baptism service

-devotional on water baptism from Scripture

-at this moment we are planning on baptizing 8;

-possibly 10 or more 

: our last sermon in Acts

-very fitting close to the series

-began with a message on mision

-ending with a message on mission

after all he had been through...arrest, imprisonment, court hearings, trials, storm, shipwreck, snakebite...the whole ordeal...

-Paul is finally in Italy/Rome

-he is encouraged and strengthened when he gathers with other believers

Scriptures details the need of self control to effectively and successfully live the Christian life

-Paul is in Rome

-Point to Ponder (again)...God is incredibly faithful

-we will explain the reason God continues to emphasize this truth to us in the conclusion/application

Theme: Paul survived persecution by the Jews and Gentiles alike, imprisonment by the Romans, a storm at sea, shipwreck...and now this...a poisonous snake bite...

-more bad luck...or is it???

-God has a way of using...possibly even orchestrating...the adversity in our lives...

Theme: the vessel carrying Paul to Rome is going to wreck

-there's a promise from God there will be no loss of life

-however the promise is conditioned on all the men staying with the boat

-some try to abandon ship...Paul has to call them on it

brief devotional and communion

the voyage from Caesarea to Rome is growing more difficult...and about to become a nightmare

-an angel appears to Paul and tells him twice to not be afraid

-what's in it for us

-we can also live a fear free life in Christ despite the circumstances/situations we may face

Paul's trial is finally over...he's off to Rome

-however, the trip is not the voyage they had hoped for...

-lessons from this first leg of Paul's journey to Rome