Post by Shepherd on Aug 21, 2009 13:59:33 GMT -6
28
HE LANDING ON MELITA
ACTS 28:1..AND WHEN THEY WERE T ESCAPED, THEN THEY KNEW THAT THE ISLAND WAS CALLED MELITA.
When they were safely ashore, they learned that the island was called Melita. They were shipwreck on this island we can see the providence of God in the life of the apostle Paul.
ACTS 28:2...AND THE BARBAROUS PEOPLE SHOWED US NO LITTLE KINDNESS; FOR THEY KINDLED A FIRE, AND RECEIVE US EVERY ONE, BECAUSE OF THE PRESENT RAIN, AND BECAUSE OF THE COLD.
The natives that were there were very friendly to them. It has started raining and was cold. So they built a fire and made them all welcome. Remember that there were 276 people who have landed on this little island. There were many criminals and the wonderful compassion and helpfulness on the part of people who are pagans.
ACTS 28:3....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.
Paul gathered up a bundle of sticks and was putting them on the fire when a snake came out, on account of the heat, and fastened itself on Paul’s hand.
I remember in the book of Mark there was a promise....AND THESE SIGNS SHALL FOLLOW THEM THAT BELIEVE; IN MY NAME SHALL THEY CAST OUT DEVILS; THEY SHALL SPEAK WITH NEW TONGUES; THEY SHALL TAKE UP SERPENTS; AND IF THEY DRINK ANY DEADLY THING, IT SHALL NOT HURT THEM; THEY SHALL LAY HANDS ON THE SICK, AND THEY SHALL RECOVER.
I believe these signs were for everyone to let them know that God is real. And that He is powerless in all things. Paul did not deliberately pick up this viper. Paul was not tempting God. he did not see the snake when he picked up the wood. The apostle Paul gathered up sticks for the fire. Paul was not a lazy preacher. He was not afraid of work.
ACTS 28:4. AND WHEN THE BARBARIANS SAW THE VENOMOUS BEAST HANG ON TO 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.
The natives saw the snake hanging on Paul’s hand and said to one another, the man must be a murderer, but fate will not let him live, even though he escaped from the sea. They felt that Paul was guilty of a great crime, and justice was catching him. They expected that any moment he would fall down dead. Rome was noted for justice, not mercy. Sins were not forgiven. If you broke the law you paid.
ACTS 28:5-6...AND HE SHOOK OFF THE BEAST INTO THE FIRE, AND FELT NO HARM. 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 GOD.
But Paul shook the snake of into the fire without being harmed at all. They were waiting for him to swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But after waiting for a long time and not seeing anything unusual happening to him, they changed their minds And said, he is a god.
The promise in Mark 16:18 was fulfilled in Paul’s experience. He did not suffer from the venom. When people pickup snakes today by mistake they are trying God and I don’t think God will help them. This did give Paul a good chance to talk to them about the true and living God.
ACTS 28:7-8...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. 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.
Not far from that place where they were by the fire were some fields that belonged to Publius, the chief of the island. He welcome us kindly and for three days we were his guest. Publius’ father was in bed sick with fever and severe diarrhea. Paul went into his room, prayed, placed his hands on him, and healed him. Paul was now exercising his gift as an apostle. He prayed and laid his hands on him and he was healed.
ACTS 28:9-10..SO WHEN THIS WAS DONE, OTHERS ALSO, WHICH HAD DISEASES IN THE ISLAND, CAME, AND WERE HEALED; WHO ALSO HONORED US WITH MANY HONORS; AND WHEN WE DEPARTED, THEY LADED US WITH SUCH THINGS AS WERE NECESSARY.
When this happened, all the other sick people on the island came and were healed. They gave them many gifts, and when they sailed they put on board what they needed for the voyage. Some say that Paul did not preach the gospel here, but he did through the Holy Ghost. Let us remember what Paul wrote in I Cor. 2:2 “For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ and him crucified.”
With the healing let them know that the gospel they preached was from the Lord. Paul preached the Gospel and that the healing was the result of it.
ACTS 28:1..AND WHEN THEY WERE T ESCAPED, THEN THEY KNEW THAT THE ISLAND WAS CALLED MELITA.
When they were safely ashore, they learned that the island was called Melita. They were shipwreck on this island we can see the providence of God in the life of the apostle Paul.
ACTS 28:2...AND THE BARBAROUS PEOPLE SHOWED US NO LITTLE KINDNESS; FOR THEY KINDLED A FIRE, AND RECEIVE US EVERY ONE, BECAUSE OF THE PRESENT RAIN, AND BECAUSE OF THE COLD.
The natives that were there were very friendly to them. It has started raining and was cold. So they built a fire and made them all welcome. Remember that there were 276 people who have landed on this little island. There were many criminals and the wonderful compassion and helpfulness on the part of people who are pagans.
ACTS 28:3....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.
Paul gathered up a bundle of sticks and was putting them on the fire when a snake came out, on account of the heat, and fastened itself on Paul’s hand.
I remember in the book of Mark there was a promise....AND THESE SIGNS SHALL FOLLOW THEM THAT BELIEVE; IN MY NAME SHALL THEY CAST OUT DEVILS; THEY SHALL SPEAK WITH NEW TONGUES; THEY SHALL TAKE UP SERPENTS; AND IF THEY DRINK ANY DEADLY THING, IT SHALL NOT HURT THEM; THEY SHALL LAY HANDS ON THE SICK, AND THEY SHALL RECOVER.
I believe these signs were for everyone to let them know that God is real. And that He is powerless in all things. Paul did not deliberately pick up this viper. Paul was not tempting God. he did not see the snake when he picked up the wood. The apostle Paul gathered up sticks for the fire. Paul was not a lazy preacher. He was not afraid of work.
ACTS 28:4. AND WHEN THE BARBARIANS SAW THE VENOMOUS BEAST HANG ON TO 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.
The natives saw the snake hanging on Paul’s hand and said to one another, the man must be a murderer, but fate will not let him live, even though he escaped from the sea. They felt that Paul was guilty of a great crime, and justice was catching him. They expected that any moment he would fall down dead. Rome was noted for justice, not mercy. Sins were not forgiven. If you broke the law you paid.
ACTS 28:5-6...AND HE SHOOK OFF THE BEAST INTO THE FIRE, AND FELT NO HARM. 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 GOD.
But Paul shook the snake of into the fire without being harmed at all. They were waiting for him to swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But after waiting for a long time and not seeing anything unusual happening to him, they changed their minds And said, he is a god.
The promise in Mark 16:18 was fulfilled in Paul’s experience. He did not suffer from the venom. When people pickup snakes today by mistake they are trying God and I don’t think God will help them. This did give Paul a good chance to talk to them about the true and living God.
ACTS 28:7-8...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. 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.
Not far from that place where they were by the fire were some fields that belonged to Publius, the chief of the island. He welcome us kindly and for three days we were his guest. Publius’ father was in bed sick with fever and severe diarrhea. Paul went into his room, prayed, placed his hands on him, and healed him. Paul was now exercising his gift as an apostle. He prayed and laid his hands on him and he was healed.
ACTS 28:9-10..SO WHEN THIS WAS DONE, OTHERS ALSO, WHICH HAD DISEASES IN THE ISLAND, CAME, AND WERE HEALED; WHO ALSO HONORED US WITH MANY HONORS; AND WHEN WE DEPARTED, THEY LADED US WITH SUCH THINGS AS WERE NECESSARY.
When this happened, all the other sick people on the island came and were healed. They gave them many gifts, and when they sailed they put on board what they needed for the voyage. Some say that Paul did not preach the gospel here, but he did through the Holy Ghost. Let us remember what Paul wrote in I Cor. 2:2 “For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ and him crucified.”
With the healing let them know that the gospel they preached was from the Lord. Paul preached the Gospel and that the healing was the result of it.
