The Road leading to Rome—from Jerusalem to Caesarea
(1) In what manner had these 40 plus men decided to kill Paul? As Paul would be in the protective custody of Romans soldiers, if the men succeeded, what would be the consequences, not only to them, but to all the Jews in the city?
(2) Fasting and oath taking are the practice of pious Jews, and these 40 plus men used them to express their pious commitment to kill Paul and were endorsed by the religious leaders. Can killing in the name of God be justified ever? Why or why not?
(3) How did the commander react to the news of the plot and how many soldiers in total did he assign to protect Paul against the 40 plus assassins? If you were Paul, how did the words of the Lord in 23:11 minister to him at a time like this?
(4) The Acts of the Apostles would be widely read in the Roman world in the years to come. How did Luke’s record about the commander’s comment on the charges against Paul help the case of Christianity in a hostile environment in those eras?
(5) Paul was now in relative safety having first been taken to Antipatris (about 35 miles from Jerusalem). He was now in the palace built by King Herod quite some years ago in Caesarea (65 miles from Jerusalem). All these things happened within just a week upon his arrival in Jerusalem. Now in the custody of the Romans, Paul would have time to reflect upon his journey to Jerusalem and the many prophecies that were spoken of his journey. How would he prepare himself to face the charges of the Jews and how would he make use of the opportunity not only to win over his people, but also the many Roman soldiers and leaders who would be listening to his defense?
(6) What is the main message to you today?
As much as the Apostle Paul was a man of great faith, he still needed from time to time assurance from the Lord, especially when he was facing great hardship.
Even before the forty+ men plotted to assassinate him, the Lord knew of the plot, and He knew how dangerous the situation would be. He also knew how unsettling it would be for Paul. These men were determined to kill Paul and it was a plot endorsed by the chief priests and elders. They went so far as to take a solemn oath not to eat or drink until Paul was killed.
We read from Luke’s account that God intervened and gave courage (tremendous courage under the circumstance) to Paul’s nephew to relay the plan of the plot to Paul and then, later on, the commander. One can imagine what would happen if this nephew were found out as the one had leaked the plot to the Romans.
But before any of the plot took place, the Lord saw
the need to give assurance to Paul,
“Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome” (Acts 23:11).
By these words Paul knew for sure that the plot would not succeed. The Lord really did not have to tell Paul in advance, because He would intervene anyways. He knew and He cared about Paul’s feeling. He really would not want His children to fear unnecessarily for even an extra second. That’s how good our God is.
The Road leading to Rome—at Caesarea
(1) Now a formal charge was being laid against Paul, with Tertullus, the lawyer, who represented the accusers. On the other hand, who represented Paul as his advocate?
(2) During Felix’s reign over the region, there were many insurrections and he brutally stamped them out. Eventually, he was removed by Caesar himself. Both Tertullus and Paul greeted him with respect in their respective introductions. Compare both introductions and see what you think.
(3) What were the charges brought against Paul formally? What did Tertullus try to achieve?
(4) How did Paul, in his defense, challenge these charges? Was he effective?
(5) Luke said that the governor was well acquainted with the Way. What does it tell you about the spread of the gospel in those days and why?
(6) Since Felix knew exactly what the problem was, why did he not deal with it and pronounce its verdict?
(7) Was Paul’s unfair detention for two years all wasted? Why or why not?
(8) What is the main message to you today?
As we read Paul’s journey to Rome, it appears that his fate was in the hands of powerful, wicked and ruthless rulers like Felix. Felix was known to be a man of lust and brutality. As much as the lawyer Tertullus praised his rule over Judea in that “(they) have enjoyed a long period of peace” under him (Acts 24:2), the historian Josephus said otherwise: “the affairs of the country (meaning the region of Judea) grew worse and worse.” (COBTAEL, Vol. III, 523)
While Felix had the privilege of hearing the gospel even before Paul was arrested, and he had sent for Paul frequently and talked to him, he still would not decide on Paul’s fate, and used him as a political ply instead. As a result, Paul was detained in his custody for at least two years. (Acts 24:27)
One cannot help but wonder, “Where was God in all these? Why would God subject His own servant to the hands of such a wicked ruler?”.
The truth of the matter is that God is in charge all the way. As Felix thought he was in charge, he soon lost his job and was lucky that he did not face harsher punishment from Caesar.
This reminds me of the interview of Chai Ling by Christianity Today. This former top leader in the Tiananmen Square democracy movement who came to Christ eventually in 2010 said, “Once I was praying and asking, ‘What happened in Tiananmen? Why did you (God) allow this to happen?’”.
She finally came to realize who really is in charge of history:
“At Tiananmen in 1989 when I was speaking, there was a bigger power speaking through me. It was so close, that force. We went there with hope that we could reform communism. But God allowed Pharaoh’s heart to be hardened to show the true face of communism. That idol has been smashed.
Pastor Kim Keller (Chai’s pastor in Boston) told me that he went to see the pastors in China. They said a third of the Tiananmen generation (had turned) to Jesus, a third had gone into business, and the other third is still searching. God is using the Tiananmen massacre to bring salvation to China. God has His own timetable. He will bring China to Jesus.” (CT, October, 2011)
Yes, God is always in charge, not the rulers of this world.
The Road to Rome—stalled in Caesarea (Felix to Festus)
(1) A change of governor was a political move in that Felix was found with fault by Caesar in another matter (24:27). He was lucky to be spared from harsher punishments and was only removed of his power as a governor. From Paul’s perspective, what did such a move bring?
(2) Festus knew very well what risk he was taking by changing the trial venue from Caesarea to Jerusalem. Why would he refuse the Jews (25:4) and then offer this chance of change to Paul? (25:9)
(3) How did Paul respond to Festus’ offer to change the venue? (25:10) Why?
(4) With his appeal, Paul’s desire to go to Rome was sealed and in chains. This was probably not as Paul would have expected, (see Rom. 1:10 and Acts 26:29). Would it matter that the way was opened though not as he wished? Why or why not?
(5) King Agrippa was a young ruler appointed by Caesar (and was knowledgeable about Jewish matters and religion just like his father, grandfather and great-grandfather…). Now he was visiting the new governor of Caesarea with his sister, Bernice. According to Luke’s report, why did Festus resort to having Agrippa hear Paul? What does this tell you about Paul’s predicament?
(6) According to Festus, what was the core issue against Paul? (Refer to v. 19)
(7) How important is this issue today?
(8) What is the main message to you today?
In her interview with Christianity Today, Chai Ling also shared a very moving story in trying to make sense of why God allowed the Tiananmen massacre to happen:
“…a colleague from Hong Kong who was at Tiananmen sent me by e-mail a journal entry she had written ten years earlier.
"She was a Christian at Tiananmen. She watched the brutal killings take place. She held in her arms a boy who was dying. She came out traumatized, and she was angry with God. Every year she asked God, ‘Where were you? Why didn’t you save the people there?’
"Until the tenth anniversary. Then she had to give a testimony for her church. She said she quieted herself and asked gently, ‘God where were you?’ She went back to the image of the boy dying in her arms. Immediately there was another figure walking toward her from far away. That figure walked with such peace and dignity — she instantly recognized Him. He merged into the dying boy. This dying boy was saying, ‘Persevere until the very end. My blood comes from this place.’ That figure was Jesus. The Holy Spirit overpowered her. She just cried and cried. Jesus was there.
"(When I read the journal entry) I cried for three hours too. My question was answered.” (CT, October, 2011)
The Road to Rome—A Side Show with King (Herod) Agrippa
Here Paul delivered the most detailed defense recorded by Luke. It was not directed at a Jewish audience, but to the Roman dignitaries. While it was a defense, Paul also made it into a powerful gospel message, deserving our analysis and reflection.
(1) Vv.
2-3
Paul urges Agrippa to listen carefully (for with his background on Jewish matters, he would understand)
Vv. 4-8
Paul lays out the core issue of the gospel:
“Why should any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?” (26:8)
What is your answer to this question?
What would be the answer of the world today?
(2) Vv.
9-11
Paul understood the hatred of the Jews (for he was once one of them)
Vv. 12-18
From his encounter with Jesus, Paul declares
- Jesus is still alive and He rules
- “Persecute Christians, you persecute me!”
- With boldness, Jesus will rescue him
- Gentiles also need to repent and be forgiven
Paul was doing much more than retelling this undisputed heavenly encounter, he was also using this message to confront his hearers. What would Festus and Agrippa be confronted with upon hearing his story so far?
(3) Vv.
19-23
Paul's post-conversion obedience, which emphasizes the accurate fulfillment of the Scriptures
Vv. 24-32
Festus and Agrippa’s response to the gospel message
- Festus acknowledged Paul’s high learning, but considered him insane
- Agrippa side-stepped the challenge of the message
Why did Festus have to “shout”?
How did Paul end his message as a personal challenge?
In your own sharing of the gospel, do you always end with making a personal challenge to your hearer? Why or why not?
(4) What is the main message to you today?
In retelling
his heavenly vision on the road to Damascus, Paul boldly confronted the two
rulers, who could have decided his fate, in 2 areas:
(1) Did they believe in the prophets (and thus their fulfilled prophecies in Christ)?
(2) Would they become who he was, a follower of Christ? (Acts 26:27-29)
His powerful
personal testimony really left these two rulers with little choice. They
had to say one of the following:
- Paul was a liar,
- His vision was an illusion, or
- His vision was real and his message was true.
Festus, the governor, was obviously rocked by Paul’s powerful testimony to the point that he shouted. While acknowledging that Paul’s testimony was not a lie (implied by his affirmation that Paul was a person of great learning), he thought Paul was out of his mind. He chose to think that Paul’s vision was an illusion of some kind. I do not think he honestly thought that Paul was insane, but this was his way to side-step being confronted with who Jesus really is.
As for King Agrippa, with his thorough knowledge of the Old Testament and prophecies, he could not dispute any of Paul’s word. But his pride got the better of him: “Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?” He knew very well that what Paul was doing was not making a defense, but proclaiming the gospel to him. Not only did he know Paul was innocent (“This man would have been set free”); he knew there was truth to his testimony. But as a king appointed by Caesar to rule over the Jews, he could not humble himself and repent before one of his vassals, let alone a prisoner.
The truth remains that an authentic personal testimony of conversion is often powerful to move the heart of the hearer.
The Road to Rome–Extraordinary Voyage (1)
(1) Paul was accompanied by Luke and others, including Aristarchus whom he described as a “fellow prisoner” in Colossians 4:10. While we know Paul was a prisoner, what about Luke and Aristarchus? Were they any different from Paul?
(2) As with most sea voyages of ancient times, it was taken with considerable risks. Luke’s detailed description of the voyage has earned him credibility from his critics as rendering an accurate account.
Let’s see how God was using Paul in this voyage:
(a) Paul, a tent-maker, was no sailor obviously, so his warning in v. 10 was completely ignored by the experts who were actually fooled by a deceptive favorable sign (v. 13), only to plunge themselves into great danger.
What was the lesson here for us today?
(b) As the storm got worse, they had to throw cargo into the sea. What other incident does this remind you of in the Old Testament? How did the people on Jonah’s boat react to the storm? Why? How similar was the situation here?
(c) How do non-believers face their life-storm?
(d) How do you normally face your life-storm?
(e) How did Paul respond to this storm? (vv. 21-26)
(f) What can you learn from Paul, even though you may not have the benefits of having a vision?
(3)What is the main message to you today?
Everyone, Christian and non-Christian alike, has faced or will face some severe storm of life. Life's storms, as a form of trials, are common to man. (1 Co. 10:13) But Paul, in facing an actual life-threatening storm in Acts 27, demonstrated how differently a Christian can face the threat of calamities.
As we read Acts 27, we can see that the centurion and the people:
(1) Relied on human wisdom: They did not listen to Paul who spoke in faith, but “followed the advice of pilot” (27:11).
(2) Went with popular opinion: “Since the majority decided that we should sail on…” (27:12). We often find comfort with going with the majority opinion, either because we feel safer doing so or we do not want to be blamed.
(3) Walked by sight only: “When a gentle south wind began to blow, they thought they had obtained what they wanted” (27:13).
(4) Relied on own strength: As they were pounded by a hurricane-like wind, they frantically tried everything to secure the boat—lowering anchor, throwing cargo into the sea, throwing even the ship’s tackle overboard etc.
(5) Gave up hope: Finally they “gave up all hope of being saved” (27:20). Not only that, Paul later pointed out that “For the last fourteen days…you have been in constant suspense and have gone without food—you haven’t eaten anything” (27:33). This was often a sign of great worry.
Not that Paul and company did not worry or suffer from sea-sickness, or were totally unafraid, they were human too. But as men of faith, they demonstrated their faith in God by
(1) Not making rash decisions: As much as “much time had been lost”, Paul appealed to the centurion to stay put at Fair Haven (27:8). It is very tempting for us to make decisions in haste, especially when we are already behind in schedule.
(2) Bringing our situation to God in prayer: We may not be privileged to see a vision like Paul, but we can be certain that it was during his time of prayer that the angel appeared to him. We always gain strength and wisdom as we bring our struggle to the Lord.
(3) Focusing on God’s promise, not our circumstance: It was not the first time the Lord assured Paul that he would be able to testify in Rome. With or without that vision of the angel, Paul could rely on God’s promise. The vision was perhaps more for the people on the ship than for Paul. Irrespective of how dire the situation might appear, Paul knew he could count on God’s promise.
(4) Having peace that surpasses understanding: Of all the people on the ship, Paul (and perhaps his companions as well) was at peace, to the degree that he could eat as usual. To conduct life as usual in times of trials is often a sign of faith and peace.
The Road to Rome—Extraordinary Voyage (2)
(1) How did Paul openly demonstrate his faith in a time like this?
(2) We may admire Paul in how he took over the situation among these non-believers. But can you tell what was the key to Paul being able to exert such authority?
(3) Under what conditions may we emulate Paul?
(4) Under what conditions may we not even try to emulate Paul?
(5) What is your opinion about the centurion?
(6) Luke did not describe him as a believer, but did mention how he tried to protect or came to aid Paul several times. Have you experienced God’s provision of help through non-believers in your life?
(7) What is the main message to you today?
As we reflect on Paul’s remarkable sea journey and how he weathered the storm in calmness and in peace, may I invite you to reflect on this lovely hymn by Daniel W. Whittle (in 1893) which Andrew Murray of South Africa said, “…it embraces my entire creed.” It was said that this hymn became “a great favorite in South Africa during the war.” I think Paul and companions would be able to identify with the words of this hymn.
Moment by Moment
Refrain
Moment by moment I’m kept in His love;
Moment by moment I’ve life from above;
Looking to Jesus till glory doth shine;
Moment by moment, O Lord, I am Thine.1. Dying with Jesus, by death reckoned mine;
Living with Jesus, a new life divine;
Looking to Jesus till glory doth shine,
Moment by moment, O Lord, I am Thine.
2
Never a trial that He is not there,
Never a burden that He doth not bear,
Never a sorrow that He doth not share,
Moment by moment, I’m under His care.
3
4
Never a heartache, and never a groan,
Never a teardrop and never a moan;
Never a danger but there on the throne,
Moment by moment He thinks of His own.
Never a weakness that He doth not feel,
Never a sickness that He cannot heal;
Moment by moment, in woe or in weal,
Jesus my Savior, abides with me still.
The Road to Rome—at Malta
(1) How did the islanders (literally translated, barbarians) interpret Paul’s being “bitten” by a snake? Why?
(2) When was the last time someone you knew came across a sudden calamity or accident in life? What was your interpretation of the matter?
(3) How did you handle similar accidents in life in the past? Why?
(4) This was no accident obviously. What was the result of this incident in Malta?
(5) What can we learn from this?
(6) This was supposed to be an extradition, but based on what happened here on the island, what has this journey turned into?
(7) What is the main message to you today?
We all have some ultimate plan or goal in our life, and for Christians, we often wonder what God’s plan is for our life. But one of the pitfalls in our search for God’s plan for our life, is that we often look at the present as a transition to the future, thereby focusing on the future to the point that we forget that God’s plan for our life does include the present. There is meaning and purpose in the here and now.
It is true that Paul’s ultimate desire was to testify for Jesus in Rome and he knew his present journey would end in Rome. However, it did not prevent him from seeing every moment along this journey as part of his ministry and part of the Great Commission. As a result, we may quickly skim over his stay in Malta as an interlude of Paul’s missionary journey to Rome; Paul took seriously his stay in Malta as part of his call. As a result, he ended up having cured many of the sick in the island. Was there any doubt that he preached the gospel to them as well?
His shipwreck, after all, was not accidental. God loved the people of Malta and this shipwreck had meant that the people had a chance to hear the gospel through Paul’s healing and preaching during his stay of three months on that island.