THE ROAD TO ROME

Posted by Pastor Greg Allen on October 11, 2023 under AM Bible Study |

AM Bible Study Group: October 11, 2023 from Acts 28:11-16

Theme: The path to God’s appointed call for our lives is often supplied with encouragement from Him along the way.

(All Scripture is taken from The New King James Version, unless otherwise indicated).

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Initially, Paul’s journey to Rome was no pleasure cruise! It involved a terrible storm, a few weeks lost at sea, a shipwreck, a desperate swim, and three months spent on an island during winter. (If it had been intended to be a pleasure cruise, he’d have a right to ask for a refund.)

But as we’ve seen, the God who had called and appointed Paul was at work in all of these trials—showing His hand mighty on behalf of His appointed preacher. In answer to Paul’s prayer, all 276 persons on the ship survived and made it to land. And now; after some time on the island of Malta—where Paul and his traveling companions saw God work mighty miracles in the lives of the islanders—it was time for Paul to resume the journey. The writer of this account—Luke—goes on to tell us in Acts 28:11-16;

After three months we sailed in an Alexandrian ship whose figurehead was the Twin Brothers, which had wintered at the island. And landing at Syracuse, we stayed three days. From there we circled round and reached Rhegium. And after one day the south wind blew; and the next day we came to Puteoli, where we found brethren, and were invited to stay with them seven days. And so we went toward Rome. And from there, when the brethren heard about us, they came to meet us as far as Appii Forum and Three Inns. When Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage. Now when we came to Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard; but Paul was permitted to dwell by himself with the soldier who guarded him (Acts 28:11-16).

Clearly, this part of the journey was less trouble-filled … and far more encouraging to the apostle. And it’s worth taking our time to look at it carefully; because it’s filled with encouragement for us too.

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In understanding this passage, it’s important to remember that the trip to Rome had been on Paul’s heart for a long time. We first began to see Paul’s desire expressed in Acts 19:21; where we read about the apostle’s ministry in Ephesus. Luke wrote;

When these things were accomplished, Paul purposed in the Spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.” (Acts 19:21).

This wasn’t because he was intending to be the first one to bring the gospel of Jesus to Rome. By that time (around 56 A.D), the gospel had already reached Rome and a group of Christians had already begun to form. But Paul wanted to come to that strategic city in order to advance the work of the gospel and to strengthen the believers who were already there. Around 59 to 60 A.D.—a little over three years after he first expressed an intention to go to Rome—he wrote his very important letter to the believers there. And at the beginning of that letter, he said;

First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers, making request if, by some means, now at last I may find a way in the will of God to come to you. For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established—that is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me. Now I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that I often planned to come to you (but was hindered until now), that I might have some fruit among you also, just as among the other Gentiles. I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to wise and to unwise. So, as much as is in me, I am ready to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also (Romans 1:8-15).

Up to that time, he had made it his policy to preach the gospel where it had not yet been preached. And near the end of his letter, he explained;

For this reason I also have been much hindered from coming to you. But now no longer having a place in these parts, and having a great desire these many years to come to you, whenever I journey to Spain, I shall come to you. For I hope to see you on my journey, and to be helped on my way there by you, if first I may enjoy your company for a while. But now I am going to Jerusalem to minister to the saints. For it pleased those from Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor among the saints who are in Jerusalem. It pleased them indeed, and they are their debtors. For if the Gentiles have been partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister to them in material things. Therefore, when I have performed this and have sealed to them this fruit, I shall go by way of you to Spain (15:22-28).

As we’ve seen, it was that very trip to Jerusalem to bring that gift that resulted in Paul’s arrest, trial, and eventual need to go to Rome to stand trial before Caesar. It hadn’t been the journey to Rome that Paul had originally expected. But even while in the midst of the trials in Jerusalem, the Lord came and told him, “Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness in Rome” (Acts 23:11). So that the words he wrote about three years beforehand—at the end of his letter to the Roman believers—proved very much true:

But I know that when I come to you, I shall come in the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ. Now I beg you, brethren, through the Lord Jesus Christ, and through the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in prayers to God for me, that I may be delivered from those in Judea who do not believe, and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, that I may come to you with joy by the will of God, and may be refreshed together with you. Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen (Romans 15:29-33).

And now, as he—at long last—was making his approach to Rome, we see that God gave him some encouraging affirmation during the trip. It illustrates to us a principle that many believers have found to be true. Very often, in the course of going forward by faith to do the work God sends us to do—though the journey may, at times, be very hard—the path to God’s appointed call for our lives is often supplied with encouragement from Him along the way.

We can see this first in …

1. THE JOURNEY TO ITALY (vv. 11-14).

Luke tells us what happened at the end of their time on Malta: “After three months we sailed in an Alexandrian ship whose figurehead was the Twin Brothers, which had wintered at the island” (v. 11). This was apparently a cargo ship that had been wintering at Malta. Luke made a point of the fact that it was an Alexandrian ship—just as was the ship that had been wrecked off the coast of the island (see Acts 27:6). That first ship had also intended to sail to Italy. And ironically, this second Alexandrian ship had—as its figurehead—”the Twin Brothers” (Castor and Pullox; the mythical sons of Zeus by Leda). These false gods were believed to be the guardians of sailors. But clearly, they had proven a vain hope when compared to the one true God! Perhaps the God that Paul preached was allowing the people who were traveling along with him to see that the false gods of this world were all vanity—and that He was the only reliable trust.

Luke then tells us, “And landing at Syracuse, we stayed three days” (v. 12). Syracuse was a beautiful port on the southeastern tip of the island of Sicily—just 60 miles or so from Malta. It must have been a refreshing three days after the three cold months of time they had spent on Malta. Luke went on to say, “From there we circled round and reached Rhegium. And after one day the south wind blew; and the next day we came to Puteoli” (v. 13). The distance by sea from Rhegium to Puteoli would have been about 180 miles. And yet, God provided a strong wind that enabled them to make the journey in two days—a happy contrast to the two weeks across the sea in the storm. And Puteoli (which exists today as the beautiful coastal city of Pozzuoli) would have been a comforting haven of rest; “where we found brethren, and were invited to stay with them seven days” (v. 14a). At this point, Paul—though a prisoner—would have been very respected by the Roman commander Julius who was escorting him. And Julius trusted Paul and his friends enough to give him a week’s time with them.

At the end of verse 14, we read; “And so we went toward Rome.” But God, it seems, gave his weary apostle several blessings along the way. God very often provides His faithful servants with times of rest and restoration—and even with speedy travels—in the course of their work for Him. It’s part of the way He lets them know that they’re on the right path.

Now; that week’s time of rest may have also involved a period of time in which the Roman commander Julius traveled ahead to Rome—another 180 miles or so to the north—in order to prepare the imperial court for Paul’s coming. Or it may be that one of Paul’s traveling companions—perhaps Aristarchus the Macedonian (27:2) made the trip ahead to prepare the believers in Rome for his coming. However it happened, that the Roman Christians—to whom Paul had written his wonderful letter—heard that Paul was on his way. And this leads us to …

2. THE GREETING FROM THE BELIEVERS (v. 15).

In verse 15, Luke wrote, “And from there” (that is, from Rome) “when the brethren heard about us, they came to meet us as far as Appii Forum and Three Inns.” Appii Forum (or Market of Appii), was north of Putioli along the Appian Way; about 43 miles south of Rome. And Three Inns is about 33 miles from Rome. So; as Paul journeyed northward, he would have encountered these believers—who had already known him from his letter—ready to meet and encourage him.

Now; we can speculate that Paul may have been a bit apprehensive about his journey to Rome. After all, the journey so far had been fraught with all sorts of troubles. How would he be received? His concerns were quickly set aside, however. We can tell how much this must have meant to Paul when, in the later half of verse 15, Luke wrote, “When Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage.”

Take a look at the list of names of people that Paul greeted in the last chapter of the Book of Romans; and you can see how much they meant to him. What a blessing this was to the weary apostle! God often also encourages His faithful servants by sending His people along the way to edify them, comfort them, and assure them that they’re on the right track.

And that leads us—finally—to …

3. THE ‘LIBERTY’ IN ROME (v. 16).

We have to say ‘liberty’ in a qualified sense; because Paul was still a prisoner. But he was now a prisoner who received a great deal of deferential treatment. In verse 16, Luke wrote, “Now when we came to Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard; but Paul was permitted to dwell by himself with the soldier who guarded him.” Perhaps Julius—who had grown to respect Paul greatly—made sure that Paul was treated well and had as much freedom as possible.

We pick up a bit more details about this in verses 30-31; where we’re told;

Then Paul dwelt two whole years in his own rented house, and received all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him (vv. 30-31).

There would be more challenges ahead. But at least at this time—after having arrived at Rome—God gave His faithful servant the opportunity he longed for most; and allowed him to see his brethren, and impart a spiritual gift to them that he and they might be mutually edified and encouraged together. It must have been a happy time—after a hard trial.

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Dear brothers and sisters in Christ; our Lord Jesus is the most wonderful Master that any servant could ever serve. Work in His service is hard at times; there’s no question about that. But those hard times are in His hand. And He is a loving Master who knows when it is best to give us safe and swift travels, encouraging friends, and times of rest and refreshment along the way.

Praise Him for those times of encouragement that He sends. They often assure us that we’re where we should be in His work.

AE