Tag Archive | Rome

2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, day 348

Dec14

   Day 348—We are in the LAST month of Bible reading for the year, studying the ACTS of the Apostles and the LETTERS of the Apostles.

Day 348 – Acts 27 – 28 (Paul to Italy, shipwrecked, Malta, preaching in Rome)

Acts 27.

King Agrippa’s final words, “This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.” (Acts 26:32)

And so Paul, with some other prisoners, was delivered into the custody of a  Centurion named  Julius to catch a ship to Rome. Paul’s friend, Aristarchus, the Thessalonian, was allowed to go with him. They sailed as far as Sidon, where Julius allowed Paul off the ship to visit fellow believers and receive care.

It was late in the year, and the winds were unfavorable.  They sailed past Cyprus and Cilicia and stopped at Myra, where Julius found an Alexandrian ship bound for Rome.  Slowly and with great difficulty, they sailed past desirable ports and came to Fair Havens on the island of Crete.  It was very late in the season, and the winds were fierce. 

Paul, who had sailed many times on the Mediterranean, advised the Centurion to stay put, for he feared the ship, its cargo, and all passengers would be lost in the winter storms.  But Julius paid more attention to the harbor pilot and the ship’s owner. Fair Havens was not a desirable place to spend the winter. They decided on a chance run to Phoenix, further around Crete. When the winds let up, they took a chance and sailed westward, close to shore.

But they soon encountered the “Northeaster,” a tempestuous wind, and the ship was blown out to sea. The wind and waves battered the ship mercilessly. With great difficulty, they used rope supports to undergird the ship. Then they lowered the gear and let the boat run where she would.  The next day, they tossed all the cargo overboard, and the following day all the ships tackle.  For many days, they were at the mercy of the tempest and lost hope of ever being saved.

Paul, “You should have listened to me and not have set sail from Crete. But, take heart, for there will be NO LOSS OF LIFE among you…..only the ship.” This was not good for the ship’s owner, but perhaps the passengers felt somewhat relieved.  Paul then told him how he knew this truth, “This very night there stood before me an angel of God to whom I belong and whom I worship, and He said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar. And behold, God has granted you ALL those who sail with you.'”

Paul told them he had FAITH in God that they would all be saved, but they had to run the ship aground on some island.

About two weeks after leaving Crete, somewhere in the Adriatic Sea, the sailors took soundings and discovered they were nearing land. They let down four anchors off the stern and prayed for daylight. Some of the sailors secretly put the dingy overboard with plans to escape. But Paul caught them. “Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved.” The soldiers cut the dingy free.

As the day was breaking, Paul urged them all to eat. He took bread, thanked God in the presence of all of them, and began eating. Everyone was encouraged as they ate food, too. 

When it was light, they saw land but didn’t recognize it. But they did see a bay. Quickly, they cut the anchors, hoisted the foresail, and made for the beach.  The ship’s bow hit a hidden reef and stuck while the stern began to break up.  The soldiers planned to kill all the prisoners lest they escape, but Julius, wishing to save Paul, stopped them. He ordered all who could swim to jump overboard and make for land.  The others were to grab a plank from the ship and ride it ashore. (No, not surfing!)

And so it was that ALL were brought safely to land! (Just as God had promised Paul.)

Acts 28, the last chapter.

Once on the island, they learned they had shipwrecked on Malta. The native people were kind, welcomed the weary passengers, and kindled a fire because it was raining and they were cold.  Paul grabbed some firewood, and out popped a viper which had been hiding there.  It sunk its fangs into Paul’s hand.  Everyone gasped in horror and expected Paul to fall down dead, for the snake was very poisonous. But Paul shook it off and continued to stoke the fire.  

At first, the people thought him a murderer and said the viper was meting out justice. But when Paul showed no signs of illness or death, they changed their minds and thought he was a god. 

The chief guy, named Publius, showed them hospitality. When Paul learned that his father was very sick, he went to him and prayed, laying his hands on the man. When he was healed, the rest of the people on the island brought their sick, and they were cured, too.

After about three months on Malta, the winter storms were done with their terror. Julius secured a ship from Alexandria that had wintered on Malta. The islanders help to stock the ship with provisions for them.

They sailed to Syracuse on the island of Sicily and stayed three days. From there, they went to Rhegium on the southern tip of the Italian peninsula and then on to Puteoli (Naples) where Paul disembarked and was met by fellow believers.  He stayed there for a week, and then, together, they traveled along the Appian Way to Rome. 

Paul made it to Rome, just as God had told him. 

In Rome, under house arrest, until he was seen by Caesar, Paul preached from morning to night to Jews and Gentiles alike about “the hope of Israel,” the Messiah, Jesus.   Some were convinced, but others disbelieved.  (Just as scripture foretold. Isaiah 6:9-10) 

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.

End of Acts.

 

2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, day 347

Dec13

   Day 347—We are in the LAST month of Bible reading for the year, studying the ACTS of the Apostles, and the LETTERS of the Apostles.

Day 347 – Acts 24 – 26 (Paul appears before Governor Felix, High Priest Ananias, lawyer Tertullus, crowds of Jews, Governor Festus, & King Agrippa. He speaks on either his personal testimony or his belief in the resurrection of the dead.)

(Earlier in Acts 22-23) The Roman Tribune, Claudius Lysias, saved Paul from the angry crowd of Jews in the temple and allowed him to tell his testimony before the crowds once he discovered Paul was not an anarchist. But the mobs rushed him again when he mentioned the Gentiles, so the Tribune brought him into the barracks to be flogged. Learning Paul was a Roman citizen by birth, he fearfully backed off.

The next day, he took Paul to the Jewish Council meeting for an official charge.  But when Paul mentioned the resurrection, the Sadducees in the group began to riot, and the Tribune had to rescue him again.

Later that night, Paul received encouragement from God, saying he would indeed testify in Rome.

Also, during the night, the Tribune heard about a plot to kill Paul and decided to send him down to Governor Felix in Caesarea. (This was way “above his pay grade.”) He sent Paul with a Roman guard of 400 men, and a letter to the Governor about the matter.  (Done!)

Acts 24.

Paul is safely in Caesarea, and the Jews realize their plot has failed. Five days later, High Priest Ananias, some elders, and a lawyer-spokesman named Tertullus arrive in Caesarea too.  They flatter Felix into hearing their accusation against Paul.  He allows the apostle to speak, and after Paul affirms he is a Jew “through & through,” he says he has hope in the resurrection of both the just and the unjust.

Felix decides to delay the matter until the Tribune Lysias comes to Caesarea. (What?). He will decide Paul’s case then. (The tribune never appears.)  Meanwhile, Paul was “kept in custody with some liberty, allowing his friends to attend to his needs.

(Did Dr. Luke come?  Who else from the Jerusalem church, I wonder?)

Felix and his wife, Drusilla, were also entertained now and then by Paul speaking about faith in Jesus Christ, righteousness, self-control, and the coming judgment.  When the topic of judgment came up, it scared Felix, and he sent Paul back to his room. He kept Paul there for TWO YEARS!!! All the while, he hoped that Paul and his friends would give him money.

Somehow, Felix lost favor with the “powers-to-be” and was replaced as Governor by Festus.

Acts 25.

Governor Festus first appears in Jerusalem and meets with the chief priests and principal men of the Jews. (Protocol?)  They discuss the “old” case against Paul and ask Festus to bring him to Jerusalem to be tried. Festus is not fooled.  He says Paul is staying where he is, but they are welcome to “go down with him,” and he will see about a hearing.

Eventually, Festus sits in court and orders Paul to be brought.  The Jews bring many serious charges against Paul that they cannot prove.  Paul argues in his defense.  Festus asks Paul if he wants to go to Jerusalem and be charged. Paul says he has broken no Jewish law (as Festus well knows).

“I appeal to Caesar!” says the Apostle whom God told would indeed go to Rome.

“To Caesar, you have appealed; to Caesar, you will go.” (You can almost hear Festus sigh.)

But before Paul can be sent off, King Agrippa II arrives in Caesarea with his wife, Bernice.  (He is the son of the Herod who killed James and imprisoned Peter.)   Festus eventually tells the king about Paul, the complicated case against him by the Jews, and his appeal to Caesar.  Festus tells the king he doesn’t really have a charge against Paul to send to Caesar. 

“I would like to hear the man myself,” Agrippa tells Festus.

“Tomorrow, you will hear him.”

With great pomp, King Agrippa, Bernice, and Festus enter the audience hall. Military tribunes and prominent men of the city arrive, too. Paul is brought in.  Everyone’s eyes are upon him.

Acts 26.

Agrippa signals Paul. “You have permission to speak for yourself.”  

Paul begins a lengthy retelling of his testimony, describing himself as a fierce Pharisee with a mind to kill all those of “the Way.” He strictly obeyed all the laws of Moses and had the HOPE in the promise God made to the Jews – the VERY thing he was being tried for – hope in the resurrection. 

He tells how he persecuted believers in Jesus and, in fact, had been going to Damascus to bring some of them back to prison when he “saw the light.”  It was Jesus who told him he was wrong to persecute them.  Jesus commissioned Paul to be a preacher and a witness for Him.  Furthermore, Jesus sent Paul to preach the Good News to the Gentiles. Paul believed and was baptized. Then he set out to obey the Lord.

It was a very long sermon in his defense, and in the middle, Festus burst out with, “PAUL, YOU ARE OUT OF YOUR MIND; YOUR GREAT LEARNING IS DRIVING YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND!”

“I am NOT out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking true and rational words.” And he looked at King Agrippa. “The king knows about the things, and to him, I boldly speak.”

“Paul, in a short time, would you persuade ME to be a Christian?” asked the king.

“Whether a short time or long,” Paul answered. “I would that not only YOU but ALL who hear me today might become such as I am — except for these chains.”

The king and governor withdraw and discuss Paul. 

“This man is doing nothing to deserve death or imprisonment. He could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.“