The book of Acts ends with Paul under house arrest in Rome: '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.' He's imprisoned yet free. Restricted yet unrestricted.
I have a friend with ALS. She's completely paralyzed now. She can only communicate by eye movements. Physically, she's imprisoned in her own body. But she's the most spiritually alive person I know. She's been using an eye-tracking device to write about Jesus. People are coming to faith through her witness. She's more impactful in paralysis than most of us are in health.
That's what this verse shows us. Paul could have despaired at his imprisonment. Instead, he preached. He taught. He welcomed people. He wasn't waiting for the perfect circumstances. He wasn't postponing his mission. He was living it in the midst of restriction. That's the legacy of Acts: the Spirit moves regardless of circumstances. The gospel spreads even when believers are chained.
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