Acts 27 – Ship Wrecked
Last time we saw
Paul before King Agrippa who found that Paul had done nothing wrong and would
have freed him if he hadn’t appealed to Caesar.
So Paul would now have to go to Rome.
Paul and some other prisoners were handed over to a centurion named
Julius and they sailed for Rome. Paul’s
troubles never seem to stop. While at
sea a hurricane came about and they were in fear for their lives. Here Luke gave details about the storm. It showed that through this fearsome storm God
is still sovereign. God had promised
that Paul would testify in Rome (Acts
23:22; 27:24). Not even the powerful
forces of nature would stop God’s plan.
Paul wasn’t like
the other prisoners. They were probably
condemned criminals, but Paul had not been tried yet so he was given more
freedom that the others. While sailing, fierce
winds began and Paul warned them is would become dangerous, but the centurion
and the owner of the ship didn’t listen and they sailed on. Then the hurricane happened which made everyone
in a state of panic, but Paul was calm and showed practical leadership in the
midst of the crisis. He was a man of
great faith and believed in God during this desperate situation.
The men had gone
a long time without food so Paul took charge.
He told them they should have taken his advice and then he urged them to
eat. He told them an angel of God whom
he served spoke to him telling him he should not be afraid. He had confidence in God and told the men, “So keep up your courage; men, for I have faith in God that
it will happen just as he told me.” – Acts 27:25. Paul was
instrumental in saving all 276 people on board the ship. Paul was not ashamed to say he believed and
had faith in God. His unshakable
confidence in God made him a leader even though he was a prisoner.
Have you ever
been embarrassed or ashamed to say you believe in God?
What is
keeping you from telling others of your faith?
They spent two
weeks in the terror of the great storm which was out of their control. When things seem out of control, they are
never out of God’s control. God caused
the boat to drift from the island of Cauda to Malta. The sailors didn’t know where they were and
had no control over their situation, but God knew exactly where they were. When we are in scary situations, we need to
trust in God’s care.
Paul never lost
hope or his purpose. He maintained his
passion to spread the gospel and advance God’s kingdom by focusing on the
promises of God. He never lost his
focus.
Where is your
focus?
Is your focus
on your plans or His?
Are you
allowing Him to disrupt your plans or are you trying to squeeze Him into yours?
Principle:
God is sovereign over the storms of life.
What kind of
faith do you have in the storms of life?
How committed
are you?
How much do
you trust God?
Have you
given up on God?
Is life too
much for you to bear?
Acts 28 – Promise Fulfilled
Paul began his
trip as a prisoner, but became a leader and an encourager. They became shipwrecked and had to swim to the
island of Malta. Again God
provided. He provided hospitality
through the islanders on Malta. They
showed extraordinary kindness to the sailors.
Paul made
himself useful by gathering firewood for a fire. There was a snake within the firewood that took
hold of Paul’s hand. The islanders
thought Paul was a murderer and must have deserved punishment. Paul shook his hand and the snake fell into
the fire. When he didn’t die from the
snake bite they thought he was a god. Paul
had faced three life-threatening situations – the hurricane at sea, the
shipwreck and now the snake, but God continued to protect him through it all.
While on the
island Paul healed the father of Publius who was the chief official of the
island. Word spread across the island
and many sick people came to Paul and were healed. The islanders gave them lodging, gifts and
supplies. They stayed on the island for
three months through the winter. Luke
never mentioned that Paul preached to the people on Malta, but knowing Paul I
am sure he did. Paul never missed an
opportunity to tell others about Jesus.
After winter past
Paul and the others continued their sail to Rome. Some believers there had received Paul’s
letter to the Romans a few years before and heard he was coming. They traveled a long way to greet and honor
him. When Paul saw them, he thanked God
and was encouraged.
Are you an
encourager?
When and how
have you encouraged someone?
Is there
someone you need to encourage today?
In Rome Paul
wasn’t treated like a normal prisoner.
He was allowed to live by himself with a soldier to guard him. Now God’s promise was fulfilled – Paul would
take the gospel to Rome. The first thing
he did was to call together the leaders of the Jews. He explained about his arrest and that he was
not guilty of any crime. He explained
that in Jerusalem they were ready and willing to release him. He wanted them to know he was a prisoner
because of his belief in Jesus. But the Roman
Jews hadn’t heard anything about Paul and had not received any letters about
him. I think the Jerusalem Jews knew
their case against him was hopeless so they made no effort to send anything to
the Jews in Rome confirming their case against him.
The Jews in Rome
were interested in Paul’s views about Christianity so they set an appointment
to meet with him. Many came to his home
and he spoke from morning to evening. He
taught about the kingdom of God. He
wanted them to understand the truth about Jesus Christ. He quoted Isaiah 6:9-10. Some didn’t
believe, but some believed and trusted Jesus.
This is true today. Many hear and
believe, while others reject Jesus and don’t turn to God to be healed of their
sin. Paul never stopped sharing the
gospel and neither should we.
If you are
not a believer, what is keeping you from accepting Jesus?
Paul spent more
than two years at Caesarea waiting for his case to be resolved and another two
years waiting for his case to be heard before Caesar. These two years weren’t wasted. God never wastes our time, though we may
waste it. Paul was chained and under
house arrest for two years preaching without hindrance. Paul never gave up and continued to be a
witness for God. Chains couldn’t stop
him. Nothing can stop God. He was committed to God and always obeyed
Him. Paul’s hands were chained, but the
gospel is never chained! The gospel continued
to spread and it spread even more because Paul suffered.
While in prison
in Rome, Paul wrote Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon. These are known as “the prison epistles”. We are never told the final outcome of Paul’s
trial. It is believed he was eventually
allowed to leave Rome.
God protected
Paul through all his troubles by bringing the plot against him to light, by not
allowing the crowd to kill him, by keeping him in prison where he was safe,
saving him when shipwrecked, and allowing him to preach in chains without
hindrance. Paul demonstrated Christ-like
traits during all his trials. He was
calm and trusted God during the storm.
He never stopped obeying God and witnessing for Jesus through messages
before the people, the governors and kings.
He showed great courage and perseverance. The only way he was able to do that was
through faith and trust in God and through the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
God will protect
you as He did Paul. So put your faith
and trust in Him. Sometimes it may not
seem He is there during your crisis, but He is.
He keeps His promises. God will
use trouble, waiting and the unexpected to show who He is.
Do you
realize that Paul’s effort and direction is why you and I know who Jesus is?
The book of Acts
comes to a sudden end, but this is not the end.
The good news about Jesus had spread in Jerusalem, to Judea, to Samaria
and now to the ends of the earth. Rome
was the most important place in the empire and the most powerful at that time. It’s no accident that Acts ends with Paul in
the most important city in the world.
This was God’s plan.
Many books have
been written about the history of the church telling the story of the good news
about Jesus. God has written the story
on the hearts and minds of many people through the ages. The Bible has been translated into many, many
languages. Many people have believed,
but the story isn’t over. There are
still many people who need to hear, repent, and accept Jesus as Lord and
Savior. You and I are writing the next
story of Acts. Our lives are to be about
one thing – glorifying God. He is the
main emphasis of our story.
Principle: We
have an unstoppable God.
Join me here
next week for our study of the book of James.
We have only a couple of weeks to go in
this study of the Acts of the Apostles. --
I encourage you to trust in Jesus.
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