Acts
Chapter 27
Memory
verses for this week: 2 Cor 10:3 For though we
walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 2 Cor 10:4
(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty
through God to the pulling down of strong holds;).
Introduction: In Chapter 26, Paul presented his case to King
Agrippa and Festus and many others who had gathered to listen. At the end of the chapter, Paul confronted King Agrippa
and asked him if he believed the prophets, and before he could
answer, Paul said “I know thou believest.”
King Agrippa’s response was “Almost thou persuadest me to
be a Christian.” As
far as the record goes, we never found King Agrippa coming to know
Jesus as Lord and Savior. So many are “almost persuaded”, but like Paul, my
desire is that they would wholly turn over their hearts and lives to
Christ. King
Agrippa at the end tells Festus that he would have released Paul had
it not been that he had appealed to Caesar.
But Paul was to go to Rome in God’s perfect plan for his
life.
I.
Paul Sets Sail to Italy
Acts 27:1
And when it was determined that we should sail into Italy,
they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners unto one named
Julius, a centurion of Augustus' band.
Acts 27:2
And entering into a ship of Adramyttium, we launched, meaning
to sail by the coasts of Asia; one Aristarchus, a Macedonian of
Thessalonica, being with us.
Acts 27:3
And the next day we touched at Sidon. And Julius courteously
entreated Paul, and gave him liberty to go unto his friends to
refresh himself.
There
are other prisoners besides Paul being sent to Rome. The prisoners are turned over to a centurion of Augustus’
band named Julius who would be in charge of making sure they were
delivered to the proper authorities in Rome.
The ship they enter is Adramyttium and they are to sail by
the coasts of Asia. By
going this route along the coast, they might later board a ship
going to Italy. The
first place mentioned that they came to on their journey was Sidon,
where the centurion shows a kindness to Paul and allows him the
liberty to go to his friends to refresh himself.
I’m sure that it did not take long for Julius to recognize
Paul as a man of honesty and integrity.
It seems that real Christians have a bit of an aura about
them. I believe
when you see the glowing face of a Christian, it speaks of the glory
of God shining out of the tabernacle where the Holy Spirit now
dwells. (In our bodies
and hearts of course.)
Acts 27:4
And when we had launched from thence, we sailed under Cyprus,
because the winds were contrary.
Acts 27:5
And when we had sailed over the sea of Cilicia and Pamphylia,
we came to Myra, a city of Lycia.
Acts 27:6
And there the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing
into Italy; and he put us therein.
The
next place they stopped was Myra.
It was here that they transferred to the ship of Alexandria
which was sailing to Italy. It
says that the winds were contrary.
If you’ve ever sailed in a sail boat, you realize that the
wind can be both your ally and your enemy.
I’ve never sailed in a big boat like the one these men were
on, but I once owned a
small catamaran sailing boat that really taught me a lot about
sailing. I found that
you can use the winds to take you any direction you want to go, but
you have to set the sails to go at angles with the wind.
You might have to go in a Z pattern to get there, but you
could use almost the least of wind to move you.
But the greatest danger to sailing is gusty high winds where
you can’t control the direction of the ship.
You normally pull down the sails and tie down the mast, but
sometimes the mast has to be let loose.
Calm steady winds are the best to travel in a sail boat.
Here they said the winds under Cyprus were contrary.
Acts 27:7
And when we had sailed slowly many days, and scarce were come
over against Cnidus, the wind not suffering us, we sailed under
Crete, over against Salmone;
Acts 27:8
And, hardly passing it, came unto a place which is called The
fair havens; nigh whereunto was the city of Lasea.
Acts 27:9
Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now
dangerous, because the fast was now already past, Paul admonished
them,
Acts 27:10
And said unto them, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be
with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also
of our lives.
Acts 27:11
Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner
of the ship, more than those things which were spoken by Paul.
Acts 27:12
And because the haven was not commodious to winter in, the
more part advised to depart thence also, if by any means they might
attain to Phenice, and there to winter; which is an haven of Crete,
and lieth toward the south west and north west.
Acts 27:13
And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had
obtained their purpose, loosing thence, they sailed close by Crete.
As
soon as they set sail the weather became bad.
Anytime you are out in any boat, and the waves start to white
cap, it is advisable to get to shore.
Once the waves get really tumultuous, it is difficult to
maneuver. Paul
tried to encourage the centurion to not take this ship because the
voyage would be dangerous. From
verse 9, we gather that this time of the year sailing was dangerous
on this route. We
find that the centurion believed the owner of the ship more than
Paul. Most
likely, the owner of the ship had cargo to deliver, and there was an
investment in making the journey in a timely fashion.
It says that the haven there was not commodious to winter in
for protecting the ship. For
whatever reason, they decided to move on.
II.
The Storm
Acts 27:14
But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind,
called Euroclydon.
Acts 27:15
And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up into the
wind, we let her drive.
Acts 27:16
And running under a certain island which is called Clauda, we
had much work to come by the boat:
Acts 27:17
Which when they had taken up, they used helps, undergirding
the ship; and, fearing lest they should fall into the quicksands,
struck sail, and so were driven.
As
they sailed on the south side of Crete, the storm carried them to an
Island called Clauda. They
stop here and they under gird the ship to strengthen it.
It says the winds were so strong that they lowered the sails
and let the ship drift with the wind.
As I mentioned earlier, sometimes this is the only thing you
can do when the winds reach a certain velocity.
You are truly at God’s mercy and just hold on for dear
life.
Acts 27:18
And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day
they lightened the ship;
Acts 27:19
And the third day we cast out with our own hands the tackling
of the ship.
Acts 27:20
And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no
small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then
taken away.
In
verse 18, it says they lighten the ship by tossing some of the cargo
overboard. When your
life is on the line, the precious cargo you are carrying sometimes
loses its value very quickly. On
the third day, they even through over the tackling.
It says many days there were neither sun nor stars, and they
began to lose all hope that they would be delivered.
III. Paul’s Message to the Crew
Acts 27:21
But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of
them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have
loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss.
Acts 27:22
And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be
no loss of any man's life among you, but of the ship.
Acts 27:23
For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I
am, and whom I serve,
Acts 27:24
Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar:
and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.
Acts 27:25
Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it
shall be even as it was told me.
Paul
comes before the group on the ship and reminds them how that he had
told them earlier that they should not have set sail at this time of
year. If you think back
of the story of Jonah, he too was on a ship in a storm with no hope.
But Jonah was running from the will of God, where Paul was
doing the exact will of God.
Paul then gives them the good news.
He tells that an angel from the Lord had came and told him
that he would be delivered to Rome as had been promised, and that
not only would Paul be safe, but everyone on board would be.
He exhorts them “Be of good cheer: for I believe God, that
it shall be even as it was told me.”
We should have this same attitude in life.
God has made many wonderful and precious promises to us in
the Bible. When Satan
buffets us, we should never fear but like Paul , “Believe God that
it shall be as we were told.”
We have an unsinkable foundation in Jesus Christ, and a God
who cannot lie.
1 Cor 3:9
For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's
husbandry, ye are God's building.
1 Cor 3:10
According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a
wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth
thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.
1 Cor 3:11
For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which
is Jesus Christ.
Heb 6:18
That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for
God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for
refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:
Heb 6:19
Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and
stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;
Heb 6:20
Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an
high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
Acts 27:26
Howbeit we must be cast upon a certain island.
Acts 27:27
But when the fourteenth night was come, as we were driven up
and down in Adria, about midnight the shipmen deemed that they drew
near to some country;
Acts 27:28
And sounded, and found it twenty fathoms: and when they had
gone a little further, they sounded again, and found it fifteen
fathoms.
Acts 27:29
Then fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks, they cast
four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day.
As
they were driven up and down in the Adrian sea, the ship men deem
that they are near some country.
They tested the depth of the water and found they were
getting into more shallow water.
They were approaching the
island of Melita.
Acts 27:30
And as the shipmen were about to flee out of the ship, when
they had let down the boat into the sea, under colour as though they
would have cast anchors out of the foreship,
Acts 27:31
Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these
abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved.
Acts 27:32
Then the soldiers cut off the ropes of the boat, and let her
fall off.
After
they had cast out the four anchors, they waited for daybreak. Some
of the men were all
about to drop a small boat into the water and make for the shore.
Paul tells them that except they all abide in the ship, ye
cannot be saved. While
the centurion had ignored Paul earlier, this time they listen and
cut the ropes and let the small boat fall off.
As it was in the days of Noah, only those inside the ship
were saved from the flood. When
the door closed, no one else was allowed in.
In this life, if we don’t come to Christ before our death,
we have no hope for salvation.
Jesus is the haven of rest for all who will come, but we must
come His way in this life.
1 Pet 3:18
For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the
unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the
flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
1 Pet 3:19
By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in
prison;
1 Pet 3:20
Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering
of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing,
wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
1 Pet 3:21
The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us
(not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a
good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
1 Pet 3:22
Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God;
angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.
Acts 27:33
And while the day was coming on, Paul besought them all to
take meat, saying, This day is the fourteenth day that ye have
tarried and continued fasting, having taken nothing.
Acts 27:34
Wherefore I pray you to take some meat: for this is for your
health: for there shall not an hair fall from the head of any of
you.
Acts 27:35
And when he had thus spoken, he took bread, and gave thanks
to God in presence of them all: and when he had broken it, he began
to eat.
Acts 27:36
Then were they all of good cheer, and they also took some
meat.
Acts 27:37
And we were in all in the ship two hundred threescore and
sixteen souls.
Acts 27:38
And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, and
cast out the wheat into the sea.
Paul
encourages the people aboard to eat.
If you want to have strength, you must have your physical
bread each day. And
if we want spiritual strength and power, we need God’s Word every
day also. Paul
promises that not a hair shall fall from their head, which speaks of
the great faith Paul had in God as he mentioned in verses 24 and 25.
In the presence of them all, Paul gave thanks to God for the
food. I think we show
our love towards God when we in humility pray before our meals.
God truly is the one who provides for us, and we need to
thank him for all his wondrous love and provision each day.
Psa 117:2
For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth
of the LORD endureth for ever. Praise ye the LORD.
Psa 118:1
O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: because his
mercy endureth for ever.
Acts 27:39
And when it was day, they knew not the land: but they
discovered a certain creek with a shore, into the which they were
minded, if it were possible, to thrust in the ship.
Acts 27:40
And when they had taken up the anchors, they committed
themselves unto the sea, and loosed the rudder bands, and hoisted up
the mainsail to the wind, and made toward shore.
Acts 27:41
And falling into a place where two seas met, they ran the
ship aground; and the forepart stuck fast, and remained unmoveable,
but the hinder part was broken with the violence of the waves.
Acts 27:42
And the soldiers' counsel was to kill the prisoners, lest any
of them should swim out, and escape.
Acts 27:43
But the centurion, willing to save Paul, kept them from their
purpose; and commanded that they which could swim should cast
themselves first into the sea, and get to land:
Acts 27:44
And the rest, some on boards, and some on broken pieces of
the ship. And so it came to pass, that they escaped all safe to
land.
When
daybreak came, they lifted the anchors and lifted the mainsail to
head the ship towards land.
At this point, the words of the Lord to Paul were fulfilled.
The violence of the waves broke the ship and it broke the
ship into pieces. So
the people got on pieces of the ship and swam to land.
When the storms of life come, we need to look to God for
deliverance just like Paul did in this day.
The same God who delivered Paul and all these men on the ship
is there to deliver us from whatever we face.
God had declared that Paul would have the privilege of
testifying of Him in Rome. And
sure enough, as always, God stood true to His Word.
Acts 23:11
And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be
of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem,
so must thou bear witness also at Rome.
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Prov 4:18
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Practice
Random Acts of Kindness. Each
act spreads, and many will be blessed.