When Fear Meets Faith
Acts 27 (esp. 21-26)
Intro: I’d like to show a video clip of a portion of Paul’s life. This excerpt is about 10 minutes long and will cover chapters 26 & 27 of Acts. We will start off with Paul speaking to King Agrippa who came to visit Festus, and end with the shipwreck. [Play clip]
-Paul was clearly a man of faith whose life was not his own. There were many times when Paul’s life was in danger, and Scripture indicates that he did have to deal with fear during those times. There was a reason for Acts 23:11: “The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, "Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.” Even though Paul was battling fear, I don’t believe the Lord was telling Paul to buck up and pull himself together. I think the Lord was saying, “Here Paul. Take courage. You will need it. Paul continually received courage from the Lord, and his faith was always growing.
-Today I’d like to share a few simple thoughts about faith and fear. I would like to focus on vv. 21-26 as Paul is talking to the people on the ship in the middle of the storm. Here is the main thought I’d like you to get a hold of.
Prop: Our faith can give us the courage we need to make it through the tough times in life.
Interrogative: How can we become people of faith who aren’t immobilized through fear?
TS: Let’s look at 3 truths that describe a person of faith, as seen in Paul’s life.
21 After the men 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 whose I am 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."
I. People of Faith Hear from God (Acts 27:23-24)
23 Last night an angel of the God whose I am 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.’
-Hearing from God builds our faith, and faith helps us conquer the fear of the unknown. The people on the ship with Paul had no way of knowing what was going to happen to them. They feared for their lives, thinking that this could be it for them.
-Why do people fear death? Why is death so intimidating to us? It is not because we are so afraid of losing the opportunity to live and enjoy life. I believe it is because of what lies beyond death’s door – judgment, mercy, etc. People seem to have a sense that there is more to reality than this life. Something either wonderful or terrible awaits us on the other side. Crossing over to the other side is when we find out how well we navigated our life on this earth. If we did it God’s way, we have nothing to fear, because we already know Him. If we did it our own way, it is a very fearful thing to face death, not knowing what lies beyond.
-People of faith, however, aren’t left in the dark, whether they face death or some other crisis. Why? Because they hear from God. We hear from God through His word. We hear from God as He speaks to our hearts. We hear from God through other people of faith. God may speak to us in dreams and visions as He did to so many people in the Bible. God may speak directly to our situation as he did for Paul through an angel. It is not out of the question to hear from an angel, although I never have that I know of.
-The point is this: God speaks to us in a variety of ways in order to give us direction and courage so we will not lose heart and just give up. Without God’s voice of encouragement in our lives, we would get overwhelmed and probably throw in the towel. People of faith hear from God and it keeps them going.
-TS: Along those same lines, people of faith believe what they hear from God.
II. People of Faith Believe the Promises of God (Acts 27:25b)
…I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me.
-Esp. when we do not have control over our situation, believing God’s promises gives us something sure to hold onto. I do not have to be in control of my situation. I just have to believe that God is!
-Some of us here today have a strong need to feel like we are in control. We may not be what some call a control freak, but then again, maybe some of us are. Anyway, we do not like surprises, because that messes with who is in control. We don’t like shipwrecks or times of crisis that leave us feeling completely helpless. One of the things I don’t like about grief is that I can do nothing about it. No matter how I handle it or express it, it is there. When it comes in waves like it often does, let me just encourage you to let it come. You wouldn’t try to stop the waves that come rushing up on the beach; neither should you try to stop the waves of grief that God uses to cleanse our emotions.
-I know there are several of us who are dealing with grief right now. We have lost friends and family members and we are disappointed and saddened. Our lives will never be quite the same without the person we are grieving over. Let me just say that it is okay to grieve. Don’t let anyone take away your grief. It is a gift from God, and joy will come again! It is during grief that we are reminded of who is in control. God is in control, and we can trust what He says to us.
-People of faith believe the promises of God. Again, we are talking about what God promises through His word, through His Holy Spirit as He speaks to our hearts, through dreams, visions, songs, and other believers. When we believe the promises of God, He imparts the courage we need to keep moving forward.
-TS: Well, finally, as God gives us the courage we need, we find that we are able to pass that on to others around us.
III. People of Faith Inspire Courage in Others (Acts 27:22 & 25a)
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. 25 So keep up your courage, men…
-When we receive courage from God, we then have something to offer others who are battling their fears. It is difficult to inspire boldness in someone else if we are frantically running for our lives. If our bold confidence in God is not evident in the way we live, then all that we say about faith is meaningless. Now, we need to remember the source of our faith and boldness. Hearing from God and believing His promises is what builds faith in us.
-So, we can pass courage on to others by the way we live. We can also encourage others by our words. To encourage someone really means to give them emotional and spiritual strength – strengthening the heart. Encouraging, or giving courage to someone else is like giving them a gift. It is a gift that keeps on giving, as they are able to move past their fear and disappointment and push through to victory.
-As a parent, I would do anything to comfort my little girl when she is afraid. I tell her, “Daddy is here. It’s okay, Sweetie. I love you. Don’t be afraid. I’ll protect you.” However, I also try to teach her to overcome her fear and take action in a scary situation. We try to teach her about stranger danger and the fact that there are some people in this world who are not nice and that she needs to know what to do if something bad starts to happen. I want to equip her with the tools she needs to overcome her fear and do what is needed. I want her to know that she is not helpless if something bad starts to happen. I am trying to prepare her to be courageous should a crisis arise.
-Our Father also does everything possible to comfort us when we are afraid. But He also gives us great promises that build our faith and give us the courage to do what is needed in difficult situations. Furthermore, He uses us to pass some of that courage on to others around us who are living in fear.
Conclusion: As we close, People of faith hear from God, they believe the promises of God, and after receiving the courage they need, they pass it on to others. When fear meets genuine faith, it doesn’t stand a chance. The Bible tells us that if God is for us, who can be against us. We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. Romans 8:38-39 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.
-Let me encourage you today, make it your daily practice to hear from God. Then trust that what He tells you is as good as gold. His promises are true. As your faith grows and your courage increases, make it your goal to pass it on. Courage can be contagious when it is based on what God has spoken to us.
-Maybe you’ve never really put your faith in God. He invites you to call on Him, and He will answer and show you great and mighty things. If you aren’t trusting in God for forgiveness of sin, that is a promise you can respond to today. If you aren’t trusting God to lead your life, you can ask Him for His help today and let Him start working in you, giving you the faith and courage you need. Faith comes from hearing what God says and receiving it as true and reliable. Let God turn your fears into faith today.
