THE KING’S BUSINESS
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turn out for the furtherance of the Gospel (cf. Phil. 1 :12). They had brought Paul to Rome at the expense of the state, they had given Paul the opportunity to speak to the leading Jews, but further than this, had given Paul an audience of Roman sol diers. These soldiers would never have come to a service conducted by a Jew, but as they had to guard Paul they had to hear what he had to say while they guarded him. We learn from other parts of- Scripture that many of these soldiers were convertedi. (Phil. 1:13 R: V.) As the Roman soldiers went everywhere, they became most effi cient missionaries in Gaul, Germany and Britain and elsewhere also. Paul opened to the Jews the Old Testament Scriptures concerning the death and resurrection and reign of Christ (cf. Ch. 27:2,3; 26:22,23), showing how all this was fulfilled in Jesus. He gave witness to the Kingdom of God —that is to the reign of God on earth and the coming Messianic kingdom. All his exposition and testimony centered in Jesus. It was not an abstract reign of God—in an improved state of society—that Paul pro claimed, but a definite reign in a definite person, Jesus. Paul proved his points both out of the “law of Moses” and out of the “Prophets” from morning until evening. If Paul had T)een like many of our modern so-called “Bible teachers” he would have spent the day discussing whether or no the law really was Mosaic and whether the portions of Isaiah which he expounded really Were by Isaiah himself or by the “Deutero-Isaiah” or still some other Isaiah. The method Paul here employed of going through the Scriptures and showing Jesus everywhere was the very method the Mas ter Himself followed (Luke 24:27). We see that not even the apostolic preaching converted everybody: “some believed” and “some disbelieved.” Under true preaching of the word of God in the power of the Holy Spirit “some” will believe, but very seldom all, and oftentimes very few. The faithful preaching of the Gospel always causes divi sion : those who are ordained to eternal life, believe (cf. Ch. 13:48) ; and the rest
reject (cf. Ch. 13:48-50; 14:4; 17:4,5; 18: 6 - 8 ; 19:8,9). Those who believe are saved, and those who do not believe are lost (Mark 16:15, 16). But the unbelief of some does not make the faithfulness of God of non-effect (Rom. 3:3,R. V.). Thursday, May 25 . Acts 28 : 25 - 29 . Paul was not at all shaken in his own faith because so many, including the scholarly ones,, had not believed. No, rather he was confirmed in his faith, for this unbelief and rejection of the Gospel and the Messiah presented in the Bible was itself a fulfillment of prophecy (cf. vs. 25-27), and the fact that many today, in cluding some Doctors of Divinity and theo- '* logical professors, are departing from the faith is no proof that the faith is not true. It simply is a fulfillment of prophecy and confirmation of the truth of Scripture (1 Tim. 4:1; 2 Tim. 3:1, 13-16; 4:3,4; Acts 20:29,30). Note how plainly Paul spoke to these rejecters of the truth of God, and we ought to use equal plainness of speech with those who disregard the Gospel today. Paul told them that what lay at the root of their unbelief was: gross hearts, dull ears, closed eyes. That is what is the trouble with ninety-nine per cent of modern skeptics. Their eyes were closed, because they them selves had closed them (cf. 2 Thess. 1:7-9). Though they refused the salvation, it was none the less “o f God.”.. If they would not have it, others would. The rejection of the Gospel by the Jew meant salvation for us (cf. Rom. 11:11).. Friday, May 26 . Acts 28 : 50 - 31 . Paul had two years of uninterrupted ser vice in Rome. The Epistles written from Rome, especially the Epistle to the Philip- pians, show that they were years of great fruitfulness in service. During these two years the great subject of his preaching was the kingdom of God”, and the one central subject of his teaching was the Lord Jesus Christ. His teaching and preaching were with “boldness,” that is, frank outspokenness. Though he was a
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