Acts 28 - With All Boldness
Acts 28 - With All Boldness
Acts 28 is the end of the book and the last Biblical recording of Paul’s life. I love how the chapter and book ends, and it sums up the life of the Apostle Paul;
“He proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ—with all boldness and without hindrance!” - Acts 28:31 NIV
Paul made it to Rome, brought his case, and was put into house arrest living on his own and continued living out his mission and calling. Proclaiming the kingdom of God, and sharing the love and life of Jesus Christ - with ALL BOLDNESS.
This is critical; with all boldness, Paul brought the full gospel and love of Jesus. Remember the title of this book, the Book of Acts. This is not the book of thoughts or the book of great words, and it is the book of Acts. Paul acted. Paul risked his life, and lived a faith-filled, on purpose life for the gospel.
In the closing down one this chapter and book we read again that Paul was not afraid to be bold, and deliver words people needed to hear, but was not popular. V25-27 looks like a paraphrase from the book of Isaiah.
“They disagreed among themselves and began to leave after Paul had made this final statement: “The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your ancestors when he said through Isaiah the prophet: “ ‘Go to this people and say, “You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.” For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise, they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’” - Acts 28:25-27 NIV
Like I talked about yesterday, I am still completely broken and shaken with the injustice in our nation, and the systemic problems with racism. Read these words as I am with this reality in mind. The systemic issues and challenges we are facing, people's hearts have become calloused. The racism and injustice all around us in the black community we hardly hear or see in the white suburbs and neighborhoods we live in. The realities that are facing human beings, people formed and created in the image of God we have closed our eyes to. The words from Paul, originally from the Holy Scriptures in Isaiah, are valid for our nation today, and it breaks my heart.
But, at the end of that passage, we see hope, and we see why Paul will give his life at every turn and will be bold.
“..they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’” - Acts 28:27b NIV
The Lord Jesus Christ can and will give us the eyes to see, the ears to hear, and the ability for our hearts to turn. The message of Jesus is here to heal our hurting and heal the division and unite us as one body. This is the message of hope we have in Christ. This is what acting looks like, this is what Paul has modeled for us, to be bold and to proclaim the kingdom of God! We must revolt against sin and injustice. We must stand up and preach the full gospel and message of Christ, not just one part of it. When we focus on the death, burial, and resurrection, we miss a crucial part of the gospel, and that as the LIFE of Jesus.
Father Richard Rohr said it best;
“Jesus came as a human being not to teach us how to go to heaven, but to how to be a fully alive human being here on this earth.”
When we focus on the death, burial, and resurrection, we miss a key and critical part of the gospel, we miss the model of being fully human. Jesus came as a human to model this, to show us and teach us what it looks like to love others. I enjoyed reading this on the Desiring God site:
No one showed compassion to outcasts like Jesus — Samaritans, publicans, harlots, lepers, the demonized. The people we are so good at pushing aside or casting beneath us, Jesus lifts and dignifies. Among Jesus’s people, there is no Jew or Greek, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, male or female, nimble or quadriplegic — we are all one in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:28).
Why do we forget this, and turn a blind eye to these realities? How can we read the Apostle Paul’s words and miss his boldness and the full gospel? Again I come with all humility, and I recognize I am not asking the right questions, I must learn and listen to voices on this divisive topic of race, and racism. I so desire to have the ears to hear and the eyes to see, and for the love of God, I ask that my heart not be calloused.
“For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. He proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ—with all boldness and without hindrance!” - Acts 28:30-31 NIV
As a Christ-follower, we realize our time on earth is limited, and it is just a short opportunity in the midst of eternity. You and I are just living here in a rented house. No matter our situation, we are only here on loan from our creator. We will meet our creator face to face, and give an account one day for how we lived in our rented house, and what our “acts” here on Earth looked like. Will we fully proclaim the kingdom of God and teach about Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness? That is a question we must all wrestle with, and process.
I choose to Love God and Love Others...as Jesus Christ modeled for us with his life. And at the same time, I understand that I am still blind in many areas, and I am deaf in parts of my life. God, I plead with you now to help me see as you desire, and let me hear as you do. Give me the compassion and humility that I need, and may your Holy Spirit that is alive in me give me the boldness required to live a life that honors and glorifies you. Amen.
I highly recommend you take the time to watch this YouTube video that talks candidly and openly about The Church and Race, hosted by Bishop TD Jakes. It is powerful, enlightening and challenging https://youtu.be/xLt7jbJbU_0