“Making theBest out of a Bad Situation”

Peter Metzger

8/3/2025

Sun ValleyChurch MT in Florence, Montana

Acts 27:42-44

42 - Andthe soldiers' counsel was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swimout, and escape.

43 - Butthe centurion, willing to save Paul, kept them from their purpose; andcommanded that they which could swim should cast themselves first into the sea,and get to land:

44 - Andthe rest, some on boards, and some on broken pieces of the ship. And so it cameto pass, that they escaped all safe to land.

Acts 28:1-11

1 - Andwhen they were escaped, then they knew that the island was called Melita.

2 - Andthe barbarous people shewed us no little kindness: for they kindled a fire, andreceived us every one, because of the present rain, and because of the cold.

3 - Andwhen Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, therecame a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand.

4 - Andwhen the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said amongthemselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped thesea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live.

5 - Andhe shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm.

6 - Howbeit they looked when he should have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly:but after they had looked a great while, and saw no harm come to him, theychanged their minds, and said that he was a god.

7 - Inthe same quarters were possessions of the chief man of the island, whose namewas Publius; who received us, and lodged us three days courteously.

8 - Andit came to pass, that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and of a bloodyflux: to whom Paul entered in, and prayed, and laid his hands on him, andhealed him.

9 - Sowhen this was done, others also, which had diseases in the island, came, andwere healed:

10 - Whoalso honoured us with many honours; and when we departed, they laded us withsuch things as were necessary.

11 - Andafter three months we departed in a ship of Alexandria, which had wintered inthe isle, whose sign was Castor and Pollux.