3 Steps In The Journey

Paul tells us in 2 Cor. 11:25 that he had been ship wrecked 3 times ...... “Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea;”

What is so interesting about this is that we only have ONE written recording of a ship wreck found in Acts 27.

When we take a look at ships back then we find that they were not built quit as sturdy as ones we find today. (Show Pictures)

We have bass boats

We have pontoon boats

We have fishing vessels (30,40,50ft)

We have yachts (50,60,80, 100ft)

We have cruise line ships

We have mega ton war ships

Lets read this story about the only recorded shipwreck of Pauls 3 wrecks.

Acts 27:27–28:10 (ESV)

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. So they took a sounding and found twenty fathoms. A little farther on they took a sounding again and found fifteen fathoms. And fearing that we might run on the rocks, they let down four anchors from the stern and prayed for day to come. 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, Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved.” Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the ship’s boat and let it go.

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. 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.” 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. Then they all were encouraged and ate some food themselves. (We were in all 276 persons in the ship.) And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, throwing out the wheat into the sea.

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. 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. 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. The soldiers’ plan was to kill the prisoners, lest any should swim away and escape. 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, and the rest on planks or on pieces of the ship. And so it was that all were brought safely to land.

After we were brought safely through, we then learned that the island was called Malta. 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. 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. 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.” He, however, shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm. 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.

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. 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. And when this had taken place, the rest of the people on the island who had diseases also came and were cured. They also honored us greatly, and when we were about to sail, they put on board whatever we needed.

This is what Pauls boat looked like as he travelled the seas back then ...... (Show pic)

Back in Pauls day, traveling by sea was a perilous and risky undertaking.

Ships back then were not as reliable.

The routs they traveled would take you through waters clutter with sharp rocks, reefs, and debris.

In Acts 27 we read Paul was traveling on board a ship that ran into rocks and broke into pieces.

I think many of us would classified this as a moment of crisis.

There was 276 people on board this ship

Some, if not all, were going to die.

They had been without food for 14 days.

The soldiers were going to kill all the prisoners and fend for themselves.

They were going to lower the ships boats and escape.

Paul convinced the Centurion to not let the soldiers kill anyone and for them to stay on the boat.

Acts 27:31 “Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved.””

The Holy Spirit, through Paul, stated that not one will perish in this wreck.

Acts 27:34 “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.””

This was specifically spoken by Paul in Acts 27:22-24 “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.’

What I want to point out to you is that this was the moment Paul became God’s man on board this ship.

What was made obvious is the fact that Paul rose up and spoke a word of FAITH into the situation.

We read on and see that the all 276 people were safely on an Island called Malta.

It’s an island in the Mediterranean lying to the south of Sicily.

While stranded on this island they encounter the indigenous people.

Luke (In 28:2) uses the Greek word (Native People) that means “Barbarians.”

We read that they “showed unusual kindness.”

Paul worked with the other crew members to collect wood for the fire.

What Paul didn’t know was that there was a venomous viper hiding in the sticks that he was carrying to lay on the fire.

When he dropped the wood onto the flames, the snake charged out of the pile of wood and bit Paul on the hand.

Acts 28:3 “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.”

What we know is that this is a highly venomous snake and the passage says it, “fastened on his hand.”

This phrase is the Greek word Kathapto and it means to tightly fasten.

This word also means to introduce poison into the body.

This gives us the picture of a venomous snake sinking its fangs deeply into Pauls flesh and then releasing its full load of venom into his hand.

It didn’t just bite him ...... it injected poisonous venom in his body.

This is why Acts 28:4 states, “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.””

The natives of this Island see this as no accident; they believed misfortune comes upon the wicked as punishment from the gods.

The Maltese assumed Paul was guilty of a crime.

They conclude Paul to be a murderer. He had narrowly escaped Justice’s hand at sea, but could not escape twice.

What did Paul do? How did Paul respond?

Acts 28:5 “He, however, shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm.”

Before I go any further, I must confess, this would not have been my response.

I would have screamed like a toddler ...... demanding someone else get if off me.

I might have said something like, “SHOOT IT.”

When we look at the phrase “shook off” we see the apostle Paul shaking his hand back and forth until finally the viper released its fangs and fell into the fire.

I want you to notice something, Acts 28:6 states that the island people .....“They were waiting for him to swell up or suddenly fall down dead. ......”

Paul was not in a panic ...... the Sailors were not in a panic ...... it was the Islanders.

They were waiting for him to die.

(28:6) “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.”

When they saw that Paul didn’t die but he was miraculously healed, revival was about to break out on the entire island.

Paul is invited to stay at the Chiefs house for 3 days

The Chiefs Father was sick ..... Paul Healed him.

Scripture tells us in Acts 28:9 “And when this had taken place, the rest of the people on the island who had diseases also came and were cured.”

REVIVAL BROKE OUT.

By the time Paul was to leave this island he was so respected and honored that they loaded him down with everything necessary for the remainder of his journey.

Conclusion:

Let me recap what we have just read .....

Paul is a prisoner traveling on a boat toward Greece.

The ship is struggling to cross the sea and everyone on board (276) are fearful of dying.

Paul tells them His God said not one person that is on this ship will die.

They were struggling to believe but the centurion commanded the soldiers to listen to Paul.

The ran aground, everyone gets off the boat and on to and Island safely.

They encounter a group of tribal people who were not hostile. (Actually befriended them)

Paul (while gathering wood) is bitten by a venomous snake.

The tribal people believed He deserved to be bitten and die (Murder)

Paul doesn’t die (They believe he is a god)

He heals the chief of the tribe’s father. (The rest of the islanders who were sick came to be healed.)

Paul is given everything he needs for the continuation of the Journey.

How would you have acted if you had been in Pauls position?

Suppose you became shipwrecked and lost all your human possessions.

Then you found yourself marooned on an island inhabited by barbarians.

Trying to get warm you are bitten by a venomous snake.

Do you think you would have been God’s vessel to bring about calmness on the ship?

Do you think you would have “shaken off” the snake as Paul did?

Would you have turned your attention to healing others which ignited a revival on the island?

You are probably thinking ..... I am not Paul and I would not be on a ship that sank, nor would I run across people who I was afraid of and I definitely wouldn’t put my hand where snake would bite it.

Lets put this into context of today ....

Maybe you have a house fire and loose all your possessions.

Maybe you run into someone who want’s to do you harm.

Maybe you have been bitten (metaphorically) by a circumstance or a person.

Every one of us will go through trials and tribulations.

Maybe not to the degree that Paul did but we will all go through them at some time on our journey.

Hear me when I say this ....

- Attacks from the enemy can be attempts to hinder, divert, or stop us from fulfilling the will of God or it can be something that propels, directs or assist us in completing the will of God.

The difference is our mind-set (our attitude).

Luke has given us 3 steps that we can apply from this story .....

Speak faith into our circumstances.

The enemy would encourage us to curse the situation, lay down, and die.

The Holy Spirit encourages us to speak faith into out situations, rise up and live victoriously.

There is nothing to big for God.

Faith is what is needed in every situation.

A lack of faith is like looking through a glass pop bottles for direction and paralyzed to move.

Faith is looking through a glass pop bottles for direction but moving forward as if you have 20/20 vision.

Statements like .... “I can, God will, the enemy will not”

We need to live as Christ stated, Matt. 19:26 “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Shake it off.

We might get bit ..... we might get hit ..... we might get rattled ....... we might get dazed, Shake it off.

Don’t let the enemies bite be something that causes you to get off course.

Shake it Off!

Allow your disaster to turn into a revival.

Paul’s attitude is what kept him in the midst of revival everywhere he went.

He had an opportunity to give in to his flesh and throw a pity party, just as you and I probably would have done.

But because Paul chose to keep going and never stop, God’s power was always avaliable to help him in every situation.

ENDING

Ask yourself this morning, “What is hindering you today?”

What is stopping you from speaking Faith into a situation?

What are you not shaking off?

What disaster in your life is getting the best of you and stopping a revival to break out.

I would guess its the workings of the enemy.

What is the devil trying to use to latch on to your life and to distract you?

There is to much at stake for you to let some little thing distract you and pull you down in defeat.

Turn the attack around and use it for the Glory of God.

Make the enemy sorry that he ever sent that poisonous viper to try to attack you.