It's About People

There is a joke that I have heard many times over the course of my life.

Usually it is told by a pastor to another pastor.

“Ministry would be so easy and so great, if it wasn’t for the people.”

Why is that funny?

It’s funny because as lovers of Scripture and followers of Jesus we understand that the entire point of ministry is people!

Let me take that idea one step farther today.

When God calls us out of darkness and into His light.

When he gives us a purpose and calls us to make disciples.

What God calls us to do and be in the Christian life involves other people!

When we lose sight of that reality, we can easily get stuck wondering what the point of our circumstances is.

The trials and difficulties God allows into our lives have a purpose beyond our own personal growth and learning.

Our faithfulness in trial, our perseverance in difficulty, our faith in the middle of the storm are observed by others and their faith can be strengthened as a result.

In the first ten verses of Acts chapter 28 God is using Paul to reach people.

Paul is on his way to Rome.

He is going to defend himself from false accusations and, God has revealed that Paul will have the opportunity to tell Caesar about Jesus.

There is only one problem.

In chapter 27 the ship Paul was on encounters a violent storm and now Paul is shipwrecked on an Island!

This doesn't make sense!

What is God doing?

That is what we find out in these first 10 verses.

Let’s read verses one through six.

Acts 28:1–6 ESV

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.

This is about people!

The people on the island and the people who are with Paul.

They see a miracle here.

Paul is not the kind of person to waste this.

I guarantee you that he used this opportunity to tell them about Jesus.

God is going to take Paul to Rome, but first, Paul is going to share Jesus on this Island.

He now has everyone’s attention!

But just in case some weren’t paying attention, God does even more.

Verses 7-10

Acts 28:7–10 ESV

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.

Paul heals the head of the Island's father, then he heals everyone who had diseases!

Paul being shipwrecked isn’t about him!

It is about God showing His power and glory to draw people to Himself!

As a result of what God has done, the people of the island provide everything Paul and those with him need.

Here is the point I don’t want us to miss.

God’s purpose in the storm and shipwreck and snakebite was to reach people.

God’s purpose for you and me is to reach people.

The storm we are in, the shipwreck we have endured, the snake that just bit us? All of that is setting up an opportunity to talk to someone about Jesus.

It is all about the people.

If we get too focused on the storm, the shipwreck, or the snakebite, we may miss the opportunity.

As you and I endure what comes our way, may we see and take advantage of opportunities to tell people about Jesus.