“For many days
neither sun nor stars appeared, and the severe storm kept raging. Finally all
hope that we would be saved was disappearing. Since many
were going without food, Paul stood up among them and said, ‘You men should
have followed my advice not to sail from Crete
and sustain this damage and loss. Now I urge you
to take courage, because there will be no loss of any of your lives, but only
of the ship. For this night an angel of the God I belong to and serve
stood by me, and said, “Don’t
be afraid, Paul. You must stand before Caesar. And, look! God has graciously
given you all those who are sailing with you.”
Therefore, take courage, men, because I believe God that it will be just
the way it was told to me.’” (Acts 27:20-25 HCSB)
Living for Jesus does not make you immune from
trouble. Storms are inevitable. Jesus told a parable of two men who built
houses—one on sand and the other on rock.
Storms came to both, and the one whose foundation was solid had a structure
that withstood the storm, while the other house collapsed. But, both faced the storm—believer and
unbeliever alike. There was, however, a
big difference in the outcome!
That will be true of us. It was certainly the case for the Apostle
Paul in our text. We find this faithful
servant of the Lord in a ferocious storm.
He was not in the storm of his own choosing, but he did have a choice in
his response: he could sink or swim!
You do not get a choice about being in a
storm—you may be in one today—but you get a choice whether the waves will
deliver you to shore or drown you at sea.
We get to decide whether we will sink in fear or swim in faith.
There are seven secrets we need to know that will
help us survive stormy seas. These
Scriptural principles are illustrated for us in the saga that unfolds in this
storm.
SUSPECT THAT STORMS WILL COME (Acts
27:1-14)
“By now much time had passed, and the voyage was
already dangerous. Since the Fast was already over, Paul gave his advice and told them,
‘Men, I can see that this voyage is headed toward damage and heavy loss, not
only of the cargo and the ship but also of our lives.’” (v.9-10)
Paul was not caught off guard. A suspicion grew steadily in his spirit that
if they set sail, they would soon be swallowed up in a storm. But, the soldier in charge of the prisoners
listened to an “expert”—the ship’s captain who persuaded him that their current
location would not be a pleasant place to spend the winter. Why would they choose to listen to a preacher
when a sailor offered a different opinion?
What does an old preacher know? “When a gentle south wind sprang up, they thought they had achieved their
purpose. They weighed anchor and sailed along the shore of Crete
Maybe that’s how you are feeling today. This doesn’t apply to me. Things are going well. My life plan I’ve charted is on course. You better listen to this old preacher:
sooner or later a storm is coming and you better be ready.
“But not long afterward, a fierce wind called the
‘northeaster’ rushed down from the island.”
Did you ever see the movie, “The Perfect Storm”? Paul and his fellow seamen could have starred
in it because that is what they were caught up in. Like a roaring lion it descended upon them
and threatened to devour the ship and all on board.
I wish we didn’t have to sail stormy seas. Wouldn’t it be nice to always have a soft
breeze at our back, borne along on gentle waves to our destination—the sun ever
warming us on our voyage? Thank God for
each day like that—and there are many.
But, mark my words—the storms are going to come.
To change the analogy a bit: don’t be
blind-sided! One of the most devastating
hits a quarterback takes is the one he doesn’t see coming. That’s how players are put out of the
game. Some are blind-sided—thinking that
following Jesus means smooth sailing.
They are on the sideline today—knocked down and taken out—because they
did not suspect the hit that was coming.
I’ve know several church folks like that—they have never returned to the
game.
Suspect that storms will come. When the storm comes, SHORE UP THE SHIP.
“Since the ship was caught and was unable to head
into the wind, we gave way to it and were driven along. After running under the shelter of a little
island called Cauda, we were barely able to get control of the skiff. After hoisting it up, they used ropes and tackle and girded
the ship. Then, fearing they would run aground on the Syrtis, they lowered
the drift-anchor, and in this way they were driven along.” (27:15-17)
The ship was taking a beating. For a ship to be in the water is how it
sails, but for water to be in the ship is how it sinks! They take ropes and do all they can to shore
up the hull. The ship had to withstand
the impact of the waves that were like battering rams striking it, making it
shudder and about to shear it into splinters.
How do you shore up the ship of your
life when you find yourself in such a powerful, perilous predicament? Paul would supply the answer to that, “I
believe God,” (v.25b) We take the ropes
of God’s promises and we shore up our faith.
You can trust God. If this is the first storm you have
encountered in such magnitude, then know that others have safely sailed through
them. There are plenty of testimonies
older saints can share with you about God’s faithfulness to His Word. Read them in Christian biographies. Seek out some of the senior saints and ask
them about how their faith remained firm in their storms, and they will give
you some ropes to help shore up yours.
It may be that you have been through a storm or two already. How quickly we forget! God was faithful in the past; He will be today
and tomorrow! You thought you would sink
then, but you didn’t! You were able to
swim through—and you can again.
Here is something else to give
attention: SET OFF ANY HEAVY HINDRANCES.
“Because we
were being severely battered by the storm, they began to jettison the cargo the
next day. On the third day, they threw the ship’s gear overboard with
their own hands.” (27:18-19)
The cargo was valuable to the success
of that voyage! The gear was vital to
the success of future voyages! But, in
the present crisis, it was a weight that threatened them—and it had to be
jettisoned.
We all have “baggage.” Some of it is treasured by us. In an economic hurricane we may have to
downsize our lifestyle or take our business through bankruptcy. We may have to put up the golf clubs and take
up our Bible more often. Maybe a storm
of sickness has struck and you have to slowdown before you breakdown. Good activities—trips, sports, hobbies, and
such, none bad in and of themselves—have to be cast aside in order to
survive.
Then there is other “baggage” we carry
that is not so good, yet very heavy—and in the storm will sink us if it remains
on board. Maybe we had a past addiction
to alcohol or drugs, maybe promiscuity—and we resort to these to numb the pain. All that will do is put us to the bottom of
life’s ocean!
Here is another secret to survive the
storm: SECURE YOUR SOUL IN HOPE.
“For many days neither sun nor stars appeared,
and the severe storm kept raging. Finally all hope that we would be saved was
disappearing. Since many were going without food, Paul stood up among them
and said, ‘You men should have followed my advice not to sail from Crete and sustain this damage and loss. Now I urge you
to take courage, because there will be no loss of any of your lives, but only
of the ship. For this night an angel of the God I belong to and serve
stood by me, and said, “Don’t
be afraid, Paul. You must stand before Caesar. And, look! God has graciously
given you all those who are sailing with you.”
Therefore, take courage, men, because I believe God that it will be just
the way it was told to me.’” (Acts
27:20-25 )
What does a drowning man need? Air!
Hope is oxygen for our soul. That
is what Paul supplies these men who had lost all hope.
This is what the Word of God will do for
you. It is what I am trying to dispense
to you today. If you don’t need it this
very moment—life seems like a Carnival Cruise to the Bahamas—you better put
this aside in the closet of your mind, because eventually you are going to be
in a storm. Yet, many of you reading
these words are in one now—and it seems hopeless. You dare not abandon all hope!
I have known people who became so angry and
bitter at God because of the losses they took in their storm. When sailors jettison cargo, they must be
sure not to throw hope overboard. You
become a spiritual casualty—of no use to God or anyone else. You become a danger—you torpedo the faith of
your family and friends with your bitterness.
Despair can lead to depression—and that becomes a
chronic condition. You find yourself
needing drugs, having shock treatments, or in a complete breakdown in the
psychiatric ward. Now, I’m not saying
that medical intervention is never needed.
Sometimes we may find ourselves in such a state that we are not even
open to hope. Until we begin to think rationally
again, words of hope will not be processed sufficiently to enable us to keep
our head above water. Yet, if we can
avoid coming to that dangerous place to begin with, that would be wonderful—and
is what I want for you.
I recently heard of someone who committed
suicide. They had moved away and I lost
track of them. There was a time they
came to me in our worship service, seeking help, committing their life to
Christ. I took her hand and prayed with
her. But, somewhere along the way, she
lost hope, began to sink—and ended her own life.
I beg you—don’t lose hope! Secure it as the most treasured thing in your
storms. Cling to it as a lifeline—it is!
Here is how we can do that: STAY
ON BOARD THE SHIP.
“Some sailors tried to escape from the ship; they
had let down the skiff into the sea, pretending that they were going to put out
anchors from the bow. Paul said to
the centurion and the soldiers, ‘Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot
be saved.’ Then the soldiers cut the ropes holding the skiff and let it
drop away.”
(27:30-32)
Some tried to make a run for it. They would take matters into their own
hands. Paul tells them that if they do,
they are sure to drown.
The church is the “Old Gospel
Ship.” The fellowship of the saints is crucial
to surviving the storms of life. This is
the point being made in a verse you’ve heard preachers quote multiple times, “not staying away from our [worship] meetings, as some
habitually do, but encouraging each other, and all the
more as you see the day drawing near.” (Heb.10:25 ) These
Hebrew Christians were facing a storm of persecution—a rising tide of pain—that
was causing many to jump ship. The
writer tells them to stay on board! In
fact, when you feel least like going to church, that is usually the time you
most need to!
The Devil is fighting you. He wants you to abandon the ship. He is like
a shark, circling the water, waiting to chew you up when you do.
If you stay with the ship, you will hear a Word
that will help you. Someone will encourage
you. The darkest hour is just before the
dawn and so be where people are “encouraging each other, and all the
more as you see the day drawing near.”
No matter how bleak things may get, a brighter day is coming. I assure you in the end, all will be well. Paul wrote this, “For I consider that the
sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is going
to be revealed to us.” (Rom.8:18)
This leads us to the next truth: STRENGTHEN
YOUR HEART WITH ENCOURAGEMENT.
“When it was about daylight, Paul urged them all
to take food, saying, ‘Today is the fourteenth day that you have been waiting
and going without food, having eaten nothing. Therefore I
urge you to take some food. For this has
to do with your survival, since none of you will lose a hair from your head.’ After he said these things and had taken some
bread, he gave thanks to God in the presence of all of them, and when he broke
it, he began to eat. They all became encouraged and took food themselves. In all there were 276 of us on the ship. When they had eaten enough, they began to lighten the ship by
throwing the grain overboard into the sea.” (27:33-38)
The cream rises to the top. Paul might have embarked on this voyage in
chains, but he will end it in charge!
The old English preacher, Joseph Parker noted that "Paul
began as a prisoner," but "he ended as the captain." The leader is not the one who holds a title,
but who has a testimony.
Paul was pragmatic. He tells them to eat. They hadn’t for two weeks, and would need
their strength. They were soon to
jettison the grain, so now was the time to break bread. When in a storm, we shouldn’t be hasty and,
“just do something,” lest out of panic we make matters worse (see the previous
point). Neither should we do nothing,
because we can’t fix everything. There
are always some things God will give you wisdom to do that can help. It may be as simple as maintaining a good
diet, getting exercise and enough sleep.
My experience has been that a weakened physical state and a defeated
spiritual condition often connect.
Paul was prayerful. He prays and gives thanks. This is one of the best things to do when in
a storm. An attitude of gratitude
provides a higher perspective on the storms of life. When we focus on our burdens, we sink in
despair, but when we focus on our blessings, we swim in deliverance!
The result was, “They all became encouraged…”
(v.36a). How we need that! Discouragement is to take away courage, but
encouragement is to infuse someone with courage—and that is what Paul did. As you take in these truths, Paul does it
again!
Then, we must finally and fully SUBMIT
TO THE WILL OF GOD.
“When daylight came, they did not recognize the land
but sighted a bay with a beach. They planned to run the ship ashore if they
could. After casting off the anchors, they left them in the sea,
at the same time loosening the ropes that held the rudders. Then they hoisted
the foresail to the wind and headed for the beach. But they struck
a sandbar and ran the ship aground. The bow jammed fast and remained immovable,
while the stern began to break up by the pounding of the waves.
The soldiers’ plan was to kill the prisoners so that
no one could swim away and escape. But the centurion kept them
from carrying out their plan because he wanted to save Paul, so he ordered
those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land. The
rest were to follow, some on planks and some on debris from the ship. In this
way, everyone safely reached the shore.” (27:39-44)
Circumstances
were beyond their control. They did what
they could and then committed themselves to the hands of God. The Lord had decreed He would bring them
safely to shore—and He did.
God will do
that for you. Trust Him. Submit to His will. Stop trying to swim against the tide, but go
with the current, as God ordains.
The water was
cold—breathtakingly so. The debris was
everywhere—dangerously so. The waves
were high—wildly so. But, they didn’t
sink—not even one—all made it to the beach.
What a warm welcome they received!
You can read about that in chapter twenty eight!
You may make
it through several storms in this life.
If God brings you to it, He’ll bring you though it. In His infinite wisdom, He has a plan (Rom.8:28 ). But, there may be a storm so great that it
rages the rest of your days on earth.
Perhaps it is cancer, or some chronic condition. Maybe you lose your job and never make that
salary again. You could have a child or
spouse die—and you move on in that storm of sorrow, but the clouds are always
there—sometimes low and ominous.
I assure
you—you will sail out of that storm. You
will not perish! Every child of God
makes it to golden shores, and is welcomed by a multitude who give comfort and
cheer! There will come a day of “no more
sea”—the storm-tossed waves forever gone!
(Read Rev.21:1-22:21) There will
be the brightest day!
I read these
words from Spurgeon just this morning:
In
heaven there shall be no interruptions from care or sin; no weeping shall dim
our eyes; no earthly business shall distract our happy thoughts; we shall have
nothing to hinder us from gazing for ever on the Sun of Righteousness with
unwearied eyes. Oh, if it be so sweet to see him now and then, how sweet to
gaze on that blessed face for aye, and never have a cloud rolling between, and
never have to turn one’s eyes away to look on a world of weariness and woe!
Blest day, when wilt thou dawn? Rise, O unsetting sun! The joys of sense may
leave us as soon as they will, for this shall make glorious amends. If to die
is but to enter into uninterrupted communion with Jesus, then death is indeed
gain, and the black drop is swallowed up in a sea of victory. [1]
[1] Spurgeon, C. H. (2006). Morning and evening: Daily readings (Complete and unabridged; New
modern edition.). Peabody , MA
No comments:
Post a Comment