02-12 Vermenigvuldigen [12]

To be Continued… Acts 28:17-31 This the twelfth and closing sermon to our series through the book of Acts. I don’t know about you, but I have enjoyed this journey from 120 disciples in a room, who received the promised Holy Spirit and became Jesus’ witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. 3000 people that first day, 4000 a week later, Stephen dies, Philip evangelizes, Peter accepts Samaritans and Gentiles into the Church. The Church multiplies and it is incredible that a mere fifteen years later the Church in Antioch is led by the Spirit to send Paul and Barnabas into modern-day Turkey to plant Churches among the Gentiles. When Paul reaches Rome at least 22 Churches have been planted across the Mediterranean. Understand that this is unheard of. Never before has a religion crossed ethnic and cultural boundaries. Every city had its own deity (think of Ephesus in chapter 19) - a protector and provider, if you will. Even Judaism was confined (by and large) to the borders of Israel. Others believed in the God of the Jews, but such conversions were not wholescale like we see in Acts. Threats do not stop the gospel, jails cannot hold the witness, and persecution only multiplies the spread of the message of Jesus Christ. This historical report is invigorating! Now thirty years after our Lord has ascended back into heaven, Paul finally walks through the gates of Rome and we quickly find out that there are no accusers waiting for him - the letters may have been lost in the shipwreck or perhaps the Sanhedrin was just happy to have Paul taken far away from Jerusalem. The Jews are intrigued by Paul and listen to his testimony and give us their assessment of the success of the mission: “it is everywhere spoken against.” (verse 22) Mission accomplished. There could be no greater feeling of satisfaction for Paul, the missionary. You may speak against it… but you have heard it! Paul does what he does best and from morning to night time he explains from the Old Testament that Christ is the expected Messiah. When many do not believe he explains from the Old Testament why: this people is stubborn and had closed its eyes to the truth (25-27). And again… he will take the gospel to the Gentiles in Rome… and they WILL listen (28-29). Dr. Luke reports that Paul stayed under house arrest for two years, that he received anyone that came to visit him and it tells us the two things that kept him busy - which are instructive to us: He preached the Kingdom of God. He taught about the Lord Jesus Christ. Why does the book end so abruptly? Two years are covered in the two closing verses. What about his trial? What about the rest of Paul’s life? How did Paul die? Was he martyred? There is the point of the book of Acts… it never was about Paul. It was about the gospel and how the Holy Spirit accomplished the mission Jesus laid out in 1:8. And as chapter 28 closes, we are left pondering and thinking… and that’s because the Mission isn’t over. You and I are continue. The gospel spread to Spain next and by AD80 France and Tunisia have been reached by evangelists. The gospel spreads into Europe and the continent of Africa. By the end of the second century large well-documented Churches have been established in Portugal, Morocco, Austria, Switzerland and Belgium. In AD313 Christianity becomes an acknowledged religion of Rome in the edict of Milan under Constantine. The gospel continues to spread and now where the gospel has been forgotten we seek to re-introduce people to Jesus Christ and expect the Church to multiply, because the mission still continues. So Paul preached and taught. I want to draw our attention to this last verse. (1) He preached the Kingdom of God. What does that mean? The kingdom of God refers to God the Father’s absolute rule in the broadest sense… He is the absolute Ruler of all and His plan through the Ages has been the same. 1 Corinthians 15 teaches us that Christ will rule the Kingdom, promised to the Jews, but once He has gathered everything - including death - under his rule, he will submit it all, including Himself to God the Father (1 Cor. 15:24-28). Now here is the question… do you preach God’s absolute rule over your life? And we preach plenty before we have even uttered a word. Do you testify to God’s complete control of the good, the bad, and the ugly? Even intense persecution served God’s purposes. Wednesday night we were reminded of some of our history… struggle and division. But look around you at what God has done! And consider what He will do next… He uses it all to accomplish His purposes… because He is the ultimate Ruler of all. What does your life preach about the kingdom of God and your citizenship? (2) He taught about Jesus Christ. There is the next tier… when someone asks you about the hope that is in you… you teach… it’s called making a disciple and teaching him. Who are you teaching about Jesus? Now, we wanted to help you in this, so together with Peter and Marnix - two evangelists in our Church - we have put together a gospel tract that you can use to teach about our Church. So, where does the book end? One word: unhindered. A Greek word that is only found here… it is one of those words that begins with -a- in order to indicate the opposite of the verb that follows. The root verb is used 17 times in Acts. It was used in Acts 8 and 10 when asked about being baptized… can anyone refuse his baptism? The gospel cannot be resisted. It was used in 11:17 when Peter defended his actions in Caesarea… if God saved them in exactly the same way as he did us, could I stop God? The gospel cannot be stopped. It was used in chapter 16 of the Holy Spirit who hindered Paul and Silas from going to Asia Minor. The gospel cannot be hindered. It was used in chapter 27 of the Centurion who forbad his men from killing the prisoners in order to protect Paul. The gospel cannot be forbidden. And that is what should be left lingering in your mind as we close Acts… the gospel multiplies. You preach it with your life. You teach it with your mouth. And the gospel cannot be stopped, cannot be hindered, cannot be resisted and cannot be forbidden. So go and multiply!