A Study of the Book of Acts
Sermon #42
“Shipwrecked and Snakebit”
Acts 28:1- 15
Have you ever heard someone described as being “snakebit.” That term is used to describe someone who no matter what they undertake to do, it is doomed to failure or some kind of catastrophe. Paul must have felt somewhat like this himself.
When we left our intrepid travelers last week the ship on which Paul and his friends were traveling had hit a sandbar “where the two sea meet” (v. 41). The front of the ship was anchored in the sand and the back of the ship was being torn to pieces. But according to verse 44 each and every one of the passengers and crew made it to safety. It was only after they made to shore that they learn where they were. Acts 28:1 tells us that, “Now when they had escaped, they then found out that the island was called Malta.
Principle to remember when things go wrong,
1. NO MATTER HOW THINGS MAY LOOK GOD IS STILL WITH US
In the midst of troubles, storms, and trials of every sort we need to be aware that God is still with us and that he is still in control. Paul’s shipwreck was no mistake, there were miracles to be done and people to be saved.
It is not different than today, God take us through tough times and we are left wondering where he is in the midst of it all. Everything seems to crash in.
Those who had made it to shore were wet and miserable, according to verse two, “And the natives showed us unusual kindness; for they kindled a fire and made us all welcome, because of the rain that was falling and because of the cold.
The natives of the island quickly gathered at the shore to offer assistance to the passengers of the ship as they made it to shore. I can imagine that some of these natives even went into the water helping those who were exhausted and the non-swimmers, to the beach. Here they built a large fire to warm the shivering survivors. Not only were the passengers and crew chilled from the cold waters of the sea buy it was raining as well.
Perhaps Paul may have thought to himself, “Good grief things can’t get any worse.” Well you know what usually happens when you think that, things can always get worse.
Verse three says, “But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat, and fastened on his hand.” When gathering wood for the fire, apparently Paul gathered more than just wood. A viper apparently lying dormant among the sticks, came to life as Paul placed the wood upon the fire and fastened itself to Paul’s hand.
I want you to notice Paul’s reaction to the snake bite it was simple and decisive. Verse five says that, “But he shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm.” Paul did not in a moment of panic fling the creature from himself without regard to others around him, those endangering them.
Neither did Paul do anything super-spiritual like immediately kneel in prayer or call for an impromptu prayer meeting, he did say some pious last words or preach a sermon. He seems to have simply gone on with what he was doing.
I want you to notice that the natives have a nice little theological explanation for what had happened to Paul. In verse four when they see that he has been bitten it is said, “So when the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he has escaped the sea, yet justice does not allow to live.”
According to them Paul is undoubtedly a murderer and although he has escaped death in the storm, fate in the form of the snake has now caught up with him. They held to the tenet still held by some today, “Calamity is always a proof of evil.” They thought that calamity was the evidence of divine punishment. They mistakenly thought all wickedness is punished in this life. The watch him waiting for what they knew must come, swelling and death. But as they watched and saw no harm come to him they realized that this was not the case and they changed their minds. Verse six says, “However, they were expecting that he would swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But after they had looked for a long time and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god.” Notice how fickle public opinion is.
Paul’s miraculous deliverance is such a surprise to the natives that they now conclude that Paul must be a god. That is quite a change of mind, in that just a few minutes before they had concluded that Paul must of have been a horrible criminal to have been bitten by the snake.
What should we make of this incident? I believe that we have authentic case of apostolic authority of Paul. In Mark 15:17-18 we find some very controversial verses which read, “And these signs will accompany those who believe; in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly things, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick and they will recover.” (RSV).
In this last chapter of the book of Acts we see two of these signs manifested by the Apostle Paul. He picked up serpents and they did not harm him and he laid hands on the sick as we shall see in a moment, and they recovered. By these things Paul established among a pagan people his authority to speak to the people.
We know that there are those today who use this scripture to validate their handling of snakes. But notice with me that Paul did not knowingly handle snakes, nor was it done as a demonstration of his faith.
Paul and his friends were taken into the (v. 7) “… estate of the leading citizen of the island, whose name was Publius, who received us and entertained us courteously for three days.”
Here Paul learned that the father of Paulius (v. 8) “lay sick of a fever and dysentery. Paul went in to him and prayed, …”
I want to break in the middle of the verse in order that we do not miss something that I think is very important. It says that Paul did not presume that God would heal this man until first he prayed. We never see Paul act as though he could turn the power of God on and off like a water faucet. Paul only acted after he had determined what the will of God was in this given situation. I believe that Paul only laid hands on this man to heal after he determined that it was God will to do so.
2. GOD IS THE ONLY HEALER
Verse eight then continues with, “and he laid his hands on him and healed him. (9) So when this was done, the rest of those on the island who had diseases also came and were healed.”
There is something here that I think we need to make sure that we do not miss. When Paul says that the father of Publius was “healed” he used a Greek word which means “instantaneous healing.” But when he says the rest of the island who had diseases came and were “healed” (v. 9) he used a different word entirely, a word that refers to a gradual cure. I believe we see here a unique blend of medical skill and divine healing. Luke the physician in the three months they were on the island was involved in the cures of the diseases of many of the islanders. The two are not contrary but stem from the grace and power of God. The father of Publius was divinely and instantly healed but others were healed through that agency of doctors and medicine, but both derive from God.
When after three months Paul left Malta, he left more like an honored dignitary than a prisoner of Rome. Verse ten tells us, “They also honored us in many ways; and when we departed, they provided such things as were necessary.”
3. GOD MAY NOT CHOOSE TO WORK OUT HIS PLANS THE WAY WE THINK HE SHOULD vv. 10-16
I don’t know this for sure but I suspect that Paul had his own expectations of how he would arrive in Rome. Perhaps he envisioned a great Preaching Campaign or Revival in the greatest city in the world but that is not how it was to be. In Verses 11- 16 find a description of the subsequent journey to Rome. “After three months we sailed in an Alexandrian ship whose figurehead was the Twin Brothers, which had wintered at the island. (12) And landing at Syracuse, we stayed three days. (13) From there we circled round and reached Rhegium. (re’-ji- um) And after one day the south wind blew; and the next day we came to Puteoli, (poo-te’-o-li) (14) where we found brethren, and were invited to stay with them seven days. And so we went toward Rome. (15) And from there, when the brethren heard about us, they came to meet us as far as Appii Forum and Three Inns. When Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage. (16) Now when we came to Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard; but Paul was permitted to dwell by himself with the soldier who guarded him.”
But God sent just what Paul needed. It says that when Paul saw the people who had arrived to welcome him that “he thanked God and took courage.” He is still some 120-130 miles from Rome in territory that he has never before visited yet there are believers here to welcome him. Two more companies of believers come out to welcome him, some of the believers walked the 40 miles to Forum of Appius to welcome him and the next day he discover more at Three Taverns still thirty miles from Rome.
It may not have been as Paul expected but it was according to God plan.
4. WE ARE CALLED TO BE FAITHFUL TO THE END vv. 17-31
When Paul arrived he did as he had always done he began with the Jews. He invited the local Jewish leadership to come and see him. He could not go them, he was chained to his guards. In verse 17, “And it came to pass after three days that Paul called the leaders of the Jews together. So when they had come together, he said to them: “Men and brethren, though I have done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans, (18) who, when they had examined me, wanted to let me go, because there was no cause for putting me to death. (19) But when the Jews spoke against it, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar, not that I had anything of which to accuse my nation. (20) For this reason therefore I have called for you, to see you and speak with you, because for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.” (21) Then they said to him, “We neither received letters from Judea concerning you, nor have any of the brethren who came reported or spoken any evil of you. (22) But we desire to hear from you what you think; for concerning this sect, we know that it is spoken against everywhere.”
Paul simply explained his predicament, pointing out that he was an innocent victim of a strange hostility of the Jewish leadership in Jerusalem towards him. Even the Roman who the Jewish leadership had turned him over to wanted to let him go. But the Jews objected. But he declares the real reason that I am in chains is because he has declared that Jesus is the hope of Israel the Messiah. They decided that they would hear him more fully at another date.
The story of the second meeting begins in verse 23. “So when they had appointed him a day, many came to him at his lodging, to whom he explained and solemnly testified of the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets, from morning till evening.
My what a Bible study this must have been. Almost any preacher would give up his theological decrees to get to sit through this Bible study in which the great apostle taught a unique Christian interpretation of the Old Testament. The end result was according to verse 24 “And some were persuaded by the things which were spoken, and some disbelieved. (25) So when they did not agree among themselves, they departed after Paul had said one word: ‘The Holy Spirit spoke rightly through Isaiah the prophet to our fathers, (26) saying, ‘Go to this people and say: “Hearing you will hear, and shall not understand; And seeing you will see, and not perceive; (27) For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.”’ (28) “Therefore let it be known to you that the salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will hear it!” (29) And when he had said these words, the Jews departed and had a great dispute among themselves.
At this point the Jews began to disagree among themselves. Some of them believed Paul, apparently convinced by his teaching. Most did not.
The book of Acts ends by telling us that “… Paul dwelt two whole years in his own rented house, and received all who came to him, (31) preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him.” Tradition and other Scripture suggest to us that at the end of a two-year period, Paul was released. Apparently he did appear before the Emperor and his case was dismissed. But it is also apparent that he was arrested again. This time he was not under house arrest but that he was thrown into the dark and lonely Mamertime Prison. Here again according to tradition, he was led out one day, where he knelt down and his head was cut off and the great Apostle to Gentiles, went home to be with the Lord, but not until he had completed his mission.
