opportunities for Paul on this one day to preach the gospel, and many of these believed. Some did not. Some were disbelieving. Some were being persuaded. Folks, not everybody that we share the gospel with is gonna get saved that first day, but some will. Don't be discouraged. I think sometimes in our thinking, when we witness to somebody, we kind of expect or anticipate they're not going to get saved right now. But folks, we remember what Jesus told the disciples, that the fields are white already to harvest. There are people that are ready to be saved. It's like going down to Florida to an orange tree. You know when that orange is ripe or that tangerine is ready to be plucked off that tree, it easily comes off in your hands. You don't have to yank it. You don't have to force it. It just easily comes into your hand. And folks, there are people, if we'd show the love of Christ and share the gospel, even that first time, they are ready. God's been doing the work. They're curious. They're interested. They've been thinking about spiritual things. There's been an unrest in their heart. Why? Because God's been drawing them to Christ. God's been showing them their need. The law of God's been written on their heart, and their conscience has been accusing them. And they're searching for answers, and they're searching for peace, and we come with the knowledge of the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ, and the way of salvation. Man, that's plucking ripe fruit. But other times we're planting a seed, we're watering a seed. We need to be patient to let the sun of righteousness shine on the truth of that seed that's been planted and watered to bring it to that fruition. and maybe we see it at another time, but realize that God said, my word shall not return unto me void. Plant the gospel seed wherever you go. And especially when God gives you opportunities like this and you get to set up an appointment, would you even, and I'm gonna challenge you, I'm not gonna give away what next year's theme is going to be. This year we've had people out of mind to work. I already have a theme picked out for next year. The pastors know what it is, so guys, you can't tell either, all right? Don't reveal my secret yet. But I'm gonna challenge you in anticipation for next year's theme, ask God to give you one opportunity, one Acts 28 opportunity like this. You may not see a bunch of synagogues saved. You may not see somebody go back that's been part of an apostate church and leave their entire church to Christ like Paul did. But you know what? It's required in Stuart's that a man be found what? Faithful. And wouldn't it be exciting if you had the opportunity to lead somebody to Jesus Christ next year? And then that person came, and they were baptized, and they were discipled, and they grew, and they began to share their testimony with others, and you begin to see how God begins to reap a harvest because you cared enough to say something. And not everybody that you're gonna talk to is gonna be curious about the gospel. They're not gonna wanna talk. They're not gonna wanna listen. But there will be some who do, and even then, expect mixed results. Even when you get into some of these conversations, and even if you have an all-day presentation, I mean, for crying out loud, if the apostle Paul gives an all-day presentation of the gospel, thoroughly expounding it and testifying it, and some reject, do you think we should expect any less from little old us? But you know what? It was nothing inherent in Paul, was it? It was the Spirit of God who indwelt Paul, that same Holy Spirit indwells us. It's the same Word of God that we have that we can share with people. And God is unchanging. God is still working. And to whatever degree God chooses to use us, folks, don't you have a passion? Don't you have a hunger for God to use you to see somebody get saved? And then to see them grow? Don't be discouraged when there's mixed results, when somebody rejects, when somebody disbelieves. And you know, some even here, there was discussion as they were leaving, man, there was this discussion going back and forth between those who were being convinced and those who were not believing. And maybe they were convinced a little, but they didn't want to admit it. And so there's a really testing what, what Paul is saying. Is this really the truth from what we understand of the scriptures? They wanted to make sure. And some were holding onto preconceived notions of what they wanted the scriptures to say. and what they'd always been taught and what their traditions of their fathers had been, and they had to release that to believe what the word of God truly said and believe on Messiah. We don't know what was going on in all of their hearts, and we don't know what will happen, but let me encourage you, start praying now for one Acts 28 ministry opportunity next year. Paul's quote of Isaiah chapter six, verses nine and 10 is not a condemnation, but a warning. I'll sum up what he said when he quotes Isaiah 6, 9, and 10 by saying this, let no Jew today repeat the mistake of their fathers so that Isaiah's words would apply to him. You see, even Paul later on to the Corinthians says, look, these things, and he's recounting some events from Israel's Old Testament history, he says, these things are written for our admonition, they're given for our learning. So what he's saying to these people, look, well said Isaiah, go to this people, They're going to hearing, hearing you shall hear, not understand seeing you shall see, not perceive the heart of this people is why it's gross, their ears are dull of hearing, their eyes are they closed, lest they should see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their heart, it should be converted and I should hear them. Paul is not condemning these people or saying you're just like them. What he's saying is don't be like them. And remember that he's speaking to them from morning till evening. And in the chronology as I can best understand it here in Acts 28, it is not that Paul said this and then the guys left and some of them were arguing. It was that as Paul finishes his exposition and testimony of the word of God, this is how he finishes it. And they went out, some believing, some not believing, some debating, still considering. But what an opportunity God gave to Paul. Paul's concluding statement was not the cause of their leaving, nor was the disagreement among the Jews the cause for their departure. It was time to go home. Paul had concluded his teaching, now the Jews were debating among themselves and discussing these matters. Probably Paul's statement in verse 28 was a large part of their discussion. And then here's the last one, and this is verses 30 and 31. Carry the torch, now we get to my favorite part, I think, which is the ending. And you'll see why. And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house and received all that came in at him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching those things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no man forbidding him. Paul's confidence and ours is that the gospel will go forth. Some will believe until Christ returns. The gospel will keep going forth till Christ returns, and some will be believing. Do you believe that there are still people in our day and age that God wants to save? Do you believe there are people in our communities that God wants to save? Has God's arm shortened that it cannot save, or is ear heavy that it cannot hear? No, God's still saving souls. And until Christ comes back in the rapture, it's our responsibility to fulfill the great commission, but do you realize during the seven years of the tribulation that there's gonna be a host of people that get saved? Even when God raptures out the church, he's not done with the gospel. Even as he pours out his divine judgment upon the earth, in his wrath, he still remembers mercy. and he sends out his two prophets into the streets of Jerusalem, 144,000, 12,000 from each of the 12 tribes of Israel to preach the gospel, many believers will be martyred, a host. Folks, the gospel will keep going forth. The gospel's been entrusted to our care, and we are to be part of it, carry the torch. I love what Matthew Henry says, he says, I mean, sometimes we make this excuse, well, you know, I'm stuck at home or I'm limited in my job, what I can say, or I'm so busy with my schedule. And we, we put all these parameters and limitations. With God, nothing shall be impossible. Luke 1 37. And you know what? Here's Paul chained to a Roman guard and he didn't see that as imprisonment. He says, I got a captive audience to share the gospel with. I mean, that rolling guard was chained to him six hours a day. When he's in his ship, here comes fresh meat. Another opportunity to share the gospel. When he's done, here comes another one. I'm sure Paul had to sleep some, but who knows? Probably Paul was preaching messages in his sleep. I don't know. and people were able to come. Some of these Jewish men, they got saved. Some of these leaders come back, and now Paul is teaching them. He's training spiritual leadership. He's instructing them in the things of God as the Holy Spirit, because he is a capital A Apostle. The Holy Spirit allows him, them, to write eternal scripture during this first imprisonment. Ephesians, Colossians, Philippians, and if you believe that he wrote the book of Hebrews, possibly Hebrews, were written during this first two year prison term where he's really just under house arrest and the word of God is being spread. Folks, if Paul's under house arrest and he can still spread the gospel, You may be very limited in your circumstances or even in your opportunities, but if you will be faithful with what God does entrust to you, God will count you a faithful steward and God will use your life for the sake of the gospel. I wanna give you a couple of ideas here. You know, technology can be harnessed to plow the fields, to sow and water the seed of the gospel. Say, I'm stuck at home, or I'm physically, I just, I can't do what I used to, I can't get out, I can't meet with people. But you know, you can get involved in text conversations, you can start a blog. All right? You can use social media, even though it's been abused for many bad things. Why cannot we harness it for the sake of the gospel in a good way? Not in a belligerent way. Don't give the gospel a black eye because you're being belligerent, trying to be controversial to get people's attention. But I'm talking about a gracious, straightforward testimony of what God's done in your life and proclamation of the gospel that may initiate some private conversations where you'll have an opportunity, even if you're bedridden, You can even dictate to somebody and they can send an email for you or text for you. Folks, we may be in limited circumstances with limited resources, but we serve a limitless God with limitless resources. But he places us in these situations. Why? That the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us. He gets the glory. God placed Paul in the capital of the Roman Empire in the heart of the ancient world, gave him unparalleled freedom to preach the gospel and teach disciples. and he got to write at least three epistles here. God granted Paul's prayer request of 2 Thessalonians 3, verses one and two. Finally, brethren, pray for us that the word of the Lord may have free course and be glorified even as it is with you, and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men, for not all men have faith. God granted him that. Here's how the book of Acts I don't know if I can even say ends or closes or concludes, because it really doesn't. But the last that we hear, Paul has this unfettered freedom, even though he's under house arrest, even though he's chained to a rolling guard. No one stops him. No one shuts him up. Many people come. He has great liberty to preach the gospel and spread the word of God. God always places us in strategic places and circumstances to use us. And then I just wanna finish this message by reading this because there's no way I could put it any better. Quote, there is no end to the story because the history of the church continues this story on and on through the centuries. Trusting in Jesus, relying on the power of the Holy Spirit and the guidance of the Father, the work of God will continue to spread without hindrance and continue to change lives for the glory of God. The book of Acts is really a never-ending story. So as we come to the time of our invitation, basically just a couple of things. One is, are you part of the gospel story? And by that I mean, first of all, have you put your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ? Do you have an absolute assurance, if you were to die in your sleep tonight, that your soul would be with Jesus? If you don't have an absolute assurance, you can know, the Bible says so. These things have I written unto you, that believe on the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. So I'm gonna invite you in a moment when we stand and our musicians play our hymn of invitation to head to the back, see one of the pastors, they'll pair you up with a prayer partner, take you to a quiet place and review with you the gospel plan of salvation. It will only take a couple of minutes and you can settle the matter of your eternal destiny once and for all by placing your faith personally in the Lord Jesus Christ for your salvation. Brothers and sisters in Christ, would you meditate on what God would have you to do for the sake of the gospel? Are you initiating conversations? Are you seeking to share the gospel? Have you gotten discouraged because you've had mixed results or maybe more negative than positive results? Don't let that stop you. Carry the torch because the gospel story is a never-ending story. Be a part of it. Hey, Christian, is there something in your heart, your spiritual heart, that's caused it to grow cold or careless about the gospel? Unconcerned about souls around you? then ask God to warm and give you a tender heart, to show to you what's caused that coldness so that you may deal with God about that thing and get it right. And don't waste whatever remains of your life, but use it as part of this never-ending gospel story. Let's bow our heads for prayer. Our Father in heaven, As we read this account in Acts 28, it is not merely a story, this really happened. It is part of the divine record so that our lives can be transformed by it. Oh Lord, somebody's salvation needs to happen today. Their eternal destiny needs to be transformed. through faith of the Lord Jesus Christ. Maybe somebody that's watching by way of livestream. Lord, I ask that they would understand the way to call on you for eternal life, or at least to contact us here at church, so that we can walk them through that and help them. Oh Lord, there may be somebody here this morning, they are under the conviction of the Spirit of God, knowing they need to repent of their sin and put their faith in Jesus Christ. Give them the courage to go during the invitation time back to see one of the pastors to let someone help them so that they can settle this matter. Oh Lord, help us, we who are saved, to be gospel aware. to have the heart of the compassion of Christ, to have the boldness of the Holy Spirit, to have an eternal perspective, that no matter what our circumstances, whatever our limitations, we will be faithful stewards of what you've entrusted to us with the gospel. or if our hearts have grown cold, reveal to us why, that we may make it right with you and then walk with you in obedience, that you may take these poor and simple and otherwise insignificant lives and make them eternally significant because you pick us up and through the power of your spirit and for your own glory, you use us for the sake of the gospel. We pray these things in Jesus' name. Our heads are bowed if you'd stand with me as our pianist right now begins to play our song of invitation. Would you respond to the work we've got in your heart right now?