Acts 27
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Acts 27
1 ¶ And when it was decided that we should sail to Italy, they delivered Paul and some other prisoners to one named Julius, a centurion of the Augustan Regiment.
When it was decided … I suppose Governor Festus imagined he or one of the magistrates made the decision that it was time to send Paul to Rome. However, we know that God governs in the affairs of men and that even the heart of the King is in the hand of the Lord and the Lord will turn it whichever direction He wishes. (Proverbs 21:1)
Man no more governs the course of God’s plan than he does the weather or the course of the rivers.
2 So, entering a ship of Adramyttium, we put to sea, meaning to sail along the coasts of Asia. Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, was with us.
“Meaning to sail along the coasts of Asia” … It seems they were intending to sail along and close to the shore of southern Turkey, under the gentle easy breezes of the Mediterranean.However, God had a different plan.
4 When we had put to sea from there, we sailed under the shelter of Cyprus, because the winds were contrary.
Instead of cruising westward along the shoreline, the ship had to turn southeast because the winds were contrary. By-the-way, contrary winds are a part of life. Many times circumstances push us out into deeper waters,and we find ourselves having to adjust our course to meet our goals. Alternate routes and unexpected detours can seem like a waste of time. However, when our lives are in God’s hands, we can rest in faith that no matter what happens, He’s in control.
9 Now when much time had been spent, and sailing was now dangerous because the Fast was already over, Paul advised them,
10 saying, “Men, I perceive that this voyage will end with disaster and much loss, not only of the cargo and ship, but also our lives.”
11 Nevertheless the centurion was more persuaded by the helmsman and the owner of the ship than by the things spoken by Paul.
So, they continued their journey and sailed towards Rome.
14 But not long after, a tempestuous head wind arose, called Euroclydon.
Euroclydon – I’ll call it a European cyclone – Like a hurricane …
15 So when the ship was caught, and could not head into the wind, we let her drive.
There was not much use trying to resist. It’s time to secure the sails and just let the wind and current take the ship wherever it wanted.
• The storm finally pushed them under temporary cover of a small island where, with a lot of hard work, they were able to secure the skiff onboard.
• Then they used cables or ropes to run under the ship and undergird it hoping to add strength to the hull and keep the ship from breaking up.
• Fearing they might hit a shallow sand bar they struck the sails and were driven back out into the sea.
• This is no small ship. There were 276 people onboard.
• They tried everything from merely lightening the ship to tossing everything overboard that wasn’t essential to keeping the ship afloat.
• It appears from the account that Paul helped out with his own hands.
19 On the third day we threw the ship’s tackle overboard with our own hands.
20 Now when neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest beat on us, all hope that we would be saved was finally given up.
All hope of being saved was gone …
21 ¶ But after long abstinence from food, then Paul stood in the midst of them and said, “Men, you should have listened to me, and not have sailed from Crete and incurred this disaster and loss.
It’s been days and days, two whole weeks in this storm without eating anything … battered and tossed and driven by the contrary winds and roaring waves … no one expected to live … then Paul, when all hope was gone, said: “I told you so!” “Now are you ready to listen?”
22 “And now I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship.
23 “For there stood by me this night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve,
24 “saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must be brought before Caesar; and indeed God has granted you all those who sail with you.’
25 “Therefore take heart, men, for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me.
26 “However, we must run aground on a certain island.”
I have received a messenger from God, to whom I belong and whom I serve, saying, “Do not be afraid …”. And, because you’re with me, you’re gonna be ok. But listen … “we must run aground on a certain island.”
29 Then, fearing lest we should run aground on the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern, and prayed for day to come.
When things are bad and getting worse, in the midnight hour, when you don’t know where you are or what to do, it’s time to “Stop and Pray for some light to shine in your darkness.” They needed some clear direction.
33 And as day was about to dawn, Paul implored them all to take food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day you have waited and continued without food, and eaten nothing.
34 “Therefore I urge you to take nourishment, for this is for your survival, since not a hair will fall from the head of any of you.”
Nourishment is vital. We often need both spiritual and natural sustenance to be strong enough to climb the mountains we are about to encounter. Both the devil and this world easily pick off the weak.
39 When it was day, they did not recognize the land; but they observed a bay with a beach, onto which they planned to run the ship if possible.
Sometimes we may not be able to see the perfect place to land but we must yet choose the best place we can see. These mariners didn’t know if it was even possible, but they were wise enough to have a plan.
40 And they let go the anchors and left them in the sea, meanwhile loosing the rudder ropes; and they hoisted the mainsail to the wind and made for shore.
What makes someone decide to cut the anchors and loose the rudder, to cut their ties with those things which have held them in place and let go of their control and make for shore? This is no different than what we saw in the life of the prodigal son who was anchored in sin, bound to a foreigner, living in a pig pen, hungry and hopeless, when he came to his senses, discovered a plan, cut his anchors, hoisted his sails, let go his control and made for home.
We know the ship didn’t make it all the way but rather ran aground, and began to break up. Soldiers, sailors, prisoners and fare paying passengers jumped overboard and some swam, some clung to boards and parts of the broken ship and continued to the shore.
44b And so it was that they all escaped safely to land.
We have discovered so many principles from this account in Acts 27, none more inspiring than what we find written almost in passing in the first verse. Let’s look closer at a few words from that verse.
Acts 27:1 And when it was decided that we should sail to Italy …
Notice the “we”? When I read this opening verse my attention is drawn to consider who is on this difficult and dangerous journey. We know that Luke is the one writing this account and is not under arrest or in anyway bound by or compelled to accompany the Apostle Paul on this journey to Rome to make his appeal to Caesar. As well, verse 2 reveals:
2 … Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, was with us.
I am inspired by the commitment of these two men who evidently answered the call and laid down their lives to serve God by serving the ministry and mission of the Apostle Paul. Paul had to be there; these men chose to be there.
Whether legally obligated or spiritually committed, we all have that same chance to bind our lives to our highest calling as only determined by God.
I also know and am fully confident that even if the Apostle Paul had been set free by Governor Festus, he would have nonetheless sailed on that same ship as a free man yet bound to the plan and purpose of God for his life. And, not for his life alone but also for the lives of all of those other 275 people who were saved as a result of Paul being on that voyage.
As well, the extended purpose of making shipwreck on that certain island, which we now know was Malta, brought about the salvation of so many who God desired to hear the Gospel of Christ by the hand of this great and capable minister of the grace which comes by faith in Jesus.
We also, whether compelled or committed should realize that God has a plan to reach the whole world by reaching key players with the Gospel of Jesus Christ who are a part of His continuing plan. The person you reach with the Gospel might be the next Martin Luther King, Harriet Tubman, Billy Graham or Apostle Paul.
