Fly High – Acts pt. 26
Opening Illustration on the lighter side of life: See video clip from AHA.COM what not to do when you get stuck in the snow!
Thesis: Paul’s journey reveals how to sink a ship (a life, a family, a ministry) in three easy ways. Don’t listen to sound advice, allow discontentment to take root in your life, and think that you are exempt from the forces of nature.
Scripture Text: Acts 27:1-26
A STORM AT SEA
1As soon as arrangements were complete for our sailing to Italy, Paul and a few other prisoners were placed under the supervision of a centurion named Julius, a member of an elite guard. 2We boarded a ship from Adramyttium that was bound for Ephesus and ports west. Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica, went with us.
3The next day we put in at Sidon. Julius treated Paul most decently—let him get off the ship and enjoy the hospitality of his friends there.
4Out to sea again, we sailed north under the protection of the northeast shore of Cyprus because winds out of the west were against us, 5and then along the coast westward to the port of Myra. 6There the centurion found an Egyptian ship headed for Italy and transferred us on board. 7We ran into bad weather and found it impossible to stay on course. After much difficulty, we finally made it to the southern coast of the island of Crete 8and docked at Good Harbor (appropriate name!).
9By this time we had lost a lot of time. We had passed the autumn equinox, so it would be stormy weather from now on through the winter, too dangerous for sailing. Paul warned, 10“I see only disaster ahead for cargo and ship—to say nothing of our lives!—if we put out to sea now.”
12But it was not the best harbor for staying the winter. Phoenix, a few miles further on, was more suitable. 11The centurion set Paul’s warning aside and let the ship captain and the ship owner talk him into trying for the next harbor.
13When a gentle southerly breeze came up, they weighed anchor, thinking it would be smooth sailing. 14But they were no sooner out to sea than a gale-force wind, the infamous nor’easter, struck. 15They lost all control of the ship. It was a cork in the storm.
16We came under the lee of the small island named Clauda, and managed to get a lifeboat ready and reef the sails. 17But rocky shoals prevented us from getting close. We only managed to avoid them by throwing out drift anchors.
18Next day, out on the high seas again and badly damaged now by the storm, we dumped the cargo overboard. 19The third day the sailors lightened the ship further by throwing off all the tackle and provisions. 20It had been many days since we had seen either sun or stars. Wind and waves were battering us unmercifully, and we lost all hope of rescue.
21With our appetite for both food and life long gone, Paul took his place in our midst and said, “Friends, you really should have listened to me back in Crete. We could have avoided all this trouble and trial. 22But there’s no need to dwell on that now. From now on, things are looking up! I can assure you that there’ll not be a single drowning among us, although I can’t say as much for the ship—the ship itself is doomed.
23“Last night God’s angel stood at my side, an angel of this God I serve, 24saying to me, ‘Don’t give up, Paul. You’re going to stand before Caesar yet—and everyone sailing with you is also going to make it.’ 25So, dear friends, take heart. I believe God will do exactly what he told me. 26But we’re going to shipwreck on some island or other.”
Introduction:
A few years back the movie the Titanic came out. It was a box office smash. People seemed once again fascinated by this tragedy at sea. About 1,500 people lost their lives in this ship wreck tragedy. This great ship was said by the media to be:
“Unsinkable” – even God himself could not sink her said one paper of the day!
The Titanic was called the ship of dreams.
The Titanic was considered to be the best technological ship in the world.
She boasted of being the fastest passenger liner in the sea.
So how did she sink?
An arrogant leadership ran her full steam 20.5 knots (24 miles per hour) through an ice burg filled sea thinking that nothing could hurt her. They ignored warnings from other ships and continued at full speed. They wanted to break a record for crossing the ocean in a large luxurious ship for her owners the Oceanic Steam Navigation Company – popularly known as the "White Star" line. Her full name (RMS) Titanic means Royal Mail Ship Titanic. She not only carried passengers but she also carried mail for the states and for Great Britain. They were racing at a frantic speed to show the world how quick and luxurious she was. She hit an ice berg and 1,500 people lost their lives. If you study why this ship sank 3 reasons surface quickly from the Movie and from History’s investigation:
1. Pride and arrogance – of the company leaders and the officers on board.
2. The attitude of discontentment had set into many involved with the ship.
a. The liner’s company wanted to boast of having one of the fastest luxury liners in the world. The company wanted to use this voyage to promote the ship of dreams.
b. The ship was filled with luxury and service and if it could also be quick in its voyage across the sea then money was in the bank. c. They in a sense promoted not being content with going slow and living in mediocre quarters crossing the Atlantic. Instead ride with them and you could have Luxury beyond belief on the Titanic and still be to your destination quickly.
3. A lack of respect for the power of nature.
This story in Acts 27 also parallels the ship wreck of the Titanic and reveals how to destroy a ship. We can apply the lessons learned from these two stories of ship wrecks to how to destroy a family, a ministry or an organization in three easy steps. The three points to sinking ships, families, lives, ministries and organizations are as follows: Don’t listen to sound advice, choose to leave a safe harbor because of time pressures and the need for more luxury, and think that you are exempt from the forces of nature.
Paul’s prison journey to Rome helps us see the need to be prudent, wise and in touch with the Holy Spirit. Paul’s journey was not taken on a ship like the Titanic but on one that was rather small and meager. See picture of Paul’s journey and the ship on the power point.
Lets explore how you sink a good ship?
1. Don’t listen to sound wisdom and advice before shoving off.
a. Ignoring the weather is not a wise idea when you set sail into the water.
i. It has cost many people there lives.
ii. Just watch all the different rescue shows on TV.
iii. Just ask the Coast Guard.
iv. Do a little research and you soon discover the reality of this thought.
b. The art of listening to others could save you much pain and heartache.
i. Proverbs 11:14: Without good direction, people lose their way; the more wise counsel you follow, the better your chances.
ii. Proverbs 13:10: Arrogant know-it-alls stir up discord, but wise men and women listen to each other’s counsel.
iii. Proverbs 15:22: Refuse good advice and watch your plans fail; take good counsel and watch them succeed.
iv. Proverbs 19:20: Take good counsel and accept correction—that’s the way to live wisely and well.
v. Jeremiah 10:21: It’s because our leaders are stupid. They never asked GOD for counsel, And so nothing worked right. The people are scattered all over.
1. These fishermen thought they knew more than Paul – besides he is only a preacher – what’s he know!
2. But Paul was hearing from the Holy Spirit – He was riding high as the Spirit of the Lord continued to lead him and guide him.
a. Paul was trying to help because he had heard the warning from the Spirit. But arrogant people do not listen to sound wisdom and advice.
c. How important is it in life it to hear God’s voice of direction?
i. It can prevent you from being in a shipwreck.
ii. It can prevent you from much hardship in life.
iii. It can reveal what to do and what not to do in a storm.
iv. It can point you in the right direction to keep you out of the storms.
v. It can save you from losing those things most precious to you if you do get caught in a storm.
d. When others will not listen – what are you to do?
i. Trust God to protect you from the on coming storm.
1. Make sure you are patient and in communication with the Lord through this difficult time.
ii. Then in the midst of the struggle which could have been avoided tell them they should have listened to sound wisdom and insight.
iii. But don’t just focus on the, “I told you so” instead give them a new message of hope from the Lord.
iv. Let it encourage them but also let it be a reality check of what it has cost them.
v. Let them know that God will do exactly what He says He will do so they need to put their faith and trust in Him.
vi. You be an example to them of what it means to have faith and trust in the Lord.
1. How important are those miracle moments with God when we cry out for help in a storm of life?
2. It’s a matter of life and death for some people.
vii. Trust God through the ship wreck and try to help pick up the pieces.
1. Illustration from Joshua on putting back together the glass!
e. What to do when your journey takes you onto a sinking ship?
i. You trust God and go just like Paul?
1. Be prayed up and prepared but stay connected to the Lord through the ordeal.
T.S. – The first easy way to wreck a ship is to not listen to good godly counsel and advice. The second way to cause a ship wreck is to choose to leave a safe harbor because you think the grass is greener on the other side of the fence.
2. They allowed discontentment to set into their hearts and minds.
a. They choose to leave a safe harbor because of time constraints and the lure of luxury at another port. These are the two root causes which the attitude of discontentment.
i. Truth is time pressures can cloud our good judgment.
1. Being rushed and hurried is public enemy number one in America today.
a. VIDEO CLIP – Sermonspice.com “TIME”
2. Tadlock states this about hurry, “There is little doubt that hurry is, indeed, the enemy of one’s spiritual life. Most of us who are a part of western culture live in a hurry-soaked world. Our lives are characterized by a frenetic pace…” (Page 20, When It’s Rush Hour all Day long).
3. He talks about the cost of “Hurry Sickness” and notes some of the following issues:
a. Heart Attacks
b. Severe Anxiety and Stress
c. Shallowness in life and superficiality with others.
d. Erosion of intimacy with God
e. Erosion of our capacity to love others
f. Disorientation from all the clutter in life
g. Fatigue
h. Loss of perspective – here is the one I want to talk about for a moment.
i. Tadlock states, ‘The loss of perspective is another cost of hurry sickness. Perspective means a balanced way of seeing things-the capacity to see people or things in their relationship to each other. You see things as they are rather than in some distorted manner. It’s hard to keep perspective when you are constantly hurried” (43, 44).
i. Impaired judgment – Here is another one I want to pause and have us think about this:
i. Tadlock states, “One of the more serious costs of hurry sickness is the exercise of poor judgment. When we have the ‘luxury’ of a quiet heart, a clear mind, and a rested body, we tend to have a greater capacity for making good, sound judgments. To put it another way, when our perspective is sound and our equilibrium balanced, we are able to draw conclusions more accurately and make decisions that are unencumbered by clutter and fatigue. A hurried life often results in greater vulnerability toward making wrong decisions” (53).
ii. There is a phrase which says, “The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.” This attitude fosters a spirit of discontent.
1. The reality check is that it is not necessarily so that somewhere else is better!
2. Many think that another place is better – It’s a better place to whether the storm.
a. Better hotels – more comfort?
b. Better food – better scenery?
3. But if they get there they usually discover it’s just like where they have been.
a. We need to cultivate an attitude of contentment: Paul said in Philippians 4:10-13:
i. CONTENT WHATEVER THE CIRCUMSTANCES: 4:10-13: 10I’m glad in God, far happier than you would ever guess—happy that you’re again showing such strong concern for me. Not that you ever quit praying and thinking about me. You just had no chance to show it. 11Actually, I don’t have a sense of needing anything personally. I’ve learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. 12I’m just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I’ve found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. 13Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am.
T.S. – The second way to wreck a ship is to leave a safe harbor because of the attitude of discontent. The third way to sink a ship is to leave a safe harbor and go directly into a storm and think that you will be okay because you are a great seaman.
3. Think that you are exempt from being affected by the storms of life.
a. When you think that you are exempt from the rules of the natural world then you are in for hardships.
i. Pride is usually the root culprit of this mindset.
1. Proverbs 8:13-14: To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech. Counsel and sound judgment are mine; I have understanding and power.
2. Romans 2:6-11: Speaks of people who allow a prideful – self-seeking attitudes to take root in their lives.
a. Ro 2:6 God “will give to each person according to what he has done.” Ro 2:7 To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. Ro 2:8 But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. Ro 2:9 There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; Ro 2:10 but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. Ro 2:11 For God does not show favoritism.
3. 1 Cor. 13:4 – 6: Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 1Co 13:5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 1Co 13:6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
ii. Some people think more highly of themselves than they should today.
1. They over rate themselves and think “I have the right to special status and privilege!”
a. My mind reflects to an e-mail I received a while back talking about how some political figures who mistreated the Secret Service agents assigned to protect them. These leaders would fordid their kids to talk to them, to have pictures taken with them and even referred to them as losers. Now first of all I don’t beleive it isa good idea to mistreat the person who is suppose to protect your life. This is not real smart but we need to watch that we don’t assume that we are better than another just because we have a national leadership position. We are all equal in God’s sight. Also In this e-mail their were other references to other political figures who were complemented on how they treated their protectors. these leaders knew their names and asked questions about how their families were doing. They talked with them and showed them respect and a genuine concern for their families. They even socialize with them at picnics and Bar-b-ques. The lesson to be learned is that we must "Love our neighbors - other workers - other associates - other classmates - and secret service workers like Jesus loved everyone - no prejudice and no self-centered thinking"
ii. Some people think that they are more special then they are and therefore, God will give them special privileges.
1. Summary Baker’s book: I Was Wrong!
a. Baker thought that if he committed adultery with Jessica Hahn then he would make Tammi Faye jealous. She was having an affair with another man and he felt that this some how would help them heal their marriage.
i. Sin always has serious repercussions.
ii. God will never bless sin!
b. How deceived he was in his thinking – but he actually thought that it would work out because he was building Heritage USA for the Lord. He was the host of PTL for the Lord and God would just white wash his sin and work it out.
i. Besides exposure to his sin would have crushed God’s ministry.
ii. So then cover up and pay offs started to happen to save the ministry?
iii. But the truth is it ended up destroying the ministry and many lives in the end.
1. More so then if he would have confessed his sin immediately as he concludes ion his book.
c. How wrong he was! How wrong you will be to think that you can continue to do wrong and God will not hold you accountable for your actions.
b. Highlights from Scott Carmer’s sermon - sermoncentral.com “Preparing for the storms of 07”:
i. So what can you do to prepare for the storms of this coming year? ...First of all, make sure that you have a relationship with Jesus before times get tough. Secondly, watch the course you take. We all know, or we should know by now, that there are some storms that can’t be avoided. They come at us with no warning and with no time for preparation. But there are some storms that are of our own making. Sometimes we just do foolish things, steer a foolish course, and deliberately sail into threatening seas… Sometimes we get warnings that we are headed for trouble. The truly wise among us will listen before we head into a storm. That goes for all parts of your life. Where is your life leading you? Is it leading to health or is it leading to danger?…So when the storms come remember: develop a relationship with Jesus while the sun shines, watch the course you take, make sure you have good friends, remember that life is less about us and more about God, and never forget that Christ is stronger than any storm that will ever come our way.”
Conclusion:
Today we have learned how to wreck a ship, a life, a ministry, a family or an organization in three easy steps:
1. Don’t listen to advice or wisdom from others.
a. Lesson to learn: Instead get good Godly counsel from others and learn to listen to God’s Word and His directions.
2. Don’t be content to stay in a safe harbor because of time pressures and the lust for something bigger and better.
a. Lesson to learn: Become like Paul content with where God has planted you. Don’t fall into the “Hurry up Sickness” and rush your life into destruction and heartache.
b. Lesson to learn: Don’t allow the world to convince you that there is a better place or some more fulfilling place you need to be. Be where God has placed you and be content with that. Don’t become greedy or envious for the so-called better life.
3. Think that you are good enough and special enough to sail right into a storm and overcome it’s fury with you great natural skills.
a. Lesson to Learn: Use wisdom and insight from the Lord and His messengers and don’t allow pride in yourself or in your natural skills to convince you to ride right into the perfect storm. We need to stay humble and not become arrogant in our lives. We all live by the same rules and we are all equal in the eyes of the Lord.
