The gospel is frequently misunderstood. For that matter God is severely misunderstood. Therefore, seeing the need to explain Himself to a lost, needy and confused human race, God enlisted the Apostle Paul to clarify His position. The Book of Romans is that explanation. In this message we look at the introduction to the book.
As the book of Acts comes to a close, we see Paul the Apostle arriving in Rome and carrying out an effective ministry there – while chained to a Roman soldier. The point is this: Jesus said his followers would receive power to be His witnesses. He didn’t say that would always be easy.
No one can accuse Paul of having it too easy. At this point in his ministry he’s a prisoner of the Roman government and about to board a ship to take him to Rome to face trial. Not long into the voyage a storm will come upon them. By the end of the chapter the ship will be destroyed. Compare this to storms and shipwrecks in your own life.
Any time that any person is confronted with the truth about Jesus, it demands a personal response. Two of the most common are to respond very negatively or try to avoid a response altogether. This section of the book of Acts allows us to closely examine these common responses to the gospel.
Central Reflections 