Sabbath: Journey to Rome
Image © Pacific Press from GoodSalt.com
Read for This Week’s Study: Acts 27, Acts 28, Rom. 1:18-20.
Memory Text: “Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar” (Acts 27:24, ESV).
Paul had long wished to visit Rome, but his arrest in Jerusalem changed everything. By giving in to the legalistic pressure of the Jerusalem church leaders, he ended up in Roman custody for almost five years, including the time he spent on the sea journey to Italy. This change represented a severe blow to his missionary plans.
Despite the setback, Jesus Himself promised that the apostle would still testify of Him in Rome (Acts 23:11). Even when we fail Him, God may still give us another chance, though He does not always spare us from the consequences of our actions. Not only was Paul taken to Rome as a prisoner, but there is no biblical evidence that he ever went to Spain, as he had hoped to do (Rom. 15:24). After being released from what is known as the first Roman imprisonment, Paul would be arrested again, this time to suffer martyrdom (2 Tim. 4:6-8) under Nero in A.D. 67.
Yes, Paul made it to Rome, and while waiting in his house-prison to be tried before the emperor, he spoke, despite his chains (Eph. 6:20, Phil. 1:13), without hindrance to whoever came to him (Acts 28:30-31), including important figures from Caesar’s household (Phil. 4:22).
Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, September 29.
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Lesson 11 - Take Courage - When Paul was arrested in Jerusalem
Lesson 13 - Do not be afraid - When Paul is afraid of the voyage to Rome.
Lesson 11 - You must also testify in Rome
Lesson 13 - You must stand before Caesar
How often God would repeat his promise?
As often as we need to hear his promise.
What are the promises God has made and kept reassuring to us in the scripture?
Example: second coming;
Paul to end up in prison was the plan of GOD or it was due to his mistake of giving in legalism?
Bear in mind ACTS 9:15-16.
We have in the account of Paul's visit to Jerusalem, the attempt to "fix" things by means not divinely appointed with the resulting arrest and imprisonment, a wonderful example of how God can make "all things work together for good", even though our efforts might have created more obstacles than there should be.
God will often need to go to "plan B" when we fail to understand as we might, yet through turning to Him in every failure on our part, He is ready to pull us back up out of the water we've sunk into through momentary unbelief. We have Moses, Elijah and others who after similar setbacks were able to continue to learn and follow the will of God.
Very encouraging to study these lessons.
I believe God's plan does not change but rather it's man's plans.
We may try to see Paul's setback through human lense but remember
"God’s thoughts are not our thoughts, neither are our ways His ways, says the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are His ways higher than our ways and His thoughts than our thoughts "(Isaiah 55:8-9).
To draw parallel Adam and Eve sinned but this did not change God's plan. Yes there were consequences but the plan of salvation had been laid before the creation of the earth.
Yes Isaac, I understand that God sees the end from the beginning, but He lets us choose against His will, though His will is for us to avoid pitfalls and setbacks.
God does not let His foreknowledge keep us from making right choices, but He will work with our wrong choices if we confess and return to trusting Him, praying: "Thy will be done".
God never intended for Israel to wander 40 year between Egypt and Canaan, to worship idols, have a king, become a divided nation, go into captivity, reject the Messiah, be removed as a nation, yet He has faithful servants from all nations today in the church that are working to fulfill God's purpose for sinners.
We have the choice to be part of God's plan or not.
In response to the second sentence of the second paragraph, I do not agree that Paul failed God. I think rather it just shows us that regardless of what he did, the unbelieving Jews would never accept his message from God and would destroy him. Paul had said, "And unto the Jews I became as a Jew that I might gain the Jews... I am made all things to all men, that I may win some. And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you." (1 Corinthians 9:20-23) He did win some but regardless of what he did others would continue persecuting him and reject God's Messiah. Just as the leaders of the Jews rejected Jesus, they rejected God's message from Paul that Jesus was indeed the Messiah.
What, from the verses/chapters of the book of ACTS, are the most relevant lessons for Adventist Christians that one can apply in their life , outreach/ministry?