SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 10/4/2018 9:11 AM
My Worship Time Focus: Public Healing
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Acts 28:7-11
Message of the verses: “7 Now in the neighborhood of that place were lands belonging to the
leading man of the island, named Publius, who welcomed us and entertained us
courteously three days. 8 And it happened that the father of Publius was lying in
bed afflicted with recurrent fever and dysentery; and Paul went in to
see him and after he had prayed, he laid his hands on him and healed him. 9
After this had happened, the rest of the people on the island who had diseases
were coming to him and getting cured. 10 They also honored us with many marks
of respect; and when we were setting sail, they supplied us with all we
needed. 11 At the end of three months we
set sail on an Alexandrian ship which had wintered at the island, and which had
the Twin Brothers for its figurehead.”
Luke
writes about this man “Publius” who actually was probably the Roman governor of
Malta as some extra-biblical evidence have stated. When you have 276 people come onto your
island there has to be arrangements to find them a place to stay and so that is
what Publius did over those first three days.
This was something that Publius did even thought his father was very
sick laying in bed with a fever, which John MacArthur states that this fever
“was likely the gastric fever, caused by a microbe found in goat’s milk, which
was common on Malta. Dysentery, often
resulting from poor sanitation, was also common in the ancient world.”
Paul,
I’m sure wanted to repay Publius for his gracious hospitality and so he went to
see his father and prayed for him and then laid hands on him with the result of
him being healed. Paul’s prayer
acknowledged his dependence on God’s power, and his laying hands on him
affirmed that God was working through Paul.
This
story reminds me of when Jesus was on planet earth and after healing one
person, similar to when he healed Peter’s mother-in-law the whole town comes to
see Jesus for healing, and in this case after the word spread that Paul had
healed Publius’ father the whole town came to Paul for healing. Now we don’t see any indication of Paul
preaching the gospel to these people, but I believe that is what he did for
healing was a sign gift in which the gospel is preached after the healings take
place.
As
we look more closely at verse ten there is indications that a church began at Malta
for what was done for these people indicates that salvation occurred and as a
result of that they wanted to take care of Paul and the rest of the people as
they were leaving.
After
three months spending the winter there the sailing season began and Julius made
arrangements for their travel to continue as he made resurrections on an
Alexandrian ship. Luke mentions that
this ship had the Twin Brothers for its figurehead. MacArthur adds “The Twin Brothers were Castor
and Pollux, sons of Zeus in Greek mythology and viewed as the gods who
protected sailors.”
Spiritual meaning for my life today: Genesis 12:1-3 speak of God taking care of
His people Israel of which Paul was and in that section God says that He will
bless those who bless Israel which is what was done through these people on
Malta. As a believer in Jesus Christ
that is also my desire, that is to show hospitality to those whom God brings
onto my path.
My Steps of Faith for Today: Be ready to
tell others about the gospel when ever God brings them onto my path.
Answer to yesterday’s Bible
question: “150 days” (Genesis 7:24).
Today’s Bible question: “How long did Paul purpose to refrain from
eating meats, if eating them offended his weak brother?
Answer in our next SD.
10/4/2018 9:40 AM
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