The Morris County chronicle., 1909-11-02

subject: Raul fTISOner-Ine Sufp~
wreck, Acts 27:2-2S, 1o-Gol-
den Text: Ps. 1922 Commit
Verses 28, 8, 1O-Commentary.
TIME.-A. D. so or 81.
PLACE.--Malta.
EXPOSITlUN.--I. Gods Promise
Fulfilled, S9-44. 1t was a glad mo-
ment when day broke (cf. v. 20, r.
V. margin) but there were still UNI
certainties and perils before them.
But there was no longer any occasion
or excuse for anxiety-they had Gods
sure word of promise that not one life
should be lost or any person injured
in the slightest degree Tvs. "a, 25,
349, and part of the prediction was
already being fulfilled before their
eyes (cf. v. 26). Every step they
took and everything that occurred
was in exact fulfillment Of what God
had said (v. 22). One heart was per-
fectly calm (cf. v. 25 Is. 26:3). In
the soldiers counsel to kill the pris.
oners we have striking illustration
of the brutalizing tendency Of the
military life. They had just escaped
from extreme peril themselves, and
that, too, through one Of the prison
ers, and now they would turn around
and kill all the prisoners, Paul in
cluded. The brutal ingratitude Of
these soldiers toward Paul is moth
ing to the great ingratitude of the
masses of men to-day toward Paul's
Master They owe their safety for
time and eternity to Him, yet they
are willing to turn upon Him at any
moment. But the centurion proved
true, and all the prisoners were saved
for Pau1's sake. 1t did seem as If
some of these 276 persons must be
lost, but God had given His guaran-
tee that there shall be no loss of
any's mans life amongg you,, and
Gods Word is sure no matter how the
breakers dash and how the ship goes
to pieces. Gods promises were full
filled to the very letter and always
will be.
III. Paul, the Prisoner, Became
Paul, the Mighty Worker, ITO. The
promise of God when made did seem
quite impossible of fulfillment, but
God had kept it to the very letter.
God makes all things and all persons
minister to His faithful servants (cf.
Rom. 8:28). The storm had swept
Paul on toward his definitely ap-
pointed destination. The shipwreck
had given him ascendancy over sol
diers, sailors and officers, and now
these unknown foreigners ministers
Rbundantly to his needs. Paul was
great man the worlds greatest
preacher, greatest missionary, greatest
reformer, greatest philosopher, great
est man of letters, but Paul was not
above picking up sticks for the fire on
wet day If that was the work at
hand (cf. Matt. 20:28). The spirit
of service was woven into the very
warp and woof of Paul's being, and
If there was nothing for him to do to
help his fellow-men but pick up sticks
he would do that 1t was very un-
dignified, but it was very Christlika
(John 13:5-15). The first result OF
his humility appeared discouraging
(vs. 8, A.. 1t seems as if he must
perish, the victim of his own impu-
dent uperserviceableness, but it did
not turn out that way. 1t did add
another to the many things that Paul;
endured for his Master (cf. Cof:-f1:
20, 27), but it also turned out to th0.
furtherance of the Gospel. 1t gave
Paul an approach to the inhabitants
of Malta and afforded a testimony to
the truth of Christ's promise and
Gods protecting care. These barba-
rians were very ignorant and super
stitious people ". ~, but are the
judgments Of many educated and pro-
fessedly Christian people to-day any
more just? Paul seems to have been
very calm about the whole matter (v.
81. No viper, nor even the old Ser
pent himself, could kill him before
h f.
mony. v. shows how little value ia
to be attached to public opinion;
few moments ago Paul was a "mur-
derer," and now he is "a god" And
both opinions were equally wide of
the mark. Unhappy is the man who
depends upon public opinion for his
comfort. Happy is the man who
seeks simply to approve himself to
the unchanging mind of God tGal / ::
10; Heb. 1850. 1t was a fortunate
thing for the household Of Publius
that Paul entered in. A man who
knows God, and has power with God,
Is greater blessing in any household
In times of sickness and need than
all the physicians of earth. Paul was
ready for any sort of service; if peo-
pie were cold, he was ready to build
fires; ii they were sick, he was ready
to pray and heal. He knew how to
pray so as to get what he asked.
Fever and dystenery are stubborn
complaints, but they are no match
for the prayers of man like Paul.
The hand that had been so recently
delivered from the venomous viper
was good hand to lay upon the bod
les of another that was In the SER
pent's power (cf. Mark 16:18). When
one man is actually healed, he is a
living testimony to Gods healing
power and others will come and be
cured So when one is actually and
visibly saved, others will come for
salvation and be saved The power
of Christ is its own best ADVERTISE
ment.
The Family.