For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house
and welcomed all who came to see him.
Boldly and without hindrance he preached the kingdom of God and
taught about the Lord Jesus Christ. Acts 28:30-31 (NIV)
The end of Luke's narrative caught my attention recently. For those of you who like stories with all the loose ends wrapped up, the conclusion of Acts is a little disappointing. If Luke knew that Paul stayed for 'two whole years' why not tell us what happened? Where is the account of Paul's expected trial? Did Paul appear before Caesar? What happened to the hero of the tale? Why tell us that Paul welcomed everyone who came to see him? Why such an inconclusive ending?
Luke tells us that Paul welcomed all who came to him. The Jews came, the Roman guards came, the local believers came, nobody was turned away. Perhaps the message that Luke wants to leave with us is inclusiveness of the gospel invitation. There were occasions when Paul seemed to explode with frustration at the obduracy of his fellow Jews. However, despite declaring that he has fulfilled his responsibilities and turned his face towards the gentiles, the door was always open, the welcome mat left out.
Paul was the pre-eminent theologian and apologist of the first century church, always ready to give a defense of the faith. But he was the theologian of the 'open door', always willing to explain the gospel to whoever would listen. It is so much easier to be the theologian of the 'closed door' talking only to those we agree with, shut in a ivory tower of our own dogma. We forget that the gospel is good news to everyone, believer and unbeliever. Paul received all kindly. He was less polemic apologist and more a kindly teacher. As Brian McLaren reminds us: "In a pluralistic world a religion is valued on the benefits it brings to its non-adherents". Think about this statement. The gospel is not just about what it can do for me. It is good news for everyone.
Open doors are always risky ventures. Those who may come in could be carrying rocks. There is always the danger of being crucified by those who reject our message. Paul was only in Rome for three days before he invites the leaders of the Jews to a meeting. We can almost hear the cries "Paul is that really a good idea!"
Closed doors are safe. The world is kept at a distance. But 'safe' will never extend the kingdom. We can never love our enemies at a distance. Closed doors are often an expression of our own insecurity and fears. Remember, in the end truth triumphs, God wins, the devil loses, empty philosophies and vain traditions are blown away in the wind.
Luke's open ending is a reminder to hold material things lightly (Luke reminds us that Paul lived in a rented house) and maintain a welcome to all. It is time to take a deep breath and invite a few tax collectors and sinners into the house. We would do better to place more emphasis on welcoming our neighbors and less on deciding who is our friend and who is our enemy or whether the they are 'in' or 'out' of the kingdom. We have carefully constructed rituals (raise your hand, come to the front, pray the sinners prayer etc) to decide who is in and who is out. Jesus did not come to make some people happy because they are 'in' and right' and others condemned because they are 'out' and 'wrong'. He came to preach good news to the poor, the marginalized, the outcasts - such is Luke's theme.
Luke's open ending is a powerful reminder that this is not the end of the story. The gospel has not yet reached 'the ends of the earth'. The ending of Acts highlights not Paul's death, not the injustice of his imprisonment, not the hatred of his opponents, but the hope of the gospel and the open door of invitation. The good news of the kingdom has survived riotous mobs, shipwrecks, and deadly snakes to reach the heart of the Roman Empire. Now it is poised to reach the ends of the earth. No obstacle is too great. No earthly kingdom too powerful to stand in its way.