Acts 27:1-44
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
[READING - Acts 27:1-8]
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. 2 And embarking in an Adramyttian ship, which was about to sail to the regions along the coast of Asia, we put out to sea accompanied by Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica. 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. 4 From there we put out to sea and sailed under the shelter of Cyprus because the winds were contrary. 5 When we had sailed through the sea along the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we landed at Myra in Lycia. 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.
[PRAYER]
In Acts 27, the Apostle is on the way to Rome.
Falsely arrested in Jerusalem and unjustly imprisoned in Caesarea, Paul had appealed his case to Caesar and to Caesar he was going.
Jesus told him he would go.
Acts 23:11 (NASB95)
11 “Take courage (Paul); for as you have solemnly witnessed to My cause at Jerusalem, so you must witness at Rome also.”
But how would Rome respond to the Apostle’s witness?
How would the Romans respond to the apostolic word?
The apostolic word is the word of the Apostles; it’s the Gospel of Jesus Christ as recorded in our New Testament.
It is the foundation of the church with Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone (Eph. 2:20).
It is the word we should remember as the commandment of our Lord and Savior (2 Pet. 3:2; Jude 17).
The apostolic word is the good news of God’s grace in Jesus Christ…
- the word that says God is holy…
- the word that says we are sinners…
- the word that says the price for our sin is death…
- the word that says Jesus…
lived the holy life we should…
died the death we should have…
and rose from the dead so that we could have…
…eternal life with God forever in Heaven rather than eternal death in Hell.
How we respond to this apostolic word determines if we live or die.
We have a picture of this truth in Acts 27.
Two men standout in this chapter of Scripture—the Apostle Paul and the Roman centurion Julius.
How the Roman Centurion responds to the Apostle’s words reflects the importance of responding correctly to the apostolic word; it’s reflects the importance of responding correctly to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
As we go along, ask yourself, “How have I responded to the apostolic word? How have I responded to the Good News of God’s grace in Jesus Christ?”
[TS] There are four ANCHORS that I hope hold firm in your heart this morning…
Major Ideas
Major Ideas
ANCHOR #1: Those who ignore the Apostle’s word have no hope of salvation (Acts 27:9-20).
ANCHOR #1: Those who ignore the Apostle’s word have no hope of salvation (Acts 27:9-20).
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. 12 Because the harbor was not suitable for wintering, the majority reached a decision to put out to sea from there, if somehow they could reach Phoenix, a harbor of Crete, facing southwest and northwest, and spend the winter there. 13 When a moderate south wind came up, supposing that they had attained their purpose, they weighed anchor and began sailing along Crete, close inshore. 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. 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.
[EXP] The vessel that brought Paul and his shipmates to Fair Havens was likely apart of the imperial grain fleet, a huge ship tasked with bringing grain to Rome from Egypt.
Because it was apart of the Roman imperial grain fleet, Julius, the Roman centurion, was the ranking officer onboard.
He would decide if the ship wintered in Fair Havens or risked sailing on to another more desirable port.
Everyone knew it was a risk because the time for favorable sailing on the Mediterranean was past.
Luke notes that ‘the fast’ (referring to the Jewish fast on the Day of Atonement which fell in September or October) had already past.
This meant that the time for sailing on the Mediterranean had become too hazardous.
From mid-September to mid-November, sailing on the Mediterranean was dangerous.
From mid-November until at least February, all sailing on the Mediterranean ceased.
Paul, the experienced sea-traveler who had already been in three shipwrecks (2 Cor. 11:25) knew this and said as much to Julius, the Roman centurion, but his words went unheeded.
No one wanted to spend the winter in Fair Haven, so Julius decided they would attempt to make it to Phoenix, a harbor on the island of Crete.
A gentle wind began to blow up from the south encouraging the sailors to weigh anchor and sail for Phoenix sticking close to the shore.
But almost as soon as they set sail, a violent wind rushed down, caught the ship broadside and drove it out into the sea.
The violent wind was called a Euraquilo, a northeaster, the convergence of two air masses resulting in hurricane force winds of typhoon strength.
Actually, the NLT translates v. 14, saying…
14 But the weather changed abruptly, and a wind of typhoon strength (called a “northeaster”) burst across the island and blew us out to sea.
The ship’s skiff or dingy, a small boat used in emergencies or as a means of transport from ship to shore, it was going crazy in the storm.
The crew was only able to get it under control when the full force of the storm was temporarily broken by the island of Clauda.
Taking advantage of the small reprieve, the crew also undergirded the grain ship with cables in hopes of holding it together in the storm.
They also let down the sea anchor or gear in hopes of not ending up in the graveyard of the ships, the shallows of Syrtis.
They were, in fact, hundreds of miles away from Syrtis, but they had no idea how far a storm of such enormous strength might blow them off course.
They were at the mercy of the storm.
Having been throughly battered by the continuous storm through the night, they jettisoned the cargo the next, and the day after that they chunked the ship’s tackle.
They were afraid of being driven onto rocks, and were trying to make the ship ride higher in the sea.
But when they were lost in the darkness of the storm, not seeing the sun or stars days on end, they gave up all hope of being saved.
It’s interesting that Luke writes in v. 20, “from then on all hope of our being saved was gradually abandoned.”
It seems the majority were resigning themselves to a watery grave—perhaps everyone, everyone except the Apostle Paul.
[APP] Despite the old adage, the majority is seldom right.
In this case, the majority decided to sail for Phoenix against the advice of the Apostle Paul.
Julius, the ranking Roman officer onboard, ignored the Apostle’s counsel, went with majority, and ended up in hopelessness.
What was true for Julius and all those onboard the grain vessel in Acts 27 is also true spiritually—following the majority will leave you in despair.
The apostolic word of Matthew records our Lord Jesus as saying…
13 “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. 14 “For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.
The majority of people don’t believe that they are sinners (i.e., rebels and enemies of God).
The majority of people don’t believe that Jesus was the Son of God who lived perfectly for them, died sacrificially for them, and rose triumphantly from the dead to give them eternal life with God.
The majority of people are on the broad way that leads to destruction.
But those who heed the apostolic word are on the narrow way that leads to life.
We believe that Jesus is the Son of God, that he came, lived, died, and rose again to save us from the wrath of God on account of our sins.
Anyone who doesn’t believe that—even though they are following the majority—they have no hope of being saved.
[TS] {ANCHOR #1} Those who ignore the Apostle’s word have no hope of salvation.
ANCHOR #2: Those who believe the Apostle’s word will be saved (vv. 21-26).
ANCHOR #2: Those who believe the Apostle’s word will be saved (vv. 21-26).
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.”
[EXP] No one likes to hear, “I told you so,” and the Apostle Paul doesn’t seem to have been the kind of man to say, “I told you so,” even when he had the right to do so like in this case.
Admittedly, he does remind those on board that they should’ve listened to him previously, but I think he does that in hopes of convincingly them to listen to him now.
They were hungry and frightened, but Paul fed their spirits with a word of encouragement—an angel of God had appeared to him and said that he would live to stand before Caesar and that all those sailing with him would live as well.
Paul told these men to keep up their courage because God had promised salvation.
But the question is, would these men believe God?
[APP] Every life has its share of storms, but those who believe the promises of God as delivered by the Apostles are delivered from them all.
In the midst of this storm, Paul knew that God was with him.
We see that in v. 22.
In the midst of this storm, Paul knew that he belonged to God and was serving God.
We see this in v. 23.
And in the midst of this storm, Paul knew that he could trust God.
Paul said in v. 25, “…keep up your courage, men, for I believe God…”
What gave Paul this kind of trust in God?
Of course, the gift of faith in Jesus is only graciously given by God, but once having received that sovereign gift of God, Paul knew there was nothing that God wouldn’t give him. In Romans 8:32, Paul wrote…
32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?
The same God that sent his Son Jesus to die on the cross and rise from the dead to save Paul from his sins was promising to save Paul from this storm.
How could Paul not believe him?
He knew that God would keep his promise.
If you have trusted in Christ Jesus to save you by way of his sacrifice on the cross, I have good news for you: one day soon God will deliver you from all the storms in your life.
You can believe this… you can believe God, because if he has given his Son to save you from sin and death, how will he not save you from all things?
[TS] {ANCHOR #2} Those who believe the Apostle’s word will be saved.
ANCHOR #3: Those who try to save themselves will perish (Acts 27:27-32).
ANCHOR #3: Those who try to save themselves will perish (Acts 27:27-32).
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.
[EXP] Paul and his shipmates had been driven around by this monster storm in the Adriatic Sea (which is not the modern Adriatic) for two weeks when the experienced sailors began to sense that they were nearing land.
Likely, they heard the faint sound of surf breaking against rocks.
They measured the depth of the water by taking a sounding and found that it was twenty fathoms deep and then 15 fathoms deep.
They cast the ships four anchors from the stern to keep the vessel pointed in the right direction and away from the rocks.
Then they prayed for daybreak.
Some sailors, however, took an ‘every man for himself’ approach once they were so close to land.
They let down the ship’s skiff to escape, but Paul warned Julius, the Roman centurion, that he and his men wouldn’t be saved unless the sailors stayed.
Would this Roman listen to the words of the Apostle now or would he ignore them again to his ruin?
Julius gave the order and the soldiers cutaway the ropes that held the skiff and let it fall away.
Julius, the Roman centurion, and his Roman soldiers were now fully reliant on the words of the Apostle.
If his word was true, they would live.
If his word was false, they would perish.
[APP] Some commentators have pointed out that Paul likely didn’t intend for the soldiers to cut the ropes and let the skiff fall away.
On the next day when everyone was swimming or floating on planks of wood trying to reach the shore of Malta, that little boat would have come in handy, but their salvation didn’t depend on that little dingy.
Their salvation rested on the promise of God as delivered to them by the Apostle.
Our salvation in Jesus Christ rests on the promise of God as delivered to us through the words of the Apostles, which we have in the words of the NT.
That apostolic word says that we cannot save ourselves because we are all law-breaking sinners.
10 as it is written, “There is none righteous, not even one; 11 There is none who understands, There is none who seeks for God; 12 All have turned aside, together they have become useless; There is none who does good, There is not even one.”
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
But the apostolic word says that our salvation depends on the promise of God in Jesus Christ.
21 But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been revealed, attested by the Law and the Prophets. 22 The righteousness of God is through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe, since there is no distinction. 23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; 24 they are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
As unsaved sinners, we were lost in an ocean of God’s wrath.
Perhaps we tried to save ourselves by being a good person only to find that we couldn’t be good enough.
Perhaps we tried to save ourselves by obeying God’s word only to find that we couldn’t be obey well-enough.
But it was only when we cut the ropes and let those things fall away, that we rested completely in the salvation promised in Jesus Christ—the salvation promised to us in the apostolic word.
If you have yet to trust in Jesus, the apostolic word has shown you that you can’t save yourself.
Let that go, and trust in Jesus who has done everything necessary to save you from your sins.
[TS] {ANCHOR #3} Those who try to save themselves will perish.
ANCHOR #4: Those who believe the apostle’s word will be brought safely to shore (Acts 27:33-44).
ANCHOR #4: Those who believe the apostle’s word will be brought safely to shore (Acts 27:33-44).
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. 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.
[EXP] Paul, knowing that they would soon have to swim for it, encouraged everyone to eat, and all 276 of them did so.
When they were strengthened, they threw out the wheat to lighten the load
They didn’t know where they were, but once they caught sight of land, they made for the beach.
The ship, however, soon got stuck on a reef which separated the shoreline from the open sea.
The mighty waves then began to break up the ship.
The standard operating procedure of Roman soldiers in such circumstances was to kill prisoners to keep them from escaping.
Soldiers who let prisoners escape could be made to pay with their own lives.
But the prisoners were spared because Julius wanted to bring Paul safely through.
He commanded the strong swimmers into the water first, then those who would paddle to shore on planks of wood from the destroyed ship.
“And so it happened that they all were brought safely to land,” (Acts 27:44b).
[APP] Paul knew that he would be brought safely through because God had promised it.
We too know that we will be brought safely through because God has promised it in Jesus Christ.
That promise has come down to us in the words of the Apostles.
And how we respond to the apostolic word determines whether we live or die.
[TS]…
Conclusion
Conclusion
[PRAYER]