The early Christians living in ancient Rome did not have the Bible. They simply had heard the good news about Jesus Christ – how Jesus is the son of God and the Savior of the world – and they had believed. They had turned away from worshiping false gods and goddesses to worship Jesus Christ.
The Apostle Paul wrote a letter to these followers of Jesus Christ to instruct them in their faith, and to teach them how to live holy lives which would please God.
Paul tells these people of Rome: “Be patient in affliction.” – Romans 12:12
Paul wrote this letter to the people of Rome in the early spring of AD 57, while he was staying in the city of Corinth. Shortly after writing this letter to the people of Rome, Paul traveled to Jerusalem.
In Acts 20:16 we read of Paul’s journey to Jerusalem: “Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia, for he was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem, if possible, by the day of Pentecost.”
The church leaders from the city of Ephesus came to the coast to meet Paul (probably somewhere around here) as he was on his way to Jerusalem.
At this meeting Paul told them: “And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me – the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.” – Acts 20:22-24
As God had warned Paul, he was arrested in Jerusalem.
We read in Acts 21:27-33: “Some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul at the temple. They stirred up the whole crowd and seized him, shouting, ‘Men of Israel, help us! This is the man who teaches all men everywhere against our people and our law and this place. And besides, he has brought Greeks into the temple area and defiled this holy place.’ (They had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with Paul and assumed that Paul had brought him into the temple area.)
“The whole city was aroused, and the people came running from all directions. Seizing Paul, they dragged him from the temple, and immediately the gates were shut. While they were trying to kill him, news reached the commander of the Roman troops that the whole city of Jerusalem was in an uproar.
“He at once took some officers and soldiers and ran down to the crowd. When the rioters saw the commander and his soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. The commander came up and arrested him and ordered him to be bound with two chains.” – Acts 21:27-33
From here on out, Paul was a prisoner for the rest of his life. From AD 57-59 he was imprisoned in Caesarea Maritima under the Roman governor Felix.
Two years later, in AD 59 when Festus arrived as the new governor, Paul had a hearing before Festus. In Acts 25:8-12 we read of this trial:
“Then Paul made his defense: ‘I have done nothing wrong against the law of the Jews or against the temple or against Caesar.’ Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, said to Paul, ‘Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and stand trial before me there on these charges?’
“Paul answered: ‘I am now standing before Caesare’s court, where I ought to be tried. I have not done any wrong to the Jews, as you yourself know very well. If, however, I am guilty of doing anything deserving death, I do not refuse to die. But if these charges brought against me by these Jews are not true, no one has the right to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!’
“After Festus had conferred with his council, he declared: ‘You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you will go!’” – Acts 25:8-12
Did you know that the Caesar who was in power at the time and to whom Paul appealed, was Emperor Nero. (Nero reigned as Emperor from AD 54 until his death in AD 68.)
Nero is notorious as being the cruelest, most murderous (especially against Christians) emperor of all! However, at this time when Paul appealed to Caesar (in AD 59), Nero’s cruelty had not come to light yet.
Paul appealed to Nero! I did not realize this!
Not only that! Did you know that the Temple in Jerusalem was burned to the ground in AD 70 by General Titus just 10 years later!
So … the proud, haughty, religiously arrogant Jews who considered themselves so “holy” and “religiously perfect” … the very ones who tried to murder Paul … their Temple was burned to the ground just 10 years later!
This very Temple which they had used in their accusations against Paul … claiming that Paul had broken their religious laws by bringing ‘unholy’ Gentiles into their holy Temple. This very Temple was destroyed and burned – by ‘unholy’ Gentiles.
Gone! Utterly gone!
And the Jews of Jerusalem were taken captive by Rome and enslaved. Probably many of these very same Jews who had tried to murder Paul … who considered themselves to be so “holy” and “religiously perfect.”
Their temple was gone. Their pride was gone. Everything they had boasted and bragged about … gone.
The plunder from the Temple was taken to Rome … and used to finance the building of the Colosseum! And probably many of these very same Jews were also taken to Rome, as slaves, and used as slave-labor to build the Colosseum!
It blows my mind how God turns the tables!
At the time, in AD 57-59, it seemed like the proud, haughty, religiously arrogant Jews were getting away with everything. Paul had done nothing wrong. And yet Paul was unjustly imprisoned. Paul was a prisoner in chains for the rest of his life.
This blog post is about being patient in affliction.
When we go through hard times in life, we cling to the hope of Jeremiah 29:11: “’For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’”
But the plans God had for Paul did not look “prosperous.” The Holy Spirit specifically, very purposefully warned Paul that he would face prison and hardships. This was God’s plan.
When God very first called Paul to himself and chose Paul to take the good news of Jesus Christ all across the known Roman world to the Gentiles … God specifically told Paul that his life would be one of suffering:
“This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” – Acts 9:15-17
When Paul was beaten by the Jews in Jerusalem who were trying to kill him, Jesus Christ came to Paul in the night and encouraged him: “The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, ‘Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.” – Acts 23:11
Jesus Christ specifically came to Paul … and specifically told him that he was to go to Rome! God’s plan was for Paul to declare the good news of Jesus Christ in Rome! This was God’s will. This was God’s plan.
But to get there required being a prisoner in chains for the rest of his life!
Paul was patient in affliction.
When Paul, as a Roman prisoner in chains, was on his journey to Rome … caught in a terrible storm at sea, once again God encouraged Paul. Paul speaking, says: “Last night an angel of the God whose I am and whom I serve stood beside me and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar.’” – Acts 27:23-24
God specifically told Paul he was to stand trial before Caesar – Emperor Nero. This was God’s will. This was God’s plan.
But to get there involved shipwreck, in a terrible storm at sea!
Paul was patient in affliction.
God wants us – me and you – to be patient in affliction. God’s plan for us might involve hardship … like it did for the Apostle Paul.
But what about Romans 8:28?? “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” – Romans 8:28
This verse does not specify that the “good” is referring to “no problems at all” for us in this life.
The “good” that God worked through Paul’s life was the spreading of the message of Jesus Christ all over the world! I am a Jesus-follower here today because of Paul’s work of spreading the good news about Jesus Christ. It cost Paul his freedom. It came with affliction for Paul. But God worked much “good” through “all things.”
Jesus-followers throughout the centuries have been built up in their faith and instructed in how to live holy lives which please God because of the letter Paul wrote to the early Christians in Rome.
In all things – in all those hard things Paul endured – God worked for “good” according to his purpose. Millions of people have repented of their sin and turned to Jesus Christ! This is the “good.”
Even the burning of the Temple to the ground in AD 70. “The LORD works out everything for his own ends – even the wicked for a day of disaster.” – Proverbs 16:4
Those proud, haughty, religiously arrogant Jews who “got away with everything” when they unjustly beat Paul and tried to kill Paul. They didn’t get away with anything at all. God worked out everything for his own purpose – even the wicked for the day of disaster.
But Paul couldn’t see it in the moment. Paul couldn’t see God’s justice levied against the wicked.
Paul couldn’t see the vast numbers of people who would eventually come to faith in Jesus, when he was sitting in a cold dark prison. In the moment, the affliction didn’t seem to have any good outcome whatsoever.
The same is true with us today.
God wants us to: “Be patient in affliction.”
God has a plan for us! This plan does indeed have a good future and a good hope. But it might not be in the immediate here and now. For sure in eternity! But in the right here, right now … we will face affliction.
And in the right here, right now … as we face the affliction … we can know that just as God was with Paul in the middle of his affliction – giving him strength and grace to endure – so too God will be with us in the middle of our affliction – likewise giving us strength and grace to endure.
God will work all things for good. Even if we can’t see it in the here and now.
“Be patient in affliction.”
