The Book of
Acts Chapter 28
Paul
Arrives in
28:1
And when they were
escaped, then they knew that the island was called Melita. 2 And the barbarous people shewed us no little kindness: for they kindled a fire, and
received us every one, because of the present rain, and because of the
cold. 3 And when Paul had gathered a bundle of
sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and
fastened on his hand. 4 And when the barbarians saw the venomous
beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a
murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live.
5 And he
shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm. 6
Howbeit they looked when he should have swollen, or fallen down dead
suddenly: but after they had looked a great while, and saw no harm come to him,
they changed their minds, and said that he was a god.
A. Power
over Serpents
1. Voyage (Vs 1,2)
Paul is under
arrest and is on a voyage to
There were people who lived on this
island and Paul called them “barbarous” meaning that they did not speak Greek.
These islanders shewed kindness to the survivors of
the shipwreck and received them all as they built for them a fire because of
the rain and cold of the present storm. This must have been a big fire to accommodate
276 folks and the islanders.
Praise God for a people who still
build a fire to welcome folks and to warm them. I remember the old man that was
invited to church but never would go. One day the church building caught on
fire and the only way to put out the fire was to form a line of people and pass
buckets of water to drown the flame. After hours of agonizing work, the fire
was finally quenched. Once the fire was put out, it was noticed that the old
man was on the front line helping to fight the fire. One person said “why did
you wait until now to come to church?” The old man responded “It’s the first
time I’ve seen the church one fire!”....................... Think about that! Our churches need the fire
of the Holy Ghost!
2.
Viper (Vs 3)
Apostle Paul
went out to gather sticks. If the fire is to continue there must be more wood.
Paul was not lazy, he was not giving orders, neither was he complaining about
his predicament (shipwreck, prisoner, wet, cold) rather he was willing to work.
Praise God somebody wants a fire! Praise God somebody will help stoke the fire!
Paul laid these sticks on the fire to keep it going. But somehow in the bundle
of sticks was a viper. That viper was lurking amongst the dead wood and Paul
accidentally picked this snake up. Paul was not looking to handle snakes, it
was an accident and the snake was cold and “stick-like” when he picked it up.
But when thrown into the fire, the viper came out of the heat and latched onto
Paul’s hand. The viper is representative of the devil.
3. Venom (Vs 4)
Luke, the
beloved physician is the writer here and is writing under the authority of the
Holy Spirit. Luke used the words “viper” and “venomous” and he and the Holy
Spirit are not mistaken as to what has bitten Paul on the hand. In fact, the
viper’s fangs drove deep into Paul’s hand and there it hangs for all to see. I believe
there was a reason the viper bit Paul on the hand and I believe the devil wants
to bite you on the hand as well my friend:
1. To
Hinder Unity & Fellowship
Gal 2:9 And when
James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars,
perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right
hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the
circumcision.
2.
To Hinder Praising the Lord
I Tim 2:8 I will therefore that men pray every where,
lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting
3.
To Hinder Giving Unto the Lord
Matt 6:3 But when thou doest
alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:
4.
To Hinder Service Unto the Lord
1 Thes 4:11 And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your
own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;
Ecc 9:10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with
thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the
grave, whither thou goest.
5.
To Hinder Study & Reading of the Word of God
Eph 6:17 And
take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of
God: (One
would take the Word in their hand)
My friend, please consider that the
old devil wants to get your attention on the wound he has inflicted upon you
and cause you to stop serving God. The devil wants you to start complaining
about your problems and hurts and thereby the devil hinders the work of God in
your life. Think about this, Jesus was wounded on His hands & feet for our
sins.
Reason with me for just a moment.
The devil is highly upset with Paul. Paul has lived through the storm, the
shipwreck and the violent sea. One of those things, the devil thought, would
kill Paul. The devil was tired of feeling the heat of Paul’s preaching and once
again the devil, in the form of a viper jumps out to bite Paul and inject venom
and kill Paul. But the devil’s plan will backfire. It usually does.
Also consider that just when Paul
seemed safe and secure from the storm there was a viper awaiting him. Somehow
it seems like the devil just keeps hanging on.
Notice that the barbarous people saw
this viper bite deep into Paul’s hand and in their superstition they believe
that Paul must be a criminal and that fate is against him. The people begin to
criticize and say “Paul must be a man cursed of God”. Go ahead, just keep
watching!
4.
Victory (Vs 5,6)
Apostle Paul would not be deterred.
He simply shook off the viper back into the fire and Paul felt no harm. Paul
did not call for help to loosen the hold of the viper and he did not call for
attention to his condition, he simply shook the viper off.
Yes the viper left its mark on
Paul’s hand, but the venom was powerless to cause sickness or swelling to Paul.
Why ? How? Well God has given Paul the Anti-venom! The
precious blood of Christ! Lets study how to remedy a
snake bite:
1. Milking the snake
Friend did you
know that the way anti-venom is made is first by the milking of the snake.
Jesus milked the devil of his venom by the death of Jesus on the cross and the Resurrection of Jesus on the third day.
Remember God is in charge here friend. God had made Paul a promise that he
would appear before Caesar and no storm, no viper, no power on earth will
hinder the Word of God.
2.
Antibodies
The venom is
injected into the bloodstream of a sheep. Sheep have the highest rate of
producing antibodies to fight harmful venom. After so long
the sheep’s blood is harvested. This harvest is now called anti-venom.
Friend, Jesus is the Lamb of God who
has shed His blood for our sins.
3.
Remedy
The anti-venom
is injected into the snake bite victim, and the victim is cured
The blood of Jesus is the cure for
our sins, our snake bite problem
I think about Numbers 21:4-9 where
the people complained and were bitten by fiery serpents and much people died.
But God gave Moses a remedy “Make thee a fiery serpent , and set it upon a pole: and
it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.” Jesus said in John 3:14 “And as Moses lifted up the
serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up”
Certainly it was a “generation of vipers” that crucified Him. Jesus had come to
earth and had given His life on the cross. The devil thought he had victory
over Jesus but on the third day Jesus arose victorious over death, hell, the
grave and the viper!
One day the snake, that is the
devil, will be shaken off forever into the lake of fire.(Rev 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and
brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet [are], and shall be tormented
day and night for ever and ever)
Hallelujah! Well, Paul has shaken the viper off into the fire. As time
passed, the people of the island and of the ship watched closely for Paul to fall
down sick or dead. But after a great while had passed, they began to change
their mind about Paul being cursed of God and began to ration that Paul was a
god. No, Paul is not a god. But Paul does serve the Lord God and was empowered
by the Lord God to have victory over the viper!
Jesus got victory over the serpent
and we read of Paul’s victory over the viper. Friend, that persuades me that
you and I will be snake bit, at one time or another, but we can enjoy victory
over the serpent in our lives as well. Lets just shake
off the viper and trust Jesus each and every day.
7 In the same
quarters were possessions of the chief man of the island, whose name was Publius; who received us, and lodged us three days
courteously. 8 And it came to pass, that the father
of Publius lay sick of a fever and of a bloody flux:
to whom Paul entered in, and prayed, and laid his hands on him, and healed him.
9 So when this
was done, others also, which had diseases in the island, came, and were
healed: 10 Who also honoured
us with many honours; and when we departed, they
laded us with such things as were necessary.
B. Power
over Sickness
Now that Paul
has gotten victory over the viper and the people have seen that Paul has power
with God, Paul presses on. He meets a man named Publius
who was probably the governor or ruler of the island. Publius
invited a group of people back to his home which included Paul and Luke at the
very least. Paul along with the group is welcomed and stay
in the home of Publius for three days. During the
visit Paul learns that Publius’ father was sick of a
bloody flux, meaning that he ran a high fever and blood was expelled from his
body which probably was some form of dysentery. Paul comes into this sick mans
room, prays and laid his hands on him and the man was healed.
When this was done, others from the
island were brought to Paul and they were healed. Out of gratitude for healing,
the people of the island shower Paul and the others with gifts for their
voyage. Paul and the others will stay on this island for a period of 3 months.
Friend, if you are saved, then you have been healed of your sin sickness. You or I can save no
one, but we can share the gospel message with them that Jesus saves, that they
might be healed (saved) from their sin sickness.
11
And after three
months we departed in a ship of
C. Power Over Situations
After 3 months,
with the storm season now over, the shipwreck survivors board another vessel
from
17 And it came to
pass, that after three days Paul called the chief of the Jews together: and
when they were come together, he said unto them, Men and brethren, though I
have committed nothing against the people, or customs of our fathers, yet was I
delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans. 18 Who, when they had examined me, would
have let me go, because there was no cause of death in me. 19 But when the Jews spake
against it, I was constrained to appeal unto Caesar; not that I had ought to
accuse my nation of. 20 For this cause therefore have I called
for you, to see you, and to speak with you: because that for the hope of
D. Power Over Suffering, Sorrow or Status
After 3 days for rest and
recuperation, Paul asks the Jewish leaders in
Immediately Paul launched into the
subject at hand. He explains to them the real reason for his imprisonment and
the fact that he is innocent and has appeared before Felix, Festus and Agrippa
and all of them stated that there was nothing to charge him with. Yet Paul had
to appeal to Caesar, as the Jews would not leave it alone. When all of the
facts were considered, Paul said that he was really a prisoner in
The Jews of Rome assure Paul that
they have heard nothing about this situation and I am sure that this news was a
relief to Paul. It was if the Jews back in
But the Jews of
Rome did express to Paul that they wanted to hear what Paul thinks of Jesus and
the Christian faith, because faith in Jesus was spoken against by the Jews
everywhere.
All Paul really wanted was the
opportunity to preach Jesus. On an appointed day they came back to Paul with a
great crowd and he expounded the Word of God to them from morning until evening
about Jesus. Please realize that Paul is probably still chained to a soldier
while doing all of this. Anyway, Paul shares the message about Jesus and some
believed and others did not. Paul, seeing the division, made reference to Isaiah 6:9 And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand
not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. 10 Make the heart of this people fat, and
make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and
hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be
healed. Do you wonder if he did
this to show them their rejection of the Messiah was the fulfillment of the
Word of God. The gospel certainly was to the Jew
first, but by their own blindness, they rejected the gospel according to Romans 11:25 For I would not, brethren, that
ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own
conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. The Jews heard
Paul reference the scripture in Isaiah and they departed and reasoned among
themselves what all these things meant and yet they remained mostly fruitless.
Paul dwelt for 2 years in this
prison, it was probably some type of step-down unit or house, yet Paul had much
liberty though he was no doubt chained to a soldier the entire time. Paul would
preach with confidence to anyone that came unto him, as Paul believed his
imprisonment was the will of God according to Phillipians 1:12 But I would ye should
understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out
rather unto the furtherance of the gospel;
13 So that my bonds in Christ are
manifest in all the palace, and in all other places; 14 And
many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more
bold to speak the word without fear.
Well my friend
the book of Acts really has no closing chapter. During Paul’s imprisonment he
wrote the books of Ephesians, II Timothy, Phillipians,
Colossians, Philemon and Hebrews. Amazingly enough, maybe the record here of
the Acts is not concluded as the Holy Spirit continues to Act and Work
today.
E. Power
over the Sword
We certainly know that Paul did
eventually appear before Caesar (Nero) and was arraigned and sentenced to die.
I think of Paul’s words that were written under the influence of the Holy
Spirit to the Philippians in Phil 1:21 For to me to live
is Christ, and to die is gain.
That certainly
sounds like a man that God has saved by the shed blood of Jesus. A man that God gave power over serpents, sickness, situations,
suffering, sorrow and the sword. Paul would die at the hands of Nero but
not before he wrote 2 Tim 4:6 For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at
hand. 7
I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the
faith: 8
Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the
Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but
unto all them also that love his appearing.
Friend I thank God for saving me grace
through faith in the shed blood, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. By
His salvation, I have eternal life and I too will have power to overcome death
or travel to glory by rapture and stand in God’s Heaven. There I will before
Jesus and spend eternity worshiping Him. I will have a new body, see my loved
ones and thank Apostle Paul for preaching the gospel to the Gentiles.
Friend are
you saved? If you are, praise the Lord, if not.... why not be saved today?
Because
Jesus Never Fails,
Darrin
Pastor
Darrin Waldroup
Titus
2:13,14