I Believe God

Paul has completed 3 missionary journeys, and is now on his way to stand before Caesar for preaching Jesus.

We pick up the journey in our text as Paul is with a centurion being escorted to Rome

The centurion finds passage among the 276 crew grain ship, possibly from Alexandria, Egypt.

This large ship was the means used to transport large amount of wheat to Rome

The larger ships, measured up to 180 feet long and 50 feet wide

The winter winds and storms were coming and they wanted to try to get to where they headed before winter set in.

Paul warned them that this trip would be of much damage or cost, but the master of the ship, when he saw the favourable winds, decided to make every effort to finish the journey

This would begin a 14 day journey that was nightmarish to any sailor

A storm came called Euroclydon (Northeaster) - These storms on the Mediterranean Sea can be very severe as was this storm

For 3 days they could not make out where they were going - the great weight of wheat and passengers threatened the ship, so they cast out all the tackling/gear of the ship to lighten it as much as possible without losing their cargo or crew

At some point in the next week and a half, God sent an angel to deliver a message - everyone would live, but the ship will be lost

Paul chose to believe God. His belief in God and His Word moved Paul and this crew through the violent storm.

When the storm of life rages, choosing to believe God moves and leads our lives

Calms the heart

Acts 27:21–26 KJV 1900

But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss. And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man’s life among you, but of the ship. For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee. Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me. Howbeit we must be cast upon a certain island.

In the midst of the storm, as the sailors struggle with fear and anxiety of what is going to happen and how they are going to survive this and handle the potential financial difficulties this may should the ship be lost

Paul stands up - I told you that we shouldn’t have left. Now I advise, strongly advise, to be cheerful. You are going to live. The ship will be lost, but God has assured me that all of us will survive. Be cheerful, be happy; for I believe God! God is true to His Word, and everything will be okay. He’s going to bring us to an island, and we will be okay.

Paul is on his way to stand before Caesar knowing that more time in prison awaits him. There is a centurion who is keeping track of where Paul is and what he is doing all the time. Now, there is an enormous storm that seems like it won’t end, and Paul is standing up saying, let’s be happy?!

Is Paul ok? Has he finally snapped? No, Paul’s belief in God calmed his heart. Paul knew he could trust God.

Psalm 20:7 KJV 1900

Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: But we will remember the name of the Lord our God.

Some trust in only what they see or only what they can experience.

If I can’t see it, then I can’t believe.

This type of thinking is what many people over the years have struggled with - I know what weapons I have and the strength of what is accessible to me

David sang, none of that matters without God. God can do what only God can do.

There is a calmness knowing that everything is alright.

Boys get hurt - they come to Holly or me

They believe that we would help, clean up the wound, and work to make everything better.

This is what believing God does to our hearts. We run to Him, and He calms our hearts.

Quiets other souls

For 2 weeks they could not tell where they were going. The water became shallow, so they cast out anchors and hoped for daylight.

Acts 27:33–36 KJV 1900

And while the day was coming on, Paul besought them all to take meat, saying, This day is the fourteenth day that ye have tarried and continued fasting, having taken nothing. Wherefore I pray you to take some meat: for this is for your health: for there shall not an hair fall from the head of any of you. And when he had thus spoken, he took bread, and gave thanks to God in presence of them all: and when he had broken it, he began to eat. Then were they all of good cheer, and they also took some meat.

Paul’s belief in God led to others having a quiet heart

God’s Word often begins with quieting of the soul:

Acts 27:23–24 KJV 1900

For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.

Abraham

Genesis 15:1 KJV 1900

After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.

Hagar

Genesis 21:17 KJV 1900

And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is.

Moses to Israel

Exodus 20:20 KJV 1900

And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.

Joshua

Joshua 8:1 KJV 1900

And the Lord said unto Joshua, Fear not, neither be thou dismayed: take all the people of war with thee, and arise, go up to Ai: see, I have given into thy hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land:

Mary

Luke 1:30 KJV 1900

And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.

Shepherds

Luke 2:10 KJV 1900

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

To the women at the tomb

Matthew 28:5 KJV 1900

And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.

To John

Revelation 1:17 KJV 1900

And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:

Over and over again we see God quieting the soul, the hearts of others by His Word.

The belief in Him quiets other’s souls

Prompts new hope

Acts 27:35–36 KJV 1900

And when he had thus spoken, he took bread, and gave thanks to God in presence of them all: and when he had broken it, he began to eat. Then were they all of good cheer, and they also took some meat.

The storm is still covering the sky - they still do not know where they are

Paul said, Let’s eat. The dawn is coming. The shore was getting nearer, and Paul knew God was going to keep everyone alive.

He persuades them to eat. They would need the energy to swim to shore or cling to boards of the ship.

Paul’s belief in God led to others seeing there is hope

Confidence advances

Acts 27:38–43 KJV 1900

And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, and cast out the wheat into the sea. And when it was day, they knew not the land: but they discovered a certain creek with a shore, into the which they were minded, if it were possible, to thrust in the ship. And when they had taken up the anchors, they committed themselves unto the sea, and loosed the rudder bands, and hoised up the mainsail to the wind, and made toward shore. And falling into a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground; and the forepart stuck fast, and remained unmoveable, but the hinder part was broken with the violence of the waves. And the soldiers’ counsel was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim out, and escape. But the centurion, willing to save Paul, kept them from their purpose; and commanded that they which could swim should cast themselves first into the sea, and get to land:

As daylight appeared they saw an unfamiliar land before them with an inlet. They hoped to sail into the bay, but the storm continued raging and the ship ran aground and began to break apart.

As the ship broke apart some began to swim to shore, and others drifted to shore upon the broken remnants of the ship

The centurion found confidence in what Paul had said. Everything transpired just as Paul relayed from God.

This led to a confidence to swim, grab a part of the ship, but escape the ship to get to the shore

Believing in God’s Word leads to a confidence to take the next step. It happened just as God said, I can trust what He has now instructed.

Compels assurance

Acts 27:44 KJV 1900

And the rest, some on boards, and some on broken pieces of the ship. And so it came to pass, that they escaped all safe to land.

Paul would be used by God to plant the seed of the Word of God in the hearts of not only the crew, but the people of Melita (now called Malta)

Snake would bite him, Paul shook it off in the fire with no harm, this led to an opportunity to meet with a man named Publius whose father was ill and would then be healed, and then the people would be led to bestow honours and even things that were necessary upon them as they began travels again.

How God saw them through each step of the way as God had said, compelled assurance in God and inspired assurance in Him.

Paul knew God would see them through. The evidence is overwhelming.

All this came to be because of Paul who said, I believe God.

What situation surrounds you that could be completely and wondrously changed, through belief in God?