[Acts 28:1-10]
July 10, 2011 Second Reformed Church
What does it mean to serve humbly? And why should we serve humbly?
After fifteen days of hurricane, the ship bound for Italy that was carrying Paul and 275 others, including a number of prisoners, crashed on a reef just off the shore of Malta. Those who could swim swam to shore, and those who could not swim held on to pieces of the crumbling ship and were brought to shore by the current. This occurred according to the Will of God – all 276 persons were saved from the wreck for Paul’s sake – that all those travelling with him would know that Paul was truly speaking for the One and Sovereign God.
Once they were all on the island, they discovered that they were on Malta, just south of Sicily. And the native people, who were neither Romans, nor Greeks, but whose nation had been annexed by the Roman Empire, welcomed them, as Luke records, with “unusual kindness.” And they immediately prepared fires for all of the people who had landed, because it was still raining, and it was cold.
The Maltese were not merely kind, but they were “unusually kind” to the 276 people – sailors, prisoners, soldiers, and all – who had washed up on their shore. And we might wonder why. The Maltese people were known, so it was not just that Luke was surprised that they were as kind as they were, but for some reason, under this great imposition of 276 people, they were even kinder than expected. Why?
We’re not told, but it is not unreasonable to believe that God interceded and made them willing to be “unusually kind” – to make Paul and the rest of the people pleasant in their sight, so they would welcome them with open arms and give them humble service.
Paul was also serving – it is reasonable to believe that the chains of the prisoners had been unlocked so they could get to land safely. Now, Paul was going about the shore, collecting wood for the fire. Notice, he did not stand by while others worked – he did not tell them to gather the wood, because “he” got them to shore. No, Paul immediately stepped in and did what he was able – to humbly serve and provide for others.
And Luke tells us that Paul picked up a bundle of sticks, and when he tried to place them in the fire, a viper – and the word that is used here is a word that means “venomous viper” – there is no getting around the fact that this was a venomous snake – a viper saved itself from the fire by fastening itself onto Paul’s hand.
The reaction of the people was normal: first, they assumed he would quickly die; he had just been bitten by a venomous snake. Second, they assumed that God – or the gods – had sent the snake to achieve justice. They surmised that Paul must be a murder for Justice to follow after him this way – that when he did not die in the sea, God – or the gods – came after him to kill him through the means of the viper.
But Paul didn’t die: He shook the snake off into the fire. He did not swell up; he did not collapse. He did not die. Who could survive the bite of a venomous snake? Only a god – so they surmised that Paul was a god. (Which could lead to many other questions, but we need not go into them now.)
We will remember this was not the first time that Paul was mistaken for a god: When Paul and Barnabas healed the lame man in Lystra, the people thought they were gods and began to offer sacrifices and to worship them. Paul rightly rebuked the people of Lystra and denied that Barnabas and he were gods, in fact, he told them who the Real God is, and they tried to kill him (cf. Acts 14).
Paul did not correct the Maltese. So, they probably just talked about the possibility of his being a god under their breath, and they didn’t try to offer a sacrifice to him or worship him. It may be that only Luke heard the comment.
At some point that day, they brought Paul and his 275 companions to the Chief of the island, a man named Publius. Publius also showed uncommon kindness and humble service by providing for all 276 castaways for three days. At the drop of a hat, Publius provided food, clothing, and a place to stay -- for 276 people – until proper lodging could be found for them. (We find out that they stay on Malta for the storm season – three months.)
Why did Publius put himself out like that? Why did he show such humble service to this crowd of people – even prisoners?
Again, we’re not told, but it is not unreasonable to believe that God interceded and made him willing to be “unusually kind” – to make Paul and the rest of the people pleasant in his sight, so he would welcome them with open arms and give them humble service – providing for all their needs for three days.
Now, Publius’ father was sick in bed with fevers and dysentery – modern scholars believe it was probably caused by a parasite which is common to the milk on Malta. And Paul visited Publius’ father, lay hands on him, prayed to God for him (so no one would be confused – the healing came from God and not from Paul), and God healed him.
When word got out that Paul could heal people of their diseases – by the Power of God – Luke tells us that every sick person on the island of Malta came to see Paul, and every one of them was cured. (We can assume that as Paul healed the people, he directed them to Salvation in Jesus Alone. He would have explained to them that he could not heal them of his own, but was healing them by the Power of God in him. He would have explained that God came to earth in the Person of Jesus, lived under God’s Law, was put to death for the sin of all those who would believe, as foretold in the Hebrew Scriptures – which they may or may not have been familiar with – suffered under the Wrath of God, died, was buried, rose from the dead – in His Physical Body, as foretold in the Hebrew Scriptures, and ascended back to the Throne of the Son at the Right Hand of God the Father. That is the Gospel, right? So, he would have been sure to tell them.)
At the end of their three months with them, the 276 secured a new ship and readied to set said for Italy – just around the island. And the Maltese, again, showed unusual kindness, giving them – as the text literally says – “honors with many honors” – they provided them with everything they would need to make the journey safely – food, supplies, etc. Again, why?
They may have been so kind at this point because Paul had healed everyone on the island, but still, that was God’s intervention.
So, the 276 swim to shore, they were treated with unusually kindness and humble service, Paul exemplified humble service before them, Paul was bitten by a venomous snake and was unaffected, the Chief of the island provided for all of them with unusual kindness and humble service for three days until lodging could be arranged for all of them for the three months they would stay on the island, Paul lay hands on the sick father of the Chief and healed him in the Name of Jesus, then he healed everyone else on the island, surely preaching the Gospel at the same time, and with unusual kindness, the Maltese gave them all the provisions they will need to get to where they were going in Italy.
Another thing we see in this history is the fulfillment of a prophecy that Jesus made – a promise that Jesus made: “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs shall accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover” (Mark 16:15b-18, ESV) And in this morning’s text, we see exactly this occurring: Paul was not hurt by the serpent, and he laid hands on the sick and they recovered.
Let me ask the questions again: What does it mean to serve humbly? And why should we serve humbly?
Paul gives us the answers as he writes, “So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:1-11, ESV).
What does it mean to serve humbly?
It means that we will look at people as more significant than we are – that others have greater worth than we do. It means that we will look out for the interests of all people, not just those we like; we will seek to do everything we can to better others’ lives, especially in the proclaiming of the Gospel to them. We will not look down on people and make fun of them and seek to get things over on them. It means, when we come in contact with someone we don’t like and don’t want to deal with, we find a way to serve them – to do something for them – to show love of neighbor – as we are commanded – to even that person we don’t like.
For example, there are a few ministers in our Classis that I do not get along with. We have very different understandings of the Scripture and what it means to be a Christian. However, I do not seek to tear those people down – as difficult as it is some times. Instead, I am willing to work with them for the sake of the Gospel and the good of the Classis and all those we serve.
Serving humbly does not mean that we have to do everything anyone tells us to do. We are not seeking to be “used” – to be a “doormat.” First and foremost, we are to stand for the Truth of the Gospel – we must speak Salvation in Jesus Alone. Not speaking because someone does not want us to speak about believing in Jesus Alone for Salvation is not humble service.
Serving humbly does not mean that we enter into a codependent or masochistic relationship. There are appropriate boundaries which ought to be kept for our health and sanity.
Humble service is helping someone without any thought of reward, if you are able and it is not sin and it does not cause you to sin.
But why should we serve humbly? Why should we do things for other people? Why should we care about other peoples’ life – especially if it is someone we don’t get along with?
Because God Almighty, in humble service, came to earth in the Person of Jesus Christ, lived, suffered, died, rose, and ascended back to the Father – just as the Scriptures said He would – to glorify His Father and to make us right with God.
Why should we serve humbly? Because the Almighty God became Man, lived as we live, tempted as we are tempted, but never sinned. He submitted to the mad crowds and religious hypocrites and allowed Himself to be tortured and then killed by crucifixion – the most horrible form of death ever invented by man.Why should we serve humbly? Because God raised Jesus from the death, returned Him to His Throne, gave Him the Name that is above every name – that every man, woman, child, and creature throughout all time and all of Creation, should worship Him.
Why should we serve humbly? Because Jesus is worthy of our service. If you are a Christian, Paul tell us that Jesus is worth our putting aside ourselves and serving humbly in thanks to Him that others would know Jesus for Who He is.
Let us pray:
Almighty God, we can never thank You enough for being Who You are and for making us right with You through Salvation in Jesus Alone. You have called us to obedience in loving God and loving neighbor, and we confess it is not always easy to love our neighbor, but for the sake of Christ and His Worth, and the Incalculable Gift that He is, we ask that You would humble us and make us servants, as Jesus was. And may You receive all the glory. For it is in Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
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