God’s Provision of Ministry to the Minister

Acts 28:1-16

We often think after many years of service to God - it’s time to take a rest. I want to enjoy my remaining church life. While it’s true that ministers, elders, and others like teachers may retire from active ministry, ministry never ends. Why? Very simply because the church is still there - if you have gifts, you must serve. In different ways perhaps - but service to Christ’s church is still an imperative. And just because you’re old, doesn’t mean that church issues will end. Interesting times in ministry will continue. There will be challenges. Why? People still need to hear the gospel. They must be discipled. And people who serve together are still being sanctified.

We see this in Paul’s ministry. He’d been serving a long time. He was about to go to Rome where his life would eventually end. But it wasn’t the end yet. It was far from over. Yes, he had survived shipwreck, but his ordeal was not over. Now, verse 1 says that they had escaped shipwreck. More accurately in the passive voice, they were brought safely through shipwreck. Now, this tells us several things. Namely, their journey was not finished. They hadn’t reached their destination. The ship crashed - it didn’t reach the intended port. So they still had more to go. Furthermore, the passive voice tells us something wonderful. Since it was God who had brought them safely through, even if the road ahead was tough, God was still with them. He had a purpose for Paul, and his providence would see him through.

We’ve come to the last chapter. Next week’s our last sermon. So in 45 sermons, we’ve condensed 30 years. And what we’ve seen over again is the busy and difficult ministry of the apostles. But God grew the church - from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth. Their ministry only ended with their deaths. And that must be the same with us. Until we die, our service never ends. But it’s not a sad thing - it’s exciting! And there are 2 points here from which we find comfort. Firstly, God’s providence advanced the evangel. Secondly, God’s people encouraged the evangelist.

Firstly, God’s providence advanced the evangel or the gospel. For Paul, Luke, and Aristarchus, the past few weeks were terrible. They faced great storms, and if not for God, they’d have died. And now they were exhausted - they were shipwrecked in an unfamiliar place. But here, we see God’s providence. They experience providence in the midst of paganism. The ship crashed off Melita, or Malta, 80 kilometers south of Italy. And so the 300 swam to shore. They were tired; it was raining and cold - being now around November. And in verse 2, the natives took care of them. These were Phoenicians, and they were called barbarous people - because compared to the Jews, Greeks, and Romans, they were uncultured. But despite this, they were hospital. Luke recorded they showed them no little kindness. It was a lot of kindness. They built a fire and received 300 of them! These uncivilized people were more civilized than many civilized people. And this reminds us that God works his providence among unbelievers. Even the Pharisees, being evil, still knew how to give good things to their children. That’s what Jesus said. Even mafia bosses love their children. So here, these pagan showed unusual kindness. 300 people were shipwrecked but they took care of them. Now, as Christians we know that behind this providence was God. He used these unbelievers to minister to Paul. Paul really needed encouragement at this point.

But these were pagans. They were superstitious - they believed in bad luck. We learn in verse 3, when Paul gathered sticks to feed the fire that the barbarians built, a viper shot out and bit his hand. This viper could’ve been part of the sticks that Paul picked up to feed the fire, or it could’ve been in the sticks others gathered and stuck in the fire. But we’re told that because of the fire, the snake was heated up and shot out of the fire and bit Paul. It fastened its teeth around Paul’s hand. Immediately, in verse 4, “when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live.” In other words, because he was bitten by a viper, it must mean he deserved it. He should’ve died at sea, but the universe is fair - he finally got his punishment.

Now, this idea of karma is pagan. There’s no such thing as bad luck or good luck or fate. The wicked often do prosper - Psalm 37 and 73 tell us that. The godly don’t often get the justice they deserve. Psalm 34 says that the righteous have many afflictions. Karma is a pagan idea. Unfortunately, many Christians think that way - with their feeble senses and judgments - this Christian fell sick because he sinned. This teacher taught a doctrine I don’t agree with - he died - so he was judged by God. Yes, Paul was bitten - but he was not evil. Jesus was crucified - but he was innocent. Even the centurion said he was the Son of God. But these pagans had another pagan idea. In verse 5, Paul shook the snake into the fire. He didn’t die. And because of this, they were shocked because it was a poisonous snake. Verse 6 tells us that they expected him to swell up and drop dead. But when time passed and he was still well, they changed their minds. They concluded he was divine. And God used this in his providence to minister to Paul.

In verse 7, Publius, the ruler of Melita received them and provided them room for 3 days. Perhaps they thought this god needed greater hospitality. Now, they knew that Paul was a prisoner under guard, and was in a shipwreck - but they still showed courteous hospitality. The word there is kindness of mind. But what we see here is that behind this kindness of mind from these pagans, God was showing kindness to Paul. It was grace from God to this servant of his. But it was not just kindness of God to Paul, it was kindness of God to the pagans here. You see, while Paul was in need, he was not the only one. And while he was tired, as a minister, there was a great gospel opportunity. We learn in verse 8, that Publius’ father was sick - he had a fever and bad diarrhea - he had a bloody flux - a flow. He had black stools. Now, this was winter - it could be the Norovirus - the winter vomiting bug. Some of you children recently had that! And out of compassion and gratitude, Paul prayed and laid hands on him. And the father was healed.

Now, beloved, Paul as a minister of the Word - did he just pray and lay hands? How did he heal? How did he pray? The text tells us that he prayed - he must’ve prayed to God. And who healed? God healed. Paul would’ve used the opportunity to preach the evangel - the gospel to these people. God showed grace to him by his providence, and Paul would preach God's grace to these pagans. And Paul always used signs and wonders to authenticate the message of the gospel. So in those 3 days, Paul would’ve been preaching the gospel. Tired, worn out, shipwrecked, about to die - and he preached the gospel. And he continued to do that - verse 8 - many other sick people came and were healed. More opportunities for the gospel. God didn’t only minister to Paul by his providence when Paul needed it, but God ministered through Paul to these who needed the gospel. While Paul was exhausted by shipwreck, these were exhausted by sin.

And whether or not they believed, they were grateful. Grace and gratitude! They responded with thankfulness to Paul. Verse 10 says they greatly honored Paul and his companions, and after 3 months on Malta, they supplied them with all they needed on their next leg of the journey. And presumably, this was to supply all the 300 people onboard. That’s a lot of food. They took care of them for 3 months - because of the good works of Paul, they glorified God who was in heaven. And they supplied what 300 of them needed. And this was grace to Paul. Remember that Paul needed to make it to Rome. He was to testify before kings and governors. And God used these people to do that - in his providence, these pagan. And in his special providence, he used Paul - exhausted - but invigorated to minister.

But secondly, God’s people encouraged the evangelist. While God used these pagans in his providence to provide Paul with provision, God used Christians and Christian hospitality to encourage Paul. After 3 months in Melita, Paul set off. It was past winter and spring was here. They boarded a ship and headed to Syracuse in Sicily, verse 12. And from Sicily, they circled round and then reached southern Italy at Rhegium and then a good wind pushed them up to Puteoli, verse 13. It took them a few days. So after 2 years of waiting in Caesarea, a few weeks at sea, and 3 months in Melita, Paul was finally in Italy. This is where he would finally…be tried, possibly imprisoned, and maybe executed. Puteoli was just 200 kilometers from Rome. Now, we're not exactly sure what Paul would’ve been thinking. Was he happy? Was he relieved? Was he nervous? I suppose his faith was so secure that he knew he’d testify of Christ - and what lay beyond that was known - he’d be persecuted. He knew what was coming. If he continued to serve God, he’d face difficulties.

Now we know from history, that Paul spent 2 years in Rome under house arrest. Bible scholars think he was released and went on his fourth missionary journey before being arrested again and imprisoned and executed. But at this time, he had no way of knowing what would happen to him. But in the midst of that uncertainty, God sent Christians to encourage this evangelist. They worshiped together; Christian worship invigorated him. But we learn that in Puteoli, they found brethren, verse 14. They went looking for them and found them. And they stayed with these Christians for 7 days.While Paul had the companionship of Luke and Aristarchus for all of those years, he didn’t have the benefit of more believers. 2 or 3 gathered together in Jesus’ name was good - but it wasn’t exactly the church. And in these 7 days, they worshiped. Now, our text doesn’t say it. But we can understand that 7 days with Christians - means it would’ve crossed the Lord’s Day. So this means that after 2 years, Paul was once again able to have public worship. He may have had the chance to sit under preaching - or likely, asked asked to preach. But what a wonderful thing it was to have this sweet time of worship with God’s people. It was not private worship in prison or in the bilges of the ship. It was with God’s people in the gathered meeting of the church.

But then it was time for him to leave in verse 14 - he went towards Rome. He began the dreadful 200 kilometer trek up to Rome. If you were Paul, how’d you feel at this point in time? You wanted to go to Rome, you appealed to go to Rome; but now, you are literally on the road to Rome. The worship you had a few days ago might be your last public worship with God’s people. But here, we see that Christian fellowship encouraged him. God continued to minister to him through the care of his people. We learn in verse 15, that while he was on his way up to Rome, the Roman Christians had heard they were on the way and they came all the way down from Rome to meet them at the Appii forum. These Christians traveled 60 kilometers south to this big market town. And then, more Christians from Rome came to meet them at the Three Taverns, 50 kilometers from Rome.

If they wanted to see Paul, why didn’t they just wait for him to come? No, they really wanted to see him. They’d never met before. They’d only communicated by letter. And in his letter to the Romans, Paul had already shared his heart with them. He said in Romans 1:9-12 - “For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers; making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you. For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established; that is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.” He’d prayed to go to Rome in order to see them. He’d heard so much about them. He wanted to go to encourage them. To give them some spiritual blessing, so that they might be mutually comforted. And now, by God’s providence, he was going there in chains. And they heard. And while it was not the meeting they expected, they came out to him to welcome him. As much as he wanted to be there with them, they wanted him there with them. And they couldn’t wait to meet him and care for him. And so because of all of this, what do we learn about Paul? He was strengthened and comforted. Verse 15 says, “whom when Paul saw, he thanked God, and took courage.” Worship and fellowship invigorated and comforted him. Despite whatever uncertainty there was, when he saw their care for him, he thanked God and was encouraged.

Paul wanted to go there many years ago to minister to the Romans. And now that he was in need of encouragement, they came to minister to him. As Christians, we often take this for granted. Remember, there are those who have great need for this. Would you not remember your old CI teacher - who after so many years is still teaching. Encourage him or her. They are still ministering. Yes, some of them have experienced shipwrecks - they’re in need of encouragement. How about your officers - some have ministered for years. While they’re like Christ - who came not to be ministered unto, but to minister - you know that they can use some encouragement. Serve alongside them. Fight the good fight with them. Encourage them to continue in their service. Put your hands to the plow with them.

When Paul left Melita, he sailed on a ship. On the bow were carved the signs of Castor and Pollux. These were the twin sons of Zeus, called Gemini. In fact, they’re part of the constellation Gemini. And they were the patron gods of sailors. Why? Mythology has it that Castor was mortal, but Pollux was immortal. When Castor died, Pollux asked Zeus to let him share his immortality with Castor so that he could keep his twin together. He shared what his brother needed. And the sailors thought that that would be something handy at sea - perhaps these immortal twins would prevent the sailors from dying by sharing their life with them. Now, it’s interesting why Luke recorded this piece of information. He could’ve left it out and said it was pagan. But the Holy Spirit inspired him to write it this way. Why? I believe it lends context to this passage.

We have Christ, our brother, who died to give us immortality. That we would be brethren together, and give ourselves to one another in our needs. He doesn’t provide us with false gods and false carvings and charms to protect us; he gives us the provision of real people. And Christ knew that Paul needed this encouragement for what he would face. Giving Paul what he denied himself. Remember, Christ left heaven’s glory, where he enjoyed the comfort and fellowship of the Triune God, to be alone.

On the first day of the week, Jesus came to Jerusalem at his Triumphal Entry. He was nearing his death. It was what he was born to do - not only to live a righteous and perfect life, but to die as a substitutionary sacrifice. He said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.” He would go through many trials for the sake of God’s people, so that he would bear forth many fruit - so people like us wouldn’t have to be alone. But Jesus was alone. This was the time that he needed ministry as well. But at the Last Supper, he was the one who not only hosted, but he washed the feet of his disciples. They didn’t serve him - only Mary did at Bethany. At Gethsemane, he needed his friends to be close by, but they were asleep. When the soldiers came to arrest him, his disciples fled. And at his time of greatest need, his disciples forsook him. And when he was there on the cross bearing upon him the sins of mankind, his father forsook him. Why? So that we, in our need, might never be forsaken. Jesus said - “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” He said “I will be with you until the end of the world.” He said that he’s the good shepherd - “Surely, goodness and mercy, shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” And we are God’s house - never alone.

1. God’s Providence Advanced the Evangel

A. Providence and paganism

B. Grace and gratitude

2. God’s People Encouraged the Evangelist

A. Christian worship invigorates

B. Christian fellowship encourages