BibleProject | One Story That Leads to JesusSample

Today concludes the story Luke tells in Acts, but as we noted up front, Acts focuses on the early years of Jesus’ church. The big story continues well past Acts 28.

Before Paul reaches Rome, mayhem ensues, and opportunities to teach Jesus’ Gospel blossom everywhere. First, howling winds and violent seas shipwreck Paul. Storms don’t stop him any more than they stopped Jesus, and Paul’s faithfulness earns respect from his accompanying Roman centurion.

Then, on the island of Malta, Paul miraculously reverses the deadly effect of snake venom to preserve life. Locals marvel at such power and quickly bring their sick to Paul for healing.

Chaotic waters and venomous serpents—biblical authors deploy symbolism like this to signal strong evil on the prowl. Paul is giving the world something that evil wants to destroy.

Paul stays the course, announcing God’s Kingdom with teaching and action. As you’ll see in today’s video, when people share the Gospel and live as citizens under King Jesus, evil will fight them even unto death, but the Gospel triumphs (even through death).

Finally arriving in Rome, Paul awaits further trial under house arrest for two years, and he never stops preaching Jesus “with complete boldness and without restriction” (Acts 28:31). Then the book just ends. No trial, no verdict, no final scene. Did Luke get distracted and forget to finish his story?

That’s not likely. Instead, it looks like Luke is intentionally leaving us with a cliffhanger. Recalling the roadmap from Acts 1:8, Luke has shown Jesus’ Gospel first going to Jerusalem, then to Judea and Samaria, and then, with Paul’s missionary journeys, to the ends of the earth.

But “earth” is more than the 1st-century Mediterranean world, so the job’s not done. It’s as if Luke is showing us that, just as Paul, his friends, and many early witnesses did, we must navigate storms and serpents to emulate their courageous acts, partnering with Jesus and bearing witness to his Gospel everywhere.

Reflection Questions

• Compare Paul’s reception by the gentile people of Malta to his reception by the Jews in Rome. How does each community treat this guest? How might this contrast reflect some of the broader patterns of Paul’s ministry in Acts?
• Take a moment to review Jesus’ promise to his disciples in Luke 10:19. Where do you see that promise fulfilled in today’s reading?