Sermon, 2/23/02 am

Jim Huskey, Walking Through Acts # 33

As we finished our study last time on our journey through the book of

Acts Paul had been before King Agrippa and again it had been reconfirmed

that, had he not made an appeal to Caesar, he should have been set at

liberty, that he had done nothing worthy either of bonds or death. The

only thing left for us now in the book of Acts is to get Paul to Rome.

That journey will be a rather interesting one, then once there, his stay

there will also prove to be very interesting.

The 27th chapter of Acts takes us from the time they leave on this

journey to Rome until they come to the island of Melita where they were

shipwrecked. There are some powerful lessons in the 27th chapter. Some

of them occur during the course of this dangerous and rough voyage. The

voyage began rather uneventfully, except to notice the following. "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. (That name will come up again when Paul writes to the church

at Thessalonica, and appears other times.) And the next day we touched

at Sidon. And Julius (who is a centurion of Augustus' band who had

charge of these prisoners that were on their way to Rome) courteously

entreated Paul, and gave him liberty to go unto his friends to refresh

himself." Acts 27:2,3. Now the Romans have learned almost to their

own chagrin, that Paul was, among other things, a Roman citizen, and

that as a Roman citizen, he had certain rights. To deprive him of those

rights could prove to be dangerous for them. So that's why the captain

was so upset and worried when he found out Paul was a Roman citizen and

he'd already bound him and commanded him to be beaten, and he hadn't

been tried and was a Roman.

They were on their way and one of the interesting lessons that comes out

of all this is one of the stops they made. Things hadn't gone too well.

They had gone down to Myra, a city of Lycia. "And there the centurion

found a ship of Alexandria sailing into Italy; and he put us therein.

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." Vs. 6-8. Now

that's an interesting - fair havens. What would one conjure up in their

mind if they found a place long the seacoast named "fair havens"? We

would think it would be a good place to anchor down when times were

difficult. The only problem was, the name was somewhat misleading.

When the weather began to get rough, it was not a commodious place in

which to harbor. It was all right when everything else was all right,

but when the winter weather set in with storms and things they would

encounter on the remainder of their journey, the record says, "And

because the haven was not commodious to winter in, the more part

advised to depart thence also..." Vs 12. Now this was against Paul's

warning. This is one a series of things that paints an interesting

picture and would lead to some very interesting things that would

happen along the course of this journey to Rome. Paul says in verse

10, after sailing was now dangerous, the fast was already past, "Sirs,

I perceive that this voyage will be with 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." Vs. 10,11. Now there were "dare-

devils" back then, too. There were those who were willing to take

risks and the owner of the ship and master of the ship said 'we can

make it'. We're already told that the time of sailing was dangerous.

Any kind of vessel they entered into this time of the year was going to

be at risk. Paul told them, 'there's going to be much harm that comes

out of this.' But the centurion listened to the owner of the ship and

to the master of the ship. That's probably the last time he would make

that mistake on this journey.

Now remember our setting. We have Paul and a group of other prisoners,

we have the soldiers, the centurion and the sailors. So they went on.

The only problem is, it turned out to be just as Paul said it was going

to be. "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 southwest and northwest." Vs 12. Now I don't know

if that catches you like it did me the first time I read it. How can

a place lie to the southwest and northwest at the same time? Well the

answer is this. From where they were at fair havens, in order to get

to this place, they first had to travel southwest around the southern

tip of the island, then go turn and go northwest to where Phenice was

located. So what some would call a "contradiction", no, it's exactly

like he said it was. One must go southwest then northwest to get

there, travelling by ship; and that's they way they were travelling.

"And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained

their purpose, loosing thence, they sailed close by Crete. 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, undergiring 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 lightened 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 taken away."

Vs. 13-20. They'd already thrown the tackling of the ship; they'd

thrown out the things they didn't have to have. "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." Vs 21-26. Paul reminded them that they should have

listened. He didn't call them a bunch of stupid idiots, like most

folks would have. He didn't "bless" them out; but he said 'sirs, you

should have listened; now I want to tell you something else; the ship

is going to be wrecked, but not a man will die, and here's why. There

stood by me this night the angel of God. (now notice the next two

phrases), WHOSE I AM, AND WHOM I SERVE.' Paul said 'I belong to him,

and I serve him, and that's not all; I believe it will be JUST EXACTLY

like he told me it would be.' Now they were in the middle of a storm,

they had thrown everything out of the ship they thought they survive

without, they hadn't seen the sun or stars for days and they were

afraid. Paul said 'be of good cheer, you're not going to die.' They

didn't listen to Paul the first time, remember. Watch what happens

the next time Paul says 'don't do that'.

"But when the fourteenth night was come, as we were driven up and

down in Adria, about midnight the shipmen deemed that they drew near to

some country; and sounded, and found it twenty fathoms; and when they

had gone a little further, they sounded again, and found it fifteen

fathoms. Then fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks, they cast

four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day. And as the

shipmen were about to flee out of the ship, when they had let down

the boat into the sea, under colour as though they would have cast

anchors out of the foreship, Paul said to the centurion and to the

soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved. Then the

soldiers cut off the ropes of the boat, and let her fall off." Vs.27-32.

This was their lifeboat. Now they were listening to Paul. These

seamen were the ones who were experienced out in the sea. There's

no evidence that the soldiers who were with the prisoners had any

experience at sea other than going on voyages to carry prisoners one

place or another. They were not seamen, they were soldiers. But when

Paul told them if they didn't stay in the ship, lives were going to be

lost, what did the soldiers do? They cut loose the lifeboat and dropped

it out of the ship so nobody could try to leave. Why? I tell you why!

Paul!!!! Paul!!!! They had been convinced by the demeanor of Paul

and by his words that it would be as Paul said it would be. And you

see, when they cut those lifeboats loose, they were cutting THEIR

lifeboats, too. They have, now, committed themselves into Paul's

trust and the God whom Paul served.

"And while the day was coming on Paul besought them all to take meat,

saying, This say is the fourteenth day that ye have tarried and

continued fasting, having taken nothing. Wherefore I pray you to take

some meat; for this is for your health; for there shall not an hair

fall from the head of any of you. And when he had thus spoken, he

took bread, and gave thanks to God in presence of them all; and when he

had broken it, he began to eat. Then were they all of good cheer, and

they also took some meat. And we were in all in the ship two hundred

threescore and sixteen souls." (276 people). Vs. 33-37. They had

been fasting for fourteen days, when Paul said 'don't let them leave in

the boat', they cut the boat loose. After that lengthy fast, fearful

for their lives, they now, at Paul's encouragement, take food and are

of good cheer.

"And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, and cast out

the wheat into the sea. And when it was day, they knew not the land;

but they discovered a certain creek with a shore, into which they were

minded, if it were possible, to thrust in the ship. And when they had

taken up the anchors, they committed themselves unto the sea, and

loosed the rudder bands, and hoisted up the mainsail to the wind, and

made toward shore. And falling into a place where two seas met, they

ran the ship aground; and the forepart stuck fast, and remained

unmoveable, but the hinder part was broken with violence of the waves.

And the soldiers' counsel was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them

should swim out, and escape. BUT THE CENTURION, WILLING TO SAVE PAUL,

kept them from their purpose; and commanded that they which could swim

should cast themselves first into the sea, and get to land; and the

rest, some of boards, and some on broken pieces of the ship. And so it

came to pass that they escaped all safe to land." Vs 38-44. What had

Paul told them? The ship would be lost. What else had he told them?

Not a one of them would die. Because the centurion believed Paul

enough to make sure what he said was followed, they all survived what

otherwise would have been with loss of many lives.

There are those who still today say one person dosen't make a

difference. ONE PERSON DID MAKE A DIFFERENCE!!!! He was a prisoner

and he had not done anything worthy of bonds or death. That had

already been determined by the king and by various governors who had

heard his case, but he was still a prisoner. He had to appeal for his

own safety, he felt, to Caesar, and he had. This was what he was

going through just to get to stand before Nero Caesar. Talk about an

odd sequence!!!! That is!!!!! But God told him, 'you'll stand before

Caesar.' It's a wonder Paul didn't just say 'why don't you just let

me die in this shipwreck and get it over with.' Talking about going

out of the frying pan into the fire!!! Nero was the Caesar in power

at that time, but Paul had been told he was going to Rome - and he's

going. Look at the impact he would have. We'll look at what occurs

on the barbaric island - again how much difference one person can make

when that one person is doing right. Well, the same thing in true when

they are doing what they shouldn't do. It just works in the other

direction. There are some powerful lessons right there in Paul's

journey to Rome to stand trial. WHAT A DIFFERNECE HE MADE!!!!