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Nate Roten / Acts Series/ Acts 28:1–16
Main Idea
God uses our trials and divine detours to bring about transformation and renewal in others.
David and Svea Flood
In 1921, Swedish missionaries David and Svea Flood, along with their two-year-old son, journeyed to the Belgian Congo with another Scandinavian couple, the Ericksons. Despite being barred from the village of N’dolera by its chief, they built their own huts nearby and persevered in their mission. Their only contact with the villagers was a young boy who sold them food twice a week. Svea managed to convert this boy to Christianity, but the group faced ongoing struggles with malaria. Svea died 17 days after giving birth to a daughter, Aina. Devastated, David abandoned his newborn, returning to Sweden in despair, believing his life and faith were ruined.
Years later, Aggie, who had been adopted by American missionaries, discovered her origins through a Swedish magazine article. She learned about the remarkable impact her parents’ efforts had on the village, where the boy her mother converted grew up to lead the entire village to Christ. Determined to reconnect with her past, Aggie traveled to Sweden and found her father, who was now an old, bitter man. Despite his initial hostility towards God, Aggie shared the story of the village’s conversion, softening his heart and leading him back to faith shortly before his death.
Later, at an evangelism conference, Aggie met a church leader from Zaire (now the DRC) who revealed himself to be the boy her mother had converted. He recounted how the entire village, now a large Christian community of over 600 people, honored Svea’s memory. Aggie visited her mother’s grave in Africa, witnessing the enduring legacy of her parents’ sacrifice and faith. The story of David and Svea Flood exemplifies how a single act of faith, even amidst immense personal suffering, can lead to profound and lasting change.
Passage
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.
I. Perceived Punishment, Providential Protection
• After arriving, they learned they were on Malta.
• The natives (barbarians in Greek), not savages, but were kind, welcoming, and hospitable.
• Since it was winter, they built the shipwrecked crew a fire.
• Paul helped by carrying firewood, and a concealed viper bit him.
• According to some translations, the term Justice is capitalized, indicating that the natives believed the Greek goddess – Justice – judged him as a guilty murderer. He might have escaped the sea but would not be allowed to live.
• But God protected Paul. Nothing happened. And when they saw that, the natives thought the opposite – he must be a god.
These past weeks weren’t on the itinerary. The plan was to make it to Rome before winter. But, when their plans changed, they tried to winter in a safer port, but instead, they got blown out to sea. As we saw last week, Paul’s confidence was contagious, and his devotion and trust in God had become a powerful witness to the others on board (sailors, soldiers, and prisoners alike). They saw God’s providential care first-hand.
Now, God wanted to demonstrate His power to the people of Malta. This wasn’t the centurion’s plan or Paul’s plan. But, as He often does, God plans out these divine detours to accomplish His purposes.
And He did this first by way of putting Paul in mortal danger. The natives here may not have adopted Greek culture and language, but they did worship Greek gods… or at least recognize them as real and active. How do we know this? Because of how their sense of fate is personified in a person called Justice. Justice (or Dike) is a Greek goddess (daughter of Zeus and Themis) who establishes the fate of humans through intervening in their circumstances. Here, they thought Paul was a murderer since he survived the shipwreck but would die shortly after due to the random snake bite. They viewed this event through the lens of false religion.
They were lost in darkness, and God used Paul to pierce that darkness with His magnificent light.
God not only watches over the righteous but also uses them to declare His glory. Sometimes, they are the ones to declare it, but other times, their enduring faith in trials is what declares it. We see that begin when the natives witness no ill effects from the snake bite. They turn a complete 180 when they see him unharmed, going from declaring him a murderer to declaring him a god!
Psalm 19:1 says:
Psalm 19:1 ESV
The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
I want us to realize today that God’s work in our trials and valleys of darkness can do the same thing. The unexpected trials we will face and even the attacks of the enemy designed to harm us can become a testimony to God’s power.
You need to see that for yourself, but you shouldn’t lose sight of the reality that your sufferings and life’s tangents may not be about you. God could very well be using you to demonstrate His power to others around you.
II. Healing the Island
• Chief Publius was hospitable for 3 days
• His father became ill with Malta fever, usually brought on by consuming bad goat’s milk.
• Paul healed him by the laying on of hands and prayer.
• News traveled fast because sick people from all over the island came and were healed.
• Paul and his buddies were honored because of this and given every provision they needed.
Do you remember Philip and the revival in Samaria in Acts 8? Do you remember why Philip was in Samaria in the first place? Stephen’s martyrdom sparked widespread persecution. That unplanned event was the catalyst for a revival in a region that the Jews shunned. What seemed to be a devastating event was designed to spread the gospel to the surrounding regions and nations.
Likewise, God’s providence had led Paul and the others to this tiny island where its inhabitants were lost in darkness and plagued with many ailments and sicknesses. Not only were their beliefs and assumptions corrected, but God wanted to display His healing power to them as a means to draw them to Himself. And it began with the Chief Man himself. Because the people thought Paul was a god, he treated everyone exceptionally well, but three days in, his father got violently ill. Though they did not yet believe in the power of Paul’s God, they would soon, as Paul laid hands on him and prayed for healing. The effect was instantaneous, and the news quickly spread throughout the island, so everyone ill came to Paul to be healed.
An entire island full of people was introduced to the one true God that day… all because of this divine detour that appeared to be one of the darkest valleys in Paul’s life. God was at work even then… especially then. This is yet another example of how our trials can lead to opportunities for God’s work to be done through us.
This is also another call to avoid reacting to our circumstances. We cannot allow our hope, courage, and decisions to be affected by what we see, because what we see isn’t a true representation of what God intends. Despite what we see, we must trust in our faithful, steadfast Father who loves us.
III. The Road to Rome
Malta – Boarded an Alexandrian ship with twin gods (Castor and Pollux), who were Zeus’ sons who watched over mariners. Perhaps Luke was pointing out the devotion to superstition as opposed to the certainty of God’s provision.
Syracuse – capital of Sicily, an island below Italy. Stayed 3 days.
Rhegium – Port city on the toe of Italy’s boot. 1 day stay. Southern winds favored the next sailing to…
Puteoli – Ankle of Italy’s boot. Stayed with “the brothers” for 7 days. Here, they finally arrived at Italy’s main roadways, one of which was called the Appian Way (of which parts still exist today), which would lead them all the way to…
Rome – Where Paul had relative freedom and brothers from the Forum of Appius and Three Taverns (33-43 miles away) came to visit him.
IV. Final Stretch: Encouraged to Endure
• There are two pockets of “brothers,” one in Puteoli and then in Rome (with believers traveling from the nearby cities). Imagine their excitement to meet the man who wrote the insightful letter to the Romans a few years back!
• Paul’s reaction to Christian fellowship was thanksgiving and taking courage
• Paul begins his life in Rome with relative freedom
God proves faithful. He promised Paul that He would deliver him to Rome, and now, we see the fulfillment of that promise.
God was with Paul in the storm.
God gave Paul cheerful confidence in the storm.
Though Paul’s journey was difficult and trying, God sovereignly directed his path. The journey didn’t go according to the plans of men. There were divine detours that took them to places they never intended, but all the while, it was achieving His divine purposes.
The divine detours developed Paul’s faith. There is no doubt that he matured in his spiritual walk during this intense time of dependence.
But just as importantly, Paul’s dire circumstances weren’t just for him. They were divinely directed to bring the gospel and healing to a people group who would not have heard about Jesus otherwise.
Takeaway
The takeaway for today is an encouragement to look outside yourself in difficult times. When things don’t go according to plan, and nothing looks like you want it to… instead of asking God, “Why me?” we should be asking, “What is your will in this situation? “What do you want to demonstrate about yourself? To whom?”
Your time of trial and heartache might not be about you. God may simply be using you to reach others around you.
Questions to Consider
- What was the reaction of the natives on Malta when Paul was bitten by a viper? How did their perception of Paul change after witnessing no harm come to him?
- In the final stretch of Paul’s journey to Rome, how did his interaction with other believers demonstrate the encouragement and thanksgiving he had for Christian fellowship?
- How can we apply the lesson of looking outside ourselves in difficult times? How can we shift our perspective from ‘Why me?’ to ‘What does God what to demonstrate about himself through me?’
- How did God use divine detours in Paul’s journey to Malta and Rome to accomplish His purposes and demonstrate His power to others?