All God's saints in heaven and on earth are one church, one kingdom, and one family. "There is no doubt," wrote A. A. Hodge, "but that if there be but one God, there is but one church; if there be but one Christ, there is but one church; if there be but one cross, there is but one church; if there be but one Holy Ghost, there is but one church." All the members of that one, universal church are brothers and sisters in Christ (Eph. 3:15). In Christ, all true believers of all ages and all places are one (Eph. 2:14; Col. 3:11). All have the same Father. All have been adopted by the same, eternal, electing love. All have been redeemed by the same precious blood. All are called by the same Holy Spirit. All have the same Elder Brother. All are saved by the same grace. All are heirs to the same inheritance. All are married to the same Husband, members of the same body, and united to the same Head. Christ is not divided. And his body, the church, is not divided. All true believers are one in him.One of the greatest blessings God's saints possess on this earth and one of the greatest joys of heaven is the fellowship of brethren. As we follow Paul and his companions from Malta to Rome, let us observe how precious his brethren were to him and learn from him to love and esteem one another as brethren in Christ.

PAUL WAS SEPARATED FROM HIS BRETHREN AT MALTA (v. 11). After being cast upon the island of Malta, Paul's preaching was obviously blessed of God to the conversion of some, perhaps many. Those who were converted became very gracious and generous. They highly valued the man who was used of God to bring the gospel of Christ to them (Isa. 52:7; Rom. 10:15). All winter long they lodged and fed Paul, Luke, and Aristarchus, highly honoring them as the servants of God. Paul had ministered to their spiritual needs. Therefore, they thought it only right that they should take care of his physical, material needs (I Cor. 9:9-11; Gal. 6:6). When the time came for Paul to leave Malta, these Maltese brethren supplied him and his friends with everything needed for their journey to Rome. God graciously provided his shipwrecked servants the refreshing consolation of newborn brethren among a barbarian people. What a tender parting their separation must have been! The young converts of Malta stand as examples to all believers in their generosity and esteem for God's servants. All who are privileged to sit under the ministry of a faithful gospel preacher should highly esteem that man for his work's sake (I Thess. 5:12-13) and generously support him, supplying his material needs (Gal. 6:6). The Lord Jesus Christ considers that which is done to his servants as being done to him (Matt. 10:40-41). God's servants are not hirelings. They do not preach for gain. But the laborer is worthy of his pay (Lk. 10:7). No man going to war should entangle himself with the affairs of this world (II Tim. 2:4). No servant of God seeks material wealth. But it is only reasonable for those for whom he labors to provide for his daily needs with sufficient generosity so that he has no earthly, material concern for himself and his family. This generosity should extend beyond the local church caring for its own pastor. As we have opportunity, it is our responsibility to use our financial means to provide for faithful men everywhere so that they may give themselves entirely to the business of the gospel ministry.

Verse 11 gives us yet another incidental lesson about divine providence. Luke tells us that they sailed away from Malta on another ship from Alexandria. The ship which had been wrecked in the storm was also from Alexandria (27:6). Here are two ships, both from Alexandria, both going to Rome, both caught in a horrible storm. One of the ships sailed safely to Malta. The other was completely destroyed. The interesting point is this - The ship that sailed safely through the storm carried a crew of ungodly pagans who sailed under the sign of Caster and Pollux, gods of the sea! The ship that was wrecked, whose passengers and crew were cast out into the cold winter sea, carried some men who were beloved servants of God. It is no accident that Luke records this. The Holy Spirit intends for us to constantly be aware of the fact that favorable providence is no indication of God's favor, and providential hardships are no indications of his displeasure. God wrecked Paul whom he loved so that he might open the door for him to preach to a band of chosen Maltese barbarians. He left the other ship, loaded with men for whom he had no gracious designs, without disturbance or harm. Pity the people whom God leaves alone! Read Psalms 72:1-18 and 92:1-15 and thank God for his special providence, even when it brings you through bitter storms and freezing winter waters!

AFTER LEAVING THEIR BRETHREN AT MALTA, PAUL, LUKE, AND ARISTARCHUS FOUND BRETHREN AT PUTEOLI (vv. 12-14). On the way to Rome, their ship docked for three days at Syracuse in Sicily and for a day at Rhegium. Apparently it was a trading vessel making its regular stops. Then they came to Puteoli, a city near Naples. From there Paul, his friends, and the soldiers would travel to Rome by land. But at Puteoli, Luke says, "We found brethren." Apparently, Paul had found favor in the eyes of the centurion who guarded him. He treated Paul with exceptional kindness, allowing him a great deal of liberty. The first thing Paul did when he came to Puteoli was search out and find the people who worshipped God there, his brethren (v. 14). How these people heard the gospel we are not told. But here, too, God had his elect. Persecution had scattered God's saints all over the Roman world. And whenever believers were scattered, the leaven of the gospel was spread. Paul made it his business to find those who worshipped God wherever he went. It was as natural for him to do so as it would be for any man passing through a town to look up his relatives who live there. The saints of God are a family. The blood that unites us is the blood of Christ. Paul looked up his brethren because he needed their fellowship. Sheep are social creatures. They do not like to be alone. They always run in flocks. The only time they are alone is when they are either sick or lost. Paul, Luke, and Aristarchus had been sailing for five days among ungodly, reprobate men with whom they had nothing in common. But at Puteoli they found brethren and were refreshed. Once they met these redeemed sinners they fell in love with one another immediately. The brethren at Puteoli constrained Paul and his companions to stay with them for seven days. They wanted God's servants to stay over at least one Sunday so that all the church could meet them and hear them preach the gospel of God's free grace in Christ.

THE BRETHREN FROM ROME WHO CAME OUT TO MEET PAUL GREATLY ENCOURAGED HIM (v. 15). By one means or another the saints at Rome heard that Paul, who had written to them long before, came out to meet him. They had never met before, except in spirit. Yet, they showed great love for God's servant. They were of the same family. They all loved the same Savior. So they loved each other. Paul thanked God for them and was encouraged by them. They seem to have cheered and inspired the old warrior for the battles he was yet to face. Someone said, "A church should be a fellowship of encouragement." That is exactly what these Roman believers were to Paul. Here is an interesting sidelight - The word translated "meet" in verse 15 is also found in I Thessalonians 4:17 where we are given a beautiful picture of the resurrection of God's saints. When Christ comes again, the dead in Christ will rise first and we who are alive shall be caught up with them to meet the Lord in the air that we may return with him to his new creation!

AT LAST, PAUL WAS DELIVERED AS A PRISONER TO ROME (v. 16). He came to Rome as a prisoner because of his faithfulness to God. There by God's providence, he was given great liberty to preach the gospel, dwelling in a rented house with a guard constantly at his side. At last, Paul had come to Rome to preach the gospel. It seems to have mattered little to him that he came as the prisoner of Rome. As far as he was concerned, he had come there as the prisoner of Jesus Christ by the will of God. He seized the opportunity now set before him to preach the gospel and to write a good portion of the New Testament. Knowing that God had brought him there and that God would use him there, Paul was content, even in Rome (Phil. 4:12). Would you be?