Acts 27:1-28:10

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Acts 27:1–28:10 NIV
1 When it was decided that we would sail for Italy, Paul and some other prisoners were handed over to a centurion named Julius, who belonged to the Imperial Regiment. 2 We boarded a ship from Adramyttium about to sail for ports along the coast of the province of Asia, and we put out to sea. Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica, was with us. 3 The next day we landed at Sidon; and Julius, in kindness to Paul, allowed him to go to his friends so they might provide for his needs. 4 From there we put out to sea again and passed to the lee of Cyprus because the winds were against us. 5 When we had sailed across the open sea off the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we landed at Myra in Lycia. 6 There the centurion found an Alexandrian ship sailing for Italy and put us on board. 7 We made slow headway for many days and had difficulty arriving off Cnidus. When the wind did not allow us to hold our course, we sailed to the lee of Crete, opposite Salmone. 8 We moved along the coast with difficulty and came to a place called Fair Havens, near the town of Lasea. 9 Much time had been lost, and sailing had already become dangerous because by now it was after the Day of Atonement. So Paul warned them, 10 “Men, I can see that our voyage is going to be disastrous and bring great loss to ship and cargo, and to our own lives also.” 11 But the centurion, instead of listening to what Paul said, followed the advice of the pilot and of the owner of the ship. 12 Since the harbor was unsuitable to winter in, the majority decided that we should sail on, hoping to reach Phoenix and winter there. This was a harbor in Crete, facing both southwest and northwest. 13 When a gentle south wind began to blow, they saw their opportunity; so they weighed anchor and sailed along the shore of Crete. 14 Before very long, a wind of hurricane force, called the Northeaster, swept down from the island. 15 The ship was caught by the storm and could not head into the wind; so we gave way to it and were driven along. 16 As we passed to the lee of a small island called Cauda, we were hardly able to make the lifeboat secure, 17 so the men hoisted it aboard. Then they passed ropes under the ship itself to hold it together. Because they were afraid they would run aground on the sandbars of Syrtis, they lowered the sea anchor and let the ship be driven along. 18 We took such a violent battering from the storm that the next day they began to throw the cargo overboard. 19 On the third day, they threw the ship’s tackle overboard with their own hands. 20 When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging, we finally gave up all hope of being saved. 21 After they had gone a long time without food, Paul stood up before them and said: “Men, you should have taken my advice not to sail from Crete; then you would have spared yourselves this damage and loss. 22 But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed. 23 Last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me 24 and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.’ 25 So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me. 26 Nevertheless, we must run aground on some island.” 27 On the fourteenth night we were still being driven across the Adriatic Sea, when about midnight the sailors sensed they were approaching land. 28 They took soundings and found that the water was a hundred and twenty feet deep. A short time later they took soundings again and found it was ninety feet deep. 29 Fearing that we would be dashed against the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern and prayed for daylight. 30 In an attempt to escape from the ship, the sailors let the lifeboat down into the sea, pretending they were going to lower some anchors from the bow. 31 Then Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay with the ship, you cannot be saved.” 32 So the soldiers cut the ropes that held the lifeboat and let it drift away. 33 Just before dawn Paul urged them all to eat. “For the last fourteen days,” he said, “you have been in constant suspense and have gone without food—you haven’t eaten anything. 34 Now I urge you to take some food. You need it to survive. Not one of you will lose a single hair from his head.” 35 After he said this, he took some bread and gave thanks to God in front of them all. Then he broke it and began to eat. 36 They were all encouraged and ate some food themselves. 37 Altogether there were 276 of us on board. 38 When they had eaten as much as they wanted, they lightened the ship by throwing the grain into the sea. 39 When daylight came, they did not recognize the land, but they saw a bay with a sandy beach, where they decided to run the ship aground if they could. 40 Cutting loose the anchors, they left them in the sea and at the same time untied the ropes that held the rudders. Then they hoisted the foresail to the wind and made for the beach. 41 But the ship struck a sandbar and ran aground. The bow stuck fast and would not move, and the stern was broken to pieces by the pounding of the surf. 42 The soldiers planned to kill the prisoners to prevent any of them from swimming away and escaping. 43 But the centurion wanted to spare Paul’s life and kept them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land. 44 The rest were to get there on planks or on other pieces of the ship. In this way everyone reached land safely. 1 Once safely on shore, we found out that the island was called Malta. 2 The islanders showed us unusual kindness. They built a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold. 3 Paul gathered a pile of brushwood and, as he put it on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand. 4 When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, “This man must be a murderer; for though he escaped from the sea, the goddess Justice has not allowed him to live.” 5 But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. 6 The people expected him to swell up or suddenly fall dead; but after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god. 7 There was an estate nearby that belonged to Publius, the chief official of the island. He welcomed us to his home and showed us generous hospitality for three days. 8 His father was sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him and, after prayer, placed his hands on him and healed him. 9 When this had happened, the rest of the sick on the island came and were cured. 10 They honored us in many ways; and when we were ready to sail, they furnished us with the supplies we needed.
Four reasons storms come

1. To discourage us

Notice that twice in our passage Paul told his fellow travellers to keep us their courage:
Acts 27:22 NIV
22 But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed.
Acts 27:25 NIV
25 So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me.
Storms try to discourage us. In other words, they try to to dishearten us, to deflate us, to make us want to give up
It is like when the 9ft giant named Goliath challenged Israel...
1 Samuel 17:10–11 CSB
10 Then the Philistine said, “I defy the ranks of Israel today. Send me a man so we can fight each other!” 11 When Saul and all Israel heard these words from the Philistine, they lost their courage and were terrified.
1 Samuel 17:32 CSB
32 David said to Saul, “Don’t let anyone be discouraged by him; your servant will go and fight this Philistine!”
1 Samuel 17:45 NIV
45 David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.
It is imperative that we have the mindset that we are God’s warriors and we will be victorious because God is with us.
When the king of Assyria came against Judah, King Hezekiah said to his military officers:
2 Chronicles 32:7–8 NIV
7 “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him. 8 With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people gained confidence from what Hezekiah the king of Judah said.
They had Hezekiah to encourage them, but sometimes we need to encourage ourselves.
Whilst David and his men were out fighting, the Amalakites came and kidnapped their wives and children.
As David was their leader, the men turned on his and wanted to stone him
1 Samuel 30:6 KJV 1900
6 And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.
Psalm 42:5 NIV
5 Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.
We can have courage because of:
God’s purpose for us
God’s presence with us
We see both of these factors in Joshua 1:
Joshua 1:6 NIV
6 Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them.
That’s God’s purpose
Joshua 1:9 NIV
9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
That’s God presence!
I want to remind us today that the battles we are facing belong to the Lord
2 Chronicles 20:15 NIV
15 He said: “Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.
Romans 8:35–39 NIV
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Storms also come to...

2. Distract us

To get our attention off God and His plan for us, and to instead focus on the storm
Matthew 14:28–30 NIV
28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” 29 “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
Philippians 4:6–8 NIV
6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
Storms also come to...

3. Make us doubt God’s plan for us

Matthew 8:18 NIV
18 When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side of the lake.
Matthew 8:23–26 NIV
23 Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. 24 Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. 25 The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” 26 He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.
Why did Jesus expect them not to be afraid?
Because He had given orders to cross to the other side of the lake.
When Jesus says you are going to the other side of the lake, no storm can stop you!
Never allow anything you are facing make you doubt God’s plan for your life.
Remember Paul’s response when in the midst of the storm the angel told him that he must testify before Caesar...
Acts 27:25 NIV
25 So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me.
Notice that for the disciples who had little faith, Jesus calmed the storm. But for Paul, who had faith, Jesus didn’t calm the storm; He brought him through it victoriously. Never allow the presence of storms in your life to make you think that its because you don’t faith. God works in different way on different occasions. Faith is trusting that God knows best.
Finally, sometimes God uses a storm to...

4. Direct us

I’m sure you remember a man by the name of Jonah.
God told him to go to Nineveh and preach. But instead Jonah tried to flee to Tarshish, which we think was in modern day Spain.
As he was on the way there, God sent a violent storm that threatened to break up the ship.
Jonah had to admit that he was the cause of the storm and asked the sailors to
throw him into the sea.
And as you know, God prepared a big fish to swallow Jonah, which also vomited back out after three days. And Jonah made his way to Nineveh...
But notice, God used the storm, to redirect Jonah.
Sometimes we are out of line in an area of our life, and God has to send a storm to get us back on track...
But coming back to today’s passage, I want you to notice that God used the storm to direct Paul.
Paul was on his way to Italy. But because of the storm, he ended up on the island of Malta… and an amazing thing happened there...
Acts 28:7–9 NIV
7 There was an estate nearby that belonged to Publius, the chief official of the island. He welcomed us to his home and showed us generous hospitality for three days. 8 His father was sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him and, after prayer, placed his hands on him and healed him. 9 When this had happened, the rest of the sick on the island came and were cured.
The WHOLE ISLAND was healed.... because of a storm..!
A great storm and be can indicator of a great destiny!

Summary

Don’t allow life’s storms to discourage you, to distract you, or to make you doubt God’s plan for you. Instead, trust that God is directing you into His good plan for your life.
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