Fan the Flame - a Journey Through ActsSample

Day 47 - Paul Preaches in Rome

And so we come to the end of Acts. We have seen the fulfilment of Stage 1 of the commission given to the followers of Jesus in Acts 1:8, “and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Paul is under house arrest in Rome, but he still finds a way to obey the commission given to him as an envoy of Jesus. If he can’t go to the people, he’ll invite them to come to him! Typical of his modus operandi, he invites Jews to his lodgings first, and they come in great numbers, eager to hear about his “sect”. But as in his testimonies in Acts 22 (note verse 21) and Acts 26 (note verse 17), there is dissension among the Jews when he declares his commission to take the gospel to the Gentiles: “Let it be known to you then that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen” (Acts 28:28). And so they come, and Paul welcomes and shares the gospel to all comers without distinction, “proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance” (28:31).

Acts seems to end abruptly – there is no Acts 29 in our Bibles to tell us how the story of the spread of the gospel continues. (You’d need to study some church history to find out how the exciting story continues!) But in a very real sense, we are Acts 29! We also are those commissioned to “go therefore and make disciples of all nations” (Matt 28:19); we are the ones called to be Jesus’s witnesses “in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Paul remained faithful to his calling to the end of his life.

Will you be faithful to your calling? What can you do to follow Paul’s example, in your context, to “proclaim the kingdom of God and teach about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness” (28:31)?

Would you join with me in this prayer as we finish our journey through Acts? Help me, Lord, to be an “Acts 29 Christ-follower,” taking your commission to me seriously in my family, among my friends, fellow students, colleagues, neighbours – yes, even my enemies – wherever you have placed me. Would you fan the flame of my heart and use me to spread your gospel to the world? Amen.