Having Peace in the Storms

Why would Luke spend so much time on a journey by sea? The text we are looking at today shows us God’s protection of Paul, His messenger. We see also the increasing expansion of the gospel to Gentiles, as God sovereignly builds His church.

Paul desired to go to Rome; he believed that God would get him there; however the means were not what Paul could have foreseen. He probably wouldn’t have chosen this way, but he also knew that God was in control and therefore the apostle was fully willing to leave the details in God’s hands.

Luke uses climax to draw us in, just as he did as he described the passion week in the life of Jesus. “Will Paul get there?” is the question on the reader’s mind who has not heard the story—maybe on our own as well.

What will we see about Paul’s character as a follower of Christ? In the text, he starts as a prisoner but will be seen as a leader and savior. Paul was weak, but God made him strong. Paul was God’s man, the Holy Spirit working in and through him for the blessing of everyone he touches.

Luke apparently traveled with Paul on his third missionary trip, probably ministering to Paul for the two years he was in Caesarea Maritima, and now will travel with Paul to Rome. We have a first-hand account, which is accurate and trustworthy as seen by many who have first questioned its truthfulness, but through archaeology and ancient history have discovered the accuracy of Luke’s writings.

Paul’s journey from Caesarea to Fair Havens, Acts 27:1-8.

Setting forth from Caesarea, 27:1-2

Once it was decided that they would sail to Italy, Paul along with other prisoners were gathered and delivered to a centurion of the Augustan cohort whose name was Julius. Paul as a Roman citizen would have enjoyed greater privileges than many of the other prisoners. We know little of the Augustan cohort, but we do know of its existence in the area through archaeology. The title was probably an honorific title. The role of such a group would be to serve in various police and judicial functions. For any ship traveling along the eastern Mediterranean coastline, having soldiers aboard would be a sure protection against pirates.

Julius we know nothing except from the text, where he demonstrates fairness, consideration and mercy. Perhaps he may have been stationed in Caesarea and knew Paul’s story.

The ship they embarked on is heading back to their home port just south of Troas. It is a more coastal vessel, hopping from port to port to unload and load cargo along the Northeast Mediterranean shoreline.

There may have been others who traveled with Paul but only one other is named in verse 2: Aristarchus, from Thessalonica. We don’t know why he is named; he may have been another who ministered to Paul during his time in Caesarea. Paul later refers to him as his fellow prisoner in Rome. When or why this happened we do not know; very likely because of the gospel testimony he bore.

A short stop at Sidon, 27:3-4

A day after they left in the ship from Caesarea, they port at Sidon, about 70 miles up the coast. The stay here could have been as long as seven days, if there was loading and unloading to be done here (cf. Acts 21:3-4). Here we find Julius treating Paul with consideration (Greek word from which we get our English word philanthropy), allowing Paul, who was accompanied by a soldier wherever he went, to go to his friends. Paul wasn’t looking to escape. These friends were probably members of the church that had formed in the city or vicinity.

Leaving Sidon, they continued north up the coast and stayed to the east of Cyprus. The reason for this is that the prevailing winds in spring and fall came from the west to the east, sometimes from the northwest. So there will be some protection from the wind. Then they would turn north, passing through “pirate alley” and finally land at Myra in Lycia, located at the southernmost region of the province of Asia, directly north of Alexandria, Egypt.

A brief pause for ship transfer, 27:5-6

It was here that Julius found an Alexandrian ship headed to Italy and the soldiers, prisoners and other travelers transferred to this ship. It was a big grain ship, having accommodations for at least 276 passengers. Egypt was a major supplier of grain to Rome. Large fleets of these ships sailed between Egypt and Rome by the coast of Judea, Syria and Asia Minor carrying food to Rome. Some of these ancient ships were said to be about 180 feet long, 50 feet wide and 44’ deep from the deck to the hold.

The struggle to Fair Haven, 27:7-8.

The next trip took many days , fighting a contrary wind, arriving off Cnidus, at the southwest tip of Asia, where the Aegean and Mediterranean Sea meet, they continued, the NW winds driving the ship to the 180 mile long island of Crete, rounding Cape Salmone at the SE tip and then coming to a place called Fair Havens.

A poor decision impacts all, 27:9-20

By the time that the ship was ready to leave, Luke says that considerable time had passed and that the fast, referring to the Day of Atonement, had taken place already. This would correspond to sometime mid-September to Mid-October. Travel by sea from mid-September to mid-November was considered dangerous in the ancient world; the ports closed from mid-November to mid-February.

A. Paul’s recommendation, 27:9-10.

Paul recommends that they stay at Fair Havens through the winter. By this time he has already experienced three shipwrecks—he speaks from personal experience (2 Corinthians 11:25). The danger was that strong north or northwest winds frequently came up unexpectedly during this season and could blow a ship far from its destination.

B. The majority rules, 27:11-12.

The captain carried more weight and persuaded the centurion that they should move about 40 miles to the west to a better wintering port, the harbor at Phoenix on Crete. The majority agreed.

C. The violent storm arrives, 27:13-20.

The trip started smoothly but a violent Northeastern wind, called an Euraquilo, rushed down from the land, hit the ship and blew it southwest, away from Crete and the harbor at Phoenix. Ancient ships could not tack or face heavy seas, and so they let the wind have its way with the ship.

They ran under the sheltering side of Clauda, a small island about 23 miles SW of Crete, yet there was barely enough shelter from the wind to allow them to haul the trailing lifeboat aboard the ship. After this they tried to help reinforce the internal braces of the hull by tying ropes under the ship. Running aground on (the shallows) of Syrtis was big fear; this area refers to the quicksand and shoals off the Africa coast of Cyrene (modern day Libya); they had no control of where the wind was taking the ship and believed that may be where they were heading.

To help slow down this trip, they let done the sea anchor, this may have been a large stone with a hole drilled through it to attach a rope to it; Luke uses a Greek word which means equipment—this could mean any gear tied to the boat and thrown overboard to slow the ship down or to hold it in place.

The boat, apparently was taking on so much water that the next day the cargo began to be thrown overboard. This would include the precious wheat as well as other cargo; only the most essential cargo was kept, including some of the wheat for both food for the occupants as well as ballast for the ship.

The tackle was thrown overboard as hope was being abandoned. Out on the sea,this massive storm blocked both sun by day and stars by night for many days.

Paul encourages in the face of disaster, 27:21-32.

Paul’s encouraging words, 27:21-26.

The stress of the days, seasickness, or a combination of both, has caused them to not eat for many days. Paul speaks in their midst to encourage them to take what he is saying seriously. He had warned them before; now he encourages the ship’s compliment of sailors, soldiers and travelers, whether willing or not.

Paul’s commitment didn’t waver in spite of his circumstances. He received a confirmation from God through his angelic messenger, the God to whom he belonged and whom he served, who confirmed to Paul that he would make it to Rome and that God, in addition, would save all those sailing with him. When this promise came to pass, it would interest the passengers in his Lord (if not before).

The certain island is, in the Greek, the word “any” or “some.”

The fear of running aground, 27:27-32.

Fourteen days as they were tossed and turned in the mid-Mediterranean (in ancient days called Adriatic or Hadriatic Sea), around midnight the sailors surmise (Greek word meaning conjecture) they were approaching land. Experienced sailors were said to be able to smell land, or maybe their ears heard the sounds of breakers. They began to take soundings, a tied weight to a line and then throwing it overboard; the depth to which it sank indicated the depth of the water. First sounding was at 120 feet, the next sounding showed 90 feet.

To prevent running aground possibly on rocks, they cast for anchors from the stern, attempting, keeping the ship pointed toward land so that they might beach the prow first. The they wished, i.e. prayed for daybreak.

Some sailors sought to escape what they believed to be the end of the ship. They were trying to abandon the ship, leaving everyone else to fend for themselves, but they were the experts at maneuvering the boat. Paul’s call to the centurion and the soldiers was practical as well as a promise. God’s sovereignty insured their safety, yet it was not intended to discourage human effort for this is the means by which God would achieve the end that is in view.

Paul’s assurance in the Lord and landfall, 27:33-44.

Before the morning Paul was continuing to encourage them all to take some food. For fourteen days, anxiety reigned in the hearts of the sailors and others, and no one has felt like eating. But they had to eat, and Paul reiterates the promise of God to him, namely that none of his fellow travelers on the boat will perish.

Then connecting this future deliverance with God, he gave thanks to God as they shared a common meal together.

After they had broke their fast together, they began lightening the ship so it would ride higher into the shallow waters before it became beached. Then finally, when day came, they didn’t recognize the land they were near, but they did observe a bay with a beach. A harbor would have been the best; a sandy beach is the next best place to put a ship.

While they had been whipped around by the wind, the rudders had been tied in place; now to increase their maneuverability, they were freed along with putting up the foresail.

They struck a reef — the Greek word suggests either a sand or mud bar, not a reef as we think of a reef — and the vessel ran aground, stuck fast, and could not be removed, so that stern became vulnerable to the force of the waves.

Common procedure for soldiers was to kill prisoners as they would be held responsible for any who escaped, but the mercy of the centurion was revealed and kept them from doing so. He commanded them to abandon ship. Those who could swim were to get to land; the others make their way on planks or other things from the ship. The end result was that all were brought safely to land, all 276 souls.

What from this text will help us have peace amidst the storms of life? What will give us a strong and sturdy anchor for our souls? Let me suggest three sturdy anchors:

The assurance of the Lord’s presence (27:22-26). The Lord had reassured Paul; Paul reassured the passengers. God had saw their trouble. God had not forsaken them. So Paul had urged them to act as if what was promised had already been accomplished, and as we see, it was only a matter of time before God’s rescue came about. We should not that Paul experienced everything the other passengers did but without the anxiety on his outlook.

We know that struggles and difficulties will always be a part of our lives on this side of the grave, but we are assured that God’s Holy Spirit will be present within us and God has promised to save all who trust in Him.

2) Practical Encouragement is the second sturdy anchor (27:33-38). The words Paul said two weeks ago were fine, but now Paul’s encouragement was physical and practical. His behavior in getting them to eat and then breaking bread around a common meal reflected his belief that they would step on dry land soon.

3) Absolute faith is the third sturdy anchor (27:39-44). Paul reflected a calm, assured belief in the promise of God. That faith became contagious. How we face ordeals affects how others regard the Word of God. Our verbal testimony will help reveal the promises of God, but it is our personal demonstration of trust in those promises that adds validity to our messageee.