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Introduction: Review previous lessons
Earning trust
Taking initiative
Using good judgment
Luke described the storm as “no small tempest.”
Northeastern winds during that time of year can be deadly.
From the sound of things these men were caught in the middle of hurricane type winds.
As we mentioned last week, they couldn’t turn back to Fair Havens, they couldn’t make their way north to Phoenix, and now they had given up all hope that they would be saved.
If we were in this type of situation what would be helpful to remind ourselves about God?
Even though all looked hopeless, the reality was that God was still in control.
From man’s point of view the terror of the situation was increasing dramatically.
“they lightened the ship” (27:18)
Luke writes that they threw the ship’s tackle overboard with their own hands (27:19)
It is at this point that Paul speaks up again.
How many of you have ever been temped to say, “I told you so”?
That is exactly what Paul did as well.
However, he not only reminded them of his earlier warning in order to increase his credibility, but also to cheer the men up.
Where did Paul get his confidence from?
Acts
The cheer that the angel delivered to Paul was ironic to say the least.
He was to be delivered from this situation so that he could be delivered over to Caesar.
Spurgeon said, “It seems of no more comfort than if the angel had said, ‘You can’t be drowned, for you are to be devoured by lions.’”
This news was comforting to Paul because he saw it as an opportunity to preach the gospel in Rome before the emperor himself.
This was the price that Paul was prepared to pay and he even looked forward to paying it.
Paul was encouraged because he knew he would have the opportunity to preach the gospel in Rome even though it might cost him his life.
A Leader Leads With Authority
Because Paul had received a word from the Lord he could speak with authority.
Can we be people who speak with authority today?
Paul’s confidence was not a self-confidence, and neither is ours.
Our confidence to live life and to lead others comes from a confidence in the fact that God has spoken and that God will keep his promises.
Note: The authority we are talking about is not an egotistical authority.
Rather it is a humble authority.
Egotistical authority comes from one’s confidence in himself and what he thinks.
Humble authority comes from realizing that the real answers are outside of one’s self (specifically answers come from God).
We can only be confident when we are relying on the truths that God supplies.
What does this mean?
In order to be an effective leader, you must know the Word of God.
If you know the truth you can then speak it with authority.
Jesus spoke with authority.
Scribes were accustomed to teaching by quoting rabbinical opinions as their source of authority.
Rarely did the scribes teach definitely.
Most of the time they would give several possible interpretations of the law but never actually give definitive answers.
They were more concerned with the traditions and opinions of man than they were with the authoritative truth of Scripture.
Paul was an effective leader.
Not because he had good opinions but because he was confident in God’s authority.
A Leader Strengthens Others
Although the news of survival was ironic for Paul, it was in fact good news for everyone else.
Based on the messenger from God, no one would lose their life.
Paul’s intention in speaking up was not to rub everyone else’s nose in it, but to strengthen and encourage them.
He then adds another detail that also appears ironic.
Acts
Being a good leader, Paul did not shrink back from telling the whole truth.
Although undesirable, this news was better than what they were already expecting.
The news from God was also extremely unlikely.
It was unlikely that a ship driven by the sea would lose everything except for the people on the ship.
However, if it did happen, then it would be clear and irrefutable evidence that God was in control and that He had saved them.
So, even though the circumstances were not the greatest, this was another opportunity to show the power of God to a group of unbelieving men.
A Leader is Optimistic
Another thing we can notice about Paul’s effective leadership is that he was optimistic.
He focused on the hope rather than the destruction.
People will naturally follow a leader who is positive and makes them feel hopeful just as they will naturally feel uneasy about following a leader who is always pessimistic and makes them feel doubtful.
You cannot be a good pessimistic leader.
These men had made a reckless and foolish decision in sailing from Fair Havens and it was about to be abundantly clear that they owed their lives to God.
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