Luke describe how
as Paul walked 30 miles
00:01:36.32\00:01:40.30
from Troas down to Assos.
00:01:40.34\00:01:42.94
Luke and the others caught
a boat and sailed down to this
00:01:42.97\00:01:47.05
picturesque harbor where
they met the apostle Paul.
00:01:47.08\00:01:50.37
Then together they sailed
down past the court of Ephesus
00:01:50.41\00:01:54.72
to that great port city,
with a wonderful theater,
00:01:54.76\00:01:58.46
of Miletus where Paul meets
with the Ephesian elders and
00:01:58.49\00:02:03.66
shares with them
his heart concern.
00:02:03.70\00:02:06.21
Telling them that they
will never see their face again.
00:02:06.24\00:02:09.38
Paul sailed past Ephesus,
he wants to reach Jerusalem for
00:02:11.89\00:02:16.93
the feast of Pentecost.
00:02:16.96\00:02:18.77
Paul still celebrates the
festivals as a born-again Jew.
00:02:18.81\00:02:24.24
He comes to this great
city, and while he is here,
00:02:24.28\00:02:28.33
the spirit moves upon his
heart to send for the elders
00:02:28.37\00:02:32.39
of the city of Ephesus.
00:02:32.42\00:02:34.34
Paul says you know how
I've minister to you, for three
00:03:08.73\00:03:12.26
years I've
shared my life with you.
00:03:12.30\00:03:14.81
I've shared the counsel
of God with you both in the
00:03:14.85\00:03:18.63
synagogue, in the halls
of Tyrannus, and also from
00:03:18.67\00:03:22.04
house to house we broke
bread, we have fellowship.
00:03:22.08\00:03:25.23
I have not hesitated
to share anything that was
00:03:25.26\00:03:28.38
beneficial for
your spiritual growth.
00:03:28.42\00:03:30.65
But Paul has a concern, he
knows that this will be the
00:03:30.69\00:03:34.47
last time he will see
these brothers, and he shares
00:03:34.50\00:03:38.25
his deep concern with them.
00:03:38.28\00:03:40.56
Yes the Spirit was urging
Paul, warning him that in every
00:04:06.80\00:04:10.44
place he faced
dangers and trials.
00:04:10.48\00:04:13.82
Paul says I count my life
as nothing, I have given it all
00:04:13.85\00:04:17.33
to Jesus for He
gave His all for me.
00:04:17.36\00:04:20.49
I only want to run the
race and finish the course that
00:04:20.53\00:04:24.21
God has set out for me.
00:04:24.25\00:04:26.38
Paul continues.
00:04:26.41\00:04:28.22
From a Miletus his
heart was set go to Jerusalem,
00:04:37.84\00:04:40.68
even though he was
being warned about going.
00:04:40.71\00:04:43.62
So he sailed across the
Mediterranean, and after several
00:04:43.65\00:04:47.57
stops he came back to the
Port of Caesarea once again.
00:04:47.60\00:04:51.48
Here he met with the
church for some time.
00:04:51.52\00:04:54.56
While he was here a prophet
named Agabus came over to
00:04:54.60\00:04:58.20
the house of Philip, the
evangelist who had been one
00:04:58.23\00:05:02.34
of the seven deacons in
Jerusalem, there he revealed
00:05:02.38\00:05:06.46
what the Lord had told him,
00:05:06.49\00:05:08.21
that Saul would be
arrested in Jerusalem.
00:05:08.25\00:05:10.71
He took Saul's belt and
wrapped it around his hands and
00:05:10.75\00:05:14.57
said the Holy Spirit told
me that the one who owns this
00:05:14.60\00:05:18.96
belt will be arrested and
will be tied up in Jerusalem.
00:05:18.99\00:05:23.32
Saul still had up on his
heart to go to Jerusalem.
00:05:23.35\00:05:26.95
He said it was okay,
what ever happens is fine.
00:05:26.99\00:05:30.51
So he left and Caesarea,
the last time he would walk here
00:05:30.55\00:05:35.11
as a free man and would
again walk the 50 miles up to
00:05:35.15\00:05:39.68
Mount Zion, to
the city of Jerusalem.
00:05:39.71\00:05:42.10
Paul had come up to
Jerusalem and was asked by the
00:05:46.42\00:05:49.01
leaders of the
church to fulfill a vow with
00:05:49.05\00:05:51.23
several other men.
00:05:51.26\00:05:53.27
While he was in the temple,
on the seventh day, several
00:06:46.47\00:06:50.30
Asian Jews spotted him
and accused him of bringing
00:06:50.33\00:06:55.58
uncircumcised Greeks into
the area reserved only for
00:06:55.61\00:07:00.82
circumcised Jews
and men of Israel to be.
00:07:00.85\00:07:04.40
This created a tremendous
riot inside the temple courts.
00:07:04.43\00:07:10.21
People were shouting one
thing, and another thing.
00:07:10.24\00:07:13.12
They came upon
Paul and grab him and
00:07:13.16\00:07:16.21
attempted to kill him.
00:07:16.25\00:07:17.53
While all of this was
going on, the news reached the
00:07:17.56\00:07:20.56
commander of the troops
in the tower of Anatolia.
00:07:20.60\00:07:23.57
From his fortress, troops
reported that something was
00:07:23.60\00:07:26.75
going on, they rushed
down the stairs and into the
00:07:26.79\00:07:29.90
court and rescued Paul.
00:07:29.94\00:07:32.81
When they arrived the men
stopped and moved back because
00:07:32.85\00:07:37.08
of the Roman soldiers.
00:07:37.11\00:07:38.84
The soldiers took Paul
into the tower of Anatolia that
00:07:38.88\00:07:43.02
protected and
guarded the temple.
00:07:43.05\00:07:45.73
There he ordered him
to be put into chains.
00:07:45.77\00:07:48.31
Paul asked for permission
to speak and he addressed
00:07:48.34\00:07:52.54
the commander in Greek.
00:07:52.57\00:07:54.47
He was
surprised, you speak Greek?
00:07:54.51\00:07:56.12
I thought you were
that Egyptian arrested in
00:07:56.16\00:07:57.91
the desert leading a revolt.
00:07:57.95\00:08:00.10
No, I am a man of Tarsus, a
citizen of no ordinary city.
00:08:00.13\00:08:05.28
Then Paul asked for permission
to address the brothers.
00:08:05.31\00:08:10.42
From the courts, in
the tower of Anatolia,
00:08:10.46\00:08:12.75
he addressed them in Aramaic.
00:08:12.78\00:08:14.86
While Paul was being held
his nephew got wind of a plot
00:08:14.90\00:08:18.97
that several Jews had taken.
00:08:19.00\00:08:21.18
They intent is to take
Paul's life, to assassinate him.
00:08:21.22\00:08:25.13
He sent his nephew with the
information to the commander
00:08:25.17\00:08:29.05
of the soldiers
here in Jerusalem.
00:08:29.09\00:08:31.00
The commander decided
immediately that he must send
00:08:31.03\00:08:34.68
Paul to Caesarea and so
he called for two centurions.
00:08:34.71\00:08:39.48
He said, prepare 200
horsemen, 70 Spear men and 200
00:08:39.51\00:08:43.43
soldiers and take Paul
immediately, under the cover
00:08:43.47\00:08:47.35
of darkness, to Caesarea.
00:08:47.39\00:08:49.69
So Paul once more escaped
with his life from the Devil's
00:08:49.72\00:08:55.01
wiles to kill him.
00:08:55.05\00:08:56.52
for God had ordained
that he should go and witness
00:08:56.56\00:09:00.40
before Caesar in
the city of Rome.
00:09:00.44\00:09:03.33
So Paul leaves
Jerusalem for the last time.
00:09:03.37\00:09:07.38
It must have broken his heart as
he left the holy city in chains.
00:09:07.42\00:09:11.93
Being taken under
the cover of darkness,
00:09:11.97\00:09:14.79
his own countrymen
threatening to kill him
00:09:14.83\00:09:17.62
for his faith in the Messiah.
00:09:17.65\00:09:20.42
Paul would be taken down
to Caesarea where he will be
00:09:20.45\00:09:24.94
held for trial, here he
was kept at the Palace of Herod
00:09:24.98\00:09:29.43
for over two years.
00:09:29.47\00:09:31.66
Standing trial before
Felix, and then Festus,
00:09:31.70\00:09:36.03
and then King Agrippa.
00:09:36.07\00:09:38.03
From here Paul
would appeal to Caesar.
00:09:38.07\00:09:40.69
King Agrippa and Bernice
said there was no reason to keep
00:09:40.73\00:09:43.97
this man any longer, but
since he has appealed to Caesar,
00:09:44.00\00:09:47.21
to Caesar he must go.
00:09:47.24\00:09:49.37
After many opportunities of
witnessing before the various
00:09:49.41\00:09:53.16
Roman officials who were
stationed here is Caesarea,
00:09:53.19\00:09:56.95
the time came for Paul to
sail off to the city of Rome.
00:09:56.98\00:10:00.88
They would sail past the
island of Malta and he would be
00:10:00.91\00:10:04.62
shipwrecked there, a tremendous
miracle would happen as
00:10:04.66\00:10:07.64
he was gathering wood on
the island, a snake came out
00:10:07.68\00:10:10.63
and bid him on the arm.
00:10:10.67\00:10:12.55
The people said that he
must have been a terrible man
00:10:12.59\00:10:15.05
because he was shipwrecked
and they thought things would
00:10:15.08\00:10:17.51
be okay because he was saved.
00:10:17.54\00:10:19.14
But after being saved,
the turn of events moved again
00:10:19.17\00:10:22.64
with the snake to bite
him, and yet Paul did not die.
00:10:22.68\00:10:25.93
People began to believe
and accept the Lord because of
00:10:25.96\00:10:29.30
the mighty power they had
seen manifested in his life.
00:10:29.33\00:10:33.42
The centurion that was
guarding Paul made arrangements
00:10:33.45\00:10:37.33
for them to catch an Alexandrian
grain ship to sail from
00:10:37.36\00:10:41.73
Malta over to the great port
of Rome on the northern edge
00:10:41.77\00:10:46.11
of the bay of
Naples, Pots-Wally.
00:10:46.14\00:10:48.95
They sailed on a ship that
had figureheads of Castor and
00:10:48.99\00:10:52.72
Pollux, the twin sons
of Zeus who were said to
00:10:52.75\00:10:57.01
be the patrons of Mariners.
00:10:57.05\00:10:59.48
But Paul knew that it was
not Castor and Pollux that had
00:10:59.51\00:11:02.07
preserved him from the sea.
00:11:02.10\00:11:03.80
Paul knew that it was not
Castor and Pollux, the son of
00:11:03.83\00:11:07.34
Zeus, who have preserved
276 people from this shipwreck.
00:11:07.38\00:11:11.09
Paul knew that it was
Jesus Christ, because Jesus had
00:11:11.13\00:11:14.81
arranged for him to
proclaim the Gospel here in
00:11:14.84\00:11:17.72
the very capital of the empire.
00:11:17.76\00:11:20.20
Paul was taken on
board the ship that sailed to
00:11:20.23\00:11:25.05
Pots-Wally and when he got
off the ship, Luke described
00:11:25.08\00:11:28.19
a group of believers from
Pots-Wally who came out to meet
00:11:28.22\00:11:31.22
Paul and welcomed with him,
and stayed with him for a week.
00:11:31.26\00:11:34.22
We have followed Paul's foot
steps for nearly 13,000 miles.
00:11:37.72\00:11:42.01
We have walked on some
of Rome's greatest roads.
00:11:42.04\00:11:45.52
We went up to the Via
Secunda from the coast of
00:11:45.56\00:11:49.02
Pamphylia the region
of Galatia and Pisidia.
00:11:49.06\00:11:52.46
We traveled that fabulous
road up from Paul's home town
00:11:52.49\00:11:56.62
of Tarsus into the Anatolian
Plateau to the Cilician
00:11:56.66\00:12:00.76
gates and we traveled this road.
00:12:00.79\00:12:03.56
The via Egnazia that connected
the port of Neopolis with
00:12:03.59\00:12:07.74
the Roman colony of Philippi.
00:12:07.78\00:12:09.85
Perhaps the most important
road of all for Rome was
00:12:09.89\00:12:13.34
this road, for
this is the Appian Way.
00:12:13.38\00:12:17.46
This is the road
that connected Pots-Wally,
00:12:17.49\00:12:20.79
the major port of Rome,
down on the Bay of Naples
00:12:20.82\00:12:23.76
with the capital city.
00:12:23.80\00:12:25.63
Today's large sections of
this road have been replaced by
00:12:25.67\00:12:29.35
small stones to make it
easier for automobile traffic
00:12:29.39\00:12:33.04
and motorcycles and bicycles.
00:12:33.07\00:12:35.76
You can still see the
large paving stones in this
00:12:35.79\00:12:38.49
section, the original
stones from the Roman period.
00:12:38.53\00:12:41.56
You can see the grooves
that have been worn through
00:12:41.60\00:12:44.60
centuries of waken
and chariot traffic.
00:12:44.63\00:12:47.93
Paul would have walked
along this road as he approached
00:12:47.96\00:12:51.56
the capital city, and he
had a prayer in his heart.
00:12:51.59\00:12:55.46
God help me to be Your
faithful witness, help me to
00:12:55.49\00:12:59.17
testify about Your goodness
before the Imperial family.
00:12:59.20\00:13:02.84
And God heard his prayer.
00:13:02.88\00:13:05.48
Some of Caesar's very
household were converted
00:13:05.51\00:13:09.11
because of Paul's
testimony that Jesus was the
00:13:09.14\00:13:12.70
Christ and Lord of all.
00:13:12.73\00:13:14.81
The Bible tells us.
00:13:14.84\00:13:16.88
Yes when they came into the
city of Rome, Paul was taken
00:13:33.58\00:13:37.31
before the Imperial
guard, before the captain of the
00:13:37.35\00:13:41.05
imperial guard, Afranius Burrus.
00:13:41.09\00:13:44.37
He was taken before this
man who had been a tutor of
00:13:44.40\00:13:47.49
Nero, he was a just man.
00:13:47.53\00:13:49.94
And as he listened to Paul's
case, a centurion said he was
00:13:49.98\00:13:53.63
a good man and gave the
report about Claudius Lysias,
00:13:53.66\00:13:56.61
the commander from
Jerusalem, who said he had done
00:13:56.64\00:13:59.72
nothing worthy of imprisonment
and how both Felix and
00:13:59.75\00:14:02.80
Festus, the Roman
governors of Palestine,
00:14:02.83\00:14:05.11
had said the same.
00:14:05.14\00:14:06.66
And even King Agrippa,
the Jewish King reigning from
00:14:06.69\00:14:09.86
Galilee, had said he
had done nothing worthy of
00:14:09.90\00:14:13.11
imprisonment or of death.
00:14:13.15\00:14:15.21
So General Burrus
allowed Paul to live under house
00:14:15.25\00:14:19.25
arrest, he was to live in
his own rented house with a
00:14:19.29\00:14:23.62
soldier from the Imperial
guard, to watch over him,
00:14:23.65\00:14:27.95
and to keep them
safe in the city.
00:14:27.98\00:14:30.66
Luke goes on to describe
how that three days after
00:14:30.69\00:14:34.34
arriving in the
great city of Rome,
00:14:34.37\00:14:37.08
that he made arrangements
for the leaders of the
00:14:37.12\00:14:39.23
Jewish community to come.
00:14:39.26\00:14:41.02
He wanted to share with
them his situation and why he
00:14:41.05\00:14:44.31
had come, he was not coming
because he had a grievance
00:14:44.35\00:14:47.77
against his people, but
because they had made a charge
00:14:47.80\00:14:51.28
against him, a charge
that was without foundation.
00:14:51.32\00:14:54.77
We read on Acts 28:17.
00:14:54.80\00:14:59.43
Paul said I want to be
very clear, I have done nothing
00:15:35.11\00:15:38.28
against the
customs of our ancestors
00:15:38.31\00:15:41.67
or against our religion.
00:15:41.70\00:15:43.79
Isn't it amazing that the
uninformed often accused Paul
00:15:43.82\00:15:48.75
of doing away with Judaism?
00:15:48.79\00:15:50.71
How could he with a clean
conscience stand before the
00:15:50.74\00:15:54.55
leaders of the synagogue,
here in the city of Rome,
00:15:54.59\00:15:57.65
and say I have done nothing
against the customs of the
00:15:57.69\00:16:00.72
Elders, or against the
traditions of our fathers,
00:16:00.75\00:16:03.74
that I am in chains
for the hope of Israel?
00:16:03.78\00:16:06.58
Paul still
maintained the great teachings
00:16:08.50\00:16:11.77
of the Old Testament.
00:16:11.80\00:16:13.58
The only difference was
he had accepted Jesus as his
00:16:13.61\00:16:17.27
Messiah, Jesus as his Christ.
00:16:17.31\00:16:20.23
Paul said I have done
nothing against the customs or
00:16:20.26\00:16:22.58
the traditions of our
fathers, or our people.
00:16:22.61\00:16:26.49
I am not here because of
a grudge against our people,
00:16:26.53\00:16:30.35
I am here because they
had a grudge against me.
00:16:30.39\00:16:34.09
Paul arranged for the
leaders to come together with
00:16:34.12\00:16:37.79
additional Elders
of the synagogues,
00:16:37.83\00:16:40.70
here in the city of Rome.
00:16:40.73\00:16:41.84
It is estimated that there
were over 30,000 Jews living
00:16:41.88\00:16:44.65
in the city of
Rome at this time.
00:16:44.68\00:16:46.37
We read on.
00:16:46.40\00:16:47.96
Again we see that Paul
comes before the Jewish leaders
00:17:48.27\00:17:50.89
of the city of Rome and
he appeals to them about
00:17:50.92\00:17:53.65
Jesus, being the Messiah.
00:17:53.68\00:17:55.58
He appeals to them about
the kingdom of God and notice
00:17:55.62\00:17:59.09
what he uses as the base
of his authority, Scripture.
00:17:59.13\00:18:02.57
The law of Moses
and the prophets.
00:18:02.61\00:18:05.27
Yes Paul was a Jew, he
believed in the hope of Israel.
00:18:05.31\00:18:09.19
He was proclaiming these
teachings to the believers here.
00:18:09.22\00:18:13.07
If, as some assume, Paul
was now worshiping on the
00:18:13.10\00:18:16.09
first day of the
week, how could he say that
00:18:16.13\00:18:18.49
with a clear conscience?
00:18:18.53\00:18:20.30
It was an absurd idea.
00:18:20.33\00:18:22.03
Yes we know for sure
that here in the city of Rome,
00:18:22.07\00:18:25.75
the first day of the week
did not arise from Paul or
00:18:25.79\00:18:29.47
from the leaders of the
early church, but arose in the
00:18:29.50\00:18:33.65
second century, it had to
do with the controversy over
00:18:33.69\00:18:37.80
the resurrection of Jesus.
00:18:37.84\00:18:40.65
It had to do the
Easter controversy.
00:18:40.68\00:18:43.49
You see after the destruction
of Jerusalem by Hadrian and
00:18:43.52\00:18:47.40
135 A.D., Hadrian made a
decree that Jews could not come
00:18:47.44\00:18:51.28
within 50 miles of Jerusalem.
00:18:51.32\00:18:53.75
That meant that Christians
could not come within 50 miles
00:18:53.78\00:18:56.23
either, for they were
still largely considered
00:18:56.26\00:18:58.87
a sect of the Jews.
00:18:58.91\00:19:00.70
Both groups were
banned from the city.
00:19:00.73\00:19:03.10
Christians in Rome try
to distinguish themselves,
00:19:03.14\00:19:06.29
to distance
themselves, from Jews.
00:19:06.32\00:19:08.96
So at a time when both
religions were celebrating the
00:19:08.99\00:19:13.48
resurrection of Jesus on
the 16th day of the first Jewish
00:19:13.52\00:19:17.97
month, Passover and the
offering of a wave sheaf,
00:19:18.01\00:19:22.35
or the first fruits, Christians
at Rome tried to move away
00:19:22.38\00:19:26.45
from the 14th, 15th, and
16th days of the first Jewish
00:19:26.48\00:19:30.18
month, and move their
celebration of the crucifixion
00:19:30.22\00:19:33.94
and resurrection of Jesus,
to the festival of Ishtar.
00:19:33.98\00:19:37.67
Ishtar, the Babylonian
god that supposedly was
00:19:37.71\00:19:42.92
resurrected on the first
Sunday, after the full moon,
00:19:42.95\00:19:46.50
after the spring equinox.
00:19:46.53\00:19:48.63
This word has been Anglicized
and we know it today as Easter.
00:19:48.66\00:19:54.32
That's right Jesus was
crucified on Friday, and rose
00:19:54.35\00:19:58.56
from the grave on the
first day of the week.
00:19:58.59\00:20:00.85
But this was also on the
14th and 16th day of the first
00:20:00.89\00:20:05.40
Jewish month, it
was tied to Passover.
00:20:05.43\00:20:07.24
He died as a Passover
Lamb at three in the afternoon
00:20:07.27\00:20:10.76
on the 14th day of
the first Jewish month.
00:20:10.79\00:20:13.11
And then there was an
annual Sabbath, there are seven
00:20:13.15\00:20:15.77
annual Sabbath's, not tied
to a day of the week, but to
00:20:15.81\00:20:18.40
a day of the month,
much like your birthday.
00:20:18.43\00:20:21.16
Then on the 16th day was
the offering of the wave sheaf
00:20:21.20\00:20:24.43
the first ripening
grains of barley were coming to
00:20:24.46\00:20:27.52
maturity, and they went
out and collected those first
00:20:27.56\00:20:30.50
ripening grains, and
brought them into the temple and
00:20:30.54\00:20:33.86
waved them before God as an
offering of the first fruits
00:20:33.90\00:20:37.19
of the barley harvest.
00:20:37.22\00:20:39.74
Jesus was resurrected as
the offering of the first fruits
00:20:39.78\00:20:43.10
of them that would
be raised from the dead.
00:20:43.13\00:20:46.42
Yes he completely fulfilled
the wonderful festivals of
00:20:46.45\00:20:51.70
Passover, of the Passover
Lamb dying, and also of the
00:20:51.73\00:20:56.94
offering of the wave sheaf.
00:20:56.98\00:20:58.69
The church moved the celebration
of Jesus' resurrection
00:20:58.73\00:21:02.80
from the dead, from the
16th day of the first Jewish
00:21:02.84\00:21:06.86
month tied to the Passover,
to the first Sunday after
00:21:06.90\00:21:10.89
the full moon, after the
spring equinox, tied instead to
00:21:10.92\00:21:14.63
the festival of Ishtar.
00:21:14.66\00:21:16.49
Paul had longed to witness
in Rome and now he was here.
00:21:17.92\00:21:21.28
By God's providence, he
now had his own rented place
00:21:21.31\00:21:24.63
and he was able to
entertain people who would
00:21:24.66\00:21:27.83
come to hear the gospel.
00:21:27.86\00:21:30.17
The fact that he was in
chains did not bother Paul.
00:21:30.21\00:21:33.07
Paul believed that all
things work together for good
00:21:33.11\00:21:35.94
to those that love God.
00:21:35.97\00:21:37.63
And so Paul faithfully
witnessed before the Jews,
00:21:37.67\00:21:40.40
sharing with them from
the Scriptures that Jesus was
00:21:40.44\00:21:43.11
the Christ, and he assured
them that he had done nothing
00:21:43.14\00:21:46.19
against the traditions
and the teachings of Moses and
00:21:46.23\00:21:49.36
the prophets, and the
teachings of the ancestors.
00:21:49.40\00:21:52.45
Paul said with a clear
conscience, I only come to
00:21:52.48\00:21:55.50
exalt the hope of Israel.
00:21:55.54\00:21:58.22
The belief in the resurrection
of the dead and how it
00:21:58.25\00:22:00.33
was fulfilled in
Jesus of Nazareth.
00:22:00.37\00:22:02.38
Yes Paul had faithfully
followed wherever Jesus had led.
00:22:02.41\00:22:06.78
Now Jesus had led him
here to the great city of Rome
00:22:06.81\00:22:10.70
and he learned to be
content under all circumstances.
00:22:10.73\00:22:14.58
Whether he had much
or whether he had little.
00:22:14.62\00:22:16.49
So the fact that he was in
chains did not bother Paul.
00:22:16.53\00:22:19.60
He was here was going to
faithfully witness for his
00:22:19.64\00:22:22.68
Lord in this great city.
00:22:22.72\00:22:24.62
You know there is a very
strange brand of Christianity
00:22:24.66\00:22:27.42
going around, it is
actually foreign to the New
00:22:27.46\00:22:30.28
Testament, foreign to Scripture.
00:22:30.32\00:22:32.16
I call it the gospel of
wealth, health, and prosperity.
00:22:32.19\00:22:36.22
Preachers come along and
say, if you only believe,
00:22:36.26\00:22:40.15
everything will be
just fine and dandy.
00:22:40.19\00:22:42.41
Everything will be
just rosy and chirpy.
00:22:42.44\00:22:44.59
If you give money to
my ministry, if you sow
00:22:44.62\00:22:46.79
that seed of promise, you
will reap a tremendous material
00:22:46.83\00:22:51.21
blessing of prosperity.
00:22:51.25\00:22:53.22
Our man Paul comes
to the city in chains.
00:22:53.26\00:22:57.16
He has been unjustly
accused by the Asian Jews.
00:22:57.20\00:23:00.90
He has had his own countrymen
to take a vow that they
00:23:00.94\00:23:05.37
would not eat food
until they killed him.
00:23:05.41\00:23:07.82
They were so
motivated with hatred.
00:23:07.86\00:23:09.83
We see how he was unjustly
held him in prison for two years
00:23:09.86\00:23:14.56
in Caesarea while the government
was waiting for a bribe.
00:23:14.60\00:23:19.26
We have seen Paul
mistreated, he shared with the
00:23:19.30\00:23:23.22
Corinthian believers an
entire list of the mistreatment
00:23:23.25\00:23:27.10
he had experienced while
following Christ, while reaping
00:23:27.14\00:23:30.72
the harvest of
faith that he had sown.
00:23:30.75\00:23:33.76
Yes we see that Paul's
life was not a bed of roses.
00:24:51.43\00:24:54.18
We see all the different
experiences through which he
00:24:54.21\00:24:56.92
passed, he was
sowing the seeds of faith.
00:24:56.95\00:24:59.75
And yet he was reaping
what appeared to be a tremendous
00:24:59.79\00:25:03.52
adversity, but we know
that God had not forsaken him.
00:25:03.56\00:25:07.04
We know that Jesus had
not turned its back on him.
00:25:07.08\00:25:10.32
We know that Jesus was
leading him forward, yes he was
00:25:10.35\00:25:13.56
a great apostle
filled with faith.
00:25:13.60\00:25:15.85
Under all these difficulties
that came into his life,
00:25:15.89\00:25:19.39
he did not let it get him down.
00:25:19.42\00:25:21.72
He continued on
praising his God.
00:25:21.76\00:25:23.98
He continued on following
in the footsteps of Jesus.
00:25:24.02\00:25:26.65
Oh my friends, I do not
know what difficulties you
00:25:26.68\00:25:29.27
might have gone through.
00:25:29.31\00:25:30.70
I don't know what shadows
might have crossed your path.
00:25:30.74\00:25:35.36
I don't know what challenges
you might face, but I know
00:25:35.40\00:25:40.02
that we cannot determine
God's love for us based on the
00:25:40.05\00:25:44.64
experiences that
happen around us.
00:25:44.67\00:25:47.29
Paul says that these momentary
problems are going to pass
00:25:47.32\00:25:50.93
away, that we have to
look beyond that to the reality
00:25:50.97\00:25:54.51
beyond, to the real world,
to the world where Jesus is now.
00:25:54.54\00:26:00.37
Our great Priest,
encouraging us to hang in there.
00:26:00.41\00:26:03.56
Encouraging us to
continue to faithfully follow.
00:26:03.59\00:26:06.67
Yes we followed Paul's
journey from his home in Tarsus
00:26:06.70\00:26:11.43
to Jerusalem, to Damascus,
throughout the ancient world.
00:26:11.46\00:26:15.77
Now from Jerusalem here to
the great city of Rome where
00:26:15.81\00:26:20.09
he is in chains to be
tried before the Emperor.
00:26:20.12\00:26:22.93
Yet Paul is not complaining,
he is not bitter, he is not
00:26:22.97\00:26:27.78
angry and
disappointed, he is hopeful.
00:26:27.82\00:26:30.45
He is hopeful that even these
chains will prove to be the
00:26:30.48\00:26:33.91
salvation of someone
here in this great city.
00:26:33.94\00:26:36.98
O friend of mine, do
you need hope like that?
00:26:37.01\00:26:42.43
Jesus says to come,
Paul heard Jesus say, Paul,
00:26:42.46\00:26:47.89
My strength will be made
perfect in your weakness.
00:26:47.92\00:26:52.48
Sometimes we feel so
weak, sometimes we feel like
00:26:52.51\00:26:56.13
complaining and giving up
when things happen that we
00:26:56.17\00:26:59.75
did not anticipate, or plan for.
00:26:59.78\00:27:02.43
Perhaps a sickness comes
into our home, perhaps an
00:27:02.47\00:27:05.55
illness to one of our family
members, or a good friend.
00:27:05.58\00:27:07.96
Perhaps it happens
to us and we wonder
00:27:07.99\00:27:10.49
God, where are You?
00:27:10.53\00:27:11.91
Perhaps it is a financial
or personal loss of job.
00:27:11.94\00:27:15.79
We don't turn away from
Jesus during times like this,
00:27:15.82\00:27:19.63
we turn to Him,
knowing that if God be for us
00:27:19.66\00:27:22.76
who can be against us.
00:27:22.79\00:27:25.20
That's what
Paul's life teaches us.
00:27:25.23\00:27:27.97
As he faithfully followed
Him, here to the great city of
00:27:28.00\00:27:31.99
Rome, where he comes in
chains to witness for his Lord.
00:27:32.03\00:27:35.99
Let's pray together.
00:27:36.02\00:27:37.53
Eternal God, what an
incredible journey it has been
00:27:37.57\00:27:40.92
following Paul from the
city of Jerusalem down to
00:27:40.95\00:27:44.24
Caesarea and the ocean journey
that took him to dangerous
00:27:44.27\00:27:48.37
places along the island
of Crete and finally to be
00:27:48.41\00:27:51.71
shipwrecked off Malta what a
miracle that he landed on the
00:27:51.74\00:27:55.28
island and that You
preserved him because You had a
00:27:55.31\00:27:57.63
purpose for his life
here in the city of Rome.
00:27:57.66\00:28:00.04
We thank you to see how
he came into the city and
00:28:00.08\00:28:02.39
witnessed before the
Jews and shared his faith
00:28:02.42\00:28:04.70
with the hope of Israel.
00:28:04.73\00:28:06.19
We thank You for this
faithful follower and that in
00:28:06.22\00:28:09.37
the midst of such incredible
odds he still had a radiant
00:28:09.41\00:28:13.01
Faith in You and I want each
one of us were Jesus to have
00:28:13.05\00:28:16.47
that same hope and confidence
in You, knowing that all
00:28:16.50\00:28:20.24
things work together for
good to those who love God and
00:28:20.27\00:28:23.95
are called by His purpose, that
is my prayer from here in the
00:28:23.98\00:28:27.62
city of Rome,
in Jesus name Amen!
00:28:27.66\00:28:29.92
Don't miss the next thrilling
teaching in our series,
00:28:29.95\00:28:33.38
as Paul witnesses before Caesar
in the great city of Rome.
00:28:33.41\00:28:38.17