Acts 27:27-28:10
The Shipwreck
27 On the fourteenth night the crew, soldiers and prisoners including Paul, were still being driven across the Adriatic] Sea, when about midnight the sailors sensed they were approaching land. 28 They took soundings and found that the water was a hundred and twenty feet deep. A short time later they took soundings again and found it was ninety feet deep. 29 Fearing that we would be dashed against the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern and prayed for daylight. 30 In an attempt to escape from the ship, the sailors let the lifeboat down into the sea, pretending they were going to lower some anchors from the bow. 31 Then Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay with the ship, you cannot be saved.” 32 So the soldiers cut the ropes that held the lifeboat and let it drift away.
33 Just before dawn Paul urged them all to eat. “For the last fourteen days,” he said, “you have been in constant suspense and have gone without food—you haven’t eaten anything. 34 Now I urge you to take some food. You need it to survive. Not one of you will lose a single hair from his head.” 35 After he said this, he took some bread and gave thanks to God in front of them all. Then he broke it and began to eat. 36 They were all encouraged and ate some food themselves. 37 Altogether there were 276 of us on board. 38 When they had eaten as much as they wanted, they lightened the ship by throwing the grain into the sea.
39 When daylight came, they did not recognize the land, but they saw a bay with a sandy beach, where they decided to run the ship aground if they could. 40 Cutting loose the anchors, they left them in the sea and at the same time untied the ropes that held the rudders. Then they hoisted the foresail to the wind and made for the beach. 41 But the ship struck a sandbar and ran aground. The bow stuck fast and would not move, and the stern was broken to pieces by the pounding of the surf.
42 The soldiers planned to kill the prisoners to prevent any of them from swimming away and escaping. 43 But the centurion wanted to spare Paul’s life and kept them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land. 44 The rest were to get there on planks or on other pieces of the ship. In this way everyone reached land safely.
Paul Ashore on Malta
28 Once safely on shore, we found out that the island was called Malta. 2 The islanders showed us unusual kindness. They built a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold. 3 Paul gathered a pile of brushwood and, as he put it on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand. 4 When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, “This man must be a murderer; for though he escaped from the sea, the goddess Justice has not allowed him to live.” 5 But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. 6 The people expected him to swell up or suddenly fall dead; but after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god.
7 There was an estate nearby that belonged to Publius, the chief official of the island. He welcomed us to his home and showed us generous hospitality for three days. 8 His father was sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him and, after prayer, placed his hands on him and healed him. 9 When this had happened, the rest of the sick on the island came and were cured. 10 They honoured us in many ways; and when we were ready to sail, they furnished us with the supplies we needed.
The Shipwreck
27 On the fourteenth night the crew, soldiers and prisoners including Paul, were still being driven across the Adriatic] Sea, when about midnight the sailors sensed they were approaching land. 28 They took soundings and found that the water was a hundred and twenty feet deep. A short time later they took soundings again and found it was ninety feet deep. 29 Fearing that we would be dashed against the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern and prayed for daylight. 30 In an attempt to escape from the ship, the sailors let the lifeboat down into the sea, pretending they were going to lower some anchors from the bow. 31 Then Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay with the ship, you cannot be saved.” 32 So the soldiers cut the ropes that held the lifeboat and let it drift away.
33 Just before dawn Paul urged them all to eat. “For the last fourteen days,” he said, “you have been in constant suspense and have gone without food—you haven’t eaten anything. 34 Now I urge you to take some food. You need it to survive. Not one of you will lose a single hair from his head.” 35 After he said this, he took some bread and gave thanks to God in front of them all. Then he broke it and began to eat. 36 They were all encouraged and ate some food themselves. 37 Altogether there were 276 of us on board. 38 When they had eaten as much as they wanted, they lightened the ship by throwing the grain into the sea.
39 When daylight came, they did not recognize the land, but they saw a bay with a sandy beach, where they decided to run the ship aground if they could. 40 Cutting loose the anchors, they left them in the sea and at the same time untied the ropes that held the rudders. Then they hoisted the foresail to the wind and made for the beach. 41 But the ship struck a sandbar and ran aground. The bow stuck fast and would not move, and the stern was broken to pieces by the pounding of the surf.
42 The soldiers planned to kill the prisoners to prevent any of them from swimming away and escaping. 43 But the centurion wanted to spare Paul’s life and kept them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land. 44 The rest were to get there on planks or on other pieces of the ship. In this way everyone reached land safely.
Paul Ashore on Malta
28 Once safely on shore, we found out that the island was called Malta. 2 The islanders showed us unusual kindness. They built a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold. 3 Paul gathered a pile of brushwood and, as he put it on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand. 4 When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, “This man must be a murderer; for though he escaped from the sea, the goddess Justice has not allowed him to live.” 5 But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. 6 The people expected him to swell up or suddenly fall dead; but after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god.
7 There was an estate nearby that belonged to Publius, the chief official of the island. He welcomed us to his home and showed us generous hospitality for three days. 8 His father was sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him and, after prayer, placed his hands on him and healed him. 9 When this had happened, the rest of the sick on the island came and were cured. 10 They honoured us in many ways; and when we were ready to sail, they furnished us with the supplies we needed.
Today’s scripture is a long story that is part of an even longer story that begins in in Caesarea with a prophet named Agabus, who prophesies in Acts 21, that Paul will be arrested in Jerusalem and handed over to the Gentiles. Paul however refuses to be sidelined and off he goes into the proverbial lions den – that is Jerusalem. and he’s there for months before there is such a protest against Paul, on the rumour that he has defiled the temple by bringing in non-Jews, that Roman troops are called out.
Although Paul tries to calm the crowd by telling them his story, the story of how he, a Jew, born in Tarsus, a faithful Pharisee who has studied under the best teachers in Jerusalem, persecuted the followers of Jesus until his epiphany on the road to Damascus and his subsequent mission to the Gentiles.
Still the crowd wouldn’t listen and called for Paul to die or as they said “Rid the earth of him. He’s not fit to live”. This crowd is really upset.
So the Roman troops whisk Paul away and want to flog him but Paul reveals he is a Roman citizen and so can’t be punished without a charge. The commander Lysias brings Paul before the chief priests and Sanhedrin (and here we learn the real source for the uproar, a conflict between the Pharisees who believe in resurrection and spirits and angels, and the Sadducees who don’t, and, of course, all those who side with one or the other). In fact, the factions start arguing and there is another uproar and again Paul is taken away for his own safety.
Then, there is plot to kill Paul but Paul’s nephew learns of it and arrives to tell Paul and the commander of the Roman guard. So Paul is transferred to Caesarea and kept under guard at Herod’s palace by order of the Governor Felix.
The High Priest, Ananias, some elders and the lawyer, Tertullus, all arrive in Caesarea and present their case – saying basically Paul is a troublemaker, one of the ringleaders of the Nazarene sect which is causing trouble all over the world.
Paul again defends himself as a follower of The Way – and it seems that Paul remains in Caesarea for two years and talks frequently with the Governor Porcius until the new Governor Festus takes over, and Paul is quickly put on trial and Festus decides that Paul should be sent to Rome. However king Aggrippa visits and he too wants to hear from Paul, after which both Festus and Aggrippa see this as nothing but a dispute between two factions of Jews – and that Paul’s understanding and preaching of the resurrection is not punishable by death but off to Rome Paul has to go along with some other prisoners under the authority of a centurion named Julius and accompanied by Aristarchus, a travelling companion of Paul’s.
So, it takes awhile to get to our story; years in fact for Paul. And while the trip from Caesarea to Rome might not be a piece of cake ordinarily taking 40 -65 days, our story details the, storms, being blown off course, the Nor’Easter winds, the hardships that last over two weeks has the crew throwing cargo over the sides in order to try and survive the ship crushing waves.
Paul, the prisoner, after an initial warning that they should stay in one of the ports they had arrive at safely, is the one who emerges to encourage the crew and passengers during the fateful and prolonged storm. Paul, himself, must have been afraid, as terrified as all the others, but an angel comes and reassures him and he in turn reassures the others that they will survive.
Still, they do not believe Paul, after all, few believe in his God and a few like the sailors even make their own plans for survival – namely, they will escape in the lifeboat – at least, until the soldiers under Julius’ command cut the ropes and that plan fails. But these people are divided, it’s every group for themselves at this point – soldiers against sailors and well, no one really cares about the prisoners.
Paul is so certain that they all 276 passengers, crew, prisoners, soldiers – all will be saved, that he urges them to eat. That is: he takes bread and gives thanks to God and breaks it – and they eat. They are reassured and have hope
And the next day the ship is wrecked but everyone is saved and the people of Malta, the island they landed on showed them “unusual kindness”. At the end of the winter season, three months later Paul, the prisoner and Aristarchus, his companion, finally leave for Rome.
It’s a long story told in great detail. It’s a story to rival our own life stories because our stories are not really neat or explanatory in 1 or 2 chapters, they go on, they have lots of detail, they have all links to stuff that happened before and after.
But besides that most of us have been in similar situations: we call them the storms of life: lots of stress and worry- one thing after another: until you think finally it’s over, all is calm, now we can breathe and nope something else happens, another wind whips up, the boards holding the ship together start coming apart, and even though you are throwing the cargo overboard; doing everything you can to help alleviate the situation and change the direction things are going in, you find that you can’t control everything and even though the beach is in sight and you are trying your hardest to run the ship aground intact – and the rocks just keep appearing and finally you find yourself barely making it ashore.
AND - well if you’re Ryk and I, and the Island is Texada; someone rings your doorbell bearing gifts of smoked salmon and cream cheese and a list of telephone numbers you might need – someone shows unusual kindness.
You aren’t ready for it – but you are so grateful!
Weeks of unease, worry, distrust, and hopelessness. And now the ship is wrecked but you are on the beach and a bunch of people start showing up. And those people start helping you up the beach, and building fires so you can finally get dry and warm.
Those people of Malta showed not just kindness but unusual kindness. They made fires so these drenched wretches could dry themselves, then they fed them , then they sheltered them until they could continue their journey and even then they provided for the journey. And Paul recognized this unusual kindness and appreciated it, and the writer of Acts recognized this unusual kindness and appreciated it. Paul continued his preaching and healing ministry during his sojourn on Malta.
Every year on February10th many Christians in Malta celebrate the Feast of the Shipwreck of St Paul, marking and giving thanks for the arrival of Christian faith on the island of Malta and Gozo. Today’s story is the story they tell every year, it is a story in which they recognize themselves, maybe, recognize the legacy of their ancestors. It is a story that reminds them who they are: people of unusual kindness. People who resonated with the Good News that Paul recounted.
It is the story of their beginnings as Christians with Paul preaching in the village. Today, their Ecumenical Council brings together the Roman Catholic, the Church of England, the Church of Scotland, the Methodists, the Lutherans, the Russian Orthodox, the Greek Orthodox and the Romanian Orthodox Churches.
You know, I assume, the people who came to that ship’s rescue did it because that was what you do, help a stranger in need – we see that story retold in our own time like when the people in Newfoundland took care of strangers from flights on and after 9/11.
“Unusual kindness” Paul calls it, but to me it sounds like God at work in the world – it’s not just your everyday kindness. This is abundant and gracious, it is the kindness you don’t know what to do with, the kindness you don’t know how to repay, it’s overwhelming in the face of all you’ve been through: shipwrecks, storms, hurricanes, lost jobs, illness, disappointment, betrayal, sadness that overwhelms you: it’s grace heaped upon us, it’s love surrounding us, and it calls us to become more than we were, better than we were.
May it be so. Amen
Although Paul tries to calm the crowd by telling them his story, the story of how he, a Jew, born in Tarsus, a faithful Pharisee who has studied under the best teachers in Jerusalem, persecuted the followers of Jesus until his epiphany on the road to Damascus and his subsequent mission to the Gentiles.
Still the crowd wouldn’t listen and called for Paul to die or as they said “Rid the earth of him. He’s not fit to live”. This crowd is really upset.
So the Roman troops whisk Paul away and want to flog him but Paul reveals he is a Roman citizen and so can’t be punished without a charge. The commander Lysias brings Paul before the chief priests and Sanhedrin (and here we learn the real source for the uproar, a conflict between the Pharisees who believe in resurrection and spirits and angels, and the Sadducees who don’t, and, of course, all those who side with one or the other). In fact, the factions start arguing and there is another uproar and again Paul is taken away for his own safety.
Then, there is plot to kill Paul but Paul’s nephew learns of it and arrives to tell Paul and the commander of the Roman guard. So Paul is transferred to Caesarea and kept under guard at Herod’s palace by order of the Governor Felix.
The High Priest, Ananias, some elders and the lawyer, Tertullus, all arrive in Caesarea and present their case – saying basically Paul is a troublemaker, one of the ringleaders of the Nazarene sect which is causing trouble all over the world.
Paul again defends himself as a follower of The Way – and it seems that Paul remains in Caesarea for two years and talks frequently with the Governor Porcius until the new Governor Festus takes over, and Paul is quickly put on trial and Festus decides that Paul should be sent to Rome. However king Aggrippa visits and he too wants to hear from Paul, after which both Festus and Aggrippa see this as nothing but a dispute between two factions of Jews – and that Paul’s understanding and preaching of the resurrection is not punishable by death but off to Rome Paul has to go along with some other prisoners under the authority of a centurion named Julius and accompanied by Aristarchus, a travelling companion of Paul’s.
So, it takes awhile to get to our story; years in fact for Paul. And while the trip from Caesarea to Rome might not be a piece of cake ordinarily taking 40 -65 days, our story details the, storms, being blown off course, the Nor’Easter winds, the hardships that last over two weeks has the crew throwing cargo over the sides in order to try and survive the ship crushing waves.
Paul, the prisoner, after an initial warning that they should stay in one of the ports they had arrive at safely, is the one who emerges to encourage the crew and passengers during the fateful and prolonged storm. Paul, himself, must have been afraid, as terrified as all the others, but an angel comes and reassures him and he in turn reassures the others that they will survive.
Still, they do not believe Paul, after all, few believe in his God and a few like the sailors even make their own plans for survival – namely, they will escape in the lifeboat – at least, until the soldiers under Julius’ command cut the ropes and that plan fails. But these people are divided, it’s every group for themselves at this point – soldiers against sailors and well, no one really cares about the prisoners.
Paul is so certain that they all 276 passengers, crew, prisoners, soldiers – all will be saved, that he urges them to eat. That is: he takes bread and gives thanks to God and breaks it – and they eat. They are reassured and have hope
And the next day the ship is wrecked but everyone is saved and the people of Malta, the island they landed on showed them “unusual kindness”. At the end of the winter season, three months later Paul, the prisoner and Aristarchus, his companion, finally leave for Rome.
It’s a long story told in great detail. It’s a story to rival our own life stories because our stories are not really neat or explanatory in 1 or 2 chapters, they go on, they have lots of detail, they have all links to stuff that happened before and after.
But besides that most of us have been in similar situations: we call them the storms of life: lots of stress and worry- one thing after another: until you think finally it’s over, all is calm, now we can breathe and nope something else happens, another wind whips up, the boards holding the ship together start coming apart, and even though you are throwing the cargo overboard; doing everything you can to help alleviate the situation and change the direction things are going in, you find that you can’t control everything and even though the beach is in sight and you are trying your hardest to run the ship aground intact – and the rocks just keep appearing and finally you find yourself barely making it ashore.
AND - well if you’re Ryk and I, and the Island is Texada; someone rings your doorbell bearing gifts of smoked salmon and cream cheese and a list of telephone numbers you might need – someone shows unusual kindness.
You aren’t ready for it – but you are so grateful!
Weeks of unease, worry, distrust, and hopelessness. And now the ship is wrecked but you are on the beach and a bunch of people start showing up. And those people start helping you up the beach, and building fires so you can finally get dry and warm.
Those people of Malta showed not just kindness but unusual kindness. They made fires so these drenched wretches could dry themselves, then they fed them , then they sheltered them until they could continue their journey and even then they provided for the journey. And Paul recognized this unusual kindness and appreciated it, and the writer of Acts recognized this unusual kindness and appreciated it. Paul continued his preaching and healing ministry during his sojourn on Malta.
Every year on February10th many Christians in Malta celebrate the Feast of the Shipwreck of St Paul, marking and giving thanks for the arrival of Christian faith on the island of Malta and Gozo. Today’s story is the story they tell every year, it is a story in which they recognize themselves, maybe, recognize the legacy of their ancestors. It is a story that reminds them who they are: people of unusual kindness. People who resonated with the Good News that Paul recounted.
It is the story of their beginnings as Christians with Paul preaching in the village. Today, their Ecumenical Council brings together the Roman Catholic, the Church of England, the Church of Scotland, the Methodists, the Lutherans, the Russian Orthodox, the Greek Orthodox and the Romanian Orthodox Churches.
You know, I assume, the people who came to that ship’s rescue did it because that was what you do, help a stranger in need – we see that story retold in our own time like when the people in Newfoundland took care of strangers from flights on and after 9/11.
“Unusual kindness” Paul calls it, but to me it sounds like God at work in the world – it’s not just your everyday kindness. This is abundant and gracious, it is the kindness you don’t know what to do with, the kindness you don’t know how to repay, it’s overwhelming in the face of all you’ve been through: shipwrecks, storms, hurricanes, lost jobs, illness, disappointment, betrayal, sadness that overwhelms you: it’s grace heaped upon us, it’s love surrounding us, and it calls us to become more than we were, better than we were.
May it be so. Amen
