This week we finished the book of Acts by reviewing Paul’s journey from Ephesus to Rome. It is amazing to see how God worked every event out to accomplish His plan. Paul trusted in God to protect him when he decided to return to Jerusalem, even though he knew the Jew there would try to kill him. Even when Paul was a prisoner, after being arrested in Jerusalem, he had favor with his every Roman official he encountered on his journey, God used these unsaved men to care for Paul and keep him safe.
Lesson:
Over the past few weeks we have been talking about Paul’s Journey from Ephesus to Rome. Paul had been in Ephesus for 3 years teaching about Jesus, many were coming to know Jesus as their savior and were turning from idol worship. However, some were angry that so many were turning from idol worship, and started making trouble for Paul. Paul decided that it was time to return to Jerusalem, but no one wanted him to go, they knew he would be arrested and killed by the Jews if he did. However, Paul would not change his mind; he knew what awaited him yet he went anyway.
When Paul arrived in Jerusalem he met with the church elders there, and told them all about what God had done on his travels. Everyone rejoiced at what Paul reported! A few days later Paul went to the Temple to worship; while he was there some Jews recognized him, and began to stir up the crowed against him. The Roman officials came to the bring order, and discovered Paul was the source of the conflict so they arrested him. When the head official heard the charges against Paul, he didn’t understand. The Jews wanted to be allowed to put Paul to death, but he had not broken any laws that deserved death. The official decided to send Paul to the governor and let him hear Paul’s case. They Jews planned to kill Paul in route, but the Romans kept him safe.
Paul was delivered to Felix the governor, when he heard the charges he could not understand why the Jew wanted to put Paul to death. Felix kept Paul in Roman custody for two years, he allowed him to have an apartment and visitors. Felix listened to Paul often, because he enjoyed hearing about Jesus. When Felix left office Paul was still imprisoned, when Festus the new governor took office he decided to hear Paul’s case. However, he too could find no reason for Paul to be put to death or released to the Jews. Festus gave Paul a choice he could either stand trial before the Jews or go and appeal to Cesar in Rome. Paul decided to make an appeal to Cesar, this would give him the opportunity to witness to the most powerful man in Rome.
Before Paul left for Rome he had the opportunity to give his appeal to King Agrippa, who also saw no reason for Paul to be imprisoned much less put to death. Days later Paul set sail for Rome, during his trip he was shipwrecked and bitten by a poisonous snake. After months of travel, and living in difficult conditions Paul arrived in Rome. Paul remained in Roman custody for two years, and again he was allowed to have his own apartment and receive visitors. During this time Paul wrote many letter that make up our Bibles.
Paul trusted in God and His plan; he understood that God is in control of everything. History tells us that Paul was eventually killed by the Romans; however, had he not been in Roman custody he would have been killed by the Jews much sooner. God used the Romans to keep Paul safe and allow him to not only minister to the churches that he helped plant, but He also used Paul to reach out to very powerful men in Rome who otherwise would have never known about Jesus. We can trust in God, because nothing can stand in God’s way, His plans will always succeed!
It is my hope that our kids will look at the Apostle Paul as a hero of the faith; not because he preformed so many miracles, but because he trusted in God even when most would take mattes into their own hands. Paul stands as an amazing reminder of what God can do with fallen sinners, no matter how bad their sins (Remember Paul consented to the stoning of Steven). Paul gave up prestige and comfort to serve Jesus with great humility loving others in word and deed. Most of all he was willing to give up his own life to see God glorified through the redemption of fellow sinners!
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I encourage you to spend some time reviewing these lessons with your children, and pray they are not the only ones impacted by the message!
Leading Them to the Cross 