So the song, Speak O Lord, is a big encouragement to me.
Alex and I have a long history with that song.
He sang it many years ago when he was like a freshman in college up here at our college Bible study.
That's actually a modern hymn.
That wasn't written hundreds of years ago.
That was written in the early 2000s.
I commend Keith and Christy Getty to you.
They're modern-day hymn writers.
They're from Ireland.
They're from northern Ireland, actually, County Armagh.
So they write some really good songs.
So dive into those, look them up.
They also wrote the music to End Christ Alone.
They're really well-known, so good gospel songs.
Okay.
We have made it to the end of Acts.
How many people were here at the start of Acts five years ago?
Oh, wow, okay.
So a few of you.
So some of you college students are kind of coming in at the end of the movie.
So go back and read.
Go back and read Acts and enjoy the whole story.
But Paul has finally made it to Rome.
All right?
He finally made it.
That's kind of where we're looking today.
The gospel has gone out from Jerusalem and into the nations around the Mediterranean.
And finally, it kind of brings us to the close of Acts and just kind of stops right there.
So we're just going to read the text.
Acts 28.
And we're just going to start in verse 11.
Just kind of rewind a little bit.
After three months, we set sail on a ship that had wintered in the island, a ship of Alexandria, with the twin guys as the figurehead.
Putting in at Cerro Cruz, we stayed there for three days.
And from there, we made a circuit and arrived at Ridium, which is the bottom tip of the Italian peninsula.
And after one day, a south wind sprang up.
And on the second day, we came to Petioloi.
There we found brothers and were invited to stay with them for seven days.
And so we came to Rome.
And the brothers there, when they heard about us, came as far as the forum of Appius and three taverns to meet us.
On seeing them, Paul thanked God and took courage.
And when he came into Rome, Paul was allowed to stay by himself with the soldier who guarded him.
After three days, he called together the local leaders of the Jews.
And when they had gathered, he said to them,
Brothers, though I had done nothing against our people or the custom of our fathers,
yet I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans.
When they had examined me, they wished to set me at liberty,
because there was no reason for the death penalty in my case.
But because the Jews objected, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar,
though I had no charge to bring against my nation.
For this reason, therefore, I have asked to see you and speak with you,
since it is because of the hope of Israel that I am wearing this chain.
And they said to him,
We have received no letters from Judea about you,
and none of the brothers coming here have reported or spoken any evil about you.
But we desire to hear from you what your views are.
For with regard to this,
know that everywhere it is spoken against.
When the appointed day had come,
they came to him at his lodging in great numbers.
From morning till evening he expounded to them,
testifying to the kingdom of God,
and trying to convince them about Jesus,
both from the law of Moses and from the prophets.
And some were convinced by what he said,
but others disbelieved.
And disagreeing among themselves,
as they departed after Paul had made one statement.
The Holy Spirit was right.
And saying to your fathers,
to the prophet Isaiah,
Go to this people and say,
You will indeed hear,
but never understand.
You will indeed see,
but never perceive.
For this people's heart has grown dull,
and with their eyes they can barely hear,
and their eyes they have closed,
lest they should see with their eyes,
and hear with their ears,
and understand with their heart,
and turn that I would heal them.
Therefore let it be known to you
that this salvation of God
has been sent to the Gentiles.
They will listen.
He lived there two whole years
at his own expense,
and welcomed all who came to him,
proclaiming the kingdom of God,
and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ
with all boldness and without hindrance.
Let's pray together.
Father, we thank you that
we have such a rich heritage
in our faith in Christ,
that we have many,
a multitude,
a great host that has
gone before us
and have
carried their crosses,
who have made disciples,
who have preached the gospel,
who have planted the church
in dark areas.
And God, I pray that today
you would
encourage us
as those who
are also a part of your church
to live lives
worthy of the gospel
and to surrender all
to Christ.
I just ask that
in Jesus' name.
Amen.
So we're going to
do a little bit of introduction
and then we're going to
go kind of unpack things
a little bit
by way of questions
kind of about the text.
But first of all,
I think it's amazing
that when you look
in these,
the first few verses here
in 11 through 16,
you see that amazingly
Paul, Luke,
and the traveling party,
they were met by believers
three times
along the way to Rome.
And I think
that would be
an overwhelmingly
encouraging thing to do.
Just imagine
the pressure
and anticipation
and intensity
that Paul must have felt
just going
to Rome.
And then
to have people
coming out
all along the way
to greet them
who are already
in the faith,
brothers and sisters
that are already
there.
They met him
at Peteloi,
which was
130 miles
like south.
Then they met him
at the Forum of Appius.
Then at Three Taverns,
which was about
12 miles away.
And so,
I have some visual aids
for you today.
Again,
I won't bore you
with too much,
but you can go ahead
and put the first one up.
But again,
that's the Roman Empire,
but if you look at it,
it's amazing
that God
kind of launched
the gospel out
through the Roman world
because
the ancient world
had never been able
to be traveled
as well
as when Rome
built all these roads.
It went everywhere
all over.
We had access
to Europe,
to Asia,
and to Africa
from the Roman Empire.
And the gospel
was just shooting out
all over the place.
And it was amazing
that like in God's providence,
that's what he saw
fit to do
and so if you look
at just Italy,
I had to practice
saying Petilloi.
It didn't look
how he said that,
but it's a little bit
southeast of Rome there.
So that's the journey
that he traveled.
He eventually
would have run
into the Via Appia,
which is the main road,
one of the major roads
going into Rome.
You can go to the next slide.
It's really a picture
of like the Roman roads.
That's the Via Appia.
That would have been
the road that he would
have entered
into Rome by,
a very well-known
road through antiquity.
But I imagine
that it really
blessed his heart.
It said that
he saw them
and his heart
was encouraged
when he saw
the believers
coming to him
all along the road
and probably just
strengthened him
to go and face
whatever awaited him
in Rome.
So he probably
traveled five days
or so on the Via Appia
to Rome.
And it had been
a crazy, rough,
and often despairing
journey to get there.
But God had promised him,
if you remember,
in chapter 23,
he said,
the following night
the Lord stood by Paul
and said,
take courage,
for as you have testified
to the facts
about me in Jerusalem,
so you must also
testify about me
in Rome.
So he knew that
God had promised
he would make it there.
But if you study
the journey
that Nathan so well
taught us,
what happened
along that journey,
very difficult
to imagine.
But he finally
made it.
And three years
prior,
in Corinth,
that's where Paul
wrote the Epistle
of the Romans.
So he knew
there was a
flourishing church
in Rome.
I want you to
turn there with me,
just to Romans
chapter 1.
So he wrote this
while in Corinth.
And though he had
not personally
visited Rome yet,
he was blessed
to hear about
how the church
had been growing
there.
So it was a dream
come true
for Paul to make
it to Rome.
He was so thankful
to be there.
And just listen
to these words,
like his longing
for them,
his desire
to come and see
them.
We'll just start
reading chapter 1.
Look at verse 7.
This is him writing.
Listen to what he says
three years prior.
to all those in Rome
who are loved
by God
and called
to be saints.
Grace to you
and peace
from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ.
First,
I thank my God
through Jesus Christ
for all of you
because your faith
is proclaimed
in all the world.
For God
is my witness
whom I serve
with my spirit
in the gospel
of his Son.
That without ceasing,
I mention you
always in my prayers
asking that somehow
by God's will
I may now
at least succeed
in coming to you.
For I long
to see you
that I may impart
to you
some spiritual gift
to strengthen you.
That is,
that we may be
mutually encouraged
by each other's faith,
both yours
and mine.
I do not want you
to be unaware,
brothers,
that I have often
intended to come
to you,
but thus far
have been prevented
in order
that I might reap
some harvest
among you
as well
as amongst
the rest
of the Gentiles.
I am under
obligation
both to Greeks
and to barbarians,
both to the wise
and to the foolish,
so I am eager
to preach the gospel
to you also
who are in Rome.
So Paul had
this great yearning,
this great longing
to go and be
with the believers
in Rome.
And I love how
you can hear
the longing,
the humility even
of like,
I am coming
to be mutually
encouraged
by your faith.
Not like I am coming
to lord over you
and tell you
I am an apostle
and just direct you
in many different ways,
but he was like,
I am blessed
to see that the gospel
has gone way beyond
where I thought
I would have carried it.
So,
we are going to
go through this
just in the form
of some questions.
All right,
so question number one,
what happened
while Paul was in Rome?
What happened
while Paul was in Rome?
Well,
as was his way,
he typically sought out
the Jewish communities
that were already
in cities.
It was a way that,
you know,
these people had
knowledge of the scriptures,
they had the knowledge
about the Messiah.
It was an easy
first step
when he came
to a new city
or town.
But Paul,
being unable
to actually go
to the synagogues,
like he invited them
to come
to his lodgings.
So,
Paul was under
house arrest,
which in Roman law
wasn't that severe.
He had a lot
of freedom,
so don't,
you know,
in this section,
don't picture him
sitting in a coal dungeon
in chains.
He uses chains
just to kind of say
that I'm kind of bound,
like I'm under arrest,
but he had a lot
of freedom.
So he invited
the Jews
to come
and hear him.
They got their leaders
and then
they came
and as we see,
typically,
he reasoned with them,
he expounded
the scripture
from the law
and from the prophets
and then I'm sure
he even told them
his story
about how Christ
met him on the road
and saved him
and how he was
a persecutor
of the church,
but now he had
been commissioned
to preach the gospel
to the Gentiles
and to the Jews.
And, you know,
as usual,
right,
most disbelieved
and said,
you're crazy,
get out of here,
but in this case
it said that some
believed and others
disbelieved.
And in his sadness,
right,
his sadness
at their rejection,
he remembered
Isaiah's prophecy
written 700 years prior
that foretold
that many of Israel's
descendants
would not believe
in the Messiah.
And that's why
he remembered Isaiah.
And that was what
he said
when they were
leaving.
When was the last
time that you taught
or explained
the gospel
to someone
from an entire
day,
pleading with them,
going into the
scriptures,
pleading them
to see Christ
for an entire day?
That's what he did.
Then when it was
finished,
Paul basically,
as usual,
again,
he turned his
undivided attention
to the Gentiles.
right?
So,
we know that
he's in Rome
for trial.
We know that
he's awaiting trial,
hopefully,
by the emperor.
But there was
apparently a very
long delay
in Paul's trial.
He was coming
to trial,
but it says that
he probably waited
about two years
at least,
and he had not
appeared before
the court.
that could be
due to a lot
of facts.
One was,
there were so
many cases
stacked up
that he would
have to have
the emperor
himself override
it to get it
near the top
at the time.
And to be honest,
like,
Rome had some
bigger issues
going on,
and in his
mind,
the emperor's
mind,
it might not
have been that
big of a deal,
so he wasn't
that concerned
about getting
Paul to the
front of the
line.
So,
what the heck,
right?
He's in Rome
to go to
court before
the emperor,
so why is
he waiting so
long?
It seems like
wasted time,
right?
Nope.
Praise God
and God's
providence
and God's
sovereignty.
During Paul's
time under
house arrest,
this is when
God inspired
him to write
many of the
letters that we
hold dear today
that have
blessed believers
throughout the
centuries.
during this
time in
church history
while Paul
was under
house arrest,
these two
years,
this is when
he wrote
Ephesians,
Philippians,
Colossians,
and Philemon,
ancient writings
that have
survived and
have been
passed down
to us and
that you
hold before
you today.
He wrote
that while
he was
there.
So,
he also
wasted no
time.
He preached
the gospel.
He preached
the gospel.
You see
that?
Go back to
Acts,
by the way,
if you're
not there.
But go back
to Acts 28.
But in
verse 30,
he says,
he lived
there two
whole years
at his
own expense.
All right?
So he had
some comfortable
lodgings for
the most part.
And he welcomed
all who came
to him,
proclaiming the
kingdom of
God and
teaching them
about the
Lord Jesus
Christ with
all boldness
and without
hindrance.
I always
thought it'd
be interesting
to wonder,
like,
I'd love to
interview that
soldier that
was, like,
around him all
the time,
just to say,
what was that
like,
to be, like,
right by Paul
all the time,
and you had to
guard his
every step.
Might have
become a
brother,
who knows?
But the law
allowed Paul
to provide his
own quarters
as a Roman
citizen,
and he had
seen a lot
of freedom
during this
time.
So it's safe
to assume
that under
guard, he
could have
walked the
streets of
Rome,
he could have
gone to the
parks,
he could
have gone
to a lot
of the
public places
and the
forum,
and he
would have
had a lot
of freedom
just to go
and come
and go
as he
pleased.
So for
two years,
roughly 60
AD to 62,
that's when
he was
believed to
have been
there.
So don't
ever, if
you feel like
you're stuck
in a place,
and you
think, if I
could just
bust out of
the situation,
I think that
God could use
me so much
more than
just if I
was stuck
here,
right?
I've felt
that way
before, over
many years
of very long
hospitalizations
where I
wanted to
be here,
I wanted
to be
ministering
to people
here, but
I tried to
remember that
that's where
God had me,
and I tried
to be a
light to
doctors,
nurses,
visitors that
came to
see me.
I was even
trying to
share Christ
in the OR
one time,
and he cut
me off and
put me in
sleep right
when I
was getting
to the
juice of
it.
So I
had to
go back
and hunt
him a
blade,
like,
hey man,
you cut
me off.
But John
Calvin wrote
of that text
where it
basically says
that Paul
lived at
his own
expense,
and he
preached
the gospel.
He said,
the apostle
shows us
an excellent
example of
constancy,
and that he
offered himself
so willingly
to all those
who were
desirous to
hear him.
he remembered
that he
was no
less the
servant of
Christ and
a preacher
of the
gospel when
he was in
prison than
if he had
been at
liberty.
He thought
it was not
lawful for
him to
withdraw
himself from
any which
were ready
to learn,
lest he
shouldn't
neglect the
occasion which
was offered
to him by
God.
And therefore
he did
more regarding
the holy
calling of
God than
in his own
life.
So he
made the
most of
that time
and he
knew that
God had
him there
for that
reason.
So as he
awaited trial,
he waited
that two
years at
least.
So when
Paul's trial
did come,
we have to
rely basically
just on
ancient writings
and church
tradition in a
lot of ways
and just what
would have
happened to
someone who
was under
trial during
this time in
the first
century AD
in Rome.
Most likely
he would
have been at
the Basilica
of Julia,
which is
the southeast
corner of
the Roman
Forum.
The Roman
Forum,
I think you
can go to
the next
slide.
What is he
I think?
Yeah,
that's the
ruins of
the ancient
forum.
That's like
the marketplace
of Rome.
A lot of
big,
big events
happened there.
You can go
and walk
there today.
And so
that's probably
where his
trial took
place,
the Basilica
of Julia.
And at
this time,
the emperor
who served
as the
judge,
he would
usually invite
six of his
close advisors
to hear
cases and
to advise
on the
judgment
and the
outcome.
But during
the first
century,
there's
evidence,
there's
writings,
of if the
emperor didn't
hear a case,
he could be
delegated to
the commander
of the
Praetorian
Guard,
which was
obviously
gladiator.
They're the
guys that
wear purple.
So that
was like
the emperor's
household guard.
So they
could be
heard by
the commander.
There's
evidence of
that during
the reign
of Tiberius.
And it
was,
the emperor
typically only
dealt with
very,
very important
cases.
Cases that
had to do
with the
state or
just the
welfare of
the empire.
So probably
Nero,
who had
been the
emperor this
time,
delegated
those cases
and then he
would confirm
with sentences
afterwards the
smaller cases.
So it's very
entirely possible
that Paul never
appeared before
the emperor.
What a showdown
that had been
though.
I kind of
loved a scene
like Paul
sitting across
looking up
at Nero
himself,
talking about
Christ and
testifying,
but we
don't really
know.
Church history
doesn't say,
the scripture
doesn't say,
but what we
know at any
rate was
Christianity as
a whole was
not seen as a
major threat by
Rome yet.
And from
what we know,
they just saw
it as like a
little sect,
a split off
of Judaism,
and they
weren't that
concerned about
it.
So we are
pretty confident
there's a
growing popularity
that Paul
was released.
He was
released after
that trial
occurred.
A lot of
evidence points
to this.
Let me give you
three reasons
why Paul
was probably
released.
First of all,
the charges
that were brought
up against him,
if you remember,
were infractions
of the Jewish
law seen
throughout Acts,
right?
And not seen
as a very
serious threat
in the eyes
of the Romans.
If you remember,
in Acts 26,
King Agrippa
said,
this man
probably would
have been
set free
if he had
not appealed
to Caesar.
Just didn't
find any real
big fallout.
Come on,
you Jews,
calm down.
This is silly.
He's not
threatening us
at all.
So it wasn't
seen as a
big deal,
a major threat
yet.
And the Jews
even said,
we've received
no documents
about you.
We have not
even heard of
you before
he got to
Rome.
Secondly,
while under
house arrest
in Rome,
Paul often
writes in
his letters
that he's
pretty confident
that he'll
be released.
Pretty confident.
He says in
Philemon
verse 22,
Philippians 1,
25-26,
and as an
example,
he's writing
to the
Philippian
church,
and he's
saying,
I'm going
to send
Timothy to
you,
and this
is what he
says,
I hope
therefore
to send
him as
soon as
I see
how it
will go
with me.
And I
do trust
that the
Lord will
send me
to you,
and I
also will
come back
to Philippi,
that is.
So he was
confident in
his letters
that he would
be released,
that he would
see brothers
and sisters
he was
writing again.
Thirdly,
and lastly,
there are
several references
indicating that
Paul had a
fourth missionary
journey.
he referred
multiple times,
particularly in
Romans 15,
that he had
really hoped
to go to
Spain via
Rome.
From Rome,
go zip up
to Spain.
And church
history does
seem to
indicate that
he was in
Spain.
So those
are a lot
of reasons
why.
And when
he was
released,
that's when
he wrote
1 Timothy
and Titus
during that
span of
time.
So he
has trial,
who knows?
He was
before the
emperor or
not,
but he
was released
eventually,
I believe.
So,
second question.
That was
all like
what happened
while Paul
was in
Rome.
Second
question,
what happened
when Paul
left Rome?
Rome.
A lot
happened when
Paul left
Rome.
As we
just referenced,
he probably
went on a
fourth missionary
journey and
planted a
very strong
church in
Spain and
other places
as he went
throughout the
empire.
So,
that's one
thing.
He wrote the
letters of
1 Timothy and
Titus.
So,
giving you a
little bit
more background,
I hope
it's not
boring.
Some of you
need to learn
to enjoy some
things like
this to get
into the
world of
the Bible.
But,
go to the
next slide.
let's talk
about the
whack job
a little
bit.
So,
Nero
reigned
from 54
AD to
68
AD.
He was
set up
basically by
his
overbearing,
conniving
mother named
Agrippina.
She was the
second wife
of the
emperor
Claudius.
And,
she had
an agenda
to basically
somehow
get her
son on
the
throne
and that
she would
kind of
rule in
a way,
share power
equally with
her son.
So,
she plotted
and then
eventually,
no surprise,
right,
the story of
Roman history
poisoned
Claudius,
her husband,
and soon
after had
Nero marry
Claudius'
daughter,
Octavia.
So,
he was in.
He was the
next emperor.
That was
around 54
AD.
So,
his mother
was definitely
overbearing,
would not
leave him
alone,
really got
on his
bad side
eventually,
and he
lost it.
And,
eventually,
this psychopath
commanded his
own Praetorian
guard to go
and kill his
mom.
And,
as the
Praetorians
came into
her room,
she kind
of stood
up really
boldly,
looked at
them and
said,
stab right
here,
because this
is what
bore Nero.
that's
pretty
dramatic.
And,
so,
she died,
and then,
to kind
of seal
his power,
he also
killed his
wife.
He killed
Octavia.
He thought
she was
behind all
that,
too.
So,
very brutal
from the
get-go.
It was said
that he was
haunted by
his mother's
ghost the
rest of
his life.
He grew
more and
more freaked
out,
schizophrenic,
as the
years went
on,
just haunted
by his
mother's
ghost
throughout
the
palace,
writers
say.
So,
Nero,
not a good
guy,
not a
friend of
the church.
He was
not a
general,
he was
not a
guy who
would go
out and
fight battles
and lead
armies.
He was
really obsessed
with drama,
with theater,
with music,
and he
loved to
play the
liar.
He would
either
excommunicate or
kill you
if you
fell asleep
near one
of his
performances.
So,
he got
his way
most all
the time,
as did
most Roman
emperors.
He also
had a
lust for
building
pleasure
palaces.
He loved
luxurious
building.
A lot
of Roman
emperors
tried to
make their
mark by
building
something
amazing
throughout
the empire.
So,
he was
pondering
his
city
and
Nero,
he hated
Rome
itself.
He was
like,
it's one
of the
dirtiest,
filthiest,
gross
cities
ever.
It smells,
and so
he would
often talk
about how
much he
just couldn't
stand
by just
the city
of Rome
itself.
So,
during his
time,
during his
reign,
two revolts
sprang up
throughout the
empire,
two huge
ones,
two of the
biggest
defeats
in the
Roman
history
by an
uprising
province.
The one
was in
Britannia,
which was
Britain,
Boudicca,
the warrior
queen,
fought against
the Roman
legions there
but eventually
lost.
And then,
if you remember
the last
time,
the Judean
revolt started
at the
same time.
And Nero
had
excommunicated
one of the
empire's best
generals,
Vespasian,
because he
fell asleep
during one
of his
performances.
Vespasian was
the kind of
guy who
would rather
watch a UFC
match than
go to an
opera.
So,
he was not
into all
that.
So,
he was
excommunicated
but he
called him
back to
go quell
the rebellion
in Judea.
And so,
as the
summer came
in 64
AD,
in July,
Nero,
I forgot
to mention
this,
one of his
favorite poems
was the
fall of
Troy.
So,
think about
that,
a burning
city that's
being destroyed,
right?
That was
one of his
favorites.
And,
seemingly out
of nowhere,
not really,
there was a
huge fire
that started
on a hot
day in
July,
64 AD,
in the city
of Rome.
And it
burned for
nine days
and huge
parts of
the city
were consumed,
including the
areas that
were the
most affluent.
Right?
And Nero
was seen
atop a tower
watching the
fire,
playing the
lyre,
and reciting
the fall of
Troy.
And,
most scholars
believe,
as to the people
in this day,
that he had
started this
fire himself
to basically
clean out
the nasty
city,
and he kind
of wanted
to wipe it
clean.
He wanted
to build,
eventually,
he built
this huge
pleasure palace
called the
Domus
Aurea.
It was a
place,
like in the
prominent
place of
the city,
and it
was all
for himself.
And it
took years
to build.
And that
was where
a lot of
the citizens
were getting
very upset.
No one
was safe
under the
reign of
Nero.
Not even
Roman generals,
like no one
was safe.
And so,
as history
goes,
Nero had
to have,
he played
the political
game,
he was like,
I have to
have someone
to blame
for this
fire,
because they're
all pointing
the finger
at me.
So the
Roman historian
Tacitus,
who lived
under the
reigns of
Tiberius
to Vespasian,
he wrote,
therefore,
to scotch
the rumor,
Nero
substituted
as culprits
a class
of men
and women
whom the
crowd calls
Christians.
Vast
numbers of
them were
convicted.
Derision
accompanied
their end.
They were
torn to
death by
dogs.
They were
fastened
on crosses.
And when
daylight failed,
they were
burned to
serve as
lamps by
night in
the emperor's
garden parties.
Go to the
next slide.
This is a
famous painting
of the
emperor's
garden parties
as believers
were being
tied to
crosses and
burned for
entertainment.
So before
this,
persecution
had not
existed
formally
throughout the
empire,
but it
started
around this
time.
Christians
and Romans
throughout the
empire,
rumors were
spread about
them that they
sacrificed their
children,
that they
were cannibals,
that they
plotted rebellion
against the
empire.
So they
were burned
out of their
homes,
imprisoned,
beaten in
the streets,
often gang
raped in
alleyways,
forced to
and put
pressured on
to renounce
Christ.
Many put to
death in the
Circus
Maximus,
which was the
big charioteer
thing in
Rome,
torn to
death by
lions,
wild dogs,
his sport.
And one of
Nero's
favorites,
you can go
to the next
slide,
if this
just doesn't
look demonic,
remember he
likes drama,
he likes
theater,
he likes
ancient history,
so his
favorite was
to get a
reenactment
of the
Greek myth
of Diorsi,
which was
the queen of
Thebes in
Greek mythology,
and she was
supposedly executed
by being tied
to the horns
of a wild
bull and
then crushed
to death.
And church
historians,
excuse me,
Roman historians,
ancient historians,
say that Nero
took young,
beautiful Christian
girls who
wouldn't renounce
Christ and
tied them to
the bull to
reenact that
Greek myth,
then smashed.
so finally,
Paul does
loop back
around,
he comes
back to
Rome,
and when he
comes back
this time,
persecution
has started,
people are
being
tortured to
death,
he's,
according to
tradition,
in prison,
and this time
it was in a
dark,
cold dungeon
at the foot
of the
Capitol
Lion Hill,
a rough,
dark dungeon.
Hard to
imagine him
writing 2 Timothy
in that
context.
And
eventually,
as tradition
goes,
one church
historian
writes that
Paul was
beheaded
eventually.
And
so after
Nero
built the
Domicoria
and persecution
has started,
finally,
enough
senators,
generals,
and affluent
Romans that
had enough,
had enough.
And they
basically got
persuaded the
Praetorian Guard
to kill him.
And while
they were,
while he was
on run in
his palace,
as the guards
were closing
around him,
he had a
loyal slave
help him
ritually,
kind of
slit his own
throat.
And as I
said before,
his last words
supposedly were,
what an artist
dies in me.
and so
after his
death,
after his
journey to
eternal
punishment,
the empire
erupted
into civil
war.
So there
was a
huge civil
war in
the Roman
Empire,
where the
top generals
were competing
to see who
would be the
next emperor.
And while
all this was
going on,
the general
Vespasian
was still
in Jerusalem,
he kind
of just
waited it
out.
And
eventually
there was
so much
chaos in
the empire
that the
Roman armies
finally looked
to Vespasian
to restore
order and
named him
the next
emperor.
You can go
to the next
slide.
And
he became
the next
emperor,
and then
he started
really bringing
order.
He was the
first emperor
not descended
from Julius
Caesar directly.
So he sent
his son Titus
back to finish
the job in
Jerusalem,
and he
besieged
Jerusalem and
eventually
destroyed it,
burned the
temple down
by accident
supposedly,
and
Vespasian
later on
brought 10,000
Jewish slaves
back to Rome,
and with
money that he
had made
from plunder
from the
Jewish temple
and other
places,
he built
the most
well-known
icon of
the Roman
Empire,
the Colosseum.
So that's
why it was
called the
Flavian
Amphitheater.
So,
a sad
history that
kind of
followed after
Paul left
Rome.
Very sad,
very dark.
So,
but,
we're not
going to end
on that note
because the
church is
victorious
regardless of
all of this.
which goes
to our,
you can take
the slides
off now,
which goes
to our
third question,
where did
the church
expand after
Acts,
right?
It just
kind of
stops.
Well,
the gospel
really took
a deep,
deep foothold
in Europe,
a deep
foothold in
Europe.
It went
all the way
across to
Britain
and
Hibernia,
which was
the ancient
name for
Ireland.
It was
brought
there.
A lot
of the
British
Isles
and Spain,
France,
which would
have been
Gaul at
the time,
like the
church took
really a
stronghold
in Europe.
And it
went into
Africa as
well,
but didn't
go really
far south
into Africa.
It kind
of stopped
in Asia as
well because
there was
a Parthian
empire there.
and as
we know,
most of
us know
that most
of our
ancestors
here came
from Europe
and from
Europe the
gospel was
brought by
missionaries
and others
to the
new world
and as
that,
I love
the history
of this,
know that
there was
like a
state level,
a political
level that
expansion to
the new
world was
happening,
but I want
you to dig
way below
the surface,
you know,
if you ever
had the
time,
and just
look at
the believers
who were
coming over,
particularly
the Puritans.
They wrote
massive papers
about how
they saw
the new
world as
an unreached,
if you would,
area,
and that they
wanted to send
their people
over there to
preach the
gospel to
the natives.
I've seen
copies of
the Bible
translated into
Algonquin and
like other
Native American
translations.
They saw
that as a
chance to
expand the
kingdom,
guys like
Jonathan Edwards
and David
Brainerd took
the gospel
throughout the
new world.
And as the
centuries went
by, right,
we're a
product of
that.
The church
grew strong
in the
new world,
in America.
And as
time went
by,
centuries
went by,
Europe and
North America
began sending
missionaries
to Asia,
to China,
Japan,
other Asian
countries,
and now
as we
know,
it's making
its way
back across
the Middle
East,
right?
And that's
a very
fast,
quick summary
of like where
the gospel
has gone.
And of
course,
I'm not
being very
specific,
but that's
roughly what
was happening.
so the
gospel was
working its
way back,
and the
end will
come when
all the
nations are
reached.
Fourthly,
this is the
last question,
and we'll
wrap it up.
This is
personal.
I want you
to think
about this.
What are
you doing
to continue
the rich
legacy of
the church?
Acts was
a whole
history of
how the
church
started,
how Christ
through the
Holy Spirit
through the
apostles
planted the
church.
So what
are you
doing?
Do you
realize
that if
you're in
Christ,
you're a
part of
a really,
really rich
history and
family that
spans thousands
of years,
made up of
ordinary men
and women
who don't
usually have
a lot to
offer,
and that God
sees fit to
use to do
something,
for his
kingdom?
People who
are willing to
surrender their
lives all for
the cause of
Christ,
and many of
them given
their lives
to have an
eternal hope
in the life
to come.
The church is
victorious.
I mean,
it's going to
be victorious.
And whether
you want to
be a part of
that or not,
it's up to
you.
We have
one life,
let's use
it well.
Let's not,
if you
also study
just the
way the
history of
the church
has gone,
the places
where it
seems that
the church
has been
the longest
are the
places that
are growing
cold right
now.
Europe,
North America,
there's a
lot of
psalms and
scriptures in
the Old
Testament where
God is
saying,
like,
look,
Israel,
I have
blessed
you and
prospered
you so
that you
would be
my witness
to the
nations.
That is
the number
one reason
I have
prospered
you.
And if
you're
failing to
do that,
I will
judge you.
Not that
America is
a new
Israel,
not that
at all,
but he
has given
us so much.
Never in the
history of the
world has a
nation enjoyed
so much junk
as we have.
And America
is just
turning into
nothing but
Disneyland in
the kingdom
of God.
We have to
reach the
rest of the
nations and
Christ will
do it with
or without
us.
And so I
hope that you
will be willing
to weigh that.
Like,
what am I
doing?
Like,
your life
fits,
your life
is just a
drop.
All right?
You're nothing
by yourself.
Nothing.
And any life
that's spent
focused on
itself is a
miserable life.
Surrender it
all.
Live in the
big picture
of God's
kingdom.
And let's
keep our
eyes focused
on eternity.
In closing,
I'll turn to
2 Timothy
real fast.
2 Timothy
chapter 4.
2 Timothy
chapter 4
and verse
6.
Paul,
no doubt,
riding on
death row
in that dark
prison cell
in Rome,
awaiting his
death,
and in a
lot of ways
in despair.
a lot of
people had
deserted him,
left him.
He was,
in a lot of
ways,
he felt
alone.
And that's
why he's
riding to
Timothy,
a loyal
son of
his.
And so I
want you to
be able to
think about
this.
Like,
when you
close your
eyes,
will you
be able,
with a
clear conscience,
with confidence,
before God,
to kind of
say this when
you breathe
your last?
All right?
Verse 6.
For I am
already being
poured out as
a drink
offering.
The time of
my departure
has come.
I have
fought the
good fight.
I have
finished the
race.
I have
kept the
faith.
Henceforth
there is laid
up for me
the crown of
righteousness,
which the
Lord,
the righteous
judge,
will award
me on
that day,
not only
to me,
but also
to all
who have
loved his
appearing.
I pray
I'll be able
to say that.
I don't want
to,
I've come
close to
dying many
times,
and I
wanted to
be able
to say
without any
reluctance,
these words
with a
clear conscience.
Look at
that,
look at
that phrase
in verse
6.
He says,
my departure
has come.
Really cool
phrase,
departure.
It's both a
military and
a nautical
term.
As a
military expression
implies like a
tent being
broken down,
taken down to
go and move
on to another
location.
And as a
nautical term,
it's used for
hoisting an
anchor and
letting down
the sail to
catch the
wind to
go to
another
location.
It literally
could be
translated,
listen to
this,
loosing
away
upward.
The time
of his
departure
has come.
Loosing
away
upward.
A
beautiful
idea,
almost like
a balloon
that can't
wait to
have its
cord cut
so it
can just
fly up
into the
air.
An
image of
how eager
Paul was
to leave
and go,
to depart
and be
with Christ
for that
was far
better.
I hope
that we
will be
able to
say that.
We have
finished the
job.
We have
fought the
good fight.
kept the
faith.
So,
the church
is moving
on and
you're a
part of
it.
As we
pray together,
I'm going to
give you a
little bit of
time to
reflect on
all that
we've
learned
throughout
the book
of Acts,
all that
God has
challenged
you with
both then
and today.
And I'll
pray for us.
Let's pray
together.
Let's pray
together.