Today’s reading: Romans 1:1-17

“This is accomplished from start to finish by faith.” - Romans 1:17

First of all, it is so great to see Paul’s desire to see the Roman church fulfilled at the end of Acts (which we read yesterday).

Second of all, Romans reaches a depth of thought that can leave us woozy after repeated readings. It is so rich and can overflow our minds and hearts. 🤯

C.S. Lewis once said, “Theology is a map.” It is how we discover what God is like and what he wants most.

It is clear from this first reading that what God wants more than anything is us to approach Jesus by faith. In 1:5, he even says that obedience should flow from faith, and in 1:4, we see that our faith is solidified by Jesus’ bodily resurrection.

Paul also says that their faith was famous across the entire Roman world (1:8). The gut of the empire was being inwardly infiltrated by people who were trusting in a Savior that Rome’s finest had tried to keep in a grave.

How do we carry it on?

Continued (and fearless) faith transfer.

Today’s reading: Acts 28

“And he stayed two full years in his own rented quarters and was welcoming all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all openness, unhindered.” - Acts‬ ‭28:30-31‬ NASB

Paul had finally reached his goal of making it to Rome! Yet he wasn’t able to walk the streets freely as he had before. His confinement didn’t limit what God wanted to do through him in Italy.

The parallels between this and our current situation across the world are strong.

The Devil wants you to become unhinged instead of realizing you are unhindered.

God wants us to still look for creative ways to make an eternal difference.

We also know that Paul wrote during this time of limitation. Seven of his most potent letters were written during this final chapter of his life.

One question does come to mind:

Why does Luke end his masterful book with such an open ending?

One thought is that he does it intentionally as an invitation for us to carry on Paul’s legacy.

Today's reading: Acts 27:21-44

“So take courage! For I believe God. It will be just as he said. But we will be shipwrecked on an island.” - Acts 27:25-26

God will always get us to places he wants to be, as we follow his lead. Yet the path of least resistance isn’t typically his method. There is so much to learn and so many opportunities for growth as our faith is put to the test over and over.

Many of us do not look forward to the “shipwreck” methods that God uses to bring us safely to shore.

It may remind us of this verse:

“We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps.” - Prov 16:9

Can God be trusted with our lives, getting us where we need to be? Yes.

Can God be trusted to keep all of our well laid out plans intact? No.

Ultimately, we have to trust that God has a much better plan in mind for us that is beyond our comprehension.

The word for “courage” here is euthymeō, and we can also translate as “be cheerful” or “do not be anxious.”

We can rest secure knowing who holds tomorrow and every day.

Today’s reading: Acts 27:1-20

“—we docked at Sidon, Julius was very kind to Paul and let him go ashore to visit with friends so they could provide for his needs.” - Acts 27:3‬

In this verse we see two words that are rarely used in the New Testament.

“Very kind” is philanthrōpōs (looks like a college major) and it is “used to describe what it means to be truly human, or humane, or civilized” (Witherington).

“Provide for his needs” is a compound of two words that appears only here in the New Testament and speaks to them meeting Paul’s financial needs.

Paul receives a double portion of grace. One from a fellow Roman citizen and one from a group of Christians (“friends”) to whom we are just now being introduced.

Do you have friends like these, who would do anything to carry you through?

or

Do you push people away so often that you’ve never allowed anything like this to happen?

Pride and doubt often work in tandem to keep us insulated and isolated from others.

Seek Christian community.

Be open to grace.

Receive it.

Today’s reading: Acts 26

“While Paul was saying this in his defense, Festus said in a loud voice, “Paul, you are out of your mind! Your great learning is driving you mad.” But Paul said, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I utter words of sober truth.” - Acts‬ ‭26:24-25‬ NASB

Here we see that too much time with the Messiah (Jesus) may be perceived as madness.

Paul’s response is brilliant. He believed he had never been more sane. He believed that the closer he got to Jesus, the more he found himself standing on the most secure bedrock of truth. Paul’s message of Jesus’ resurrection wasn’t something without historical backing. Actually, many Jewish prophets had predicted Jesus’ death and resurrection (see 26:23).

Solomon knew about insanity. He completely ruined the gifts God gave him with the compromise of truth. He said the following:

Since fools base their thoughts on foolish premises, their conclusions will be wicked madness. - Ecclesiastes 10:13 NLT

Stay in step with Jesus.

Stay sane.

Today’s reading: Acts 25:1-27

“...and about someone called Jesus who died, but whom Paul insists is alive.” - Acts 25:19

It was clear to Festus what the main issue was between the radical Jews and Paul: Jesus’ resurrection.

The literal Greek here is “a certain dead Jesus” (Newman/Nida).

Paul had staked his entire message on this claim that Jesus was, in fact and experience, risen and glorified.

Andy Stanley brings up a good point, “The resurrection serves as our apologetic or argument for the reliability of Christian Scripture.”

The message the early church relied upon was not a completed 27 book New Testament (that would come later). At this point, they were daily experiencing and proclaiming the message that Jesus was alive. Not only this, but that he also desires to resurrect us out of our sin and shame.

“...just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we may also live new lives.” - Romans 6:4

Is the resurrection of Jesus what non-Christians would most identify us with?

Today’s reading: Acts 24:1-27

“...as he told them about his faith in Christ Jesus. As he reasoned with them about righteousness and self-control and the judgment to come, Felix was terrified.” - Acts 24:24-25

Paul is able to have a private audience with one of Rome’s provincial guardians, a governor. He had the opportunity to share his “faith in Christ Jesus” in any way he wanted. So how did he proceed?

He used “reason” to tell them about three things:

1) Righteousness (God’s way of saving us through Jesus’ blood)

2) Self-control (“to exercise complete control over one’s desires and actions” - Nida/Louw)

3) Judgment to come (Felix wasn’t just going to have to answer to Rome for his deeds. He would also answer to Jesus upon his death. See John 5:29.)

How would you have presented the gospel to man of power like Felix? It doesn’t do us or those we are sharing the gospel with any favors by skirting around the apparent truths of scripture.

The following quote is an excellent picture of what God wants to do in every life...

Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on; you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make any sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of - throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were being made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself. - C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

Today’s reading: Acts 23:11-35

The following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome.” - Acts 23:11

Paul will be making a serious shift in how he does ministry from here until his death (martyrdom) in 67 or 68 AD (about an eight-year span).

What is the first word out of Jesus’ mouth to help prepare him for what he was about to face?

“tharseo” — which can be translated as “to be of good courage” or “to be over-bold” or “to have confidence and firmness of purpose in the face of danger or testing”.

During his final act, Paul would go on to write Ephesians, Colossians, Philemon, Philippians, 1 Timothy, Titus, and 2 Timothy.

Yet all of this was going to necessitate a confidence in his purpose.

Can you hear Jesus speaking the same kind of word over you today? Let’s be honest. To follow through on all that God is going to ask us to do from here will require a great deal of “tharseo” that only comes from Jesus.

Today's reading: Acts 22:17-30, 23:1-10

“Is it legal to whip a Roman citizen?”

“...my hope is in the resurrection of the dead.” - Acts 22:25, 23:6

When facing impossible situations like Paul is here, we often only see two options. Either he denies everything, or he tries to one-up his previous insult directed toward the high priest.

Yet Paul saw a third way two times in our reading for today. First he uses his Roman citizenship to side step a beating. The he plays into the existing schism between the Pharisees and the Saducees by mentioning the resurrection. Paul was calculated and intelligent. His goal was not to lose his life in Jerusalem. His goal was to speak the Gospel into the largest microphone in the Mediterranean (Rome).

Jesus taught his disciples to act the same way...

”Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves.” - Matthew‬ ‭10:16‬

It isn’t enough for us just to show up to share the Gospel. We have to prepare. We have to use our God-given minds to extend our reach.

Today’s reading: Acts 21:37-40, 22:1-16

“Now why do you delay? Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His name.’” - Acts‬ ‭22:16‬ NASB

Eugene Peterson calls prayer “answering speech”, and in a way, baptism is also answering speech. It is a response to the grace and truth of Jesus (see 1 Peter 3:21).

Why do people resist going all-in through baptism? Even though there have been many churches who have downplayed the significance of baptism over the past 100 years, it has always carried with it a level of commitment. It isn’t something you can keep to yourself. The secrecy of your internal belief has now manifested into a tangible reality. Globally, baptism has never waned in its importance.

Yet baptism is no more than a quick dunk if it isn’t preceded by sincere belief, a transformed mind, and a confessing mouth.

Our reaction to Jesus isn’t what saves us, but Jesus chooses our reactions to do the supernatural. When we go all-in, God will always meet us in that moment to restore what we have ruined.

Want to go deeper? Grab your Bible and head to this page on our website.