The Other Side of the Storm

Intro: Theme/Topic (What’s the problem, the question, etc.)

Louie Zamperini was an Olympic runner who went on to serve as a bombardier in World War II.

During a mission over the Pacific, his plane crashed into the ocean.

Out of eleven men on board, only three survived.

Louie spent 47 days drifting at sea on a life raft—facing starvation, dehydration,

Attacks from above from enemy planes,

And threats from below in shark infested waters.

Eventually, he was captured by the Japanese and spent the rest of the war in brutal POW camps, enduring unimaginable suffering.

Against all odds… Louie survived.

He made it home.

He was brought through the storm.

But that’s not where his story ends.

Because when he got home, everything wasn’t suddenly okay. He was alive—but he wasn’t whole. He was haunted by nightmares. Consumed with anger. Drowning in bitterness. The storm was over… but the storm had not left him.

And that raises a deeper question—not just for Louie, but for all of us.

We spend a lot of time asking: How do I get through the storm?

How do I survive the diagnosis… the loss… the pressure… the uncertainty?

But we rarely stop to ask:

When I finally get through… what then?

When God brings me through a storm… what is He bringing me to?

If you have a Bible, turn with me to Acts chapter 28. If you need to use a pew Bible, you’ll find it on page 1114.

And as you’re turning there, let me give you a bit of context—especially for any visiting with us today.

The book of Acts tells the story of how the risen and ascended Jesus continued His work through His apostles by the power of the Holy Spirit.

It’s about the spread of the gospel—from Jerusalem, out into the surrounding regions, and ultimately to the ends of the earth.

And the second half of this book focuses on the apostle Paul—how God called him, sent him, and sustained him through all kinds of hardship in order to carry the message of Jesus to the nations.

By the time we get to chapter 27, Paul is a prisoner on his way to Rome. And on that journey, he and everyone on board his ship are caught in a violent, life-threatening storm.

For days, they are driven helplessly at sea—with no sun or starts to guide them.

Luke tells us at one point that all hope of being saved was at last abandoned.

But God made a promise—that Paul would make it to Rome. And through that promise, Paul was able to assure everyone on board that they would survive.

And at the very end of chapter 27, we’re told this: “And so it was that all were brought safely to land.”

Now as we come to chapter 28, we are stepping into life on the other side of the storm.

I invite you to stand with me now if you are able out of reverence for God’s Word and follow along with me as I read...

Acts 28:1–16 ESV

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. After three months we set sail in a ship that had wintered in the island, a ship of Alexandria, with the twin gods as a figurehead. Putting in at Syracuse, we stayed there for three days. And from there we made a circuit and arrived at Rhegium. And after one day a south wind sprang up, and on the second day we came to Puteoli. There we found brothers and were invited to stay with them for seven days. And so we came to Rome. And the brothers there, when they heard about us, came as far as the Forum of Appius and Three Taverns to meet us. On seeing them, Paul thanked God and took courage. And when we came into Rome, Paul was allowed to stay by himself, with the soldier who guarded him.

This God’s Word!

Prayer

Father as we spend time in Your Word together this morning may it increase our delight in Jesus and give us courage to live boldly for Him. We ask this in Christ’s name — AMEN.

Intro: Formal (give context to passage, setting the scene, big idea)

Did you notice the language Luke uses at the end of chapter 27 and the beginning of chapter 28?

At the end of chapter 27…

Acts 27:44 ESV

And so it was that all were brought safely to land.

And then again at the beginning of chapter 28…

Acts 28:1 ESV

After we were brought safely through…

They didn’t just make it.

They weren’t just lucky.

They were brought.

That’s not accidental language.

It’s Luke’s way of showing us that God kept His promise—and that it was God Himself who carried them safely through the storm and onto shore.

Through crashing waves… Through driving winds… Through total loss of control…

God brought them through.

But that raises the question for us:

Not just how God brings us through a storm… but what He brings us to on the other side.

And specifically here in the text—what did God bring Paul to?

Now before we answer that, let me make an important clarification.

Like much of the book of Acts, this passage is primarily descriptive, not prescriptive.

In other words, Luke is not trying to tell us exactly what every Christian’s experience will look like after every storm.

We shouldn’t read this and assume:

“If God brings me through something difficult, then these exact same things will happen to me in the exact same way.”

But—what we do see here are patterns.

Principles.

Ways that God often works in the lives of His people.

So while this may not describe exactly what will happen in every case…

it does show us what we should not be surprised to see…

and to some extent, what we can even expect.

So let’s come back to that question:

When God brings us through a storm, what is He bringing us to?

Here’s the answer we see in this passage:

When God brings us through a storm, He brings us to His kindness, Sends us out as a blessing, And strengthens us through fellowship.

And we see that unfold in three ways:

Unexpected Kindness.

Restorative Blessing.

Strengthening Fellowship.

Unexpected Kindness

First, when God brought Paul through the storm… He brought him into an experience of His kindness.

But not just any kindness.

Look at verse 2:

Acts 28:2 ESV

The native people showed us unusual kindness…

And you see it all throughout the passage:

In verse 2—they build a fire and welcome them in from the cold and rain.

In verse 7—they show hospitality.

In verse 10—they honor them and provide generously for their needs.

This is not small kindness.

This is lavish, repeated, undeniable kindness.

So what makes it unusual?

First—it’s undeserved.

Remember who just washed up on their shore.

This wasn’t a group of innocent travelers. This was a Roman transport ship… carrying prisoners.

Which means—mixed in with everyone else—were criminals.

People society had rejected.

People the world would not expect to receive a warm welcome.

And yet… that’s exactly what they receive.

Second—it’s unusual because of the source.

These are not believers.

They don’t know Christ.

They don’t have the Holy Spirit.

And Luke makes that clear by showing us their thinking.

In verse 4, when Paul is bitten by a viper, they immediately assume Paul must be a murderer!

In other words—some form of karma is in play here.

Because people always get what they deserve.

But then when Paul doesn’t die?

And they swing to the opposite extreme—

And declare him a god!

So which is it? Murderer… or god?

This shows us how unstable their worldview is.

Confused. And deeply flawed.

And yet… they are extraordinarily kind.

What do we do with that?

This is where the Bible gives us a category called common grace.

This is when God, in His kindness, restrains the full effects of sin in the world…

And enables even those who do not know Him to do real good.

Which means this:

A Christian is not fundamentally a moral person.

A Christian is fundamentally a forgiven sinner saved by grace.

Yes—true Christians should grow in holiness.

But our identity is not found in being better than other people.

It’s found in being rescued by God!

And if you miss this, you will be confused when you meet people who don’t know Christ…

But who are more kind, more generous, more outwardly moral than some Christians you know.

Common grace helps you make sense of that.

It also helps you respond rightly.

Because some Christians struggle to appreciate goodness unless it has a Christian label on it.

If it’s not Christian music, they won’t listen to it.

If a leader isn’t a Christian, they won’t vote for them or acknowledge anything good about them.

If someone doesn’t share their faith, they hesitate to recognize real virtue in them.

But listen—when something is truly good… truly beautiful… truly helpful…

The Bible says this ultimately comes from God.

As James 1:17 says:

James 1:17 ESV

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights…

So when you experience kindness…

when you encounter beauty…

when you benefit from someone’s skill or integrity—

even if they don’t know Christ…

You can still thank God!

So no—you don’t need a Christian mechanic or a Christian hairdresser.

But when you find an honest one—

even if he’s a Muslim, or secular, or far from God—

you can give thanks to God for him.

Because that goodness didn’t come from nowhere.

It came from God.

And this is what God brought Paul to, on the other side of the storm:

Unexpected expressions of His kindness… through unexpected people.

So don’t be surprised…

when you come out of a storm…

and God meets you with kindness from places you never saw coming.

And when He does—

don’t just thank the person.

Praise God…from whom all blessings flow

But God doesn’t just show us His kindness on the other side of the storm…

He begins to work through us.

Which leads to the second thing God brings Paul to on the other side of the storm:

Restorative Blessing

God didn’t just bring Paul through the storm for himself…

He brought him through it for others.

Notice how quickly that happens.

In verse 3—Paul is already serving.

The natives build a fire… and what does Paul do?

He gathers sticks.

Now don’t miss that.

After everything he’s just been through—

the storm… the shipwreck… the exhaustion—

He’s not looking for a hammock and a drink with an umbrella in it.

He’s looking for a way to serve.

And It’s incredibly ordinary and unspectacular.

But it is meaningful.

Then in verse 8—the scene shifts.

Now God uses Paul in an extraordinary way—

by healing the father of the chief man of the island.

And after this, all the diseased people on the island come and are cured!

So now we see that God used Paul to be a blessing in both

ordinary ways… and extraordinary ways.

And the thread that ties it all together is this:

God brought Paul through that storm

to be a restorative, life-giving blessing to others.

His focus wasn’t inward—

it was outward.

And it wasn’t selective.

He served

prisoners and pagans

the powerful and the poor

the sick and the healthy

So, we see that wherever Paul goes…

Life follows.

Now before we move on, there’s something important you need to see.

Because if you’re paying close attention, you might notice something.

Luke doesn’t record Paul preaching here.

Not a single sermon.

Not a even a rebuke when they declare him a god.

Now Paul may have done those things — And knowing Paul, it would be surprising if he didn’t.

We’ve already seen Paul in Acts 14 on his first missionary journey, rebuke the people of Lystra for trying to worship him and Barnabas as gods!

And remember that God has already struck down Herod in chapter 12 for accepting the praise of the people when they called him a god!

But Luke doesn’t highlight these things here.

And if we’re not careful here… we might draw the wrong conclusion.

Some might say,

“See? This is what really matters. Not preaching… but just living a good life. Being kind. Doing good.”

And this everywhere today. Even in many churches…

You’ve probably heard the quote often attributed to Francis of Assisi:

“Preach the gospel at all times. Use words if necessary.”

This sounds wise.

It sounds humble.

But it’s actually very misleading.

First—there is no historical evidence that he ever said it.

And second—more importantly—it’s not a helpful way to think about the gospel.

Because it creates a false dichotomy between words and works.

As if:

Living the gospel is better than speaking it

Or that words are only an optional last resort

But the gospel is not something people can see their way into.

It’s something they must hear.

Paul teaches this very thing in Romans 10…

Romans 10:14 ESV

And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?

Church we must not forget that the gospel is a message.

It must be spoken.

It must be explained.

So what’s going on here in Acts 28?

Luke is not minimizing preaching.

He’s highlighting something else.

He’s showing us that in both ordinary and extraordinary ways, Paul’s life-giving gospel was accompanied by life-giving works

He was a restorative blessing to everyone around him.

Not instead of words… but alongside them.

Because the reality is:

Your life will either support your message… or it will undermine it.

And what we see in Paul is a man whose life matches what he believes.

But the natives could not have been more different than Pau…

Yes—they were kind. Unusually kind.

But they were also… deeply lost.

Their understanding of God was confused.

One minute Paul was a murderer getting what he deserves…

The next minute he’s a god?!

And here’s what this shows us:

You can be a very kind person…

and still be very wrong about the most important things.

You can be generous.

Hospitable.

And compassionate.

And still be completely separated from God.

Good people need Jesus too!

Because no one is good enough!

A person’s morals is not what makes them a Christian…

It’s not their kindness or the fact that they are more put together.

NO! — What makes someone a Christian is grace!

It’s that we are sinners…

who have been forgiven…

and now belong to Christ.

What these natives needed more than anything…

Was not more kindness…

They needed Christ.

And this is where the text points us to something greater.

Look at the picture Luke gives us.

Paul is bitten by a serpent.

For a moment—it looks like the serpent has won.

But Paul shakes it off into the fire… and he lives.

He overcomes it.

But Paul is not the hero of this story.

His story points to a greater One…

Because at the cross—it looked like the serpent had defeated Jesus.

It looked like evil had the final word.

But three days later…

Jesus rose from the dead.

Defeating sin.

Crushing the serpent.

Winning the victory!

So, hear this, this morning…

You are not saved by being kind enough.

You are saved by trusting in Christ’s kindness displayed for you on the cross!

This is what Paul says in Romans 2…

Romans 2:4 ESV

…God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?

Not your kindness — HIS!

We’re saved when the kindness of Christ breaks into our hearts…

And we turn from our sin…

And trust in Jesus Christ—

the One who died in our place…

and rose again so that we could be forgiven…

and brought into the family of God.

So let me ask you:

Are you still trying to be good enough?

Kind enough?

Moral enough?

Or have you come to the place where you know—

“I need grace.”

Because no amount of kindness will ever make you right with God.

Only Jesus can do that.

And He already has.

All that remains…

is that you trust Him.

And when that happens…

You begin to become someone like Paul.

Not perfectly—but truly.

Your life becomes restorative.

Your presence becomes life-giving.

You become a blessing to others.

So here’s the question:

Are you a restorative presence in the lives of others?

When people are around you, do they feel:

encouraged?

strengthened?

restored?

Or do they feel:

drained?

criticized?

diminished?

Because God didn’t just bring you through the storm for you.

He brought you through it…

To become a blessing to others.

But after being brought through a storm, you may be thinking, “That sounds nice… but I’m weary and don’t feel like I have much to give.

If that’s you, know that after the storm, God also brings us into fellowship to strengthen us.

Strengthening Fellowship

After spending three months on Malta, Paul and his companions set sail again.

They eventually arrive at Puteoli, where they find some Christian brothers and stay with them for seven days.

And then in verse 15, more believers hear that Paul is coming—and they travel out to meet him along the way.

Now don’t miss that.

These people went out of their way—miles out of their way—just to be with him.

And look at the effect it has on Paul in verse 15:

Acts 28:15 ESV

On seeing them, Paul thanked God and took courage.

That’s incredible.

Paul has just survived:

a violent storm

a shipwreck

a viper bite

And what gives him courage? People!

The presence of other believers!

Because the truth is—storms leave a mark on you.

Even after they pass…

they can leave you:

tired

discouraged

worn down

And Scripture tells us that what weary people need most… is the presence of God.

As Isaiah 57 says, God dwells to

Isaiah 57:15 ESV

…to revive the spirit of the lowly…

And Isaiah 40 reminds us:

Isaiah 40:31 ESV

but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength…

But Where do we experience that renewing presence?

The New Testament gives us a surprising answer:

It’s through God’s people.

Paul says this in 1 Corinthians 3:

1 Corinthians 3:16 ESV

You are God’s temple and…God’s Spirit dwells in you?

Understand that “you” is plural.

Paul is saying:

When God’s people gather—

God’s presence is uniquely at work among us.

Which means:

You don’t just experience God’s presence private times of prayer…

You also experience it powerfully and uniquely when you are with His people.

So it’s no wonder Paul:

thanked God

and took courage

Because God strengthened him… through fellowship.

Now let’s bring this home.

It’s easy to say, “You should go to church.”

But why?

Why not just watch online?

Why not stay home and save gas money?

Here’s why:

Because you cannot experience this kind of strengthening

through a screen.

You don’t get:

presence

encouragement

shared faith

From a distance.

This is what Hebrews 10:24-25 teaches us:

Hebrews 10:24–25 ESV

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

Why do we gather or meet together? Because this is where we:

Give and receive encouragement to keep going.

And if we’re honest…

The days between Sundays can feel like a storm.

At work.

At school.

Sometimes even at home.

And what gives you the strength to face another week:

Is the fellowship of God’s people.

But here’s the danger.

When you are most weary… that is when you are most tempted to pull away.

To isolate.

To retreat.

But that is exactly what the enemy wants.

Because a lone sheep is a weary sheep.

And a weary sheep is vulnerable.

So by the grace of God—

When you are tired…

when you are discouraged…

when you feel like pulling away…

That’s when you most need to press in.

Because church is not an optional bonus.

It’s a gift from God.

It’s a means of grace to strengthen you for what lies ahead.

And don’t just think about what you get. Think about what you give.

Those believers traveled miles to encourage Paul.

So ask yourself:

Who can you encourage?

What if on your way to church you prayed:

“God—who can I strengthen today?”

With a word of encouragement

With a prayer

By singing loudly so others are strengthened by your voice

Because when we gather, we get a small glimpse of something greater—

A foretaste of the day when we will all stand together

around the throne…

worshiping Christ our King.

So let me ask you:

Can you say, like Paul, “I thank God for His people”?

If not—why not?

Because when God brings you through a storm…

He doesn’t leave you on your own.

He strengthens you

by surrounding you

with His people—

So that you have the courage to keep going.

Conclusion/Response (Gospel & Repent/Believe)

Let’s come back to Louie Zamperini now…

Louie was brought through the storm.

He survived the crash.

He survived the ocean.

He survived the camps.

But when he came home…

The storm was over—

but the storm was still inside of him.

And for a time, Louie tried to deal with that the way many people do.

Through willpower.

Through distraction.

Through numbing the pain.

But none of it worked.

Because being brought through the storm

was not enough.

He needed something more.

He needed to be made new.

And that’s exactly what happened.

When Louie heard the gospel at a Billy Graham rally—

He encountered the kindness of Christ—

And everything changed.

His bitterness gave way to forgiveness.

His anger gave way to peace.

His life was given a new purpose.

He didn’t just survive the storm… God brought him to something.

And that’s the question we’ve been asking this morning:

When God brings us through a storm… what is He bringing us to?

And here’s the answer we’ve seen in Acts 28 this morning:

When God brings us through a storm,

He brings us to His kindness,

sends us out as a blessing,

and strengthens us through fellowship.

So here’s where this lands for us.

If you are here this morning and you are in a storm…

Take heart.

God sees you.

God is with you.

And God will bring you through.

But understand that He’s not just bringing you through something… He’s bringing you to something.

And if you’ve already come through a storm…

Don’t waste what God has done…

Look for His kindness.

Be a blessing to others.

Lean into His people.

And if you’re here this morning

and you realize…

“I’ve been trying to be good enough… but I’ve never trusted in Christ…”

Then hear this clearly:

What you need most is not to improve your life… It’s to be made new.

And that only happens

through Jesus Christ.

So:

Turn from your sin.

Trust in Him.

Receive His grace.

Because only Jesus

can bring you safely through

and into the life you were made for.

So whatever storm you’ve faced…

whatever storm you’re in…

whatever lies ahead…

Take courage.

Because the God who brings you through…

is the same God

who is faithfully bringing you

to exactly where you need to be.

Prayer

Father,

We thank You that You are the God who brings us through every storm—and never without purpose.

Thank You for the kindness You show us, often in ways we don’t expect.

Thank You for the grace that has rescued us through Jesus Christ.

Thank You for the gift of Your people, to strengthen us and give us courage to keep going.

Lord, for those who are weary today, would You refresh their hearts.

For those who feel alone, would You remind them that they are not.

And for those who have not yet trusted in Christ, would You draw them to Yourself—

that they might turn from their sin and find forgiveness, life, and joy!

Now as we sing, lift our eyes to Jesus—

the One who has saved us, is saving us, and will bring us safely home.

We ask this in His name — AMEN!

Closing Song: Jesus Saves

Closing Words:

As we’ve just sung… Jesus saves.

That’s not just a lyric—that’s the hope of your life.

So before we go, let me ask you one more time:

Have you trusted in Him?

Not just admired Him…

Not just agreed with Him…

But turned from your sin and placed your faith in Jesus Christ?

If not—why wait?

Today could be the day that everything changes for you, like it did for Louie Zamperini.

Not because your circumstances suddenly change…

but because you are made new.

If that’s you, don’t leave here today without taking that vital first step of faith

Come pray with someone up front here after the service or tap the white tag in your pew to fill out a Next Steps card…

We would love to help you take for first step of faith.

And for those of you who do belong to Christ…

What is your next step?

Maybe for you, it’s:

stepping into community instead of pulling away

being intentional to encourage someone this week

serving others out of what God has for you

or maybe you just need to trust God in the storm you’re still in

Don’t let this just be something you heard today.

Take a step.

And as you go…

Remember this:

God didn’t just bring you through the storm to get you to safety.

He brought you through to send you out.

So go:

looking for His kindness…

Go, being a blessing to others…

and go, leaning into His people for strength

Because there are people in your life right now

who need to experience the grace of God through you.

BENEDICTION: Ephesians 3:20–21 “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

AMEN! — Church you are sent…