Subject: Weathering the Storms of Life
Text: Acts 27:20-44 “The terrible storm raged for many days, blotting out the sun and the stars, until at last all hope was gone. 21 No one had eaten for a long time. Finally, Paul called the crew together and said, “Men, you should have listened to me in the first place and not left Crete. You would have avoided all this damage and loss. 22 But take courage! None of you will lose your lives, even though the ship will go down. 23 For last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me, 24 and he said, ‘Don’t be afraid, Paul, for you will surely stand trial before Caesar! What’s more, God in his goodness has granted safety to everyone sailing with you.’ 25 So take courage! For I believe God. It will be just as he said. 26 But we will be shipwrecked on an island.”27 About midnight on the fourteenth night of the storm, as we were being driven across the Sea of Adria,[e] the sailors sensed land was near. 28 They dropped a weighted line and found that the water was 120 feet deep. But a little later they measured again and found it was only 90 feet deep. [f] 29 At this rate they were afraid we would soon be driven against the rocks along the shore, so they threw out four anchors from the back of the ship and prayed for daylight. 30 Then the sailors tried to abandon the ship; they lowered the lifeboat as though they were going to put out anchors from the front of the ship. 31 But Paul said to the commanding officer and the soldiers, “You will all die unless the sailors stay aboard.” 32 So the soldiers cut the ropes to the lifeboat and let it drift away.
33 Just as day was dawning, Paul urged everyone to eat. “You have been so worried that you haven’t touched food for two weeks,” he said. 34 “Please eat something now for your own good. For not a hair of your heads will perish.” 35 Then he took some bread, gave thanks to God before them all, and broke off a piece and ate it. 36 Then everyone was encouraged and began to eat 37 all 276 of us who were on board. 38 After eating, the crew lightened the ship further by throwing the cargo of wheat overboard. 39 When morning dawned, they didn’t recognize the coastline, but they saw a bay with a beach and wondered if they could get to shore by running the ship aground. 40 So they cut off the anchors and left them in the sea. Then they lowered the rudders, raised the foresail, and headed toward shore. 41 But they hit a shoal and ran the ship aground too soon. The bow of the ship stuck fast, while the stern was repeatedly smashed by the force of the waves and began to break apart.
42 The soldiers wanted to kill the prisoners to make sure they didn’t swim ashore and escape. 43 But the commanding officer wanted to spare Paul, so he didn’t let them carry out their plan. Then he ordered all who could swim to jump overboard first and make for land. 44 The others held on to planks or debris from the broken ship. [g] So everyone escaped safely to shore.
Introduction: If someone or something weathers the storm, they successfully deal with a very difficult problem and succeed in reaching the end of a very difficult period without much harm or damage. As we look around, storms are raging in nearly revery area of our lives: financially, physically, mentally, and spiritually. Some storms we cause, some God allows, some are caused by others and some are an act of nature. I know that we can agree there are some storms that we have caused in our lives by taking the wrong advice from a so-called expert, which leads to bad decisions, or by listening to popular opinion, or the majority leading to unwise decisions or by making a permanent decision based on our present temporary circumstances.
Unwise or Bad decisions cause us to drift away from the plan of God for our lives. Then we began to discard precious cargo such as our relationships and responsibilities. Finally, we begin to get discouraged and wonder, “What's the use?” When weathering a storm, we need to remember that God is always there even in our self-made storms. Whether the storm is a self-made storm, a storm God allowed, or a storm others caused, how do we deal these storms? How should we respond while weathering the storms of life? I believe Acts 27 provides us with some helpful suggestions. While weathering the storms of life, as children of God, we must: (1) look God’s Presence (2) listen God’s Promise (3) experience God’s Peace and (4) participate in God’s Preservation.
Storms come in every season so we prepare as best we can by becoming wiser, stronger, and better. All of us can become wiser, stronger, and better. I want us to weather the storms of life in such a way that we glorify the Lord Jesus Christ and encourage and inspire others to have faith in Him.
In Acts 27, the Apostle Paul and his companions boarded an Egyptian grain ship bound for Italy. The Apostle Paul was a prisoner of the Roman Empire being carried to Rome for allegedly starting a riot in the temple area in Jerusalem. He was accused by the High Priest before Felix, the Roman Governor. After two years, Felix was relieved of his position leaving Paul in prison. When Festus took over as Governor, he did not know what to do with Paul because Paul had appealed to Caesar as a Roman citizen. Festus then invited King Agrippa and his wife Bernice to listen to Paul in a public arena for the purpose of forming some acceptable political charges before sending him to Rome. Again, Paul used the opportunity to witness of his faith in Jesus of Nazareth. Paul’s witness was so effective that Agrippa said he was almost persuaded to be a Christian. It was decided that arrangements should be made to send Paul and his companions some 2,000 miles away to Rome to stand trial before Caesar. By this time, it was late September of the year. This six-month voyage, from September of 59 through March of 60 A.D., would be filled with danger and adventure. Our storyteller, Luke, gives a detailed account of their journey.
As you read this account, you sense the storm clouds building and the winds becoming stronger, more violent and more dangerous. Throughout Acts 27, Luke refers to the weather and the sailing conditions: “The winds were contrary" (verse 4), "the wind did not permit us to go farther" (verse 7), "with difficulty sailing" (verse 8), "moderate south wind" (verse 13), "violent wind" (verse 14), "violently storm-tossed" (verse 18), "neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small storm was assailing us" (verse 20), "being driven about" (verse 27), "hit a reef" (verse 9), "ship broke up" (verse 10). Their storm was weather related, our storms be the economic, pandemic, inflationary, gun violent, and social unrest. How can we weather the storms of life? What can we do? First, look for God’s Presence in the Storm.
1. Look For God’s Presence. “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 then taken away. 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” (Acts 27:20-23).
When men on the ship were worrying and wondering, Paul was seeking God through fasting and prayer. This was not the apostle's first voyage, nor was it his first shipwreck on the Mediterranean Sea. He had been in three wrecks already, and God had always been with him. We should look for the Presence of God in the storms because God has a purpose and a plan. God used this storm to bring men to a place where their souls melted, where they were at their wits’ end and they had nothing or no one to turn to on board for security. Their ship was breaking up. Their self-confidence was gone. They were men paralyzed by a sea of uncertainty, helpless and hopeless, looking into the very eyes of death. In spite of all this, Paul, God’s man, says, “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…”
Our Lord allows storms to come into our lives for a variety of reasons. For unbelievers, some storms are sent so that men will cry out to God for salvation. In the case of believers, God uses storms for several reasons, as we see recorded in the lives of Job, Jonah and in the lives of the disciples of Jesus in the New Testament to perfect his work in our lives, to make us wiser, stronger, and better. So, realize that we are not alone in the storm. Look for the Presence of God. Secondly, listen for the Promise of God.
2. Listen For God’s Promise. “Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee” (Acts 27:24-25).
Severe storms are noisy and frightening. They tend to overwhelm us. God speaks in a still small voice, so we must listen for the promise of God. The promise of God gives us assurance in the midst of the storm. God was saying, “Paul, you are going to make! You are going to stand before Caesar. And God is going to spare the lives of all who sail with you.” The word of God causes faith to come alive in our hearts. “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17).
“Fools because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted. Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat; and they draw near unto the gates of death. Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses. He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!” (Psalm 107:17-21).
Amid storms, look for the presence of God and listen for the promise of God. God will send His Word. There is a word from the Lord. Even though these men would not heed Paul’s earlier warning and had sailed into a hurricane, God gives His word to Paul. Now those men are compelled to receive Paul’s words and their hopes are revived. The word of God is the power of God to us who believe. Listen for God’s Promise!
3. Experience the Peace of God. “Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me” (Acts 27:25).
When the storm was at its worst, Paul's spirit was calm. The reason for his calmness was the peace of God. The secret to weathering a storm is the Peace of God in your heart. The presence of God, the power of God and the peace of God will keep us through every storm. The sailors caught in this violent storm were seasick, terrified, helpless and hopeless, and yet Paul, a Roman prisoner, with no earthly authority tells them with authority, “Be of good cheer! I have a feeling that everything is going to be all right! Why Paul? Because I have seen His Presence, heard His promise, and experienced His Peace. Everything is going to be all right! You see, Peace is not the absence of a storm; peace is the calm assurance that God is still in charge of my life and controls every detail. Though I am in a storm, I will trust God. “What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee” (Psalms 56:3).
“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee” (Isaiah 26:3).
“Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:4-7).
I heard a story about a train traveling through the night in a very violent rainstorm. The lightning flashes were almost blinding, the rain hitting the windows was deafening and the strong wind gusts rocked the train from side to side. When the lightning flashed and lit up the darkness, the passengers could see the rising water along the tracks. This created terror in the minds of the passengers. Several passengers noted that through all the noise, lightning and wind, one of the passengers, a little girl, seemed to be at perfect peace. The adult passengers could not figure out why the little girl was so calm during all this excitement. Finally, one passenger asked her, “How is that you can be so calm when all the rest of us are so worried about what might or could happen?” The little passenger smiled and said, “My father is the engineer and he knows I am on this train.”
Weathering the storms of life, we must look for His presence, listen for His promise, experience His peace and participate in His preservation.
4. Participate in the Preservation of God. “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. And while the day was coming on, Paul besought them all to take meat, saying, This day is the fourteenth day that ye have tarried and continued fasting, having taken nothing…” (Acts 27:29-33).
“And when it was day, they knew not the land: but they discovered a certain creek with a shore, into the 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 unmovable, but the hinder part was broken with the 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 on boards, and some on broken pieces of the ship. And so it came to pass, that they escaped all safe to land” (Acts 27:39-44).
This is a powerful passage concerning God’s method of preservation. It is important for us to use everything we have and do everything we know to do that we might be saved. God promised that not one life would be lost, but there are some conditions: These men needed to eat and be strengthened that they may begin to lighten the ship by throwing out the wheat into the sea. And when day came, they observe a certain bay with a beach, and they resolved to drive the ship onto it if they could. Had the experienced sailors been allowed to abandon ship, no one could have guided the ship away from the rocks to the sandy beach. They raised the anchors, loosen the ropes of the rudders, and hoisted the foresail to the wind; they were heading for the beach. The ship ran aground; and stuck fast and remained immovable, but the stern began to be broken up by the force of the waves. And the soldiers' plan was to kill the prisoners, that none of them should swim away and escape; but the centurion, wanting to bring Paul safely through, kept them from their intention, and commanded that those who could swim should jump overboard first and get to land, and the rest should follow, some on planks, and broken boards. Moreover, all 276 men were brought safely to land.
You see, we must participate in the preservation of God. Sometimes people of God who recognize His presence, receive His promise, and experience His peace, fail to participate actively in the preservation. Most promises of God are conditional and depend on your active participation. If you are going to survive a physical storm, you must take proper precautions. In a marital storm, you must do your part. In a financial storm, you must play a part. In order to weather the storms of life, you must use your God-given wisdom, skill, talent and hard work to survive. All of us can get wiser, stronger, and better so we can participate in our preservation. Even in salvation, we must participate, we must open our hearts and invite the Savior in. We must accept the free gift of God. What can you do to improve your health, your economic situation, or your marriage? How can you improve your shopping habits, exercise habits or eating habit/ We must be willing to participate in your own preservation.
