September 8, 2022

The final chapters of the Acts of the Apostles present us with a mixed bag, with some outrageously wonderful positives and enough negatives to leave us wondering about the future of the whole Jesus movement.

On the plus side, the Apostle Paul boldly gave testimony to the truth of Jesus in a series of speeches to Roman rulers: the Palestinian governor, Felix (+), and his successor, Festus (+); the Judean King Agrippa (+). Then, rather than return to Jerusalem to stand trial, Paul appealed to Caesar because he wanted to give testimony to the Roman Emperor (+).

Talk about high drama and Gospel progress. Wow!

On the minus side, things came unraveled while Paul was sailing westward across the vast  Mediterranean Sea. The ship he was on encountered a terrible storm that lasted three miserable weeks (-). Eventually, Paul and the two hundred and seventy-five others on board were shipwrecked on the island of Malta (-). Almost immediately, a poisonous snake bit Paul on Malta (-).

I’m sure that it was as horrible as it sounds. But that was followed by a mixed bag.

Paul suffered no harm from the snakebite (+), so he was mistaken for being a god by the Maltese people (-). He miraculously healed the father of the leading man of Malta (+) and was supplied with everything he and his friends needed for the completion of the trip to Rome (+).

Then, in Rome, Paul and company were welcomed by fellow Christians and Paul soon had the privilege of presenting the message of Jesus to the Jews of the city. (+) When many of the Jews refused to believe in Jesus (-), Paul turned from them to share the Gospel with the Gentiles (+).

The book of Acts ends with this:

[Acts 28:30] Now Paul stayed two full years in his own rented lodging and welcomed all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching things about the Lord Jesus Christ with all openness, unhindered.

While it may appear from these words that Paul was living as a free man, that was not the case.

He was still a Roma prisoner under house arrest (-), required to pay for his own lodging (-), awaiting trial before Caesar (-). He couldn’t come and go as he pleased (-). His freedom was greatly limited (-). He was completely dependent on friends to support him (-).

That is why the final word of the final verse of Acts is so significant.

From a Roman point of view Paul was definitely not unhindered, and neither was the Gospel message. They were both significantly hindered, shackled, and imprisoned. The Jesus enterprise has anything but clear sailing into an unhindered future.

And that is often the way it seems today. We may believe that the Gospel isn’t free to flow through us because…

…the ones we love don’t want to hear.

…doors that had been open for communication are now closed.

…physical limitations prohibit us from the Jesus-centered actions we’d love to take.

…our emotional get-up-and-go just got-up-and-left.

But if it could be said of an apostle under house arrest that his Gospel activity was “unhindered,” can it not be said that our apparent hindrances don’t ultimately hinder? Surely this is why Luke concludes with a faithful wink and a knowing nod to the reality beyond the apparent.

Yes, Paul was under arrest, guarded by Roman soldiers, limited in his movements, and restricted in his activities. But since God is still on his throne and since the gospel of Jesus is the power of God for salvation, Paul’s hindrances were not the final word.

The word about Jesus still got out. Paul took advantage of the opportunities he was given, and God allowed him to make impact for the kingdom disproportionate to all expectations.

Jesus invites you and me to take the final word of Acts to heart. Believe it. Act on it. After all…

…prisoners in countries closed to the Gospel still make profound impact for Jesus as they share with fellow prisoners and as they pray fervently.

…men and women working jobs they don’t enjoy still radiate His love to workmates.

…those grieving the loss of key relationships in life find that God graciously opens new doors to deep connection where they can make impact for Jesus.

…and believers suffering from illness and lacking strength and opportunity to get out and mingle still make eternal impact – unhindered – as they pray.

Unhinderedly yours…His,

Dave