Paul finally got to ROME! God had fulfilled His promises! He was not in Rome as a tourist. He was there as a witness and for 2 years more - he was allowed to stay in his own accommodation and “…boldly and without hindrance preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ” (v31). What a reward! God kept His promise! Promise that fired Paul’s desire to visit Rome as expressed in Rom 1v8-13.
Paul was in the ship. He was in the storm with the rest of the 276 passengers. Many of them prisoners like himself for the past 2 years plus, he had been under lock and key falsely accused and experiencing the highest form of injustice! Finally he was on his way to Rome then the storm and eventual shipwreck!
The exciting thing about the message carried by the witness is that it is too compelling to ignore. This is so because the witness is a living proof. Paul’s vivid recount of his encounter with the truth of the gospel and subsequent salvation could not easily be discountenanced.
Paul’s appeal to Caesar (in Rome) is a definite statement on the need for every witness to wait for specific promises from God and act on those promises! At various times God appeared to Paul giving him promises, giving him encouragement and giving him direction. The most current of such promises (Acts 23v11) was that he will preach (witness) in Rome also. No doubt holding tight to this promise and keeping it constantly alive had helped him to avoid giving in to discouragements and temptations such as was discussed yesterday.
While one is elated by the thoughts of the defense we have in Jesus Christ, the fact is that they do not always keep trials out of our lives. In fact as James and Paul said, trials are the building blocks for the quality of character that the Lord desires for His children.
Why does the witness of the Lord Jesus Christ always appear invincible, unruffled – and like His Lord and master, always appearing to be in control of his situation?
• Think of the Lord Jesus himself during his trying moments?
• Consider the experience of Stephen at his trial prior to his murder!
• Then what of Peter confronting the council, sleeping peacefully in prison prior to his miraculous release?
• Then Paul and all his travails as sketched in the book of Acts and further expanded in the epistles, most of which he wrote from prisons!
Like Peter said (Peter 3v15) every Christian gets called upon at one time or the other to “give account of the hope” that he has. Since in some of such circumstances we may never have the luxury of the time to ramble through, it is important to always be prepared, straight to the point and focused on the core issues of the testimony.
What would propel someone to doggedly pursue a line of action fully aware of the obvious dangers on the way? Paul is heading back to Jerusalem, he stops by to encourage the brothers in Tyre and through the revelation of what awaited Paul in Jerusalem, they urge him to go there but he proceeded anyways. He reaches Caesarea and stays with Philip the Evangelist. Agabus, a prophet from Judea, led by the Spirit, graphically demonstrated what would be done to Paul in Jerusalem. Every one present tried to persuade him not to go to Jerusalem but he proceeds anyways! So what drove him?
As a witness, my life ultimately has meaning only to the extent that it is defined or lived within the context of my mission in life. The process of the witness’s call, his mission in life, his identity, everything that he is, is defined by his relationship to the caller, the Master who is the focus of his witness.
Never has a witness been called to a life of isolation. God has always surrounded him with friends, friends who work with him, companions who share the pressures of daily life. Friends who partner him behind the lines and those who are just friends like Hushai was to David.
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