The Hope of Humanity Part 1

Pastor Mike will be speaking on The Hope of Humanity Part 1. He will be reading out of Acts 28: 17-31.

And I want you to note that Jesus taught from the Old Testament, the Apostle Paul taught from the Old Testament, and who are we to listen to these charlatans out there who would tell us that the Old Testament is irrelevant and we no longer need to teach from it? They are false prophets. Hello, this is Mike Sanders and I am the host of Hope Worth Having and I am glad that you are here today and we are bringing you the Word of God from the book of Acts chapter 28 verse 17 all the way to the end of the chapter. I want to talk to you about the hope of humanity.

You know, the world is looking for many answers, but the only hope is really Jesus Christ. You and I both know that. So let’s get into Acts chapter 28 and start studying that together.

Amen. If you have your Bible this morning, I want you to join me in the book of Acts, Acts chapter 28. And yes, we’re at the end of the book of Acts.

And yes, we have finally made it to the last section of the book of Acts. And yes, on this journey for a few years, we’ve been going through the book of Acts. We are finally coming to the end.

So we’re pretty excited, not that we’re finished, but that it’s just another opportunity to share God’s Word. But I have a question for you to consider this morning. Do you like happy endings? Do you want complete closure when you reach the end of a novel or a movie? Certainly.

Does seeing the words, to be continued, begin to cause you to be insane? Well, I have good news and bad news for you. We are at the end of book of Acts. And in some kind of unique way, it is an ending of to be continued.

It’s an interesting final section of this book. You know that we have been tracking the apostle Paul in these final chapters of the book of Acts. And we know that he is headed towards Rome and he is to be brought before Caesar.

And he is to have a trial of whether he is innocent or guilty. His only crime is that he has preached, he has taught the gospel of Jesus Christ. But this has upset the religious crowd.

It has upset the political crowd. And so they have made every effort to try to push back or oppose the apostle Paul’s teaching. And so in this process, in their effort to try to even have him killed, he has appealed to Caesar.

And as a Roman citizen, he has this right. And so we’re on this journey. But as we come to the final section of the book of Acts, we’ve been reading and anticipating what’s gonna happen when he stands before Caesar.

But nothing is said about that particular matter. And there is nothing to be said about how things finished out and concluded in the life of the apostle Paul. We know from church history that he would eventually be released from prison.

We know that he would continue to write letters and preach the gospel and then eventually brought back before Nero, who was the Caesar of the Roman Empire. And he would have his head chopped off. And he would die as a martyr for Jesus Christ.

But nothing, Luke gives us nothing in Acts chapter 28 about these matters. It’s almost as if Luke is saying to us, to be continued. We’ll come back to that, but I’ve entitled my message, The Hope of Humanity.

And as we examine this section of the book of Acts, chapter 28, verse 17 through 31, I want you to first see that the gospel is the fulfillment of the Old Testament. The hope for Israel, we pick up in verse 17. And notice what the scripture says.

It came to pass after three days that Paul called the leaders of the Jews together. So when they had come together, he said to them, men and brethren, though I have done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans, who when they had examined me, wanted to let me go because there was no cause for putting me to death. But when the Jews or the religious leaders spoke against it, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar, not that I had anything of which to accuse my nation for this reason.

Therefore, I have called for you to see you and speak with you because for the hope of Israel, I am bound with this chain. Then they said to him, we neither receive letters from Judea concerning you nor have any of the brethren who came reported or spoken any evil of you. But we desire to hear from you what you think for concerning this sect.

We know that it was spoken against everywhere. Now here the Apostle Paul is meeting with a group of Jewish leaders in the city of Rome. It was just two years ago that Claudius, who was the emperor at that time, had caused all the Jewish people to be banished from Rome.

So they are now beginning to filtrate back in because that has changed under new leadership and they are allowed to live in the city of Rome. And they must have come back in large numbers enough to not only have synagogues but to have leaders to be able to organize the Jewish faith and their Jewish religion. The Apostle gets to Rome and he wants to make his case to them.

He is in the process of waiting, waiting for the opportunity to stand before Caesar and make his case as to why he is not a guilty man and that the only thing he is guilty of, as he shared with the religious leaders, is that he has proclaimed the hope of Israel. The Apostle Paul, we look in verse 23 of chapter 28 of the book of Acts, it says, so when they had appointed him a day, so they made a schedule. They wanted to hear what he had to say and they made a schedule, a time in which they would meet.

And the Bible says, many came to him at his lodging. He was under house arrest, to whom he explained and solemnly testified of the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus from both the law of Moses and the prophets from morning till evening. And I find it so interesting that the Apostle is taking the Old Testament and he is helping the Jewish leaders and all those who would gather here, where he was lodging, and they are hearing this message and he is helping them to connect the dots from the Old Testament to the New Testament, if you will, from the prophets and even Moses himself, the lawgiver, and how that everything in the Old Testament was a foreshadowing and a foretelling of what would be fulfilled in the Messiah, Jesus Christ.

Now the Apostle uses a phrase that we read earlier in this text, and if you will simply go back with me, you’ll note it there, that he talks to them about the hope for Israel, and he wants them to understand that Jesus is that hope. That phrase, the hope of Israel, is not a new terminology for the Jewish people. For we know that Jeremiah the prophet himself said, O Lord, the hope of Israel, all who forsake you shall be ashamed.

Those who depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the Lord, the fountain of living waters. They knew, the Jewish people knew, that there was a hope. They knew that there was a Messiah who is the hope of Israel, that he would come.

I’ve shared with you before that when I was in Israel, we met with the chief rabbi, and he said, the only difference between the Jews and the Christians is you believe the Messiah has come, and we are still looking for the Messiah. I’m so grateful that we know that Jesus Christ is the Messiah, and that he has come, church, and he has come to bring salvation, and redemption, and forgiveness to all who believe in Jesus Christ. Oh yes, it’s a beautiful story, but how is it that the apostle would take time to help the Jewish people to see, to understand that Christ is the fulfillment, that all those sacrifices that were made, that were spelled out on how to do it in the book of Deuteronomy and Leviticus, how all that was pointing to a final sacrifice, the Lamb of God, John the Baptist, was the last prophet, and he was the one who would proclaim, behold, the Lamb of God, referring to Jesus, that behold, he comes to take away the sins of the world.

And so, the apostle keeps helping them see from the Old Testament to the New Testament. Friends, it’s important for us that we ourselves see the framework on which God is working, that the Bible is a redemptive story that threaded throughout every chapter and every verse is the story of God’s grace and God’s forgiveness, and that it is constantly pointing us to Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is not only the author of the Bible, but I want you to know that he is the subject of the Bible, that he is the main point of the Bible, and so when we open our Bible, we must see that the Bible is pointing us to the Lord Jesus Christ.

In the Old Testament, he is calling the people to look ahead. In the New Testament, he is calling us to look back to Christ. Why do we participate in communion as believers? So that we would look back to the cross and back to our Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave his life for us so that we could have eternal life in Jesus.

How important it is for us to understand that framework, but it’s also important that we understand that the Old and the New Testament are connected, so that as we are out there witnessing and there are many questions that people have, as we’re having spiritual conversations with others, whether there are children, whether they’re family members, strangers, or individuals that we work with, that we help them to see the whole scope of what God is doing in this redemptive story. This will make you a more powerful witness for God, for this is exactly what the Apostle Paul did as he was explaining and persuading in verse 23 them concerning Jesus, both the law of Moses and the prophets. And note what he did from morning till what? Evening.

I know you didn’t want to say that. Well, back then, they had some really long services. But we know that you’re Americans and your attention span, I mean, I’m already boring some of you, and you’re already checking out and you’re already doing your Christmas shopping on Amazon while you’re at church this morning.

Well, you and God will have to work that out and see where that fits in his plan for your life. But the most important thing for you to understand is that God has a beautiful, sovereign plan and it all points to Jesus Christ. And it’s the Old and the New Testament together.

And I want to say to you, church, this morning that I want you to be alert and careful of these foolish people who are running around telling you that the Old Testament is unnecessary. They are telling you that the Old Testament does not apply anymore. They are telling you that we should not teach from the Old Testament anymore.

These are false prophets. They are false teachers. They’re even in our communities.

And I have literally talked to individuals who say, no, we only teach from the New Testament in our church. We don’t teach from the Old Testament. My friends, I want you to know something.

In the Old Testament, we have the beautiful story of pointing us to a Messiah who’s coming. And in the New Testament, we have the beautiful story of looking back and see that the Messiah has come and how beautiful that is. And that’s why we celebrate Christmas and what it’s all about.

I want you to take your Bible real quickly. Don’t lose ax. But I want you to see something here that is very important to understand.

And I want you to get back to the Gospel of Luke. Just go back for me, Matthew, Mark, and what comes after Mark? Luke. There you go.

Stay awake. Stay awake. You’ll be alright.

And in Luke chapter 24, I want you to look with me at verse 13. Luke chapter 24, verse 13. The resurrection of Christ has already taken place.

Obviously, the crucifixion of Christ has taken place. You probably heard and maybe have read about the Emmaus Road, the story of the two men on the Emmaus Road. We pick up in verse 13.

Now behold, two of them were traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was seven miles from Jerusalem. And they talked together of all these things which had happened. What just happened? Well, what had happened was the crucifixion of Christ.

And unbeknownst to them, the resurrection of Christ. But they were discouraged. The Bible says in verse 15, so it was while they conversed and reasoned that Jesus himself drew near and went with them.

Jesus shows up on this seven-mile journey, but the Bible tells us in verse 16 that their eyes were restrained so that they did not know him. They didn’t recognize Christ. They didn’t have the understanding.

They were so stooped into their discouragement that they didn’t see that Jesus was right there walking with them. Look at verse 17. Here’s what Jesus said.

What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad? Then one of whose name was Cleopas answered and said to him, Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem? And have you not known the things which happened there in these days? And he said to them, What things? They said to him, The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death and crucified. But we were hoping that it was he who was going to redeem Israel. Do you see they already had a framework? Do you see they already had a working knowledge? Do you see that they already understood that a Messiah, that a Savior was coming? And they were hoping that Jesus was that person.

Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened. Yes, and certain women of our company who arrived at the tomb early astonished us. When they did not find his body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said he was alive.

And certain of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see. Listen to what Jesus says to them, O foolish ones and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken. You see the Old Testament there? Verse 26, Ought not the Christ, the Messiah, that the Christ, the word Christ is Greek for Messiah, to have suffered these things to enter into his glory? Look at verse 27.

This is what I wanted you to see. And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. You see, friends, the Old Testament points to Jesus.

And I want you to note that Jesus taught from the Old Testament. The Apostle Paul taught from the Old Testament. And who are we to listen to these charlatans out there who would tell us that the Old Testament is irrelevant and we no longer need to teach from it? They are false prophets.

Do not embrace them. I wouldn’t address these things if these things were not so serious to you. But I want you, as a believer and part of the fold of Christ, to not be deceived or led astray.

And I want you to see the great value of the Old Testament and how it points us to Jesus Christ, the hope for Israel. The second thing I want you to learn from our text in Acts chapter 28, verse 17 through 31, is that the gospel is the only hope for Gentiles. Now as the Apostle is explaining from the law of Moses and the prophets, and he is explaining from morning till evening.

I don’t know, somehow us pastors, we just love those phrases. But verse 24 says, And some were persuaded by the things which were spoken, and some disbelieved. Remember, this is a group of Jewish people that have met with the Apostle.

So when they did not agree among themselves, they departed after Paul had said one word. The Holy Spirit spoke rightly through. Now notice the Apostle is quoting the Old Testament again.

The Holy Spirit spoke rightly through Isaiah the prophet to our father, saying, Go to this people and say, Hearing you will hear and shall not understand. And seeing you will see and not perceive. For the hearts of this people have grown dull, their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn so that I should heal them.

As this group of Jewish people were gathered and they began to leave, the Apostle said, I want to give you one more scripture. And it was particularly for those who had disbelieved, rejected the gospel. And he said, I want you to hear what the prophet Isaiah says.

And he’s not talking about physical hearing or physical seeing. He is talking about spiritual hearing and understanding. And seeing and believing the gospel of Jesus Christ, he gives them this warning from the prophets.

But look at verse 28, because this is a conclusion that the Apostle makes. Therefore, let it be known to you that the salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will hear it. Friends, I want you to know, remember Acts chapter 1, verse 8? Remember that Jesus gave a commission to his disciples? Remember that he said take the gospel, that they were to take it unto Jerusalem first, and then to Samaria, and then to the uttermost? What we see in the book of Acts is this unfolding of taking it to the Jews first, and then unto Samaria, and then unto the uttermost parts of the world.

Why would Jesus be so particular and specific about the scope of the gospel message? Because the Jewish people believed that they were the only ones worthy to have salvation from God. It’s so unfortunate, because it’s not what the prophets taught. It’s not what the law of Moses taught.

But they believed that they were exclusive, and that there was no one else, no other ethnic group, no other society, no other people group that was to hear the gospel and to know God in a personal way. And that was the majority of the thinking of the Jewish people, and particularly the leadership. So when the Apostle looked at them boldly and quotes Isaiah to them, and then he says to them that the salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles, and he says they will hear it.

Explanation point. They will hear it, meaning that A, he is going to do everything in his power to get the gospel to every person on the planet, and B, they will respond. They will hear the gospel, and they will respond to God, and they will turn to Christ, and you are part of that proclamation.

Every one of you that has believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, you see friends, hearing the Word of God always influences people. The Bible tells us that God’s Word will not return void. It doesn’t mean that everybody who hears the gospel will be saved or automatically believed in Christ, but it does mean this.

Even in this congregation, even those listening on the internet and watching live, or those who are on the radio or television later on, they will hear this message, and they will either be responsive, receptive, and return to the Lord, and give their lives, and dedicate their hearts to God, or they will reject God. God’s Word never returns void. There is no in-between in a response to God.

It’s either one or the other. It is the same sun that melts the ice that also hardens the clay. His Word does not return void.

Either people melt and are moved by Jesus Christ in their hearts and receive him as their Lord, or they reject him, and they increasingly become hard-hearted towards Jesus. This is why, parents, it’s so critical to have your children under the sound of the gospel, the teaching of the gospel. So important to have them in Sunday school, and Iwana Bible Clubs, and different opportunities, certainly at home, having a family time of sharing the gospel and teaching the gospel.

It’s so important because the older people get, and this is all proven statistically, but it’s already was declared biblically, people’s hearts get hard. They get hardened, and they push away from God. They want nothing to do with Jesus Christ.

But friends, the Apostle makes a bold declaration that the Jews refuse to listen, so Paul says, I’m moving on, and I’m taking this hope of salvation to the Gentiles. Paul had the passion to get the gospel out to every person. Now, what is spiritual blindness? I want us to consider that this morning.

To be spiritually blind, as Isaiah talked about, is to not see Christ as the Savior, is to not see him as the Messiah. The Apostle Paul, in Romans chapter 11, he prophesied. In Romans 11 25, he said about a spiritual blindness that would come upon Israel.

He said, for I would not, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery. Whenever you hear the word mystery, the Apostle was teaching something new that has never been taught before, and he’s letting the believers have some insight on the mystery of God’s dispensation and providential unveiling of the gospel to around the world and the end times. He says, lest you should be wise in your own conceit that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles become in.

The gospel went first to the Jews, because Jesus told us that. He told us that. That’s why we’re pro-Israel at the open-door church.

That’s why we pray for Israel, because we are commanded to pray for Israel in the Bible. That’s why we support Israel, and we support ministries that are taking the gospel to the Jewish people, because the Bible says we’re to take it to the Jews first, and that’s what Paul did. But now he’s taking it to the Gentiles.

Why? Because there’s a spiritual blindness. It doesn’t mean a Jewish person can’t get saved, but overall in God’s scope of what he is doing, what he has taught us in the book of Daniel, that these Gentile kingdoms would rise up, and they would rule the world, and that you and I are in this process of that final Roman Empire coming to the forefront, and there being a tribulation period, and friends, there being this time which God, during that tribulation period, is reaching out to the Jewish people, because there’s been a spiritual blindness. For how long? Until the times of the Gentiles are complete.

When will the times of the Gentiles be complete? When all of their kingdoms will come to a finish? Well, it’ll be at the second coming of Jesus Christ, but that finality will begin at the rapture of the church, seven years before the second coming of Christ, according to the book of Revelation and 1st Thessalonians chapter 4 and 5, that I want you to know that the church will be called out. Now I know some of you like to debate, and I hear you. I’m with you.

All right? I understand. I’ve taken so many classes, and I’ve read so many books. I can show you them all.

My library is full of them, and you disagree on the timing of the rapture, but you cannot disagree that there is a rapture in the Bible, and I believe after all the studying I’ve done as a young man, as an old man now, as I’ve continued to search the Scriptures over and over again, I am more firm than I have ever been that the rapture of the church is imminent, and it is upon us, and it will be soon, my friends. And then after that rapture, there’ll be a seven-year tribulation in which God will reach out to the nation of Israel one more time to draw them back into true salvation. Zachariah says that when they finally realize that Jesus is the Messiah, that they will mourn of their sin, and they will repent of their sin, and they will be saved and receive Christ as Savior.

Amen. Go ahead and clap. Now if we had time, and we don’t because you’re not evening people, but you could go on to study the book of Romans chapter 11, and you could read further.

It says at the end that all Israel will be saved. Well, we’re coming to the end of the book of Acts chapter 28, these final few verses, and we’re certainly remembering that Christians definitely face storms in their lives, and sometimes it’s sickness, sorrow, suffering, all kinds of issues that we’re dealing with in this world. But we remember that the hope of humanity is our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and we’re going to continue to keep our eyes on Him and follow Him faithfully.

I want to encourage you to check out our newsletter. You can go to our website, HopeWorthHaving.com, and all of our newsletters are uploaded to the website, or if you’d like, you can sign up for it. We can email it to you, or we can mail it to you, whatever works best.

But check us out, HopeWorthHaving.com. This is Pastor Mike Sanders reminding you that in Christ, there is hope worth having.