The Trip to Rome – Acts 25:1-28:31

“Boldly and without hindrance he preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Under house-arrest and supervised by guards, we might think that Paul’s ministry ends in failure.  He’s been arrested, he appeals to Caesar and is transported to Rome (after being shipwrecked), and yet the Bible gives no account of his trial before Caesar.  There doesn’t appear to be an acquittal of Paul, and it’s possible that he lives out the rest of his life under house arrest.

And yet, his story ends with the greatest testimony to God’s grace.  He continues to boldly preach the Gospel without any hindrance.  Despite the obvious physical restraints, Paul is able to entertain guests, send messages, and write letters – and the Kingdom of God continues to expand.

Lots of things seem to hinder us, don’t they?  We feel inadequate… we’re too busy… we’re afraid of what people might think.  Like Moses we feel as though we lack the oratory skills to speak for God.  Our personal comfort, entertainment, and wealth distract us from the greater tasks at hand.  And even though we are not in chains or constrained to our homes, we lack the boldness of Paul to proclaim the Kingdom of God.

We should be challenged by the passion of Paul, his tenacity and his unwillingness to give up.  Grounded in his knowledge of who he was before Christ called him, he is thoroughly sold out to bringing that good news to others around him.  Filled with the Holy Spirit, Paul is filled with the passionate power of God.