Where Paul's Mission Ends ... Ours Begins!!! - Acts 28

23 They arranged to meet Paul on a certain day, and came in even larger numbers to the place where he was staying. He witnessed to them from morning till evening, explaining about the kingdom of God, and from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets he tried to persuade them about Jesus. 24 Some were convinced by what he said, but others would not believe. 25 They disagreed among themselves and began to leave after Paul had made this final statement: “The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your ancestors when he said through Isaiah the prophet:

26 “‘Go to this people and say,
“You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
    you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.”
27 For this people’s heart has become calloused;
    they hardly hear with their ears,
    and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
    hear with their ears,
    understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them.’

“Therefore I want you to know that God’s salvation has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen!”  For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. He proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ—with all boldness and without hindrance!

So ends the book of Acts, more aptly titled, "The acts of the apostles".  The book began at Pentecost where the 12 apostles were gathered in the upper room and the Holy Spirit came upon them powerfully. And they began to teach and pray and heal.  They started doing the same things Jesus did, and the church grew albeit through some fierce persecution from both within and without. We saw the first matyr Stephen and Peter and Paul put in prison.  

In these last chapters of Acts, we have seen the ministry and mission of the Apostle Paul.  Saul of Tarsus, who later became known as Paul, spent his former life hunting down and persecuting Christians before he met Jesus on the Road to Damascus.

After Paul received his sight, he went first to his Jewish brothers and sisters and reasoned with them how Jesus whom they had crucified really was the Messiah, the Son of the living God. Though many of his Jewish brothers and sisters rejected the gospel, many Gentiles came to faith, were baptized, and filled with the Holy Spirit.  Paul rights as a Roman citizen kept him from dying prematurely and as we end the book of Acts today he is witnessing to larger amounts of people day and night explaining to them how the law, prophets, and kingdom of God relate to the work and person of Jesus Christ.  Paul spent another 2 years in prison doing the same thing and penning some of his new testament letters to different churches he had planted.  We don't know exactly what happened to Paul after this.  There is nothing conclusive or substantive about how he died though most think he was martyred.  The great apostle Paul's life can be summed up by his words in Philiippians 4:8, "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength."  

As we conclude the book of Acts some have said the main theme in the book is "Everyone gets to play!" Every disciple of Jesus is supernaturally enabled by the Holy Spirit's power to play a part in God's mission to save lost people who matter so much to him He came to earth himself and died for them.  Each Christian has a chance to contribute to the Great Commission of making disciples of all nations and baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Where is God calling you to be a LITTLE more like Paul.  A little more bold.  A little more persuasive. A little more passionate about sharing the Good News.  A little more concerned about the salvation of your neighbors.  A little more convinced that if God is for you who can be against you!  

The Good News is that God's power is as much available to us today as it was to the original apostles.  The same Holy Spirit that preached, taught and healed through Peter and Paul lives in you and me.  We only have a limited amount of days on this earth, let's like Paul make them count to the glory of God.  Amen.