Here is a teaching on chapter 28 of the book of Acts. If you want to check out previous Bible studies and chapters going forward, join our group here. Once you get added into that Facebook group, you can go to the "units" tab and you'll see all of the chapters and their study guides as they are being taught.
First I want to say a quick prayer... Lord, I pray that you lift up every single person reading this right now. Please give us knowledge and understanding to know exactly what it is that we're reading and the wisdom to implement it in our daily lives. Lord, I pray that you open up our eyes, our ears, our minds, and our hearts to you and to exactly what it is that we're supposed to be getting out of this Bible study. Lord, I pray that whatever it is that you want us to get today that we receive it and our eyes are open to it. Lord, I can't thank you enough for every single thing that you've done. I love you with every ounce of my being. In Jesus' name, amen.
Acts Chapter 28:
1 Once safely on shore, we found out that the island was called Malta. 2 The Islanders showed us unusual kindness. They built a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold. 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, Justice has not allowed him to live." 5 But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. 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.
7 There was an estate nearby that belonged to Publius, the chief official of the island. He welcomed us to his home and for three days entertained us hospitably. 8 His father was sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him and, after prayer, placed his hands on him and healed him. 9 When this had happened, the rest of the sick on the island came and were cured. 10 They honored us in many ways and when we were ready to sail, they furnished us with the supplies we needed.
So in verses 1-6, they went to the shore of Malta and they were welcomed by the Islanders. In verse 3 we see that a snake had clung to Paul's hand and the Islanders thought that he would die from it, but he just shook it off. Paul let the Holy Spirit guide him and Jesus was right there protecting him. This makes me think of the serpent or the snake (Satan) in the garden of Eden. When the devil clings to you and tries to devour you and feed you with deception and trickery, you just have to shake him off and the Lord will give you the strength and courage to resist him. So after Paul shook off the snake the Islanders thought that because he didn't get sick or die from the snake that he was a God.
Then in verses 7-10, the chief official of the island welcomed them into his home for three days and his father was sick in bed, and by the power of Jesus and the Holy Spirit he was healed. So the Holy Spirit gave paul this gift.
I'm just going to go into 1 Corinthians Chapter 12 verses 7-11 and they say: Now to each one the manifestation of the spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.
So we see here based on these verses that at least one of the gifts that the Holy Spirit gave Paul was the gifts of healing powers. So this power wasn't because of Paul, it was given to him by the Holy Spirit and by God. Then we see in verse 9 that after this happened, the rest of the sick on the island came and they were cured. In verse 10, the Islanders were full of gratitude for these men, they honored them in many ways, and they furnished them with supplies that they needed whenever they were ready to sail.
11 After three months we put out to sea in a ship that had wintered in the island.
It was an Alexandrian ship with the figurehead of the twin gods Castor and Pollux.
12 We put in at Syracuse and stayed there three days. 13 From there we set sail and arrived at Rhegium. The next day the south wind came up, and on the following day we reached Puteoli. 14 There we found some brothers who invited us to spend a week with them. And so we came to Rome. 15 The brothers there had heard that we were coming, and they traveled as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns to meet us. At the sight of these men Paul thanked God and was encouraged. 16 When we got to Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself, with a soldier to guard him.
In verse 15 where it says the "Forum of Appius," this is a town along the Appian Way which is 43 Roman miles from Rome. And the Three Taverns is a station along the Appian way where three roads intersected and that's about 30 miles outside of Rome. So these men traveled a great distance to meet Paul and Paul was full of gratitude to God once he saw these men.
17 Three days later he called together the leaders of the Jews. When they had assembled, Paul said to them: "My brothers, although I have done nothing wrong against our people or against the customs of our ancestors, I was arrested in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans. 18 They examined me and wanted to release me, because I was not guilty of any crime deserving death. 19 But when the Jews objected, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar--not that I had any charge to bring against my own people. 20 For this reason I have asked to see you and talk with you. It is because of the hope of Israel that I am bound with this chain."
21 They replied, "We have not received any letters from Judea concerning you, and none of the brothers who have come from there has reported or said anything bad about you. 22 But we want to hear what your views are, for we know that people everywhere are talking against this sect."
23 They arranged to meet Paul on a certain day, and came in even larger numbers to the place where he was staying. From morning till evening he explained and declared to them the Kingdom of God and tried to convince them about Jesus from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets. 24 Some were convinced by what he said, but others would not believe. 25 They disagreed among themselves and began to leave after Paul had made this final statement: "The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your forefathers when he said through Isaiah the prophet:
26 ' "Go to this people and say,
"You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
you will be ever seeing but never perceiving."
27 For this people's heart has become calloused;
they hardly hear with their ears,
and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them.'
28 "Therefore I want you to know that God's salvation has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen!"
30 For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. 31 Boldly and without hindrance he preached the Kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ.
Alright, so those are all the verses of Chapter 28 of the book of Acts, but I'm going to discuss these verses with you guys here. So in verses 17-20, Paul had called together the leaders of the Jews and Paul told them that he did nothing wrong, but was arrested and handed over to the Romans. Paul had appealed to Caesar after the Jews objected. Alright, so I have a question for you. Why do you think that Paul was compelled to do this? I think that it's apparent that work had to be done on the ship ride to Rome and then also in Rome. We saw throughout these past two Bible studies, last week in chapter 27 then also this week in chapter 28, how the Holy Spirit worked through Paul and so many things happened that wouldn't have happened if he didn't appeal to Caesar and go to Rome. So I think he was compelled by the Holy Spirit to do this because there was work to be done on the ship ride and also while he was in Rome. There is always a reason why God allows things to happen to people. Paul was filled with the Holy Spirit and always let the Holy Spirit guide him. Paul was a prisoner because he believed in Jesus, the Messiah, the hope of Israel.
In verses 21-22, the leaders of the Jews that Paul had been speaking to hadn't heard anything bad about him or gotten any letters, but they wanted to hear his views because people everywhere were talking against the sect and the sect that they mean is Christianity or people that believe in Jesus Christ as our Savior. Then in verses 23-31, a large number of people met Paul on a certain day and he explained and declared the kingdom of God For hours. He tried to convince them about Jesus and they were divided. Some were convinced and others wouldn't believe. These people started to leave when Paul quoted Isaiah Chapter 9 verses 9-10. So the scripture that paul quoted in verses 26-27 of chapter 28 of the Book of Acts was from Isaiah chapter 6. These jews that wouldn't believe had stubborn hearts and they refused to see the truth and be saved by Jesus. Then Paul said that God's salvation would be sent to the gentiles, and the gentiles are anyone that is not a jew, and that they would listen. These Jews were so set in their ways and they thought that they knew everything about the Bible according to their law, but they refused to believe in the only one that can save them and that is Jesus Christ. So Paul stayed there for two years and welcomed all who came to see him. He preached boldly about the kingdom of God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Alright, so a couple of things that I want to point out here. So the Holy Spirit had guided Paul to appeal to Caesar and go to Rome so he could preach the gospel there. No matter how crazy it may seem to us, we have to let the Holy Spirit guide us and we have to courageously follow the Lord no matter what. God is all-knowing and we might not ever be able to fathom why he guides us to do a certain thing, but we have to just trust him completely and know that everything that he guides us to do is for the greater good. And Paul was a great example of being fully submitted to the will of Jesus and letting the Holy Spirit guide you. No matter what hardship or circumstance we're going to face when we go to the places that the Holy Spirit guides us, we have to stand firm in our faith, not be afraid, and just continue being fully submitted to the will of God, no matter what.
Alright, so that concludes this Bible study on Chapter 28 of the book of Acts and that concludes the whole book of Acts because that was the final chapter. So our Bible studies on Acts are now complete.
Now going forward with another Bible study, I have no idea what we're going to be studying next. I have a few different books that I am currently reading and studying on my own that I have been directed by the Lord to do, but I haven't felt compelled to teach you guys anything yet. So stay tuned so that whenever I do get compelled by the Holy Spirit to do another Bible study, you will be able to listen in on that.
Also, I want your feedback. So, if there is a book of the Bible that you want me to do a Bible study on or maybe there is a certain thing that you want me to go over in one of my episodes with spiritual development, faith-based tips, and all of that. If there's a certain thing or a book of the Bible that you want me to go over, you can email me. My email address is faithfuelsmyfire@gmail.com. If it's something that you want me to go over on an episode with faith-based tips and different things like that, more than likely I will. Now if it's a book of the Bible that you want me to do a Bible study on, I will definitely pray about it and if the Holy Spirit compels me to do a Bible study on that particular book, then I will.
Acts Ch 28 Study Guide
In verse 5, how do you think that Paul was able to shake the snake off and have no ill effects?
In verse 6, why did the islanders think that Paul was a god?
Who gave Paul the gift of healing powers?
In verse 19, why do you think that Paul was compelled to appeal to Caesar?
Why did the Jews begin to leave after what Paul said in verses 26-27?
When should we let the Holy Spirit guide us? Why?
What is your biggest takeaway from this Bible study?
So I hope that if you went along with all these bible studies on the Book of Acts that they have helped you and that through each bible study, you've been able to at least receive one thing that the Lord was telling you and apply it to your life.
I love you guys so much.
Never forget to choose faith over fear.
-Lorena Camille (Faith Fuels My Fire)
p.s. If you'd rather listen to Faith-based, spiritual growth, mindset, and mental health tips, then check out my podcast. There I will share my personal experiences, stories I've never told before, and bring you along with this hot mess life of mine. New episodes every week.
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Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights
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