The experience of Melita Island

Acts 28:1-10; 7/28/2024; BCBC/IOUC; Rev. Paul Wang

 Introduction

Thank God!  God used the island of Malita to save Paul and a whole ship of people from the storm.  This island of Malita is today’s Malta, a Commonwealth country located south of Sicily, Italy.  When the Chinese Union Version translated this word, it was an era when the whole country was worried about famine and looked forward to rice for cooking.  Therefore, it is not surprising that Malta is translated as Melita.  Let’s look at the first point:

 A viper hanging from his hand

As soon as they landed on the island, a strange thing happened.  Paul was bitten by a poisonous snake.  First of all, the natives warmly welcomed them.  It seems a bit like the Mayflower, an English ship in 1620,  which arrived in America with 102 passengers and 30 crew members.  It was warmly received by the local Indians, and Thanksgiving Day also originated from this.  The Bible says that the natives of Melita showed unusual kindness to Paul and his boatload of people.  Why is it said to be an unusual kindness?  In fact, it is an ordinary mind, but it meets people’s needs.  When it was cold and rainy, so they lit a fire for them to keep warm,  which made everyone in Paul’s ship feel an unusual feeling of affection.  This is also a reminder to us that the limit of helping others is actually what we can do, and we don’t have to force ourselves or even exceed our capabilities.  In fact, this is also the bottom line for us to help people without asking for anything in return.

Secondly, the natives saw the viper.  Now that the natives have come to help, Paul and his party cannot stand idly by.  Then, “Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and put them on the fire”   Unexpectedly, a hibernating snake woke up from the severe cold, became restless as it moved,   and bit Paul’s hand.  When we go to preach the gospel, Satan’s hibernating comfort zone is also disturbed by us.  Satan has never been at peace.  It is common for him to bite and hurt others,  and it is highly likely that we will be injured as a result.  When something happens, just like a work, the right to comment, interpret, and understand is in the eyes, minds, and mouths of the audience.  The native explanation is: “No doubt this man is a murderer. Though he has escaped from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live.“  What would you have said if you had been there at that time?

Finally, the natives witnessed the miracle. The superficial meaning of this miracle is that Paul was bitten by a snake, and it was okay!  But the deeper meaning is that Paul was calm and steady.  Who is this person?  The native’s attention began to shift from the snake to Paul, thinking that he had just been caught in a storm on the ship and drifted to the island.  The result was that misfortunes never come singly!  Could he be a heinous villain?  He was lucky enough to be brought ashore by the sea, but because God couldn’t tolerate it, He still wanted to take his life!    However, the natives’ expectations were disappointed!  Not only did Paul not die, the Bible says:  “He, however, shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm.”  Then, even if he doesn’t die, his hand should still be swollen!  Nothing that the natives thought about happened!    The Bible says: “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.” Let’s look at the second point:

 

 Healing prayers and leaving testimonies

The miracles and wonders that Paul experienced are so touching!  That is to say, on this small desert island, here is a group of barbaric people living.  However, God did not forget them.   Instead, God sent Paul on the road to Rome to deliver the message of salvation to them despite the risks.  First, the island’s chief, Publius.  I think the natives must have reported the news that Paul was a man of God to the island owner, right?  Otherwise, how could the leader of an island know it so quickly?  Publius’ name means “popular”,  indicating that he was not only an official appointed by the Roman Empire, but also a member of the natives, that is, he was a descendant of the Phoenicians.  Talking about the Phoenicians, you will feel that they are the people with stories.  Their origins were in what is now Lebanon, Antioch, where Paul’s missionary journey began.  According to Catholic tradition, Publius was the first saint of Malta and was revered as the first bishop of Athens.  It is truly amazing that Malta became the first Christian nation in the West.

Second, the father of Publius.  The son is very famous and has great status and fame, but he doesn’t even have a name left behind.  Have you ever wondered what that means?  In fact, isn’t this the mission and meaning of life of paying for others?  This is also the purpose and mission of discipleship, which is to make those who receive discipleship surpass those who train them, right?  John the Baptist said: “He must increase, but I must decrease.“ The same principle is said, don’t seek your own glory!  The Bible says that Publius’s father suffered from fever and dysentery,  probably Malta Fever.  The scientific name is Brucellosis.  This was a very common disease in the area but nothing could be done about it.  When God’s time was fulfilled, He sent Paul to heal him.

Finally, the rest of the island.  The island leader’s father was healed, the news spread, and people from all over the island came.  This disease originates from bacteria that inhabit cattle and sheep.  When people eat contaminated meat or milk, they will develop a fever of over 40 degrees Celsius, and it may even kill them.  The Bible says that Paul’s healing of the island leader’s father was very simple.  That is   “Paul visited him and prayed, and putting his hands on him, healed him.” Suddenly, people from all over the island came to be healed.  Of course, Paul accepted all who came and laid hands on them one by one to pray, so that everyone on the island was healed.  I guess the island leader, Bublius, must have mixed feelings in his heart.  Fortunately, I first received the people in Paul’s boat with love, instead of only treating them after my people were healed.  Let’s look at the third point:

 

 Everything needed is delivered to the ship

 When the ship arrived, it was already in pieces, and the equipment and wheat on the ship were also thrown into the sea.  What to do?  At this time, the centurion seemed to have disappeared.  First, influence and management.  Centurions derived their authority from the Roman governors, the Roman emperors.  This is a kind of coercive management power.  The power of the centurion has absolute authority, even the power of life and death.  However, Paul’s influence is different.  It belongs to the willing obedience of the heart, not because of authority, but because of volition.  Influence is leadership, which is guidance delivered through communication.   Paul did not issue a command, let alone command the three armies.  Instead, he served people, healed people, helped people, and blessed people.  As a result, the entire island was blessed by Paul’s ministry.  Not only that, even the centurion and a hundred Roman soldiers and boatmen were also blessed.

Second, They also honored us greatly.  Luke records that: “They also honored us greatly,”  Don’t underestimate this sentence, there is a big deal in it.  What is respect?  As the name implies, it means respect and reverence.  This is a life attitude born out of piety.  Without respect, there is no love.  Respect is the foundation of love.  Without respect, love becomes empty talk.  The captain of the island, Bublius, led the people on the island to express their love for Paul through respect.  Because their respect is accompanied by awe, they are expressing their love for God.  From the perspective of a minister, if the brothers and sisters in the church show respect for God’s truth and the work done by the minister’s hands, what a great comfort it will bring!

Finally, what is needed is brought on board.  Paul’s boatload of people lived on the island for at least three months, spending the winter and finally parting ways.  The food, clothing, housing and transportation for two hundred and seventy-six people is not a small amount.  Not only did they eat and drink, but now they were leaving.  The Bible says: The natives “put on board whatever we needed.” We can see that everyone in this boat received God’s grace and blessing because of Paul.  Even Laban saw this pattern, and he said to Jacob, I found that since you came, I have been blessed.  This is also a portrayal of the life of each of us, the children of God.  No matter where we go, God’s blessing follows our steps like a shadow.

 Conclusion

Well, Malita is Malta, a pearl on the Mediterranean.  God allowed Paul to leave signs and wonders and Paul’s wonderful testimony here, and he healed the island chief’s father and everyone on the island.

Let us pray……

 

Acts 28:1-10

1 After we were brought safely through, we then learned that the island was called Malta.

2 The native people[a] showed us unusual kindness, for they kindled a fire and welcomed us all, because it had begun to rain and was cold. 

3 When Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and put them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened on his hand. 

4 When the native people saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “No doubt this man is a murderer. Though he has escaped from the sea, Justice[b] has not allowed him to live.” 

5 He, however, shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm. 

6 They were waiting for him to swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But when they had waited a long time and saw no misfortune come to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god.

7 Now in the neighborhood of that place were lands belonging to the chief man of the island, named Publius, who received us and entertained us hospitably for three days. 

8 It happened that the father of Publius lay sick with fever and dysentery. And Paul visited him and prayed, and putting his hands on him, healed him. 

9 And when this had taken place, the rest of the people on the island who had diseases also came and were cured. 

10 They also honored us greatly,[c] and when we were about to sail, they put on board whatever we needed.