Open_Ended-2.pdf

Devotional

Day 1: Christ drains the venom of sin and death

Description #1>
On Malta, a viper fastened onto Paul and everyone expected him to die. But he did not. That moment points beyond itself. From the garden to the cross, the serpent’s poison—sin and death—has haunted humanity. In Jesus, the curse is broken. The Gospel does not deny the bite; it declares that the sting has lost its power. Those who belong to Christ now live under a new verdict: death is defeated, and sin no longer rules.

This freedom is not abstract. It touches guilt, shame, fear, and condemnation. When old venom rises—voices that say, “You’re still stuck; this is who you are”—you can answer with resurrection truth. By faith you can name what bit you and then name the One who bore the bite for you. In Christ, the enemy’s sting no longer has the final word over your story.

1 Corinthians 15:55-57
Death, where did your victory go? Death, what happened to your sting? Sin once armed death, and the law exposed our guilt, but God hands us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Reflection: Where do you still feel the “sting”—guilt after a failure, fear of death, or shame that keeps you silent? Today, write a one-sentence declaration of Jesus’ victory over that sting and speak it out loud three times. Then take one concrete step that matches it (send the apology, make the call, confess the sin, or share the story).

Day 2: Let Scripture speak before we speak for it

Description #2>
God’s Word is living and true, but it must be handled with care. Not everything in Scripture is a command to copy; some things are descriptions of what happened, not prescriptions for what we should do. Paul surviving a snake bite is a miracle, not a stunt to imitate. Reading in context, asking good questions, and seeking the Spirit’s help protect us from twisting the message to fit our preferences.

Faithful disciples slow down. They read what comes before and after a verse, look for the author’s intent, and distinguish the never-changing Gospel from the many different settings it enters. They submit their ideas to the Word rather than using the Word to prop up their ideas. Humility in interpretation shapes humility in life.

Acts 17:11
The people in Berea welcomed the message with eager hearts and checked the Scriptures every day to see if the things they heard lined up with God’s Word.

Reflection: Open to Acts 28:1-10. List three details that are descriptive (what happened) and one principle that is prescriptive (what we should do). Based on that principle, what specific act of obedience will you do before 5 p.m. today?

Day 3: One Gospel, many doors opened with wisdom

Description #3>
The power is in the message—Jesus crucified and risen—not in our method. Yet method matters because people matter. Paul reasoned from Scripture with the Jews in Rome and engaged the Greeks with reason and story. He learned their world so he could speak clearly into it. He did not change the Good News; he removed unnecessary barriers so the Good News could be heard.

This calls for listening, patience, and creativity. With a skeptic, you might ask questions and share your own journey. With a lifelong churchgoer, you might open the Bible and connect dots already familiar. With a neighbor from another culture, you might start with shared values like justice, beauty, or family, and then point to Christ as their true center. Love chooses a method that honors the person while keeping the message untouched.

1 Corinthians 9:19-23
Though I’m free from everyone, I make myself a servant to everyone to win more. With Jews I speak as a Jew; with those without the law, I meet them where they are—not lawless, but guided by Christ. I’ve become whatever a situation requires, so that by every possible means some might be saved. I do all of this for the sake of the gospel, so I can share in its blessings.

Reflection: Think of one person you long to reach. What is one relational bridge you can build this week—learning a question to ask, avoiding insider jargon, reading an article they’d value, or sharing a short story from your life? Put a 15-minute reminder on your calendar to take that step by a specific day and time.

Day 4: God’s unfinished story includes your next step

Description #4>
Acts ends open. Paul lives in a rented house, welcoming all, preaching the kingdom, teaching about Jesus—boldly and without hindrance. There is no neat bow because the story is designed to keep going. God intends ordinary disciples in ordinary places to carry the mission forward. We move from being observers to participants, from gatherers to scatterers.

Your everyday life is the chapter God is writing now. Your home table, your break room, your text threads, your errands—these are mission fields. The Spirit is already at work. Your part is to welcome, speak with grace, and trust Jesus with the results. The adventure of faith is not only in what we learn but in how we live it out today.

Acts 28:30-31
For two full years Paul stayed in a rented home. He opened his door to everyone, announced God’s kingdom, and taught about the Lord Jesus with courage, and nothing could stop him.

Reflection: What is your next simple, concrete step in the next 24 hours to “welcome all” and “speak about Jesus”—a text to encourage someone, an invitation to coffee, a prayer-walk on your street, or opening your home for a meal? Name it, schedule it, and do it.

Day 5: Sent people who say, come and see

Description #5>
Mission is not an add-on; it’s the heartbeat of the church. Jesus did not say, “If you feel like it, go.” He said, “Go and make disciples.” The good news is that He also promised His presence. We are not the main character—Jesus is. We simply point to Him and invite others into His story of redemption. Often, the first step is small: “Come and see.”

You are equipped to go in ordinary ways—sharing your story, offering prayer, inviting someone to church, starting a simple Bible reading with a friend. These are not minor steps; they are threads God uses to weave people into His never-ending story of grace. Go in weakness if needed, but go with Jesus’ authority and companionship.

Matthew 28:18-20
Jesus said, “All authority in heaven and on earth is mine. So go and make learners of me from every people group. Mark them with the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teach them to practice everything I’ve told you. And remember, I am with you every single day until the story reaches its end.”

Reflection: Who is one person you will invite by name before the day ends, and what exact invitation will you send or say (“Come and see—sit with me this Sunday,” “Join me for coffee to hear my story”)? Write the words, set a time, and press send.

Sermon Summary

of the Sermon**

Today’s sermon brought us to the final chapter of Acts, reflecting on Paul’s journey after the shipwreck and the open-ended way the book concludes. We explored how Paul’s survival of the snake bite on Malta is both a historical event and a powerful symbol: the Gospel redeems what the serpent ruined, and God’s power breaks the sting of sin and death. The sermon emphasized the importance of reading Scripture rightly—understanding context, distinguishing between what is descriptive and prescriptive, and not misusing the Word. We also saw how Paul models wise contextualization, adapting his method to his audience while never changing the message of the Gospel. Ultimately, Acts ends without a tidy conclusion because the story is meant to continue through us; we are invited to move from being mere observers to active participants in God’s ongoing mission.

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Key Takeaways

1. The Gospel Redeems and Overcomes the Serpent’s Sting Paul’s encounter with the viper on Malta is more than a miracle story—it’s a living parable of the Gospel’s power. Just as the serpent’s venom in Genesis brought sin and death, Christ’s victory breaks that curse for all who belong to Him. Our lives, too, are testimonies that the enemy’s sting no longer has the final word. We are called to live in the freedom and confidence that Christ’s resurrection has decisively overcome sin and death.
2. Rightly Handling Scripture is Essential for Faithful Living The sermon challenged us to move beyond surface-level Bible reading and develop the skill of interpretation. Misusing Scripture—by pulling verses out of context or confusing description with prescription—can distort God’s message and damage our witness. True discipleship requires humility and diligence in understanding what God is actually saying, not just what we want to hear. Growing in biblical literacy is a lifelong journey that shapes how we live and love.
3. The Message Never Changes, but the Method Sometimes Must Paul’s approach in Rome—speaking to Jews with Scripture and prophecy, and to Greeks with reason and philosophy—shows the importance of contextualizing the Gospel. The power is in the message, not the method, but our method can either open doors or create unnecessary barriers. We are called to honor the people we share with, understanding their world so that the Good News is clear and compelling. Humility in our approach ensures that it is the Gospel, not our cultural insensitivity, that offends.
4. Acts Ends Open Because the Mission Continues Through Us The book of Acts doesn’t have a neat ending because God’s story is still being written through every follower of Jesus. We are not just recipients of the story, but participants called to carry it forward—living on mission in our everyday lives. The adventure of faith is not about passive learning but about active engagement, letting what we’ve learned become how we live. The invitation is to move from being gatherers only to being scatterers—ambassadors who bring Christ into every sphere of life.
5. Mission is Not Optional—It’s the Heartbeat of the Church Gathering as a community is good, but without going, without mission, we miss the very heart of Christianity. Jesus’ command to “go and make disciples” is not a suggestion but a commission for every believer. Equipping without sending is incomplete; we are called to invite others into God’s story of redemption. Even simple steps—sharing your story, inviting someone to church, or saying “come and see”—are ways we participate in the never-ending story of God’s grace, trusting that Jesus is the main character and we are simply pointing others to Him.

Bible Study Guide

**Bible Study Discussion Guide: Acts 28 and the Never-Ending Story of God’s Mission**

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### Bible Reading

- **Acts 28:1–31** (Paul’s shipwreck, the snake bite on Malta, ministry on the island, and arrival in Rome)
- **Genesis 3:1–15** (The serpent’s deception and God’s promise to crush the serpent’s head)
- **Matthew 28:18–20** (The Great Commission: Jesus sends his followers to make disciples)

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### Observation Questions

What happened to Paul after the shipwreck on Malta, and how did the islanders respond to him and his companions?
How did Paul react when he was bitten by the snake, and what was the reaction of the people watching?
In Acts 28, how does Paul share the Gospel differently with the Jewish leaders in Rome compared to his approach with the Greeks in Acts 17?
How does the book of Acts end, and what is unusual about its conclusion compared to other books in the Bible?

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### Interpretation Questions

Why does Luke include the story of the snake bite in Acts 28, and how does it connect to the bigger story of the Bible starting in Genesis 3?
What does the sermon mean by saying “the Gospel redeems what the serpent ruined”? How does Paul’s experience on Malta serve as a living parable of this truth?
The sermon talks about the difference between descriptive and prescriptive passages in the Bible. Why is it important to know the difference, and what are some dangers of confusing the two?
The ending of Acts is described as “open-ended.” What does this suggest about the role of believers today in God’s ongoing story?

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### Application Questions

The sermon said that the Gospel breaks the sting of sin and death, just like Paul shook off the snake. Is there an area in your life where you still feel the “sting” of sin, shame, or fear? What would it look like to live in the freedom Christ has won for you?
Have you ever misunderstood or misused a Bible verse because you didn’t know the context? How can you grow in reading and interpreting Scripture more carefully? Is there a step you could take this week to deepen your biblical understanding?
Paul adapted his method of sharing the Gospel depending on his audience, but he never changed the message. Think about the people in your life who don’t know Jesus—what might it look like to honor their background or culture as you share your faith?
The sermon challenged us to move from being “gatherers” to “scatterers”—not just learning about Jesus, but living on mission. What is one practical way you could step into God’s story this week? (For example: sharing your story, inviting someone to church, or simply saying “come and see.”)
The Great Commission in Matthew 28 is not a suggestion but a command. Do you see mission as optional or essential in your own walk with Jesus? What holds you back from living on mission, and what could help you take a step forward?
The sermon mentioned that “equipping without sending is incomplete.” In what ways do you feel equipped, and in what ways do you need more courage or support to be sent out? How can your small group help you in this?
Who is one person God might be putting on your heart right now to reach out to with the hope of Jesus? What is one simple thing you could do this week to point them toward Christ?

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**Closing Prayer Suggestion:**
Ask God to help you see where He is inviting you to step into His story, to give you boldness to share, and to help you read and live out His Word faithfully. Pray for the person God has put on your heart, and for opportunities to be part of His never-ending story of redemption.

Sermon Quotes

The Gospel Redeems What the Serpent Ruined. God’s power breaks the serpent’s sting. Paul’s survival is a living reminder that the enemy’s venom has been decisively overridden by the work of Jesus.

Rightly reading the Word leads to rightly living the Word—the importance of proper hermeneutics: not just reading the Word, but learning to read it as God intended it to be interpreted and received.

When you remove a verse from its context, you can make it say almost anything you want—just not what God actually intended it to say.

The message never changes, but sometimes the method’s do. Methodology is never the power; the Gospel itself is the power. Yet the way we carry that message matters.

Acts ends open-ended because the story is still being written by every follower of Jesus who continues the work of Jesus.

The joy of following Jesus is not found in merely receiving the story—it’s found in joining the story. Living on mission, sharing the Good News, carrying Christ into our families, workplaces, neighborhoods, classrooms, and friendships.

My worry is we finish the book of Acts—a book all about movement—and somehow we don’t end up moving. That we learn the story but walk away unchanged, grateful for information but not living it out.

Paul meets his audience on their cultural ground—quoting Isaiah, connecting Jesus to Israel’s story. It’s a missionary masterclass in contextualization: same Gospel, wise approach, meeting people where they are.

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