The Word of God Unhindered

Do Not Grow Dull to God’s Kingdom and His King

(Acts 28:23-31; Sunday, September 29; Preaching: Associate Pastor Nathan Snyder)

We come now to the end of the book of Acts.  Our congregation has spent three years going through Acts.  The book itself covers a period of thirty years from the ascension of Jesus in the early 30s AD to the apostle Paul’s time of house arrest in Rome in the early 60s AD.  Luke, the friend and travelling companion of Paul, wrote Acts as a sequel to his gospel (1:1-3).  When Jesus was exalted to the right hand of God, he poured out the Holy Spirit upon his people and he empowered them to be his witnesses “in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (1:8).  Luke has deliberately structured Acts to follow the expansion of the kingdom of God, beginning in Jerusalem.  Through the proclamation of God’s word in the power of God’s Spirit, Christ’s kingdom expanded throughout Judea and Samaria, to the Gentiles, and through the ministry of Paul and others it began to reach the various parts of the Roman empire.  Acts concludes with Paul freely proclaiming the gospel while under house arrest in Rome, the very capital city of the Roman empire.  Of course, it wouldn’t stop there.  The last word of Acts in Greek is akōlútōs, which means “unhindered.”  Paul was proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ…unhindered.  Throughout Acts, Luke shows that the word God, the gospel of Christ and his kingdom, has been going forward and changing lives.  See, for example, 2:41-47; 4:31; 5:14; 6:7; 8:4; 9:31; 11:1; 12:23-24; 13:47-49; 19:10; 19:18-20; etc.  Nothing and no one can stop the spread of the gospel.  If God has purposed that his word will go forth, can anyone oppose God?  And can anyone stop his word in the power of the Holy Spirit, who is God himself, from rescuing those who are lost, granting faith and repentance, forgiving sins, and giving power for joyful obedience?  We see in Acts many who believe, who receive Christ as King and Savior, and are forever changed.  We also see that there were those who rejected the word and the One proclaimed in that word to their own destruction.  This continues when Paul preaches in Rome.  Some believed and some did not (28:24).  And today some believe and some do not.  But know this: even when there are those who will not believe, God’s word will prevail, his purposes will stand, Jesus will be exalted as King, he will build his kingdom, and he will save all those appointed to eternal life (13:48).  His kingdom will endure because Jesus, the King, will endure.  God’s word is not hindered from fulfilling every purpose for which God has sent it (Isaiah 55:10-11).

It is a sad reality that while the first Christians and all the apostles were Jews, many Jews rejected Jesus as the Christ and therefore shut themselves out of God’s kingdom.  This is especially tragic because God had taken the people of Israel to himself, making his covenants with them, giving them his law, and sending them his prophets.  He had been faithful to them over many centuries.  All his dealings with Israel were meant to prepare the way for the coming of his kingdom through the Christ.  Now he had sent his Son to be this Christ, and his own people did not receive him.  Paul himself was in this camp until Jesus mercifully revealed himself to Paul and brought him to faith.  Jesus then called Paul to carry this gospel throughout the Roman empire.  His practice was always to go first to the Jews, and then to bring the message also to the Gentiles.  This is what he does in Rome.  He sends word to the local leaders of the Jews (28:17) and calls them to come and hear what he has to say.  So they set a date and come to him on that day, and he testifies to them about the kingdom of God, attempting to convince them that Jesus is the fulfillment of what was written in the Law of Moses and in the prophets (28:23).  We can infer from other places in Acts that Paul showed them that according to the Scriptures, the Christ had to suffer and be killed and then rise from the dead, and Jesus is that Christ.  Salvation and forgiveness of sins is only found in trusting in him as the King who brings God’s kingdom.

Some believed Paul.  Some did not.  There was arguing amongst the Jews.  They left when Paul applied to them a pronouncement of judgment that God had made though the prophet Isaiah to their fathers.  Paul quotes from Isaiah 6.  These verses are part of the account of God’s calling Isaiah to be a prophet.  God sent him to Judah with his word, but told him to say to the people that they would not receive his word because their hearts had grown hard and dull with unbelief.  Paul is making the point that by and large the Jewish people continued to be dull and hardened to God’s word.  They did not believe.  Yet God’s word would not be hindered.  He already had been and would continue to bring it to the Gentile world.  They would listen.  God’s saving purposes for the world through Jesus would go forward.  If his people Israel rejected him, he would go to the nations.  I feel compelled to add here what Paul says in Romans 11, that the hardening of the Jewish people is only temporary.  When the full number of Gentiles has come in that God intends to save, then all Israel will also be saved, and then will come the final resurrection.  Somehow this is all part of the overarching purposes of God who had always intended to bring salvation and blessing to the nations.  The most important thing for us is to receive in faith God’s kingdom and his King.  May we not ourselves be dull and hardened in unbelief.

Why did so many Jews reject their own Messiah?  Many were offended by the idea of a crucified Christ.  This seemed shameful.  Also, they were put off by the inclusion of Gentiles as full members of God’s people.  This seems frequently in Acts to be the most offensive thing about the spread of Christianity to the Jews.  It felt to them like the Christian gospel was undermining their law, their identity, their whole way of life, and polluting the people of God.  They were indignant and they felt threatened.  “God has chosen us.  God has given us his laws.  We have worked so hard to keep our faith pure after many centuries of idolatry and the corresponding judgment of God.  And now these pagan Gentiles can just waltz right in, without circumcision, without observing all the religious rites and ceremonies, simply by faith in Jesus?  Perish the though!”  Ironically, the Jews would have looked at Isaiah 6 and believed that they had finally rejected the idolatry which had hardened their forefathers against God.  Yet by rejecting Christ, they were stuck in the same unbelief.  It just looked different on the surface.  A new idolatry had developed.  Idolatry of their Jewish heritage, their religious works, and their status as the exclusive people of God.  This idolatry blinded them from seeing the One who was the fulfillment of the very Law and Prophets to which they were so devoted.  And it blinded them from seeing the wonderful fulfillment of God’s purpose to spread grace to the nations.

If we are Gentiles who have received the gospel word, should we boast now over those Jews and others around us who have not?  If we do, we are in danger of falling into the same problem we see here.  Idolatry of our heritage, idolatry of our religion, idolatry of our status now in the people of God.  Paul warns against this in Romans 11:17-24.  We ought to stand in awe of the mercy of God.  Why would God extend his saving love to us?  Why would he include us in his kingdom?  Why would he give us his Son as our King, to die for our sins, rise from the dead, and lead us into his own resurrection life, to share in his own glorious reign?  It is all grace, pure grace!  If we are honest with ourselves, we realize that there is enough sin and unbelief in our hearts, even today, that if left to ourselves would drive us away into dullness and hardness of rebellion against Christ.  When you and I see unbelief in anyone, including in ourselves, we ought to grieve.  And look once again to Christ alone for our salvation.  We fail in so many ways and our faith is not as strong as we sometimes think it is.  But God has in his grace declared to us a word that will never fail, of a kingdom than will never fail, ruled by a King who will never fail.  His amazing grace is not hindered in saving a wretch like you and me.  He has “granted” to us Gentiles “repentance that leads to life” (11:18).  If there is any faith in us, it is a gift.  It is the work of God.  I pray that God will never let us grow dull to the word of his grace, hardened to his kingdom and his King, our only Savior.  May we never become so enamored with the world, or ourselves, or our works or tradition, or anything besides Christ on which we might try to base our life, that we reject the only One in whom we truly have life.  Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift, that we, even we, should be included in Christ to enjoy him and his kingdom forever!

Old Testament Passage: Psalm 36 – With God is love and abundance

Gospel Passage: Matthew 13:10-17 – The parables as judgment on God’s unbelieving people

Sermon Text: Acts 28:23-31 – Paul under house arrest in Rome testifies to the kingdom of God and teaches about the Lord Jesus Christ.  He confronts the Jews over their dullness to receive God’s kingdom and his King and declares that God has sent this salvation to the Gentiles who will receive it.

Sermon Point: God has brought us to his kingdom and his King through his word.  May we not be dull of heart to receive this salvation.

I am not alone...

Brothers

(Acts 28:11-22, Preaching: Pastor Stephen Magee, September 22, 2013)

[11] After three months we set sail in a ship that had wintered in the island, a ship of Alexandria, with the twin gods as a figurehead. [12] Putting in at Syracuse, we stayed there for three days. [13] And from there we made a circuit and arrived at Rhegium. And after one day a south wind sprang up, and on the second day we came to Puteoli. [14] There we found brothers and were invited to stay with them for seven days. And so we came to Rome. [15] And the brothers there, when they heard about us, came as far as the Forum of Appius and Three Taverns to meet us. On seeing them, Paul thanked God and took courage. [16] And when we came into Rome, Paul was allowed to stay by himself, with the soldier who guarded him.“There we found brothers.” Paul finally made it to Rome. On the way there, he and his companions found brothers in Christ. They spread the word of Paul's arrival to other Christians and many came to meet Paul and his traveling companions.

“Paul thanked God and took courage.” This is what our brothers in faith can do for us. They may not be able to remove the chains that men put on us, but they can lead our hearts to God in thanksgiving. They can help us to find the courage from the Lord to face another day.

Paul reached a destination of sorts, but it appears that the Lord has prepared more work for him. Paul is under house arrest, and he can receive visitors. Some of his first guests will be leaders of the Jews who do not believe that Jesus is the Christ.

[17] After three days he called together the local leaders of the Jews, and when they had gathered, he said to them, “Brothers, though I had done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans. [18] When they had examined me, they wished to set me at liberty, because there was no reason for the death penalty in my case. [19] But because the Jews objected, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar—though I had no charge to bring against my nation. [20] For this reason, therefore, I have asked to see you and speak with you, since it is because of the hope of Israel that I am wearing this chain.”

When Paul meets with these leaders of the Jews in Rome, he calls them brothers as well. He refers to the Jews as a whole as “our people” and Israel as “my nation.” He is not trying to erect a wall against Jews who as yet will not bow the knee to Jesus. He is helping them with a bridge of hope. He looks to see many of them walk across that bridge that will lead them to Christ.

Paul does not rush to bring the message of Christ to Gentiles. He wants to speak to the Jews in Rome first about the best news that He could ever bring to them, news of the “hope of Israel.” We hope in what we have not yet received. Solid hope is built on secure promises. The certainty of promises has much to do with the one who made the promise. When God makes a promise to His people they have a very sure hope.

The Lord had prepared Israel for centuries with promises about the future, promises that they did not fully understand. They alone of all the people groups of the earth had a heritage of written oracles from God recorded for them in the books of Moses, the prophets, and the other books of the Scriptures like the Psalms.

They needed something more in order to be able to have greater definition and clarity concerning the kingdom of God. They needed Jesus. There is a clarity to the cross and resurrection of the Messiah that helps us to see what the plan of God really is.

In the beginning of the book of Acts, even the remaining disciples seemed confused about God's plans. They asked Jesus about when the kingdom would be restored to Israel. When He talked to them about the promise of the Father, they could only imagine the glory days of the past, the days of David, Solomon, and the little kingdom of Israel. They wanted to know when that kingdom, which had been lost to the Gentiles for many centuries, would be restored again.

Jesus had to tell His little band of brothers that they were misinformed about the hope of Israel. The hope of Israel had more to do with the glories of the future and not the recovery of the past. It had to do with the Holy Spirit who would be received in their souls and not immediately about the removal of suffering and annoyance outside of them. It had to do with the power of the cross of Christ being known even to the ends of the earth and not about restoring decency and religion to Palestine.

Paul could not explain all of this to the leading Jews of Rome in one day, but he did intend to get started on that important project soon. He began by taking the subject of his arrival in chains and quickly turning their attention to the hope of Israel. This hope was larger than most of the brothers seemed to understand. Through one man's sin, death had come to all. God's promise has always been the gift of a resurrection kingdom built on one man's righteousness.

[21] And they said to him, “We have received no letters from Judea about you, and none of the brothers coming here has reported or spoken any evil about you. [22] But we desire to hear from you what your views are, for with regard to this sect we know that everywhere it is spoken against.”Those leaders of the Jews who spoke with Paul also have men that they call “brothers.” These Jewish brothers have not heard any bad reports about the prisoner, Paul. On the other hand, his “sect” is spoken against “everywhere.” Those who are a part of it are not considered to be brothers by the Jews in Rome who reject it.

This is the first ministry opportunity for Paul in Rome. Paul has been sent here to proclaim what He knows about Jesus and the kingdom from both the Scriptures and His experience. He begins His proclamation with Jews who consider Christianity an unacceptable sect of Judaism.

We serve the same resurrection King that Paul served. The hope of Israel has become our hope. We now have brothers ready to encourage us all over the world. That would not be the case if God had not sent His messengers forth to speak to Jews and Gentiles everywhere.

The hope of Jesus which Paul proclaimed is just as certain today as it was back when Paul first brought the word to leading Jews in Rome. God has continued to build a band of brothers throughout the centuries who give all that they have for His service. Their hope is in the Lord. He will bring about the hope of the earth, a kingdom where righteousness will reign forever.

As we seek the progress of that kingdom, we are blessed in many, many ways by God with brothers who believe in Jesus. May we press on together in our calling of holiness with all of our brothers and sisters all the more as we see the day of Christ approaching.

Old Testament Passage: Psalm 31:19-24 – Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord!

Gospel Passage: Mark 12:41-44 – She has put in everything she had.

Sermon Text: Acts 28:11-22 – Paul thanked God when he was met by Christian brothers in Rome, and took courage to continue with His ministry, even in chains.

Sermon Point: We are blessed by one another in the body of Christ as we press on with the ministry that we have been given.

Bidding Paul a Fond Farewell - Part 1

Who is this man Paul?

(Acts 28:1-10, Preaching: Pastor Stephen Magee, September 15, 2013)

[28:1] After we were brought safely through, we then learned that the island was called Malta. [2] The native people showed us unusual kindness, for they kindled a fire and welcomed us all, because it had begun to rain and was cold. [3] 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 his hand. [4] When the native people saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “No doubt this man is a murderer. Though he has escaped from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live.” [5] He, however, shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm. [6] They were waiting for him to swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But when they had waited a long time and saw no misfortune come to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god.Paul said in 2 Timothy 4:18, “The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom.” Who is this man Paul? Who is this Lord who rescues Him?

Remember when Paul the angry Pharisee first had his life turned around by a bright light and a voice from heaven saying, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” His immediate response was this question: “Who are you Lord?” The answer that came back: “I am Jesus.”

This Jesus is the man that Paul follows from that moment forward. Following Jesus can lead a man “through many dangers, toils, and snares.” As Acts 28 begins, following Jesus has led Paul to the island of Malta where the people worship a variety of gods.

Paul and his companions, shipwrecked on this small island about the length of our little seacoast, needed help. They were not too proud to receive the kindness of strangers. His ability not only to give but even to receive from others could open up doors to further relationship in wonderful ways that he might not at first comprehend.

What were these strangers like? The people there had their own way of looking at the events all around them as they tried to understand the rulers and divinities behind those events. They believed in divine justice as a force to be reckoned with, perhaps centralized in a personal spiritual entity, the Greek goddess, Justice. Paul believed that Jesus, who satisfied the demands of divine justice for us, is the perfection of God's justice, love, and every other attribute that God possesses.

The Maltese view of the world was simple. If you do evil, Justice will get you. There is something to that view, but it does not takes into account everything we need to know about God. In any case they expected that they could make a pretty educated guess about a man who barely escaped from a shipwreck and then was immediately bitten by a poisonous snake: “No doubt this man is a murderer.”

This was closer to the truth than they realized, but that is another story for a different passage. In this passage, Paul does not die at the hands of Justice. After a suitable amount of time passed and it was clear that Paul was not going to die, the kind people of Malta had to come up with another theory. Paul was not a murderer. He was a god.

Who was this man Paul? Do you understand him? How would you explain him to others. You have followed his story for many chapters. Have you been able to figure him out? The people of Malta were missing some important facts about Paul and about the man that Paul was following. One thing is for certain: No one could understand Paul unless they understood some of the most basic facts about the man that Paul was following.

[7] Now in the neighborhood of that place were lands belonging to the chief man of the island, named Publius, who received us and entertained us hospitably for three days. [8] It happened that the father of Publius lay sick with fever and dysentery. And Paul visited him and prayed, and putting his hands on him healed him. [9] And when this had taken place, the rest of the people on the island who had diseases also came and were cured. [10] They also honored us greatly, and when we were about to sail, they put on board whatever we needed.

In the absence of clear insight, it might help to gather more facts. The people of Malta needed to look beyond the shipwreck, the snake bite, and this man's unexpected survival. Within the next few days they would know more about Paul.

A leading man among them, one Publius, entertained Paul and others for three days. His father was very sick. The apostle healed him. This was a new fact. This man Paul healed someone. Soon others were brought to him. He healed them too. More facts.

By the time their visit to Malta was over, the people of the island knew more about Paul than they had on that first day. They honored the apostolic prisoner and his friends by giving them whatever they might need for the rest of their journey.

Paul was not a murderer. He was not a god. He was a man who could heal. This had not always been the case. There had been a time not many years before when this poor man needed healing very badly. He had to be led by the hand into Damascus. A man named Ananias laid his hands on him. On that important day Paul was not the healer but the healed. At that turning point in his life Ananias said to the future apostle, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” And he DID receive his sight. And he WAS filled with the Holy Spirit.

The wise men of Malta were missing some facts:

1. They needed to learn the extent of God's justice. God demands perfect obedience from all those who would live. If Justice were to take prisoners, we would all face the viper's deadly bite.
2. They needed to learn the magnificence of God's love. The Lord of heaven and earth was willing to provide the righteousness that no man could supply in order to save us from His wrath.
3. They needed to find Jesus, the answer to both the justice and the love of God.
4. They needed to see the power of God's holy love extended through the embrace of those who could rightly sing, “Amazing grace, How sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me!”
   
   
   It is with this mission that the Lord still sends forth His church into islands of ignorance. We preach Christ, crucified and risen. We make Him known with our lips that speak the truth in love and with our embrace that heals the sick the distressed. We do this so that those who have no real understanding of the extent of God's justice and love may at last come to know the only way that people can find life that will last forever.

Old Testament Passage: Psalm 30 – Healing from God

Gospel Passage: Mark 12:28-34 – Only one God

Sermon Text: Acts 28:1-10 – Paul on Malta is saved from mortal danger and is used as an apostolic agent of divine blessing

Sermon Point: Belief in “the gods” leads to a very different life than that which comes from faith in the God of Israel who has saved us from the worst danger.

I told you so, in love...

Learning Obedience

(Acts 27, Preaching: Pastor Stephen Magee, September 8, 2013)

[27:1] And when it was decided that we should sail for Italy, they delivered Paul and some other prisoners to a centurion of the Augustan Cohort named Julius. [2] And embarking in a ship of Adramyttium, which was about to sail to the ports along the coast of Asia, we put to sea, accompanied by Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica. [3] The next day we put in at Sidon. And Julius treated Paul kindly and gave him leave to go to his friends and be cared for. [4] And putting out to sea from there we sailed under the lee of Cyprus, because the winds were against us. [5] And when we had sailed across the open sea along the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra in Lycia. [6] There the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing for Italy and put us on board. [7] We sailed slowly for a number of days and arrived with difficulty off Cnidus, and as the wind did not allow us to go farther, we sailed under the lee of Crete off Salmone. [8] Coasting along it with difficulty, we came to a place called Fair Havens, near which was the city of Lasea.
[9] Since much time had passed, and the voyage was now dangerous because even the Fast was already over, Paul advised them, [10] saying, “Sirs, I perceive that the voyage will be with injury and much loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives.” [11] But the centurion paid more attention to the pilot and to the owner of the ship than to what Paul said. [12] And because the harbor was not suitable to spend the winter in, the majority decided to put out to sea from there, on the chance that somehow they could reach Phoenix, a harbor of Crete, facing both southwest and northwest, and spend the winter there.Paul's time in Israel was over. God was fulfilling His promise to the apostle. The former persecutor of the church would testify regarding Jesus in the capital of the empire. The way that the Lord brought His servant to Italy would be full of adventure.

Paul would be a prisoner among other prisoners. He would have traveling companions, Luke and Aristarchus, and he would be in the charge of a centurion named Julius. Along the way, Paul would win the confidence and trust of Julius, who allowed him leave to go and be cared for by friends in Sidon when the ship made a stop there.

After switching ships, the trip met with some difficulty because of poor sailing conditions. It was around this time when Paul announced his perception that it would be unwise to continue the trip at this late date. The pilot and owner of the ship disagreed, and the centurion determined to pay more attention to the optimism of the sailing experts than to Paul's concerns.

[13] Now when the south wind blew gently, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, they weighed anchor and sailed along Crete, close to the shore. [14] But soon a tempestuous wind, called the northeaster, struck down from the land. [15] And when the ship was caught and could not face the wind, we gave way to it and were driven along. [16] Running under the lee of a small island called Cauda, we managed with difficulty to secure the ship's boat. [17] After hoisting it up, they used supports to undergird the ship. Then, fearing that they would run aground on the Syrtis, they lowered the gear, and thus they were driven along. [18] Since we were violently storm-tossed, they began the next day to jettison the cargo. [19] And on the third day they threw the ship's tackle overboard with their own hands. [20] When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope of our being saved was at last abandoned.
[21] Since they had been without food for a long time, Paul stood up among them and said, “Men, you should have listened to me and not have set sail from Crete and incurred this injury and loss. [22] Yet now I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. [23] For this very night there stood before me an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I worship, [24] and he said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar. And behold, God has granted you all those who sail with you.’ [25] So take heart, men, for I have faith in God that it will be exactly as I have been told. [26] But we must run aground on some island.”
[27] When the fourteenth night had come, as we were being driven across the Adriatic Sea, about midnight the sailors suspected that they were nearing land. [28] So they took a sounding and found twenty fathoms. A little farther on they took a sounding again and found fifteen fathoms. [29] And fearing that we might run on the rocks, they let down four anchors from the stern and prayed for day to come. [30] And as the sailors were seeking to escape from the ship, and had lowered the ship's boat into the sea under pretense of laying out anchors from the bow, [31] Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved.” [32] Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the ship's boat and let it go.
[33] As day was about to dawn, Paul urged them all to take some food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day that you have continued in suspense and without food, having taken nothing. [34] Therefore I urge you to take some food. For it will give you strength, for not a hair is to perish from the head of any of you.” [35] And when he had said these things, he took bread, and giving thanks to God in the presence of all he broke it and began to eat. [36] Then they all were encouraged and ate some food themselves. [37] (We were in all 276 persons in the ship.) [38] And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, throwing out the wheat into the sea.Paul's concerns were well-founded. Everyone's life was in danger and much of their property was lost. The apostle soon spoke again, this time very clearly based on more than his own inclination or opinion. God had revealed a way out for them all. Paul would indeed stand before Caesar. But the leaders and all the people needed to listen this time.

Some of the sailors tried to abandon ship secretly rather than run the ship aground. They were not yet willing to here Paul's call to faith in the midst of this storm: “Do not be afraid.” “God has granted you all those who sail with you.” “Take heart, men.” “Have faith in God that it will be exactly as I have been told.”

It was in their last, almost sacramental, meal on board the ship, when many seemed to here the Lord's ambassador: “Not a hair is to perish from the head of any of you.” He took bread. He gave thanks to God. He broke it and began to eat. They found the courage to wait for deliverance from Paul's God. And they all ate, 276 people. They threw away the rest of their wheat in the sea, and they trusted God with their lives. What else could they do?

[39] Now when it was day, they did not recognize the land, but they noticed a bay with a beach, on which they planned if possible to run the ship ashore. [40] So they cast off the anchors and left them in the sea, at the same time loosening the ropes that tied the rudders. Then hoisting the foresail to the wind they made for the beach. [41] But striking a reef, they ran the vessel aground. The bow stuck and remained immovable, and the stern was being broken up by the surf. [42] The soldiers' plan was to kill the prisoners, lest any should swim away and escape. [43] But the centurion, wishing to save Paul, kept them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and make for the land, [44] and the rest on planks or on pieces of the ship. And so it was that all were brought safely to land.

When day came they even cast off the anchors and left them in the sea, and made for the beach. But they struck a reef. Then came the final challenge of the voyage. Would the soldiers trust Paul, or kill all the prisoners with whom they had just broken bread the night before. Those soldiers wanted to save their own lives. If the prisoners had escaped then they would have to answer to the authorities and pay with their own blood. This time the centurion, Julius, spoke the word that saved their lives. Why? Because he had come to appreciate Paul. He wanted to save one man. He was listening to that one man's word. Because he cared for Paul, and because he listened to what Paul had said, all 276 lives were brought safely to land.

We want to be brought safely to a better land than Malta. We need to hear the voice of God and obey. He instructs sinners in the way. Our lives belong to God above every other authority. The Lord has provided us with traveling companions who may be rightly speaking for Him. How will we know that they are true representatives of the one who can bring us safely home? We need to see how they walk. If they say they have fellowship with the One who died on the cross and gave His body for us, but they walk in darkness, then they are not safe guides. (1 John 1:6) But if they have learned obedience through suffering and they walk in the light as He is in the light, we would do well to listen to them as they follow the truth of the Scriptures. God may use them as examples of true faith under fire, helping us to be more obedient to His Word.

Old Testament Passage: Psalm 25 – He instructs sinners in the way

Gospel Passage: Mark 12:13-17 – And to God the things that are God's

Sermon Text: Acts 27:1-44 – God's amazing deliverance of 276 people despite grave danger.

Sermon Point: God knows how to make us more open to His Word. Sometimes His disciples need to learn obedience through suffering – Hebrews 5:8.