THE KING’S BUSINESS
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oyer soldiers, sailors and officers, and now these unknown foreigners minister abund antly to his needs. Paul was a great man —the world’s greatest preacher, greatest missionary, greatest reformer, greatest philosopher, greatest man of letters—but Paul was not above picking up sticks on a wet day if that-was the work at hand (cf. Mattr 20:28). There is a lesson here for every one of us and a lesson that the aver age man who considers himself great in the church very much needs. The spirit of service was woven in the very warp and whoof of Paul’s being and if there was anything for him to do to help his fellow- man, he would do that. Of course it was very undignified, but it was very Christ- like (John 13:5-15). The first result of Paul’s humility appeared discouraging, a poisonous serpent “came out by reason of the heat and fastened on his hand.” It looked as if he would perish, the victim of his own imprudent super-serviceableness, but it did not turn out that way. It did, however, add another to the many things that Paul endured for his Master (cf. 2 Cor. 11:23-27), and it also turned out for the furtherance of the Gospel; for it gave Paul an avenue of approach to the inhabi tants of Melita, and afforded a testimony to the truth of God’s promise and God’s pro tecting care. These barbarians were very ignorant and superstitious people (v. 4), but are the judgments of many educated and professedly Christion people today any more just than theirs? Paul seems to have been very calm about the whole matter (v. 5). No viper, not even the old Serpent himself, could kill him before he reached Rome, and gave his testimony for Jesus Christ there. Verse 6 shows how little value is to be attached to public opinion. A few moments ago Paul was a “murderer” and now he is a “god,” both opinions were equally wide of the mark. Unhappy is the man who depends on public opinion for his comfort. Happy is the man who seeks simply to approve himself to the never- changing mind of God (Gal. 1:10; Heb. 11:5).
Friday, May 18 . Acts 27 : 42 - 44 .
In the soldier’s counsel to kill the prison ers we have a striking illustration of the brutalizing tendency of a military life. They had just escaped from extreme perils themselves, and not only so, but it was through one of the prisoners that they had escaped, and now they would turn around and kill all the prisoners, Paul included. If there is anything in the world that can make a brute and a demon out of a man it 'is the profession of war. ,It is true that there are many Christian men in our armies, but the experience of all ages and all lands proves that the soldier’s life is frightfully demoralizing. But the brutal ingratitude of the soldiers toward Paul is nothing to the ingratitude of the great mass of men today toward Paul’s Master, Jesus. Every man owes all his safety for time and eternity to Jesus Christ. Yet the average jnan is willing to turn upon him at any moment. However in the case before us, the centurion proved true and all the prisoners were saved, for Paul’s sake. I wonder how grateful these prisoners were to their saviour. In one way and another they “escaped all safe to land”, both those who could swim and those who could not. It did seem as if some of those 276 passengers must be lost; but God had given His guarantee that there would be “no loss of any man’s life among” them and God’s word is sure, no matter how the breakers may dash and no mat ter how the ship may go to pieces. In. this case God’s promise was fulfilled to the very letter and every promise of God will be fulfilled to the very letter. Saturday, May xp. Acts 28 : 1 - 6 . The promise of God when made did seem utterly impossible of fulfillment, but God had kept it to the very letter, and now God made all things and all persons to min ister to His faithful servant (cf. Rom. 8:28). The storm had swept Paul on to ward his definitely appointed destination. The shipwreck had given him ascendancy
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