We come to Acts 28, which opened with one last attempt, probably by Satan, to kill Paul.

Paul shook the snake off into the fire, none the worse for wear. (Acts 28.5, MSG)

The incident with the snake is followed by more POWER, the last recorded in Acts:

Now in the neighborhood of that place were lands belonging to the chief man of the island, named Publius, who received us and entertained us hospitably for three days. It happened that the father of Publius lay sick with fever and dysentery. And Paul visited him and prayed, and putting his hands on him healed him. And when this had taken place, the rest of the people on the island who had diseases also came and were cured. (Acts 28.7 – 9, ESV)

Paul continues his journey to Rome, uneventfully, whereupon we have the usual: some believe, some don’t.

When [the Jews in Rome] had appointed a day for him, they came to him at his lodging in greater numbers. From morning till evening he expounded to them, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus both from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets. And some were convinced by what he said, but others disbelieved. (Acts 28.23, 24, ESV)

Again, it’s good to remember that there are no magic formulas, that even the great Apostle Paul, given all day to convince Jews about Jesus from the Old Testament, saw some believe and others not.

Finally, Acts ends with a beginning. Or we could say, “Acts doesn’t end, it just stops.”

He lived there two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance. (Acts 28.30, 31, ESV)

That description could apply to any of us:

• Living at our own expense
• Welcoming all who come to us (Paul was a prisoner and couldn’t go out!)
• Proclaiming the Kingdom of God
• Teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ
• …boldly and without hindrance

Or, as my friend Alan Briggs writes in his excellent neighborhood ministry book Staying is the New Going: Choosing to Love Where God Places You:

STAY FORTH!

Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. (Philippians 2.14 – 16, ESV)

You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 5.13 – 16, ESV)