To Be Continued: The Gospel Mission Carries On

Devotional

Day 1: The Mission Continues—We Are Acts 29

God’s gospel mission did not end with the last chapter of Acts; it is “to be continued” through us today. Just as the early church was empowered by the Holy Spirit to be witnesses from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth, so too are we called to carry the message of Jesus into our communities and beyond. The story of Acts is unfinished because God intends for each generation of believers to write the next chapter through faithful witness, perseverance, and obedience. You are invited to see yourself as part of this ongoing story, trusting that God’s purpose is still unfolding through your life and your church. [31:34]

Acts 1:8 (ESV)
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Reflection: In what specific way can you step into God’s ongoing mission this week—who is one person you can reach out to as a witness for Christ?

Day 2: Expect Gospel Friction—Persevere Through Difficulty

Carrying out the gospel mission will inevitably bring pain and difficulty, whether through spiritual opposition, natural hardships, cultural resistance, or the heartbreak of spiritual deafness in those we love. These obstacles are not signs of failure but are often the very crucible in which the gospel is proven genuine and powerful. Like Paul, who faced shipwrecks, conspiracies, and rejection, we are called to persevere, knowing that God can use even our struggles to advance His kingdom and make our witness more authentic and compelling. [40:31]

Acts 28:1-6 (ESV)
After we were brought safely through, we then learned that the island was called Malta. The native people showed us unusual kindness, for they kindled a fire and welcomed us all, because it had begun to rain and was cold. When Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and put them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened on his hand. When the native people saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “No doubt this man is a murderer. Though he has escaped from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live.” He, however, shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm. They were waiting for him to swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But when they had waited a long time and saw no misfortune come to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god.

Reflection: What is one current difficulty or opposition you are facing as you try to live out your faith, and how might God be using it to strengthen your witness?

Day 3: God’s Surprising Provision—Pray and Watch

When you step out in faith to follow God’s call, you can expect surprising provision along the way. God delights in providing for His people in unexpected ways—whether through protection, hospitality, healing, or the support of fellow believers. Like Paul, who found kindness on Malta, healing for the sick, and encouragement from unknown brothers and sisters in Rome, you are invited to trust that God will supply what you need for the journey, often in ways you could never have planned or predicted. Being prepared is not about having every resource in hand, but about depending on God’s faithfulness as you move forward. [48:55]

Acts 28:7-10, 14-15 (ESV)
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. They also honored us greatly, and when we were about to sail, they put on board whatever we needed. … There we found brothers and were invited to stay with them for seven days. And so we came to Rome. And the brothers there, when they heard about us, came as far as the Forum of Appius and Three Taverns to meet us. On seeing them, Paul thanked God and took courage.

Reflection: Where do you need to trust God for provision right now, and how can you actively watch and pray for His surprising support as you step out in faith?

Day 4: The Wonder of Gospel Fruit—Go with Confidence

When we are faithful to the mission, God brings forth fruit—changed lives, transformed communities, and a harvest that far exceeds our efforts. The wonder of gospel fruit is that God does the growing; we are called to plant and water, but He brings the increase. Like Paul, who saw believers already in Rome and trusted that God had “many people in this city,” we can go with confidence that God is already at work ahead of us, preparing hearts to receive the good news. The story of the gospel is filled with unexpected joy and awe as we witness lives changed for eternity. [53:16]

Acts 28:28-31 (ESV)
“Therefore let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen.” 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.

Reflection: Who in your community or family might be “waiting to listen” to the gospel, and how can you take a step of faith to share Christ with them this week?

Day 5: The Power of Redemption—God Changes Lives

No one is beyond the reach of God’s mercy and transforming power. Paul, once a persecutor and murderer, became a missionary and an example of God’s immense patience and grace. The gospel is for sinners, and God delights in turning brokenness into testimony, pain into purpose, and the least likely into His witnesses. Your story, no matter how messy or painful, can become a display of God’s redemptive power for others to see and believe. [58:47]

1 Timothy 1:15-17 (ESV)
The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

Reflection: In what area of your life do you need to trust God’s power to redeem and transform, and how can you offer your story as hope to someone else today?

Sermon Summary

As we open Acts 28, we find ourselves at the end of a remarkable journey through the early church’s story—a journey that, in truth, has no ending. Like the “to be continued” moments in our favorite movies, the book of Acts closes not with a tidy resolution, but with an open invitation. Paul, under house arrest in Rome, continues to welcome all who come, proclaiming the kingdom of God with boldness and without hindrance. The story doesn’t end with Paul; it continues through us. We are the sequel, the next chapter—Acts 29—called to carry the gospel forward.

The mission Jesus gave His followers in Acts 1:8 remains unchanged: to be His witnesses, empowered by the Holy Spirit, to the ends of the earth. Along the way, we encounter the same realities Paul did—pain, opposition, and unexpected obstacles. There are supernatural snakes, natural storms, cultural conflicts, and the heartbreak of spiritual deafness when those we love do not respond to the gospel. Yet, these difficulties are not just hurdles to overcome; they are often the very soil in which the gospel takes root and flourishes. God uses the compost of our trials to make the message of Christ real and compelling to those around us.

But the journey is not only marked by hardship. God’s surprising provision meets us again and again. Whether it’s the kindness of strangers on Malta, the hospitality of believers in Italy, or the unexpected resources that appear just when needed, God supplies for His mission. Being prepared doesn’t mean having every resource in hand; it means trusting the One who calls us to provide what we need, when we need it.

And as we step out in faith, we witness the wonder of gospel fruit—lives transformed, families changed, and communities renewed. The story of Paul, a former persecutor turned missionary, is a living testimony to God’s mercy and power to redeem. The gospel’s reach extends far beyond what we can imagine, touching generations and nations. We are invited not out of guilt, but out of awe—to be part of the wonder, to plant seeds, to water, and to rejoice in the harvest God brings.

The mission is ongoing. The obstacles are real, but so is God’s provision and the certainty of gospel fruit. Will you step into Acts 29? Will you trust God to use your life as a witness, confident that the story is still being written through you?

Key Takeaways

1. Expect Gospel Friction and Persevere The path of following Jesus and sharing His message is marked by real pain and opposition—supernatural resistance, natural hardships, cultural pushback, and the heartbreak of spiritual deafness. These are not signs of failure, but evidence that the mission is real and significant. God often uses these very difficulties to authenticate the gospel and deepen our dependence on Him. Perseverance in the face of friction is not just endurance; it is the crucible where faith and witness are proven genuine. [32:23]
2. Trust God’s Surprising Provision God’s provision rarely comes in predictable ways. Like Paul, we may find ourselves shipwrecked, only to be met by unexpected kindness, healing, and support. Being prepared for God’s mission means living in dependence on His resources, not our own. When we step out in faith, God delights to surprise us with what we need—people, opportunities, courage, and words—at just the right time. Watch and pray, for God’s supply is as creative as it is faithful. [44:38]
3. Be Confident in the Wonder of Gospel Fruit The fruit of the gospel is always more wondrous than our efforts would suggest. God brings transformation out of the soil of our faithfulness, often in ways we could never predict. Like apples on a tree or lives changed across generations, the results are disproportionate to our labor. Our call is to plant and water, trusting God for the harvest. There are people in our communities—perhaps unknown to us—whom God is already preparing to respond. Be confident: the gospel will bear fruit. [52:24]
4. Embrace Your Role in the Ongoing Story Acts does not end; it continues through us. We are invited to be the next chapter, to carry the mission forward in our time and place. This is not a burden, but a privilege—to be part of the wonder of God’s redeeming work in the world. Our lives, like Paul’s, can become living examples of mercy and transformation, pointing others to the King eternal.

** [31:34]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[25:13] - Back to the Future and “To Be Continued”
[27:33] - Learning from the Past in Acts
[28:00] - The True Mission of the Church
[28:57] - Paul’s Transformation and Journey
[30:06] - The Unfinished Ending of Acts
[31:21] - We Are the Sequel: Acts 29
[31:56] - Expecting Pain and Gospel Friction
[35:20] - Obstacles: Snakes, Storms, and Culture
[39:21] - The Heartbreak of Spiritual Deafness
[42:22] - Surprising Provision: Pray and Watch
[44:38] - God’s Faithful Supply on the Journey
[51:23] - The Wonder of Gospel Fruit
[53:34] - Confidence in God’s Salvation
[57:49] - Mercy for the Worst: Paul’s Testimony
[59:20] - Generational Impact and the Ongoing Mission
[63:36] - Our Next Step: Be His Witnesses

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Acts 28:16-31 (ESV) — > 16 And when we came into Rome, Paul was allowed to stay by himself, with the soldier who guarded him.
> 17 After three days he called together the local leaders of the Jews, and when they had gathered, he said to them, “Brothers, though I had 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.
> ...
> 30 He lived there two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him,
> 31 proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.

Acts 1:8 (ESV) — > But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.

1 Timothy 1:15-17 (ESV) — > 15 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.
> 16 But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.
> 17 To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

Observation Questions

In Acts 28, what were some of the specific hardships and obstacles Paul faced on his journey to Rome? ([34:11])
According to Acts 1:8, what is the mission Jesus gave to his followers, and what power would they receive to accomplish it?
How did God provide for Paul and his companions after the shipwreck on Malta? What unexpected forms did this provision take? ([44:03])
In 1 Timothy 1:15-16, how does Paul describe his past and the reason God showed him mercy?

Interpretation Questions

The sermon described the ending of Acts as a “to be continued” moment. Why might God have chosen to leave the story open-ended, and what does that say about our role in the ongoing mission? ([31:21])
The message talked about “gospel friction”—pain, opposition, and spiritual deafness. Why do you think God allows these difficulties to be part of the mission, rather than removing them? ([32:23])
The sermon highlighted God’s “surprising provision.” How does living in dependence on God’s resources, rather than our own, change the way we approach challenges in sharing our faith? ([45:43])
Paul’s story is described as a testimony to God’s mercy and power to redeem even the “worst of sinners.” How does this shape our confidence in the gospel’s ability to transform lives, including our own? ([58:15])

Application Questions

The sermon said, “We are Acts 29”—the next chapter in God’s story. What would it look like for you personally to “step into Acts 29” this week? Is there a specific step of faith or obedience you sense God inviting you to take? ([31:34])
Think about a time when you experienced “gospel friction”—opposition, discouragement, or spiritual deafness from someone you care about. How did you respond? What might perseverance look like for you in a current relationship or situation? ([39:51])
The message described God’s provision as often “surprising.” Can you recall a time when God provided for you in an unexpected way as you tried to serve Him or share your faith? How might remembering that encourage you to trust Him for future needs? ([44:38])
The sermon compared the difficulties we face to “compost” that helps the gospel take root. Is there a current hardship or challenge in your life that God might want to use as “soil” for gospel growth? How could you invite God to work through it? ([41:04])
Paul was confident that “there are people in this city” whom God is preparing to respond to the gospel. Who in your life or community might be one of those people? What is one practical way you could plant a seed or water this week? ([53:00])
The story of Paul’s transformation was used to show that no one is beyond God’s reach. Is there someone you’ve given up hope for, or even an area of your own life you think God can’t change? How does Paul’s story challenge your perspective? ([58:15])
The sermon ended with an invitation to be part of the “wonder” of gospel fruit, not out of guilt but out of awe. What motivates you more—guilt or wonder? How can you cultivate a sense of awe at what God is doing and wants to do through you? ([01:02:17])

Sermon Clips

It was that exciting to be continued because I realized what Luke's doing here as he's writing and why I think he ends in this unusual way is he's trying to teach us that it doesn't end. This is not the end. This is a to be continued. There is a sequel to the book of Acts. Did you know that Acts was a sequel to the Gospel of Luke? Luke wrote Acts, wrote the Gospel of Luke. Then he wrote Acts. So what's the sequel to Acts? We are the sequel to Acts. This is what Luke had in mind, the Gospel continuing to the ends of the earth. [00:31:10] (34 seconds) #WeAreTheSequel

I think we live today in the U.S. in a kind of increasingly antagonistic culture when it comes to the Christian faith. And guess what? The Bible tells us that's going to happen sometimes. We shouldn't be shocked at that or surprised or run the other direction because our culture says it's okay to believe anything you want. You can have any religion, no religion, any perspective. Believe whatever you want. It's right and true for you. The one thing you can't do is try to persuade somebody to a different opinion. That suddenly isn't right to do. [00:38:10] (35 seconds) #FaithInAntagonisticCulture

So in the book of Acts, we see that the gospel mission will continue. You will be my witnesses. The gospel will advance. People will come to Christ. But I just want to be honest with you up front, and it will be difficult. Don't shirk that. Gospel friction must come, but press on. Now, I want you to understand before we move on to the next thing, is that when I'm saying there's gospel friction, that there's pain, but the gospel will continue, I'm not saying the gospel will continue in spite of those difficulties. In some ways, the gospel will continue through and because of those difficulties. [00:40:23] (37 seconds) #GospelContinuesThroughDifficulty

So God's gospel mission continues, and it continues through you. And it will be difficult. Expect that friction. But there's something else you can expect. You can expect surprising provision on your journey. Surprising provision. So pray and watch. Pray and watch. God will provide. Now, I understand that the word expect and surprise don't really belong next to each other in the same sentence, right? It kind of eliminates the surprise. But you know what? We're talking about God Almighty. We're talking about God Almighty. And I've discovered He is most unpredictable. [00:42:12] (42 seconds) #GodRescuesAndProvides

Paul goes from potentially dying at sea to potentially dying from a snake to a three-day bed and breakfast. I mean, how cool is this, right? God is interesting. Publius' father was sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery, and Paul went in to see him, and after prayer placed his hands on him and healed him. And when this had happened, the rest of the sick on the island came and were cured. Again, instead of dead, people are being healed. They honored us in many ways, and when we were ready to sail again for Rome, they furnished us with the supplies that we needed. [00:43:53] (38 seconds) #TrustGodsUnpredictableProvision

Being prepared doesn't mean that you have everything you need. Being prepared means you have God. Being prepared means you have full dependence on God's provision at the right time. See, Paul was shipwrecked, and he didn't know that he'd hit an island called Malta. He didn't know that there would be people there at the end of the storm to help him. He didn't know that they would care for him, feed him, that Publius, the official, would house him and give him supplies to make the rest of the trip. He just knew that I'm called. And you're called. [00:45:48] (36 seconds) #CalledAndProvidedFor

Will you by faith be prepared, meaning will you trust that when God calls, He'll provide? Do we have enough faith to follow Him? Let me bring this kind of to its conclusion here in a minute. What can we learn, what can we expect if we're on this gospel mission? Well, first of all, pain. There's going to be friction along the way. That's part of the journey. We can also expect God's provision. That's the good news, that along the way, God will provide what you need to be on mission. And this last one just kind of puts me in awe. We can expect the wonder of gospel fruit. [00:50:46] (36 seconds) #MoreSupportersThanSnakes

Do you believe God has many people in Boyne City? They're not sitting in a church yet. They don't yet know who Jesus is and they haven't yet put their trust in him. But do you believe that in this community there are people for you to love and care for and help lead to Christ? I think God says, I have many people in this city. So be confident. It's a wonder. We just have to be faithful and God will bring forth the fruit. So Paul has this overwhelming confidence in the sovereign power of God to change hearts. [00:52:57] (28 seconds) #WitnessTheWonder

Could he imagine that the gospel would end up through the ages in all of Europe, in Asia, in Africa, in Australia, and North America, in Boyne City, that people would be sitting in this room as fruit of the gospel because people were faithful thousands of years ago. Isn't God amazing? I mean, I don't know about you, but I wonder in that. Like, that sort of blows my mind. Do you know what? I think Paul probably wasn't surprised. I think Paul, unlike many people, understood the transforming power of the gospel. [00:57:02] (42 seconds) #MercyForTheWorstSinner

God's amazing. He changes lives. He changes communities. He changes entire family lines. I had a chance just two weeks ago, two weeks ago yesterday, to experience that in my own family. My mom passed away just a couple weeks ago, and so I stood by the graveside of my mom and got to preach her funeral message. And as you would expect, there was a lot of sadness in my heart. There were some tears even as I was trying to get through what I was saying. But there was also great wonder because I stood there with four generations of Garzielas, and there's people, not every one, but there's people of faith in every one of those generations. [00:59:14] (44 seconds) #FaithfulWitnessesMatter

Ask a question about this sermon

Chatbot

What is the ongoing mission of the church?

How does God provide during difficult gospel journeys?

What is the significance of Acts chapter 29?