Jesus said, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15). Interestingly and ironically, one of the chief carriers of that message was Paul the Apostle—and he did it until the day he died.
Acts 19:21 says, “When these things were accomplished, Paul purposed in the Spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, ‘After I have been there, I must also see Rome.'”
This is the first mention of Paul’s desire to go to Rome. That’s important, because the theme of the book of Acts is how the gospel gets from Jerusalem to Rome. And because Rome was the center of influence in the ancient world, the gospel spread everywhere else from there. Paul had a huge vision. He could have said, “Ephesus is about as far as I want to go.” But he wanted to go to Rome.
In Romans 1, Paul wrote, “Now I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that I often planned to come to you (but was hindered until now), that I might have some fruit among you also, just as among the other Gentiles. I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to wise and to unwise. So, as much as is in me, I am ready to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also” (vv. 13-15).
And in Romans 15: “For this reason I also have been much hindered from coming to you. But now no longer having a place in these parts, and having a great desire these many years to come to you, whenever I journey to Spain, I shall come to you” (vv. 22-24).
Paul’s big vision was to go to Rome, then continue west to the outermost regions of the Roman Empire, which was Spain—the edge of the world as they knew it. “Therefore, when I have performed this and have sealed to them this fruit, I shall go by way of you to Spain. But I know that when I come to you, I shall come in the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ.” (vv. 28-29)
Paul was planning to go to Rome, but he had to go to Jerusalem first. And as he got closer and closer, everyone warned him not to go. But he trusted in God. In Jerusalem, he was beaten up and arrested, and later taken to Caesarea for trial. He eventually went to Rome—not as a preacher, but as a prisoner on a prison ship. That was the perfect will of God for the Apostle Paul. It wasn’t what Paul had anticipated, yet he saw it as the gospel being furthered.
It was expensive to travel to Rome on a boat. It’s as if God thought, “I’m going to send you to Rome, and I’m going to make your stay there very influential. But I’m going to have the Roman government pay for the trip.” That’s how it happened. Paul appealed his case to Caesar, which made the government responsible for getting him to Rome to stand in front of Caesar.
The simple point I want you to see is this: God has a plan for you, just as He had for Paul. Pray that He would show it to you. Be courageous. And trust in Him. He truly knows best.
