Welcome to Windber PA's First Assembly of God's The Sunday School Lesson Teaching the Gospel at Rome by David McGee Page

Opportunities to present the gospel come in many forms.  At times we come into these opporunities because we are involved in organized ministries.  On other occassions, however, they can come to us seemingly out of nowhere, through circumstances provided by the Holy Spirit.

The apostle Paul utilized both types of opportunities in his ministry.  As you explore this week's study take note of how he did so and contemplate how the Lord may want to use you in a similar way.  Remind yourself that God desires to use you to bring the good news to those he places in your life path.

The scriptures below are from the WEB Bible.

Acts 23:11
11) The following night, the Lord stood by him, and said, "Cheer up, Paul, for as you have testified about me at Jerusalem, so you must testify also at Rome."


Acts 25:10-12
10) But Paul said, "I am standing before Caesar‘s judgment seat, where I ought to be tried. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as you also know very well.
11) For if I have done wrong, and have committed anything worthy of death, I don‘t refuse to die; but if none of those things is true that these accuse me of, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar!"
12) Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, "You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you will go."




Acts 27
1) When it was determined that we should sail for Italy, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners to a centurion named Julius, of the Augustan band.
2) Embarking in a ship of Adramyttium, which was about to sail to places on the coast of Asia, we put to sea, Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, being with us.
3) The next day, we touched at Sidon. Julius treated Paul kindly, and gave him permission to go to his friends and refresh himself.
4) Putting to sea from there, we sailed under the lee of Cyprus, because the winds were contrary.
5) When we had sailed across the sea which is off Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, a city of Lycia.
6) There the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing for Italy, and he put us on board.
7) When we had sailed slowly many days, and had come with difficulty opposite Cnidus, the wind not allowing us further, we sailed under the lee of Crete, opposite Salmone.
8) With difficulty sailing along it we came to a certain place called Fair Havens, near the city of Lasea.
9) When much time was spent, and the voyage was now dangerous, because the Fast had now already gone by, Paul admonished them,
10) and said to them, "Sirs, I perceive that the voyage will be with injury and much loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives."
11) But the centurion gave more heed to the master and to the owner of the ship than to those things which were spoken by Paul.
12) Because the haven was not suitable to winter in, the majority advised to put to sea from there, if by any means they could reach Phoenix, and winter there, which is a port of Crete, looking northeast and southeast.
13) When the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, they weighed anchor and sailed along Crete, close to shore.
14) But after no long time there beat down from it a tempestuous wind, which is called Euroclydon.
15) When the ship was caught, and couldn‘t face the wind, we gave way to it, and were driven along.
16) Running under the lee of a small island called Clauda, we were able, with difficulty, to secure the boat.
17) When they had hoisted it up, they used cables to help reinforce the ship. Fearing that they would run aground on the Syrtis sand bars, they lowered the sea anchor, and so were driven.
18) As we labored exceedingly with the storm, the next day they began to throw things overboard.
19) On the third day, they threw out the ship‘s tackle with their own hands.
20) When neither sun nor stars shone on us for many days, and no small tempest pressed on us, all hope that we should be saved was now taken away.
21) When they had been long without food, Paul stood up in the midst of them, and said, "Sirs, you should have listened to me, and not have set sail from Crete, and have gotten this injury and loss.
22) Now I exhort you to cheer up, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship.
23) For there stood by me this night an angel, belonging to the God whose I am and whom I serve,
24) saying, ‘Don‘t be afraid, Paul. You must stand before Caesar. Behold, God has granted you all those who sail with you.‘
25) Therefore, sirs, cheer up! For I believe God, that it will be just as it has been spoken to me.
26) But we must run aground on a certain island."
27) But when the fourteenth night was come, as we were driven back and forth in the Adriatic Sea, about midnight the sailors surmised that they were drawing near to some land.
28) They took soundings, and found twenty fathoms. After a little while, they took soundings again, and found fifteen fathoms.
29) Fearing that we would run aground on rocky ground, they let go four anchors from the stern, and wished for daylight.
30) As the sailors were trying to flee out of the ship, and had lowered the boat into the sea, pretending that they would lay out anchors from the bow,
31) Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, "Unless these stay in the ship, you can‘t be saved."
32) Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the boat, and let her fall off.
33) While the day was coming on, Paul begged them all to take some food, saying, "This day is the fourteenth day that you wait and continue fasting, having taken nothing.
34) Therefore I beg you to take some food, for this is for your safety; for there will not a hair perish from the head of any of you."
35) When he had said this, and had taken bread, he gave thanks to God in the presence of all, and he broke it, and began to eat.
36) Then were they all of good cheer, and they also took food.
37) We were in all in the ship two hundred seventy-six souls.
38) When they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, throwing out the wheat into the sea.
39) When it was day, they didn‘t recognize the land, but they noticed a certain bay with a beach, and they decided to try to drive the ship onto it.
40) Casting off the anchors, they left them in the sea, at the same time untying the rudder ropes. Hoisting up the foresail to the wind, they made for the beach.
41) But coming to a place where two seas met, they ran the vessel aground. The bow struck and remained immovable, but the stern began to break up by the violence of the waves.
42) The soldiers‘ counsel was to kill the prisoners, so that none of them would swim out and escape.
43) But the centurion, desiring to save Paul, stopped them from their purpose, and commanded that those who could swim should throw themselves overboard first to go to the land;
44) and the rest, some on planks, and some on other things from the ship. So it happened that they all escaped safely to the land.


Acts 28:16-31
16) When we entered into Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard, but Paul was allowed to stay by himself with the soldier who guarded him.
17) It happened, that after three days Paul called together those who were the leaders of the Jews. When they had come together, he said to them, "I, brothers, though I had done nothing against the people, or the customs of our fathers, still was delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans,
18) who, when they had examined me, desired to set me free, because there was no cause of death in me.
19) But when the Jews spoke against it, I was constrained to appeal to Caesar, not that I had anything about which to accuse my nation.
20) For this cause therefore did I ask you to see and to speak with me. For because of the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain."
21) They said to him, "We neither received letters from Judea concerning you, nor did any of the brothers come here and report or speak any evil of you.
22) But we desire to hear of you what you think. For, as concerning this sect, it is known to us that everywhere it is spoken against."
23) When they had appointed him a day, they came to him into his lodging in great number. He explained to them, testifying about the kingdom of God, and persuading them concerning Jesus, both from the law of Moses and from the prophets, from morning until evening.
24) Some believed the things which were spoken, and some disbelieved.
25) When they didn‘t agree among themselves, they departed after Paul had spoken one word, "The Holy Spirit spoke well through Isaiah, the prophet, to our fathers,
26) saying, ‘Go to this people, and say, In hearing, you will hear, and will in no way understand. In seeing, you will see, and will in no way perceive.
27) For this people‘s heart has grown callous. Their ears are dull of hearing. Their eyes they have closed. Lest they should see with their eyes, Hear with their ears, Understand with their heart, Would turn again, And I would heal them.‘
28) "Be it known therefore to you, that the salvation of God is sent to the Gentiles. They will also hear."
29) When he had said these words, the Jews departed, having a great dispute among themselves.
30) Paul stayed two whole years in his own rented house, and received all who went in to him,
31) preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness, without hinderance.

The WEB Bible is provided by Public Domain.