Fire Stories: Snakebite On The Island Of Malta! | Acts 28:1-10

Hope you’re feeling cozy and comfy and ready to dive into Acts chapter 28. Our series on Fire Stories in the Bible continues, and today it’s a beauty. Maybe you feel like your life is a wreck, right? You’re gonna be able to identify with the Apostle Paul and his pals who’ve just come off of a shipwreck. They’ve been through a 14-day storm. Stop and think about that. They’re on a ship and for 14 days and nights, it’s storming and they run out of food. They’re hungry, they’re exhausted, they feel like they’re gonna die. What would that be like? And then they’re ship wrecked. Let’s find out what happens next, shall we?

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Transcription:

Hi, it’s Erica. Welcome to the Bible for Busy People. So glad you’re here today. Hope you’re feeling cozy and comfy and ready to dive into Acts chapter 28. Our series on Fire Stories in the Bible continues, and today it’s a beauty. Maybe you feel like your life is a wreck, right? You’re gonna be able to identify with the Apostle Paul and his pals who’ve just come off of a shipwreck. They’ve been through a 14-day storm. Stop and think about that. They’re on a ship and for 14 days and nights, it’s storming and they run out of food. They’re hungry, they’re exhausted, they feel like they’re gonna die. What would that be like? And then they’re ship wrecked. Let’s find out what happens next, shall we?

Join me in Acts chapter 28, beginning in verse one. This is Luke sharing his report with us today. “Once we were safe on shore, we learned that we were on the island of Malta. The people of the island were very kind to us. It was cold and rainy, so they built a fire on the shore to welcome us.” Talk about hospitality, that’s beautiful. “As Paul gathered an arm full of sticks and was laying them on the fire, a poisonous snake, driven out by the heat, bit him on the hand.” So remember now Paul and all of the people with him are on this island. They finally feel like, Okay, we’re gonna live, we’re gonna make it. And Paul gets bit by a venomous snake. “The people of the island saw it hanging from his hand.” How terrifying. “And said to each other, ‘A murderer no doubt! Though he escaped the sea, justice will not permit him to live.'” Paul was one of the prisoners on board that ship. “But Paul shook off the snake into the fire. And was unharmed.” I just got chills. Whew. “The people waited for him to swell up or suddenly dropped dead, but when they had waited a long time and saw that he wasn’t harmed, they changed their minds and decided he was a god.” Oh no, right? “Near the shore where we landed was an estate belonging to Publius, the chief official of the island. He welcomed us and treated us kindly for three days. As it happened, Publius’s father was ill with fever and dysentery. Paul went in and prayed for him, and laying his hands on him, he healed him. Then all the other sick people on the island came and were healed. As a result, we were showered with honors and when the time came to sail, people supplied us with everything we would need for the trip.”

Aren’t you glad Luke, the doctor wrote down these stories. What an incredible account. Our takeaway verse is gonna be verse nine. “Then all the other sick people on the island came and were healed.” There was a shipwreck, there was a two-week storm. These people went through so much, and then Paul gets bit by a snake. But look at the good that came out on the other side. I have a story I wanna share with you today. I will never forget; it was one of the saddest days of my life. My sister miscarried a baby on Mother’s Day. And when that happened, I went home and I crawled under the covers of my bed and I said, Lord, why? Why? How? It just felt so mean. But it wasn’t too long after that my sister got pregnant again, and her and Dave had Kenzie, the light of our family’s life. And Kenzie was born just in time. My mother was diagnosed with cancer of the stomach lining, and it was a dark season for our family. And Kenzie’s life shone so much light during that season. God’s timing is everything and through the storms that we go through in the shipwrecks, please know today that there is something beautiful on the other side. There is healing on the other side. All right. Till next time, remember, you are really loved.

Thank you so much for listening to the Bible for Busy People. If you need prayer or you’re ready to go a little deeper in your faith, we’ve posted some resources for you in our show notes. We’d love for you to share this podcast with a friend and leave us a review. It helps us reach even more people with the hope of Jesus. This podcast is part of Purposely, a podcast network designed with practical podcasts to help you find and live in God’s purpose for your life. Find more podcasts that will recharge you at onpurposely.com.