Acts – Finish Strong

Acts 28:11-16 “After three months we put out to sea in a ship that had wintered in the island—it was an Alexandrian ship with the figurehead of the twin gods Castor and Pollux. ¹² We put in at Syracuse and stayed there three days. ¹³ From there we set sail and arrived at Rhegium. The next day the south wind came up, and on the following day we reached Puteoli. ¹⁴ There we found some brothers and sisters who invited us to spend a week with them. And so we came to Rome. ¹⁵ The brothers and sisters there had heard that we were coming, and they traveled as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns to meet us. At the sight of these people Paul thanked God and was encouraged. ¹⁶ When we got to Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself, with a soldier to guard him.”

Acts 28:17-25 “Three days later he called together the local Jewish leaders. When they had assembled, Paul said to them: “My brothers, although I have done nothing against our people or against the customs of our ancestors, I was arrested in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans. ¹⁸ They examined me and wanted to release me, because I was not guilty of any crime deserving death. ¹⁹ The Jews objected, so I was compelled to make an appeal to Caesar. I certainly did not intend to bring any charge against my own people. ²⁰ For this reason I have asked to see you and talk with you. It is because of the hope of Israel that I am bound with this chain.”

²¹ They replied, “We have not received any letters from Judea concerning you, and none of our people who have come from there has reported or said anything bad about you. ²² But we want to hear what your views are, for we know that people everywhere are talking against this sect.”

²³ They arranged to meet Paul on a certain day, and came in even larger numbers to the place where he was staying. He witnessed to them from morning till evening, explaining about the kingdom of God, and from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets he tried to persuade them about Jesus. ²⁴ Some were convinced by what he said, but others would not believe.

1 Corinthians 9:24-27 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. ²⁵ Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. ²⁶ Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. ²⁷ No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

Another term I like to use for finishing well is – ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE

What is the prize for us?

• Seeing people get saved
• Lives healed and restored
• God’s Kingdom built up

1 Timothy 1: 6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands

You have been given a gift from the Holy Spirit

• Hospitality
• Teaching
• Leadership
• Technology
• Organizing

Question to ask yourself – In the span of eternity, what does it matter?

Galatians 2:2 I went in response to a revelation and, meeting privately with those esteemed as leaders, I presented to them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles. I wanted to be sure I was not running and had not been running my race in vain.

Galatians 5:7 You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth?

Isn’t it amazing how often we self-sabotage?

I tell kids this:

• Life gets harder the older you get.
• As it gets harder, God grows us better
• Don’t give up on God’s plan

When you chose to follow Jesus:

• You did not pick easy
• You chose hard

Between the two of us we have seen quite a few of Europe’s Cathedrals

A few of Junie’s favorites that I never visited:

• Notre Dame
• Sagrada Familia

Some we’ve seen together:

• Malaga Cathedral
• St. Paul’s
• St. Peter’s
• Church of Panagia

Jim Elliot quote:

“He is no fool to give up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose”

*from Jim Elliot’s Journals, which were compiled and published by his wife, Elisabeth Elliot, in the book titled The Journals of Jim Elliot: Missionary, Martyr, Man of God.