Acts 27. This is a fascinating passage of scripture. It's the story of a storm, a shipwreck & it’s life threatening. The Bible says that all these things are put there as examples for us.
I believe this story is in the Bible to teach us how to be confident in a crisis.
There are different kinds of storms in life. In Acts 27 - This is a storm that they brought on themselves. This is the case here. How do you deal with them? I believe this passage of scripture was put in the Bible to teach us how do you deal with a crisis. How do you be calm in a crisis? How do you have that kind of confidence and courage to maintain, regardless of what happens?
The background of the story is that God had put Paul on board this ship; they were going to go to Rome. Paul's heart’s desire was to go to Rome and preach. Yet while they were on board, God told Paul to tell the crew not to leave harbor because there was going to be a storm out in the Mediterranean ocean. They ignored what God told them to do and they got impatient. There's where you get in trouble every time. When you get impatient, you're going to run right into a storm. I've talked to so many people who got impatient to get married, they got impatient to get a new job, they got impatient to move and they didn't check it out with God. They got
impatient and they sailed right off into a storm.
In 27:9+ it says, "So Paul warned them, `Men, I can see that our voyage is going to be disastrous. It will bring great loss to the ship and the cargo and to our own lives also."
And yet they went sailing right into the storm. Why? It's interesting that this passage shows us the three most common reasons people get themselves into a mess. Two thousand years later, human nature has not changed. They got themselves into a mess for three reasons:
v. 11, 12, 13. HOW WE CAUSE THE STORMS
1. v. 11 "But the centurion, instead of listening to what Paul said, followed the advice of the pilot and of the owner of the ship."
The first reason we get ourselves in a mess is we take the wrong advice from the wrong people - we listen to the wrong experts. There are a lot of crazy ideas out in the world and every week there is a new therapy and a new cult and a new idea and somebody will say, "The key to life is ... to eat bananas and yogurt." On some info-mercial Somebody else will say, "The key to life is to buy our seminar tapes." Everybody's got a way and everybody's got an expert opinion and the fact is the experts are often wrong. There's a lot of crazy ideas. Some people keep asking experts what they think until they find a person that agrees with them in the first place. It's just to substantiate their own bias. When you start asking the wrong experts, you're going to get yourself into a mess.
2. v. 12 "Since the harbor was unsuitable in winter, the majority decided that we should sail on, hoping to reach Phoenix and winter there."
The second reason we get ourselves in trouble is we follow the majority - sometimes we just take a vote. They just said, "What's the majority opinion?" The fact is, the majority is often wrong. When Moses was with the children of Israel, the majority wanted to go back to Egypt. They were wrong. A lot of times we get ourselves into a mess when we simply listen to prevailing opinion, the most popular thing.
The way we hear this today is in one little statement: "But everybody's doing it." The fact is, no, everybody is not doing anything except breathing! But when you listen to majority opinion, that's not always the truth.
3. v. 13 "When a gentle south wind began to blow, they thought they had obtained what they wanted so they weighed anchor and sailed along the shore of Crete."
Why do we get ourselves in trouble? We ask the wrong experts, we go with majority opinion and we rely on circumstances.
Notice it says there was a gentle south wind. What could be better for a nice gentle Mediterranean cruise -- a gentle breeze. They thought they had obtained what they wanted. The circumstances looked favorable. Everything looked good. It seemed like a good thing.
But the fact is, it is crazy to ignore what God says to do even if
circumstances tend to contradict it. It may look good but you may be sailing right into a storm. It may look great. We do this all the time. We go on our feelings. I've heard people say, "It must be ok because I feel so good about it." - "How could it be so wrong, if it feels so right". The fact is feelings lie. They're not always honest. The circumstances may look good but if God says "Wait in the harbor" you had better wait in the harbor because the conditions & circumstances can change. There's a revealing phrase there -- "They thought they had obtained what they wanted". People often say, They had thought they had obtained what they wanted and they go sailing right into a storm, right into a crisis.
As you follow the story, within hours they were caught in a
typhoon. They were in a hurricane. "Before very long a wind of hurricane force called the Northeaster swept down from the island and the ship was caught in the storm and could not head into the wind." We get ourselves in trouble because we listen to the wrong experts, we go by majority opinion, we listen to the circumstances.
Not only does the story teach that but the story teaches us what happens when you get into a crisis. When you're in a crisis you typically do three things. They are the same three things that the sailors did in the next few verses. They are typical reactions when you get under pressure, when you get in a crisis.
HOW STORMS TEND TO AFFECT US
1. v. 15 "The ship was caught by the storm and could not head into the wind so we gave way to it and we were driven along." v. 17 "They let the ship be driven along."
The first thing storms tend to do in our lives is cause us to DRIFT. We just let go of our goal, we forget where we're headed, we forget our values and we just start drifting. You've got to realize, back in those days, they didn't have a compass. They were in a storm and the Bible tells us later on that for two weeks they couldn't even see the stars. (drifting in a Hurr. track) They were in total darkness. When you're in a dark situation, you can't see the stars and you don't have a compass, what do you do? You drift. You just let the waves beat you back and forth. You just go wherever it goes.
Sometimes life seems like that. You get a problem and it just
batters you back and forth. You don't know where you're going, you've lost sight of your goal. There's strong currents of life that sweep you back and forth and you just want to say, "What's the use! Why fight it? I'll just go with the flow." The first thing we tend to do in a crisis is just start drifting, we forget where we're headed in life. We say, "Why make the effort?" And we start drifting along. But that's not all we do.
2. v. 18 "So we took such a violent battering from the storm that the next day they began to throw the cargo overboard. And on the third day, they threw the ship's tackle overboard." These guys are getting desperate. Then they ate one more meal and then threw their meal overboard.
Things that happen in a crisis: First we start to drift. The second thing is we tend to DISCARD.
We start throwing things out of our lives.
The sailors start throwing stuff overboard. First the cargo. Then the ship's tackle. Then the food. Then later you'll find that they threw themselves overboard. They jumped overboard and started swimming to shore.
The point is this: Often when we get in a crisis, a storm, we are tempted to throw out the very things that are precious to us or important to us or the values that we've held on to in better times.
We have a tendency to just throw everything out, discard, because we're under pressure and we just want to get rid of it all. We become impulsive. And we start looking for things to eliminate in our lives. We give up on our dreams. We run out on a
relationship. We throw away values we learned as a kid. We just want to discard it all. We just feel like giving up. It's a typical reaction. We start to drift. We start to discard and throw things out of our lives. We want to give up.
3. The third thing they did is in v. 20 "When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging we finally gave up all hope of being saved."
In a crisis you tend to drift. In a crisis you tend to discard, throw things out that are important. And in a crisis you eventually get to the point of DESPAIR. Notice it says, "Finally we gave up all hope" The last thing you throw out when you've got a problem is hope. When you've thrown that away, you've had it! That's the last thing that goes.
Close eyes & Picture this: Fourteen days in total darkness and they're in a little tiny ship in the middle of the Mediterranean being bashed back and forth to the point that they throw out everything. They throw out the ship's tackle. They couldn't guide it if they wanted to. They throw out the food. They throw out all the cargo. Now they are despairing. It says "We finally gave up all hope." They said, “We're doomed, we're finished! We don't have any hope.”
Some of you feel like that right now. You've been going through a problem this past week, this past month, or months. It's been battering you back and forth. You've been throwing things out and you've been tempted to run from it. Finally you've come to the point of despair. You want to say, "What's the use? There's no hope! It is an impossible situation." They gave up everything else and then they gave up their hope.
The point is this: They had forgotten that God is in control. They had forgotten that God had a plan. They had forgotten the fact that He can inject hope into an absolutely, positively hopeless situation.
The amazing part of this story is this: Paul's reaction. It is 180 degree complete turnabout from the way the sailors responded to this crisis. The sailors are in a panic. They are in despair. They say it's hopeless. They're discouraged, depressed, down. They don't know what to do. They've throw it all out. They've drifted for days and they've finally given up hope.
But you read about Paul and Paul's reaction. He's calm, confident. He's got courage in the crisis. Absolutely nothing is phasing him. He's not perturbed by it. When we look at this passage, we learn how to be confident in a crisis. Although those are the natural reactions that we tend to have, they don't have to be our reactions in life toward a crisis, toward a situation that tends to swallow us up.
Paul's reaction was one of confidence. I like that. The test of a man's religion is how he handles a crisis. How do you handle the difficulties in life? Anybody can be a Christian when things are going great. All your prayers are being answered, you're in perfect health, your income is going up, your family is growing.
everything is going fantastic. It's easy to be a Christian like that.
But the test of your faith is how do you handle it when the
problems come in on you and you're tempted to despair and drift and throw out the things that are important in life. Character is revealed in a crisis. It's not made in a crisis. Character is made in the day by day, little, mundane, trivial things of life. (read God's Word;pray) The routine, that's where character is made.
How can you have Godlt character if you don't hang out with God?
But it is revealed when you get into a shipwreck, when you get into a crisis, when you get into a situation that is going to swallow you up. What do you do when things look like they're falling apart and the ship is going to fall apart and disintegrate? What do you do? What do you do when you're being battered about by the problems in life?
v. 29 "Fearing that we would be dashed against the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern and they prayed for daylight." The safest thing to do when you get in a storm is to drop your anchors and pray! Just drop your anchors! Just stand still. Put your roots down. Situations change and the sands of time shift. The Bible says in Psalm 125:1 "He who puts his trust in God is like Mount Zion. He is immovable." You have anchors!
The typical reaction for people when they encounter a major
problem, a major crisis and they have a tendency to change
everything else at the same time -- as if they needed more change!
Why was Paul such a confident person? Because he was
encouraged by three tremendous truths. They are foundational
beliefs of the Christian life. They are anchors of the soul.
Hebrews says "Hope is the anchor of the soul."
Let’s look at the truths that will anchor you into the rock of
stability so that when the winds come along and blow you back and forth and you are in a crisis, you will have confidence. They are truths that we can build our lives on. They will stabilize you. What are they? We find them in v. 23, 24, 25.
1. v. 22 "But I urge you to keep up your courage because not one of you will be lost, only the ship will be destroyed." There is a statement of a confident person. He said, "Don't worry. None of you are going to die. You're all going to make it. This too shall pass. We're going to lose the ship, but don't worry, you're going to make it." Why did he have that kind of
confidence?
v. 23 "Last night, when an angel of God,,,, stood beside me." He said, “God sent a representative and he stood beside me.”
The first anchor in a crisis is THE PRESENCE OF GOD. God's presence. The first truth we learn out of this passage is this: Storms can never hide the face of God. You may not see Him but He sees you. You may think He's a million miles away but He sees you. He is with you. The presence of God is the first anchor. The storms of life cannot hide God's face.
Paul had a personal experience. He had a reminder. God sent a representative, an angel and said, "I'm with you! God sees you out here in the middle of the Mediterranean in this little tiny boat. It's OK. Don't worry about it. I see what's going on." Over and over again, the scriptures promise, "I will never leave you or forsake you. ... Lo, I am with you always. ... I will send you a comforter." Over and over again, the Scripture says wherever you are, God is. (last week - unseen savior) You need to trust Him.
2. v. 24 "This angel stood by me and he said `Do not be afraid, Paul. You must [circle "must"] stand trail before Caesar and God has graciously given you the lives of all those who sail with you." God came to Paul and said, "I have a plan for your life. My plan is that you go to Rome. You know you're on board this ship because I have a purpose for you being on board this ship. You're going to Rome. You're going to preach in Caesar's court and I have a
purpose for your life that is greater than the temporary storm
you are in."
That's an anchor. The presence of God is an anchor. THE PURPOSE OF GOD is an anchor.
He says, "Paul, don't be afraid. You must stand before Caesar. You're going to have some skirmishes here and there. You may even get a little wet. But you are going to stand before Caesar. It is inevitable. It cannot be changed because I have a purpose for your life."
As a Christian, every Christian ought to have a sense of destiny. I've said many times, “No person is ever born by accident, regardless of the circumstances of your birth.” You're not here on earth just to take up air. You're not here just to take up space. But God makes a purpose and a plan for every individual person. Storms are simply temporary setbacks in that purpose. Absolutely nothing can change God's ultimate purpose for your life unless you choose to disobey Him. There's no doubt God has a plan for your life. But if you choose to reject it, He will allow you to do that. But the Scripture teaches that no outside person can change God's plan for your life. He leaves that up to you. You can either accept it or you can reject it but no matter what happens on the outside, external forces cannot alter God's purpose for your life as long as you say, "God I want to do Your will!"
Last week we talked about the Christ follower must be focused on eternity - not this temp. planet. Your purpose!
3. There's a third anchor. There's a third truth that gives us
confidence in a crisis. v. 25 So keep up your courage men, For I have faith in God that it will happen just as He told me." The third anchor -- THE PROMISE OF GOD. He said, “God told me we're going to make it.” Does God keep His promises? You bet He does! There is the presence of God, there is the purpose of God for our lives, there is the promise of God. Storms cannot hide the face of God because God is with us. Storms cannot change the purpose of God because it is ultimate. Storms cannot destroy the child of God because of His promise.
"Keep courage for I have faith that it will happen just as He told me." It's a promise! Some of you are going through devastating crises right now. Your problems are overwhelming you and you think you're going under for the last time. Let me say this from God to you: You may lose the boat. You may lose the cargo. You may lose the tackle of the ship. You may even get wet. But you're going to make it because of the promise of God. God said it.
I believe it. That settles it. I relax. I am confident in the crisis.
‘It’s a Guaranteed Delivery!’
What do I do while I'm waiting for God to fulfill His promise? Some of you right now, the days are dark, and you don't like it. You feel discouraged. God brought you here not by accident this morning. He brought you here because He wanted to say to you, "Hang on!"
But what do you do while you're hanging on? What do you do while you're waiting for God to fulfill a promise? What do you do while you're waiting for God to solve the problem? What do you do while you're awaiting for the solution to arrive?
Do what Paul did in v. 29 "Fearing that we would be dashed against the rocks they dropped four anchors from the stern.
Anchor yourselves in the truths of God -- We've talked about that. And they prayed for daylight." Based on God's promise they let their anchors down and they prayed for daylight.
What do you do? You pray. If you're in a crisis right now and it doesn't look like it's going to work out and it looks like everything is going to turn out the wrong way and you don't see your way through it and it looks hopeless, what do you do? You pray for daylight! (series: Can YOU hear me now?)
The result is, morning came. V. 39 "When daylight came, they didn't recognize the land but they saw a bay with a sandy beach where they decided to run the ship aground if they could." And it says "They ran the ship aground, they all jumped overboard to swim to land" and in v. 44 "the rest were to get on planks in the water on pieces of the ship and in this way everyone reached the land in safety." It's got a happy ending. They all reached the land in safety. The entire ship. That’s THE PROMISE OF GOD -
delivered again.
Is there a storm that's about to break up your ship? Some of you feel this morning that you are coming apart at the seams. The rivets are popping. The ship is falling apart. and you think you're going under! This is a situation that is going to swallow me up! And you feel like you're going to go to pieces and you feel like your life is out of control and it's an impossible situation.
may be drifting... tempted to discard, throw it all away... full of
despair, gave up all hope, it wont make it, or last... God says, “I’m with you, I have a purpose for you, I promise!”
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