Paul Shipwrecked

Scripture

Acts 27:1–26 NLT

When the time came, we set sail for Italy. Paul and several other prisoners were placed in the custody of a Roman officer named Julius, a captain of the Imperial Regiment. Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica, was also with us. We left on a ship whose home port was Adramyttium on the northwest coast of the province of Asia; it was scheduled to make several stops at ports along the coast of the province. The next day when we docked at Sidon, Julius was very kind to Paul and let him go ashore to visit with friends so they could provide for his needs. Putting out to sea from there, we encountered strong headwinds that made it difficult to keep the ship on course, so we sailed north of Cyprus between the island and the mainland. Keeping to the open sea, we passed along the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia, landing at Myra, in the province of Lycia. There the commanding officer found an Egyptian ship from Alexandria that was bound for Italy, and he put us on board. We had several days of slow sailing, and after great difficulty we finally neared Cnidus. But the wind was against us, so we sailed across to Crete and along the sheltered coast of the island, past the cape of Salmone. We struggled along the coast with great difficulty and finally arrived at Fair Havens, near the town of Lasea. We had lost a lot of time. The weather was becoming dangerous for sea travel because it was so late in the fall, and Paul spoke to the ship’s officers about it. “Men,” he said, “I believe there is trouble ahead if we go on—shipwreck, loss of cargo, and danger to our lives as well.” But the officer in charge of the prisoners listened more to the ship’s captain and the owner than to Paul. And since Fair Havens was an exposed harbor—a poor place to spend the winter—most of the crew wanted to go on to Phoenix, farther up the coast of Crete, and spend the winter there. Phoenix was a good harbor with only a southwest and northwest exposure. When a light wind began blowing from the south, the sailors thought they could make it. So they pulled up anchor and sailed close to the shore of Crete. 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 sailors couldn’t turn the ship into the wind, so they gave up and let it run before the gale. We sailed along the sheltered side of a small island named Cauda, where with great difficulty we hoisted aboard the lifeboat being towed behind us. Then the sailors bound ropes around the hull of the ship to strengthen it. They were afraid of being driven across to the sandbars of Syrtis off the African coast, so they lowered the sea anchor to slow the ship and were driven before the wind. The next day, as gale-force winds continued to batter the ship, the crew began throwing the cargo overboard. The following day they even took some of the ship’s gear and threw it overboard. The terrible storm raged for many days, blotting out the sun and the stars, until at last all hope was gone. No one had eaten for a long time. Finally, Paul called the crew together and said, “Men, you should have listened to me in the first place and not left Crete. You would have avoided all this damage and loss. But take courage! None of you will lose your lives, even though the ship will go down. For last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me, and he said, ‘Don’t be afraid, Paul, for you will surely stand trial before Caesar! What’s more, God in his goodness has granted safety to everyone sailing with you.’ So take courage! For I believe God. It will be just as he said. But we will be shipwrecked on an island.”

Summary

Knowing Jesus changes the way you see your problems

Hook

What do you do when you sense trouble brewing?

Jesus told his disciples to expect trouble when they went out sharing their faith

That turned some of them away, but the reality was that trouble came for all of them, whether they were living and serving faithfully or not.

Some of those disciples turned back and decided they would rather have trouble with Jesus than trouble without Him.

Paul was the one who was chosen to bring the gospel message to the Roman Empire and eventually to the Roman emperor himself.

He had trouble along his path almost every step of the way.

Grace in the situation

Most of us start off with good intentions and a degree of flexibility, because we understand that no one is perfect and everyone has bad days.

So we give them grace and look for the best in them.

That's not unique to Christians. It is characteristic of just about anyone who likes people and wants to get along with others well.

That is the kind of people Paul's jailers and prison guards were as he was taken as a prisoner in custody from Jerusalem, to Caesarea, and then eventually to Rome. Here is how the first part of his journey by sea went.

Acts 27:1–6 NLT

When the time came, we set sail for Italy. Paul and several other prisoners were placed in the custody of a Roman officer named Julius, a captain of the Imperial Regiment. Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica, was also with us. We left on a ship whose home port was Adramyttium on the northwest coast of the province of Asia; it was scheduled to make several stops at ports along the coast of the province. The next day when we docked at Sidon, Julius was very kind to Paul and let him go ashore to visit with friends so they could provide for his needs. Putting out to sea from there, we encountered strong headwinds that made it difficult to keep the ship on course, so we sailed north of Cyprus between the island and the mainland. Keeping to the open sea, we passed along the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia, landing at Myra, in the province of Lycia. There the commanding officer found an Egyptian ship from Alexandria that was bound for Italy, and he put us on board.

Paul is a model prisoner because he understands that every response he has to his situation is a witness for Jesus. He also has friends traveling to keep up with him and provide for his needs. The Roman government sent guards to protect Paul from physical harm, but they were not paying for his food or any other supplies.

There is also a good chance that Luke was with him, probably paying for his own travel to stay by Paul's side as they both make the journey to Rome.

Can you imagine paying to be in prison with someone as a ministry and service to God?

Wisdom vs Desire

Acts 27:7–12 NLT

We had several days of slow sailing, and after great difficulty we finally neared Cnidus. But the wind was against us, so we sailed across to Crete and along the sheltered coast of the island, past the cape of Salmone. We struggled along the coast with great difficulty and finally arrived at Fair Havens, near the town of Lasea. We had lost a lot of time. The weather was becoming dangerous for sea travel because it was so late in the fall, and Paul spoke to the ship’s officers about it. “Men,” he said, “I believe there is trouble ahead if we go on—shipwreck, loss of cargo, and danger to our lives as well.” But the officer in charge of the prisoners listened more to the ship’s captain and the owner than to Paul. And since Fair Havens was an exposed harbor—a poor place to spend the winter—most of the crew wanted to go on to Phoenix, farther up the coast of Crete, and spend the winter there. Phoenix was a good harbor with only a southwest and northwest exposure.

Wisdom comes in many forms.

Whenever you get a handful of people together working on a problem, there is going to be a shared sense of good and bad for the group, even if no two people agree.

It comes out in the awkward silences in the conversation. And it comes out in who fills those silences and how it is done.

Some people feel that tension in their bodies and have an instinctual understanding of what is happening even if they cannot actually see or hear all the details.

Others do not feel the tension but they see the looks and hear the wording change.

This is why it can be difficult being the new kid in the group. You don't know what is considered normal and your body is full of tension. You can't tell if it is just you being nervous or if there really is something off.

These conversations are not just about problem-solving.

They are often about sharing values and motivations behind choices.

When trouble comes out, we lead with our values, then usually our feelings or personal motivations, and then finally, once we are calm enough to not worry about the problem, we use our heads and prayerfully seek wisdom.

If you want a good example of this, go scroll through some of the posts your friends posted on facebook through the month of March and watch what kind of effect COVID-19 had on their social media.

What do you do when you see trouble coming but you know the best way of avoiding that trouble is to sacrifice what you want?

Paul saw the trouble ahead and was thinking about the lives of the people.

The ship's captain and owner were thinking more about the ship itself and where they could sell the grain they were carrying.

It was a moment when the power of positive thinking wasn't going to make the storm go away, but they were determined to try anyway.

Suffering for following desires instead of wisdom

Acts 27:13–17 NLT

When a light wind began blowing from the south, the sailors thought they could make it. So they pulled up anchor and sailed close to the shore of Crete. 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 sailors couldn’t turn the ship into the wind, so they gave up and let it run before the gale. We sailed along the sheltered side of a small island named Cauda, where with great difficulty we hoisted aboard the lifeboat being towed behind us. Then the sailors bound ropes around the hull of the ship to strengthen it. They were afraid of being driven across to the sandbars of Syrtis off the African coast, so they lowered the sea anchor to slow the ship and were driven before the wind.

What Luke described next was a common problem for sailors. Sailing across the Mediterranean Sea is a dangerous adventure because you cannot sea clearly through deep water.

There are rocks and sandbars in places throughout that sea that have the effects of hurdles on a race track or speed bumps on the road.

If you hit them hard enough or fast enough, it will break you into pieces.

And sailboats, in the ocean, in the middle of a storm, don't exactly have brakes.

They put down the anchor to keep from crashing into those sandbars, but that left them stuck in the middle of the storm.

Acts 27:18–20 NLT

The next day, as gale-force winds continued to batter the ship, the crew began throwing the cargo overboard. The following day they even took some of the ship’s gear and threw it overboard. The terrible storm raged for many days, blotting out the sun and the stars, until at last all hope was gone.

There is another story in the bible like this: the story of Jonah.

The difference here is that Paul was following God and was taken on this boat trip somewhat against his will and better judgment. Jonah was in trouble at sea because he was running away from God.

Instead of fighting, he trusted God would take care of him.

He trusted, as scripture says, "until at last all hope was gone."

Finally, when everyone gave up, Paul steps to the front and offers a new kind of hope.

Grace of God and Consequences of Folly

Acts 27:21–26 NLT

No one had eaten for a long time. Finally, Paul called the crew together and said, “Men, you should have listened to me in the first place and not left Crete. You would have avoided all this damage and loss. But take courage! None of you will lose your lives, even though the ship will go down. For last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me, and he said, ‘Don’t be afraid, Paul, for you will surely stand trial before Caesar! What’s more, God in his goodness has granted safety to everyone sailing with you.’ So take courage! For I believe God. It will be just as he said. But we will be shipwrecked on an island.”

Good news and bad news

Good news is that your lives will be spared

Bad news is you will be shipwrecked: homeless in a strange place, with your possessions claimed by the sea.

Jonah and Paul

Both got to where God sent them

Both lost everything they had in the process

One kept his peace

If you hold to tightly to your desires, you lose your peace in the storm.

CTA

We are in a storm

Not a thunderstorm

Not even a hurricane

More of a winter storm in the mountains that causes us to live differently

For some of you, this storm started before the quarantine happened

During the storm you hold onto what's valuable to you.

You find frustration with the things that you want to work the most.

What are you holding onto that you are frustrated with?

Is God asking you to give that to Him?