Introduction:

Recap Paul’s voyage up to Acts 27:20.  Describe the storm that they encountered.  “All hope that we would be saved was finally given up.”  (Acts 27:20b)  Many of us know how they felt:  a storm of losing a job and being in dire straits financially, hearing from the doctor that you have cancer, a child whom you have taught the way of the Lord all his life turns his back on Christ and the church when he leaves home, or a life-long friend betrays you.  How do you survive such storms?  Let’s see how Paul survives his and maybe we can learn something about how to survive ours.

Text:  Acts 27:21-44

Body:

I.  Expect Storms to Come  Even though Paul was doing the will of God, he still encountered storms.  Rain falls on the just and the unjust.  (Matthew 5:45)  Often being a Christian brings with it additional storms.  (I Peter 4:12-13, 16) “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.  16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.” NKJV  We must realize that difficult times will inevitably come.  Knowing this, we can mentally prepare ourselves, at least to some degree.

II.  Trust in God  Acts 27:21-26  Verse 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.”  NKJV  Paul is not so much scolding them as he is urging them to listen to him this time.  Verses 22-24 “And now I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship.  For there stood by me this night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve, saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must be brought before Caesar; and indeed God has granted you all those who sail with you.’ ”  NKJV 

The previous night, possibly during a time of prayer, Paul received a visit from an angel of God.  Notice the reason God was going to spare the lives of those on board was so that Paul could be brought before Caesar.  “Human society has no idea how much it owes, in the mercy of God, to the presence of righteous men and women.”  F. F. Bruce  Verses 25-26  “Therefore take heart, men, for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me.  ‘However, we must run aground on a certain island.’ ” NKJV  While the lives of those on board would be spared, the ship would be lost.  Even though God promised they would be saved, the journey would still be difficult.  This reminds us of Acts 14:22b. “. . . We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.”  If we are to survive the storms of life, we must trust in God to the extent that we can also say – “. . . I believe God that it will be just exactly as it was told me.”  (Acts 27:25b)  We have “exceedingly great and precious promises.”(II Peter 1:4) “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5b)  Also Romans 8:38-39 “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” NKJV  Believing these promises won’t cause the storms to go away; they didn’t for Paul.  However, it will bring lasting peace.  (John 16:33) “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace.  In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” NKJV

III.  Pray and Give Thanks  Acts 27:27-37  Verses 27-29  “Now when the fourteenth night had come, as we were driven up and down in the Adriatic Sea, about midnight the sailors sensed that they were drawing near some land.  And they took soundings and found it to be twenty fathoms; and when they had gone a little farther, they took soundings again and found it to be fifteen fathoms.  Then, fearing lest we should run aground on the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern, and prayed for day to come.”  NKJV  They had no control over the ship.  They were in the east central part of the Mediterranean and probably heard waves breaking on rocks or on the beach.  They took soundings by using weighted ropes with knots a fathom [six feet] apart.  They were close to land, but afraid of running aground on rocks; so they dropped four anchors.  They “prayed for day to come.” 

Have you ever had nights of fear, where it felt as if God was far away?  Keep praying even through the darkest night.  Verses 30-32 “And as the sailors were seeking to escape from the ship, when they had let down the skiff into the sea, under pretense of putting out anchors from the prow, Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, ‘Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved.’  Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the skiff and let it fall off.” NKJV  Sometime in the night, fear got too much for the sailors.  They tried to escape in a lifeboat, although they had little chance of surviving.  Paul was not deceived; he had the soldiers cut the rope.  “Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved.”  Possibly these sailors were needed to guide the ship or possibly because God’s promise was to save all on board.  Acts 27:22 meant they had to stay on board. “And now I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship.”  Verses 33-35 “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.  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.’  And when he had said these things, he took bread and gave thanks to God in the presence of them all; and when he had broken it he began to eat.”  NKJV  Paul understood how those on beard felt.  Just before dawn he did three things to encourage them.  He took some food to nourish his body, reminded them of God’s promise that no one would be lost, and prayed to God and gave thanks.  Dedicate yourself to encouraging others.  Verses 36-37 “Then they were all encouraged, and also took food themselves.  And in all we were two hundred and seventy-six persons on the ship.” NKJV  Result:  All were encouraged – all 276!  One essential for surviving the storms in life is praying and giving thanks.  Being able to focus on the good things during times of crisis will help us weather any storm.  It will provide a silver lining.  God has countless ways of helping His people.  (II Corinthians 4:8-9) “We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed” –  There is wisdom in accordance with His divine will.  God will deliver us in one way or another.  (Psalm 34:17, 19) “The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, And delivers them out of all their troubles. 19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all.” NKJV

IV.  Do All that You Can Yourself  Acts 27:38-44  Verse 38 “So when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship and threw out the wheat into the sea.” NKJV  With returned strength, they threw out the remaining cargo so that the ship could ride higher in the water.  Verses 39-40 “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.  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.” NKJV  They spotted a bay with a beach, although they were still far from safe.  They cast off anchors and loosed the rudder ropes so that the ship could be steered again.  They hoisted the sail so they could head for shore.  Verse 41 “But striking a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground; and the prow stuck fast and remained immovable, but the stern was being broken up by the violence of the waves.” NKJV  Two strong sea currents, flowing from opposite directions, had piled up sand and rocks under the water.  Here the ship ran aground.  The ship began to break up.  Verse 42 “And the soldiers’ plan was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim away and escape.” NKJV  The soldiers wanted to kill all prisoners so they would not be held accountable.  Verses 43-44 “But the centurion, wanting to save Paul, kept them from their purpose, and commanded that those who could swim should jump overboard first and get to land, and the rest, some on boards and some on parts of the ship.  And so it was that they all escaped safely to land.” NKJV  Julius didn’t want Paul killed, so he gave orders to abandon ship.  They must swim or float to land by hanging onto some debris.  Even the apostle Paul had to do one or the other.  Result:  All two hundred seventy-six made it safely to shore.  God’s promise came true.  “It had turned out just as Paul had been told.”  We need to understand as Paul did that if we are to survive the storms of life, we must do our part to bring that about.  As this apostle Paul would soon write – “. . . Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.”  (Philippians 2:12) “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;” NKJV

Invitation:

God offers salvation to everyone.  But we must accept that gift as God desires us to do.

·  Believe 

·  Repent 

·  Confess 

·  Be Baptized

Bobby Stafford 

December 25, 2016 

Acts:  Lesson 56  Acts 27:21-44