1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:12,440 Yeah. Okay, we go sit. 2 00:00:12,440 --> 00:00:22,500 Okay, good morning, everybody. We're going to get started today by reading out of Isaiah 3 00:00:22,500 --> 00:00:29,800 together. Let's go ahead and stand. We're going to be reading Isaiah 46. 4 00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:37,120 And we're going to be starting in verse 9 and going through verse 11. 5 00:00:37,120 --> 00:00:39,880 And it says, 6 00:00:39,880 --> 00:00:45,800 Remember the former things of old, for I am God and there is no other. 7 00:00:45,800 --> 00:00:53,540 I am God and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient 8 00:00:53,540 --> 00:00:58,740 times things not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand. 9 00:01:00,000 --> 00:01:26,640 for the opportunity to gather here today together with with our brothers and sisters here and we 10 00:01:26,640 --> 00:01:31,840 thank you for those that are watching online and for the encouragement that we can get by meeting 11 00:01:31,840 --> 00:01:37,280 together every week and reading your word together and worshiping together and learning more about 12 00:01:37,280 --> 00:01:43,860 you. We thank you so much for the plans that you have for us and how you hold us in your hand and 13 00:01:43,860 --> 00:01:50,580 what you say you will do will happen. And we thank you for your mercy and for your grace and 14 00:01:50,580 --> 00:01:55,700 for your love. Be with our service today and allow it to glorify you. In Jesus' name, amen. 15 00:01:56,640 --> 00:02:00,000 All right, we're going to start off today with the lion and the lamb. 16 00:02:26,640 --> 00:02:31,760 On the clouds, kings and kingdoms will bow down 17 00:02:31,760 --> 00:02:38,400 Every chain will break 18 00:02:38,400 --> 00:02:42,400 His broken hearts declare His praise 19 00:02:42,400 --> 00:02:46,400 But who can stop the Lord Almighty? 20 00:02:46,400 --> 00:02:52,700 Our God is the Lion, the Lion of Judah 21 00:02:52,700 --> 00:02:58,320 He's roaring with power and fighting our battles 22 00:02:58,320 --> 00:03:02,780 Every knee will bow before Him 23 00:03:02,780 --> 00:03:08,620 Our God is the Lamb, the Lamb that was slain 24 00:03:08,620 --> 00:03:13,940 For the sins of the world, His blood breaks the chains 25 00:03:13,940 --> 00:03:19,280 Every knee will bow before the lion and the lamb 26 00:03:19,280 --> 00:03:23,760 Every knee will bow before His 27 00:03:23,760 --> 00:03:25,880 Open up the gates 28 00:03:25,880 --> 00:03:30,020 Make way for the King of Kings 29 00:03:30,020 --> 00:03:36,440 The God who comes to save 30 00:03:36,440 --> 00:03:40,080 Is here to set the captives free 31 00:03:40,080 --> 00:03:44,420 Who can stop the Lord Almighty? 32 00:03:45,340 --> 00:04:00,840 Our God is the Lion, the Lion of Judah. He's roaring with power and fighting our battles. Every knee will bow before Him. 33 00:04:01,200 --> 00:04:12,060 Our God is the Lamb, the Lamb that was slain, for the sins of the world, His blood breaks the chains. 34 00:04:12,060 --> 00:04:21,860 Every knee will bow before the Lion and the Lamb, every knee will bow before Him. 35 00:04:22,460 --> 00:04:42,740 Who can stop the Lord Almighty? 36 00:04:42,740 --> 00:04:48,760 Our God is the Lion, the Lion of Judah. 37 00:04:48,760 --> 00:04:54,340 He is roaring with power and fighting our battles 38 00:04:54,340 --> 00:04:58,720 Every knee will bow before Him 39 00:04:58,720 --> 00:05:04,720 Our God is the Lamb, the Lamb that was slain 40 00:05:04,720 --> 00:05:10,060 For the sins of the world, His blood breaks the chains 41 00:05:10,060 --> 00:05:15,320 Every knee will bow before the Lion and the Lamb 42 00:05:15,320 --> 00:05:20,040 And every knee will bow before him. 43 00:05:20,040 --> 00:05:42,920 We're going to be moving into our prayer and share time. 44 00:05:43,060 --> 00:05:46,760 So if you're watching online, there'll be a slide up with a phone number that you can text. 45 00:05:46,760 --> 00:05:50,980 If you have any prayer requests or anything you'd like to share with us, just text that number there. 46 00:05:50,980 --> 00:05:53,420 And then we'll be muted here during that time. 47 00:05:53,420 --> 00:05:57,420 So just give us a few minutes and we'll be back to continue on in our service. 48 00:05:57,420 --> 00:06:00,520 And if you want to sit now, you can or you can keep standing. 49 00:06:00,520 --> 00:06:02,840 But we're going to sing together Waymaker. 50 00:06:13,060 --> 00:06:22,620 You are here 51 00:06:22,620 --> 00:06:26,600 Moving in my midst 52 00:06:26,600 --> 00:06:29,880 I worship you 53 00:06:29,880 --> 00:06:33,560 I worship you 54 00:06:33,560 --> 00:06:37,340 You are here 55 00:06:37,340 --> 00:06:41,240 Working in this place 56 00:06:41,240 --> 00:06:48,060 I worship you, I worship you 57 00:06:48,060 --> 00:06:55,780 You are here, moving in our midst 58 00:06:55,780 --> 00:07:02,800 I worship you, I worship you 59 00:07:02,800 --> 00:07:10,340 You are here, working in this place 60 00:07:10,340 --> 00:07:17,820 I worship you, I worship you 61 00:07:17,820 --> 00:07:24,960 Way made a miracle work, a promise keeper 62 00:07:24,960 --> 00:07:32,360 Hide in the darkness, my God, that is who you are 63 00:07:32,360 --> 00:07:39,520 Way made a miracle work, a promise keeper 64 00:07:39,520 --> 00:07:46,300 Light in the darkness, my God, that is who you are 65 00:07:46,300 --> 00:07:53,860 You are here, touching every heart 66 00:07:53,860 --> 00:08:00,720 I worship you, I worship you 67 00:08:00,720 --> 00:08:08,720 You are here, healing every heart 68 00:08:08,720 --> 00:08:15,600 I worship you, I worship you 69 00:08:15,600 --> 00:08:23,340 You are here, turning all your door around 70 00:08:23,340 --> 00:08:30,020 I worship you, I worship you 71 00:08:30,020 --> 00:08:37,380 You are here, bending every heart 72 00:08:37,380 --> 00:08:44,980 I'll worship you, I'll worship you. 73 00:08:44,980 --> 00:08:54,240 Way maker, miracle worker, promise keeper, light in the darkness. 74 00:08:54,240 --> 00:08:58,700 My God, that is who you are. 75 00:08:58,700 --> 00:09:06,560 Way maker, miracle worker, promise keeper, 76 00:09:06,820 --> 00:09:13,620 Light in the darkness, my God, that is who you are. 77 00:09:13,620 --> 00:09:20,860 Waymaker, miracle worker, promise keeper. 78 00:09:20,860 --> 00:09:27,580 Light in the darkness, my God, that is who you are. 79 00:09:27,580 --> 00:09:35,740 Waymaker, miracle worker, promise keeper. 80 00:09:35,740 --> 00:09:42,240 Light in the darkness, my God, that is who you are. 81 00:10:05,740 --> 00:10:35,720 I'm going to go to the next episode. 82 00:10:35,740 --> 00:10:42,740 so 83 00:11:05,740 --> 00:11:35,720 I'm sorry. 84 00:11:35,740 --> 00:12:05,720 Thank you. 85 00:12:05,740 --> 00:12:35,720 Thank you. 86 00:12:35,740 --> 00:13:05,720 Thank you. 87 00:17:35,740 --> 00:18:05,720 God bless you. 88 00:18:05,740 --> 00:18:31,400 To draw near to the table and to see the goodness of the gospel. 89 00:18:31,400 --> 00:18:45,420 So one of the things that I've shared with you before, but I think about when we come to the table is Charles Spurgeon once said that the Lord's Supper is the spectacles through which we see the gospel. 90 00:18:45,420 --> 00:18:56,300 This little piece of bread and this little cup of juice is a way that we see more clearly who Jesus is and what Jesus has done. 91 00:18:56,300 --> 00:19:03,980 So, we're going to go ahead and sing Above All, and then we'll spend some time together partaking in the Lord's Supper. 92 00:19:18,300 --> 00:19:31,580 Above all powers, above all kings, above all nature and all created things. 93 00:19:31,580 --> 00:19:45,580 Above all wisdom and all the ways of man, you were here before the world began. 94 00:19:47,000 --> 00:19:59,640 Above all kingdoms, above all thrones, above all wonders the world has ever known. 95 00:19:59,640 --> 00:20:14,180 Above all wealth and treasures of the earth, there's no way to measure what you're worth. 96 00:20:17,000 --> 00:20:35,700 Lucified, lay behind a star, lived or died, rejected and alone, like a rose, traveled on the ground. 97 00:20:35,700 --> 00:20:48,440 You turned the ball and thought of me above all. 98 00:20:48,440 --> 00:21:04,480 Above all powers, above all kings, above all nature and all creative things. 99 00:21:05,700 --> 00:21:13,700 above all wisdom and all the ways of man 100 00:21:13,700 --> 00:21:19,700 you were here before the world began 101 00:21:19,700 --> 00:21:26,700 above all kingdoms, above all thrones 102 00:21:26,700 --> 00:21:33,700 above all wonders the world has ever known 103 00:21:33,700 --> 00:21:40,700 Above all the wealth and treasures of the earth 104 00:21:40,700 --> 00:21:48,220 There's no way to measure what you're worth 105 00:21:48,220 --> 00:21:56,200 Crucified, laid behind the stone 106 00:21:56,200 --> 00:22:03,200 You lived to die, rejected and belonged 107 00:22:03,200 --> 00:22:22,200 Like a rose trembled on the ground, you took the fall and thought of me above all. 108 00:22:33,200 --> 00:22:44,140 The beginning of our service, we read from Isaiah, the 46th chapter, 109 00:22:44,140 --> 00:22:49,920 those verses about sort of the greatness and the goodness of God. 110 00:22:49,920 --> 00:22:53,600 You know, I am God, there is no other. 111 00:22:53,600 --> 00:22:57,740 I am God, there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning 112 00:22:57,740 --> 00:23:00,940 and from ancient times, things not yet done, saying, 113 00:23:01,060 --> 00:23:04,900 My counsel shall stand and I will accomplish all my purposes. 114 00:23:04,900 --> 00:23:11,260 And for Christians, these verses have been a comfort to know that God is the beginning. 115 00:23:11,260 --> 00:23:14,640 He's the end. He upholds everything in between. 116 00:23:14,640 --> 00:23:20,780 But the context of Isaiah 46 is not just an encouragement about the nature of God. 117 00:23:20,780 --> 00:23:27,120 It's really a call to evaluate who it is we are trusting in. 118 00:23:27,600 --> 00:23:33,200 In fact, the context of Isaiah 46 is people who are worshiping gods that are made by him. 119 00:23:33,200 --> 00:23:39,840 And just a few verses earlier, it talks about goldsmiths and silversmiths measuring out precious metals. 120 00:23:39,840 --> 00:23:43,720 And they're turning it into gods and bowing down and worshiping it. 121 00:23:43,720 --> 00:23:48,400 And God is contrasting himself with these objects of false worship, saying, 122 00:23:48,400 --> 00:23:54,340 All they are is a statue. They can do nothing, but I am the one who declares the end from the beginning. 123 00:23:54,500 --> 00:23:57,760 I am the one who accomplishes his purpose. 124 00:23:57,760 --> 00:24:04,380 And not only is this, I think, a call for God's people to evaluate where it is we put our hope, 125 00:24:04,380 --> 00:24:07,280 but it also contains words of comfort. 126 00:24:07,280 --> 00:24:10,260 In Isaiah 46.3, it says this, 127 00:24:10,260 --> 00:24:16,160 Listen to me, O house of Jacob, all the remnant of the house of Israel, 128 00:24:16,160 --> 00:24:21,460 who have been born by me from before your birth, 129 00:24:22,000 --> 00:24:29,640 carried from the womb, even to your old age, I am he, and to the gray hairs, I will carry you. 130 00:24:29,640 --> 00:24:39,000 I have made, I will bear, I will carry, and I will save. And God speaks to his people saying, 131 00:24:39,000 --> 00:24:45,500 from before birth until the time when we are old and gray, that I am the one who has made you, 132 00:24:45,940 --> 00:24:51,800 I carry you, I will lift you up, and I will save you. 133 00:24:51,800 --> 00:24:58,840 Paul, when he speaks to the Corinthian church and they're struggling with how they're partaking in the Lord's Supper, 134 00:24:58,840 --> 00:25:01,900 one of the things that he says to them is that he says, 135 00:25:01,900 --> 00:25:07,840 let a person, before they partake of the meal, spend some time examining themselves. 136 00:25:07,840 --> 00:25:13,700 And so what I would call you to do this morning, as we've looked briefly at Isaiah 46, 137 00:25:13,980 --> 00:25:16,680 is to examine where it is we're putting our hope. 138 00:25:16,680 --> 00:25:20,820 Are we putting our hope in these sort of temporary physical things, 139 00:25:20,820 --> 00:25:26,720 the things that Jesus said, moth and rust destroy and that thieves break in and steal? 140 00:25:26,720 --> 00:25:32,260 Or are we putting our trust and our hope in the one who knows the end from the beginning 141 00:25:32,260 --> 00:25:36,480 and all things in between, the one who made us, the one who loves us, 142 00:25:36,480 --> 00:25:40,080 the one who carries us, and the one who saves us? 143 00:25:40,100 --> 00:25:46,260 And we remember that salvation and that hope by partaking of this bread and drinking this cup, 144 00:25:46,260 --> 00:25:51,100 which reminds us of how God saved, not just through mighty acts, 145 00:25:51,100 --> 00:25:54,420 but ultimately through the sacrifice of His Son. 146 00:25:54,420 --> 00:25:55,520 Let's pray. 147 00:25:55,520 --> 00:26:00,080 Father, I thank You for hope. 148 00:26:00,080 --> 00:26:05,940 I thank You that You come to people who are walking away from You, 149 00:26:06,020 --> 00:26:11,820 And you come with words of correction and words to challenge our hearts. 150 00:26:11,820 --> 00:26:17,440 And so may the light of your word melt the coldness of our heart this morning. 151 00:26:17,440 --> 00:26:25,940 May we see your goodness and your glory in all of those things that you have made but are not ultimate. 152 00:26:25,940 --> 00:26:30,620 Those things that we put our hope in, we ask that you would convict us of that hope. 153 00:26:30,700 --> 00:26:39,060 And that you would help us to place our hope in you and in your goodness and in your strength and in your salvation and in your love. 154 00:26:39,060 --> 00:26:41,440 So be with us as we partake this morning. 155 00:26:41,440 --> 00:26:49,300 Direct our eyes to Jesus, to his suffering, and to the hope that he brings us as a broken people. 156 00:26:49,300 --> 00:26:51,960 It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. 157 00:26:55,100 --> 00:27:02,260 Jesus will say, this bread, which is for you, this is my body. 158 00:27:02,260 --> 00:27:05,780 And when you eat it, do it in remembrance of me. 159 00:27:05,780 --> 00:27:20,560 And Jesus will say, this cup is the new covenant in my blood. 160 00:27:20,560 --> 00:27:24,260 Do this as often as you drink it in remembrance of me. 161 00:27:25,100 --> 00:27:34,740 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. 162 00:27:52,460 --> 00:27:56,880 This morning's reading is from Acts 28, 1 through 10. 163 00:27:56,880 --> 00:28:03,100 And we were brought safely through. 164 00:28:03,100 --> 00:28:07,740 We learned that the island was called Malta. 165 00:28:07,740 --> 00:28:11,840 The native people showed us unusual kindness, 166 00:28:11,840 --> 00:28:15,400 for they kindled a fire and welcomed us, 167 00:28:15,400 --> 00:28:19,400 because it had begun to rain and was cold. 168 00:28:20,400 --> 00:28:32,320 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 to his hand. 169 00:28:32,320 --> 00:28:36,300 Also a problem you can have with woodpiles in the winter. 170 00:28:36,300 --> 00:28:44,840 When the native people saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, 171 00:28:45,680 --> 00:28:47,900 No doubt this man is a murderer. 172 00:28:47,900 --> 00:28:54,900 Though he escaped from the sea, justice has not allowed him to live. 173 00:28:54,900 --> 00:29:00,580 He, however, shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm. 174 00:29:00,580 --> 00:29:06,480 They were waiting for him to swell up or suddenly fall down dead. 175 00:29:06,480 --> 00:29:13,360 But when they had waited a long time and saw no misfortune come to Paul, 176 00:29:13,900 --> 00:29:18,480 they changed their minds and said that he was a God. 177 00:29:18,480 --> 00:29:26,720 Now in the neighborhood of that place were lands belonging to the chief man of the island, 178 00:29:26,720 --> 00:29:34,820 named Publius, who received us and entertained us hospitably for three days. 179 00:29:34,820 --> 00:29:41,140 It happened that the father of Publius lay sick with a fever and dysentery, 180 00:29:41,900 --> 00:29:48,200 And Paul visited him and prayed, and putting his hands on him, healed him. 181 00:29:48,200 --> 00:29:59,460 And when this had taken place, the rest of the people of this island who had diseases also came and were cured. 182 00:29:59,460 --> 00:30:09,560 They also honored us greatly, and when we were about to sail, they put on board whatever we needed. 183 00:30:09,560 --> 00:30:11,780 This is the word of the Lord. 184 00:30:11,900 --> 00:30:24,820 This seems like one of those texts that would be great with an object lesson. 185 00:30:24,820 --> 00:30:29,900 And unfortunately, I didn't bring any snakes to help us along with that. 186 00:30:29,900 --> 00:30:32,920 I don't think we're quite that kind of church. 187 00:30:32,920 --> 00:30:37,900 It's a remarkable short ten verses that we're in this morning. 188 00:30:38,180 --> 00:30:43,660 Before we pray, and just we're going to dive straight into the text this morning, one of 189 00:30:43,660 --> 00:30:50,100 the things to note about this is the accuracy of the way that Luke writes when he writes 190 00:30:50,100 --> 00:30:50,840 these things. 191 00:30:50,840 --> 00:30:56,020 As he's written the previous chapter, if you read through it, it reads like a book about 192 00:30:56,020 --> 00:31:01,200 the sea or a journal of somebody who is traveling by sea from one place to another. 193 00:31:01,200 --> 00:31:06,460 What's remarkable is that Luke gets the names right, the nautical terminology right. 194 00:31:06,460 --> 00:31:12,800 He gets everything right, and then here in these 10 verses, one of the things you see is Luke's medical background. 195 00:31:12,800 --> 00:31:18,720 We'll talk about a little bit of that in a moment, but one of the remarkable things when it talks about the fever and dysentery 196 00:31:18,720 --> 00:31:23,320 that he actually uses the words from the medical literature of the time. 197 00:31:23,320 --> 00:31:29,680 He's not just sort of saying he was really sick, like the time that happens when non-doctors write about things, 198 00:31:29,680 --> 00:31:36,940 medical in Scripture, but he actually uses the right words and the right terminology and the 199 00:31:36,940 --> 00:31:41,380 right things and describes the right symptoms. So one of the things to remember is that Luke, 200 00:31:41,380 --> 00:31:47,180 as he writes this, he was a witness to these things, but he was also very knowledgeable about 201 00:31:47,180 --> 00:31:51,500 what is happening and the side effects of things that are happening. So let's pray. 202 00:31:51,500 --> 00:31:56,460 We're just going to dive right into these 10 verses. Father in heaven, thank you for allowing 203 00:31:56,460 --> 00:32:01,840 us to be here this morning. Thank you for your word. Thank you for the testimony of 204 00:32:01,840 --> 00:32:09,580 Dr. Luke as he travels with Paul and suffers with Paul and works with Paul. We thank you 205 00:32:09,580 --> 00:32:16,780 for this account, the hope that is found, and we just ask that you would help us to 206 00:32:16,780 --> 00:32:23,460 see your goodness and your grace this morning, both in us and how it comes through us to 207 00:32:23,460 --> 00:32:30,060 others. And so just help us this morning. It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. So one of the things 208 00:32:30,060 --> 00:32:34,680 that I want you to kind of keep in mind as we walk through these 10 verses is that especially 209 00:32:34,680 --> 00:32:42,000 in times of trouble, I think it is important to see how God demonstrates his grace in your life, 210 00:32:42,000 --> 00:32:48,280 the things that God is doing for you, but that also he uses this time of maybe uncertainty and 211 00:32:48,280 --> 00:32:54,860 conflict and suffering and not being sure where to go for you to be able to pour his grace out 212 00:32:54,860 --> 00:33:00,980 into the life of others. And so part of the picture of this text is that God uses his grace 213 00:33:00,980 --> 00:33:08,500 both for you and through you to those who surround you. And so we're just going to pick up in verse 214 00:33:08,500 --> 00:33:15,160 one where Luke writes this, after we were brought safely through, we learned that the island was 215 00:33:15,160 --> 00:33:21,400 called Malta. And so we want to start by saying, who is the we that he is talking about? If you 216 00:33:21,400 --> 00:33:29,260 remember the beginning of Acts chapter 27, it's Paul, it's Luke, it's one of Paul's friends, 217 00:33:29,260 --> 00:33:35,020 Aristarchus from Thessalonica. There's a Roman centurion, there's a bunch of other prisoners. 218 00:33:35,020 --> 00:33:43,900 We learn at the end of Acts chapter 27 that there was 276 people in all. And so when we hear that 219 00:33:43,900 --> 00:33:49,860 we. What we're talking about is Paul, the soldiers, the sailors, the other passengers, the ship's 220 00:33:49,860 --> 00:33:57,380 company. This is who he is talking about. They've been brought safely through the storm. And so this 221 00:33:57,380 --> 00:34:04,060 ship and these 276 people, they have been sort of suffering for the last several weeks. They 222 00:34:04,060 --> 00:34:10,440 left against Paul's advice. Remember, Paul's advice is likely good because he has spent a lot 223 00:34:10,440 --> 00:34:15,920 of time on ships. He's traveled a lot. He's been shipwrecked several times. And so when he says, 224 00:34:15,920 --> 00:34:20,160 hey guys, it's getting to be winter. It's not the time that ships should be sailing. How about we 225 00:34:20,160 --> 00:34:25,940 don't do that? And they said, oh no, we can make it. And so they begin to sail and they get to 226 00:34:25,940 --> 00:34:30,900 a harbor that seems pretty safe, but it's a really boring town. So none of the sailors, 227 00:34:30,900 --> 00:34:34,900 none of the soldiers want to spend their time there. So they said, we can make it to a better 228 00:34:34,900 --> 00:34:40,300 harbor and a better town. And on the way, it starts out pretty well with gentle winds and the storms. 229 00:34:40,440 --> 00:34:45,020 pick up. Now, nor'Easter comes, and it begins to blow them. They just have to take down their sails, 230 00:34:45,020 --> 00:34:49,940 and they're blown along in front of the storm. Every chance to sort of keep the ship together, 231 00:34:49,940 --> 00:34:54,020 they're trying to take. Remember, they take ratchet straps, essentially would be our modern 232 00:34:54,020 --> 00:34:59,000 equivalent, and tie the ship together all the way under it to keep it from splitting apart, 233 00:34:59,000 --> 00:35:04,520 and eventually they're driven along. We learn that for 14 days, this storm is so intense, 234 00:35:04,520 --> 00:35:10,220 and everybody is so afraid that nobody eats during this time. 235 00:35:10,220 --> 00:35:14,540 Eventually the ship will ground on a reef 236 00:35:14,540 --> 00:35:17,540 and what will happen is it begins to break up 237 00:35:17,540 --> 00:35:19,300 and they all head for shore. 238 00:35:19,300 --> 00:35:22,720 And the centurion will say, after saving the life of his prisoners, 239 00:35:22,720 --> 00:35:24,320 because the soldiers will say, 240 00:35:24,320 --> 00:35:27,520 hey, you know, it's easier to keep an eye on a dead person 241 00:35:27,520 --> 00:35:28,920 than it is a live person. 242 00:35:28,920 --> 00:35:32,540 We'd rather not have to sort of chase these guys around the island 243 00:35:32,540 --> 00:35:33,900 and recapture them. 244 00:35:33,900 --> 00:35:35,300 And the centurion says no. 245 00:35:35,300 --> 00:35:38,560 And so everybody who can swim jumps overboard, swims to shore. 246 00:35:38,560 --> 00:35:42,480 Everybody who can't swim grabs a piece of the ship as it's breaking up 247 00:35:42,480 --> 00:35:45,880 and sort of uses it as a flotation device to get to shore. 248 00:35:45,880 --> 00:35:49,040 And so they all get to shore. 249 00:35:49,040 --> 00:35:54,680 And so this has been, as Acts 28 begins, a frustrating, 250 00:35:54,680 --> 00:35:58,720 it's been a difficult, it's been a dangerous journey. 251 00:35:58,720 --> 00:36:05,760 and 276 people have just washed up on a beach on this island. 252 00:36:05,760 --> 00:36:09,140 And look at what Luke's assessment of the situation is. 253 00:36:09,140 --> 00:36:12,580 We were brought safely through. 254 00:36:12,580 --> 00:36:16,020 And I want you to sort of focus on how he says that. 255 00:36:16,020 --> 00:36:19,760 He doesn't say that we figured out a way safely through. 256 00:36:19,760 --> 00:36:24,040 He doesn't say that through our skill and through the courage of the sailors 257 00:36:24,040 --> 00:36:27,820 and their experience, we were brought safely through. 258 00:36:28,300 --> 00:36:29,880 Not through our ingenuity. 259 00:36:29,880 --> 00:36:32,060 Not through our equipment. 260 00:36:32,060 --> 00:36:34,360 Not through our schemes. 261 00:36:34,360 --> 00:36:37,220 Remember the sailors at one point tried to sneak off the boat. 262 00:36:37,220 --> 00:36:38,920 They said, hey, we're going to go set some more anchors. 263 00:36:38,920 --> 00:36:41,320 And what they were really going to do is just take the lifeboat 264 00:36:41,320 --> 00:36:43,400 and head off and abandon everyone. 265 00:36:43,400 --> 00:36:46,280 Not in their wisdom, but what? 266 00:36:46,280 --> 00:36:49,980 We were brought safely through. 267 00:36:49,980 --> 00:36:53,540 The way Luke words it, it's not our actions that brought us through. 268 00:36:53,540 --> 00:36:57,320 That somebody else came and carried us through. 269 00:36:58,060 --> 00:37:07,480 And what Luke is making sort of very subtly here is the point that God is ultimately the one that brings us through these storms and brings us to safety. 270 00:37:07,480 --> 00:37:18,240 And in verse 2 we find this, the native people showed us unusual kindness for they kindled the fire and welcomed us because it had begun to rain and it was cold. 271 00:37:18,240 --> 00:37:20,980 So Luke here is kind of making a point. 272 00:37:20,980 --> 00:37:26,800 And so the way that he refers to these native people in Greek is hoi barbaroi. 273 00:37:27,140 --> 00:37:31,280 And it's where we get our English word barbarian from. 274 00:37:31,280 --> 00:37:36,960 Now, barbarian means something probably different to us than it would have been to Luke's audience. 275 00:37:36,960 --> 00:37:41,200 For us, when we think of barbarians, especially if you've grown up with video games, 276 00:37:41,200 --> 00:37:46,160 you've got armor, you've got fur, you've got a big spiky hat, you've got an axe or a club. 277 00:37:46,160 --> 00:37:48,620 That's not the picture of barbarians. 278 00:37:48,620 --> 00:37:54,040 These are people who are not part of either the Greek or Roman Latin culture. 279 00:37:54,040 --> 00:37:55,420 They speak a different language. 280 00:37:55,540 --> 00:38:01,840 In fact, the word barbarian likely comes from the sound that it sounds like when people speak a different language. 281 00:38:01,840 --> 00:38:05,700 So if you've ever watched Charlie Brown and he's in school and the teacher is going to... 282 00:38:05,700 --> 00:38:08,540 That's what they sound like. 283 00:38:08,540 --> 00:38:13,460 And somebody took that kind of noise and put it together to come up with the word barbarian. 284 00:38:13,460 --> 00:38:22,300 And so what Luke is saying is these are not people that you would normally expect to be sort of friendly to Romans or Roman citizens or Greeks. 285 00:38:22,300 --> 00:38:24,220 Now, there is a Roman presence on the island. 286 00:38:24,540 --> 00:38:27,240 They're familiar with Greek and Roman gods. 287 00:38:27,240 --> 00:38:31,400 But Luke is saying that we don't really expect a lot from them. 288 00:38:31,400 --> 00:38:37,120 And then he'll say this, they showed us unusual kindness. 289 00:38:37,120 --> 00:38:40,340 And this is remarkable, right? 290 00:38:40,340 --> 00:38:42,100 Because there's normal kindness, right? 291 00:38:42,100 --> 00:38:45,860 There's politeness, but then there's unusual kindness. 292 00:38:45,860 --> 00:38:50,320 And unusual kindness sort of takes us by surprise when it happens. 293 00:38:50,320 --> 00:38:54,260 I remember the first time that this happened to me. 294 00:38:54,340 --> 00:38:59,220 I was getting coffee at Dunkin' Donuts, and I get up to the window, and I go to pay, 295 00:38:59,220 --> 00:39:03,620 and they're like, hey, the guy in front of you just paid for your coffee. 296 00:39:03,620 --> 00:39:06,560 And I'm going, like, it kind of caught me by surprise. 297 00:39:06,560 --> 00:39:07,940 I was like, do I say thank you? 298 00:39:07,940 --> 00:39:08,660 What do I do? 299 00:39:08,660 --> 00:39:10,040 Is it okay to take the coffee? 300 00:39:10,040 --> 00:39:16,320 Like, it just was not at all what I was expecting, and it sort of takes you by surprise. 301 00:39:16,320 --> 00:39:21,000 Now, it turns out that what you were supposed to do, there wasn't really unusual kindness. 302 00:39:21,120 --> 00:39:23,080 You were supposed to pay for the guy behind you, 303 00:39:23,080 --> 00:39:27,040 which for all I know, my $1.50 black coffee, 304 00:39:27,040 --> 00:39:32,980 and I'm going to pay for some guy's $25 of frappuccino sugar water or whatever. 305 00:39:32,980 --> 00:39:34,960 But I didn't even realize it. 306 00:39:34,960 --> 00:39:39,740 I was just like, okay, and I drove off because it took me by surprise. 307 00:39:39,740 --> 00:39:42,760 And what Luke is saying is that we showed up, 308 00:39:42,760 --> 00:39:46,380 and here are people who are not native Latin speakers. 309 00:39:46,380 --> 00:39:48,220 They're not native Greek speakers. 310 00:39:48,220 --> 00:39:49,920 They have a whole different culture. 311 00:39:50,160 --> 00:39:55,060 And all of a sudden, this burden of 276 people washes up on the shore. 312 00:39:55,060 --> 00:39:56,300 And what do they do? 313 00:39:56,300 --> 00:39:58,060 They immediately build a fire. 314 00:39:58,060 --> 00:40:00,260 They immediately show us hospitality. 315 00:40:00,260 --> 00:40:02,980 They take care of us, right? 316 00:40:02,980 --> 00:40:04,880 It's cold and it's wet. 317 00:40:04,880 --> 00:40:07,720 Now, Malta, in general, doesn't get real cold. 318 00:40:07,720 --> 00:40:08,680 It's probably November. 319 00:40:08,680 --> 00:40:10,980 They're probably in the 40s or 50s. 320 00:40:10,980 --> 00:40:16,640 The water temperature is probably high 50s or maybe into like 60 or 61 degrees. 321 00:40:16,640 --> 00:40:19,800 And so, objectively, for us, we say, well, that's not very cold. 322 00:40:20,160 --> 00:40:22,720 But remember, these guys have been battling through a storm. 323 00:40:22,720 --> 00:40:25,660 They haven't been dry in probably two weeks. 324 00:40:25,660 --> 00:40:27,240 And then they go into the water. 325 00:40:27,240 --> 00:40:28,480 They have to swim to shore. 326 00:40:28,480 --> 00:40:29,600 They get out. 327 00:40:29,600 --> 00:40:34,820 And if you've ever gotten out of the water into like 45 degree air, right, you're cold, right? 328 00:40:34,820 --> 00:40:35,600 They're cold. 329 00:40:35,600 --> 00:40:36,360 They're shivering. 330 00:40:36,360 --> 00:40:41,740 And so these guys begin to build a fire so that everybody can warm up. 331 00:40:41,740 --> 00:40:45,960 And then some surprising things begin to happen. 332 00:40:45,960 --> 00:40:46,820 Pick up in verse 3. 333 00:40:47,480 --> 00:40:50,740 When Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and put them on the fire, 334 00:40:50,740 --> 00:40:55,340 a viper came out because of the heat and fastened onto his hand. 335 00:40:55,340 --> 00:40:58,780 And the native people saw the creature hanging from his hand. 336 00:40:58,780 --> 00:40:59,620 They said to one another, 337 00:40:59,620 --> 00:41:02,140 No doubt this man is a murderer. 338 00:41:02,140 --> 00:41:06,960 Though he has escaped from the sea, justice has not allowed him to live. 339 00:41:06,960 --> 00:41:11,160 He, however, shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm. 340 00:41:11,160 --> 00:41:15,260 And they were waiting for him to swell up or suddenly fall down dead. 341 00:41:15,540 --> 00:41:20,000 But when they had waited a long time and saw no misfortune come to him, 342 00:41:20,000 --> 00:41:23,020 they changed their minds and said that he was a God. 343 00:41:23,020 --> 00:41:25,440 So this starts out normally, this hospitality. 344 00:41:25,440 --> 00:41:27,120 God brings you safely through the storm. 345 00:41:27,120 --> 00:41:30,020 You end up in a place where people are friendly. 346 00:41:30,020 --> 00:41:31,140 They treat you well. 347 00:41:31,140 --> 00:41:32,440 They begin to warm you up. 348 00:41:32,440 --> 00:41:36,300 And so I think probably by this time, most everybody has kind of warmed up a little. 349 00:41:36,300 --> 00:41:37,740 And the fire has been going. 350 00:41:37,740 --> 00:41:42,080 And Paul, kind of one of those guys who seems like he always has to be doing something, 351 00:41:42,460 --> 00:41:47,160 sees a bundle of sticks, and so he grabs it, throws it into the fire, 352 00:41:47,160 --> 00:41:51,460 and at that point the snake that was asleep inside the bundle of sticks, 353 00:41:51,460 --> 00:41:55,800 maybe because of the cold, gets sort of invigorated because of the fire, 354 00:41:55,800 --> 00:42:00,520 and he comes leaping out, and Luke refers to it as a viper, a venomous snake, 355 00:42:00,520 --> 00:42:05,520 and he doesn't just bite Paul, but he latches on, right? 356 00:42:05,520 --> 00:42:09,360 He's not just biting, but he's there to stay. 357 00:42:10,000 --> 00:42:13,380 You sort of picture Paul, in fact, one of the coloring sheets for the kids this morning 358 00:42:13,380 --> 00:42:17,780 is Paul and a group of people standing around a fire, and there's just a snake hanging off 359 00:42:17,780 --> 00:42:19,560 of Paul's arm. 360 00:42:19,560 --> 00:42:23,520 And I want you to think about how Paul reacts to this event. 361 00:42:23,520 --> 00:42:26,360 Think about his demeanor first. 362 00:42:26,360 --> 00:42:29,000 We're going to talk about his demeanor, and then we're going to talk about sort of his 363 00:42:29,000 --> 00:42:33,940 emotion, sort of what's happening on the outside, and I think what's happening on the inside. 364 00:42:33,940 --> 00:42:37,760 So from my perspective, snakes are generally useful. 365 00:42:37,760 --> 00:42:38,880 They're helpful. 366 00:42:39,360 --> 00:42:44,520 They're great to have around, and even venomous snakes, if you treat them with care, give 367 00:42:44,520 --> 00:42:49,380 them their space, right, they have a purpose in God's creation and God's design. 368 00:42:49,380 --> 00:42:54,300 However, like, I'm not real excited to be surprised by a snake. 369 00:42:54,300 --> 00:42:58,700 Like, if I'm out hiking, like, I expect to see a snake, I'm prepared for it, but if you 370 00:42:58,700 --> 00:43:03,500 find a snake in a place that you're not prepared for it, right, that's a different, whole different 371 00:43:03,500 --> 00:43:04,100 reaction. 372 00:43:04,100 --> 00:43:24,900 So, when my parents got ready to move down here, the house they were moving into had been empty for a long time, and we were down in the basement doing some stuff with the wiring, and we're in this little kind of utility room, and we're standing there, and we look up, and there's, like, wires hanging down, and then there was this big black wire hanging down, and we're standing there, and somebody goes, and you start pulling on it. 373 00:43:24,900 --> 00:43:31,360 It's like, that's a dead snake, and, like, all I heard was, that's a snake, and I heard that from the next room, right? 374 00:43:31,360 --> 00:43:36,120 It was like, you know, the people who were there, like, we've never seen him move that fast. 375 00:43:36,120 --> 00:43:43,600 And I'm not scared of snakes, but I'm not a big fan of ceiling snakes dropping on my head unexpectedly, right? 376 00:43:43,600 --> 00:43:46,760 That's not something that I'm excited about. 377 00:43:46,760 --> 00:43:57,460 You see Paul here, as he encounters that, it doesn't seem like it even throws him on, right? 378 00:43:58,460 --> 00:44:03,420 And I don't think it's just remarkable because of his calmness, his demeanor. 379 00:44:03,420 --> 00:44:09,120 But after the reaction of being bitten and realizing this is a venomous snake, 380 00:44:09,120 --> 00:44:11,760 I'd have some additional things to say. 381 00:44:11,760 --> 00:44:14,380 Not only all of a sudden I'm sitting there throwing wood on the fire, 382 00:44:14,380 --> 00:44:16,320 a snake comes leaping out at me. 383 00:44:16,320 --> 00:44:18,580 I'm going to have some things to say about that. 384 00:44:18,580 --> 00:44:20,980 But then when I realize it's venomous, 385 00:44:20,980 --> 00:44:24,960 and the expected result is that you swell up and die, 386 00:44:24,960 --> 00:44:28,360 I'm going to have some more things to say about that. 387 00:44:28,460 --> 00:44:33,680 because Paul has been in the custody of a man who has kept him in custody to seek a bribe, 388 00:44:33,680 --> 00:44:39,800 so unfairly imprisoned. The next guy who comes to power tries to use Paul as a political pawn, 389 00:44:39,800 --> 00:44:46,380 almost gets him murdered seeking to appease Paul's enemies. He gets put on a ship. They 390 00:44:46,380 --> 00:44:51,560 ignore his advice. He's been in a storm for 14 weeks. Everybody almost dies. The ship wrecks. 391 00:44:51,560 --> 00:44:57,000 He has to swim to shore. He gets out, just starts getting warmed up, does something nice by throwing 392 00:44:57,000 --> 00:45:03,060 some wood on the fire and gets bit by a viper, right? I would have some things to talk to God 393 00:45:03,060 --> 00:45:10,100 about in this situation, right? It's like, don't you think at some point I've gone through enough, 394 00:45:10,100 --> 00:45:15,640 right? I've been in prison. I've been used as a political pawn. I've now been on a ship and been 395 00:45:15,640 --> 00:45:21,340 shipwrecked. And now I finally get to the safety of shore and a venomous snake bites me. And what 396 00:45:21,340 --> 00:45:25,420 is in front of me now, instead of going to Rome and preaching the gospel, what's in front of me 397 00:45:25,420 --> 00:45:35,840 now is death. I would be upset about this turn of events. Paul doesn't do that. It seems like he 398 00:45:35,840 --> 00:45:40,080 just sort of calmly shakes the snake off. I don't know that he's intentionally trying to shake it 399 00:45:40,080 --> 00:45:45,120 off into the fire. I think he just kind of shakes his arm and the snake flies off. That's what 400 00:45:45,120 --> 00:45:52,180 happens. So how is Paul, and the way Luke writes that his demeanor is extremely calm, that his 401 00:45:52,180 --> 00:45:59,100 spirit is calm through all this how is he able to be like this because i don't know that any of this 402 00:45:59,100 --> 00:46:05,300 would have been my reaction and i think it's because Paul trusts the promises and provisions 403 00:46:05,300 --> 00:46:12,180 of God right in the previous chapter God will say to Paul through an angel do not be afraid you must 404 00:46:12,180 --> 00:46:18,200 stand before Caesar and behold God you and all who sail with you so take heart men for i have faith 405 00:46:18,200 --> 00:46:24,100 in God, it will be exactly as I have been told. And God has told Paul, you're going to stand before 406 00:46:24,100 --> 00:46:31,480 Caesar. And Paul sees the snake hanging off his arm and realizes what God has said. And Paul trusts 407 00:46:31,480 --> 00:46:36,340 what God has said. And I would say to you that this doesn't happen in our lives all at once, 408 00:46:36,340 --> 00:46:40,620 right? We don't just wake up one morning and all of a sudden we go through the storms and the 409 00:46:40,620 --> 00:46:46,740 unfairness of life and all the struggles get bitten by a snake. And then we're just like Paul, 410 00:46:46,900 --> 00:46:52,860 right? This is a process that you and I grow through in terms of faithfulness and the faithfulness 411 00:46:52,860 --> 00:46:58,500 of God, right? We begin to see God's faithfulness as new Christians in our lives. And as we grow, 412 00:46:58,500 --> 00:47:03,140 we continue to see his faithfulness and we continue to see his faithfulness. And eventually what 413 00:47:03,140 --> 00:47:09,680 happens? We find ourselves where Paul is, right? This is a picture of a mature Christian. And most 414 00:47:09,680 --> 00:47:15,240 of us, I think, we wouldn't respond this way because we're still growing. We're still learning 415 00:47:15,240 --> 00:47:18,220 to put our wholehearted trust in God. 416 00:47:18,220 --> 00:47:20,480 Paul is seeing God's strength 417 00:47:20,480 --> 00:47:22,800 in contrast to his weakness. 418 00:47:22,800 --> 00:47:26,340 And his faith has been nurtured and it grows. 419 00:47:26,340 --> 00:47:28,500 And I want you to see that faith 420 00:47:28,500 --> 00:47:30,760 is not simply a good luck charm, right? 421 00:47:30,760 --> 00:47:32,860 It's a relationship and a hope 422 00:47:32,860 --> 00:47:35,320 in the goodness and the greatness of God. 423 00:47:35,320 --> 00:47:39,140 And Paul in this moment is trusting God's purposes 424 00:47:39,140 --> 00:47:41,420 even as he's bitten by a snake. 425 00:47:41,420 --> 00:47:42,940 Now, take a look at the contrast 426 00:47:42,940 --> 00:47:44,440 that Paul is the people 427 00:47:44,440 --> 00:47:52,460 And they have, I remember seeing this a while ago, a little comic, and it just says, you know, the only exercise most people get is jumping to conclusions. 428 00:47:52,460 --> 00:47:55,460 And that's exactly what happens next. 429 00:47:55,460 --> 00:48:04,420 The people who see this happen, it says this, when the native people saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, no doubt this man is a murderer. 430 00:48:04,420 --> 00:48:08,340 Though he has escaped from the sea, justice is not allowed to live. 431 00:48:08,340 --> 00:48:13,140 And before we talk about their reaction, think about this, that they may have been very well true. 432 00:48:13,140 --> 00:48:15,300 We don't know how Paul persecuted. 433 00:48:15,300 --> 00:48:16,160 We know that he did. 434 00:48:16,160 --> 00:48:19,220 He may have very well been a murderer, right? 435 00:48:19,220 --> 00:48:21,980 He did participate in the death of Stephen. 436 00:48:21,980 --> 00:48:23,420 He gave approval to that death. 437 00:48:23,420 --> 00:48:26,340 He was at least an accomplice in murder. 438 00:48:26,340 --> 00:48:31,120 But remember that Paul has seen the grace and the goodness of God, 439 00:48:31,120 --> 00:48:33,160 and God has changed him. 440 00:48:33,160 --> 00:48:36,560 And so these people, they look at Paul and they say, 441 00:48:36,560 --> 00:48:40,220 he must be a terrible guy to have this kind of thing happen to him, right? 442 00:48:40,220 --> 00:48:42,400 He's been shipwrecked, and they would think, 443 00:48:42,500 --> 00:48:46,200 Oh, man, God saved him out of the sea, but now he's bit by a snake. 444 00:48:46,200 --> 00:48:51,840 And so when they say this, in some of your Bibles, the word justice will be capitalized. 445 00:48:51,840 --> 00:48:56,720 And what these people are doing is they're attributing what happens to the Apostle Paul, 446 00:48:56,720 --> 00:49:01,240 to a Greek God who is the daughter of Zeus and Themis, 447 00:49:01,240 --> 00:49:05,540 and her name is Dike or Dese. 448 00:49:05,540 --> 00:49:08,740 It's where we get our English word dice. 449 00:49:09,580 --> 00:49:13,360 So she and her mother are the personification of justice. 450 00:49:13,360 --> 00:49:16,880 And you've actually seen, likely seen, pictures of her mom, right? 451 00:49:16,880 --> 00:49:19,220 So if you've ever seen a picture of justice, right? 452 00:49:19,220 --> 00:49:24,080 The statue that's blindfolded, a sword in one hand, scales in the other hand, 453 00:49:24,080 --> 00:49:26,920 that's a picture of this goddess's mom. 454 00:49:26,920 --> 00:49:32,940 And so what D.K. did was she would make sure that people got what they deserved. 455 00:49:32,940 --> 00:49:36,880 And what they're saying is that he had managed to escape the sea somehow, 456 00:49:37,700 --> 00:49:40,500 And now, he's been bitten by a snake. 457 00:49:40,500 --> 00:49:43,300 Justice has finally caught up with him. 458 00:49:43,300 --> 00:49:46,580 And they're exhibiting a very common way of thinking, 459 00:49:46,580 --> 00:49:48,120 especially in our world today. 460 00:49:48,120 --> 00:49:50,160 So how many times when somebody's suffering, 461 00:49:50,160 --> 00:49:52,860 well, maybe they deserved it. 462 00:49:52,860 --> 00:49:56,060 We tend to think, whether consciously or not, 463 00:49:56,060 --> 00:49:58,720 that oftentimes bad things happen to bad people, 464 00:49:58,720 --> 00:50:00,440 good things happen to good people. 465 00:50:00,440 --> 00:50:03,060 Now it's true that sometimes the bad things that happen to us, 466 00:50:03,060 --> 00:50:06,440 they're because of decisions and choices we have made. 467 00:50:06,620 --> 00:50:08,800 But that is not universally true. 468 00:50:08,800 --> 00:50:11,760 And the problem is they immediately see Paul's problems 469 00:50:11,760 --> 00:50:17,100 and they assume it's because he is an evil, evil man. 470 00:50:17,100 --> 00:50:20,120 And so I would caution you to be very careful 471 00:50:20,120 --> 00:50:23,120 how you view suffering in your life 472 00:50:23,120 --> 00:50:25,740 and in the life of others. 473 00:50:25,740 --> 00:50:29,040 And as Paul doesn't swell up and die, 474 00:50:29,040 --> 00:50:31,360 they immediately go to the other end of the spectrum, right? 475 00:50:31,360 --> 00:50:32,960 He's a horrible human, too. 476 00:50:32,960 --> 00:50:33,940 He's a God. 477 00:50:33,940 --> 00:50:36,160 While they were waiting for him to swell up 478 00:50:36,160 --> 00:50:37,440 and suddenly fall down dead 479 00:50:37,440 --> 00:50:39,060 when they had waited a long time. 480 00:50:39,060 --> 00:50:40,780 And I wonder how that worked out. 481 00:50:40,780 --> 00:50:41,760 Paul's sitting by the fire 482 00:50:41,760 --> 00:50:43,500 and everybody's kind of staring at him 483 00:50:43,500 --> 00:50:45,040 going, is he getting a little bigger? 484 00:50:45,040 --> 00:50:46,100 Is he swelling up? 485 00:50:46,100 --> 00:50:48,060 Is he trying to sort of watch 486 00:50:48,060 --> 00:50:50,220 what happens to the Apostle Paul 487 00:50:50,220 --> 00:50:52,040 when they waited a long time 488 00:50:52,040 --> 00:50:53,880 and saw no misfortune came to him. 489 00:50:53,880 --> 00:50:54,780 They changed their minds 490 00:50:54,780 --> 00:50:55,740 and said he was a God. 491 00:50:55,740 --> 00:50:58,720 How quickly can the opinions of people change? 492 00:50:58,720 --> 00:51:00,980 From one hand being angry at you 493 00:51:00,980 --> 00:51:02,400 to the other hand worshiping you 494 00:51:02,400 --> 00:51:05,160 and you know it's only just a decision away 495 00:51:05,160 --> 00:51:06,300 that flips. 496 00:51:06,300 --> 00:51:09,260 It's why when we serve God, 497 00:51:09,260 --> 00:51:11,160 our hope is in what God thinks 498 00:51:11,160 --> 00:51:14,260 rather than what is in the opinion of men. 499 00:51:14,260 --> 00:51:16,600 Because if we do put our hope 500 00:51:16,600 --> 00:51:19,220 in the opinions of people that surround us, 501 00:51:19,220 --> 00:51:21,100 what's ultimately going to happen 502 00:51:21,100 --> 00:51:23,220 is it's going to be a rollercoaster 503 00:51:23,220 --> 00:51:25,040 of disappointment and joy 504 00:51:25,040 --> 00:51:26,760 and disappointment and joy 505 00:51:26,760 --> 00:51:28,880 as we go back and forth between them. 506 00:51:28,880 --> 00:51:31,020 And Luke doesn't enumerate it, 507 00:51:31,020 --> 00:51:32,780 but this has happened to Paul before. 508 00:51:34,060 --> 00:51:37,720 And I would say this, as we consider Paul's snakebite and his shipwreck, 509 00:51:37,720 --> 00:51:43,860 that when we trust in God, the unexpected doesn't necessarily mean that it's the end for us. 510 00:51:43,860 --> 00:51:47,460 But learning from the people, when we trust in God, 511 00:51:47,460 --> 00:51:55,380 we learn to leave the judgment of events to Him rather than to our superstitions or emotions. 512 00:51:55,380 --> 00:52:00,760 Now, in the neighborhood of that place where the land belonged to the chief man of the island, 513 00:52:01,020 --> 00:52:05,080 named Publius, who received us and entertained us hospitably for three days. 514 00:52:05,080 --> 00:52:08,500 It happened that the father of Publius lay sick with fever and dysentery, 515 00:52:08,500 --> 00:52:12,880 and Paul visited him and prayed, and putting his hands on him, healed him. 516 00:52:12,880 --> 00:52:16,740 And when this had taken place, the rest of the people on the island who had diseases 517 00:52:16,740 --> 00:52:18,980 also came and were cured. 518 00:52:18,980 --> 00:52:22,040 And they honored us greatly, and when we were about to sail, 519 00:52:22,040 --> 00:52:23,520 they put on board whatever we needed. 520 00:52:23,520 --> 00:52:28,180 The first thing you see is that God provides for Paul and his companions' rest after the storm. 521 00:52:28,960 --> 00:52:32,700 They have been struggling and facing uncertainty. 522 00:52:32,700 --> 00:52:37,980 And this chief citizen will be the name sort of the highest-ranking Roman on this island 523 00:52:37,980 --> 00:52:43,260 and invites them in, provides for them, and they are allowed to eat and sleep 524 00:52:43,260 --> 00:52:46,580 and recover from the struggle that they have gone through, 525 00:52:46,580 --> 00:52:49,260 that God provides rest after the storm. 526 00:52:49,260 --> 00:52:53,680 The second thing that happens is that God provides this power of the miracle of Paul 527 00:52:53,680 --> 00:52:55,380 to heal this man's father. 528 00:52:55,600 --> 00:53:00,800 Paul prays and the man is recovering and the word begins to get out. 529 00:53:00,800 --> 00:53:05,240 And what you find biblically is that when God causes these miracles to happen, 530 00:53:05,240 --> 00:53:10,980 these miraculous events, what he is doing is bearing testimony to the message of the gospel. 531 00:53:10,980 --> 00:53:13,560 Because people say, how can I know it's true? 532 00:53:13,560 --> 00:53:17,200 And you say, well, this man who is sick isn't sick anymore. 533 00:53:17,200 --> 00:53:23,280 And so what's interesting is the whole island, everybody who's sick, starts showing up at the door. 534 00:53:23,620 --> 00:53:28,840 and what you see happen next is remarkable because it doesn't seem that God provides 535 00:53:28,840 --> 00:53:34,520 any more miracles but he does provide healing and here's how we see that it says this 536 00:53:34,520 --> 00:53:40,600 verse 9 and when this had taken place the rest of the people on the island who had diseases 537 00:53:40,600 --> 00:53:46,180 came and also were healed everybody hears about it shows up for healing now remember Luke is a 538 00:53:46,180 --> 00:53:51,060 doctor here and it's interesting when he talks about healing here he uses two sort of different 539 00:53:51,060 --> 00:53:58,480 terms for it in verse 8 where Paul prays and this leading citizen's father is cured it's the word 540 00:53:58,480 --> 00:54:04,660 that's traditionally used for miraculous healing right that you know Jesus goes up and you know 541 00:54:04,660 --> 00:54:09,780 get up and walk and the guy gets up and walk or or Peter you know you know he says I don't have 542 00:54:09,780 --> 00:54:14,260 anything to give you but I have this from Jesus in his name get up and walk and he gets up and walks 543 00:54:14,260 --> 00:54:19,720 right that's the picture that's used here for the healing of the father in verse 8 now in verse 9 544 00:54:19,720 --> 00:54:27,060 the picture that is used of healing it's very very different word in fact it's the word that 545 00:54:27,060 --> 00:54:33,320 when it's transliterated into english becomes our word therapy or therapeutic and what it means 546 00:54:33,320 --> 00:54:41,080 is healing through the use of medicine and i love this because it appears that Luke who is a physician 547 00:54:41,080 --> 00:54:47,960 Paul's probably personal physician sees all these people come and he just gets to work right rolls 548 00:54:47,960 --> 00:54:49,720 up his sleeves and begins to work. 549 00:54:49,720 --> 00:54:52,000 And you see God healing the people on this island 550 00:54:52,000 --> 00:54:53,620 both through the power of miracle 551 00:54:53,620 --> 00:54:56,260 and the power of medicine. 552 00:54:56,260 --> 00:54:57,700 And the picture here 553 00:54:57,700 --> 00:55:00,100 is two different gifts. Luke's 554 00:55:00,100 --> 00:55:02,000 gift in caring and 555 00:55:02,000 --> 00:55:03,860 healing people through medical 556 00:55:03,860 --> 00:55:05,960 knowledge and medical treatment. God uses 557 00:55:05,960 --> 00:55:08,180 that. Paul's power in the spirit 558 00:55:08,180 --> 00:55:09,980 and the power of God working to heal 559 00:55:09,980 --> 00:55:11,960 that. And what you find is that 560 00:55:11,960 --> 00:55:14,200 God uses all of us 561 00:55:14,200 --> 00:55:16,080 in different ways and for 562 00:55:16,080 --> 00:55:17,420 different purposes. 563 00:55:18,760 --> 00:55:20,800 God uses both Paul and Luke 564 00:55:20,800 --> 00:55:22,820 to minister to the people on this island. 565 00:55:22,820 --> 00:55:23,980 And then as they get ready to go, 566 00:55:23,980 --> 00:55:25,440 the island is thankful. 567 00:55:25,440 --> 00:55:28,400 And so as they're getting ready to sail, 568 00:55:28,400 --> 00:55:30,460 the whole island shows up 569 00:55:30,460 --> 00:55:32,400 and provides enough food and resources 570 00:55:32,400 --> 00:55:35,020 to take care of Paul and his companions 571 00:55:35,020 --> 00:55:36,740 on the next level of the journey 572 00:55:36,740 --> 00:55:39,160 that God doesn't just give them rest in the storm. 573 00:55:39,160 --> 00:55:40,860 He doesn't just give power for miracles. 574 00:55:40,860 --> 00:55:43,700 He doesn't just provide Luke as a doctor to the island. 575 00:55:43,700 --> 00:55:45,100 But as they're getting ready to leave, 576 00:55:45,100 --> 00:55:47,300 He provides for their future. 577 00:55:47,960 --> 00:55:50,140 And what's remarkable about it, even though Luke doesn't mention it, 578 00:55:50,140 --> 00:55:53,080 Paul has never gone anywhere that he hasn't proclaimed the gospel. 579 00:55:53,080 --> 00:55:58,500 And so I think for three months, Paul preaches, teaches, Luke works as a doctor, 580 00:55:58,500 --> 00:56:01,640 sort of the first medical mission that you see in the Bible. 581 00:56:01,640 --> 00:56:04,020 And here's the thing, they were never supposed to be here to begin. 582 00:56:04,020 --> 00:56:06,840 There was no plan to be on this island. 583 00:56:06,840 --> 00:56:10,380 There was no purpose for Paul to be on this island initially. 584 00:56:10,380 --> 00:56:16,680 As far as missionary efforts go, this was probably one of the last places that would have been evangelized, 585 00:56:16,740 --> 00:56:18,280 one of the last places in the region 586 00:56:18,280 --> 00:56:20,520 that the gospel of Jesus would have come to 587 00:56:20,520 --> 00:56:22,740 because it was small, it was out of the way, 588 00:56:22,740 --> 00:56:24,260 it wasn't very important. 589 00:56:24,260 --> 00:56:26,500 Nobody really important lives there. 590 00:56:26,500 --> 00:56:27,440 They don't even have a governor. 591 00:56:27,440 --> 00:56:30,000 They just have kind of the highest-ranking citizen. 592 00:56:30,000 --> 00:56:33,820 And God sends Paul and his companions 593 00:56:33,820 --> 00:56:37,320 to this place to share the gospel. 594 00:56:37,320 --> 00:56:39,700 And so many times we may look at our life and say, 595 00:56:39,700 --> 00:56:41,360 God, why have you brought me here? 596 00:56:41,360 --> 00:56:43,380 Why have you put me in this place? 597 00:56:43,380 --> 00:56:46,520 And I think God would answer to share the gospel. 598 00:56:46,740 --> 00:56:49,120 where you are. It may not be where you expected 599 00:56:49,120 --> 00:56:50,740 to be. It may not be where 600 00:56:50,740 --> 00:56:52,820 you thought you would be at this stage in life, but 601 00:56:52,820 --> 00:56:55,080 He has a purpose and a plan 602 00:56:55,080 --> 00:56:56,960 for you, right? Luke goes 603 00:56:56,960 --> 00:56:58,420 to work. Paul goes to work. 604 00:56:58,420 --> 00:57:00,860 And you see this island that never probably would have 605 00:57:00,860 --> 00:57:02,820 heard the gospel without the divine hand 606 00:57:02,820 --> 00:57:04,680 of God directing the apostle here. 607 00:57:04,680 --> 00:57:06,620 Right? God 608 00:57:06,620 --> 00:57:08,000 is at work. 609 00:57:08,000 --> 00:57:10,380 Let's go ahead and have a word of prayer. 610 00:57:10,380 --> 00:57:12,840 Father, we thank you that you are the one who brings 611 00:57:12,840 --> 00:57:13,820 us safely through. 612 00:57:14,600 --> 00:57:18,240 that we may not always end up where we had planned or imagined, 613 00:57:18,240 --> 00:57:20,040 but that you have a purpose for us. 614 00:57:20,040 --> 00:57:23,260 Help us as we look at the lives of others 615 00:57:23,260 --> 00:57:27,800 that unlike these people, we would not rush to judgment. 616 00:57:27,800 --> 00:57:30,900 We would rush to shout our opinions, 617 00:57:30,900 --> 00:57:32,780 either good or bad like they did, 618 00:57:32,780 --> 00:57:36,460 but that we would see people as those who need the gospel. 619 00:57:36,460 --> 00:57:39,940 And that like Luke and Paul, we would care for the hurting, 620 00:57:39,940 --> 00:57:41,980 both physically and spiritually, 621 00:57:42,700 --> 00:57:44,620 That we would be a people who help 622 00:57:44,620 --> 00:57:45,960 and a people who love 623 00:57:45,960 --> 00:57:48,440 and a people who demonstrate Your grace 624 00:57:48,440 --> 00:57:50,120 to the world that surrounds us. 625 00:57:50,120 --> 00:57:52,380 Thank You for what You have done for us. 626 00:57:52,380 --> 00:57:54,420 It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. 627 00:57:54,420 --> 00:57:57,840 We're going to stand and sing The Assurance. 628 00:58:12,700 --> 00:58:20,440 Jesus is mine, all on a foretaste of glory divine. 629 00:58:20,440 --> 00:58:31,560 Heir of salvation, purchase of God, born of His Spirit, washed in His blood. 630 00:58:31,560 --> 00:58:37,360 This is my story, this is my song 631 00:58:37,360 --> 00:58:42,880 Praising my Saviour all the day long 632 00:58:42,880 --> 00:58:48,460 This is my story, this is my song 633 00:58:48,460 --> 00:58:53,820 Praising my Saviour all the day long 634 00:58:53,820 --> 00:59:02,240 A face of mission, all is at rest 635 00:59:02,240 --> 00:59:08,000 I am my Savior, I'm happy and blessed 636 00:59:08,000 --> 00:59:13,420 Watching, awaiting, looking above 637 00:59:13,420 --> 00:59:19,100 Filled with His goodness, lost in His love 638 00:59:19,100 --> 00:59:30,080 This is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior all the day long. 639 00:59:30,080 --> 00:59:41,380 This is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior all the day long. 640 00:59:49,100 --> 00:59:54,860 And online, we will be back Wednesday 641 00:59:54,860 --> 00:59:57,940 for Bible study at 7 p.m., 642 00:59:57,940 --> 01:00:02,740 and then next Sunday we'll be continuing on in Acts 28, 643 01:00:02,740 --> 01:00:04,240 getting very close to the end, 644 01:00:04,240 --> 01:00:09,880 just a week or two left as we see Paul arrive where God has sent him. 645 01:00:09,880 --> 01:00:11,200 So I'm going to pray, 646 01:00:11,200 --> 01:00:15,600 and then we'll read a verse from the end of the book of Jude, 647 01:00:15,600 --> 01:00:17,300 and then we'll sing the doxology. 648 01:00:17,740 --> 01:00:19,320 Father in heaven, thank you for your goodness. 649 01:00:19,320 --> 01:00:20,560 Thank you for your grace. 650 01:00:20,560 --> 01:00:22,280 Thank you that you are the one 651 01:00:22,280 --> 01:00:24,020 who brings us safely through the storm. 652 01:00:24,020 --> 01:00:27,720 Help us to see those evidences of grace 653 01:00:27,720 --> 01:00:28,780 that you have shown us 654 01:00:28,780 --> 01:00:31,320 and help us to share that grace with others. 655 01:00:31,320 --> 01:00:33,620 It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. 656 01:00:33,620 --> 01:00:37,180 Jude ends his very short letter like this. 657 01:00:37,180 --> 01:00:39,640 Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling 658 01:00:39,640 --> 01:00:41,540 and to present you blameless 659 01:00:41,540 --> 01:00:43,860 before the presence of his glory with great joy, 660 01:00:43,860 --> 01:00:45,660 to the only God, our Savior, 661 01:00:45,940 --> 01:00:48,000 through Jesus Christ our Lord, 662 01:00:48,000 --> 01:00:50,880 be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority 663 01:00:50,880 --> 01:00:53,100 before all time, now and forever. 664 01:00:53,100 --> 01:00:53,840 Amen. 665 01:00:53,840 --> 01:00:54,040 Amen. 666 01:01:15,940 --> 01:01:19,040 of the heavenly host. 667 01:01:19,040 --> 01:01:24,660 Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. 668 01:01:45,940 --> 01:02:15,920 Thank you. 669 01:02:15,940 --> 01:02:45,920 Thank you. 670 01:02:45,940 --> 01:03:15,920 Thank you.