Acts 27:1-28:16

Today is a combination of the past few weeks and passages we have studied. Really, it’s the continuation of a larger story, and the completion of it. Think about Luke’s gospel, it goes from Nazareth to Jerusalem. In Acts, he goes from Jerusalem to Rome. In Luke 2, Jesus is born. In Acts 2, His church is born.

We are going to see that God is sovereign and faithful. We are going to see that God has a plan for Paul in front of Caesar. And, we are going to see Paul fulfill that plan by transforming the minds and hearts of centurions, Romans, and prisoners.

In essence, we are going to see an unstoppable God, with an unstoppable plan, working through an unstoppable church.

We have an unstoppable God with an unstoppable plan using an unstoppable Church.

Everyone is looking for a purpose. God is giving you a purpose plus a plan. A purpose without a plan is disappointing. A plan with a purpose is disappointing. A purpose with a plan is fulfilling. God is giving Paul a purpose (to preach the gospel) and a plan (to go to Rome) and God gets him there.

Acts 27:1–28:16 CSB

1 When it was decided that we were to sail to Italy, they handed over Paul and some other prisoners to a centurion named Julius, of the Imperial Regiment. 2 When we had boarded a ship of Adramyttium, we put to sea, intending to sail to ports along the coast of Asia. Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, was with us. 3 The next day we put in at Sidon, and Julius treated Paul kindly and allowed him to go to his friends to receive their care. 4 When we had put out to sea from there, we sailed along the northern coast of Cyprus because the winds were against us. 5 After sailing through the open sea off Cilicia and Pamphylia, we reached Myra in Lycia. 6 There the centurion found an Alexandrian ship sailing for Italy and put us on board. 7 Sailing slowly for many days, with difficulty we arrived off Cnidus. Since the wind did not allow us to approach it, we sailed along the south side of Crete off Salmone. 8 With still more difficulty we sailed along the coast and came to a place called Fair Havens near the city of Lasea. 9 By now much time had passed, and the voyage was already dangerous. Since the Day of Atonement was already over, Paul gave his advice 10 and told them, “Men, I can see that this voyage is headed toward disaster and heavy loss, not only of the cargo and the ship but also of our lives.” 11 But the centurion paid attention to the captain and the owner of the ship rather than to what Paul said. 12 Since the harbor was unsuitable to winter in, the majority decided to set sail from there, hoping somehow to reach Phoenix, a harbor on Crete facing the southwest and northwest, and to winter there. 13 When a gentle south wind sprang up, they thought they had achieved their purpose. They weighed anchor and sailed along the shore of Crete. 14 But before long, a fierce wind called the “northeaster” rushed down from the island. 15 Since the ship was caught and unable to head into the wind, we gave way to it and were driven along. 16 After running under the shelter of a little island called Cauda, we were barely able to get control of the skiff. 17 After hoisting it up, they used ropes and tackle and girded the ship. Fearing they would run aground on the Syrtis, they lowered the drift-anchor, and in this way they were driven along. 18 Because we were being severely battered by the storm, they began to jettison the cargo the next day. 19 On the third day, they threw the ship’s tackle overboard with their own hands. 20 For many days neither sun nor stars appeared, and the severe storm kept raging. Finally all hope was fading that we would be saved. 21 Since they had been without food for a long time, Paul then stood up among them and said, “You men should have followed my advice not to sail from Crete and sustain this damage and loss. 22 Now I urge you to take courage, because there will be no loss of any of your lives, but only of the ship. 23 For last night an angel of the God I belong to and serve stood by me 24 and said, ‘Don’t be afraid, Paul. It is necessary for you to appear before Caesar. And indeed, God has graciously given you all those who are sailing with you.’ 25 So take courage, men, because I believe God that it will be just the way it was told to me. 26 But we have to run aground on some island.” 27 When the fourteenth night came, we were drifting in the Adriatic Sea, and about midnight the sailors thought they were approaching land. 28 They took soundings and found it to be a hundred twenty feet deep; when they had sailed a little farther and sounded again, they found it to be ninety feet deep. 29 Then, fearing we might run aground on the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern and prayed for daylight to come. 30 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. 31 Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved.” 32 Then the soldiers cut the ropes holding the skiff and let it drop away. 33 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. 34 So I urge you to take some food. For this is for your survival, since none of you will lose a hair from your head.” 35 After he said these things and had taken some bread, he gave thanks to God in the presence of all of them, and after he broke it, he began to eat. 36 They all were encouraged and took food themselves. 37 In all there were 276 of us on the ship. 38 When they had eaten enough, they began to lighten the ship by throwing the grain overboard into the sea. 39 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. 40 After cutting loose 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. 41 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. 42 The soldiers’ plan was to kill the prisoners so that no one could swim away and escape. 43 But the centurion kept them from carrying out their plan because he wanted to save Paul, and so he ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land. 44 The rest were to follow, some on planks and some on debris from the ship. In this way, everyone safely reached the shore. 1 Once safely ashore, we then learned that the island was called Malta. 2 The local people showed us extraordinary kindness. They lit a fire and took us all in, since it was raining and cold. 3 As Paul gathered a bundle of brushwood and put it on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened itself on his hand. 4 When the local people saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “This man, no doubt, is a murderer. Even though he has escaped the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live.” 5 But he shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no harm. 6 They expected that he would begin to swell up or suddenly drop dead. After they waited a long time and saw nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god. 7 Now in the area around that place was an estate belonging to the leading man of the island, named Publius, who welcomed us and entertained us hospitably for three days. 8 Publius’s father was in bed suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went to him, and praying and laying his hands on him, he healed him. 9 After this, the rest of those on the island who had diseases also came and were healed. 10 So they heaped many honors on us, and when we sailed, they gave us what we needed. 11 After three months we set sail in an Alexandrian ship that had wintered at the island, with the Twin Gods as its figurehead. 12 Putting in at Syracuse, we stayed three days. 13 From there, after making a circuit along the coast, we reached Rhegium. After one day a south wind sprang up, and the second day we came to Puteoli. 14 There we found brothers and sisters and were invited to stay a week with them. And so we came to Rome. 15 Now the brothers and sisters from there had heard the news about us and had come to meet us as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns. When Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage. 16 When we entered Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself with the soldier who guarded him.

What it meant to them:

God has a purpose for you.

Acts 27:11 CSB

11 But the centurion paid attention to the captain and the owner of the ship rather than to what Paul said.

Acts 27:42–43 CSB

42 The soldiers’ plan was to kill the prisoners so that no one could swim away and escape. 43 But the centurion kept them from carrying out their plan because he wanted to save Paul, and so he ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land.

Acts 28:23–24 CSB

23 After arranging a day with him, many came to him at his lodging. From dawn to dusk he expounded and testified about the kingdom of God. He tried to persuade them about Jesus from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets. 24 Some were persuaded by what he said, but others did not believe.

Who gets to define your purpose? Have you given your purpose over to God?

God has a plan for you.

Acts 27:23–26 CSB

23 For last night an angel of the God I belong to and serve stood by me 24 and said, ‘Don’t be afraid, Paul. It is necessary for you to appear before Caesar. And indeed, God has graciously given you all those who are sailing with you.’ 25 So take courage, men, because I believe God that it will be just the way it was told to me. 26 But we have to run aground on some island.”

If Paul’s purpose is to preach in Rome, then the plan is through a few difficult situations: shipwrecked, threatened by the soldiers, and bitten by snake. But...

God will get you there.

Do you believe this for your own life?

Acts 27:44–28:1 CSB

44 The rest were to follow, some on planks and some on debris from the ship. In this way, everyone safely reached the shore. 1 Once safely ashore, we then learned that the island was called Malta.

Now, was this the story of Paul getting to Rome, or God transforming a centurion named Julius?

Julius listened to the captain.

Julius listened to Paul.

Kept the soldiers and prisoners on board.

Kept the soldiers from killing the prisoners.

Luke 23:47 CSB

47 When the centurion saw what happened, he began to glorify God, saying, “This man really was righteous!”

Main Point: God will get you there.

Whether there is heaven or earth, God’s always working.

From Jesus born in Nazareth and going to Jerusalem to the early church born in Jerusalem and going to Rome, God is with us. From the centurion overseeing Jesus death praising Him as the Son of God, to Julius protecting the progress of the early church. You never know how God will get you there, but you can trust that He will.

Gospel Response:

When you don’t know where to go, pray that God will give you guidance. When you aren’t there yet, pray that God will get you through. When you are there, fulfill the plan. Lead people to Jesus. Love God and people. And, live a faithful life. And, if you find yourself at the end of God’s plan for your life, give thanks that God’s plan for you is beyond this earth. He made a way for you. Or, as Paul would say:

1 Thessalonians 5:16–19 CSB

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray constantly, 18 give thanks in everything; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 19 Don’t stifle the Spirit.

Where is there for you?

Will you go with us?

ServeTour, April 30

Student Mission Trip, July 10-16

Young Adult Haiti Trip, August 6-13

Adult Haiti Trip

Related Media

Related Sermons