Acts 28:7

Acts 28:7 says, In the same quarters were possessions of the chief man of the island, whose name was Publius; who received us, and lodged us three days courteously. We see the hospitality of the barbarians displayed.  The chief man of the island, named Publius, received them and lodged them three days courteously.  He did not question whether or not they were taking advantage of him.  Surely someone of less importance could meet their needs.  He simply invited them into his home until other arrangements could be made.  We need to learn, as God's people, to look to the need and the best way to fill it.  We must never feel that it is someone else's responsibility, especially if it is because we feel that it is beneath us. Verse eight adds, And it came to pass, that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and of a bloody flux: to whom Paul entered in, and prayed, and laid his hands on him, and healed him,  Publius’s father was sick with a fever and a bloody flux.  Paul entered his room, went to him, laid hands on him, prayed, and he was healed.  Paul did not worry about the condition being contagious.  He didn't say he was too tired after his ordeal.  He didn't present himself as a god as they had assumed.  He simply saw a need and prayed that God would meet that need.  We need to be careful that we are not too concerned about how a person's condition might affect us, and we must never be too busy or too tired or just too indifferent to reach out to others in need.  Then, when we do, we need to make sure that God receives the glory, no matter the outcome.  Verse nine continues, So when this was done, others also, which had diseases in the island, came, and were healed.  After God healed the man through Paul's prayers for Him, the people began to bring others to him who were sick, and through his prayers and faith in God, many were healed.  Verse ten states, Who also honoured us with many honours; and when we departed, they laded us with such things as were necessary.  Paul and the others were honored with many honors, and when they left, three months later, they were laded with such things as were necessary.  God was still watching over them.  Paul had not prayed for the healing of the people so he might be rewarded, but he accepted their help while he was there and as he left.  We need to learn to accept the graciousness of God in meeting our needs, but we must never expect material rewards for the things we do for God.  If we begin to believe that God has to reward us materially for the things we do for him, remember that Paul was still a prisoner on his way to Rome to stand trial.  God was simply meeting his needs along the way. Verse eleven adds, And after three months we departed in a ship of Alexandria, which had wintered in the isle, whose sign was Castor and Pollux.  After three months in the Militia, they found another ship of Alexandria heading for Rome. The ship, whose sign was Castor and Pollux, had wintered at the isle.  Castor and Pollux were supposedly the gods of the sea.  There are some who profess Christianity that might view this as a good thing.  After just being shipwrecked, what harm could it do to have the protection of other gods.  After all, this ship hadn't been tossed around for days until it sank.  This is the thinking that lets other religious beliefs creep into Christianity.  It is better to shipwreck under God's protection than to winter safely under the protection of other gods.  God's protection is eternal.  Verse twelve continues, And landing at Syracuse, we tarried there three days.  Verse thirteen says, And from thence we fetched a compass, and came to Rhegium: and after one day the south wind blew, and we came the next day to Puteoli:  They sailed first to Syracuse, where they stayed for three days. Then they sailed to Rhegium, and after a day, the south wind blew, and brought them the next day to Puteoli.  This is where they could have been with their ship intact, had they listened to Paul's warning from God the winter before.  Again, when we try to run ahead of God's will, we can expect failure.  Until we get back in line with His timing, we will find difficulty in all that we do.  Verse fourteen adds, Where we found brethren, and were desired to tarry with them seven days: and so we went toward Rome.  At Puteoli, they found brethren, fellow Christians. We must acknowledge that wherever we find fellow Christians, they are brethren, or family.  No matter their nationality, they are family.  There are no borders with Christ. They stayed for seven days with the believers at Puteoli.  God told Paul of his mission to Rome, but he never told him to ignore others along the way.  If we get so focused on our mission that we have no time for people around us, we are not glorifying God.  Verse fifteen continues, And from thence, when the brethren heard of us, they came to meet us as far as Appii forum, and The three taverns: whom when Paul saw, he thanked God, and took courage.  We are told that as Paul and his group were on the way to Rome, the brethren came to meet him, as far as the Appia forum and the three taverns.  If we hear of a great man of God coming to our area, especially if he is being brought under arrest, we need to go show him our support.  It doesn't even have to be a great man of God, that is to say well known.  Anytime this were to happen to any Christian, we need to show our support. When Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage.  Just like Paul, if we were to find ourselves in a bad situation in the eyes of the world, we should thank God if fellow Christians show up to support us, and we should be encouraged.  Paul knew his situation was where God wanted him to be, but he was still encouraged by the support.  We must remember that Christians were being persecuted at this time, so for them to openly come to Paul was a statement of faith.   

Acts 28:1

Acts 28:1 says, And when they were escaped, then they knew that the island was called Melita,  Verse two adds, And the barbarous people shewed us no little kindness: for they kindled a fire, and received us every one, because of the present rain, and because of the cold.  After surviving the shipwreck and having the natives be friendly, things were looking better.  When they were settled, due to the rain and cold, they built a fire.  Verse three continues, And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand.  While Paul was putting wood on the fire, he was bitten by a viper, which attached itself to his hand.  About now, we might be asking, "What next, Lord." It would seem to me that Paul had suffered enough by now.  Just because we are following God's will for our life does not mean that we be limited in the amount that we suffer, but instead that God will be with us through the suffering. Ultimately if we are obedient, He will be glorified by our obedience through the suffering.  Verse four states, And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live.  The barbarians, seeing the viper latch onto Paul's hand, decided he must be a murderer, who had escaped the sea only to have vengeance claim his life. Today, we often hear the statement that if something bad is happening to someone, especially a Christian, that they must be being punished for some sin.  As Christians, we don't see it as the universe or karma or any other belief.  We see it as God's punishment of some sin.  They, like Paul, may not be being punished for anything, but just have been put in a position to bring glory to God.  Verse five adds, And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm.  Paul shook the beast into the fire, and felt no harm.  When we are truly doing God's work and following His will, we don't have to worry about the things of this world overcoming us.  Verse six continues, Howbeit they looked when he should have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly: but after they had looked a great while, and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god.  The barbarians were amazed, and when Paul didn't fall down and die, they thought he was a god instead of a murderer. We can never let anyone attempt to treat us as a god.  Even if God does something miraculous through us, we must make sure the glory goes to Him.  We do not perform miracles. God performs miracles, and sometimes we are blessed enough for Him to perform them through us.  If someone begins to tell you about the miracles they have performed, something is wrong. If they tell you they are going to perform a miracle at a certain time, something is wrong. We do not dictate God's miracles.  Anytime the emphasis is on a person and not God, something is wrong.  Only when the emphasis is on God and His power is everything right.   

After they reached land, they finally knew where they were, an island called Melita.  After being tossed about in the storms of life from following our own way instead of God, once we turn to Him, we will be placed firmly on the ground of His will.  Then, we will finally know where we are.  They were on land, but had nothing.  They could have landed on an island where people looked only to themselves with no concern for others at best or hatred for them at worst.  Fortunately, the people were friendly, even if they were called barbarous.  Matthew Henry said they received a better reception than he feared they would have by many so called Christians, who would have looked for what they could have gotten from the group.  He further states that if God places someone within the borders of our habitation, especially someone in destress, we are to show them hospitality.  Too often, we as Christians look at others with fear or hatred instead of compassion.  We are afraid they are going to either misuse what we give them or try to take what is ours.  We are afraid they will prove unworthy of our help.  God did not put us in the judgment business, but in the restoration business.  Too often, we leave the restoration up to the Samaritans, the non Christians, of the world, because we don't want to be bothered by those who may be unworthy of our help.  When we begin to question the worth of people, remember that Christ died for us, and we can never be worthy.  Sometimes, it seems that compassion has gone out of Christianity today.  There seems to be the attitude that God has blessed us because we are special people and He wants us to keep everything He blesses us with for our own good, and we should despise those who might try to take anything from us.  We need to remember that God blesses us so that we can bless others.

Acts 27:37

Acts 27:37 says, And we were in all in the ship two hundred threescore and sixteen souls.  We are told there were two hundred seventy-six souls on board the ship.  We are not talking about just a small crew and a few passengers.  We may sometimes feel that what we do for God is not that important, but Paul's listening to God led to the physical deliverance of two hundred seventy-six people.  We may never know how many people are affected by our obedience to God, so we must always be ready to obey.   Verse twenty-eight adds, And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, and cast out the wheat into the sea   After they ate, they began to lighten the ship again.  They cast the wheat into the sea. They had eaten enough and were close to shore, so they threw the food overboard.  We may have to reach the very bottom of our material goods to believe in the word of God.  When we cease to rely on our own abilities, we can finally begin to rely on God.  Verse thirty-nine continues, And when it was day, they knew not the land: but they discovered a certain creek with a shore, into the which they were minded, if it were possible, to thrust in the ship.  In the daylight, they still didn't see land, but they saw a creek with a shore that they thought they might sail into.  They were still looking to save the ship.  Verse forty states, And when they had taken up the anchors, they committed themselves unto the sea, and loosed the rudder bands, and hoised up the mainsail to the wind, and made toward shore.  They raised the anchors, committed themselves to the sea, and hoisted the main sail and set toward shore.  We need to learn that when God has told us something is going to be lost, we can quit trying to save it. Verse forty-one adds, And falling into a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground; and the forepart stuck fast, and remained unmoveable, but the hinder part was broken with the violence of the waves.  Where the two seas met, they ran the ship aground.  The front stuck fast, but the back broke up from the violence of the waves.  Paul had told them God had revealed to him that the ship would be lost, and it was.  God's word is always reliable.  We can never counteract it, nor could those sailors. Verse forty-two continues, And the soldiers' counsel was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim out, and escape. The soldiers were ready to accept Paul's word that they would find land, but not the part about no one losing his life. They still weren't totally accepting what Paul had said, because he had said no lives would be lost   They were about to actively insure that was wrong.  Even if we don't want to believe God's word, we better never be guilty of trying to prove Him wrong.  We need to totally trust the word of God, not just the parts that benefit us personally.  Verse forty-three says, But the centurion, willing to save Paul, kept them from their purpose; and commanded that they which could swim should cast themselves first into the sea, and get to land:  Fortunately, the Centurian, willing to save Paul, stopped them from killing the prisoners. Verse forty-four continues, And the rest, some on boards, and some on broken pieces of the ship. And so it came to pass, that they escaped all safe to land.  He told those who could swim to swim to shore.  The others floated in on boards or broken pieces of the ship, and all were saved.  We may not feel qualified to do what God asks, but we can be sure He will provide a way.  If we cannot swim, He will give us a board, but His word can always be.

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Acts 27:33

Acts 27:33 says, And while the day was coming on, Paul besought them all to take meat, saying, This day is the fourteenth day that ye have tarried and continued fasting, having taken nothing.  Paul encouraged them to eat, to "take some meat."  He said that this was the fourteenth day they had fasted.  I don't believe they had eaten nothing for that time, and that is Matthew Henry's understanding as well.  They had simply eaten what they could and still work to save the ship.  In our spiritual life, we are sometimes virtually fasting when it comes to God's word. We are so busy with the cares of everyday life that we grab what we can of God's word on the run.  We get no real spiritual feeding, only enough to keep us barely functional in our relationship to God.  Verse thirty-four adds, Wherefore I pray you to take some meat: for this is for your health: for there shall not an hair fall from the head of any of you.  Paul told them this was for their own health, and not a hair on their head would be lost.  When we set aside time for spiritual feeding, we need to realize that it is for our own good.  We are going to lose nothing of value when we do this but are going to preserve everything.  We cannot fight the enemy without spiritual feeding.  It takes more than skimming a few verses a day in the Bible.  We must daily get to the meat of the word. Verse thirty-five continues, Paul took bread, and when he had blessed it, in the presence of them all, he began to eat.  Paul set the example by doing what he said they needed to do.  It is not enough that we tell people what they need to do, and then fail to do it ourselves.  Paul set the example, first by asking God's blessing on the food, and then by eating.  We need to set the example for those around us.  Paul did not wait to see if they were going to listen.  He simply did what he knew God was asking him to do.  We cannot wait for others when we know what God wants us to do.  We must simply obey.  Verse thirty-six concludes, Then were they all of good cheer, and they also took some meat. Then, after Paul started eating, they all were of good cheer and took some meat. Paul's example led to the others joining in.  We need to set the same example today.  Our following God should lead others to follow Him also.  

Acts 27:27

Acts 27:27 says, But when the fourteenth night was come, as we were driven up and down in Adria, about midnight the shipmen deemed that they drew near to some country, After fourteen days of being driven up and down in the Adria, about midnight a shipman deemed they drew near some body of land.  Verse twenty-eight adds, And sounded, and found it twenty fathoms: and when they had gone a little further, they sounded again, and found it fifteen fathoms. Then, as they sounded the water, it got more and more shallow. Verse twenty-nine continues, Then fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day. They then cast anchors, waiting for the day.  They still couldn't see land. Sometimes, when we find ourselves adrift in life, we need to cast anchor and wait for the light.  As Christians, Christ is both our Anchor and our Light, so we must just wait for His direction.  Verse thirty states, And as the shipmen were about to flee out of the ship, when they had let down the boat into the sea, under colour as though they would have cast anchors out of the foreship,  Even after Paul assured them that God had told him no life would be lost, they still looked to their own understanding.  They were going to abandon the ship and save themselves, with no concern for the others on board. They were going to sneak away while pretending to check the anchors.  We should not be surprised when the people of the world look only for what seems best for them, with no concern for others.  Until people accept the fact that Christ is the only way to salvation, they will try everything possible to save themselves, no matter how many people they hurt. Verse thirty-one adds, Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved.  Paul told the centurions that unless the seamen remained aboard, they would be lost.  Verse thirty-two continues, Then the soldiers cut off the ropes of the boat, and let her fall off.  So, the Centurian had the lines to the boat cut.  We must cut all other ways to life except the one God has provided or all will be lost.  They had not listened to Paul when he advised them not to sail, but at least the Centurian was listening now. Hopefully, we won't have to be tossed about for fourteen days before listening to God, but too often we refuse to give up our own plans, even when we know they are not God's plans. 

Acts 27:23

Acts 27: 23 says, For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, Paul told them an angel of God had appeared to him, of which he said, "Whose I am, and Who I serve," telling him not to fear.  Verse twenty-four adds, Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.  Paul had to appear before Caesar, and God was giving all them that sailed with him to Paul.  Paul said he was God's and he served Him.  We need to be able to say the same.  We readily claim salvation, but often have to be dragged to service. In the Air Force, there was an expression, "Never volunteer.” Sometimes, I think it carries over into the church as well.  We volunteer others quickly enough, but not ourselves.  God was not giving those on the ship to Paul that he might own them.  He was sparing their lives because of Paul.  They had not listened to Paul, but God was not punishing them because of that.  When we lead someone to a saving knowledge of God, we do not own them. They owe us nothing.  If they refuse to listen, God is not going to strike them dead at that moment.  Those on the ship with Paul were saved physically, so there was hope they could be saved spiritually.  Our task is to witness. God does the saving. Verse twenty-five continues, Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.  Again, Paul told them to be of good cheer because  he believed God.  No matter the circumstances, if we are following God's direction, we need to be of good cheer. Verse twenty-six concludes, Howbeit, we must be cast upon a certain island.   He then told them that they would be cast upon a certain island.  I am not sure we would be of good cheer if we had just been told we were going to be shipwrecked, especially if we were not saved, but they had been told they would live. If we were told that we would lose everything of value, but would live, would we be of good cheer?  As a Christian, that is what we are asked to do.  Even if we lose everything in this world, which eventually we will, for we can certainly take nothing with us, we have life eternal, so we need to always be of good cheer.