Anchored in the Storm: Trusting God’s Purpose When All Seems Lost

Bible

Baptism

Christmas

Decoration

Parade

Acts 29 - What does this mean (The History of the church does not stop with Paul)

Bible Passage: Acts 27:13–37, Acts 27:44

One Can: Where do we want to live… Abundance or Scarcity

Scarcity Mindset versus Abundance Mindset:

Scarcity - There is not enough, so I need to hold on to what I have… (Its mine)

Abundance - What I have comes from the one who owns it all. There is more than enough.

Draw a stark difference between wisdom and foolishness…

Which one do you have as you walk in here

Why this matters today: We are all going to go through very hard times in LIFE and our faith is an opportunity to help someone else believe even when they do not have the faith to believe and when God comes through then they are able to have a closer and more intimate relationship with Him as they know His goodness.

1. Drop The Dead Weight

Acts 27:13–20 (ESV)

Now when the south wind blew gently, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, they weighed anchor and sailed along Crete, close to the shore. But soon a tempestuous wind, called the northeaster, struck down from the land. And when the ship was caught and could not face the wind, we gave way to it and were driven along. Running under the lee of a small island called Cauda, we managed with difficulty to secure the ship’s boat. After hoisting it up, they used supports to undergird the ship. Then, fearing that they would run aground on the Syrtis, they lowered the gear, and thus they were driven along. Since we were violently storm-tossed, they began the next day to jettison the cargo. And on the third day they threw the ship’s tackle overboard with their own hands. When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope of our being saved was at last abandoned.

They lost hope: (Everyone thought they were going to die)

“Hope deferred makes the heart sick.

The tunnel : If you cannot see the light at the end of the tunnel you get overcome by the darkness.

The fourth watch of the night & always darkest before dawn:

Why was this storm so bad:

Define Northeaster: The was was particularly dangerous for Paul’s ship because it was a fierce, uncontrollable storm that put everyone’s lives in serious danger.

1. Loss of Control: The wind was so strong that it overpowered the ship, making it impossible for the sailors to control the direction. The ship was “caught by the storm and could not head into the wind” (Acts 27:15), so they had to let it be driven along by the wind, losing all sense of direction and control.

2. Risk of Shipwreck: The violent winds and waves threatened to break the ship apart. The sailors were so desperate that they began “jettisoning” (throwing overboard) the cargo and even the ship’s gear to lighten the load and prevent the vessel from sinking.

3. Damage to the Ship: The ship took such a beating that the crew resorted to tying ropes around the hull to hold it together (Acts 27:17). This was an ancient technique called “frapping,” where ropes were used to reinforce the ship’s frame under the intense pressure of the waves.

4. Fear of Sandbars (Unknown Underground): The crew was afraid of running aground on sandbars, which could cause the ship to break apart even further. Sandbars near places like the Syrtis Sands (off the coast of North Africa) were infamous for trapping ships and leading to shipwrecks.

Drop The Dead Weight:

They decided to Jettison The Cargo:

They decided to unburden themselves of the weight that was keeping them from steering in the right direction.

What is the dead weight that is holding you back?

What are the things in your life that are keeping you going in the right direction?

We cannot control the direction of the wind but we can choose to let go of the things that will hold us down or sink our ship…

2. Pick Up Courage

Acts 27:21–26 (ESV)

Since they had been without food for a long time, Paul stood up among them and said, “Men, you should have listened to me and not have set sail from Crete and incurred this injury and loss. Yet now I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. For this very night there stood before me an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I worship, and he said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar. And behold, God has granted you all those who sail with you.’ So take heart, men, for I have faith in God that it will be exactly as I have been told. But we must run aground on some island.”

The situation seemed dire. Everyone thought they were going to die. Even Paul, the text alludes to Paul being afraid as well. Imagine you are on an ancient ship, that is literally being held together by ropes wrapped around the ship. You are in the hul of the ship listening to men being sick. being thrown around, trying to sleep while the waves and the wind are knocking on the ship like a cop knocks on your door when he or she is about to break the door down.

The situation was dire. The situation was dark. Everyone thought they were going to die. Like you are on the plane and the engines stop working and the air bags drop down and the pilot gets on the intercom and says the words: Everyone get into the crash landing position, “we are going down”” 276 people are on this ship and all of them are scared to die.

(Hilarious) Paul speaks up! First he tells everyone “I told you so” “I told you we should not have left Crete” and then says the powerful and exact words that Jesus told him in the prision cell, “Take Courage” “Pick Courage Up”

The Lord (whom most of them do not acknowledge as their God) has told him. An Angel appeared to him and reminded Paul “You will arrive in Rome to testify to Caesar.”

Couple of Things To Point Out

Paul still becomes afraid despite what he has been through and seen.

Paul is human and needs the reminder from the Lord, “everything is going to be ok”

Despite being afraid, Paul speaks to the situation to provide assurance and hope in a time of great desperation.

Church we are going to go through hard times. Many of us in the room today are going through hard times.

My Wife and Pain Medication Analogy: Get Ahead of It

Being ready in season and out of season

God speaks to us in our times of NEED.

Does he really; “Absolutely He does”

Why don’t I hear him? “Are you in the position to hear Him?”

3. Burn The Plow..

Acts 27:27–32 (ESV)

When the fourteenth night had come, as we were being driven across the Adriatic Sea, about midnight the sailors suspected that they were nearing land. So they took a sounding and found twenty fathoms (120 feet deep). A little farther on they took a sounding again and found fifteen fathoms (90 feet deep). And fearing that we might run on the rocks, they let down four anchors from the stern and prayed for day to come. And as the sailors were seeking to escape from the ship, and had lowered the ship’s boat into the sea under pretense of laying out anchors from the bow, 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 ship’s boat and let it go.

The sailors lied to the people on the ship. They knew they were near land. Ad they were going to leave the others on the ship to die.

Paul calls them out and told them if you leave us here, you will not survive either. They listened to Paul and instead of leaving their safety net of the escape boats.

What was it about Paul a Prisoner… That they listened to him?

They cut them loose.

There is a story in the Old Testament of a Prophet named Elijah who meets his future apprentice named Elisha. When he meets Elisha, Elijah asks him to follow him. Elisha is helping his family on the family farm. Elisha wants to go back to be with his family and spend time with them and say goodbye. Elijah looks at him and tells him, if you are going to have a safety net then never mind. After hearing this Elisha looks at the farming equipment and makes a decision to follow Elijah. There is a phrase here “Burn The Plows”

The Plows were Elisha’s safety net. In the same way these ships were these sailors safety net. In both scenes the men “burned their safety net” to trust the Lord despite their situation.

Sometimes we have to take a risk… (What if I am wrong/What if it fails)

Analysis Paralysis

Too many of us wait for just the perfect scenario.

There is no faith in the perfect senario (80% rule)

I would rather fail because I took a risk versus failing because I was too fearful to do anything

What is our safety net? What are you leaning on that is not the Lord… That you need to walk away from or walk toward.

4. There is always enough

Acts 27:33–37 (ESV)

As day was about to dawn, Paul urged them all to take some food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day that you have continued in suspense and without food, having taken nothing. Therefore I urge you to take some food. For it will give you strength, for not a hair is to perish from the head of any of you.” And when he had said these things, he took bread, and giving thanks to God in the presence of all he broke it and began to eat. Then they all were encouraged and ate some food themselves. (We were in all 276 persons in the ship.) And so it was that all were brought safely to land.

For 14 days these men had not eaten. For 14 days these men had been beaten and battered by this one storm. For 14 days these men had been in a hopeless situation. But now, there is a glimmer of hope. Now there is a ray of sunshine. Now there is a pathway to safety.

What does Paul do? He gives them for food their body but strength and thanksgiving for their soul. For 14 days Paul has had to remind them that God had made him a promise. For 14 days Paul has had to tell them in the midst of the storm that hope and light are going to come. We will be ok.

And finally when this glimmer of hope arrives, Paul is the voice of reason to all 276 of these men. The captured prisoner who is on trial is leading everyone, the sailors, the Roman guards, the prisoners to declare the goodness of God and the provision of Christ Jesus Himself.

God is going to protect us, all of us

We are going to make it safely to dry land

None of you are going to die…

I guarantee two things are happening during this 14 day period, both simultaneously. The prisoners, soldiers, and sailors are openly mocking him but in the same baited breath hoping that he is telling the truth.

Paul has a message to preach to all of these men, but he has to go through the storm with them to preach it. Think about this, the situation… The trial… The un-comfort of life sometimes is your greatest opportunity to preach the Gospel to those around you.

Here is the thing though, before hope turned into reality Paul fed these men. He gave them communion. Broke bread and thanked the Lord. Paul sat them down as the prisoner now turned captain of the ship. He broke the bread and then he proclaimed the goodness of God and gave them the opportunity to trust in him.

Please know that it is still raining, it is still really windy, the waves are still crashing around them all. This reminds me of the story of Jesus in Mark Ch 4.

English Standard Version (Chapter 4)

35 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” 36 And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. 37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling.

38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”

39 And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

40 He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?”

41 And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

I will tell you who this is…

The Lamb of God

The Prince of Peace

The Good Shepherd

The Great I Am

Lion of Judah

The Messiah

The Christ

King of Kings

Lord of Lords

His name is Jesus and He is God Almighty

English Standard Version (Chapter 1)

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. Colossians 1:15-20

I want to remind us who The Lord is… I think we forget.

Jesus Owns Everything - Nothing in, through, above, or below does not belong to The Lord Jesus. He owns it all.

Our Jobs belongs to Him

Our Health belongs to Him

Our Relationships Belong To Him

Our Money Belongs to Him

Our Children Belong to Him

Our Politicians belong to Him

I could go on… The point of the matter is this… We do not need to be fearful, We do not need to be afraid. But instead we are victorious and we are to be the voices of faith and belief when the storms rage and the waves crash around us.

Because the same God who is able to save Paul and save his disciples is still living and active in our lives today. The same God knows your name. Knows what you are going through. Knows what you are about to go through.

Question: Who is sitting on the throne of your heart? The situations and/or circumstances or The Savior?

Too many of us live in this kind of mentality of where we stare at the wind and the waves and place it above the one who not the one who created the wind and the waves.

God is In Control…

Kick Back Into The One Can Story to End

She stepped out in faith and bought the things she needed despite not truly havung the money for it

Here is what God did

280 Snack Bags Were Packed without her knowing and told to pick up

Two other businesses wanted to pack snack bags and provide the snacks

$6000.00 Check

$2000.00 Check

SOJO $2500.00 Check

God is still in Control…

God is still in Control…

Come and Give Your Concerns Who Is Able

Come and Give Your Dead Weight To The One Who Controls the Wind and The Waves

Come and Give Your Safety Net To The One Who Has Something Better

Come and Dedicate Yourself to the One who wants to Bless