Snake-bit but Unscathed

Introduction:

Has anyone here ever been snake bit?

Back in 2018, Alyssa and I entered a mountain village with House of Samuel to hand out clothing and goods and preach the gospel. As we entered the village, we looked over and saw a man with one normal leg and the other, around 4x bigger. He’d been snake bit. For the people in that village, snake bite is a common, often fatal part of daily life.

In today’s text, we see a poisonous snake bite and how it’s likely outcome of pain and death is overcome by the power of Jesus who brings grace and life.

Read Acts 28:1-10

Pray

The Snake

v.3

Bible: Snakes represent sin, deception and wickedness

Deceiver, Satan (Gen 3)

Tool of judgement (Num 21:6-9)

Wicked men

Matthew 12:34 NASB95

34 “You brood of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak what is good? For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart.

Sin’s is often like this snake lying hidden, out of view, leaving us unaware of how close to danger we really are.

Gen 4:7. Hidden. Ready to strike.

No doubt sin can be out in the open. No doubt we have all pursued it openly. But how often do we happen upon it unexpectedly only to be taken off guard by it’s violent attack?

Ex. You do a good deed, then find yourself pridefully bragging to a friend. You tell a story and change it from the truth, without even really thinking about it. You get angry and lash out over the smallest thing, to the people you love the most. You come to church, and find yourself pre-occupied with selfish things instead of giving yourself over to the worship of God.

Paul was just helping out, gathering wood and suddenly, before he knew it, there was a viper hanging from his hand.

We must learn to watch for sin and it’s attacks. Those who are in environments where snakes live learn to be aware of the conditions they are likely to be found.

What conditions and environments are sin’s poison often found in your life?

Idly browsing the web? When you’re tired or you’ve had a bad day at work? When you neglect the higher things of devotion to God in His Word and prayer? Be aware of sins hiding places!

The snake showed itself quickly and viciously as it sank it’s fangs into Paul. These natives could only assume the worst.

The Assumption

v.4

Take care in your judgement of others

People aren’t that simple (Not just ____). Ex. Paul :

Paul was guilty - a murderer. But not just a murderer. He was a prisoner, a Pharisee, a Christian, a Jew, a Roman citizen, a servant, a Missionary, Church planter, and Gospel Preacher. In his mind, he was the greatest sinner and in reality - Paul was forgiven, saved and set free unto eternal life with God.

Stop assuming the one worst thing about people. They aren’t just what you think, and their potential in the Lord is far greater than you can imagine.

I know they were just calling it like they saw it, but the Gospel creates opportunity and potentials far beyond out limited natural vision and assumptions.

Circumstances aren’t that simple

Bad things happen - Luke 13:1-5, what matters is what we learn for ourselves!

Isaiah 55:8-9 - God’s ways are nobler, higher, and we cannot know the reason for every circumstance.

Let’s not be like Job’s friends, quick to apply truth in all the wrong ways

Job 11:13–16 NASB95

13 “If you would direct your heart right And spread out your hand to Him, 14 If iniquity is in your hand, put it far away, And do not let wickedness dwell in your tents; 15 “Then, indeed, you could lift up your face without moral defect, And you would be steadfast and not fear. 16 “For you would forget your trouble, As waters that have passed by, you would remember it.

Stop assuming you know what God is doing. Instead, watch and learn!

Stop assuming we know motives and reasons (God and others’). Instead, evaluate and improve your own!

We of all people should not be writing people off without humility or compassion. (I know we get hurt, weary and embittered. But we know mercy, grace!). We offer to others what they don’t deserve, because that’s what God did for us.

That’s what Christ’s warning to “Judge not” was about (Matt 7:1). See also Romans 14:10-13

These natives assumed they knew what would happen and why. They were wrong.

The Truth

v.6

Paul was a murderer, deserving death

He had been a ruiner of lives, taking part in the killing and imprisonment of as many Christians as he possibly could before he met Jesus.

Sin had left it’s mark on Paul He’d been bitten. We all have!

All sinners - Romans 3:9,19, 23

Romans 3:23 NASB95

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Isaiah 53:6 ESV

6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

The danger is not so much to assume the sinfulness of men, but to underestimate our own fallenness.

Beware the Krait! (Silently sneaks in and bites when sleeping. Small fangs leave little to no trace and often no pain whatsoever. Within hours, paralysis and death)

So many are lying asleep in their own self-righteousness, not realizing they’ve already been bitten and are in desperate need of help!

Wake up! Get help - before it is too late!

These bites do maim and kill

They knew this snake. They knew it’s affects. Like those in India, they lived with the consequences of it’s presence and venomous bites.

James 1:14–15 NASB95

14 But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. 15 Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.

It may not be immediately fatal, but each drop of sin’s poison will lead to physical death and spiritual hell.

Let us not forget the devastation and destructive power of sin (any disobedience to God).

They were right to assume death, but were unaware of the True God of Justice.

There is one God of Justice, who is also the God of Mercy, Love and Grace.

In the US, there is an estimated 7-8000 venomous snake bites per year, around 5% which die. That’s an estimated 300-400 deaths a year by venomous snakes.

Compare that to the reality in India, where an estimated 58,000 people die from venomous snake bites every year.

What’s the difference? Three things: population, amount of poisonous snakes, and most importantly, access to antivenom.

These natives thought the Greek goddess (Dike) of Justice had balanced the scales. They didn’t know that Jesus Himself was the balance.

The serpent’s poison does not have to kill us. There is an antivenom - Jesus.

Numbers 21:8-9, John 3:14-16

John 3:14–16 NASB95

14 “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; 15 so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life. 16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

Jesus took our poison. He gave us His life.

Paul had the anti-venom. Do you?

The Result

v.5,8-10

The snake was shaken off into the fire

At the cross, Jesus defeated the devil and is still defeating him

Colossians 2:15 NASB95

15 When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.

Romans 16:20 NASB95

20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

He is doing this is through sanctification, reformation and the outworkings of grace in and around you.

Ex. Spiritual growth and healing. Mental and emotional healing. Connections with others. Victory over sin. Continuing in faith.

Jesus will one day fully and finally shake the snake into the fire

Revelation 20:2 NASB95

2 And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years;

Revelation 20:10 NASB95

10 And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

We have hope that, even while the devil is writhing in his death throes, in just a little while he will not affect us ever again. For now his effects are minimized. Soon, they will be obliterated. One day, the fight will end and we will fully, finally have peace.

Paul was saved from death and vindicated.

Saved: He had the antivenom, the cure in Jesus. The poison was neutralized and no harm came to him.

Sin’s effects were evident in his life, but they did not overcome him. He was immune to it’s final end and was given life in place of death.

You’ve been bitten, but you don’t have to die. You don’t have to keep numbing the nerves of your conscience, or hide away tending to the rotting parts of your soul. There is healing and salvation in Jesus.

Vindicated: Not only did Jesus secure Paul’s life and soul, but He took His guilt, shame and punishment, giving Him glory and honor instead. He became a trophy of God’s grace.

Paul was a curse, but in Christ he became an avenue of blessing, healing and help. (v.8-10)

What should have been a gory, painful death, became a path to honor, healing and the provision they needed.

God can take what was meant for harm, what has scarred and caused pain and use it for your good and His glory.

Ex. Trophy of grace - pain of a miscarriage, the shame of a life of addiction.

Paul left the island, snake-bit, but ultimately, totally - unscathed.

Conclusion:

God can do that for you.

Have you been bitten by sin? Are you, even now dealing with it’s harmful effects in your life and on your soul?

Friend, have you ever faced the reality of your sin? It’s severity may be yet undetected, but like the Krait, it’s poison is there, slowly, killing you. You need the antivenom.

Christ can heal, he can stop it in it’s tracks, free you of it’s poison and while you may carry it’s scars in this world, He will one day fully and finally free you of it.

Satan is defeated and will be cast into hell.

Back to that village in India. Hannah has reported that a place plagued by snakes, tigers, alcoholism and human sacrifice now has the gospel, the antivenom for their souls.