THE K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S ‘‘And they said every one to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots th a t we may know fo r whose cause th is evil is upon us.” I t w ill not .do, however, to seek to. couple, every sickness w ith sin, or every disaster w ith some specific transgression. Jesus H imself corrects th a t error (Luke 13:4,5). ‘‘Or those eighteen, upon whom the tow er in Siloam fell and slew them , th in k ye th a t they were sinners above all m en th a t dw elt in Je ru salem ? I tell you, N ay; hut, except ye repent, ye shall all likew ise p erish.” When Paul shook off th e viper and did not fall dead (M ark 16:17, 18) they con cluded th a t he was a god (Acts 14:11). '•‘And when the people saw w hat P au l had done, they lifted up th eir voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of m en.” How fickle is man! One day he casts his garm ents before Jesus Christ, and the next he eries, “ Away w ith H im !” (2) The Supernatural Power, vs. 7-10, “ L aid his hand on him and healed him. ’’ H aving received of th eir carnal things, Paul now bestows upon these people spir itu al blessing. The hand th a t held the viper now reaches forth in healing power. W hat blessings atten d the path of the believer! Even disaster and dire distress do b u t bring him into new fields o f serv ice and afford him an opportunity to show forth the glorious power of his -Lord. I t was not Paul, bu t th e Spirit, who worked through Paul. (1 Cor. 12:9). ‘‘To another faith by the same S p irit; to an other th e gifts of healing by the sam e S p irit.” The S pirit w ill tak e any man o r woman and use them, if they are only w illing to be cleansed and controlled by Him. Paul and his fellow -travelers spent three months upon the Island of Melita. No mention is made of a church established th e re ,' b u t we cannot b u t th ink th a t a band of believers were gathered th a t shall b? to th e praise of H is grace throughout eternity. H is sojourn there enabled him to m anifest the power of the Gospel of God’s grace, and to illu strate w hat shall come to pass when th e islands of the sea shall be delivered from th e power of the serpent and all lth eir maladies shall be healed. I t is the g reat joy of the
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believer’s life th a t he cannot be put in any circumstances where he cannot be a blessing to others and a witness to the tru th . (3) The Successful A rrival, vs. 11-16. “ We came to Rome.” A t Puteoli, the seaport of Rome which was about 180 miles distant, Paul found * a band of brethren. H ere he was priv ileged to remain seven days. Julius, the centurion, was probably aw aiting instruc tions from Rome as to the disposition of his prisoners. Paul had an opportunity to send a message to the saints in Rome a c q u a in tin g . them w ith the fa c t of his arrival. W ith w hat strange feelings did the apostle tread th e 'g re a t m ilitary road th a t rah from the capital to Southern Italy. In trium phant march many Roman armies, led by victorious generals, had pushed th eir proud way through multitudes of their own countrymen, receiving th e hon ors due to their prowess on the field of battle. Paul, was a soldier too, scarred from service, b en t w ith burdens. He was an ambassador from H eaven’s court w ith a mission m ighty in import. H e 'w a s the greatest of all the men who ever trod the Appian Way, destined to hold the most distinguished place ever aceorded to any mere man in all the history of the world, and y et he was chained to a Roman soldier. A t the m arket of Appius a delegation of Roman believers met him and bade him welcome to the city. The h eart of Paul was comforted and encouraged. There is strength in fellowship. We need the touch of our friends. Our Lord, in H is humanity, leaned upon Peter, Jam es and John, and ^the inner circle a t Bethany. P aul had been giv ing out of his own v ital ,powers and was glad to be refreshed w ith words of cheer and the prayers of the brethren. He is in Rome a t last, lodged ,in his own hired house, perhaps paid for by his
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