Now listen with me to Acts chapter 28, Acts chapter 28 and in verse 15 of Acts chapter 28 it says, and from there When the brethren heard about us, they came to meet us as far as Ape Forum and Three Inns. And when Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage. I want us to consider thanking God and taking courage this evening. Thanking God and taking courage. Now, the apostle Paul had gone to Jerusalem. He had decided to go to Jerusalem in order that he may be there for Pentecost. And it was on the way that he sent for the elders at Ephesus to come and meet him at Miletus. And he met them there and spent time there encouraging them and strengthening them and praying with them. And then they went on to Jerusalem. And by the time they got to Jerusalem, there in the temple, some of the Jews who plotted and they wanted to seize him and kill him. And they actually seized him. They got him. But the Roman commander there in Jerusalem rescued Pope. He rescued Paul from the Jews who had seized him because they wanted to kill him there. And we find that in chapter 21 and there in verses 26 to 36 of Acts, Acts 21, 26 to 36. Now, when the Roman commander found out that Paul was a Roman citizen, the commander now, decided, rightly, according to the rules, to send Paul to Caesarea, where the governor, Felix, was, so that he would be tried by the governor, the Roman governor, Felix, there. Felix interviewed and questioned Paul. He found no fault in him. But because he was hoping that Paul may give him some money, he kept him. He wouldn't release him because he wanted to please the Jews, but he also wanted some money from him so that if he got the money, then he could release him. Because the money wasn't coming, he kept poor until when it was time for him to be changed. And he was changed, and he was succeeded by Festus as the Roman governor there. So he kept poor for up to two years. when he had found that there was no fault in him. So anyway, Festus succeeded Felix. And when Festus heard Paul, listened to him, heard Paul, he now wanted to send Paul to Jerusalem from Caesarea so that he might try him before the Jews there in Jerusalem. And already one of the reasons why he was sent out of Jerusalem in the first place was because the Jews were plotting. They were plotting that if he ever arrived and he was found in Jerusalem, they would do everything to get him in order that they may kill him. So when Festus suggested that to Paul, Paul said no. He appealed to Caesar. and as a Roman citizen he had every right to do that. He said no, you're not taking me to Jerusalem, I'm appealing to Caesar. In other words, you have to take me to Rome and that was the case at this point in time. So King Agrippa came to visit Festus there in Caesarea and Festus and King Agrippa listened to Paul's case. They heard him And at the end, they concluded that he had done nothing that was deserving either of death or imprisonment. He didn't need to be in prison, he didn't need to be in chain. If you look at verse, chapter 26 of Acts, Acts 26, there in verse 31, and when they had gone aside, that is Festus and King Agrippa, they talked among themselves, saying, this man is doing nothing deserving of death or change. He's done nothing. The Jews wanted him to be killed, but he doesn't even need to be in prison. But he's been there for at least two years. Anyway, here in Acts, chapter 28, Paul was on his way, being taken to Rome by a Roman centurion. And on their way, they have reached Malta at this point in time. And here he was with St. Jerome and all those who were with them. And they had had a very adventurous journey by the sea in the Mediterranean. Been very tumultuous, quite an experience for them. And if you read through, especially chapter 27, right through, and even before that, you'll see the experiences that they had at sea. So they have come to Malta after all that they have experienced in the Mediterranean. And after three months in Malta, they were now sailing to Piccioli. And they were sailing to Piccioli via Syracuse and Regione. And when they got to Piccioli, they now found brethren there at Piccioli, brothers and sisters in our Lord and our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. And so we're told here in Acts 28 and verses 11 to 14 that they spent seven days there from verse 11 of Acts 28. After three months, we sail in an Alexandrian ship whose figurehead was the twin brothers. which had wintered at the island, and landing in Syracuse, we stayed three days, from there we circled around and reached Croatia, and after one day the south wind blew, and the next day we came to Chiovi, and where we found Bredren, that's 14. And we're invited to stay with them seven days. And so we went toward Rome. So they stayed there for seven days at Piccioli. And they were now from there now to set up and go to Rome. So as we think of thanking God and taking courage, as we consider especially verse 15, I want us to think of brethren came from Rome. Brethren came from Rome. Secondly, we'll consider Paul thanked God. And then thirdly, we'll look at Paul took courage. These are the simple things I want us to consider this evening. So in the first place, brethren came from Rome. Brethren came from Rome. So it will appear that having got to PTOE, they were brethren, as we have read, and that's why they stayed there seven days. It will appear that A message was sent to Rome, to the brethren there. As you know, brothers and sisters at this time would like, of course, to keep in touch, especially because they were under persecution in the Roman Empire. So it will seem as if brothers and sisters there in Piccioli had sent a message to their brothers and sisters in Rome, telling them of the fact that Paul has arrived in our city. And of course, he has told us that he's on his way to Rome. Of course, we know he was on his way to Rome as a prisoner, but he is now in our city, and they were excited. And so they sent a message to the brethren there in Rome, telling them of the fact that Paul was there with them, and he was on his way to them. So, remember, both those at Piccioli and those at Rome had heard about the Apostle Paul. They have heard about how God was using him, how God was owning him in every situation. They've heard all that he had done for Christ and all the multitudes that have come to faith even through his ministry. They've heard so much about him. that in the midst of all the suffering and all the persecution and all that had gone with him, all that he'd gone through, God had owned him. In other words, God has always been with him. God had never deserted him. Even in his most difficult times, they've heard of all that. Indeed, sometime earlier, remember, the apostle had written an epistle to those in Rome. We have it here, don't we? The epistle to the Romans. So the apostle Paul had written to them a most excellent epistle, in which he had given them in detail, as it were, all that they needed to know concerning the doctrines of grace in our Lord and our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Everything necessary he had written out for them, and with most helpful instructions, on how to live the Christian life, and how to fight the good fight of the faith that we have in our Lord and our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. So of course, they knew this man, even though they hadn't seen him. And they had come to know of his fame, as it were, even in the Christian circles. They heard of his sufferings, as I mentioned. So they knew all that he had suffered. They knew how God had been with them in all these sufferings and all that he had gone through. And because of all this, the brothers and sisters, the brethren in Rome longed to see this great apostle. They wanted to see him. They yearned. They were waiting to see him. And they did not only long to see the apostle Paul, no, but they felt compelled, as it were, to show him some honor and respect for the apostle that he was. And as the glorious advocate of the cause of our Lord Jesus Christ that he was, they wanted to honor him. They wanted to show him their true and genuine respect. And so they came from Rome to meet him on his way to them, as it were. Not that he was going to them, per se. He had always hoped he would be in Rome, but not this way, not in chains. Here he was going in chains. But they had longed to see him too, whether in chains or not in chains. They wanted to see the apostle. So the brethren from Rome went to meet him so that they might bring him to Rome in state, as it were. Bringing him in state as the great ambassador of our Lord Jesus Christ that he was. just as they receive ambassadors in states in the different nations. Here was the ambassador of our Lord Jesus Christ. They wanted to meet him and bring him into Rome in state as the ambassador of Christ that he was, even though he was in chains, even though he was a prisoner. So that in verse 15, Some came, we are told, as far as Api Forum, which was about 40 miles away from Rome. They traveled as far as 40 miles to meet him. Others, they say, at Three Inns, we are told, which was about 30 miles from Rome. But that was how far they went to meet him in order that they may come to Rome together with this great man of God. That was what they wanted to do. They were not ashamed. They were not afraid to own him as their apostle, even though he was a Roman prisoner. They followed him. They went to him, not ashamed, not afraid. Indeed, for that very reason, for the very reason that he was in chains, a Roman prisoner, they counted him worthy of double honor. And so they went to meet him. Jesus Christ. But here he was, even though he changed, he was a prisoner of Christ. Not of Rome. He was a prisoner of Christ and the apostle himself described himself as such. A prisoner of our Lord Jesus Christ. That's who he was. And that's who they went to meet. To bring him or usher into Rome. So they came from Rome. Second, Paul thanked God. Paul thanked God. Paul was getting nearer to Rome, where he probably didn't know many people. He had no idea what awaited him there, in the palace of Caesar. No idea. But he knew that the Lord was with him. And he knew that the Lord would be there with him. And Luke tells us, that's Luke, the writer of Acts. Luke tells us in verse 15, that when he met with this good people, who had come all the way from Rome to receive him and to welcome him, We're told here in verse 15, he thanked God. Paul thanked God. The Apostle Paul, of course, would have thanked them for coming to meet him. for their kindness in coming, and indeed for their kindness in bringing, perhaps, any relief materials that they thought he needed. Because they would have brought relief materials for him, any material they thought he needed. They would have brought them along. So the apostle Paul would have thanked them for that. So he thanked God. Because it is God that puts it in the hearts of all our friends. to be kind to us, to be gracious to us. And it is God that gives them the strength, the power, and the ability to do exactly what they do for us. And so he thanked God for them, because it is God. that broke them. It is God that put it in their hearts and their minds to show kindness to them. It is God that gave them the ability to do exactly what they were doing at this point in time. So he thanked God for them and on their behalf. And having thanked God for the kindness of these people, You can imagine what was going on in his heart, in his mind, having received them and perhaps having received whatever it was they brought to him. And the thing is that if the apostle Paul was able to thank God, even for the natives of Malta for their kindness towards him and those who were with him, here is thanking believers. is thanking brethren who had come all the way to meet him, to greet him, to receive him, and to welcome him. And what he's actually doing here is he's giving God the glory for the care and for the concern of the Christians, the believers who had come all the way from Rome to meet him and to receive him. And you can imagine that seeing so many believers, seeing so many Christians coming out of Rome, to meet the Apostle Paul. You can imagine the Apostle Paul thinking and thanking God and praising him for the wonderful success that the gospel has had, even in the capital of the Roman Empire. When you read the epistles of the Apostle Paul and read about him, you know that that's what will come foremost in his life. He's going to look and say, yes, I have not been to Rome, but the gospel has been to Rome. Look at the trophies of the gospel. These are believers, even in the capital of the Roman Empire, where Nero at this time was sitting and persecuting the church. God still has remnant. He has trophies, even in Rome. And the apostle will have been excited by it. You'll have been rejoicing and thanking God for these trophies of His grace that have come out of Rome to meet Him, so many of them, the very capital of the Roman Empire. So Paul thanked God for the Christians that have come out from Rome. He thanked them long before he met them. Even without seeing them, Paul had already thanked God for them. In Romans, chapter one, and there in verse eight of Romans, Chapter one, he says first, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. So he's already thanked God for them, even before he met them, but now he meets them face to face, at least some of them. And the apostle is thanking God for that. He's truly praising God. For that, I'm thanking God for what God has done with the gospel, even there in Rome. He thanks them now in person. I'm sure by the time he gets to Rome, he'll thank all of them, even much more. So Paul thanked God. And we're also told here in Acts 28 and verse 15 that Paul took courage. Paul took courage. Now the sight of so many Christians from Rome, of course, will have given the Apostle Paul great comfort. It will have been comforting to him to see so many come from Rome to meet him. And that was why he couldn't help but thank God for them, and thank God for his goodness and mercy, and thank God for the progress of the gospel of our Lord and our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. And having thanked God, Luke now tells us that the apostle Paul took courage. In other words, the sight of this brethren from Rome, when he saw them, that put a new life into him. It was like the reviving, what do you call it, that he needed. It was just that which he needed at this time by the Holy Spirit to put new life in him, to revive him as it were. Whatever may have affected Whatever he may have been thinking of, going to Rome, he knows nobody. He doesn't know what will happen before Caesar. He knows that the Lord knows, but still he will think about it because he's a man, like every man. And now perhaps he's hearing of all that Caesar has been doing in persecuting believers, in persecuting the church. What is going on in his mind? What is it? But as he sees these believers, as they come to him, as he thanks God for them, as he thanks God that there are believers there in Rome, he took courage. He is encouraged. There's new, like they say, rejuvenation in him. He is cheered in his spirit. In other words, seeing these believers banish any fears or any feelings of sadness that he may have, He is encouraged at this point in time. And he's ready and he's eager to go there and to defend himself even before Caesar. So that the apostle Paul will now enter Rome as a prisoner as cheerfully as he has always entered Jerusalem even when he was a free man at liberty. He entered Jerusalem as cheerfully as he has always, I mean, sorry, he entered Rome as cheerfully as he has always entered Jerusalem, even when he was a free man, not in chains, but he was incarnate. He has seen believers from Rome, the very capital of the Roman Empire, and they have come, they have met him, he's had fellowship with them. When the fear, any sadness, any melancholy feeling was dispelled, here he is. And he goes into Jerusalem and into Rome, now encouraged by these trophies of grace, the trophies of God that have come to meet him. And it's important to note here that it is an encouragement to those who are traveling towards heaven when they meet fellow travelers, in other words, fellow believers, fellow travelers to the kingdom of heaven. When you meet them as it were, as joint travelers, it is always an encouragement because they are your companions in the kingdom and in the patience of our Lord and our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. A revelation There in chapter 1 and verse 9 of Revelation, it says, I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ. I was on the island that is called Patmos. So I, your brother, he says, and companion in the tribulation and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ. Here, Paul is encouraged where he has met fellow travelers to heaven, as it were, and their fellow companions in the kingdom and in the patience of our Lord and our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. So now, when we see many serious and faithful Christian assemblies, When we see serious and faithful believers in different places, we should not only give thanks to God, we should take courage in ourselves. Let's thank God for them, thank God for what he's been, but let's be encouraged. Let's be encouraged, just as he has said those words. we can truly assure ourselves that if only we will yield ourselves to him, he will use us perhaps to bring him more, to save many more, and add to his kingdom. And this is a good reason why we must respect good and faithful ministers of the gospel. It's absolutely essential that we honor them and we respect them, especially when they are suffering or facing trials. It's essential that we honor them, respect them, ensure that all that is due to them by God's grace and by God's mercy. Because they will not only thank God, they will be encouraged. They will be strengthened in themselves. And they will seek to serve God even better, more faithful. And any goodwill and kindness shown to such people Such ministers, such servants of God, who are either suffering or being persecuted, any kindness, any goodwill shown to them encourages them. And it makes both their sufferings and their labors appear much easier than they actually are. The labors, the suffering, the persecution will still be the same. But when they are encouraged in the Spirit, It makes everything look as if it's much easier, as if it's not there. They are now enabled by the power of the Holy Spirit to go through. As we saw this morning, they are then encouraged to face the Red Sea, knowing that he who has given the command for them to go ahead is with them. And whatever he will do, we do not know. But one thing we know is that he is with us. He will never leave us, nor forsake us. And if it means freezing the Red Sea so that we'll walk on it, he will freeze it. But if he chooses to do what he did at the Red Sea, to pass the sea, then he will do that. And then we'll walk on dry land. But whatever he chooses to do, we know he will do. Because he is the God of miracles, the God of the impossible. He will do exactly as he sees fit. So let me make two applications as we finish this evening. In the first place, notice that the kindness of friends shared the apostle Paul. And for that very reason, he gave thanks to God And then we are told he went forward courageously. He was encouraged. He was able to go forward courageously. I remember he was going in as a prisoner. Always wanted to come to Rome and see the brethren, but not as a prisoner. But that's how God chose to bring him to Jerusalem, to Rome, as a prisoner. And it's important to note that every mercy that is received should be thankfully acknowledged, no matter how minute. Every mercy we receive must be cheerfully and thankfully acknowledged before the true and the living God, because God is the only source of all good, and to him, all our praise, all our thanks, all our adoration must ascend. He is the one that does all things well. All good and perfect gifts come from him. Every mercy that we receive must be thankfully acknowledged. God must receive the praise, the honor, and the worship. The Lord has seen us through many dangers and trials. Just as he saw the apostle Paul through many dangers and trials, even on that journey, when he got to Malta, and the serpent came, caught him. Remember the experience. Oh, he must be a murderer. He must have done evil. So even though he escaped the sea, God's justice has caught up with him. So from being a murderer, nothing happened to him. What did he become? A god, from one extreme to the other. And by the time God used him to heal the sick in that place, he was something else. But in the midst of everything, in everything, God was with him in the trials, in the tribulations, and even though he was still in chains, he was still a prisoner, remember, at this point in time. So we have come through many dangers, come through many trials, we faced a lot even in the past year, 2021. COVID-19 has done a lot. Many of us have been infected, but thank God, we have been healed. We've been delivered. God, by grace and mercy, has delivered us. He's delivered us from COVID. He's delivered us from many difficulties. He has delivered us from many triumphs throughout the past year. He's bestowed upon us many, many favors, more than we can even imagine. God has truly been good to us. We must, therefore, we must thank God. And having thanked God, we must take courage. We must thank him for all he has done, for how he has blessed us, even in the past year. But then we must be encouraged in the new year, 2022, because we serve the same God. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He was good to us yesterday or last year. He is good to us today. And he will be good to us in the new year. He is the immutable God. He doesn't change. We change. We fail. But he never changes. He never fails. So we must take courage in this new year. We must keep looking to him. Because having provided for us in the past, the Lord will provide for us in the future as well. He is the faithful God. Not just a faithful God. He is the faithful God. There is no other besides him. He is the truly faithful one. He has given us many exceeding great and precious promises, remember? And we have his word that he will never leave us nor forsake us. God is not a man that he should lie. Not at all. Our journey may be rough. Because we have God's promises doesn't mean that our journey will not be rough. Our journey may be rough. Our temptations may be very strong, very hard. And our troubles may be great, even greater than we dare to imagine at this point in time. But our strength will be equal to the task. That's God's promise. That's God's will. He will grant us the strength that we need to face the task ahead of us. Our supplies are sure because they come from the God who is exceedingly abundantly rich and able to supply and meet all our needs. And the end is certain because it is God who is with us. He has promised never to leave us. So the end is sure because he is going to see us right through to the end. Our Lord has delivered. Our Lord does deliver us. We must trust him now that he will deliver us even in the future. We have to. He is the only one who can truly deliver us. In Psalm 118, Psalm 118, there in verse six of Psalm 118. Psalm 118, in verse six, the Psalm is also there, the Lord is on my side, I will not fear. What can man? to me. Can you say that sincerely? Honestly? Do you believe that God is in your side? And because he is, you will not fear. And because God is on your side, you know that there's nothing that matter to you. Do you honestly and chapter one and in verses nine and ten of two Corinthians chapter one the apostle Paul writing to the Corinthians he says two Corinthians chapter one verses nine and ten yes we have the sentence of death in ourselves that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead who delivered us from so great a and does deliver us in whom we trust that he will still deliver us. Second, when we look abroad, when we go abroad and we see or meet with so many believers, So many Christians, in different places, or when they come here, from different parts of the world, and we meet with them, those who bear the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, those who fear God, those who serve the Lord faithfully, when we meet them, when we see them, of course we ought to, like the Apostle Paul, we ought to lift our hearts to heaven in thanksgiving, and bless the name of our God. That's what we should do. It should be a course of praise and thanksgiving to the true and the living God because of what he's doing. Because of how the gospel, indeed the power of God, is reaching out and saving souls and adding them into his kingdom. We should give thanks that there are so many excellent ones, as it were, in this sinful world of ours. Remember, there has to be a description of them as the excellent ones of the earth. Those are the difference. When we meet them, we ought to, like Apostle Paul, praise God, thank him, and bless his holy name. That's what we must do. Yet, it's important to note this, that although the Christians from Rome were now very respectful to Paul, they were now honoring him, They were desiring to be with him and to usher him in in state as the great ambassador of our Lord Jesus Christ that he was. Although they were doing that now, the apostle tells Timothy that they failed him. He probably, because of the respect, because of the honor, he probably expected more, much more from them. But in 2 Timothy chapter four, and there in verse 16, the apostle Paul said, they failed him when he needed them most. 2 Timothy chapter four, verse 16. At my first defense, no one stood with me, but all pursued me. May it not be charged against them. So we see believers everywhere we go. We meet with them. We rejoice, we praise God, we thank God for them. But we must never forget that they are but men. They are but flesh. And they will fail us anytime. It is essential that we remember that. Now, the fact that some have failed us in the past doesn't mean that we'll meet other Christians who just condemn them, no. We must also thank God, we must praise and adore him, and we must look to God for them to be the men and women that they claim to be, true believers in our Lord Jesus Christ. And we must expect such from them, no matter what our past experiences. We must never use that to brush every other believer. That is a sin in itself. We can't do it. But we must be aware of the fact that they are but men, and they can fail. And here, it is an intimation to the fact that we must never depend absolutely on the arm of flesh. Jeremiah 17, and there in verse five of Jeremiah 17. Thus says the Lord, Jeremiah 17, verse five. Thus says the Lord, cursed is the man who trusts in man, and makes flesh his strength, whose heart departs from the Lord. Anyone who puts his trust in man, the Lord said he is cursed. Because our trust must be in God. We can expect great things from men, but not because we trust the men, but because we trust the God they claim to serve. And that's how it must be. And so when they fail, we shouldn't be too shocked. Because God has warned us. must not, and we know that son, the arm of flesh will fail. It is Jesus, and Jesus alone will never fail us. So we must always remind ourselves of that. Although the arm of flesh will fail us, we must encourage ourselves in the Lord and in his promises, which never, ever fail. Mine may fail, but the Lord's never. And so we must always encourage ourselves in the Lord and in his words, which never ever fail. Again, in 2 Corinthians chapter one, and there in verse 20 of 2 Corinthians chapter one, the apostle writing to the Corinthians says, in 2 Corinthians one verse 24, all the promises of God in him are yes, and in him are then to the glory of God through us. It is in him that they are, yes, and in him are men, not in man. And it's all to the glory of God through us. And we must always remind ourselves of that fact. Yes, I'm of flesh, may fail. God, never. The Lord Jesus, never. So, who or what are you looking for? And what are you looking to? for your strength in this new year, 2022. Who or what are you looking to for guidance in this new year, 2022? And the arm of flesh is not only looking to others, it's looking to yourself. When you look to yourself, you are another arm of flesh. If you look to yourself, you will fail. You must look to the Lord. and the lord alone. Look to others, look to yourself, you are doomed to fail. You must look to the lord and to the lord alone in this new year 2022. Only the lord Jesus Christ, remember, saves and only the lord Jesus Christ sustains to the end. And if you are not a believer, if you are not a genuine Christian, Because if you are not truly a believer, then you're not looking to God. You're not looking to the Lord. You can only look to the Lord and depend and trust in the Lord if you are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. If you are not, then you are deceiving yourself. And the Lord Jesus will save you if you come to him. Yes, the one we were remembering at Christmas. If you come to him sincerely, honestly, he will save you. He will make you his own. You can trust in him, you can depend on him. He will save you, he will sustain you, and he will be with you right to the end. Of course, Satan will seek to hinder you in whatever you do. Even as you think of coming to the Lord, Satan will seek to hinder you. Even as a Christian, when you want to serve the Lord, Satan will hinder you. He will try at least. He will do everything to stop you. And you must never forget that. He will do everything. The Apostle Paul, writing to the Thessalonians, says in 1 Thessalonians 2, and there in verse 18, therefore, we wanted to come to you, even I, Paul, time and again, but Satan hindered us. He will seek to hinder you. Our helper is the Lord. We can do all things through Christ, who strengthens us. He is the Lord. Our helper is the Lord. Indeed, our indwelling helper is God, the Holy Spirit, who is greater than Satan, who is in the world. They are opposed to John in 1 John and chapter 4, there in verse 4 of 1 John. It says very simply and very clearly, 1 John chapter 4 and verse 4, you are of God little children and have overcome them because he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. The Holy Spirit in you as a believer is greater than Satan who is in the world. And if you belong to the Lord and you have the indwelling Spirit of God in you, then greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world. So you can go through 2022 knowing that the Lord is your shepherd and you will not want. May the Lord help us to remember that, to appropriate all onto it throughout this progression. Amen. Let us pray.