They Will Listen
The
last two chapters of the Acts of the Apostles are jam-packed with exciting
events, as Paul sets out on his final journey to Rome. I don’t know if Luke was
feeling like he had shortchanged Theophilus, his intended reader, and decided
to throw in a thrilling adventure at sea? Or if he had a point to drive home about
Paul and the gospel. I’m leaning toward the latter.
Sea
journeys are never without risk, and this one is no exception. Because of the
winds, the early part of the journey was slow. By the time they got out on the
open sea, it was late in the year – a dangerous time for sailing. Paul was
exceptionally prophet-like on this journey. He warned the crew of the danger;
he offered them advice and encouragement to get them through safely.
They
shipwrecked and ended up on the island of Malta, where they were treated well.
They spent the winter months there and set off on another ship in early spring.
When
they arrived finally in Rome, Paul was greeted by believers who had traveled
more than 40 miles to see him. It turns out the gospel of Jesus had reached
Rome before Paul did. Paul spoke to the Jewish community in Rome and, once
more, presented his case. It turned out that they had heard nothing about these
charges that had been made against him in Jerusalem. So they bore him no ill
will and, in fact, were eager to hear what he had to say.
And
so began Paul’s ministry in Rome. The empire held him under house arrest. But he
was at liberty to have visitors any time and he was free to preach the good
news “with all boldness and without hindrance” (28:31).
Because
this is, after all, a story about the good news of Jesus Christ. There was
never any real doubt that Paul would make it to Rome. It was divinely foretold
in numerous ways throughout the book. Nothing would stop him – neither poor
winds nor stormy seas, snakebite nor scared soldiers. Paul had been given a
mission that he would fulfill.
It
is also believed that Paul died in Rome at the hands of the empire, though Luke
does not include that in his story. It wasn’t important enough to include. As
Matthew Skinner explains, Paul was never the main character in this story.
Neither was Peter, or Philip, or any of the other courageous and wonderful
followers of Christ we read about in these pages. They are all important to the
story insofar as they serve, speak, and embody the Word of God. But the Word of
God is the main character. And the Word of God does not die.[1]
When we first began this study, I wrote that the book of Acts
is an open-ended story because it is not finished yet. The story of the early
church is our story too – particularly now.
We recently
passed the one-year marker of our COVID-19 pandemic. Naturally, we have begun
to assess where we have been, where we are, and even where we might be going.
We feel hopeful because millions of vaccines are being administered in our
country every day. But we also feel the incredible stress of persevering
through a year like this has been. And if we venture to look up and look
around, we see that some things are very different and will probably not go
back to the way they were before. This is as true for the church as it is for
anything in our world – maybe even more true.
It shouldn’t be
too surprising to us. In the 2,000 year history of the church, there have been
other occasions when the body of Christ has found themselves at a critical
turning point, understanding the necessity of entertaining radical new ways of thinking
and being. Is this the time for another crisis?
The word
“crisis” comes from the Greek word krisis;
it means decision. A crisis is a crossroads, a point at which a choice must be
made about which way to go. It is important for us to recognize this – crisis
is not the end, but it is a kind of new beginning.
When Jesus died
on the cross, this was a crisis. It set all kinds of decisions, challenges, and
changes in motion. It was the end of one thing, but it was the beginning of so
much more. The book of Acts allows us to be an audience to all of that.
But we are not
only an audience to the story of Acts. We are actors in it as well. Luke’s
vivid telling of how the church began may be overly dramatic at times, but the
energy with which he tells the story serves to draw us in. We see in the pages
of Acts how God was alive and at work for those first followers of Jesus, and
we see how God is alive and at work for us now.
What can we
learn from it? When we read the stories of men and women meeting challenges and
responding to the leading of the Holy Spirit, what can we learn from them? Can
we see our lives, in our own particular difficult time, as the next chapter in
a continuing story?
May your reading
of the Acts of the Apostles bless you with confidence in the power of God to
usher us into a new day.
Questions
for Reflection:
·
Think
about the particular challenges you have faced this past year. Consider the
challenges that the church has faced in that same time. Where do you find hope?
·
As
you look back on the whole story of Acts, what episodes are especially
meaningful for you? Why?
·
The
story of Acts balances innovation with continuity. Is it hard to discern what
things are timeless and what things are meant to change?
[1]
Skinner, Matthew L. Intrusive God, Disruptive Gospel: Encountering the Divine
in the Book of Acts, pp. 175-176.
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