AN UNLIKELY MISSION FIELD

Newsletter 251 July 10, 2011

While our text is taken from the last chapter of the book of Acts in order to conserve space, I do plan to reference both before and after that portion. We must keep in mind that Acts is a record of the birth and expansion of the church. It began in Jerusalem, and had, at this point, spread to Rome, the capitol of the Roman Empire. It is not the biography of the Apostle Paul. It does not start with his birth, nor end with his death. Tradition tells us that he was released from this prison, made the missionary trip to Spain, that he had said he hoped to make, and then was arrested again, and finally was beheaded outside Rome.

What I would like to see today is how he took, what promised to be very impossible situations and fields, and turned them into opportunities to preach the Gospel. The first is the shipwreck itself. Paul was a prisoner on board a small ship that was being driven ashore, who knew where. He was probably been in chains, and would certainly have been lost, but he had become a friend of his guards and they were all released so that they could get ashore on their own. The setting is a bit obscure. One version says it was a “creek mouth,” while another translates it as a “beach.” Having been a sailor and been trained to beach landing craft. The beach is preferable by far, The creek mouth could well have a sand bar just under the surface, as we are told it did. The ship broke up and they all struggled ashore. Their first need was for warmth and dry clothing, so they gathered anything that would burn, including, unknown to them, a viper that had sheltered under some of it. Had God stranded them in a good field for evangelism? A resounding yes! They “just happened” to be on the property of the governor of the island, and his father was very ill. Paul, “just happened to be bitten by a deadly viper.

Acts 28:1-10

1 Once safely on shore, we found out that the island was called Malta. (Acts 16:10, Acts 27:1, Acts 27:39, Acts 27:26)

Malta is a small island, only about 17 miles long.

2 The islanders showed us unusual kindness. They built a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold. (Acts 28:4, Romans 1:14, 1 Corinthians 14:11, Colossians 3:11, Romans 14:1)

3 Paul gathered a pile of brushwood and, as he put it on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand.

4 When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, “This man must be a murderer; for though he escaped from the sea, the goddess Justice has not allowed him to live.” (Acts 28:2, Luke 13:2)

5 But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. (Mark 15:18)

6 The people expected him to swell up or suddenly fall dead; but after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god. (Acts 14:11)

God had turned these adverse situations into advantages for them all. The people had turned from thinking he was a murderer, unto thinking that he must be a god. After he also, healed the governor’s father of a very common illness there, they were ready to hear the Good News of eternal life through Jesus Christ.

7 In the same quarters were possessions of the chief man of the island, whose name was Publius; who received us, and lodged us three days courteously.

8 And it came to pass, that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and of a bloody flux: to whom Paul entered in, and prayed, and laid his hands on him, and healed him. (Acts 9:40, James 5:14,Matthew 9:18, Mark 5:23, Mark 6:5)

9 So when this was done, others also, which had diseases in the island, came, and were healed:

10 Who also honoured us with many honours; and when we departed, they laded us with such things as were necessary.

As soon as the warmer and milder weather came, a ship which had spent the winter on the island, and the crew, including the prisoners and their guards, sailed again headed for Italy. God sent them fellow believers, probably including people of influence, who saw to it that Paul was permitted to be under house arrest until his case could be heard before Caesar. Caesar’s own personal guards spent their assignments chained to Paul. Thus they heard everything that was said, so Paul had as a captive audience servants from the very household of Caesar and many of them became believers. He had two full years in which to live under house arrest but with a very welcoming audience.

God turned every “hindrance“ into an “advantage“ and the church spread.. When we first arrived in Africa from America, we learned that while we in America get our electricity in 110 volts, in Africa it comes as 220 volts, also with different cycles. Our first purchase was for a transformer so we could use our American electrical appliances. We did not have many, but we did have a small record player, and it, with clarion hymn chimes, became our very first real contact with the children of the area. In the cool of the evening, we played those chimes at the same time each evening, and with flannel graph, visible through our open doors, we told the Bible Stories to our invisible audience. After weeks of this, they became visible, when we decided to skip an evening. A hesitant knock at the door, introduced us to seven young people. After that they came in and brought their friends. God had turned a problem into a blessing. He later was to turn our inability to speak German or Afrikaans into another. We started English Correspondence Bible Studies. Demand for them rolled in from all over Africa, except where we were. Instead of a small village, God opened a continent. Now, years later, there is a Christian University in one of those west Africa countries. A chief project of that university is to reach the Islamic world for Christ.
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READ THE BIBLE THROUGH AGAIN IN 2011
JULY

10th. Sunday – 2 Kings 11, 12, Romans 1:1-17, Psalm 83
11th. Monday – 2 Kings 13, 14, Romans 1:18-32, Proverbs 16:25-33
12th. Tuesday – 2 Kings 15, 16, Romans 2, Psalm 84:1-7
13th. Wednesday - 2 Kings 17, Romans 3:1-20, Psalm 84:8-12
14th. Thursday - 2 Kings 18, Romans 3:21-31, Psalm 85:1-7
15th. Friday – 2 Kings 19, 20, Romans 4, Proverbs 17:1-12
16th. Saturday - 2 Kings 21, 22, Romans 5, Psalm 85:8-13

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THIS WEEK'S SCRIPTURE

“Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.“

Acts 28:28

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SPREAD THE GOOD NEWS ! – Forward this along to all your friends. The saved will rejoice and the unsaved need its message the most, so everyone is blessed: YOU FOR SHARING, AND ALL FOR READING.

http://www.amazon.com/P-J-Mills/e/B004KAS792/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0
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Are You Insane?

It doesn't hurt to take a hard look at yourself from time to time. This little test should get you started.

During a visit to the mental asylum, a visitor asked the Director what the criteria is that defines a patient to be institutionalized.

"Well," said the Director, "we fill up a bathtub. We offer a teaspoon, a teacup and a bucket to the patient, and ask the patient to empty the bathtub."

OK, here's your test:

1. Would you use the spoon?

2. Would you use the teacup?

3. Would you use the bucket?

"Oh, I understand," said the visitor. "A normal person would choose the bucket as it is larger than the spoon."

"No," answered the Director.

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"A normal person would pull the plug."