48-Acts 17 – Romans 10
Nov. 21, 2009
We will continue our study this week in the Book of Acts in Chapter 17. Last week we saw how the church began, and some of the early events that occurred after its birth. We will continue this week studying the missionary journeys of the Apostle Paul and his companions. After the Philippian jailer and his family were converted Paul and Silas traveled to Thessalonica in Chapter 17. Paul went into their synagogue for three Sabbaths and preached from the scriptures that Jesus is the Christ. He persuaded some of the Jews, along with a large number of Greeks and some prominent women to follow Jesus. A number of jealous Jews formed a mob in the city to capture Paul and Silas. They could not find them, so instead they dragged a believer named Jason into the street. They only released him when he gave them a pledge that the new teaching would stop. Paul and Silas fled by night to Berea and went into their synagogue. The Bereans were different from those in Thessalonica in that they searched the scriptures daily to see if what Paul preached was as he said. Paul and his party were found in Berea by those that wished them harm and they had to escape from there also. Paul then went to Athens and became unsettled in the Spirit because of all the idols in the city. The philosophers of Athens brought Paul to the Areopagus to hear the strange new doctrines he was teaching. Paul preached Jesus on Mars Hill to the philosophers to prove to them that the God of the Jews is greater than all of their false gods and idols. Many of the listeners sneered at his words, but some believed. In Chapter 18 Paul left Athens and traveled to Corinth. He stayed there with some fellow tentmakers named Aquila and his wife Priscilla and preached in the synagogue there. When Timothy and Silas arrived in Corinth Paul concentrated solely on the Word of God. When the Jews rejected the Gospel Paul shook out his garments and went to the Gentiles. Jesus spoke to Paul in a vision and told him not to fear that He was with him. Many people in Corinth were baptized into the faith by Paul’s preaching. Paul remained in Corinth for a year and a half. During this time he ran into some severe opposition and left Corinth with Priscilla and Aquila for Syria. On their way through Ephesus Priscilla and Aquila remained but Paul continued on to Antioch. Paul then began his third missionary journey by traveling through Galatia and Phrygia strengthening the disciples. An Alexandrian Jew named Apollos came to Ephesus and was corrected by Priscilla and Aquila in his doctrine. He was an eloquent man but did not know Jesus. After this correction he became supported by the disciples in Ephesus. In Chapter 19 Apollos was in Corinth when Paul passed through Ephesus. He found some new believers there who had not received the Holy Spirit. They had been baptized into John’s baptism by Apollos before he knew about Jesus. Paul laid his hands on the believers and they began to speak in other tongues and to utter prophecy. Because of this and Paul’s teaching all of Asia had now heard the Word of the Lord. Paul performed many miracles while he was in Ephesus. He realized he needed to go to Jerusalem, parts of Macedonia, and also to Rome. There was a disturbance in Ephesus with the silversmiths. So many people were being converted to Christianity in the city that the craftsmen lost customers from their business of creating and selling idol statues of the goddess Artemis to the people. Paul was very unpopular with these people and left Ephesus and continued his journey. Paul left Ephesus in Chapter 20 for Macedonia and Greece. In Troas a young man fell asleep and fell from the third story because of the length of Paul’s sermon. He died in the fall. Paul went to the man, embraced him and the man came back to life. Luke went to the ship that Paul had arranged and waited for him. They sailed past Ephesus in their haste to get to Jerusalem before Pentecost. They did not want to spend time in Asia. When they arrived in Miletus Paul sent for the elders of the church at Ephesus. He wanted to speak to them because he knew he would never return there. He encouraged them and told them that he had done what the Lord wanted him to do. When Paul had finished speaking they prayed. The elders wept with Paul because they realized they would never see him again. Paul set sail in Chapter 21 for his journey to Jerusalem from Miletus. When he reached Caesarea he stayed with Phillip the Evangelist who was one of the seven chosen with Stephen. A prophet named Agabus came from Judea and prophesied to Paul that he would be bound and taken captive in Jerusalem. The believers in Caesarea were in an uproar over Paul but he replied to them in verse 13 “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but even to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” Paul entered Jerusalem and reported to James and the elders the story and success of his journeys. Paul spent seven days of purification in the temple before the Jews became upset with his teaching. They dragged him into the street to kill him. The Romans came upon the Jews beating Paul and had him brought to their barracks in chains. The Commander had mistaken Paul for an Egyptian troublemaker and allowed him to give his defense. The Commander realized Paul was not the Egyptian and Paul then said who he was and began to defend himself to the Jews. In Chapter 22 Paul told the Jews about his conversion experience on the Damascus Road and what Jesus had told him to do. The Jews could not accept his words and created a commotion in the street. The Roman commander called to have Paul examined by scourging to find out why the Jews accused him. Paul then told the commander that he was a Roman citizen. The commander was afraid because his own citizenship had cost him a great amount of money, and Paul had said he was born Roman. There would be a severe punishment if it was found out that he had harmed a Roman citizen. He immediately released Paul from prison and gave him to the Jews. Paul was taken before the Jewish Council in Chapter 23. He told them in verse 1 “Brethren, I have lived my life with a perfectly good conscience before God up to this day.” The high priest wanted to strike him but Paul caused a conflict between the Sadducees and the Pharisees in the council on the subject of the resurrection. The two parties had opposing views so the conflict grew so great the Roman commander had Paul removed and taken back to the barracks. Jesus came to Paul that night and told him in verse 11 “Take courage; for as you have solemnly witnessed to My cause at Jerusalem, so you must witness at Rome also.” The Jews plotted to kill Paul and when the commander found out he had Paul removed to Caesarea and brought before the Roman governor Felix. When Felix found out what province he was from Paul was told to wait until his accusers arrived. Paul was taken before Felix in Chapter 24 to argue his case. The Jews had a lawyer named Tertullus give their accusations on Paul to Felix. He spoke their accusations then Felix allowed Paul to speak. Paul gave his defense but Felix did not wish to make a ruling. He was afraid of the words Paul had spoken and left him in prison. Paul was held captive for two years until Felix was succeeded as governor by Porcius Festus. In Chapter 25 Paul was taken before Festus who also refused to rule in his case. Paul had appealed to Caesar so Festus decided to send him to Rome. At this time King Agrippa and his Queen Bernice came to Caesarea and Festus decided to have them hear Paul. Festus could find no offense in Paul and would send him to Caesar. Paul was then brought before Agrippa in Chapter 2. Paul was pleased to speak with Agrippa because he was an expert in the customs of the Jews and would understand the words Paul spoke. Paul again gave his story and was told by Festus in verse 24 “Paul, you are out of your mind! Your great learning is driving you mad.” Agrippa could also find no wrong in Paul and would have released him if he had not appealed to Rome. It was decided in Chapter 27 to take Paul and some other prisoners to Rome. They needed to change ships several times in order to make the entire trip. They ran into some trouble off the Island of Cypress and had to make port at a place called Fair Havens instead of a good wintering port. Paul knew the ship would be lost and argued against leaving Fair Havens until a safer time. The crew knew they could not stay there and against Paul’s advice set sail in the worst time of the year for navigation. The voyage was difficult and Paul even though he was a prisoner took charge of the ship during the passage. While in the Adriatic Sea they were shipwrecked off the Island of Malta. The soldiers planned to kill the prisoners so they could not escape, but the centurion in charge of Paul wanted to deliver him stopped their plan. The entire crew and passengers made it safely to shore. In Chapter 28 when they had safely reached the shore of Malta the people there treated the castaways very kindly. While gathering woof for the fire a viper came out and attached to Paul’s hand. The native people were amazed when Paul shook the creature off and was unharmed. They all knew the bite of a viper meant certain death. While waiting on Malta Paul also authenticated his ministry by healing the father of an important official. Paul always preached Jesus no matter what his circumstances were. He stayed on Malta for three months before setting sail for Rome. When he arrived in Rome the Romans were curious about what he had to say. They had received no communication concerning him and set him free. Paul continued to testify about Jesus to all who would listen. He lived in a rented quarters for two years in Rome preaching and teaching all who came to him. This ends the Book of Acts. We will now begin the Book of Romans. The Book of Romans is a letter written by the Apostle Paul to the Roman church most likely about 56 AD. This was during Paul’s third missionary journey from the city of Corinth. Paul wrote this legal treatise of doctrine to the Roman Christians he had never visited, but had plans to go. Many important aspects on the gift of salvation are outlined in this letter. It also contains the spiritual condition of both Jew and Gentile in regards to salvation. In Chapter 1 Paul introduced himself to the reader and also spoke about Jesus, the common bond both the reader and he had. Paul wrote in verse 16-17 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “BUT THE RIGHTEOUS man SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.” In the end of the chapter Paul reveals that all mankind is without excuse when it comes to God. God is evident and clearly seen in His creation, but foolish men will disregard this truth and be left to their own will. Those that reject God will not be saved from judgement and will practice lawlessness and do what is worthy only of death. Paul also reveals in Chapter 2 that God is impartial when it comes to punishment for the unrepentant. Paul began to lay out a case to show mans need for salvation in verse 2 “For all who have sinned without the Law will also perish without the Law, and all who have sinned under the Law will be judged by the Law” He first looked at the Jew who is condemned by the Law because of their knowledge of the Law and their continued transgression. Paul goes beyond the Jews in Chapter 3 and concludes that the entire world is guilty before God. He quotes the Old Testament scriptures in verse 10 “THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE” Paul also reveals God’s purpose for the Law in verse 19-20 “Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God;because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.” Another truth is told in verse 23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” We are justified by our faith in Jesus Christ. God gave each of us a gift of this opportunity for salvation through His Son. In Chapter 4 Paul gave evidence from the Old Testament on justification by faith . Paul used the life of Abraham as an example of faith. The scripture said in verse 3 “ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.” Abraham was found righteous by his faith, not his works. Another Old Testament scripture Paul used was recorded in verse 7-8 “BLESSED ARE THOSE WHOSE LAWLESS DEEDS HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN, AND WHOSE SINS HAVE BEEN COVERED. “BLESSED IS THE MAN WHOSE SIN THE LORD WILL NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT.” Paul wrote in Chapter 5 that we will obtain peace through the justification of God. We should all exult in our trials and tribulations because they bring about perseverance and prove our character. Paul also wrote in verse 8 “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” The reason Christ had to die for us is in verse 12 “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned” We can all have forgiveness of sin and eternal life in glory by our acceptance of the free gift of salvation brought about by Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross. Chapter 6 reveals that even though we have been given the free gift of the forgiveness of sin by the grace of God we still must not practice sin. Jesus went to the cross to free us from the burden of our sin nature. We are to become a likeness of Christ. The text reveals in verse 4-7 “Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin;for he who has died is freed from sin.” Without Jesus in our lives we were slaves to sin. The two options God has given to man is in verse 23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Paul wrote in Chapter 7 that after salvation we are left with two natures. He wrote of his own struggle with the flesh and about the war he wages daily with his old self. He emotionally wrote in verse 24-25 “Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.” Paul wrote in Chapter 8 that in Jesus there is no condemnation. God had given us an opportunity to be free from sin. We have a choice the scripture reveals in verse 5 “For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace” We who believe have been adopted by God and are now privileged to be able to cry to Him, Father! We now have within us the Holy Spirit who can intercede for us when we are unable. Paul also gives us comfort in verse 28 “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” We have been chosen before the foundation of the world by the Lord to serve Him. Through our adoption and calling we are able to do what the text said in verse 37-39 “But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Paul then wrote to Israel in Chapter 9. He told them that they had been given the choice to accept or reject Jesus, but they chose to reject. They were given every opportunity by God but in the end their hearts were hardened like Pharaoh to the truth. The Jews are still God’s chosen people, but salvation is open to all. Paul continued to write to the Jews in Chapter 10. “He wrote in verse 8-9 “But what does it say? “THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, IN YOUR MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEART”—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching,that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” He continued this thought in verse 13 “WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.” The Old Testament scriptures are full of references to Jesus. Paul wrote in verse 17 “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.” At the end of the chapter in verse 21 Paul quotes from Isaiah 65:2 “But as for Israel He says, “ALL THE DAY LONG I HAVE STRETCHED OUT MY HANDS TO A DISOBEDIENT AND OBSTINATE PEOPLE.” This ends our study for this week. Next week we will finish the Book of Romans and go on through the Book of 1 Corinthians, and begin the Book of 2 Corinthians.