Until the End

Study Guide

As the book of Acts concludes, Paul continues to face hardship and finally arrives in Rome. However, his journey of faith is far from over. He remains committed to the mission of advancing God’s kingdom, preaching the gospel to both Jew and Gentile. So also should we invest our energy and resources, in faith, towards showing God’s love to those around us.
Application
  1. Have you ever experienced a time when you doubted God’s love towards you because of difficult circumstances? How can you reframe your thinking around the truth that God’s love for us was displayed on the cross?

  2. When we receive Jesus, we receive both his forgiveness and his rule over our lives. In what areas of your life do you struggle to submit to Jesus’ rule (relationships, finances, parenting, work, etc.)? What steps do you need to take in order to release control in those areas?

  3. Paul was committed to building God’s kingdom. Do you expend more energy and resources building God’s kingdom or your own? How can you be an ambassador of God’s kingdom to those around you?

Key Points
  • Even when he repeatedly faces hardship, Paul remains steadfast in his faith. Likewise, we need to stop measuring God’s love for us according to our circumstances.

  • In fact, God often uses challenging circumstances to display his providence. Paul’s shipwreck on Malta allows the people there to hear the gospel, and many respond in faith.

  • When Paul arrives in Rome, he continues his mission of inviting others into God’s kingdom. This is our mission as well, and the Holy Spirit empowers us to be channels of the gospel.

  • Many of us want the benefits of the kingdom without submitting to the king. When we receive Jesus, we don’t just receive his forgiveness, we also receive his rule over our lives

  • While our mission is to spread the gospel, how others respond is not our responsibility—we can leave the outcome to Jesus.

Other Scripture References

Scripture: Acts 28