Acts Pt. 68: Ministry in Malta (Acts 28:1-10) - 09/27/26

Acts 28 opens with Paul and the shipwrecked crew washed up cold, worn out, and dependent on the mercy of strangers in Malta. The Maltese show “extraordinary kindness,” building a fire, taking them in, feeding them, and later supplying what they need for the journey. Paul does not arrive as the Christian hero riding in to save the day. Paul arrives as a survivor who needs help, and that matters because Jesus is the hero of the story.

The call to live on mission kills the myth that Christians have everything to give and nothing to receive. The people of Malta do not know Paul’s God, but they know how to build a fire, and Paul needs that fire. Humility recognizes both the corruption of sin and the dignity of God’s image in people outside the church. The mission field is not beneath Christians, and people cannot receive from someone who comes in acting above them.

The contrast between “us versus them” and compassion matters because people are not the enemy. Sin, deception, and spiritual opposition are real, but the person standing in front of a Christian is still someone Jesus came to save. Luke calls the Maltese confused in their theology, yet genuinely kind in their actions. Wrong theology and real kindness can both be true at the same time.

Paul’s experience also kills the myth of the eloquent orator. The Maltese see Paul survive the viper and move from calling him a murderer to calling him a god. Their interpretations reveal that people do not hear the gospel as blank slates. Wounds, traditions, assumptions, trauma, and worldviews shape what people hear, so faithfulness cannot rest on controlling whether everyone understands correctly.

Acts 28 also challenges the myth that ministry only counts when there is an obvious gospel presentation. Luke records prayer, healing, hospitality, mercy, service, and provision, but he does not record a sermon or altar call in Malta. The gospel must be proclaimed, because people must hear the good news of King Jesus. The kingdom must also be demonstrated, because Paul lives like a citizen of the kingdom he represents.

The kingdom of God should become visible when it meets brokenness. The hurting should be cared for, the lonely welcomed, the hungry fed, the sick prayed for, the vulnerable protected, and the overlooked seen. Good works do not replace the gospel, but good works point to the King whose gospel is proclaimed. The call is to live humbly, stay faithful when misunderstood, and let both word and life show what it looks like when Jesus is King.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Jesus is the only hero. Humility begins where the Christian hero complex dies. Paul needed shelter, warmth, food, and help from the very people he was called to reach. The kingdom does not advance through superiority, but through beggars pointing other beggars to the King who adopted them into His family. [16:41]
• 2. People are not the enemy. The distinction between those in Christ and those outside Christ must never become contempt. People may oppose God, misunderstand Christians, or live deceived lives, but they remain image-bearers loved enough for Christ to die for them. Compassion sees the person while recognizing the spiritual darkness at work behind the person. [20:06]
• 3. Faithfulness outlasts misunderstanding. Paul is called a murderer, then a god, and neither label tells the truth. Human praise and human criticism both fail to define a life hidden in Christ. Faithful representation of Jesus matters more than exhausting effort to control every person’s perception. [36:13]
• 4. Proclaim and demonstrate the kingdom. The good news announces that Jesus is King, that sin separates people from God, and that Christ calls people to repent and believe. The kingdom also shows up in healing, hospitality, service, mercy, and care for suffering people. A visible kingdom gives weight to the King who is proclaimed.
  
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Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [02:59] - Paul Shipwrecked on Malta
• [04:18] - What Does Missional Mean?
• [05:28] - The Great Commission
• [07:10] - Proclamation and Kingdom Living
• [10:39] - Missional Myths
• [11:59] - The Christian Hero Myth
• [16:41] - Killing Us Versus Them
• [20:22] - The Eloquent Orator Myth
• [24:07] - The Gospel Moment Myth
• [31:20] - A Humble Missional Posture
• [33:54] - Expect to Be Misunderstood
• [36:28] - Demonstrate and Proclaim the Kingdom
• [39:55] - Living on Mission

Bible Reading

Acts 28:1-10
“After we were brought safely through, we then learned that the island was called Malta. The native people showed us unusual kindness, for they kindled a fire and welcomed us all, because it had begun to rain and was cold. When Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and put them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened on his hand. When the native people saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “No doubt this man is a murderer. Though he has escaped from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live.” He, however, shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm. They were waiting for him to swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But when they had waited a long time and saw no misfortune come to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god. Now in the neighborhood of that place were lands belonging to the chief man of the island, named Publius, who received us and entertained us hospitably for three days. It happened that the father of Publius lay sick with fever and dysentery. And Paul visited him and prayed, and putting his hands on him healed him. And when this had taken place, the rest of the people on the island who had diseases also came and were cured. They also honored us greatly, and when we were about to sail, they put on board whatever we needed.” [02:59]

Matthew 28:19-20
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” [05:28]

1 Peter 2:12
“Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.” [07:10]

Observation questions

1. What specific acts of kindness and provision do the Maltese people show Paul and the shipwrecked group in Acts 28:1-10? [15:43]
2. What changing conclusions do the islanders make about Paul after the viper bites him, and what do those conclusions reveal about their beliefs? [22:29]
3. In Acts 28:7-10, what actions does Paul take when he encounters Publius’s sick father and the other sick people on the island?
4. According to Matthew 28:19-20 and 1 Peter 2:12, what place do both making disciples and visible good works have in the mission of the church? [07:32]

Interpretation questions

1. Why is it significant that Paul first receives shelter, warmth, food, and help from the Maltese before he serves them? What does this show about humility in mission? [16:41]
2. The Maltese people have confused beliefs about Paul, yet Luke still describes their kindness. How can believers recognize real goodness and God-given dignity in people while remaining clear about sin and the need for Christ? [18:55]
3. Why might Luke record healing, hospitality, prayer, and service in Malta without recording a public gospel message? How does this guard believers from separating gospel proclamation from kingdom-shaped living? [29:22]
4. Paul is called both a murderer and a god, and neither label is true. What does this reveal about the limits of trying to control how others interpret a Christian’s motives or faith? [36:13]

Application questions

1. Where might a “Christian hero” mindset show up in your own life—at work, in your neighborhood, in your family, or when serving others? What would it look like to enter that space as someone who also needs God’s grace? [32:00]
2. Is there a person or group of people you are tempted to view mainly with frustration, fear, or contempt? How can you begin to see them as image-bearers whom Jesus came to save rather than as the enemy? [20:06]
3. Think of a time when someone misunderstood your faith, your motives, or your character. How did you respond, and what might faithfulness look like if the misunderstanding is never fully corrected? [35:42]
4. Who around you may need practical care right now—someone lonely, hungry, sick, overwhelmed, overlooked, or vulnerable? What is one specific way you or the group could make the kingdom visible through mercy this week? [39:03]
5. In your normal relationships, do you tend to emphasize words about Jesus or actions that reflect Jesus? What would it look like to grow in both clear gospel proclamation and tangible kingdom demonstration? [39:31]
6. When you receive kindness, wisdom, or help from someone who does not share your faith, is it easy or difficult to receive it humbly? What may need to change in your heart so that you can receive generosity without looking down on the person offering it? [16:12]