Three hour tour

Paul taken to Rome

Paul, arrested in Jerusalem, used his Roman Citizenship to avoid being beaten, as well as receive protection from the Jews, and in accordance with God’s call on his life, receive an audience, in the form of a trial, with Caesar.

As we accelerate to the end of ACTS, it is a good time to talk about Paul’s Letters.

Paul (Saul) is introduced in Acts at Stephen’s murder in Acts 6.

In Acts 9 he is converted on the Road to Damascus.

In Acts 15 remember Paul and Barnabas argue over Mark (Paul wrote the book of Galatians.)

In Acts 16 Paul goes to Athens - Sermon on Mars Hill. Writes 1st Thessalonians.

Paul stays in Corinth stays a year and a half, Writes 2nd Thessalonians.

In Chapter 19 Paul is in Ephesus and writes 1st and 2nd Corinthians.

In Chapter 20, while in Corinth, Paul writes Romans.

The purpose if Luke’s writing (Luke and Acts) was to chronicle What Jesus had done and the birth of the early church.

It is historical narrative, and although he, in being faithful, writes for us the sermons of Peter, Paul, there is not a lot of systematic theology found in it. There is not specific instruction other than what is found in the sermons he recorded.

Pauls letters, on the other hand, were letters to the early churches that were either to address a problem in the teaching of the early church (Galatians was to address the attempt of the Jewish Christians to bring the ceremonial law (which Christ fulfilled) into the Church) OR it was to establish right theology in the church (Romans).

This morning, as we look at Pauls journey to Rome, there is not any specific theology that is addressed, but we can see Paul’s interaction with the non believers and from that we may not hear the Gospel, but we get to see it.

Acts 19:21 NASB95

21 Now after these things were finished, Paul purposed in the Spirit to go to Jerusalem after he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.”

Acts 23:11 NASB95

11 But on the night immediately following, the Lord stood at his side and said, “Take courage; for as you have solemnly witnessed to My cause at Jerusalem, so you must witness at Rome also.”

Acts 27:1 NASB95

1 When it was decided that we would sail for Italy, they proceeded to deliver Paul and some other prisoners to a centurion of the Augustan cohort named Julius.

Acts 27:3 NASB95

3 The next day we put in at Sidon; and Julius treated Paul with consideration and allowed him to go to his friends and receive care.

Trouble is warned of

Acts 27:6–11 NASB95

6 There the centurion found an Alexandrian ship sailing for Italy, and he put us aboard it. 7 When we had sailed slowly for a good many days, and with difficulty had arrived off Cnidus, since the wind did not permit us to go farther, we sailed under the shelter of Crete, off Salmone; 8 and with difficulty sailing past it we came to a place called Fair Havens, near which was the city of Lasea. 9 When considerable time had passed and the voyage was now dangerous, since even the fast was already over, Paul began to admonish them, 10 and said to them, “Men, I perceive that the voyage will certainly be with damage and great loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives.” 11 But the centurion was more persuaded by the pilot and the captain of the ship than by what was being said by Paul.

Trouble Comes

Acts 27:14–17 NASB95

14 But before very long there rushed down from the land a violent wind, called Euraquilo; 15 and when the ship was caught in it and could not face the wind, we gave way to it and let ourselves be driven along. 16 Running under the shelter of a small island called Clauda, we were scarcely able to get the ship’s boat under control. 17 After they had hoisted it up, they used supporting cables in undergirding the ship; and fearing that they might run aground on the shallows of Syrtis, they let down the sea anchor and in this way let themselves be driven along.

Reality sets in

Acts 27:18–20 NASB95

18 The next day as we were being violently storm-tossed, they began to jettison the cargo; 19 and on the third day they threw the ship’s tackle overboard with their own hands. 20 Since neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small storm was assailing us, from then on all hope of our being saved was gradually abandoned.

Paul Encourages

Acts 27:21–26 NASB95

21 When they had gone a long time without food, then Paul stood up in their midst and said, “Men, you ought to have followed my advice and not to have set sail from Crete and incurred this damage and loss. 22 “Yet now I urge you to keep up your courage, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. 23 “For this very night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood before me, 24 saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar; and behold, God has granted you all those who are sailing with you.’ 25 “Therefore, keep up your courage, men, for I believe God that it will turn out exactly as I have been told. 26 “But we must run aground on a certain island.”

Paul leads by example

Acts 27:27–37 NASB95

27 But when the fourteenth night came, as we were being driven about in the Adriatic Sea, about midnight the sailors began to surmise that they were approaching some land. 28 They took soundings and found it to be twenty fathoms; and a little farther on they took another sounding and found it to be fifteen fathoms. 29 Fearing that we might run aground somewhere on the rocks, they cast four anchors from the stern and wished for daybreak. 30 But as the sailors were trying to escape from the ship and had let down the ship’s boat into the sea, on the pretense of intending to lay out anchors from the bow, 31 Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, “Unless these men remain in the ship, you yourselves cannot be saved.” 32 Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the ship’s boat and let it fall away. 33 Until the day was about to dawn, Paul was encouraging them all to take some food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day that you have been constantly watching and going without eating, having taken nothing. 34 “Therefore I encourage you to take some food, for this is for your preservation, for not a hair from the head of any of you will perish.” 35 Having said this, he took bread and gave thanks to God in the presence of all, and he broke it and began to eat. 36 All of them were encouraged and they themselves also took food. 37 All of us in the ship were two hundred and seventy-six persons.

Safely ashore

Acts 27:38–44 NASB95

38 When they had eaten enough, they began to lighten the ship by throwing out the wheat into the sea. 39 When day came, they could not recognize the land; but they did observe a bay with a beach, and they resolved to drive the ship onto it if they could. 40 And casting off the anchors, they left them in the sea while at the same time they were loosening the ropes of the rudders; and hoisting the foresail to the wind, they were heading for the beach. 41 But striking a reef where two seas met, they ran the vessel aground; and the prow stuck fast and remained immovable, but the stern began to be broken up by the force of the waves. 42 The soldiers’ plan was to kill the prisoners, so that none of them would swim away and escape; 43 but the centurion, wanting to bring Paul safely through, kept them from their intention, and commanded that those who could swim should jump overboard first and get to land, 44 and the rest should follow, some on planks, and others on various things from the ship. And so it happened that they all were brought safely to land.

God keeps his promises

Romans 4:21 NASB95

21 and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform.

God told Paul he was going to Rome, He was going to Rome.

Heed God’s warning

Paul warned what would happen.

God’s word warns us about sin.

Trouble will come

John 16:33 NASB95

33 “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”

Encourage with faith and action

Matthew 5:13–16 NASB95

13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. 14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; 15 nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

We will suffer the loss, trouble, and disappointment the same as the world.

But we have hope.