Just Keep Swimming
When faced with tragedy, how do you go on?
A. You can’t deviate from your mission ()
He had been right then, so his words now should be taken with more confidence.
Since their failure to hear his words of warning led to the present catastrophe, they must not fail to heed his message of deliverance; they must keep up their courage and not give in to despair (v. 22).
The first was the dominant one—Paul would appear before Caesar. This was God’s purpose, and it would not fail
There were two promises given by the angel. The first was the dominant one—Paul would appear before Caesar. This was God’s purpose, and it would not fail
The angelic message was a confirmation of the earlier revelation in 23:11 that Paul would reach Rome; it was God’s plan that he should witness there (23:11) in the presence of Caesar.
He knows the God who is about to intervene on behalf of those aboard the ship, for He belongs to Paul and Paul to Him in the mutual fellowship of service.
Paul, then, “urges” (same word translated “warned” in v. 9) them, Keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed
God had a purpose for Paul—to witness in Rome before Caesar. Paul’s presence guaranteed the safety of everyone.
27:24 “Do not be afraid, Paul” This is a PRESENT MIDDLE (deponent) IMPERATIVE with the NEGATIVE PARTICIPLE which usually means stop an act already in process (cf. Acts 23:11; Prov. 3:5–6).
B. Trust the “Sea Captain.” ()
The words of assurance were not Paul’s but were a message from an angel of the Lord who had visited him in the night
There were two promises given by the angel.
The second promise followed the first: because God would preserve Paul for his Roman witness, all aboard the ship would be delivered.
In short, Paul’s presence on the ship would be responsible for the preservation of all the voyagers.
The deliverance from the storm is due to the providence of God and his preservation of the apostle for the witness before Caesar.
The storm had reached its fullest fury. Despair had turned to hope. The focus was no longer on destruction but on deliverance.
The angelic message was a confirmation of the earlier revelation in 23:11 that Paul would reach Rome; it was God’s plan that he should witness there (23:11) in the presence of Caesar.
Paul’s faith grew stronger as the danger and hopelessness of the situation increased. All reason for confidence in the sturdiness of the ship or the skill of the captain and the crew had long since vanished (cf. v. 20).
For I believe God (πιστευω γαρ τῳ θεῳ [pisteuō gar tōi theōi]). This is Paul’s reason for his own good cheer and for his exhortation to confidence in spite of circumstances so untoward. Paul had doubtless prayed for his own life and for the lives of all. He was sure that he was to bear his witness in Rome.
His allegiance and his piety are devoted to the one true God (compare Lk 1:74; 2:37; Acts 24:14).
All we can be sure of is that God is determined that Paul not perish at sea, and has further decided to preserve all those with him.
Paul models for us the stance of one who is convinced that God’s gracious purposes cannot be thwarted, even when outward circumstances call that conviction into question.
His strength comes from beyond the storm: he “believes God,” that he can accomplish what he has promised. Such faith is the foundation for a life of encouragement.
This first VERB is a PERFECT MIDDLE (deponent) INDICATIVE. God had a plan and purpose for Paul’s ministry (cf. 9:15; 19:21; 23:11). He would (dei) witness in Rome before her governmental and military leaders.
Paul’s encounter with the living Christ enabled him to trust God’s word (“it will turn out exactly as I have been told” PERFECT PASSIVE INDICATIVE). Faith is the hand that receives the gifts of God—not only salvation, but providence.
C. You Must Work Together (Acts 27:30-31)
On the pretext of letting out anchors from the bow, they lowered the dinghy into the water, planning to use it to take them to the shore. On all outward appearances, this would have seemed a perfectly natural operation.
He pointed out that there was no way the rest of them could be saved if the seamen abandoned ship.
The rest of them would have been doomed had the sailors been allowed to abandon ship.
According to Luke the sailors (presumably just some of them) tried to launch the ship’s boat (verse 16) in order that they might escape from the ship; they pretended that in reality they were going to lay anchors from the bow—an action that in these circumstances could be accomplished only by rowing with the anchors so that they could be dropped a little way from the bow.
Rather, “were seeking to flee.” To save their own lives the crew had decided to abandon the ship and its passengers. This testifies to the apparent hopelessness of the situation.
Only the sailors had the skill necessary to beach the ship and save the passengers.
Paul has no hesitancy in saying this in spite of his strong language in verse 24 about God’s promise. He has no notion of lying supinely down and leaving God to do it all. Without the sailors the ship could not be properly beached.
Luke may be playing on his leitmotif of salvation here, speaking of physical rescue but intending to point beyond it (compare Acts 4:9, 12; 16:30–31). The word of promise is “God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you” (27:24). If the sailors jump ship, this promise cannot be fulfilled for them or for the passengers.