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Paul in Rome · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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We can read again from verse 30 and also reading verse 31.
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So that's the last two verses in the book of Acts. Acts chapter 28 verses 30 and 31.
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He, Paul, lived there two whole years at his own expense and welcomed all who came to him,
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proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness
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and without hindrance.
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We've come here, as I've noted in our reading, and just now as well, to the end of the book
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of Acts, the last chapter, and in fact, the last two verses.
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And it brings us, of course, to the end of this book that has covered for us an exciting
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journey, a journey in which we have seen different activities of the early Christian church engaged
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in its ministry and it's engaged, too, in the vibrancy of its life, recorded for us here
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in the Word of God.
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And it begins at the beginning of the book of Acts in chapter 1 with the ascension of
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our Lord, that the Lord is taken up into heaven.
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And then, of course, we have different activities of the church, beginning, of course, with the
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day of Pentecost and therein the preaching of Peter as well and the gathering of many people
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into the church.
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The significant act of the conversion of Paul is recorded early in the book of Acts.
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We follow therein the life of the early Christian church and we see a great deal of the book
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of Acts taken up with the missionary journeys of the apostle Paul and these journeys that he
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engages in and the movement of the gospel in that manner and in that way.
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We follow different people and different places and we engage ourselves there, focusing our
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attention on the main theme of this book, the furtherance of the gospel and the taking of that
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gospel under the activity of the Great Commission to the peoples and the nations of the world.
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The narrative of the book of Acts is, of course, fast-paced and it moves quickly through all of
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these different activities to bring us therein to the end where we find Paul here imprisoned in
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Rome.
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And yet everything throughout the book of Acts is all about the proclamation of the gospel.
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And so we have here in the closing words in verse 31, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching
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about the Lord Jesus Christ.
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When we come to the end of the book of Acts, we come to the end of not just the book of Acts,
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but we understand that this is a two-part work of Luke.
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Luke accompanies the book of, and precedes really, the book of Acts.
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And we find for ourselves at the beginning of the book of Acts that there is there that introduction
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by Luke, that he is here compiling a narrative.
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And he says that he's given an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus.
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And in the same manner, he introduces the book of Acts like that as well.
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He says in the first book of Theophilus, he began to teach about the things that Jesus
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had done and taught.
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And so now he follows with these words and with these chapters.
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And so chapter 28 of the book of Acts closes both books.
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And for us, it maybe seems a little unusual that it closes like this.
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It seems rather abrupt.
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An abrupt end to this book, an abrupt end if we read the two books together, one after another,
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and leaves us with many questions.
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Here is Paul in Rome, and he is here because he wants to bring his kiss to Caesar.
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He has appealed to Caesar, but we don't here find the interview with Caesar.
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And we wonder what happened.
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What happened to Paul?
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What happened to Caesar?
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What happened next?
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But if the focus of our attention is what Luke has conveyed to us, that he is given an orderly
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account of the gospel, then we're brought to the end of this book not to ask questions
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about the book, but to ask questions of ourselves.
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To ask questions of our engagement in this same task.
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Because the church has given us.
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Because the church has given this great responsibility to continue this work, to continue this activity.
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And we engage in it corporately as a church.
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We engage in it individually as well.
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That each one of us, you and I, each one of us have a part to play here.
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That we are all to be engaged.
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We are all to be supportive.
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And we have to ask ourselves, what is our engagement?
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Locally in the cause of Christ?
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Locally in the furtherance of the gospel?
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Or even further away, as we've just sung together in Psalm 67, let the peoples praise you.
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There is a church throughout the world that needs our support as well.
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And we can support in many different ways.
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We just pray together.
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And part of that prayer was what Jesus called us to pray for.
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To pray that the fields are white with harvest.
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That the Lord would send the workers.
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Where are the workers?
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Where are the workers today?
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Where is the church praying?
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That the fields are white with harvest.
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And not just in our own local situation.
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But throughout the world.
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We live in a world that needs the preaching of the gospel.
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We live in a world that needs the preacher of the gospel.
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And we're called to pray.
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And to support.
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And to engage.
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And here, for a few moments, we're going to consider Paul in Rome.
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And how the book of Acts ends here.
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I want to note, first of all, the arrival of the apostle in verse 14.
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It speaks here of his journey in verse 14.
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We found the brothers and so we came to Rome.
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Here is Paul arriving in that great city.
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He comes finally to Rome.
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It is the longing and anticipation of his heart for a long time.
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And it is the climax, really, of the chapters that precede this.
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That begin with his arrest in Jerusalem.
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And then includes all the different hearings that he was engaged in.
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Between Roman authorities.
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Between all the different people.
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Who he gave an answer and account to.
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It included his journey to Rome as a prisoner.
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It even included, at chapter 27, a shipwreck that he was involved in.
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It included all the plots against his life.
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It included the fact that he was imprisoned.
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That he himself was bound.
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And now he comes here.
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Finally.
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To Rome.
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With the long-held desire he had.
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And the promise that God had given to him.
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The promise is repeated in chapter 27.
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We find it there as he records in verses 21 to 26.
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He tells them there that God has said to him that he is going to go to Rome.
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And this is part of the promise he was given in Acts chapter 23.
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And he has long held this desire.
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And long held this promise of God.
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That he will stand in Rome and proclaim the gospel to Caesar.
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And here he is now.
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In verse 14.
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Arriving in Rome.
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And he arrives in Rome in its great day.
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If you go to Rome today.
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You meet with a very beautiful city.
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It's full of history.
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And culture.
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There are many things to see.
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But the Rome of this day.
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Was at its flourishing.
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Where it gained its reputation.
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Where it was the ancient center.
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Of the whole empire.
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And the known world.
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It was the heart of that empire.
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It was the seat of Caesar.
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The Caesar here is none other than Nero.
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Who was infamous in history.
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And who was brutal in his behavior.
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But this is prior to that awful persecution.
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That he engaged in.
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What Paul is coming to.
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Is the center of the power of the world.
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The center of influence.
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The center of the empire.
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The very heart.
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Of the known world.
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And he has spent his time.
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In missionary journeys.
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Around the Mediterranean.
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And everywhere he has gone.
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The influence of Rome is known.
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The power and authority of Rome.
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And now he comes to Rome.
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In this moment.
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And in this place.
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A busy city.
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An influential city.
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An affluent city.
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A powerful city.
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The population in Rome.
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It's estimated that this time.
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Would be somewhere between.
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One to two million people.
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And that's a huge population.
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In the ancient world.
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And this is where people wanted to be.
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It became overcrowded.
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The affluent of the city.
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Were well off.
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And comfortable.
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But most of the people.
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Were in poverty.
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The city was known too.
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Because of all the different vices.
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That were there in Rome.
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Paul arrives here in Rome.
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Under arrest.
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He is the prisoner.
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And the apostle.
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He has come here under arrest.
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After the riot in Jerusalem.
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The soldiers arrested him.
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Took him into custody.
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For his safety.
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And to interrogate him.
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And in chapter 25.
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We find him making an appeal.
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He says he wants to make his appeal.
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As a Roman citizen.
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To be heard by Caesar.
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The one who is.
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The highest of the officials.
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Of the judiciary.
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He is tried by Felix.
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By Festus.
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He is even heard by Agrippa.
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But it's Rome he wants to go to.
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And it's Caesar he wants to stand before.
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Paul arrives in Rome.
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Secondly.
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He abides in Rome.
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We find this in our text in verse 30.
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Two whole years.
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He is there.
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And he has to make his own arrangements.
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As we find in verse 16.
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Paul was allowed to stay.
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By himself with the soldier.
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That guarded him.
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Verse 30 tells us.
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That he is staying there at his own expense.
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And welcomed all who came to him.
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And we find here.
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That there is a concession of Rome.
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That Paul is as it were under a kind of house arrest.
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He's able to have his own accommodation.
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But he always has a soldier.
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In which he himself.
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Is bound up with.
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And chained to.
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He is able to receive visitors.
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And there are many visitors.
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Probably the house wouldn't hold the visitors.
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But outside the house.
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He could engage with the people.
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Who came to see him.
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And to speak with him.
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And he is here.
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Under concession from Rome.
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Because the charges.
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Are felt to be non-threatening to Rome.
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And the case.
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Has no real urgency.
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Two whole years.
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He is waiting there.
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He comes himself.
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Accompanied by the letters.
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And the report.
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Of his charge.
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Festus speaks of.
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Writing the report.
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And the letter.
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In chapter 25.
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And chapter 26.
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And also there is a good report.
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Given from.
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Julius in chapter 27.
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That would also.
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Accompany Paul.
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He is here.
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As a prisoner.
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In this accommodation.
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That he has arranged himself.
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With his charges.
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And with his chains.
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And he is here in verse 30.
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At his own expense.
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Now some people think that.
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It is because he was a tent maker.
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And we have in Acts chapter 18.
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That he engages in this activity.
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In 1 Corinthians chapter 4.
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He speaks of working with his own hands.
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So that he is not a burden to the church.
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So some people think.
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Well maybe.
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He was making tents.
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But this is highly unlikely.
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Not least because.
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He was chained up.
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To the Roman guard.
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God.
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And he speaks of this.
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In Ephesians.
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And in Colossians as well.
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Most likely.
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He is paying rent.
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Through a couple of different.
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Socios.
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One would be.
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Whatever financial resources.
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He had himself.
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He would use them.
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For the good of the gospel.
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He would use them.
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For what he is engaged in here.
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Everything Paul is.
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Everything Paul has.
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Is for the gospel.
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He pours himself out.
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He holds.
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Nothing back.
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Because of the one.
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Who apprehended him.
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The one.
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Who changed his life.
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The one.
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Who gave him life.
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The one.
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Who gave himself.
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For Paul.
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Paul now.
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Responds.
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By giving.
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All that he has.
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Including his personal finance.
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Everything.
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For the furtherance of the gospel.
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Everything.
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For the glory.
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Of God.
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We are also conscious.
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Of another stream.
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That he has.
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Even in verse 14.
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We have there.
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Those who support him.
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Coming to accompany him.
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And we know that Paul.
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Has supporters.
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And we believe.
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That many of these supporters.
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Were cheerful.
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Givers.
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Who were willing.
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To contribute.
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And support.
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The ministry of Paul.
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And the ministry.
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Of the gospel.
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Who understood.
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That this was part.
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Of their Christian.
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Stewardship.
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Part of.
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What they did.
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Of all the resources.
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And finances.
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That they had themselves.
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They recognized.
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That they were all.
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Given by God.
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And that they had.
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A responsibility.
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As stewards.
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And a responsibility.
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To the gospel.
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And for the furtherance.
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Of the gospel.
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When Paul.
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Commends.
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Christian giving.
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In 2nd Corinthians.
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Chapter 9.
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He speaks of.
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The heart being moved.
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By the gospel.
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He speaks of.
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The cheerful giver.
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And as Paul.
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Uses this language.
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We find ourselves.
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In a very different world.
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That we're looking at.
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In a very different.
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Kind of congregation.
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Where the congregations.
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In the early.
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Christian church.
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Where.
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Of a large extent.
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People who were slaves.
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And servants.
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People who were poor.
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And yet.
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Here we have.
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Paul commending them.
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In 2nd Corinthians.
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Of their willingness.
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To give.
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They've been humbled.
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By the extravagance.
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Of grace.
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Their lives.
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Have been moved.
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By the mercy.
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Of God.
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And by the one.
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Who was rich.
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Who became poor.
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For them.
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And they gave.
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Willingly.
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To the cause.
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Of Christ.
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It's not under.
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Compulsion.
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They're not giving.
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Off their own.
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Finances.
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For the cause.
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Of Christ.
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Because they feel.
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That this is just.
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Something they have.
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To do.
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In some kind.
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Of grudging manner.
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Or counting.
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The percentage.
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With some kind.
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Of legalism.
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Does this.
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Fit in.
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Can I get away.
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With this.
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It's quite challenging.
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For you and I.
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That we're.
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Far better off.
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Than they were.
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In fact.
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We're far better off.
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Than the generations.
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Before us.
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Even a generation.
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That would have built.
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This church.
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We're far better off.
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Than they are.
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Financially.
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And yet.
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They gave.
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So willingly.
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And they gave.
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So much.
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And when we find.
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Somebody.
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Who is giving.
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Extravagantly.
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To the gospel.
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Do we not find.
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That they are being.
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Questioned.
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Why.
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If the heart of.
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The believer.
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Has been moved.
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By grace.
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The undeserved.
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Mercy of God.
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We find ourselves.
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At this time of year.
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Spending.
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Extravagantly.
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On other people.
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And it's quite challenging.
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Whether we are supporting.
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The gospel.
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And helping the poor.
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With that same sense.
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Of willingness.
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Of heart.
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With that same sense.
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Of love.
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And desire.
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And with a burden.
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For the lost.
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Let peoples.
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Praise you.
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Let the nations.
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Be glad.
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And let you.
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And I.
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Be part of this.
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Part of the sacrifice.
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Part of.
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The willing giver.
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Part of the stewardship.
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Of the resources.
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That God has given to us.
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Thirdly.
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Paul proclaims.
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The gospel.
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In Rome.
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In verse 17.
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We find there.
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Paul is there.
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For three days.
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And so he takes.
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Three days.
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After the weariness.
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Of the journey.
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And settling himself.
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There.
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Then he begins.
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And he takes.
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The initiative.
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He has declared.
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That he has come.
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To Rome.
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With the gospel.
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That this is his intention.
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To proclaim this gospel.
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And that he is taking.
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The initiative.
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And first of all.
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In verse 17.
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He gathers.
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The local leaders.
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Of the Jews.
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Representing.
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Somewhere in the region.
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Of 40 to 50 thousand.
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Jews.
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Who were in Rome.
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And he speaks to them.
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And he shares with them.
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In verse 23.
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He is declaring to them.
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That this is the Messiah.
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Messiah has come.
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Jesus.
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Has been proven.
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By Paul.
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As the Messiah.
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Here he is.
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Telling people.
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This good news.
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This is what Paul.
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Is busy with.
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The prisoner of Rome.
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Imprisoned.
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Under house arrest.
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Chained to the guard.
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Of the Roman emperor.
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And he is telling people.
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Come.
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Not in order.
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That I would prosecute.
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My case.
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And declare.
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My innocence.
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But I.
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That you would come here.
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And before you.
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I would make the case.
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For Christ.
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I would tell you.
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Of the Messiah.
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Here is Paul.
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Actively engaged.
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In the burden.
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Of sharing this gospel.
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It is everything to him.
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That he must tell people.
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About Jesus.
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He is not there.
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Sitting.
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In this confinement.
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Feeling sorry.
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For himself.
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Saying to himself.
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Woe is me.
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What has happened to me.
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How have people.
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Treated me.
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How unjust.
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This case.
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How terrible.
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The shipwreck.
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No Paul.
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Is saying here.
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I have come.
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To proclaim Jesus.
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God has taken me here.
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I am here.
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And I must tell.
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This message.
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I must share.
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This message.
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I am here.
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By a sovereign.
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Act of God.
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This is my providence.
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And this is what I must do.
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This is what God has.
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For him to do.
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The commentator.
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Howard Marshall.
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Says the fate of Paul.
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Is secondary to the gospel.
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How things would change.
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If we felt the same way as Paul.
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If we left our own fate secondary.
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If we stopped being scared.
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Stopped holding on.
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Stopped feeling sorry for ourselves.
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And if we just told people.
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Who Jesus is.
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And what he has done for us.
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The Jewish leaders are with him.
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All day.
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In verses 20 to 23.
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We read of.
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Their response to him.
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And how he testifies to them.
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And then in verse 24.
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Some were convinced.
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Others disbelieved.
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Our message divides.
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It is binary.
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Some believe.
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And some do not.
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And so Paul then.
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In verse 26 onward.
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He cites.
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From Isaiah.
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And that great.
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Wonderful scene.
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In Isaiah chapter 6.
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Where the prophet.
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There receives the vision.
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Of God.
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High and lifted up.
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The holiness of God.
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Declared by the angelic hosts.
22:04
And then the prophet.
22:05
Saying that he is undone.
22:08
Then the call of the prophet.
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Coming.
22:10
And it is accompanying.
22:11
With the reality of this response.
22:13
That the people would not listen.
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And they would not listen.
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Because they were unwilling.
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To repent.
22:20
Jesus cites this.
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As part of his own ministry.
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And here Paul cites it.
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That here are people.
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Who knew the law.
22:27
And the commandments.
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Recipients of the covenants.
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And they are unwilling.
22:34
To receive the gospel.
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Of Jesus Christ.
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Because Paul is saying.
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They are unwilling to listen.
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They are unwilling to bend the knee.
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They are unwilling to repent.
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And I wonder.
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With some of you here.
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You have heard the gospel.
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Your whole life.
22:57
You have heard about.
22:58
The dramatic transformation.
22:59
Of someone.
23:00
Like the apostle Paul.
23:01
On the road to Damascus.
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You have seen this.
23:04
In the lives of people.
23:05
You have known.
23:05
Friends and family.
23:07
Who have been converted.
23:08
Who have come to follow Jesus.
23:09
You have heard this gospel.
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Heralded.
23:13
Time and time again.
23:15
You have heard the commandments.
23:16
You have heard the Lord's prayer.
23:18
You know all these things.
23:19
But you are still not a Christian.
23:21
You are a little like Agrippa.
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When Paul challenges him.
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He declares that he is almost persuaded.
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And you wonder yourself.
23:34
Why you are not a Christian.
23:37
And the preacher wonders.
23:38
Why you still don't believe.
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Is it because you are unwilling to repent?
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Unwilling to open your eyes.
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And open your ears.
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Unwilling to receive.
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The Messiah.
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When this happens.
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Paul carries on.
23:59
And he speaks then.
24:02
In verse 28.
24:04
Of declaring this to the Gentiles too.
24:06
He goes on.
24:08
This is the pattern that is followed.
24:10
If these people won't listen.
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We will take this gospel to the people who will listen.
24:14
And this is part of the reason why Paul is here.
24:17
He has come to the center of the world.
24:19
To tell the world.
24:21
This gospel is for them.
24:23
This is more than just a local Jewish dispute.
24:27
This is for them.
24:29
The whole world needs to hear this gospel.
24:32
And this is why Paul is in Rome.
24:34
To tell the world.
24:35
To tell the world at its very center.
24:38
To tell the world's great powers.
24:41
And great authorities.
24:42
And great empires.
24:43
That there is a Savior.
24:46
Who is Lord of all.
24:47
Whom we must bow the knee before.
24:51
Who we must come.
24:52
And repent.
24:52
And lay hold of by faith.
24:56
Paul's time in Rome.
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In his prison.
25:00
Is a fruitful time.
25:04
It's a fruitful time for the church.
25:07
The church is encouraged.
25:10
Here Paul writes Ephesians.
25:11
Philippians.
25:12
Philippians.
25:13
And Philemon.
25:13
Here Paul receives Onesimus.
25:19
Who repents of his sin.
25:22
And who serves Paul.
25:23
And who serves the cause.
25:26
Here the whole imperial guard.
25:28
Hear about the gospel of Jesus Christ.
25:31
This is Paul who is unwilling to miss a single opportunity.
25:35
Here is this hardened Roman soldier.
25:38
He has been in the church.
25:39
Gone through different battle scenes.
25:42
Been in conflicts around the empire.
25:44
Chained.
25:45
Taking their turns.
25:46
Chained to Paul.
25:48
Guarding him.
25:49
Standing over him.
25:50
Watching him.
25:51
And Paul looks at these people.
25:54
Every one of them coming one by one.
25:56
And saying.
25:56
A soul.
25:59
A soul who needs to hear this message.
26:01
They're chained up to me.
26:05
Well they're going to have to listen.
26:08
Paul doesn't sit there feeling sorry for himself.
26:11
But he engages in something better.
26:15
Telling precious souls.
26:18
The precious truth.
26:20
Of the kingdom.
26:22
Of God.
26:24
We come here to the end of the book of Acts.
26:27
And we wonder what happened next.
26:29
The book of Acts doesn't tell us.
26:33
We can understand ourselves.
26:35
As we take out information.
26:37
From the rest of the New Testament.
26:38
And what history tells us too.
26:40
That Paul was probably released.
26:43
And he would suffer a second imprisonment.
26:45
From which there would be no release.
26:48
And Nero would engage.
26:51
In that awful persecution.
26:54
Which would include the martyrdom.
26:56
Of both Peter.
26:56
And Paul.
27:01
But for Paul.
27:04
Everything is for Christ.
27:07
He is imporing the entirety of his life out for Jesus.
27:13
Because his heart is filled with gratitude.
27:18
His heart is filled with thanksgiving.
27:21
With the one who saved him.
27:26
And the salvation he has experienced.
27:29
And he is able to say.
27:30
As he would record.
27:32
In his final words.
27:33
In 2 Timothy.
27:34
And in chapter 2.
27:36
In verse 9.
27:37
He says there to Timothy.
27:39
That he was suffering.
27:41
Bound with the chains of a criminal.
27:45
But the word of God.
27:47
Is not bound.
27:48
It's not bound.
27:52
This gospel has to go out to the whole world.
27:56
It has to go to the whole of our world too.
27:59
All the different relationships and situations.
28:03
We are involved in.
28:06
And invested in.
28:08
We have to take our place.
28:10
To support the gospel work.
28:12
To support the gospel.
28:16
To tell people.
28:17
To hear the call of the gospel.
28:20
To engage in it.
28:23
And to tell everyone.
28:25
And anyone.
28:27
What Christ has done.
28:29
For us.
28:31
May we share this message.
28:33
By the grace of God.
28:35
With boldness.
28:37
And courage.
28:39
To a needy world.
28:41
Amen.
28:41
Let's pray together.
28:45
Gracious and most holy God.
28:46
We give thanks to you.
28:47
For your word.
28:48
We give thanks to you.
28:49
For the gospel.
28:51
That brings salvation.
28:52
Into souls.
28:53
We pray that you would help us.
28:55
To be bold with it.
28:56
And to be supportive of it.
28:59
Help us to support one another.
29:00
In this as well.
29:02
To encourage one another.
29:04
And to be speaking our word of season.
29:05
To those around us.
29:07
Be near to us.
29:08
We pray.
29:08
And forgive us our sins.
29:10
In Jesus name.
29:11
Amen.
29:12
Amen.
29:17
We're going to sing again.
29:18
To God's praise.
29:19
On page 314.
29:22
Where we have Psalm 72.
29:24
We'll sing verses 17 to 19.
29:31
Of Psalm 72.
29:34
Afterward we'll have the benediction.
29:36
And we'll close with the benediction.
29:38
But if you could please allow me a moment.
29:40
And I'll get to the front door.
29:41
And be able to see some of you.
29:44
As you exit.
29:45
Psalm 72 verses 17 to 19.
29:47
His name forever shall endure.
29:49
Last like the sun it shall.
29:51
Men shall be blessed in him.
29:53
And blessed all nations.
29:55
Shall him call.
29:56
Verse 19.
29:57
And blessed be his glorious name.
29:58
To all eternity.
30:00
The whole earth let his glory fill.
30:02
Amen.
30:03
So let it be.
30:04
Let's sing then to God's praise.
30:05
Psalm 72 verses 17 to 19.
30:08
His name forever shall endure.
30:19
Last like the sun it shall.
30:27
Men shall be blessed in him.
30:34
And blessed all nations shall involve.
30:44
Now blessed be the Lord our God.
30:54
The God of Israel.
31:00
For he alone doth wondrous words.
31:11
In glory that excel.
31:19
And blessed be his glorious name.
31:28
To all eternity.
31:34
The whole earth let his glory fill.
31:46
Amen.
31:49
So let it be.
31:53
Now may the God of peace.
31:57
Who brought again from the dead.
31:59
Our Lord Jesus.
32:00
The great shepherd of the sheep.
32:02
By the blood of the eternal covenant.
32:04
Equip you.
32:05
With everything good.
32:06
That you may do his will.
32:07
Working in us that which is pleasing.
32:09
In his sight.
32:11
Through Jesus Christ.
32:12
To him be glory forever and ever.
32:14
Amen.
32:15
Amen.
32:15
Amen.
32:23
Amen.
32:23
Thank you.