ACTS 27:1

The Bible says in Acts 27:1-6, “And when it was determined that we should sail into Italy, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners unto one named Julius, a centurion of Augustus’ band. And entering into a ship of Adramyttium, we launched, meaning to sail by the coasts of Asia; one Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, being with us. And the next day we touched at Sidon. And Julius courteously entreated Paul, and gave him liberty to go unto his friends to refresh himself. And when he had launched from thence, we sailed under Cyprus, because the winds were contrary, And when we had sailed over the sea of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, a city of Lysia. And there the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing into Italy; and he put us therein.” One thing that we notice about this trip of Paul’s is that this time others were making all the decisions about the travel: what ship he would travel on, what route he would take, when and where they would stop. Paul was now a prisoner. You cannot have any less control over your own life than when you are a prisoner. Or can you? If you are a Christian, you can. For one thing, God is still in control. God is just as able to guide your life through the decisions of others as He is through your own decisions.

If you look closely at this passage, you will see that such a thing was happening here. It happened in Paul’s life, and it can happen in yours. All that you have to do is believe that God is really all-powerful. We will also see that no matter how low is your status or position, God can still work through you in some way so that you just might be a major influence in a particular situation. God’s Spirit is greater than all men and all situations, and God’s Spirit is in you, if you believe in Jesus. Even though Paul was just a prisoner and no responsibility for any decisions concerning this trip, Paul’s voice became the principle voice of reason because of Christ who was in Paul.

The Bible says in Acts 27:7-13, “And when we had sailed slowly many days, and scarce were come over against Cnidus, the wind not suffering us, we sailed under Crete, over against Salmone; And hardly passing it, came unto a place which is called, The Fair Havens. Nigh whereunto was the city of Lasea. Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, because the fast was now already past, Paul admonished them, And said unto them, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with much hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives. Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things which were spoken by Paul. And because the haven was not commodious to winter in, the more part advised to depart thence also, if by any means they might attain to Phenice, and there to winter; which is an haven of Crete, and lieth toward the south west and north west. And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, loosing thence, they sailed close by Crete.” For a short time they stayed in a port that was called, “The Fair Havens.” There was safety there. Hopefully you have found safety for your soul in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.

In the eastern Mediterranean, in the area where the island of Crete is located, tremendous storms can arise in just a matter of hours. You can go from just a very calm sea at one moment and then a few hours later a raging storm can arise, which of course might mean certain doom to those who are caught in that storm in a boat or a small ship. Another thing is that these storms only arise in certain months of the year. If you are in late spring or summer or early fall, you can be assured that these storms will not happen. But once you get into that time of year when the storms are possible on any given day, you had better find safe haven when you can. Paul knew that. He knew these waters. He had sailed through them many times on his missionary journeys. We see that Paul had a combination of understanding the world around him and being led by the Spirit in regards to that understanding, and so Paul recommended that they stay in the safe harbor.

What is the right thing to do in a particular situation? How do you know it, and how do you find it? One of the ways of knowing the right thing to do is to do the thing that makes sense. The Bible is a practical book. Jesus did not jump off the temple just to prove that an angel would come to keep Him from dashing His foot against a stone. Jesus did not defy gravity. That was not the logical or the practical thing to do. Paul did not want to go out in a boat when there was a good chance that a storm just might arise that would put them all in danger. That was not the practical thing to do. The Bible is a practical book. “Those that do not work, do not eat,” the Bible says. “Go to the ant, thou sluggard, and consider her ways.” The Bible is a practical book. What should you do in your situation? It just may very well be that after you have prayed about it, the most practical thing will be the thing you ought to do in the service of the Savior. Of course, His will for you may not always be the practical thing. Once in a while in your life the Lord may guide to do something that is not so practical. Paul would have never become the missionary that he did if he had only looked at the practical side. He would have stayed in the ranks of the Pharisees and risen in name and power. That would have been the practical thing to do. But doing the right thing always takes precedence over what seems to be the practical thing.

Paul warned them, but the centurion and the ship master would not listen. Because they did not listen to God’s servant, they made the wrong decision, and everyone suffered from the consequences. We have seen the same kind of thing happen many times in our generation. The people of the world and their leaders were warned by the Christians in the early twentieth century: Don’t legalize alcohol. Many more people will drink to excess if you legalize it. There will be terrible consequences to that. And so millions became alcoholics. Men would go to the factory to work. They would stop at the local booze joint on their way home from work, and so by the time they got home thy were liquored up enough to beat their wives and kids. The wives would not put up with this, and so divorces were increased dramatically. The children from these broken homes and nightmarish scenes of their childhood grew up with tremendous emotional and personality problems. Some came to know Christ. Others became murderers or homosexuals or repeated the patterns of domestic violence, substance abuse, and divorce in their own lives. If only the world had listened to the Christians. If only they had listened to the Word of God. “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.” Today there is a human carnage that takes place on our highways caused by drunk drivers. Thousands are killed every year and many more thousands are maimed because of drunk drivers. When a few hundred people are killed in combat, we have marches in the streets. Where are the marches against drunk drivers? Where is the indignation?

The world did not listen when Christians said to the Hollywood entertainment industry: You need to censure yourselves because of your influence on the masses and on young people. In the early days they censured themselves somewhat, but as time went by they stopped doing it in the name of freedom of speech. There are plenty of ways of proving that you have freedom of speech. You do not have to pollute the world to prove it. Everyone influences others for right or for wrong. The measure of your responsibility is the measure of your opportunity. A tool that could have been used for good(movies and television) has so often been used by Satan himself. Maybe there is someone who will one day really learn how to use the tool for the glory of God. It has not happened yet. Those in Hollywood who made decisions to spread a culture of immorality, materialism, violence, and rebellion have corrupted the world; but they have also secured their own place in the torments of hell that they so richly deserve. If only they had listened to the Christians.

The world did not listen when the Christians warned them not to take prayer out of public schools. They took out prayer, and they also took out the Bible, morality, and ethics, and all the good things about the love of God in Christ that so many children would have heard. One of the main places where young people would have heard the truth became a dead zone spiritually speaking where the youth were taught evolution, humanism, even immorality and homosexuality. We now have a generation of leaders who have no spiritual foundation to their lives. There is no way that they will be able to make the right decisions for the future of our country. Even if they changed today and put prayer back in the schools, it would take forty years just to get back to where we once were. Unfortunately it may be too late. We may not have that much time left. If only they had listened to the Christians.

They did not listen to Paul. He was convinced that the path that they were on would end in shipwreck, and he was right. Anyone who is on a path that is not the leading of the Spirit will end in shipwreck. You can count on that. Some people have had their faith shipwrecked The Bible says in Acts 27:14-20, “But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon. And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up into the wind, we let her drive. And running under a certain island which is called Clauda, we had much work to come by the boat: Which when they had taken up, they used helps, undergirding the ship; and, fearing lest they should fall into the quicksands, strake sail and so were driven. And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day they lighted the ship; And the third day we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship. And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away.”

If only they had listened to Paul. But God’s hand is not shortened that it cannot save. Jesus did not break the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax. Even though they did not listen, God still saved them. No matter how bad things get or how stubbornly you went your own way, there is always hope for you because God is a God of hope and mercy through Christ. No matter what man does, God is still in control.

The Bible says in Acts 27:21-26, “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 spite of everything: the failure of these men to have listened to Paul or to God, and the great storm raging around them; Paul stood up and said in verse 22, “I exhort you to be of good cheer.” And then Paul said again in verse 25, “Sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God.”

Maybe when Paul was standing on the deck of this ship while everyone else was in fear for their lives, Paul thought of the other apostles when they were once on the Sea of Galilee and a storm sprang up. Jesus was with them, and Jesus quieted the storm. Their fear was for no reason. Although Jesus was no more in bodily form where He could be seen, Jesus was just as much with Paul there in that storm on the Mediterranean as Jesus was with the other apostles years earlier on the Sea of Galilee. Jesus is here also. Hopefully you know that. In the case of the twelve apostles Jesus quieted the storm. In the case of the apostle Paul Jesus quieted his heart, and brought Paul safely through the storm even though the storm continued to rage around him. Jesus can do it either way.

Notice that Paul said to the men, “Sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God.” What made the difference between Paul and the other men who feared for their lives? Faith. Paul believed God. You will either have faith in the promises of God, or you will have fear in the things that come your way. Paul heard a word from God. Paul believed that Word. If you do not hear God’s Word, then you will not have the source of faith. Once you hear it, make sure you put your trust and confidence in it. If you do, you will have no fear, no matter what storm you are facing.

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