Acts 28:1-16 - When Life Seems to be Blown Off-Course

Good morning! If you don’t know me, my name is Dalton Leslie. I serve here at Northland as the church planting resident and also as the Director of Outreach and Discipleship. If I haven’t had the chance to meet you yet, I hope to soon. It is an absolute joy to be here with you this morning.

A little about me: I’m married to my wonderful wife, Car, who is definitely the better half of our duo. We have three kids—Hadley, Zander, and Prairie. They are a lot of fun and a little crazy, but we love this season of life.

Let me ask you this—how many parents here have told their kids something exciting a little too soon? Maybe you casually mention, “Christmas is next month,” and suddenly, every single day your kids ask, “Is it Christmas yet? When is Christmas? What am I getting for Christmas?” They’re filled with expectation and excitement.

The same thing happened with my family. My mom, brother, his wife, and their two kids came to visit this weekend. Our kids are close in age and love playing together. Last week, we told our kids, “Next week, Mimi, your cousins, and your aunt and uncle will be here.” My son mimicked my excitement, and every morning after that, he asked, “Is Mimi here?” Every time, I had to say, “No, buddy, not yet.”

Yesterday, before they arrived, he asked again. I told him, “They’ll be here after lunch.” My daughter, not understanding time, said, “Silly Dad, lunch is not in the morning!” She wanted lunch to come early just so they could arrive sooner. After lunch, she asked again. Then after their nap, she asked again. Finally, when they pulled up, my daughter was literally bouncing at the front door. Their excitement had built to this incredible moment.

We do the same thing in life. We expect something great to happen, but when it doesn’t happen in our timing, we get frustrated. We are like kids on Christmas Eve, staying up all night with anticipation. When things don’t go as planned, we become disappointed.

Maybe you feel like you've been delayed. Maybe at some point, you were confident about where life was leading, but then something unexpected happened. Maybe you’re stuck in a job, struggling in your marriage, or waiting for children. Whatever it is, you find yourself waiting with great expectations, yet facing disappointment.

Today, we are looking at Acts 28, where Paul has a great expectation of getting to Rome. However, he is blown off course and forced to wait. If you have your Bible, turn to Acts 28. The good news is, I won’t be reading an entire chapter—just 16 verses.

Paul expected to be in Rome within five weeks. But instead, it took four months. After two years of imprisonment, discussions with Felix, and appealing to Caesar, he finally sets sail for Rome. However, the journey is interrupted, and they are shipwrecked on the island of Malta.

Why was Rome so important to Paul? At that time, Rome was the center of the world—commerce, politics, and power. If the gospel could take root there, it could spread everywhere. Paul’s expectation of reaching Rome was good, but it was delayed.

This brings us to the first point: **God is faithful to His word, not our expectations.** Paul would reach Rome, but not in the way or the timing he expected. In Acts 27, Paul warned the crew that they should stay in Fair Havens for the winter, but they ignored him. A storm came, they were shipwrecked, and now they were stranded on Malta.

Where is Malta? It’s a small island south of Sicily. Paul never planned to be there, yet God had a purpose in it. The locals—described as “barbarians” because they didn’t speak Greek—showed extraordinary kindness. They built a fire and welcomed the shipwrecked crew. Even in an unfamiliar place, God provided through the kindness of strangers.

Paul, despite being exhausted, did not sit back and wait to be served. Instead, he gathered sticks for the fire. As he did, a viper bit him. The locals assumed this meant Paul was cursed. Yet, when he suffered no harm, they changed their minds and thought he was a god. Paul used this as an opportunity to point them to the true God.

Here’s what we learn from Paul’s experience:

1. **God is faithful to His character, not our desires.** Paul wanted to go to Rome, but God had other plans first. Malta was not an accident. Even though no salvations are recorded in the biblical text, historical records show a strong Christian presence in Malta that traces back to Paul’s visit. Publius, the island’s leader, later became the first bishop of Malta and was martyred for his faith.

2. **God is faithful to His timing, not our timeline.** Paul spent three months on Malta before finally setting sail again. When he reached Italy, believers met him along the way, bringing him encouragement. Finally, he arrived in Rome, where he would preach the gospel unhindered for two years. God’s promise to bring Paul to Rome was fulfilled—just not in the way Paul expected.

### Application for Us

Where is your Malta? Are you in a season of waiting? Maybe you feel called to ministry, but the door hasn’t opened yet. Maybe you’re looking for a job, waiting for marriage, or longing for something else. Like my kids asking, “Is it today? Is it tomorrow?” we grow impatient.

Here’s what we can do:

- **Wait on the Lord** – Trust His timing. Don’t try to force things yourself.

- **Wait in prayer** – Use this time to grow closer to God.

- **Wait in devotion** – Stay grounded in His Word.

- **Wait in praise** – Worship while you wait.

- **Have a gospel perspective** – Who around you needs Christ? Instead of focusing on what you lack, look at how God can use you where you are.

- **Seek Christian fellowship** – Paul was encouraged by other believers. We need community too.

Last week, we talked about being stuck in a storm. This week, we talked about being shipwrecked and waiting. Maybe you are in a season of waiting but don’t know Christ. The gospel isn’t good because we get what we want—it’s good because we don’t get what we deserve. We deserve wrath, but God gives grace. Through Jesus, we receive forgiveness and eternal life.

If you’re waiting without hope, turn to Christ. Call out to Him, and He will not disappoint.

Let’s pray:

God, you are good, gracious, and kind. In our waiting, you are patient with us. Even though we deserve so much less, you give us grace. Help us be obedient in our time of waiting and trust in your perfect timing. We love you, Lord. Amen.