DON’T GIVE OUT, DON’T GIVE UP, DON’T GIVE IN!
Acts 28:1-10
INTRODUCTION
A. HUMOR
1. A man went to visit a psychiatrist one day. When the Dr. came in, he asked, "What can I do for you today? What seems to be the problem?"
2. "I have a problem. Every single time I go to the grocery store, when I pass the dog food section, something in me tells me that I need to open a can of Alpo dog food and eat it. I have this tremendous craving to eat dog food!"
3. The Dr. said, "Well, this is a little different from anything I've ever dealt with before. How long have you been dealing with this problem?"
4. The man said, "Ever since I was a puppy!"
5. This man is very confused about who he really is. If you were a dog by identity, then Alpo is what he would be looking for.
6. Just as that gentleman was confused, many Christians are confused about their identity in Christ. We need to know who we are and the power that is our in Christ! [Tony Evans, p. 46.]
B. SCRIPTURE
1Once safely on shore, we found out that the island was called Malta. 2The 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. 4When 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, Justice has not allowed him to live." 5But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. 6The 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. 7There was an estate nearby that belonged to Publius, the chief official of the island. He welcomed us to his home and for three days entertained us hospitably. 8His father was sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him and, after prayer, placed his hands on him and healed him. 9When this had happened, the rest of the sick on the island came and were cured. 10They honored us in many ways and when we were ready to sail, they furnished us with the supplies we needed.
C. THESIS
1. The Apostle Paul and 275 others were sailing across the Mediterranean Sea, when they encountered a horrendous storm for 2 weeks.
2. At last the ship was driven onto the island Malta, and battered to pieces by the storm. The centurion in charge ordered everyone to abandon ship.
3. The crew and passengers jumped overboard and used wreckage to float to shore. They all arrived safely as God had promised!
4. They had just survived one of the most traumatic events of their lives: two weeks in a hurricane-like storm.
a. They were exhausted.
b. They were emotionally drained.
c. They were wet and cold.
d. They were in a confusing place and the rain and storm were still howling. [Are there times you feel this?]
3. BUT THEY TOOK TIME TO BUILD A FIRE. When you are exhausted/drained/cold -- -- -- IT’S TIME TO BUILD A FIRE! This fire represents Paul stirring up the Holy Spirit wherever he went.
4. REVIVAL FIRES ARE NOT AUTOMATIC – THEY MUST BE FED!
a. Paul didn’t wait for the weather to improve.
b. He didn’t wait for someone else to pray.
c. He said, “It’s going to start with me!”
d. God is ready to release spiritual power all the time.
5. THE FIRES OF REVIVAL ARE FED WITH THE DRY THINGS OF YOUR LIVES: Wood, leaves, etc. – dead religion, cold hearts, dry eyes, old faith, lifeless prayers…They all belong in the fire and once there, they kindle the fire faster!
6. THE FIRE BROUGHT OUT THE SERPENT! The devil won’t bother a church as long as it is dead and lifeless. But…as soon as it begins to position itself for revival, the serpent will raise his ugly head to prevent it.
7. Title: “Don’t Give Out, Don’t Give Up, Don’t Give In!”
I. PAUL’S SEASON OF THE PERFECT STORM
A. PAUL’S DIFFICULTIES
1. This passage is at the tail end of a long season of storm in the life of St. Paul. We’re all aware of his many persecutions, physical afflictions, imprisonments, shipwrecks, etc.
2. He had just finished serving three years in prison without trial and was on his way to Rome to stand trial before Caesar (a very scary proposition).
3. If all he had previously suffered wasn’t enough, his ship was caught in a terrible storm and tossed & battered for two weeks before running aground and breaking apart on an island.
4. At this point you’d think, “What else can happen?” But something else DOES happen – a Viper, an extremely poisonous snake, latches on to Paul’s hand and pumps it full of poison!
B. REACTIONS TO TROUBLE
1. What would most people do if faced with such a run of bad luck, especially the snake?
a. Some would begin screaming and crying.
b. Others would resign themselves to die.
c. Others would curse or blame God for allowing it.
d. A few might decide it was easier to serve the devil than to serve God.
2. But none would act unfazed, relaxed, or unconcerned; but that’s exactly what the apostle Paul did!
3. HUMOR
a. 3 people came upon the Grand Canyon in the 1700’s -- an artist, a pastor and a cowboy. As they stood on the edge of that massive abyss, each one responded with a cry of exclamation.
b. The artist said, "Ah, what a beautiful scene to paint!" The minister cried, "What a wonderful example of the handiwork of God!"
c. The cowboy moaned, "What a terrible place to lose a cow!" IT’S ALL ABOUT PERSPECTIVE!
II. OUR HARDSHIPS & TROUBLES
A. TYPES OF DIFFICULTY
1. Our problems are every bit as real and life-shattering as the apostle Paul’s. What are some of the hardships we face?
2. Financial squeeze, rejection; seeing our children go through trouble, losing someone we love, marital conflicts; loneliness, sadness, & depression; sickness.
3. I believe there is someone here this morning who feels like you’ve failed. This morning, you’re going to shake it off!
4. We know that our problems aren’t going to magically disappear; I wish I could tell you they would! But certainly the manner in which we face them CAN change, and that is what I’m suggesting.
B. KEY TO PAUL’S VICTORY
1. How is it that Paul could so calmly look at the snake & shake it off in the fire? It was that he knew:
a. His God was bigger than the snake and its poison; because God was the Creator of the snake, it was under His authority & control;
b. That God wasn’t finished with him yet; God had told him he would stand trial before Caesar & bare witness to Christ (Acts 23:11), and no poison in the world could overcome God’s will for his life;
c. “The Steps of a good man/woman are ordered by the Lord!”; this snake too was part of God’s plan.
d. The snake-bite was no accident, but part of God’s plan to bring Paul to the forefront.
C. THOUGHT: GOD IS IN CONTROL
1. Might it be possible that God has similar purposes for us? Might our troubles be mechanisms for a greater purpose?
2. We need to stop looking at our difficulties as some satanic plot and instead begin looking at them as part of God’s plan for our lives. If God allows difficulties, then:
a. they are mechanisms for greater purpose;
b. they are means to bring us to the forefront; or
c. they are given to work some spiritual grace into our lives – like patience, faithfulness, mercy, forgiveness, etc.
3. We are learning how to trust God in areas which may seem contradictory, but faith is “the evidence of things NOT seen.” God, not the devil, is in charge!
4. God works all things together, for good, to them that love the Lord, who are the called according to His purpose.
III. THE WORLD’S EXPECTATIONS FOILED
A. WHAT THE WORLD EXPECTED
1. In the Islanders’ mind, Paul could have been the poster child for the Murphy’s Law, he’d had so many bad things happen to him.
2. The Natives thought he’d ‘Swell up’ or ‘Fall over dead.’ When troubles rock your world, the world watches to see how you’ll respond.
3. Most people freak out, flip out, crack up, come unglued, see a psychiatrist, get some valium, and to live in a shattered world, only half able to function.
4. But God has a better plan for you – power to WALK on water, not just TREAD water!
5. The devil wants you…
a. To swell up & be poisoned with unbelief, depression and discouragement.
b. To fall over and die spiritually. “But greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world!”
B. WHAT PAUL DID
1. When Paul didn’t respond to his crisis the normal way, the world sat up and took notice. They said, “How is he still alive after the world injected so much hardship & bitterness in his life?”
2. The key is that Paul “DIDN’T GIVE OUT, GIVE UP, OR GIVE IN!” (surrender)
3. That’s what we must do: shake off the paralysis, the discouragement, and the sadness.
4. Jesus says, “Come unto Me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and you shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light” Matt. 11:28-30.
5. Paul didn’t “shake it off” onto the ground, for someone else to be afflicted by. Nor did he “shake it off” into a keepsake box to forever remind himself of the unfortunate event.
6. But he shook it off into the fire, where it would be destroyed and never again live to poison his memories with events of the past that can’t be changed. HE WAS FREE!
7. When we respond like Paul, with grace, peace, and forgiveness – the world has to wonder how we do it.
8. This gives us opportunity/ the platform to reveal the Source of our Hope – Jesus Christ. The trouble became a platform to witness.
IV. GOD’S INTENT THROUGH THE SNAKE
A. THE VIPER WAS SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE OF WHAT FOLLOWED:
1. Because of this, revival broke out for three months.
2. What the devil meant to hinder them, actually worked to open doors.
3. Revival starts when we stir up the fire and shake off the devil.
B. REVIVAL TURNS CRITICS INTO CONVERTS
1. Don’t be angry at your critics (like the natives), they may end up becoming your converts.
2. God will work in your life in such a way, so that even your critics are forced to admit God is with you.
C. A REVIVAL THAT COVERS THE ISLAND
1. Vss. 7-10; Publius healed. All the sick were brought. They were highly honored.
2. Who would’ve thought that a group of ship-wrecked prisoners could make such an impact in such a short time.
3. Paul made an impact for Jesus on that island. 2,000 years later there’s still a witness of Paul’s influence – they built a church there named “St. Paul’s Shipwreck Church.”
4. Surely our time is running out…let’s lift up Jesus so that our city and county can see Him!
CONCLUSION
A. ILLUSTRATION
1. A rich miser was afflicted with cataracts on both eyes. He made an appointment with an eminent surgeon to remove them, and after examination was told that it could be done.
2. “But what will it cost?” “$1000 for each eye,” the doctor replied. The miser thought of his money and then of his blindness, and said “I will have one eye restored; that will be enough to enable me to see to count my money, and I can save the expense of having the other operated on.” How many of us would take such half-measures?
3. Many Christians want what God offers, but don’t want to pay the price. Are we willing to pay for only half their vision to be restored? People want just enough Gospel power to get to heaven, but not so much that it crimps their lifestyle!
4. May God help us not have “One-Eyed Religion,” but to be full sons and daughters of God, transformed into His likeness.
B. THINK HOW THE TROUBLES HELPED:
1. The STORM – got Paul to Rome faster.
2. The SERPENT – got them better accommodations and opened doors of Ministry.
3. The ORDEAL – gained Paul favor in the Centurion’s eyes and improved prospects in Rom.
C. ALTAR CALL
1. How many of you feel like you’ve got a viper fixed on your hand? How many feel like you’ve had a long run of bad luck and are ready for a change?
2. Are you ready to shake off the devil into Holy Ghost fire today? Do you need to stir up the embers of your life again until you feel Him ablaze in you?
3. Are you hungry for revival to hit our area?
4. Do you need healing from your storms and snake bites?
5. DO YOU HAVE FINANCIAL PRESSURE? SHAKE IT OFF!
REBELLIOUS KIDS? “ “ “
SICKNESS? “ “ “
MARRIAGE TROUBLES? “ “ “
LONELINESS, DEPRESSION? “ “ “
PREVIOUS FAILURES? “ “ “
JOB WOES? “ “ “
6. “Don’t Give Out, Don’t Give Up, Don’t Give In!”
