Acts 28:1-10
28 Now when they had escaped, they then found out that the island was called Malta.
2 And the natives showed us unusual kindness; for they kindled a fire and made us all welcome, because of the rain that was falling and because of the cold.
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 on his hand.
4 So when the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he has escaped the sea, yet justice does not allow to live.”
5 But he shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm.
6 However, they were expecting that he would swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But after they had looked for a long time and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god.
7 In that region there was an estate of the leading citizen of the island, whose name was Publius, who received us and entertained us courteously for three days.
8 And it happened that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and dysentery. Paul went in to him and prayed, and he laid his hands on him and healed him.
9 So when this was done, the rest of those on the island who had diseases also came and were healed.
10 They also honored us in many ways; and when we departed, they provided such things as were necessary. Let's go back to verse 2.
Paul is on his way to Rhome to his own town so that he may plead with his own governor to live. Paul had already be moved from state to state so that someone can figure out what to do with him.
They tied him up and put him on a ship to send him to Rhome for trial and when he gets on the ship he warns that captain that if they leave now there will be a bad storm to go through. However, the captain ignore his and they head for Rhome.
After 14 days of being in the storm the sailors begin to get scared are started trying to throw things overboard to lighten they ship so that they would not sink.
Let us began the task of figuring out where this message is going with some points.
1. The Warning
Acts 27:9-11
Have you ever been warned of a storm that is coming? Sometimes the Holy Spirit will warn us that there is a storm coming and instead of us being prayed up we are too busy making excuses not to pray and be ready.
It is important that we spend time in Prayer and Fasting so that we are ready for the storm that is coming our way. These storms sometimes can last for a long time before we make it through. Do you have think that you would not make it through.
2. The Second Part of The Storm Is Rain
It never fails that when a storm is going on in your life that the rain will come. Have you ever been in the middle of a major storm or crisis in you life and along comes some rain to make things worse.
Let's say that you wear told that you were no longer needed at your job. After you leave work and on your way home the car blows a tire. Now you have a storm and here comes the rain.
Paul is out at sea trying to make it to Rhome and they storm brings a lot of rain and wind. And I don't know about your life but, in mine it doesn't just rain, but hear comes some wind too. Now not only have you lost your job and had a flat tire, but when you get home they turned off the electricity becase they have not received payment.
3. Things Begin To Fall Apart
Paul is now on a ship that begins to come apart. Now he has the wind, rain, and now it pours.
The storm keeps getting bigger. Why? Because Satan is on the lookout for his next big opportunity to make things worse in your life.
Most of us are not like Paul at all. We can't stand the storm and we are ready to give up immediately. We are ready to quit church and stay home because of a storm that comes our way.
But, somewhere in the middle of the storm we could not see God at all even though he was there.
4. God Is Always There In Your Storm
Now Paul has made it to show on a piece of lumber from this ship he was on and the local native people built a fire for him and the other 275 people that were on that ship.
Then while Paul when out to gather more stick from the ship or surrounding trees and threw them in the fire a viper came out of the hot fire and bit him on the hand. When Paul saw the viper he shook it off into the fire and the natives thought he was a god.
Then when Paul pray for Publius Father and he was healed, then revival start breaking out among the natives.
Sometime God wants to get you to the other side so that he can really show you who He really is. If a storm can make a tree stronger then why can't it make us stronger.
2 Corinthians 11:24
1. Received forty stripes minus one from the Jews.
2. Three times beaten with rods
3. Once stoned
4. Three times shipwrecked
5. In journeys often
6. In perils (danger) of waters
7. In danger of robbers
8. In danger of my own countrymen
9. In danger of the Gentiles
10. In danger in the city And More