This Hand

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.