Acts 28: Finishing the Race with Faith

  Have you ever noticed that some people seem impossible to stop? No matter what comes against them, they keep moving forward. That is Paul in Acts 28. The storm of Acts 27 is over. The ship has been destroyed. The passengers have barely escaped with their lives. Most of us would be ready for a long nap and a quiet season. Not Paul. The moment he reaches shore, he begins serving. When others would have focused on their hardships, Paul focused on his mission. Acts 28 reminds us that God's purpose is greater than our obstacles. Storms may delay us, shipwrecks may detour us, and hardships may challenge us, but none of them can stop what God has determined to accomplish through a surrendered life. As we come to the final chapter of Acts, we discover a powerful truth: when you belong to God and walk in His purpose, no storm, no snake, and no chain can stop His plan.   Let look at this chapter beginning with verse 1 Once we were safely ashore, we learned that the island was called Malta. 2 The islanders showed us extraordinary kindness. They kindled a fire and welcomed all of us because it was raining and cold. 3 Paul gathered a bundle of sticks, and as he laid them on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself to his hand. While, I don't like snakes, this is one that we have to check out. This one is not your garden, harmless variety, it is a viper, that means poisonous, and the snake bites Paul and then and remains attached by its fangs! That is a scary scene! SCARY SCENE!!! And the next verse please… 4 When the islanders saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, "Surely this man is a murderer. Although he was saved from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live." 5 But Paul shook the creature off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. What? 6 The islanders were expecting him to swell up or suddenly drop dead. But after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god.   What? Did you hear that. The Bible says: A viper came out of the fire. It fastened itself to Paul's hand. The islanders expected him to die. He suffered no ill effects. Think about it: Survived a hurricane. Survived a shipwreck. Swam ashore. Gathering firewood to help others. Gets attacked by a viper. And his response? He shook it off into the fire and kept serving. That's a picture of Spirit-filled resilience. The enemy attacks. The storm swirls around us. Discouragement tries to stop us. Paul's response: Shake it off and keep serving.   7 Nearby stood an estate belonging to Publius, the chief official of the island. He welcomed us and entertained us hospitably for three days. 8 The father of Publius was sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him, and after praying and placing his hands on him, he healed the man. Un huh! You heard that right! That's what the Bible says!! God's healing power flowed through Paul and the man was healed.   9 After this had happened, the rest of the sick on the island came and were cured as well. 10 The islanders honored us in many ways and supplied our needs when we were ready to sail. Acts 28:16 When we arrived in Rome, Paul was permitted to stay by himself, with a soldier to guard him. 17 After three days, he called together the leaders of the Jews. He explained why he was there and the chargers against him.   21 The leaders replied, "We have not received any letters about you from Judea, nor have any of the brothers from there reported or even mentioned anything bad about you. 22 But we consider your views worth hearing, because we know that people everywhere are speaking against this sect." 23 So they set a day to meet with Paul, and many people came to the place he was staying. He expounded to them from morning to evening, testifying about the kingdom of God and persuading them about Jesus from the Law of Moses and the Prophets. 24 Some of them were convinced by what he said, but others refused to believe.   25 They disagreed among themselves and began to leave after Paul had made this final statement: "The Holy Spirit was right when He spoke to your fathers through Isaiah the prophet: 26 'Go to this people and say, "You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving." 27 For this people's heart has grown callous; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.'   In Acts 27:24 Paul receives God's promise: "Fear not, Paul; you must stand before Caesar." God fulfilled that promise. The storm did not stop God's plan. The shipwreck did not stop God's plan. The imprisonment did not stop God's plan. Paul reached Rome. He preached Christ there. And eventually, after years of faithful service, he gave his life for His beloved Savior and Lord. That makes Paul's declaration during the storm even more powerful: "I believe God." (Acts 27:25) He believed God in the storm, and he continued believing God all the way to the executioner's sword and onto the streets of gold where he has seen Jesus.   Because this book is about the Acts of the Holy Spirit, then we must realize Holy Spirit is still God's active agent in the Earth today. He is still partnering with BELIEVERS that dare TO BELIEVE GOD  for signs, wonders and miracles in our life time…for our generation! Are you one of those believers! Want To Be Stronger?   Join me every Saturday for faith-filled encouragement, inspiring articles, and helpful resources delivered right to your inbox. I'd love to connect with you! Or subscribe to this podcast on your favorite Podcast Provider.