Once safely on shore, we found out that the island was called Malta. 2 The islanders showed us unusual kindness. They built a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold.
3Paul gathered a pile of brushwood and, as he put it on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand.
4 When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, “This man must be a murderer; for though he escaped from the sea, the goddess Justice has not allowed him to live.”
5 But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects.
6 The people expected him to swell up or suddenly fall dead; but after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god.
7 There was an estate nearby that belonged to Publius, the chief official of the island. He welcomed us to his home and showed us generous hospitality for three days.
8 His father was sick in bed, suffering from fever and of a bloody flux. Paul went in to see him and, after prayer, placed his hands on him and healed him.
9 When this had happened, the rest of the sick on the island came and were cured.
10 They honored us in many ways; and when we were ready to sail, they furnished us with the supplies we needed.
My Brothers and Sisters
It is something about the many of the chapter 28th of the Bible. As I were reading chapter 28 of Acts, I felt led to just scroll through other scriptures of the bible which led me to Job. In Job 28, Job begins to come out of his depression and begins to get back to his mission for God.
When we look at Psalm 28, we see this is when David is encouraged with courage because he discovers that God is his strength and his shield.
First Chronicles 28 is when Solomon is sworn into duty to lead Israel.
Matthew 28 is when Jesus gives to his disciples The Great Commission to go into all the world, and teach all nations and baptize them in the name of the Father, Son, and The Holy Ghost.
So, Acts chapter 28 is not only the last chapter in the book of Acts, but it is the last lap before Apostle Paul crosses the finish line to a: broader ministry, a deeper prayer life, a wider worship, and a stronger trust in his savior.
In other words, Acts 28 makes a prophetic pronouncement that We must be getting close to WHAT GOD HAS FOR ME.
Because after this chapter Apostle Paul is about to be –RELEASED INTO HIS PURPOSE, ON A MISSON, ON THE MOVE, & ON HIS WAY.
But before Paul is freed to heal others, God allows something in Acts chapter 28 to hurt him.
So, the first thing that we see is FAITH WHEN IT HURTS. Before Paul is blessed to be released, he goes through somethings. And many of you can relate to this because some of us like Paul, were being blessed and feeling some burdened at the same time. At time we are saying “thank you Jesus” then saying and that it hurts in the same sentence. Some of us are sing how great thou art in our first verse of our song and then in the second verse we are singing through the years I keeping on toiling, as though we are not going to make it.
In our text, God's prolific and proclaimed prophet Apostle Paul’s faith has, and his belief has seems to be hurting him!
And I know that you know the story, because I have preached it of how He survives the storms in chapter 27 and how he makes it upon dry ground in chapter 28 – and the first exciting things that happens in his life and reaching shore is that he is bit by a snake! LISTEN
You know you are getting close when you feel like you are in a strange place (Verses 1-2) because Paul escapes the storm, by making it on broken pieces, and look where God put him in a land called Malta.
Malta is filled with people who are known for being brutal and barbaric. Their conduct is rude and rough, their conversations are harsh and heinous. And somebody on the live right now is probably saying. MY HOME MUST BE MALTA
MY JOB MUST BE MALTA
MY CHURCH MUST BE MALTA
MY CHILL SPOT, BLOCK, MY BOULEVARD -- MUST BE MALTA!!! Because it seems like everywhere I go people are brutal and barbaric, rude, rough, harsh and heinous! It appears that no one has any love for anyone anymore, it seems as though people hearts are clogged with hatred.
But look at what God will do when you hold on to your faith. Let’s recap.
Paul was a shipwrecked survivor. And the custom was that they would normally murder or make slaves of victims of a shipwreck, but instead of rudeness and hatred, they showed them kindness. In other words, God made their enemies their footstool.
Let me see if I cab break this down. Here it is: GOD HAS A WAY OF SUSPENDING THE RULES of what should’ve happen.
What should have happened – didn’t happen – because God suspended the rules. Someone knows what I’m talking about.
•That cancer should have killed you, it was suspended.
•The attacks of your younger years by the predator and the hunters, should drove you insane but God suspended it.
•That drug overdose should’ve wiped you out, but God suspended it
• Statistics say that you should have committed suicide by now. But God suspended it.
• The Psychiatrist said should have lost your mind by now.
• The car wreck should’ve killed you. But God suspended it
The Question Here Is: Have you ever seen the hand of God interrupt an obvious attack on your life?
That decision was supposed to be disastrous
That mission was supposed to be a mess
That job was supposed to jeopardize
Your career was supposed to be over
That crisis, calamity, and catastrophe was supposed to take you out.
You are in a strange place, but God will suspend the rules!
What should be the response when God suspends the rules in my life?
Look at Apostle Paul, instead of tripping – he is serving...
He is throwing sticks on the fire in the rain. Because Paul realizes that there are times in your life that you are going to have to keep the fire going in the midst of inclement conditions. There are time when things will be extreme, severe, bad, and foul, but in those time, are when we must continue pushing.
There are times God calls us to keep the fire going in pouring rain.
Pouring rain, what do you mean Pastor, I mean there will be:
Days when you don’t feel like rejoicing
Days when you don’t feel like saying Amen
Days when you don’t feel like visiting the sick Days when you don’t feel praying for others, but you have to keep the fire going!
And I know that when I’m going through these calamities, then I must be getting closer.
I believe that we must be getting close because sometimes we are in a painful place (v. 3–6) because look at Paul.
Paul is throwing sticks on the fire.
He is throwing wood into the fire, the Bible says a snake jumps out of the fire, and bites Paul, fastens to his hand.
My perspective and question this morning from this familiar text is: Have you ever seen “troubles that won’t let go”? that just holds on, and dig in and just don’t want to let you go?
This snake bites Paul and then it won’t let him go.
Discouragement will bite you and don’t want to let you go.
Depression will bite you and don’t want to let go of you.
Hard times will bite you, and don’t want to let go.
(I have seen the enemy attack many in my lifetime, but the one thing we need to do when the enemy holds on to us, we got to “hold on to our faith”)
Because:
WHEN FAITH -- SAYS IT, GOD HEARS IT
WHEN FAITH -- ASKS FOR IT, GOD GRANTS IT
WHEN FAITH -- NEEDS IT, GOD SUPPLIES IT
WHAT FAITH – BELIEVES IT, GOD DELIVERS
WHAT FAITH – EXPECTS IT, GOD IS ABLE TO DO
What Philosophy can’t do, faith in God can do.
When Reasoning gets scared, faith gets courageous.
When Positive thinking signs out, Faith in God kicks in.
When the budget can’t support it, Faith in God underwrites it.
Without Faith...all you have is
• A God without A Savior
• A Bible in Your Hand, but His Word Is Not In Your Heart
• Happiness but no real joy
You know what happened – can I tell you what happened? Remember, Paul is throwing sticks into fire and apparently a snake that had been comfortable in the cold was quickly awakened by the fire.
Can I make a pronouncement: some of our faith has woke
up some sleeping snakes in your life.
But what I have discovered is that the World would leave you, but the Word of God will stand with you.
If we were a church that never praised God, never came to Bible Study, never gave our tithes, never prayed, never gathered for worship, never encouraged each other, never loved one another – we wouldn’t wake up sleeping snakes!
However, once you stand up for the Lord, once you proclaim His glory, once you serve Him by serving other people, that's when the snakes wake up.
Here's your shout: the snake might bite you, but it won’t kill you.
I decree and declare:
The Principality Can’t Over-Rule God’s Sovereignty
Wickedness Can’t Over- Rule God’s Righteousness Satan’s Schemes Can’t Over-Rule God’s Plans
Paul was expected to die, the crowd around him expected to
see him die, the poison was in him to die –but Paul is still standing!
Holler back at ya boy and let me here you say:
I AM STILL HERE!
•Cancer showed up, but I'm still here.
•I went through a divorce, but I am still here.
•I lost my job, but I am still here.
•I went to jail, but I am still here.
•I been through hell, but I am still here.
I may have some snakes hanging off of me, and these snakes might not want to let me go, and you are sitting there waiting on me to fall – but God has me –
I AM STILL HERE!
Recap the points: LISTEN
• STRANGE PLACE
• PAINFUL PLACE
3. You know you are getting close because you discovered that place you are in is a needed place (vv. 7 – 10)
That same hand – that hurt Paul – God used that same hand of Paul – to lay that hand on somebody else and heal somebody else.
That same hand...that was bruised, healed somebody else.
That same hand...that was wounded, brought relief to somebody else.
The same hand...that was injured, and burned, that same hand may have to minister to somebody else.
And let me get outta here when I say this. The same hand that was:
Bit, bruise, burned, and wounded, will be the same hand that I am going to praise God with, the hand I have been dealt (SAME HAND!)
In fact, every time I raise my hand in worship it is a sign that the devil didn’t kill me.
Every time I raise this hand it is a sign what the devil meant for evil God worked it out for my good.
Every time I raise this hand it is a sign that all things work together for the good of them that love God and are called according to HIS PURPOSE
THIS HAND might be battered but I am still blessed!
THIS HAND might be scarred but I am still saved!
THIS HAND might be crushed but I am still God’s child!
THIS HAND might be aching, but I am still praising!
AND I AM GOING TO KEEP HOLDING ON JUST LIKE:
Elijah, Joshua, Moses, Disciples, Widows, Mary and Martha, Jairus – TO HIS HAND!
May I tell somebody to Hold to His hand
God’s unchanging hand
Build your hopes on things eternal And hold, hold, hold to God’s unchanging hand
He got the whole world in his hands
He got you and me (brother, sister) in his hands
He got the whole world in his hands
SO, with this hand:
I bless him
I praise him
I love him I adore him
I magnify him I glorify him
I lift him
I shout for him
Grab your neighbor by the hand – And say look at my hand,
It’s a symbol and sign – that he can handle it
