This is week 12 of the series “Bound and Determined! – Paul’s Farewell Tour”
Introduction
Last week’s message dealt with Paul’s shipwreck experience and how we can handle shipwrecks when they occur in our lives. This week, we will look at Paul being bitten by a snake with unexpected results.
What do we do when we encounter unexpected difficulties?
Message
Read Acts 28:1-10
Paul Ashore on Malta
28 “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. 3 Paul 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 dysentery. 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.”
A couple of points before the concluding remarks and application.
Expectation 1: How did the sailors expect to be treated by the people living on Malta? They most likely thought that they would not be welcomed with open arms because the inhabitants of Malta were viewed as being very brutish. Instead, they built a fire and welcomed them. Remember, they had just come ashore and were wet and cold.
Expectation 2: Paul unexpectedly gathered wood for the fire rather than “lording it over” the sailors because they owed their lives to Paul. This showed Paul’s servanthood.
Expectation 3: The islanders expected Paul to die from the snake bite.
Expectation 4: The chief official of Malta did not expect Paul to heal his father.
Expectation 5: Paul probably did not expect to find himself in the position of healing Publuis’ father and the rest of the sick on the island.
The way we respond to unexpected difficulties displays our priorities.
People around us watch how we handle unexpected difficulties.
Unexpected difficulties sometimes provide us with unexpected opportunities.
A personal note for West Shore Community Church: This week, Governor Bullock has ordered us to wear masks at all indoor public gatherings including churches. While we were hoping that the Covid-19 epidemic was winding down and coming to an ending, this has not happened with many new infections occurring in our area. So…..this has been an unexpected development and now how do we react. At first, the only solution seemed to be for us to “fold up the tent” for a while as most of our members were reluctant to attend under these conditions. Upon prayerful consideration, it has been decided to move our service outdoors whereby people have the option of wearing masks plus better social distancing can be practiced. Perhaps, this unexpected development can turn into an opportunity for people in the neighborhood to see our church in action. With this in mind, let us look at this difficulty as an opportunity much like Paul did with being shipwrecked and bitten by a snake.