Acts 28

When I come to the end of a book that I have enjoyed I often feel like I am saying good-bye to a friend. I sometimes put off reading the last pages because I know that I am moving through the end of a relationship of sorts, and I hate to see the end. This has been my experience with the book of Acts. I have enjoyed the adventure, and Luke's excitement, and Paul's journey, and the early church stretching to extend love to those they didn't really want to love - but they did it!

In this last chapter we experience the beech after a ship wreck. Paul is bitten by a poisonous snake, and shakes it off. Later, he prays for the sick father of one of the leading citizens and the man recovers. Soon all of the sick and oppressed of the island are coming for healing! When it is time to leave, the locals provide for the needs of the travelers (all 276 of them!) and send them back on their way to Rome.

Once in Rome Paul finds a gentler imprisonment and he is visited by believers from all around the area. Paul had written to the believers in Rome looking to convey his theology, and to raise support for the next leg of his journey into Spain.

Paul meets with the Jewish authorities and explains to them at length his life story and his faith. Interestingly, they have no preconceived ideas or information about Paul. Paul seems fed up with the religious leaders as he closes his appeals to them with a rather scathing indictment, "The Holy Spirit was right in saying to your ancestors through the prophet Isaiah, 'Go to this people and say, You will indeed listen, but never understand, and you will indeed look, but never perceive. For this people's heart has grown dull, and their ears are hard of hearing, and they have shut their eyes; so that they might not look with their eyes, and listen with their ears, and understand with their heart and turn-- and I would heal them.' Let it be known to you then that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen." Acts 28:25-28 NRSV. It is hard when the audience that should receive our message with gladness reject the gospel and our leadership. I have sometimes looked back on ministry and wondered what might have been accomplished if the power brokers of the church had thrown in behind my leadership. The ministry goes forward, but often by folks the Spirit draws in from "outside".

Acts closes on a placid, I think misleading note. "He lived there two whole years at his own expense and welcomed all who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance." Acts 28:29-31 NRSV. This sounds a bit like "and they all lived happily ever after...." While details are sketchy it has been the tradition and teaching of the church history that Paul was martyred in 64 or 65 AD just outside of Rome. He was beheaded, I have read, because as a Roman citizen they could not crucify him as they did our Lord. In one source I even read a proposed date of February 22nd! Whatever the date, Paul lived faithfully as an apostle and pioneer of the early church. He died a martyrs death in this world, and walked into the Kingdom. I'll close this with a quote from Paul's own pen, "As for me, I am already being poured out as a libation, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. From now on there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have longed for his appearing." 2 Timothy 4:6-8 NRSV.