Radio Broadcast – Bible Study - Part4

Now, in our studies we have come to the last chapter in that wonderful book, The Acts of the Apostles, or as it has been called, The Acts of the Holy Ghost. Now, last week I spoke on the miraculous deliverance of everyone that was on the ship with Paul. The Apostle had told them, when it was seemingly hopeless, that they would be cast upon a certain island, and the Lord had promised him that each one of the 286 aboard would be saved. God hath given thee all them that sail with thee. And although the ship was lost, the last verse in chapter 27 says, they all escaped safe to land. Even those who could not swim came to land on boards of bits of the ship. They were all saved, as the Lord had said. Now in chapter 28 we have the account of what happened in the island of Melita, of Paul's experience there, and of his subsequent journey and arrival at Rome. Now today I want to touch on Paul's ministry in Melita, and there are two things here. First, a revelation of divine protection, and then secondly, a demonstration of divine power. First, a revelation of divine protection. Verse 2 says that the people of the island were a barbarous people, and it does not take much imagination to see the possibility of them taking each of those who landed, prisoners, or even taking their lives. But instead of this, the Bible says, they showed us no little kindness, for they kindled a fire and received us every one. The weather was wet and cold, and yet these barbarous people showed kindness unto these 286 men who came dripping out of the cold sea. Personally, I believe the Lord was once again working, revealing his divine protection, in order that his divine purpose in the life of Paul might be fulfilled. Oh, bless his lovely name. Let me say a word of encouragement to those who may be listening to me today. Maybe things have been rough on you. You've had your storms recently. Maybe you've had what you think is a shipwreck. Maybe you've suffered loss. Let me say to you today, if you are moving in the will of God, if you are doing the thing that he has called you to do, remember, he is watching over you, and he has promised that he will perfect that which concerneth you. He will fulfill his purpose in your life. There was a divine overshadowing over Paul's life. In spite of the many, many testings and trials, the same God who protected him will protect you and provide for you as you and I walk in his will. Now let me go on to the second thought, the demonstration of divine power. We read in Mark 16, these signs shall follow them that believe. In my name they shall cast out devils. They shall speak with new tongues. Now listen. They shall take up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them. They shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. That was the promise of the Lord given to them that believe, and here in the island of Melita, Paul was used once again to prove that our God is a God of the miraculous. The third verse of Acts 28 says, And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat and fastened on his hand. One of the first things that struck me as I read these words was the fact that the apostle again showed he was not too big to do a menial task like gathering sticks. Some people seem to have an idea that because they've been called to preach the gospel, they are above doing such menial things. I remember a sister coming to the Philadelphia Gospel Temple some years ago, and she said she was called of God to preach, but there were no doors opening to her. And I suggested she took a job and worked until things opened up. She was so surprised that I would even think that she should work with her hands for a while. She said the Lord had called her to preach. Then I had to remind her that a far greater than she, the greatest of all the apostles, was not above laboring with his hands, helping in the making of tents, while at the same time he ministered the word of God. And here's the same principle. Paul is not above going around gathering sticks for the fire. But when the people of the island saw this venomous beast hang on to the hand of Paul, first they said, He must be a murderer. And though he has escaped from the sea, vengeance suffereth him not to live. You see, their first reaction is to say that he was a murderer. But then, when he just shook the beast off and calmly went on with his business, they looked expecting to see him swell up and die of poisoning, but it says they changed their minds when nothing happened to him, and they said he was a God. You know, people are strange. One minute he was a murderer, the next minute he was a God. And you know, time hasn't changed us too much. People are still ready to worship any man who is used of God to work miracles. You remember when Paul and Barnabas healed a lame man at Lystra, the people cried out and said, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of man. Now Jesus foresaw the danger of this. You remember in Luke's gospel, chapter 10, he said, Behold, I give you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you, notwithstanding in this rejoice not that the spirits are subject unto you, but rather rejoice that your names are written in heaven. Oh, hallelujah. You see, people make it so easy for a man of God who is used in the ministry of deliverance to become puffed up and exalted. And the more any servant is used and blessed of God, the more grace he needs to keep humble and to give all the glory to God. These people first said Paul was a murderer, and then they said he was a God. But now let me go on. After the deliverance from the viper's bite, the chief man of the island named Publius invited Paul and his company to stay with him, and it says he lodged them courteously for three days. And it came to pass that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever, and when Paul entered in and prayed and laid his hands on him and healed him, the news of the healing spread around the island, and verse 9 says, And so when this was done, others also which had diseases in the island came and were healed. Oh, we've said so many times in our broadcasts that divine healing is linked with the preaching of the gospel. It's a vital, integral part of the gospel. The commission of the Lord Jesus in Matthew 10 and 7 was, As ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the leper, cast out devils, freely ye have received, freely give. The scripture that convinced me years ago that healing was in the atonement is found in Matthew 8, chapter 8, verses 16 and 17, where it says, When even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils. He cast out the spirit with his word, and healed all that were sick. Now listen, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet Isaiah, saying him himself took our infirmities and bare our sicknesses. Jesus delivered those who were bound by evil spirits and those who were sick, that it might be fulfilled which was written by the prophet Isaiah. The same one who has promised to forgive all our iniquities has promised to heal all our diseases. God's people in almost every denomination are beginning to see that healing is in the atonement and are beginning to believe God to confirm his word with signs following. The result of the healing ministry of Paul was that these people on the island honored them with many honors, and when they departed, the scripture says, they laded us with such things as were necessary. God's provision in order that his divine purpose should be wrought out in the life of the apostle Paul. Oh, I trust that this word this morning will bless and challenge your heart.