Acts 28:1-6 (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.

OK Paul, now you’re just showing off. Cheap tricks are beneath you; is there some point to this?

Of course there is, and Paul didn’t dream up this stunt anyway – God did. So, what’s He up to?

Acts 28:7-10 (ESV)

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.

Although Luke doesn’t mention Paul preaching the gospel to the Maltese, does anyone doubt it? The snake trick was just to get their attention. That’s how the Lord brought the gospel to Malta. The storm and the shipwreck (and even Paul appealing to Caesar) were all part of His grand plan.

We also don’t hear anything else about the church at Malta. As we’ll see next, Paul is there for three months – easily enough time to plant a church. If he wrote an epistle to them, it didn’t survive.

God’s creation is a tapestry of many threads, which connect majestically.

Some of those threads are long. For example, you and I get to read about what happened on Malta because Luke was on the ship. God planned that too.

Let’s think long range – back into the past. What were the forks in the road that led to where you are now? What mistakes (or wise choices) determined your path? What were the surprise plot twists?

Obviously, you can’t know what a different life would have been like, but praise God that He gave you this one.

The Road Not Taken

The weekly study guides, which include discussion questions, are available for download here:

https://www.ailbe.org/resources/itemlist/category/91-deep-studies