Unity Beyond Expectations (Acts 28:11-16) - a podcast by Don Shoemaker, Steve Williams, and Bob Wriedt
from 2022-11-06T17:00
This week at Grace we'll be finishing our series in Acts. The book ends with a fulfillment of how it began: Jesus told his disciples that they would be his witnesses to the ends of the earth (1:8), and Paul arrives in Rome prepared to do just that.
Now, we might expect Paul to be blazing new ground alone, but that isn't the scene that unfolds. Instead, when Paul arrives in Rome he is met by a contingent of Christians who have been waiting for him and are eager to support him.
Luke notes the impact this had on Paul: "On seeing them, Paul thanked God and took courage." (Acts 28:15b)
Christian unity can have the same impact on us: when we discover the existence of other Christians we have a reason to be thankful to God and can draw courage from their presence.
I'm looking forward to doing that with you this Sunday!
In Christ,
Pastor Bob
PS. Enjoy the extra hour of sleep this Saturday night as Daylight Savings Time ends!
11 After three months we set sail in a ship that had wintered in the island, a ship of Alexandria, with the twin gods as a figurehead. 12 Putting in at Syracuse, we stayed there for three days. 13 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. 14 There we found brothers and were invited to stay with them for seven days. And so we came to Rome. 15 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. 16 And when we came into Rome, Paul was allowed to stay by himself, with the soldier who guarded him.
- Acts 28:11-16
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