Unexpected Kindness
Unexpected Kindness
Acts 28:1-16
I am not much of a planner. Details are not my strong suit. By God’s grace, I have grown over the years, but having a well-organized, detailed plan is not natural to me. Ellen is the opposite. She is thorough, meticulous and detailed. She does not love surprises but prefers to know what is coming. It was the summer of 2003 and we were just beginning our dating relationship. We were driving from Cedar Rapids, IA to Palatine, IL on a quest to make my mom a video for her 50th birthday. (Kids way back in 2003, text messages didn’t exist so you had to drive places to take live video of people with a camcorder. It was an exciting time.) It was 10 pm and Ellen asked, “Where are we spending the night?” And I immediately replied, “The Scalabrinos.” Then she asked, “Have you called and asked them yet?” “No, I should probably do that, huh?”
Ellen was mortified. We were going to arrive at 11:30 at night with little but an hour's notice. She has never met these people. This was not a well-organized plan. We arrived at the Scalabrinos and we were welcomed like a King coming back from war. They had a whole kitchen full of food with appetizers covering the whole island. It was as if they had been waiting for us forever. Ellen experienced her first glimpse of the unexpected kindness of Midwesterners. Vince and Karen Scalabrino were kind and gracious, welcoming us with warmth of a long lost son. I will never forget that welcome because it was extravagant and an unexpected, undeserved kindness.
Have you ever received that kind of welcome? Have you ever received such unexpected kindness that you couldn’t forget it? The Apostle Paul along with the 276 fellow travelers received an unexpected kindness as their ship crashed on the shores of a small island off the coast of Italy on their way to Rome. As we continue to study Paul’s quest to Rome and God’s kindness to him, I pray you will remember and meditate on how God has shown an unexpected and undeserved kindness to you in Christ.
The Kindness of an Unexpected Welcome
Paul and his companions were caught in a violent storm. They were starving and exhausted as they arrived on Malta. Honestly, they were probably just happy to be alive after 14 days of terror on the seas. Acts 28:1–2,
[1] After we were brought safely through, we then learned that the island was called Malta. [2] 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.
Much like the book of Esther, the sixteen verses we are looking at today do not make a direct reference to God, but his divine hand of providence is clearly directing the whole narrative. In verse 1, Luke mentioned how their rescue was not by their own effort but they “were brought safely through.” Luke understands it was the kind hand of God that brought them safely through the storm. They had no legitimate hope of survival unless God divinely interceded on their behalf. They were brought safely through the storm. Beloved, it is the Lord who carries us safely through trials to bring safely to the shore. Our text does not directly say it but as you read the whole account it is very clear God is orchestrating these events to bring about his purposes.
The word translated for native people is “barbarians,” showing these people were ignorant of Latin and Greek culture. They were unlearned and lacked a refined cultural background, but they were kind. It is easy to look down upon those who are uneducated. Our culture often values beauty, intellect, and wealth where we should celebrate kindness and mercy. These people knew little of Latin and Greek culture, but they demonstrated an unexpected and unusual kindness to Paul and his companions. They welcomed them and as it started to rain, they kindled a fire to warm the sailors. The word used for kindness here is where we get our word philanthropy. It means a lover of mankind, an affection for people. It is easy to imagine why Luke would use this word. Tired, exhausted and starving after their violent trip on the seas to receive such an unexpected welcome from uneducated, unlearned barbarians. They experienced the deep love and affection of strangers. This would have left a mark on everyone on the ship. They would have been emotionally affected by this treatment.
This word is only used twice in the entire New Testament. This unusual kindness is used here in Acts and years later the Apostle Paul would use it again while writing to one his disciples living amongst barbarians on another island. Paul writes to Titus on Crete trying to get him to understand the salvation that has been offered to us in Christ. He writes,Titus 3:3–7,
[3] For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. [4] But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, [5] he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, [6] whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, [7] so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
When Paul was trying to describe the unmerited favor and kindness of God, he thought back to the moment on the shores of Malta. He just experienced a physical salvation from the storm and was greeted by the unusual loving kindness of strangers. He did not deserve their kindness, but he experienced it.
We all were once foolish and disobedient. All of us have once been slaves to various passions and pleasures. But God saved us. Through the goodness and loving kindness of Jesus Christ we were brought safely to God, not because of our works, but his mercy. God has richly poured out the Holy Spirit to us through Jesus Christ. What grace! What mercy! It is hard for us sometimes to explain and illustrate our salvation in Christ, but Acts 28:2 gives us a visible picture. Starved and tired, bruised and beaten, only to be welcomed with an unusual, unexpected kindness.
Friend, if you have never trusted in Jesus Christ as your Savior, can I encourage you to do it today? We all know the foolishness of disobedience. We all know what we deserve for our sin. We deserve death and punishment. We deserve to spend eternity in a literal hell where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. We deserve that. And it is only when we understand what we rightly and justly deserve when we can appreciate the goodness and loving kindness of Jesus Christ. God sent Jesus to take hell for us. He lived a perfect life of kindness and love but was brutally killed as a sinner. He died in the place of sinners because of his deep love and affection for mankind. He died so we could be saved. And now we know we can be saved, because Jesus was raised from the dead. He defeated death. He overcame death in his resurrection and offers eternal life to everyone who will repent of their sins and trust in Christ. Do you see how unusual this kindness is to you? You do not deserve it. You will never deserve it. And yet it is freely offered to you. All you must do is repent of your sins and trust in Christ. Experience the unexpected kindness of God our Savior today.
God has given us a window of salvation. God cared for those sailors in the storm and now is caring for them through the generosity of others. These people were not Christians but God used them to show his kindness. Beloved, if this is true of non-Christians, how much more should this be shown in us? Are we known for kindness? Are we known for an unusual, unexpected kindness to others? One of the fruits of the Spirit is kindness. Do we have a deep affection and love for our fellow man? The greatest kindness we can show to others is to share with them the love of God in Christ Jesus. We must tell them of Christ. It is an extreme kindness to tell people they are lost and under judgment, but can be forgiven and restored to God through faith in Jesus Christ. And yet, many people will never hear our words because they do not see the goodness and loving kindness of God in our actions. We must give people an unusual kindness so that people would see our good deeds and praise our father in heaven.
Beloved, I am grateful for God’s kindness to our church family. I have been reminded several times this week how God has used one another to express an unusual kindness to each other. Whether it is through meals after babies, or offering help to broken down cars, or using your job skills to serve the church, let’s continue to be a community of kindness to one another. For every act of kindness is a reflection of the kindness of God our Savior. Let’s be kind to one another.
The Kindness of an Unexpected Mercy
The people of Malta were showing kindness to Paul and the sailors because of the common grace God had worked in their culture. Every culture has aspects of God’s character even if only a dim reflection of it. They were not Christians as we see in how they responded to the next few moments. 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 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.
Paul, the apostle, helped gather sticks and put them in the fire. Paul did not view himself as one who was above work. As the Lord Jesus did not come to be served, but to serve and give his life as a ransom, Paul, likewise, did not consider his apostleship making him about serving others. And as he was picking up sticks, a viper, normally dormant in the winter, was awakened by the heat and fastened to Paul’s hand.
We have a lot of ivy in our backyard. During the winter months, I never worry about walking, getting sticks or fetching a ball that lands in the ivy. But in the summer, I am always on the lookout for copperheads. The heat of the summer brings them out. Some scholars dispute this claim because snakes typically do not attack in the winter, but this snake did. The heat of the fire and Paul’s upsetting his habitat caused it to attack. The people responded that Paul was as good as dead. They would have obviously seen people die of viper bites in the past and knew there was no chance of survival. They assumed based on their worldview that Paul experienced a sort of karma. He escaped the sea only to die on land. They assumed he was a murderer and was receiving the punishment for his crime.
They waited and waited and waited, but Paul was unaffected by the viper. No misfortune had come to him. Instead of viewing him as a murderer, they viewed him as a god for only a god would have been able to survive the attack. They interpreted the events based on what they observed in the world. Everyone in every culture is trying to make sense of what happens in this life. These people knew justice. They knew those who do wrong should be punished. An uneducated, unlearned people on a remote island in the Mediterranean Sea knows those who do wrong should be punished. And they are absolutely right. Paul pursued people to death. Remember his own words in front of Agrippa, Acts 26:10–11,
[10] And I did so in Jerusalem. I not only locked up many of the saints in prison after receiving authority from the chief priests, but when they were put to death I cast my vote against them. [11] And I punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to make them blaspheme, and in raging fury against them I persecuted them even to foreign cities.
And his words in 1 Timothy 1:13,
Though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent.
Paul deserved justice, but he received mercy. 1 Timothy 1:13–15,
[13] though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, [14] and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. [15] The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.
Paul was not saved from the viper bite because he was a god. He was saved because he belonged to God. God was giving a visible illustration to the people of Malta of what salvation looks like. Paul was spared from judgment because Jesus was not spared. God did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all. (Rom 8:32).
Beloved, let us never take mercy for granted. We do not deserve God’s kindness. We deserve justice. And justice without mercy is us paying for every single sin we have ever committed. We deserve to pay for our lies and jealousy, our lust and anger, our pride and selfishness. And God gave us mercy. Titus 3:4–5,
[4] But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, [5] he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy
Let us always remember we deserve justice but have received mercy. And therefore, let us be merciful. For blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
And again, if you are a non-Christian, do you notice how a naturalistic worldview, like those at Malta, understands justice? When we are wronged, we want people to pay. And so often when we wrong others, we want mercy. Paul asked a question to the Romans, “Do you suppose you will escape the judgment of God?” Romans 2:4,
[4] Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?
God’s kindness and mercy is meant to lead you to repentance not to empower you to continue in sin. Take stock of your life and ask, “Will I receive mercy after my last breath or justice?” If you haven’t considered that question, we would love to talk with you more after the service.
The Kindness of an Unexpected Healing
God continues to show kindness to the Maltans. Proverbs 11:25, “Whoever brings blessings will be enriched, and the one who waters will himself be watered.” The Maltans continue to show kindness to Paul and his fellow travelers and therefore God shows kindness to them through Paul. Acts 28:7–10
[7] 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. [8] 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. [9] And when this had taken place, the rest of the people on the island who had diseases also came and were cured. [10] They also honored us greatly, and when we were about to sail, they put on board whatever we needed.
This is the only place in the book of Acts where healing and the laying on of hands are combined for healing. We see this in Jesus ministry in Luke 4:40,
[40] Now when the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to him, and he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them.
God extended his grace through Paul to bring healing to the people of Malta. We do not know if Paul preached the gospel in Malta, but it is hard to imagine Paul being anywhere for 3 days and not sharing Christ. They would have listened to his words as they believed him to be divine for surviving and snake bite as well as for all the healing. Paul would not have taken credit for any of the healing, but would have given all glory to God. We can assume the people of Malta heard of Christ and the message of salvation because God extended his kindness to them. Spurgeon notes,
“Happy island of Malta to have such a missionary driven onto its shore! The calamities of ministers are often a benediction to the people. Paul’s shipwreck resulted in the blessings to that island that otherwise it would have missed. Let us, as God’s servants, leave ourselves in his hands and believe that he can sometimes use us better by means of a shipwreck than if he had given the winds and waves charge concerning us to bear us safely to our desired haven.
Let us trust in his hand of providence in our lives for he wants to us to bless others.
Luke is describing how God is using Paul, but in the context of the narrative, Luke is showing how God is bringing Paul to Rome. Remember Paul must go to Rome to testify before Caesar. Rome would have been viewed as the main place of where Gentiles lived. Paul was called to minister to the Gentiles. God is moving in Paul’s life during the journey, but Paul has a specific destination. The people of Malta honored Paul and gave them whatever they needed for their trip.
Their ship is destroyed and they have no money to get to Rome, but God makes a way. How many times has God made way when there seemed like no way? Sarah received a child past child bearing years, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego are saved from the fire, David slays Goliath with smooth stone, Moses is rescued from the water, the Red Seas part with Israel walking on dry ground, and the Savior died only to rise three days later to rise from the dead. Beloved, God makes a way for his people. I don’t know what you are facing today, but I know God will make a way to accomplish his will. Trust him.
The Kindness of an Unexpected Arrival
Paul and the sailors winter in Malta before boarding a ship bound for Rome. Remember God has told Paul, he must testify to his grace to Caesar. Acts 28:11–16,
[11] After three months we set sail in a ship that had wintered in the island, a ship of Alexandria, with the twin gods as a figurehead. [12] Putting in at Syracuse, we stayed there for three days. [13] And from there we made a circuit and arrived at Rhegium. And after one day a south wind sprang up, and on the second day we came to Puteoli. [14] There we found brothers and were invited to stay with them for seven days. And so we came to Rome. [15] And the brothers there, when they heard about us, came as far as the Forum of Appius and Three Taverns to meet us. On seeing them, Paul thanked God and took courage. [16] And when we came into Rome, Paul was allowed to stay by himself, with the soldier who guarded him. (ESV)
It may be difficult for us to understand the beauty of that paragraph. It has only taken us a month to begin the journey from Jerusalem to Rome, but for Paul the journey was far longer. We can learn to appreciate someone else’s story, but we can never fully understand it. Paul boarded ship after ship after ship. He survived a violent storm, a shipwreck, and snakebite. He has preached the gospel to Jews and Gentiles all over Macedonia. He has been commissioned to be the apostle to the Gentiles. And when he arrives in Rome, he is greeted by the brothers.
The gospel has already come to Rome. At this point, he had probably already written to the Romans as most scholars think he wrote Romans in 57-59 AD when he was in Corinth. If you just read Acts, one would think that unless Paul made it to Rome, the gospel would never make it there. But that is not the way of the kingdom. The kingdom of God is built on one man, but on the God-man, Jesus Christ. God uses all of his servants to testify to his grace throughout the world. Paul arrives in Rome and the brothers greet me. And Paul thanked God, and took courage.
Paul was a man. He would have had his doubts and fears about God’s promises. He would have been tempted to wonder if what God promised would come to pass. And yet, as he arrived in Rome, God’s word again is proven true. He is in Rome and greeted by those who already stand with Christ. Beloved, the kingdom is far bigger than our own local assembly. God is moving in Africa and Asia, Argentina and Alaska, and in Russia and Rome. God is working through his people to testify to his grace all over the world.
I called this point, “the kindness of an unexpected arrival,” but that is only from a human perspective. From God’s perspective, it was a foregone conclusion. When God speaks his word, it will always happen. His word never returns void, it always accomplished his purpose. As I said last week, sometimes we do not need more of God’s word, we simply need to believe the word we have already been given. What word do you need to believe today?
It seems anti-climatic, but do not lose the power of the end Acts 28:14, “And so we came to Rome.” God fulfilled his word. After Paul made it to Rome, he thanked God. Beloved as we enter into our season of thanksgiving let us not be like those 9 lepers who after they were healed by God, they left without giving thanks. Let us be like that one who with a loud voice turned back and praised God falling at Jesus' feet giving thanks to Him. Paul arrived in Rome and he thanked God.
Paul still did not know how things were going to go for him while in Rome. He was told by the Spirit and pain and imprisonment were waiting for him in Jerusalem. He knew he would testify to Caesar and those in Caesar’s household, but he didn’t know what was going to come his way. So after he thanked God, he took courage. He took courage to continue to trust in the Lord whatever comes his way.
Beloved, this is the Christian life. The Christian life is at its core to hear and believe God’s word and take courage to obey and trust Him. I have no idea the tests and trials that you will face in the coming weeks and months, but I do know God’s Word is true and you can trust him. I would charge you to look at how God has worked in your life in the past and how he has worked throughout history, and to take courage. Take courage and trust him.
Beloved, God is kind. He has shown us the goodness and the loving kindness by sending Jesus Christ to save us by his mercycy. I love how the song by CityAlight captura this,
Jesus said, if I am lost
He will come to me
And He showed me on that cross
He will come to me
For the Lord is good and faithful
He will keep us day and night
We can always run to Jesus
Jesus, strong and kind
It is always unexpected when a holy and righteous God saves unworthy sinners. And yet, that is who God is. He is strong enough to save and kind enough to save sinners. Beloved, as we have received the unexpected kindness of Jesus Christ in our salvation,let us now go into the world and share that kindness with those who desperately need it.