#1615 Romans 1 Part 2 No Shame

 

8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, because your faith is being proclaimed throughout the whole world. 9 For God, whom I serve in my spirit in the gospel of His Son, is my witness as to how without ceasing I make mention of you, 10 always in my prayers earnestly asking, if perhaps now at last by the will of God I may succeed in coming to you. 11 For I long to see you so that I may impart some spiritual gift to you, that you may be strengthened; 12 that is, to be mutually encouraged, while among you, by each other’s faith, both yours and mine. 13 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that often I have planned to come to you (and have been prevented so far) so that I may have some fruit among you also, even as among the rest of the Gentiles. 14 I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. 15 In this way, for my part, I am eager to proclaim the gospel to you also who are in Rome.

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “But the righteous will live by faith.” Romans 1: 8-17 LSB

Romans 1: 8-17

MacArthur notes that "A thankful heart for those to whom one ministers is essential to true spiritual service. The Christian who is trying to serve God’s people, however needy they may be, without gratitude in his heart for what the Lord has done for them will find his service lacking joy. Paul could usually find a cause for thanks so that he could honor the Lord for what had been done already and hope for what God would use him to do. Superficial believers are seldom satisfied and therefore seldom thankful. Because they focus on their own appetites for things of the world, they are more often resentful than thankful. A thankless heart is a selfish, self-centered, legalistic heart. Paul had a thankful heart because he continually focused on what God was doing in his own life, in the lives of other faithful believers, and in the advancement of His kingdom throughout the world. (MacArthur, J: Romans 1-8. Chicago: Moody Press)

Through Jesus Christ - This short phrase in essence summarizes the entire epistle to the Hebrews where we learn that Jesus Christ is the believer's Great High Priest, through Whom we have confidence access to the throne of God the Father (cp Heb 2:17, 18, 4:14, 15, 16, 10:19, 20, 21, 22). This phrase pictures Jesus' as our Mediator, elsewhere Paul writing that - PA

V. 8 First I thank my God through Jesus Christ - He uses the possessive "my" indicating intimacy, and made possible only through our great mediator and High Priest, Jesus Christ. It is He Who has restored the relationship between God and fallen mankind. Thankfulness should be the pattern of our prayer and worship, it helps us shift focus off of how it makes us feel and onto the object of our faith. 

…3Know that the LORD is God. It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture. 4Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and bless His name. 5For the LORD is good, and His loving devotion endures forever; His faithfulness continues to all generations.… Psalm 100: 3-5

…5Let your gentleness be apparent to all. The Lord is near. 6Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.… Philippians 4: 5-7

V. 9 Without ceasing I make mention of you - Not only does he lift them up before God unceasingly, but it is from the core of his being, not seeking praise from men or trying on Jesus to see what it gets him, what the result is, but he is here in earnest for the love of God and his brothers and sisters in Christ. It goes beyond mere duty, it is humbled at thought of being able to enter God's presence and to care for His people. The work is a gift and no bother. 

Cottrell writes that "To serve God in one’s spirit is to serve him with deep, sincere motivation. Paul is saying that his service to God is completely sincere and internally motivated. Though he served from a deep sense of duty (“I am debtor,” Ro 1:14, KJV), his ministry was not just a job, not just an obligation. His heart was in it. Some do God’s work from selfish or legalistic motives (see Phil 1:15-note; Phil 1:17-note; 3Jn 9-note), but not Paul. Such a testimony should cause Christians everywhere to examine their own hearts and weigh their own motives for serving God." (Cottrell, J. Romans: Vol 1. College Press NIV commentary. College Press Pub) - PA

Vs. 10-11 That you may be strengthened - Paul has wanted to come to them to use his own gift of teaching, to preach the gospel, but as is his pattern he is probably wanting to build up others to teach as well. 

…7On the contrary, we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother caring for her children. 8 We cared so deeply that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God, but our own lives as well. That is how beloved you have become to us. 9Surely you recall, brothers, our labor and toil. We worked night and day so that we would not be a burden to anyone while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.… 1 Thessalonians 2: 7-9

John MacArthur - The gift Paul wanted to impart was spiritual not only in the sense of being in the spiritual realm but in the sense that it had its source in the Holy Spirit. Because he was writing to believers, Paul was not speaking about the free gift of salvation through Christ about which he speaks in Ro 5:15-16. Nor could he have been speaking about the gifts he discusses in Ro 12:4ff-note , because those gifts are bestowed directly by the Spirit Himself, not through a human instrument. He must therefore have been using the term spiritual gift in its broadest sense, referring to any kind of divinely-empowered spiritual benefit he could bring to the Roman Christians by preaching, teaching, exhorting, comforting, praying, guiding, and disciplining. Whatever particular blessings the apostle had in mind, they were not of the superficial, self-centered sort that many church members crave today. He was not interested in tickling their ears or satisfying their religious curiosity. (MacArthur, J: Romans 1-8. Chicago: Moody Press) - PA

V. 12 That is, to be mutually encouraged - It is a great comfort to know other true believers, those who are focused on Christ, both to encourage them, but also because that iron rubs against our own. I can think of many people over the years that helped me physically, which I am grateful for, but I can think of only a few who took that to the spiritual end, so much so that looking at their life and walk with the Lord made me think I was missing something. 

…4Great is my confidence in you; great is my pride in you; I am filled with encouragement; in all our troubles my joy overflows. 5For when we arrived in Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were pressed from every direction— conflicts on the outside, fears within. 6But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the arrival of Titus,…

…7and not only by his arrival, but also by the comfort he had received from you. He told us about your longing, your mourning, and your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced all the more. 8 Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Although I did regret it, I now see that my letter caused you sorrow, but only for a short time. 9And now I rejoice, not because you were made sorrowful, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you felt the sorrow that God had intended, and so were not harmed in any way by us.… 2 Corinthians 7: 4-9

V. 13 And have been prevented so far - The lack of Paul's physical presence was not from avoidance, but rather being God's slave and on His time. He really had a heart for them, and it shows in his prayer life. We tend to think if we aren't there then there is nothing we can do, but this greatly exaggerates our physical presence and minimizes the power of prayer. 

Vs. 14-15 In this way, for my part - This is his great calling, his burden, and the only relief of it is to preach the gospel. He is talking to the church at Rome here too, so keep that in mind, he still wants to preach the gospel. It is something to rehearse in our hearts, homes and gatherings daily. 

…15But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not writing this to suggest that something be done for me. Indeed, I would rather die than let anyone nullify my boast. 16Yet when I preach the gospel, I have no reason to boast, because I am obligated to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! 17If my preaching is voluntary, I have a reward. But if it is not voluntary, I am still entrusted with a responsibility.… 1 Corinthians 9: 15-17

…8For whenever I speak, I cry out; I proclaim violence and destruction. For the word of the LORD has become to me a reproach and derision all day long. 9If I say, “I will not mention Him or speak any more in His name,” His message becomes a fire burning in my heart, shut up in my bones, and I become weary of holding it in, and I cannot prevail. 10For I have heard the whispering of many: “Terror is on every side! Report him; let us report him!” All my trusted friends watch for my fall: “Perhaps he will be deceived so that we may prevail against him and take our vengeance upon him.”… Jeremiah 20: 8-10

V. 16 For I am not ashamed of the Gospel - This has thundered as the battle cry for every true believer since. It is a powerful summation and answer to the culture in every day that asks us, "why, why do you have to tell us what we don't want to hear? Who are you to judge? What right have you to say that Jesus is the only way?" If you are stopped by rolling eyes or public discomfort, then don't kid yourself that you are like Paul. If you will only tell the truth when the truth is in fashion, then you don't love it, you love what's popular. We saw in Acts what Paul was willing to do for the sake of the gospel, walk hundreds of miles, almost perish at sea, be beaten and imprisoned. 

The fellowship of the unashamed - When we have opportunity to speak for Christ, we often do not. We know the Gospel is unattractive, intimidating, and repulsive to the natural, unsaved person and to the ungodly spiritual system that now dominates the world. The Gospel exposes man’s sin, wickedness, depravity, and lostness, and it declares pride to be despicable and works righteousness to be worthless in God’s sight. To the sinful heart of unbelievers, the Gospel does not appear to be good news but bad, and when they first hear it they often react with disdain against the one presenting it or throw out arguments and theories against it. Fear of men and of not being able to handle their arguments are some of the greatest impediment to being a bold witness for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

It is said that if a circle of white chalk is traced on the floor around a goose that it will not leave the circle for fear of crossing the white mark. In a similar way, the "chalk marks" of criticism, ridicule, tradition, and rejection prevent many believers from leaving the security of Christian fellowship to witness to the unsaved. - PA

V. 17 But the righteous will live by faith - We are not justified by our own righteousness, and this is the glory of the gospel, that we are justified by the righteousness of Jesus Christ through God's gift of faith to us. 

Righteousness (1343) (dikaiosune see adjective dikaios) is derived from a root word that means “straightness.” It refers to a state that conforms to an authoritative standard or norm and so is in keeping with what God is in His holy character. Righteousness is a moral concept. God’s character is the definition and source of all righteousness. God is totally righteous because He is totally as He should be. The righteousness of human beings is defined in terms of God’s. In short, the righteousness of God is all that God is, all that He commands, all that He demands, all that He approves and all that He provides (through the Gospel). - PA

…7in order that in the coming ages He might display the surpassing riches of His grace, demonstrated by His kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9not by works, so that no one can boast.… Ephesians 2: 7-9

…15We who are Jews by birth and not Gentile “sinners” 16 know that a man is not justified by works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have believed in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified. 17But if, while we seek to be justified in Christ, we ourselves are found to be sinners, does that make Christ a minister of sin? Certainly not!…

…18If I rebuild what I have already torn down, I prove myself to be a lawbreaker. 19For through the law I died to the law so that I might live to God. 20I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.… Galatians 2: 15-20

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#1614 Romans 1 Part 1 The Beginning of the Letter

                                                

Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, having been set apart for the gospel of God, 2 which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the holy Scriptures, 3 concerning His Son, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, 4 who was designated as the Son of God in power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, 5 through whom we received grace and apostleship for the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for the sake of His name, 6 among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ;

7 to all who are beloved of God in Rome, called as saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 1: 1-7 LSB

Romans 1: 1-7

The overarching theme of Romans is the righteousness that comes from God: the glorious truth that God justifies guilty, condemned sinners by grace alone through faith in Christ alone. Chapters 1–11 present the theological truths of that doctrine, while chaps. 12–16 detail its practical outworking in the lives of individual believers and the life of the whole church. Some specific theological topics include principles of spiritual leadership (1:8–15); God’s wrath against sinful mankind (1:18–32); principles of divine judgment (2:1–16); the universality of sin (3:9–20); an exposition and defense of justification by faith alone (3:21–4:25); the security of salvation (5:1–11); the transference of Adam’s sin (5:12–21); sanctification (chaps. 6–8); sovereign election (chap. 9); God’s plan for Israel (chap. 11); spiritual gifts and practical godliness (chap. 12); the believer’s responsibility to human government (chap. 13); and principles of Christian liberty (14:1–15:12). - J Mac

We finished Acts, which was written by Luke as a history of the early church, and follows the ministries of Peter and Paul. Rome was a place Paul longed to go to, to preach the gospel and also encourage the church there. It is the capital of the empire, and the place where Paul's last missionary journey takes him. Even when he couldn't be with everyone physically all the time, yet he was still able to encourage and teach them through his letters. Romans is prized for it's doctrine which has gone to Christians all over the world, and it is a beautiful testament to Paul's constant emphasis on reform, putting God's word above tradition. Doctrine is core to sound teaching, and it was in the reformed tradition that I came to see the concept of giving the "Whole Counsel of God", which Paul does not shy away from. Here we learn not only of God's grace towards us, but also the reason for that need, that we have all sinned and fallen short, and the wages of sin is death. The principles of this book are something that we need to daily digest, lest we make the grim mistake of only going so far back in our reform as to our favorite early century writers, that we become more engrossed with Augustine, Origen, Luther and Calvin, than we are with Holy Writ. It is easy to become enamored with the flowery picturesque writings of Matthew Henry and forget that as much as I believed he loved the Lord, yet his writings are not on the same level as Moses, the prophets, the gospels, and epistles of the Apostles found in the New Testament. If we don't go back to here then we have not gone far enough. If we don't take the whole counsel then we are in danger of  mincing words, pulling verses out of context and then pridefully putting forth sophomoric defenses of what is actually our own misunderstanding. Romans puts forth a sound doctrinal foundation to the church for all time; it's truth is timeless. 

13if we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself. 14Remind the believers of these things, charging them before God to avoid quarreling over words, which succeeds only in leading the listeners to ruin. 15Make every effort to present yourself approved to God, an unashamed workman who accurately handles the word of truth.… 2 Timothy 2: 13-15

…26Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. 27For I did not shrink back from declaring to you the whole will of God. 28Keep watch over yourselves and the entire flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which He purchased with His own blood.… Acts 20: 26-28

V. 1 Paul, a slave of Jesus Christ - In Acts we learned about Paul, that his birth name was Saul, of the tribe of Benjamin, and schooled in the tradition of the Pharisees. He was not only a scholar, but a persecutor of Christians until Christ came to him on the road to Damascus. He is now an Apostle to the gentiles, and an Apostle in this sense was one who had seen the risen Lord, who had been taught by Christ. Paul refers to himself as a slave here, or Doulos, which can have a wide range from bonded or indentured servant all the way to someone who was a slave by force. Paul is illustrating his role as a submissive servant to the mastery of Christ, it is a titled he holds with pride and joy, a titled shared by such men as Abraham and Moses.

Doulos was used of a select group of OT believers who were bondservants of Jehovah including Abraham (Ps 105:6, 42), Moses (2Ki 21:8, Mal 4:4), Joshua [Josh 24:29], Caleb [Nu 14:24], Job [Job 1:8], David (2Sa 7:5, 8) the prophets (Am 3:7; Zec 1:6), and the Servant of servants Messiah [Is 42:1,53:11]

In Greek culture doulos conveyed the basic idea of subservience and had a wide range of connotations. It was sometimes used of a person who voluntarily served others, but most commonly it referred to those who were in unwilling and permanent bondage, from which often there was no release but death. The Hebrew equivalent (ebed - 05650) is used hundreds of times in the Old Testament and carries the same wide range of connotations. The Mosaic law provided for an indentured servant to voluntarily become a permanent bond-slave of a master he loved and respected. - PA

“If a slave plainly says, ‘I love my master, my wife and my children; I will not go out as a free man,’ then his master shall bring him to God, then he shall bring him to the door or the doorpost. And his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him permanently” (Ex. 21:5,6).

Apostle (652) (apostolos [word study] from kaléo = call) (or click here) means literally “one who is sent” and from the context Paul did not thrust himself into this office or take this honor to himself, of which he always judged himself unworthy, (1Cor 15:9,10, cf Gal 1:1) but was "called" to the office according to the will and by the grace of God. Paul was invited by God to be His man to the Gentiles (2Ti 4:17-note).

Paul is an apostle by calling, a divinely initiated calling, not an apostle by human seeking. The New English Bible's rendering "apostle by God's call," does a good job of catching the force of the Greek. The apostle was a man who had seen the risen Messiah (Acts 9:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 11, 12, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22) and had been appointed by Him to plant the flag of faith in every community to which His master led him. He was His emissary, God's ambassador (Eph 6:20-note cf the role of saints today 2Co 5:20) and he spoke with God's authority. Thus, in Paul's words there is the implicit claim that he is the authoritative representative of Jesus Christ, divinely called to his task. Paul's call, as Abraham's (Ge 12:1, Heb 11:8-note), was an invitation that came from heaven. - PA

More on Called

Vs. 2-3 Which He promised beforehand through His prophets - He was the Seed of the Woman from Genesis, the Son of David, the Suffering Servant of Isaiah, and the One Who Israel will one day mourn over, written of in Zechariah in the future past tense, the "One they pierced". Matthew goes through great lengths along with Luke, showing Jesus Davidic line and right to the throne according to the flesh. Think about this, it is man who has offended God, man who has not lived up to God's requirement, so man must be punished if God is Holy and just. If God shows man mercy, and yet is eternal, and therefore infinite in all His attributes, then His holiness must remain in tact, so someone has to pay, but it is the eternal God Who has been offended. You need an advocate, a bridge between God and man, between the Uncreated and the created.

…4I will raise up shepherds over them who will tend them, and they will no longer be afraid or dismayed, nor will any go missing, declares the LORD. 5Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and He will reign wisely as King and will administer justice and righteousness in the land. 6In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is His name by which He will be called: The LORD Our Righteousness.… Jeremiah 23: 4-6

10Then I will pour out on the house of David and on the people of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and prayer, and they will look on Me, the One they have pierced. They will mourn for Him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for Him as one grieves for a firstborn son. 11On that day the wailing in Jerusalem will be as great as the wailing of Hadad-rimmon in the plain of Megiddo.… Zechariah 12: 10-11

…18O earth, do not cover my blood; may my cry for help never be laid to rest. 19Even now my witness is in heaven, and my advocate is on high. 20My friends are my scoffers as my eyes pour out tears to God.… Job 16: 18-20

…21Oh, that a man might plead with God as he pleads with his neighbor! 22For when only a few years are past I will go the way of no return. Job 16: 21-22

V. 4 Designated as the Son of God in power - The second member of the Trinity, the eternally begotten Son, given a human identity, becoming like us so that He could fulfill all righteousness, living the life we were supposed to live according to God's law. 

…19and the surpassing greatness of His power to us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of His mighty strength, 20which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms, 21far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.…

…22And God put everything under His feet and made Him head over everything for the church, 23which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. Ephesians 1: 19-23

…4because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. 5Therefore, when Christ came into the world, He said: “Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but a body You prepared for Me. 6In burnt offerings and sin offerings You took no delight.… Hebrews 10: 4-6

…57Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and You have seen Abraham?” 58“Truly, truly, I tell you,” Jesus declared, “before Abraham was born, I am!” 59At this, they picked up stones to throw at Him. But Jesus was hidden and went out of the temple area.… John 8: 57-59

V. 5 For the sake of His name - It wasn't about the Apostles, they were about Christ, His namesake. 

…9For I am the least of the apostles and am unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace to me was not in vain. No, I worked harder than all of them— yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. 11Whether, then, it was I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.… 1 Corinthians 15: 9-11

Vs. 6-7 To all who are beloved of God in Rome - God's love for His own may not be reflected by the pagan world they live in, and there may be great levels of uncertainty within different cultural settings, but those who are born again are guaranteed sons and daughters of the Creator, and this is a decree from eternity. 

To all who are beloved of God - Does not this phrase overwhelm your ability to process the depth of mercy inherent in this truth? By way of application all who believe upon the fully atoning death, burial and resurrection of Christ have entered a very unique, very special family, the family of God, the "patriarch" of which, so to speak, is God the Father. The eternal, immutable, infinite, holy God holds you in His heart as BELOVED! And this relationship will not change throughout eternity. Why? Because He is a covenant keeping God. And because all His "beloved" are inscribed upon the nailed pierced hands of His Beloved, Christ Jesus! See study of Indelible Grace- Inscribed on His Hands. - PA

                                      

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#1613 Acts 28 An Asp Clasp

 

And when they had been brought safely through to shore, then we learned that the island was called Malta. 2 And the natives showed us extraordinary affection; for because of the rain that had set in and because of the cold, they kindled a fire and received us all. 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 itself on his hand. 4 And when the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they began saying to one another, “Undoubtedly this man is a murderer, and though he has been saved from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live.” 5 However he shook the creature off into the fire and suffered no harm. 6 But they were waiting for him to soon swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But after they had waited a long time and had seen nothing unusual happen to him, changing their minds, they began to say that he was a god.

7 Now in the areas around that place were lands belonging to the leading man of the island, named Publius, who welcomed us and entertained us courteously three days. 8 And it happened that the father of Publius was lying afflicted with fever and dysentery; and Paul, going to see him and having prayed, laid his hands on him and healed him. 9 And after this had happened, the rest of the people on the island who had diseases were coming to him and being healed. 10 They also bestowed on us many honors of respect; and when we were setting sail, they supplied us with all we needed.

Paul Arrives in Rome

11 Now at the end of three months we set sail on an Alexandrian ship which had wintered at the island, and which had the Twin Brothers for its figurehead. 12 After we put into Syracuse, we stayed there for three days. 13 From there we sailed around and arrived at Rhegium, and after a day when a south wind sprang up, on the second day we came to Puteoli. 14 There we found some brothers, and were invited to stay with them for seven days; and thus we came to Rome. 15 And the brothers, when they heard about us, came from there as far as the Market of Appius and Three Inns to meet us. When Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage.

16 And when we entered Rome, Paul was allowed to stay by himself, with the soldier who was guarding him.

Paul’s Ministry in Rome

17 And it happened that after three days Paul called together those who were the leading men of the Jews, and when they came together, he began saying to them, “Brothers, though I had done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans. 18 And when they had examined me, they were willing to release me because there was no ground for putting me to death. 19 But when the Jews objected, I was forced to appeal to Caesar, not that I had any accusation against my nation. 20 For this reason, therefore, I requested to see you and to speak with you, for I am wearing this chain for the sake of the hope of Israel.” 21 And they said to him, “We have neither received letters from Judea concerning you, nor have any of the brothers come here and reported or spoken anything bad about you. 22 But we desire to hear from you what you think; for concerning this sect, it is known to us that it is spoken against everywhere.”

23 And when they had set a day for Paul, they came to him at his lodging in large numbers; and he was explaining to them by solemnly bearing witness about the kingdom of God and trying to persuade them concerning Jesus, from both the Law of Moses and from the Prophets, from morning until evening. 24 And some were being persuaded by the things spoken, but others were not believing. 25 And when they disagreed with one another, they began leaving after Paul had spoken one word, “The Holy Spirit rightly spoke through Isaiah the prophet to your fathers, 26 saying,

‘Go to this people and say,

“You will keep on hearing, but will not understand;

And you will keep on seeing, but will not perceive;

27 For the heart of this people has become dull,

And with their ears they scarcely hear,

And they have closed their eyes;

Lest they might see with their eyes,

And hear with their ears,

And understand with their heart and return,

And I heal them.”’

28 Therefore let it be known to you that this salvation of God was sent to the Gentiles—they will also hear.” 29 [When he had spoken these words, the Jews departed, having a great dispute among themselves.]

30 And he stayed two full years in his own rented quarters and was welcoming all who came to him, 31 preaching the kingdom of God and teaching concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, unhindered. Acts 28

Acts 28

Vs. 1-2 The natives showed us extraordinary affection - Hospitality is strong in some cultures, and it's an expectation of God for His people, both from and towards.

…41Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward. 42And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is My disciple, truly I tell you, he will never lose his reward.” Matthew 10: 41-42

1Continue in brotherly love. 2Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. 3Remember those in prison as if you were bound with them, and those who are mistreated as if you were suffering with them.… Hebrews 13: 1-3

Malta (only NT use)(3194) (Melite) is the island of Malta (the modern name) which some translations render by the old name Melita. Malta is located about 174 miles from Italy and about 56 miles due south of Sicily. Because of its many harbors, Malta was a base for east-west commerce in the Mediterranean Sea and was frequently used by ancient ships as a place to spend the winter, the time when the Mediterranean could not be navigated safely. Because of its central position in the Mediterranean Sea, the Romans made it an important naval station. The Romans took Malta from the Carthaginians in 218 b.c and it had been under Roman rule since that time. - PA

Vs. 3-6 A viper came out because of the heat and fastened itself on his hand - Some have said they think this to be a leopard snake, or European rat snake I have seen it also called, and that is why Paul survived, because the Leopard snake isn't venomous. I disagree based on the reaction of the islanders. This explanation would assume that they don't know much about the local wildlife on their island, things that would have been observed and then taught about for many generations. Their response to seeing the "creature hanging from his hand" was to play Job's friends, aha, you escaped the storm, but "Justice, a reference to the daughter of Zeus, 'has not allowed him to live." They believed in Greek mythology, and many eastern religions speak about Karma, so for them, Paul, on a vessel full of prisoners, was probably one of the worst offenders, a murderer. He somehow made it through the storm, but now our lady Justice is going to bring him justice. Job's friends make the same mistake, insisting that his trials are the outworking of some hidden sin, that God is punishing him for something heinous. When these islanders see the type of snake that bit Paul they wait for him to swell up or drop dead. I think this fulfills the prophecy that Jesus made regarding those that come after Him, the age of the Apostles.

…2To this He replied, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered this fate? 3No, I tell you. But unless you repent, you too will all perish. 4Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam collapsed on them: Do you think that they were more sinful than all the others living in Jerusalem?… Luke 13: 2-4

…17And these signs will accompany those who believe: In My name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up snakes with their hands, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not harm them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will be made well.” 19After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.… Mark 16: 17-19

…18So He told them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19Behold, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy. Nothing will harm you. 20Nevertheless, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”… Luke 10: 18-20

Now today on Malta there are no known venomous snakes, but the reaction of the people on the island would lead me to believe there once was. Some think it was an Asp Vipera Aspis, which even today lives in Italy, and you could see this type of snake hiding easily in a bundle of sticks. Others say the Blunt Nose or Levantine Viper found on islands in the Aegean Sea, but we can't be sure. Whatever it was it was most certainly displaced by human development, being that Malta is an island and one of the most densely populated countries in the world. I would like to point out that Paul didn't purposely pick up the venomous serpent to show his power and faith, though there are some charismatic Pentecostal groups that attach this meaning. There are churches in the mountains where people take this as a literal practice or command, and some end up in the hospital, others end up dead. I have had other Pentecostals insist that Mark 16 is evidence that we should be driving out demons and speaking in tongues, but when I offer them the venomous snakes, they decline, even though there is always the possibility of a dry bite. For those who think I am just mean in saying that, well, I use to be a part of the Pentecostal movement, and I even use to think that I spoke in a prayer language, but it was demonstrably gibberish from a boy who loved the experiential. Paul not dying changes their opinion of him, and God has told him that he will stand in Rome, so he has that confidence. They think he is a god now, but this opens the door for ministry, for the love of God to be doted upon those who cared for His Apostle. The people have changed their minds, but left to worldly wisdom they only move to another false conclusion.

More from Acts 2

More from Acts 19

Larkin - The islanders' about-face shows the power of a worldview for interpreting experience—and how a non-Christian worldview often won't "get it right." Those who have a non-Christian worldview and observe a "witness in sign" are likely to misconstrue what is happening unless an interpretation, a "witness in word," is provided. Even then, unless the Lord opens the heart (cf Acts 16:14+) to understand the gospel witness, the miraculous sign will not serve to point unambiguously to the power of Jesus the Savior. The Maltese are not alone in misinterpreting a "witness in sign" (Acts 2:12-13+; Acts 3:12+; Acts 8:18-21+; Acts 14:11-18+; Acts 19:13-16+). And today Luke calls the "signs and wonders" movement to reckon with this ambiguity and aim to make the Spirit-empowered, Spirit-illuminating proclamation of the gospel message central to any "power encounter." (Ibid)

Changed their minds (3328)(metaballo from meta = change of place or condition + bállo = to cast, put) means to throw or turn over as with a plow, to change. In this only NT it is in the middle voice meaning to change oneself, and so think differently than before. Robertson on metaballo - "to turn about or around, turning themselves about, changing their minds. Plato uses this very verb in middle voice for changing the mind." - PA

Vs. 7-10 Being healed - There is early Christian tradition, extrabiblical which holds that Publius, the chief official, converted to Christianity and became the first bishop of Malta. This isn't stated in the passage, and we do know of people who came only for the miracles, the fish and the bread, but it wouldn't surprise me to meet Publius or other Maltese in heaven. 

Larkin - Paul parallels Jesus' and Peter's practice in some ways: he goes to the bedside and lays hands on the man (Lk 4:39-40; Acts 9:34; compare Paul's experience in Acts 9:17). But he makes a significant addition: he prefaces the laying on of hands with prayer, thus showing as explicitly as possible the true source of the healing power (compare Jn 11:41-42). The islanders' misunderstanding of Paul's survival after the snakebite—"He is a god!"—explains his methods here. Publius' father and the Maltese must learn for the first time—and we must never forget—that any restoration of physical health comes from God, whether it be directly or through the practice of medicine. We, like Paul, show that we are convinced of this truth if we ask for healing in prayer. (Ibid) PA

Vs. 11-16 Twin brothers for its figurehead - Paul and his company continue their journey through pagan lands.

And which had the Twin Brothers for its figurehead - KJV has "whose sign was Castor and Pollux." This figurehead to as Twin Brothers is also known as Dioscuri or Castor and Pollux. The constellation Gemini ("the Twins") is named after them, and its two brightest stars are called Castor and Pollux. If Gemini, was seen during a storm it was assumed to be an omen of good fortune. The idea of a figurehead in ancient times would be similar to the names given modern ships (e.g., Titanic). In ancient times the figurehead was the image of a god, a man, a beast, or of some other object, sculptured or painted on the prow. The pagans were superstitious and did not know God so the figure of the "guardian deity" was affixed to the stern, as if it could provide any protection!

Larkin - They were the patron deities of sailors and protectors of innocent seafarers, and their cult had devotees in Egypt as well as Italy (Epictetus Discourses 2.18.29). Euripides presents them as guardians of truth and punishers of perjurers (Electra 1342-55). It is probably with an intended ironic twist that Luke notes Paul's embarkation on "The Castor and Pollux." For though the unbelieving ancients would have attributed Paul's rescue to "the Twins" and taken it as a token of his innocence, Paul has made clear he belongs to, serves and believes in the one true God, who was his protector and deliverer (Acts 27:23-25). So today, though others tout the gods of non-Christian religion or secular technopolitical ideology as protectors and saviors, the Christian knows who is really in gracious control. (Ibid)

Vs. 17-31 He stayed two full years in his own rented quarters and was welcoming all who came to him - Paul's ministry has changed in Rome. He is able to have a place and guests. It says that he reasoned with the Jews from the law and the Prophets, trying to convince them of Jesus. No matter how he finds himself the man is always about God's business. In the quieter seasons, away from waves and venomous snakes, there is time to compose, to write to the new disciples in all the places he has left. 

10Now I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. 11 I am not saying this out of need, for I have learned to be content regardless of my circumstances. 12I know how to live humbly, and I know how to abound. I am accustomed to any and every situation—to being filled and being hungry, to having plenty and having need.… Philippians 4: 10-12

…6For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8From now on there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but to all who crave His appearing.… 2 Timothy 4: 6-8

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#1612 Acts 27 Untitled

 

Now when it was decided that we would sail for Italy, they proceeded to deliver Paul and some other prisoners to a centurion of the Augustan cohort named Julius. 2 And getting aboard an Adramyttian ship, which was about to sail to the regions along the coast of Asia, we set sail accompanied by Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica. 3 The next day we put in at Sidon, and Julius treated Paul with consideration and allowed him to go to his friends and receive care. 4 And from there we set sail and sailed under the shelter of Cyprus because the winds were against us. 5 And when we had sailed through the sea along the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we landed at Myra in Lycia. 6 There the centurion found an Alexandrian ship sailing for Italy, and he put us aboard it. 7 And when we had sailed slowly for a good many days, and with difficulty had arrived off Cnidus, since the wind did not permit us to go farther, we sailed under the shelter of Crete, off Salmone; 8 and with difficulty, we sailed past it and came to a place called Fair Havens, near which was the city of Lasea.

9 And when considerable time had passed and the voyage was now dangerous, since even the Fast was already over, Paul began to advise them, 10 and said to them, “Men, I perceive that the voyage will certainly be with damage and great loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives.” 11 But the centurion was being more persuaded by the pilot and the captain of the ship than by what was being said by Paul. 12 And because the harbor was not suitable for wintering, the majority reached a decision to set sail from there, if somehow they could arrive at Phoenix, a harbor of Crete facing southwest and northwest, to spend the winter there.

13 And when a moderate south wind came up, thinking that they had attained their purpose, they weighed anchor and began sailing along the shore of Crete.

The Storm at Sea

14 But before very long there rushed down from the land a violent wind, called Euraquilo; 15 and when the ship was caught in it and could not face the wind, we gave way to it and let ourselves be carried along. 16 And running under the shelter of a small island called Clauda, we were scarcely able to get the ship’s boat under control. 17 After they had hoisted it up, they used supporting cables in undergirding the ship. Fearing that they might run aground on the shallows of Syrtis, they let down the sea anchor and in this way let themselves be carried along. 18 And the next day as we were being violently storm-tossed, they began to jettison the cargo; 19 and on the third day they cast the ship’s tackle overboard with their own hands. 20 And since neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small storm was assailing us, from then on all hope of our being saved was gradually abandoned.

21 And when they had gone a long time without food, then Paul stood up in their midst and said, “Men, you ought to have followed my advice to not set sail from Crete and to avoid this damage and loss. 22 And now I advise you to be cheerful, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. 23 For this very night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood before me, 24 saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar; and behold, God has granted you all those who are sailing with you.’ 25 Therefore, be cheerful, men, for I believe God that it will turn out exactly as I have been told. 26 But we must run aground on some island.”

27 But when the fourteenth night came, as we were being carried about in the Adriatic Sea, about midnight the sailors began to suspect that some land was approaching them. 28 And when they took soundings, they found it to be twenty fathoms; and a little farther on they took another sounding and found it to be fifteen fathoms. 29 And fearing that we might run aground somewhere on the rocks, they cast four anchors from the stern and were praying for daybreak. 30 But as the sailors were trying to escape from the ship and had let down the ship’s boat into the sea, on the pretense of intending to lay out anchors from the bow, 31 Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, “Unless these men remain in the ship, you yourselves cannot be saved.” 32 Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the ship’s boat and let it fall away.

33 Until the day was about to dawn, Paul was encouraging them all to take some food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day that you have been constantly watching and going without eating, having taken nothing. 34 Therefore I encourage you to take some food, for this is for your salvation, for not a hair from the head of any of you will perish.” 35 And having said these things, he took bread and gave thanks to God in the presence of all. And he broke it and began to eat. 36 And all of them became cheerful and they themselves also took food. 37 And all of us in the ship were 276 persons. 38 And when they had eaten enough, they began to lighten the ship by throwing out the wheat into the sea.

The Shipwreck

39 Now when day came, they could not recognize the land; but they were noticing a bay with a beach, and they were resolving to drive the ship onto it if they could. 40 And casting off the anchors, they left them in the sea while at the same time they were loosening the ropes of the rudders. And hoisting the foresail to the wind, they were heading for the beach. 41 But striking a reef where two seas met, they ran the vessel aground; and the bow stuck fast and remained immovable, but the stern began to be broken up by the force of the waves. 42 Now the soldiers’ plan was to kill the prisoners, so that none of them would swim away and escape; 43 but the centurion, wanting to bring Paul safely through, kept them from their intention, and ordered that those who could swim should jump overboard first and get to land, 44 and the rest should follow, some on planks, and others on various things from the ship. And so it happened that they all were brought safely to land. Acts 27: 1-44 LSB

Acts 27

And if you were to look in the scripture to try to find a pattern for leadership, you might ask the question, “Where would I go?” I can find a pattern for a leader who is an elder in the church, and he is to be a teacher of the Word of God and have a godly life. And it talks about his life virtues, and it talks about his spiritual giftedness, but where do I go in the Bible just to find the basic stuff of leadership? Where do I go to get an example of leadership? Well, you could go back to Moses, couldn’t you? Moses was a leader, and Moses got some great advice from his father-in-law Jethro who told him that he was going to find it absolutely impossible if, on his own, he tried to lead the whole of the nation of Israel. And so, he needed to break it all down and break it down into various groups and appoint people under him who could take care of the various groups. And he was really told to learn how to delegate. And all good leaders need to know how to delegate. So, you could look at Moses, and probably in the Old Testament you would find that Moses exercised a great amount of leadership, leading literally 2 million people probably all around the wilderness for 40 years is no easy job, but he did it. I suppose somebody might make a case that you could look at the life of David, but frankly, while David was a lot of things, he never really demonstrated that he was much of a leader. Occasionally he did. Occasionally he did something that demonstrated leadership, but for every good thing he did, on the other hand he seemed to do something that would be the antithesis of effective leadership. If you were looking into the New Testament, you were looking for someone who demonstrated leadership capability, obviously you would look to the Lord Jesus Christ, who was perfect in everything He did and was, for certain, the perfect leader. But if you want a human model, I don’t think anybody’s better than Paul. Paul is my hero as a leader. He is a true leader of people. It had nothing to do with titles, because he really didn’t have any title. He wasn’t a king; he wasn’t a governor; he wasn’t, in the social sense, any leader. He didn’t have any status; he wasn’t a statesman; he wasn’t a nobleman of any kind. He was, however, a leader. And I think the best place to see his innate, God-given leadership capability is in the twenty-seventh chapter of acts. - J Mac Sermon Acts 27 Characteristics of an Effective Leader

Vs. 1-13 But the centurion was being more persuaded by the pilot and the captain of the ship than by what was being said by Paul - This is actually logical, the centurion would be in charge, but having such a title doesn't make you the expert on everything. In order to make the best decision possible for my team I always defer to someone more intimately acquainted with the discipline associated with the obstacle. If I don't have power then I seek the Show Control, if it's high voltage then we call the electricians, plumbers, welders etc... Some will say any decision is a good decision and shoot from the hip, saying again, "I stand by my decision", but a true, good leader, finds someone more expert on the problem. People say you have to take risk to be a good leader, but a good leader doesn't gamble, the risk are calculated because we know everything has an associated risk, especially driving to work on I4, but I need a job. If you want a good leader, look for someone who plans, who studies, who is not an egotist, so he has no issue finding and recognizing someone more learned than himself to look for the solution. You want someone who is not delusional enough to think things can be accomplished without risk, but compassionate enough to mitigate as much of the risk that he can. Paul is not a captain, not even a ship's mate, and though he is well traveled, he does not hold any sort of rank that would cause them to listen to him, but it is important that he speaks up, because later he will be proven accurate, and it's not for the value of being able to say, "I told you so", but because it will matter even more that they listen to him when things get worse. He has a knowledge that they don't have. He is in communication with the Creator. 

The fastest way – I tell young pastors this often – the fastest way to lose your credibility and lose the trust of your people is not to preach a bad sermon – they’ll forgive that – the fastest way is to make a stupid decision that leads them down a blind alley or off the end of the pier. It is foolish leadership decisions. Good leaders are analytical. They understand there’s a calculated risk, but they do a good job of assessing and evaluating direction. They bring into account all the factors, and they make wise choices. Leaders use good judgment. So, he makes his speech, “Guys, we ought not to keep going; there’s an awful lot at stake: we lose the ship, we lose the cargo; we lose our lives.” That’s a pretty complete disaster. Verse 11, “Nevertheless, the centurion was more persuaded by the helmsman and the owner of the ship than by the things spoken by Paul.” Well, what does he know? He hears the other side of the story, and the other side of the story’s being told by the owner of the ship and the pilot of the ship or the helmsman of the ship. The owner of the ship wants to get the cargo there so he can get paid. He helmsman wants him to get the cargo there so he can get paid so he can get paid. And so, “Because the harbor was not suitable to winter in” – they didn’t like Fair Havens; they didn’t want to spend the winter there; it was not suitable to winter in, so they did something that people still do today, they took a poll. That’s right; they took a poll, and guess what? “The majority advised to set sail from there also.” Give me a great, careful, thoughtful, analytical, wise leader anytime over the majority. Anytime. But they took a vote; they had a poll. And nobody wanted to stay there. They didn’t like the place to winter in. - J Mac

…13A gossip reveals a secret, but a trustworthy person keeps a confidence. 14For lack of guidance, a nation falls, but with many counselors comes deliverance. 15He who puts up security for a stranger will surely suffer, but the one who hates indebtedness is secure.… Proverbs 11: 13-15

…25But Jesus called them aside and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their superiors exercise authority over them. 26 It shall not be this way among you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave—… Matthew 20: 25-27

Vs. 14-20 All hope of our being saved was gradually abandoned - Luke really captures the moment. It is no small thing to lose your cargo, but they want the ship to be light enough so it rides higher and doesn't hit reefs or sink quickly when taking on water. One of the reasons for leaving, to bring your goods to the intended port, to get paid, is now sitting on the ocean floor or being carried about as drift. Some things cost too much to hold onto. 

…36What does it profit a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? 37Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? 38If anyone is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in His Father’s glory with the holy angels.”… Mark 8: 36-38

Vs. 21-26 An angel of the God to Whom I belong - Angel means messenger, and God has told Paul that he will have to appear before Caesar, so as bleak as this is, yet it is not the end. They should have listened to them, but they didn't, and now it is even more vital that they do. Paul has shifted from being an unrecognized leader who speaks up against the popular view, to being a recognized leader, born of adversity. Here he states where the source of his information comes from. It is always good to be surrounded by men and women who are smarter than you, and especially men and women who are godlier than you. 

…6Now I know that the LORD saves His anointed; He answers him from His holy heaven with the saving power of His right hand. 7Some trust in chariots and others in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. 8They collapse and fall, but we rise up and stand firm.… Psalm 20: 6-8

18Let no one deceive himself. If any of you thinks he is wise in this age, he should become a fool, so that he may become wise. 19For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness.” 20And again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.”… 1 Corinthians 3: 18-20

Vs. 27-32 Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the ship's boat - The sailors panicked and thought they could save themselves in the dinghy, but Paul caught them, and the soldiers listened to him and cut the ropes. Their safety was only promised if they stayed together. 

Vs. 33-38 He took bread and gave thanks to God in the presence of all - A good leader knows what his people need; he looks to their basic needs, recognizes the want of food and water for the body to be strengthened and the mind cleared. 

Vs. 39-44 But the centurion, wanting to bring Paul safely through, kept them from their intention - That would have been protocol to kill the prisoners rather than having them escape, but the Centurion is now becoming a leader, taking a calculated risk in order to save life. He would actually be in hot water if any of them escape, but he is leading by following Paul's lead in this, and keeping him alive. He also listened carefully, because Paul said, "not a hair from the head of any of you will perish". They all made it safely to land. 

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