Acts 28:3-6
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[a] 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.
The shipreck in Malta
Paul was imprisoned and en route to Rome to face trial when the ship he was traveling in hit a sandbar and ran aground
Acts 23:11
The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, ‘Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome
An angel appeared to Paul and he was able to give everyone on board the word from God that all lives would be spared
Paul and a few men had just come ashore in Malta from a shipwreck where the ship was lost but everybody survived. An angel of God had told Paul everybody would be saved.
The Viper attack
Paul is helping gather wood for the fire. As he lays his bundle of sticks in the flames, a viper comes out of the wood and bites Paul, hanging onto his hand
Paul shook the snake off and the people waited to see what would happen to him.
Paul faced a real trial when he was bitten by a poisonous snake. But, God in His mercy, fulfilled His promise
The Miracle
Mark:16:18
These signs shall follow them that believe; in my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues.They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them:they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.”
Of course he didn’t take the venom but the wide promise of protection against poison and snakes is at the core of this promise of Jesus.
Luke 10:19
“Behold, I give you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing by any means shall hurt you.”
Shake off that snake
THE SNAKE OF BAD CIRCUMSTANCES
- These people were sitting there watching Paul, waiting for him to swell up, fall down and die
- Neptune, the god of the sea, had not taken him, but Nemesis, the goddess in charge of dispensing justice would!
- God took care of the poison, but here’s the problem: the crisis came when Paul was engaged in doing good.
- Ask Job, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, Daniel, Elijah, the disciples, even the Lord Jesus. Troubles are part of everyone’s life,
THE SNAKE OF CRITICISM
- As soon as Paul is bitten by the snake, the people of the island begin to criticize him
- Are some vipers attaching themselves to your life? Shake off that snake!
- People are often quick to criticize when they do not understand what they see and hear.
- Some of the greatest people who ever lived have been criticized by others. Israel criticized Moses for everything that went wrong. They murmured when they were hungry, thirsty, tired, etc. Even Jesus faced criticism from His enemies. Jesus was called a “blasphemer”, Matt. 9:3. He was even accused of being in league with Satan, Matt. 9:34.
THE SNAKE OF CYNICISM
- How many in this room have been the object of a cynic’s words? “You will never make it. This church thing won’t last. You will fail. You will fall. This isn’t real!” Some people are just waiting for you to fail. If you are not careful the prophecy of the cynic can become self-fulfilling. You make a mistake and you say, “What’s the use? I might as well quit!”
- There is not a critic, a cynic or a crisis that can drive you from Him, unless you allow it to! Shake off that snake!