Acts Bible Study: Acts 28:

Acts Bible Study • Sermon • Submitted 4 months ago • Presented 4 months ago

0 ratings

· 2 views

Notes

Transcript

Acts 28:1–14 (NASB)

1 When they had been brought safely through, then we found out that the island was called Malta. 2 The natives showed us extraordinary kindness; for because of the rain that had set in and because of the cold, they kindled a fire and received us all. 3 But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened itself on his hand. 4 When the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they began saying to one another, “Undoubtedly this man is a murderer, and though he has been saved from the sea, justice has not allowed him to live.” 5 However he shook the creature off into the fire and suffered no harm. 6 But they were expecting that he was about to swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But after they had waited a long time and had seen nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and began to say that he was a god. 7 Now in the neighborhood of that place were lands belonging to the leading man of the island, named Publius, who welcomed us and entertained us courteously three days. 8 And it happened that the father of Publius was lying in bed afflicted with recurrent fever and dysentery; and Paul went in to see him and after he had prayed, he laid his hands on him and healed him. 9 After this had happened, the rest of the people on the island who had diseases were coming to him and getting cured. 10 They also honored us with many marks of respect; and when we were setting sail, they supplied us with all we needed. 11 At the end of three months we set sail on an Alexandrian ship which had wintered at the island, and which had the Twin Brothers for its figurehead. 12 After we put in at Syracuse, we stayed there for three days. 13 From there we sailed around and arrived at Rhegium, and a day later a south wind sprang up, and on the second day we came to Puteoli. 14 There we found some brethren, and were invited to stay with them for seven days; and thus we came to Rome.

Making Friends with the Natives: (v. 1-2)

Malta is small little island in the Mediterranean Sea, located 50 miles South of Sicily and 200 miles North of Libya. Malta was named by the Phoenicians. It means “refuge”. And that is exactly what it was for Paul and the other 275 people that were shipwrecked.

Luke refers to the people on Malta as “natives”. But that a more sanitized translation. The NIV does the same thing but just calls them “islanders”. The CSB is even more similar to what the NASB does and calls translates the word “local people”. And it makes sense why. Luke is complementing them and expressing thanksgiving for their kindness. But all of those are poor translations. The KJV translates it the best here and calls them “barbarous people”.

GREEK: βάρβαρος (Barbaros)

Not to be confused with Bob Ross and his happy trees (although I am sure there were some happy trees on Malta). The Greek word, barbaros, is where we get our word “barbarian”. The word itself is actually a form of onomatopoeia. It was describing what was unintelligible sounds to the Greeks. The Greeks used the word much the same way we would today. It described uncivilized people. Greeks called pretty much anyone that wasn’t Greek a barbaros. It was how they labeled foreigners that hadn’t been influenced by Greek culture. The native people of Malta were that kind of people. They were not only lacking Greek influence, they were also lacking a Gospel influence. But God had plans for that to change.

The word is only used 6 times in the Bible, twice here and then 4 other times in 3 other passages:

Romans 1:14 (NASB)

14 I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish.

1 Corinthians 14:11 (NASB)

11 If then I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be to the one who speaks a barbarian, and the one who speaks will be a barbarian to me.

Colossians 3:11 (NASB)

11 …there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all.

Sovereignly Shipwrecked and Snakebit: (v. 3-6)

3 But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened itself on his hand. 4 When the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they began saying to one another, “Undoubtedly this man is a murderer, and though he has been saved from the sea, justice has not allowed him to live.” 5 However he shook the creature off into the fire and suffered no harm. 6 But they were expecting that he was about to swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But after they had waited a long time and had seen nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and began to say that he was a god.

(v. 4) They were’s exactly wrong!

Acts 8:1 (NASB)

1 Saul was in hearty agreement with putting him to death……

Acts 9:1–2 (NASB)

1 Now Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest, 2 and asked for letters from him to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, both men and women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.

Acts 26:10–11 (ESV)

10 And I did so in Jerusalem. I not only locked up many of the saints in prison after receiving authority from the chief priests, but when they were put to death I cast my vote against them. 11 And I punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to make them blaspheme, and in raging fury against them I persecuted them even to foreign cities.

But that was who Paul used to be. That was Saul. When they encountered him on Malta, he was a new man.

2 Corinthians 5:17 (NASB)

17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

And the evidence on Paul’s change comes in fulfilling something Jesus said would be true of His Apostles:

Mark 16:15–18 (NASB)

15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16 “He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned. 17 “These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; 18 they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them…

Luke 10:19 (ESV)

19 Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.

This is the only example we have of this type of thing happening in Scripture.

(v. 6) This time, they were mostly wrong. Paul wasn’t a god, but they were right that only God had the power to overcome a deadly viper bite completely will no ill affects. Paul was able to withstand it because God was miraculously sustaining him and giving Paul a platform so that he could have influence over these people for the sake of the Gospel, just like he was given the same kind of thing for Paul with the 276 people on the ship.

The Helping Hands are Helped and Healed: (v. 7-9)

7 Now in the neighborhood of that place were lands belonging to the leading man of the island, named Publius, who welcomed us and entertained us courteously three days. 8 And it happened that the father of Publius was lying in bed afflicted with recurrent fever and dysentery; and Paul went in to see him and after he had prayed, he laid his hands on him and healed him. 9 After this had happened, the rest of the people on the island who had diseases were coming to him and getting cured.

Derek and I just recorded our next 17:17 Podcast Episode yesterday and it is on the subject of miraculous healing. We reference the healing of the father of Publius on the show. I thought it might be a good idea to talk a bit about miraculous healing here.

QUESTION: Do any of you know and personal modern day examples of miraculous healing?

For example, when I was about 13-14 years old we had a lady in our church named Debbie. She had cancer and had already a had a couple bone marrow transplants. She had a tumor that was inoperable and they didn’t give her much hope.

James 5:14–15 (NASB)

14 Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; 15 and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him.

The pastors and deacons at church had Mrs. Debbie and her husband come in to the church and they gathered around her, anointed her with olive oil with some other oils mixed in, and laid hands on her and prayed over her. Shortly after that she went in for more scans before her next round of chemo treatments and they couldn’t find the tumor on any of the scans. I believe that was a miraculous healing by God. And btw, about 30 years later, Mrs. Debbie is still alive and well today.

QUESTION: Does anyone have similar personal examples?

QUESTION: What do you notice about this healing here? (v. 8)

Notice that this healing was in direct response to prayer.

I believe God still works like that today.

Notice that this was an evangelistic healing.

9 After this had happened, the rest of the people on the island who had diseases were coming to him and getting cured.

Acts 14:7–10 (NASB)

7 and there they continued to preach the gospel. 8 At Lystra a man was sitting who had no strength in his feet, lame from his mother’s womb, who had never walked. 9 This man was listening to Paul as he spoke, who, when he had fixed his gaze on him and had seen that he had faith to be made well, 10 said with a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet.” And he leaped up and began to walk.

This healing was also a sign of Paul’s authority as an Apostle:

Mark 16:15–18 (NASB)

Finally Made it to Rome: (v. 10-14)

10 They also honored us with many marks of respect; and when we were setting sail, they supplied us with all we needed. 11 At the end of three months we set sail on an Alexandrian ship which had wintered at the island, and which had the Twin Brothers for its figurehead. 12 After we put in at Syracuse, we stayed there for three days. 13 From there we sailed around and arrived at Rhegium, and a day later a south wind sprang up, and on the second day we came to Puteoli. 14 There we found some brethren, and were invited to stay with them for seven days; and thus we came to Rome.

QUESTIONS: What do you think about Luke’s description of their remaining time on Malta? The way the people are described, what they native people did, how long Paul was there, etc.? What are your takeways?

Philippians 1:12–13 (NASB)

12 Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel, 13 so that my imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known……

1 Corinthians 2:2 (ESV)

2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.

Galatians 6:14 (NASB)

14 …may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world…

(v. 12-13) 12 After we put in at Syracuse, we stayed there for three days. 13 From there we sailed around and arrived at Rhegium, and a day later a south wind sprang up, and on the second day we came to Puteoli. 14 There we found some brethren, and were invited to stay with them for seven days; and thus we came to Rome.

Deuteronomy 31:8 (NASB)

8 “The Lord is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”

Joshua 1:9 (NASB)

9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

QUESTION: Any other scriptures come to mind?

QUESTION: Any other thoughts or questions about our text tonight?

Related Media

Related Sermons