January 25 - In a Roman Prison

January 25 - In a Roman Prison - Acts 27:1-28:31

This story is probably one of the best-known of all of Paul's travels. Notice that Luke seems to still be with the group. Luke also continues to extol the kindness of Roman guards and gives us their names as well. They have set sail for Italy and on one of the stops (in Sidon), the centurion allows Paul to meet with his friends. This was not an easy voyage, they actually transferred to a different vessel so as to make way against the winds. Even that wasn't going to help them. (Acts 27:1-8)

Now, why would a centurion listen to a tentmaker over the pilot of the ship? I don't know that I would, but we soon discover that he should have done exactly that. (Acts 27:9-12) Winter is coming, the storms are increasing, they haven't seen the sun for days, they are tossing things overboard to keep the ship afloat. All seems lost. But, Paul encourages them by telling them God's plan for him to stand before Caesar. Keep courage. (Acts 27:13-26)

I probably would have tossed him over myself at that point, but fortunately I wasn't on that ship because I would have been wrong.

Acts 27:27 says that they were still on that same ship after fourteen days. Battered and tossed about with no food (I would have probably tossed any food in my stomach anyway) they begin to sense that they are approaching land. They were afraid of being dashed on the rocks so sailors let down the lifeboat. Paul told the centurion and soldiers that was a bad idea. The lifeboat was cut away. I guess the centurion learned his lesson about who to believe - Paul or the sailors. (Acts 27:27-32)

Paul told them to eat something and then told them that everyone would be saved. He also got them to throw all fo the grain into the sea. Wow. They are listening to him now. A sandy bay, a sandbar, the boat's stern is pounded to pieces, a murderous plot against the prisoners and a faithful centurion. They all got to shore (Acts 27:33-44). Whew!

While the sailors had no idea where they were, there aren't any unpopulated islands in the Adriatic. Soon they discovered that they were on Malta and found themselves among a group of very kind islanders.

We read the story of the snake's attack on Paul. Don't you love the way the islanders were ready to believe that he was a murderer because they saw the snake hanging from his hand? And yet, their attitudes quickly changed when he didn't die from the bite. Now they believed he was a god. On Malta, Paul healed Publius' father and then many sick from the island. (Acts 28:1-10)

Another ship was found, supplies were set in and the tour proceeded to Rome. (Acts 28:11-16)

Once in Rome, Paul calls the leaders of the Jews together and speaks to them. They haven't heard anything from Judea about him, but have heard about the Christians. While he was under guard, he spoke with them over and over. Some believed. Some did not. (Acts 28:17-27)

Paul reaffirms his mission to bring the Gospel to the Gentiles and the book of Acts ends by telling us that Paul spent two years under house arrest (he had to rent the house) preaching boldly about the Kingdom of God. (Acts 28:28-31)

Paul's story isn't finished yet. The impact of his humble, yet bold, life has barely begun to show in the world at this point.