They changed their minds... Amazing what a few miracles will do.

Acts 28:1-10 (NASB) from the daily reading in the One Year Bible

Safe at Malta

28 When they had been brought safely through, then we found out that the island was called Malta. ² The natives showed us extraordinary kindness; for because of the rain that had set in and because of the cold, they kindled a fire and received us all. ³ But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened itself on his hand. ⁴ When the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they began saying to one another, “Undoubtedly this man is a murderer, and though he has been saved from the sea, justice has not allowed him to live.” ⁵ However he shook the creature off into the fire and suffered no harm. ⁶ But they were expecting that he was about to swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But after they had waited a long time and had seen nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and began to say that he was a god.

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.

What we see in these ten verses is the fulfillment of Jesus words in Mark 16:15-18 where He says:      “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. ¹⁶ He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned. ¹⁷ These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; ¹⁸ they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

Paul was faithful to preach the gospel, to share the good news of the kingdom wherever he went. The signs that Jesus spoke of did follow him.  Mark 16:20 says: And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them, and confirmed the word by the signs that followed.     Far too often in the church and world today we get it backwards. We look for the sign, we seek the miracle and say we will testify if we get the result.  Jesus had something to say about those in His day who sought a sign rather than seeking God.

Matthew 16:1-4   The Pharisees and Sadducees came up, and testing Jesus, they asked Him to show them a sign from heaven. ² But He replied to them, “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’ ³ And in the morning, ‘There will be a storm today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ Do you know how to discern the appearance of the sky, but cannot discern the signs of the times? ⁴ An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign; and a sign will not be given it, except the sign of Jonah.” And He left them and went away. 

"Except the sign of Jonah", we don't have enough time in this format to really study all that is involved in the story of Jonah. Let's look instead at this time at what Jesus points to first. He says:... Do you know how to discern the appearance of the sky, but cannot discern the signs of the times? Jesus points to the logical conclusions man comes to when he observes natural occurrences.

In Romans 1:19-22, Paul also speaks of the testimony or witness of nature and creation.

 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. ²⁰ For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. ²¹ For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. ²² Professing to be wise, they became fools..

This is why the denial of creation is such a central lie of the devil. Creation clearly displays the evidence that there must be a creator. Verse says : Professing to be wise, they became fools..  So many today stake all that they believe on man's knowledge and quite frankly with all that we know, even scientist will admit that it, all of the knowledge man has accumulated over the centuries, is just a tiny fraction of what it would take to know and understand all that is around us. It is foolishness to stand against the wisdom of the God of all creation with the limited knowledge of man. It is a form of pride, like that which led to the fall of lucifer himself as Isaiah says in Isaiah 14:12-14

"How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the earth, You who have weakened the nations! 13"But you said in your heart, 'I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, And I will sit on the mount of assembly In the recesses of the north. 14'I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.'… 

Accept or reject God most people will agree with the proverb that says: Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before stumbling.  Pride, particularly pride that seeks to compare ourselves to God, always leads to destruction, or at least to stumbling and humbling.

Let's return to today's text and it's application for us. What then are we to learn from what we see and read in today's text? It is not our place to make demands of God that He should do things to prove to us or others that He is God. There is already more than enough evidence of who God is. We also don't make our doctrines or even the message we share about the signs that God does provide. We don't speak in tongues to prove we know God. We don't pick up snakes or drink poison to prove we know God. So even when God is faithful to release miracles, signs and wonders, healing and deliverance, we need to remain faithful to   "preach the gospel to all creation." The word gospel means good news. We are to share and declare the good news of the kingdom of God. The world has a fear of what is coming. They see it as either the end of time or as unknown mystery. We have the good news. It is neither the end or a mystery. The good news of the kingdom is that Christ will return and He will establish His kingdom here on earth ( a new heaven and new earth)

Isaiah 9:6-7 says:   For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. ⁷ There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. 

He came as a child. He will return as a king. That's the good news. It is neither the end nor a mystery. It is ours to faithfully proclaim, trusting God then to faithfully give the signs and wonders, the miracles to confirm His word.

Thank You heavenly Father, Lord Jesus Christ and Holy Spirit, may we be faithful as You are faithful. 'Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.       Amen.