Upheld by God

Christian Commitment
in Today's World
 
Acts 28:16-25 (The Message)
 ^14-16And then we came to Rome. Friends in Rome heard we were on the way and came out to meet us. One group got as far as Appian Court; another group met us at Three Taverns—emotion-packed meetings, as you can well imagine. Paul, brimming over with praise, led us in prayers of thanksgiving. When we actually entered Rome, they let Paul live in his own private quarters with a soldier who had been assigned to guard him.
 ^17-20Three days later, Paul called the Jewish leaders together for a meeting at his house. He said, "The Jews in Jerusalem arrested me on trumped-up charges, and I was taken into custody by the Romans. I assure you that I did absolutely nothing against Jewish laws or Jewish customs. After the Romans investigated the charges and found there was nothing to them, they wanted to set me free, but the Jews objected so fiercely that I was forced to appeal to Caesar. I did this not to accuse them of any wrongdoing or to get our people in trouble with Rome. We've had enough trouble through the years that way. I did it for Israel. I asked you to come and listen to me today to make it clear that I'm on Israel's side, not against her. I'm a hostage here for hope, not doom."
 ^21-22They said, "Nobody wrote warning us about you. And no one has shown up saying anything bad about you. But we would like very much to hear more. The only thing we know about this Christian sect is that nobody seems to have anything good to say about it."
 ²³They agreed on a time. When the day arrived, they came back to his home with a number of their friends. Paul talked to them all day, from morning to evening, explaining everything involved in the kingdom of God, and trying to persuade them all about Jesus by pointing out what Moses and the prophets had written about him.
 ^24-27Some of them were persuaded by what he said, but others refused to believe a word of it. When the unbelievers got cantankerous and started bickering with each other, Paul interrupted: "I have just one more thing to say to you. The Holy Spirit sure knew what he was talking about when he addressed our ancestors through Isaiah the prophet:

   Go to this people and tell them this:
   "You're going to listen with your ears,
      but you won't hear a word;
   You're going to stare with your eyes,
      but you won't see a thing.
   These people are blockheads!
   They stick their fingers in their ears
      so they won't have to listen;
   They screw their eyes shut
      so they won't have to look,
      so they won't have to deal with me face-to-face
      and let me heal them."

Acts 28:28-31
 ²⁸"You've had your chance. The non-Jewish outsiders are next on the list. And believe me, they're going to receive it with open arms!"
 ^30-31Paul lived for two years in his rented house. He welcomed everyone who came to visit. He urgently presented all matters of the kingdom of God. He explained everything about Jesus Christ. His door was always open.

For Reflection
What joy it must have been for Paul to receive the gifts that God delivered not only through Paul's friends, but also through those who saw the truth in Paul's teaching.  To see the fruits of one's labor for Christ is a rare and wonderful gift.

Paul also saw those who blocked acceptance.  Rather than argue his case with the bickering unbelievers, Paul welcomed all who would listen.  Paul became the vessel of God's grace.

How do you face discouraging outcomes?  Are you compelled to argue until blue in the face?  To what extent can you dismiss failure and enter into the next event with God centered confidence, grace, and courage?

Pray for the encouragement of fellow believers and God's gentle guiding hand.  Pray that each person that you meet will see in you, as others saw in Paul, the inescapable truth of God living in you.  Pray that you live your life in a way that encourages other's to join you to live in the hollow of God's hand.