They changed their minds

Acts 28 from the daily reading in the One Year Bible

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…

¹⁶ When we entered Rome, Paul was allowed to stay by himself, with the soldier who was guarding him. ¹⁷ After three days Paul called together those who were the leading men of the Jews, and when they came together, he began saying to them, “Brethren, though I had done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans…

²³ When they had set a day for Paul, they came to him at his lodging in large numbers; and he was explaining to them by solemnly testifying about the kingdom of God and trying to persuade them concerning Jesus, from both the Law of Moses and from the Prophets, from morning until evening. ²⁴ Some were being persuaded by the things spoken, but others would not believe. ²⁵ And when they did not agree with one another, they began leaving after Paul had spoken one parting word, “The Holy Spirit rightly spoke through Isaiah the prophet to your fathers, ²⁶ saying,  ‘Go to this people and say, “You will keep on hearing, but will not understand; And you will keep on seeing, but will not perceive; ²⁷ For the heart of this people has become dull, And with their ears they scarcely hear, And they have closed their eyes; Otherwise they might see with their eyes, And hear with their ears,
And understand with their heart and return, And I would heal them.”’

²⁸ Therefore let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will also listen.” ²⁹ When he had spoken these words, the Jews departed, having a great dispute among themselves.

³⁰ And he stayed two full years in his own rented quarters and was welcoming all who came to him, ³¹ preaching the kingdom of God and teaching concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all openness, unhindered.

In today’s text we see again how quickly the opinions of people can change. 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. 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.  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.” However he shook the creature off into the fire and suffered no harm. 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.    In Paul’s case it went full cycle, well received, to viewed as a murderer and then as a god. With Jesus, when He entered the city of Jerusalem before the last Passover, He was greeted with shouts of praise and adoration. (Matthew 21; Mark 11; Luke 19; John 12) Less than one week later after He was arrested they shouted crucify Him. (Luke 23; Mark 15; John 19) 

We too may see that people’s opinions of us may vary from day to day and even moment to moment. People will love us when we are serving and doing something which benefits them. But when we stand or speak against unrighteousness or immorality many will quickly turn against us. Jesus says: “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” (Matthew 5:44) He also says:  “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you.  If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you.” (John 15:18-19) It is not our calling, commission, commandment nor should it be our concern, to be loved by the world. Our love is not to be based the response of others to us. Our love is based on these truths:     1 John 4:19    We love, because He first loved us.     Matthew 22:37-38    “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment.”      Our love is first a response to the love of God for us. God’s love is unconditional. He doesn’t love us because we are good. Romans 5:8 says:  God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.   So God’s love is unconditional and His love is also demonstrated in the cross of Christ. Our response to God’s love and to the cross is to love God with all our heart, soul and mind.  It is only out of that love, that we can truly love others unconditionally. The world will try to dictate the terms of our love. They will say that we need to accept, tolerate and include not only all people, but their choices as well. The world will say those are the terms or conditions of love. The truth is unconditional love has no terms. We don’t love to be loved in return. Rather we love because we were first loved by God, demonstrated in the cross of Christ. All that we do is based on that, not the response or the terms of the world.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 is often set forth as a model of love. It says:   Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.     The world is quite content to hold Christians to most of the terms of love described here. They may indeed love us in return when we do, but they will be quick to call us hypocrites when we fail. Even more, they will hate us, as they hated Jesus when we:  do not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoice with the truth.

It’s interesting that in today’s text it says:   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. 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. After this had happened, the rest of the people on the island who had diseases were coming to him and getting cured. They also honored us with many marks of respect; and when we were setting sail, they supplied us with all we needed.    We are not told if the people of that island became believers. The demonstration of God’s love and the power of God in Paul’s life were also not conditional on the response of others. All that he did, he did because God first loved him. Later in the text, when testifying of Christ to Jews in Rome, it says:  And when they did not agree with one another, they began leaving after Paul had spoken one parting word, “The Holy Spirit rightly spoke through Isaiah the prophet to your fathers,  saying,  ‘Go to this people and say, “You will keep on hearing, but will not understand; And you will keep on seeing, but will not perceive; For the heart of this people has become dull, And with their ears they scarcely hear, And they have closed their eyes; Otherwise they might see with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart and return, And I would heal them.”’     Not everyone who hears the message of the gospel or even everyone who witnesses the power of God in miracles, signs and wonders, will believe. Their response is not our responsibility. Jesus says: “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned. These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; 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.” (Mark 16:15-19)  What we do, we do in response to the commission of Christ. We are to walk in love, patience and kindness. We are to stand for righteousness and truth. We are also to walk in the power of God, not so that the world will love us, but because God first loved us.

Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus Christ; precious Holy Spirit thank You that You first loved me. Thank You that You continue to love me with an everlasting and unconditional love, a love demonstrated in the cross of Christ. In response to Your love, I love You with all my heart, soul and mind; in all that I do. Through the power of the Holy Spirit may I walk in love and stand for truth according to Your call.   Amen.