Acts 28:11-16

                                                             Acts 28:11-16

After three months we set sail in a ship that had wintered in the island, a ship of Alexandria, with the twin godsas a figurehead. Putting in at Syracuse, we stayed there for three days. And from there we made a circuit and arrived at Rhegium. And after one day a south wind sprang up, and on the second day we came to Puteoli.There we found brothers and were invited to stay with them for seven days. And so we came to Rome. And the brothers there, when they heard about us, came as far as the Forum of Appius and Three Taverns to meet us. On seeing them, Paul thanked God and took courage. And when we came into Rome, Paul was allowed to stay by himself, with the soldier who guarded him.

 

The trip to Rome was far from uneventful.  God’s sovereign control over each step along the way is clear.  Several more legs of the journey are summed up in this passage.  In the end, Paul made it to his destination and was blessed by many along the way.  We are never alone in our travels as the Lord is always with us and will use the dangers and difficulties for His own purposes and glory.

 

TRAVEL CONNECTIONS: Luke takes the time to tell us of all the different places they passed through that the times they spent in these places.  Sometimes it was a week and sometimes it was several months.  We don’t have much information about what they did in these places, but we can be certain that there will be eternal consequences to the time Paul spent there.  As believers, we must trust that the Lord has us in the places He has us for a purpose.  It is important for us to be on the alert for the opportunities He brings our way.

 

FAITHFUL COMPANIONS: One of the wonderful benefits of belonging to the body of Christ is the relationships we have with people all around the world.  No matter where we go, we have brothers and sisters who will love us, care for us, and with whom we can enjoy fellowship.  As Paul travels and then arrives in Rome, God’s care for him through the church is evident.  Paul is allowed a certain amount of freedom in Rome as he has a rented house that was guarded but he had the freedom to receive guests and minister to people as well as write portions of Scripture that continue to encourage us today.  We must love each other well and look to one another in every circumstance of life.

 

APPLICATION: Trust God in every circumstance and watch out for opportunities to serve Him in those circumstances.  Count on our brothers and sisters in Christ to be a part of our lives and strive to be an encouragement to others as well as accept encouragement from others.

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