Serving Others In Every Circumstance Series

Introduction

From 1787 to 1833, the Clapham Sect was a small group of Reformed, Evangelical Christians led by William Wilberforce.

This small group of Christians transformed British society by abolishing the slave trade in the British Empire.

In the 1780s, Britain shipped 50,000 slaves annually.

At that time, slavery was socially acceptable and economically vital for the country.

Driven by biblical convictions, the Clapham Sect combined rigorous evidence and powerful preaching to persuade people about the sin of slavery.

William Wilberforce (1759 - 1833) was a member of the British Parliament.

He introduced abolition bills 18 times to Parliament over 20 years.

Grassroots efforts included 1.5 million petition signatures, sugar boycotts (which led to a 50% drop in sugar demand), and Bible-based literacy through Sunday schools.

In 1807, the Slave Trade Act was passed. This act did not abolish slavery, but it did curtail the slave trade.

Finally, however, in 1883, the British Parliament completely abolished all forms of slavery in the British Empire.

William Wilberforce died just three days after learning that the Slavery Abolition Act had passed its final reading in the House of Commons.

God used a handful of Christians to serve others, and it made a dramatic difference in Western culture.

We have been following the Apostle Paul’s journey to Rome in our last few lessons.

Paul’s great desire was to preach the gospel in Rome, and God was answering his prayer.

However, Paul was getting to Rome as a prisoner of the Roman Empire.

Paul and 275 others had just survived a dramatic shipwreck on an island in the Mediterranean in the middle of winter.

This is where we pick up the story and learn about serving others in every circumstance.

Scripture

Let’s read Acts 28:1-16:

1 After we were brought safely through, we then learned that the island was called Malta. 2 The native people showed us unusual kindness, for they kindled a fire and welcomed us all, because it had begun to rain and was cold. 3 When Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and put them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened on his hand. 4 When the native people saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “No doubt this man is a murderer. Though he has escaped from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live.” 5 He, however, shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm. 6 They were waiting for him to swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But when they had waited a long time and saw no misfortune come to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god.

7 Now in the neighborhood of that place were lands belonging to the chief man of the island, named Publius, who received us and entertained us hospitably for three days. 8 It happened that the father of Publius lay sick with fever and dysentery. And Paul visited him and prayed, and putting his hands on him, healed him. 9 And when this had taken place, the rest of the people on the island who had diseases also came and were cured. 10 They also honored us greatly, and when we were about to sail, they put on board whatever we needed.

11 After three months we set sail in a ship that had wintered in the island, a ship of Alexandria, with the twin gods as a figurehead. 12 Putting in at Syracuse, we stayed there for three days. 13 And from there we made a circuit and arrived at Rhegium. And after one day a south wind sprang up, and on the second day we came to Puteoli. 14 There we found brothers and were invited to stay with them for seven days. And so we came to Rome. 15 And the brothers there, when they heard about us, came as far as the Forum of Appius and Three Taverns to meet us. On seeing them, Paul thanked God and took courage. 16 And when we came into Rome, Paul was allowed to stay by himself, with the soldier who guarded him.

Lesson

Acts 28:1-16 shows how God uses Christians to serve others in every circumstance.

Let’s use the following outline:

1. God Uses Christians to Answer People Who Are Superstitious (28:1-6)

2. God Uses Christians to Help People Who Are Sick (28:7-10)

3. God Uses Christians to Encourage People Who Are Saved (28:11-16)

I. God Uses Christians to Answer People Who Are Superstitious (28:1-6)

First, God uses Christians to answer people who are superstitious.

At the end of Acts 27, we learned that Paul and the other 275 travelers were on a ship that ran aground on a reef just outside a beach within a bay.