To Witness

Paul confirms his heavenly heritage through his witness to the crew and his fellow prisoners: "...the God whose I am and who I serve... (Acts 27:23)" Paul always gave credit to God. No matter the situation. Paul was always applying the great commission of Christ "...go and make disciples."

In Paul's journey by sea to Rome, he was a prisoner, he was likely confined, yet Paul took the opportunity that God gave him "to go". During this journey there were two different Roman centurions, tough leaders in the Roman military, that came into Paul's life on two different ships. These men likely had different primary missions but each had been given a secondary mission of delivering Paul and the prisoners to Rome. But as time went on, both of these centurions showed friendship to Paul (Acts 27:3, 43). No doubt because of Paul's witness to these men as they sailed. Paul likely won these men to Christ because he was a continual witness for Christ wherever he was. "I planted, Apollos watered, and God made it grow" (1 Cor 3:6). See also Oswald Chambers Utmost for Oct 27 which says we can "make disciples" only if our relationships is right with Christ. "Do I know my risen Lord? Do I know the power of His indwelling Spirit?" Paul did. Paul's relationship with Christ was right - for certain! And so too, my relationship must be right with Christ so that I may also witness for my Lord Jesus Christ.

In Acts 28:2 it says that after the shipwreck "...the islanders showed unusual kindness" toward Paul and his comrades. Again likely because of Paul's witness for Christ. At this point is was likely that his prisoner friends and even the crew and soldiers were witnesses for Christ. "Paul planted... God grew". This witness wins people for Christ and likely will change them as well (see Tom Holladay's podcast for Colossians 1 Day 1 ). We are Holy because we are set apart for God; Holy Bible, Holy land, Holy people. We become Holy people when we become believers, when God chooses us, we are set apart by Christ; and we continue our "holiness" as we act as Christians, when we act the way Christ expects us to act, the way He expects us to witness.