FinishingWellTheBookofActs,part57|Acts 28|LonSolomon–SeniorTeachingPastor
It’snothowyoustartthatcounts–it’showyoufinish!
Acts 28endswithPaulinjailinRomefortwoyears–awaitingtrialbeforeEmperorNero.
WecanprettywellpiecetogethertheeventsthathappenedafterActs28basedon:#1–CommentsPaulmakesinhislastNewTestamentletters(1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, and Titus).#2–InformationwegetfromtwoearlyChurchFathers:Eusebius(350A.D.)andClementofRome(100A.D.).
Aftertwoyearsofwaiting,PaulfinallystoodtrialbeforeNeroandwasacquitted.
2 Timothy 4:6,“Atmyfirstdefense,theLordstoodbymysideandIwasdeliveredfromthelion’smouth.”
“Deliveredfromthelion’smouth”isnotreferringtothepracticeofthrowingChristianstothelionsintheColosseuminRome.
-In62A.D,theRomanEmpirehadnotstartedkillingChristiansyet.-In62A.D.,theColosseumhadnotbeenbuiltyet.Being“deliveredfromthelion’smouth”wasjustanexpressionforbeingsetfreebyNero.
AfterhisreleasebyNeroin62A.D.:#1–Paul,Timothy,andTituswenttoCrete
Titus 1:5,“ThereasonIleftyouinCretewassothatyoumightappointeldersineverytownasIdirectedyou.”
AfterhisreleasebyNeroin62A.D.:#2–PaulandTimothythenreturnedtoEphesus–wherePaulleftTimothyandcontinuedalone.
1 Timothy 1:3,“AsIurgedyouwhenIleftforMacedonia(Philippi),staythereinEphesusthatyoumayinstructcertainmennottoteachfalsedoctrinesanylonger.”
AfterhisreleasebyNeroin62A.D.:#3–PaulwenttoSpainbywayofPhilippi.
“PaulreachedthelimitoftheWest.”–ClementofRome,100A.D.
AfterhisreleasebyNeroin62A.D.:#4–NeroapprehendedPaulandPeter(64A.D.)andbroughtthemtoRome.
AfterhisreleasebyNeroin62A.D.:#5–In66A.D.,NerokilledPaulandPeterinRome.
Eusebius[EcclesiasticalHistory],“PaulisthereforesaidtohavebeenbeheadedinRomeontheOstianWay.”
“Petersufferedmartyrdomatthesametime...hewascrucifiedwithhisheaddownward,havingrequestedtosufferthisway.”-Eusebius
SOWHAT?
2 Timothy 4:6,“ForIamalreadybeingpouredoutasadrinkofferingandthetimeofmydeparturehascome.”
2 Timothy 4:7,“Ihavefoughtthegoodfight,Ihavefinishedtherace,Ihavekeptthefaith.”
-In34A.D.–IstartedtheracewellontheroadtoDamascus.-In66A.D.–byGod’sgrace,Iamfinishingtheracewell.
“PleasepraythatIfinishwellfortheLord.”
Nomatterwhatageweare–asafollowerofJesus–youneedtobethinkingaboutthe“finishline”aswell!
Suggestion#1–StayvitallyconnectedtothewrittenWordofGod.
Hebrews 4:12,“FortheWordofGodislivingandactiveandsharperthananytwo-edgedsword...andabletojudgethethoughtsandintentsofourhearts.”
ThereissupernaturalpowerinthewrittenWordofGod!
1st–Helpsuskeepourlifecleanandpurefromsin.
Psalm 119:9,“Howcanayoungpersonkeeptheirwaypure?BytakingheedaccordingtoYourWord.”
Psalm 119:11,“YourWordIhavehiddeninmyheart,thatImightnotsinagainstThee.”
2nd–Providesspiritualguidance.
Psalm 119:105,“YourWordisalamptomyfeetandalighttomypath.”
3rd–Warnsussowedon’tstepintotheenemy’sschemesandtraps.
Psalm 19:8,“ThecommandsoftheLordarepure,givinglighttotheeyes...bythemyourservantiswarned.”
Psalm 119:98,“Yourcommandmentsmakemewiserthanmyenemies.Ihavemoreinsightthanallmyteachers,becauseImeditateonYourstatutes.”
Thebelieverwhowantstofinishwellisthebelieverwho’sdeepintoGod’swrittenWord.
Suggestion#2–Don’tunderestimateyourevilheart.
“Thefault,dearBrutus,isnotinourstars,butinourselves”(JuliusCaesar,Acts1,scene2).
Jeremiah 17:9,“Theheartisdeceitfulaboveallthingsanddesperatelywicked.”
TheminuteyouandIbegintounderestimatetheevilthatlurksinourheartsistheminuteweopenourselvesuptodisaster.
Proverbs 15:11,“SheolandAbaddon(hell)lieopenbeforetheLord,howmuchmoretheheartsofmen!”
Psalm 26:2,“Examineme,OLord,andtryme;testmymindandmyheart.”
Psalm 139:23 – 24,“Searchme,OGod,andknowmyheart...andseeiftherebeanywickedwayinme.”
ThebelieverwhowantstofinishwellisthebelieverwhoasksGodeverydaytorevealtothemtheevilintheirhearts(“tosavemefrommyself!”).
Suggestion#3–Don’toverestimateyourself.
Romans 12:3,“Donotthinkmorehighlyofyourselfthanyouought,butusesoberjudgement(aboutyourself).”
Whenweinflateourimportance,webegintothinkthatweare“abovetherules,”whichisasureformulaforspiritualdisaster!
[Theirsuccess]“...createdalevelofarroganceatwhichtheyceasedfollowingrules...Theybegantoseeselvesasmastersoftheuniverse...Thatwasreallytheirundoing.”–StevenBerglas
“What’smissinginthesepeopleisdeepcommunityandreligiousactivity...Theironlyantidoteistogobepartofacommunity.Loseyouridentityinagroup.Whenyoudothat,youdon’ttakeadvantageofpeople,youdon’texploitpeople.Thehealthiestpeoplehavethiscommitment.”–StevenBerglas
Suggestion#4–Considertheconsequencesbeforehand.
Proverbs 22:3,“Awisemanseesdangercomingandgetsoutoftheway,butafooljustkeepsgoingandsuffersforit.”
Ultimately–it’sonlybyGod’sgraceandmercythatanyofusfinishwellasbelievers.
Suggestion#1–StayvitallyconnectedtothewrittenWordofGod.Suggestion#2–Don’tunderestimateyourevilheart.Suggestion#3–Don’toverestimateyourself.Suggestion#4–Considertheconsequencesbeforehand.
