SET SAIL FOR ADVENTURE
Text: Acts 27:1-12
Introduction
1. Soon, Tina and I will be embarking on our 12th cruise. That’s an amazing thing for me to say, because it took Tina twenty-five years to talk me into it. The reason…I saw the movie Titanic too many times! In fact, on our first cruise I got a letter from the head cruise director. He confirmed that the captain of the ship was an expert “iceburgologist,” and an expert at navigating the Bahamian Triangle.
2. In our text today, Paul was about to embark on a cruise he would never forget! But it wasn’t going to be a leisure cruise. However, it would be quite the adventure!
3. Read Acts 27:1-12
Transition: Let’s jump on board with Paul and the others on their great adventure.
I. Fast Forward to the Fun
A. Now that Paul’s trial before Festus and Agrippais was over, it’s time to travel to Rome.
B. Luke tells us in vv. 1-2 with, “When the time came, we set sail for Italy. Paul and several other prisoners were placed in the custody of a Roman officer named Julius, a captain of the Imperial Regiment. 2 Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica, was also with us. We left on a ship whose home port was Adramyttium on the northwest coast of the province of Asia; it was scheduled to make several stops at ports along the coast of the province.”
1. The first thing that should jump off the page to us is the word “we.” This tells us that Luke was on the ship with Paul. He was an eyewitness to what he’s about to tell us. Most likely, they let Luke accompany Paul to Rome as his personal physician, which was his occupation.
2. In addition to Luke, Aristichus was also along serving as Paul’s personal servant. You might remember him as the man who was drug out of the theatre at the beginning of the riot in Ephesus.
3. Both Luke and Aristichus went along to support and take care of Paul. We all need people to support us and help as along the journey. Don’t think you can do this on your own!
C. Then Luke tells us in vv. 3-4, “The next day when we docked at Sidon, Julius was very kind to Paul and let him go ashore to visit with friends so they could provide for his needs. 4 Putting out to sea from there, we encountered strong headwinds that made it difficult to keep the ship on course, so we sailed north of Cyprus between the island and the mainland.”
1. One of the people that Luke mentions that I didn’t talk about yet was a Roman officer named Julius. He was a captain of the Imperial Regiment. The major thing that Luke tells us about him was that he was kind to Paul.
2. In this instance he allowed Paul to go to shore and visit with some of his Christian friends so that could help him with some of his needs, most likely food and clothing.
3. However, they also probably gave Paul encouragement and the strength of fellowship. Paul was going to need this spiritual support and love, because once that headed out to sea again, they ran into some bad weather that made it difficult to maneuver the ship.
4. The best route to take was to south and west of Cyprus. However, the summer and early autumn winds, which came from the northwest, caused them to stay closer to the shore, going north of Cyprus. Things were beginning to get difficult.
D. Next, Luke tells us, “Keeping to the open sea, we passed along the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia, landing at Myra, in the province of Lycia. 6 There the commanding officer found an Egyptian ship from Alexandria that was bound for Italy, and he put us on board.”
1. Once they got around the northeast peninsula of Cyprus, they were still facing some difficult winds.
2. But hugging the coast and taking advantage of the gentler night breezes, the ship finally docked at Myra.
3. While at Myra, Julius discovered an Egyptian ship headed to Italy.
4. It was a large cargo ship that not only carried a large supply of grain, but also big enough to carry 276 passengers. So, Julius got them on board the ship.
E. However, things don’t get any better. In vv. 7-8 Luke tells us, “We had several days of slow sailing, and after great difficulty we finally neared Cnidus. But the wind was against us, so we sailed across to Crete and along the sheltered coast of the island, past the cape of Salmone. 8 We struggled along the coast with great difficulty and finally arrived at Fair Havens, near the town of Lasea.”
1. The captain of the Egyptian ship pushed west to try and reach Rome before winter, but the strong winds were making this extremely difficult.
2. It would have been best for them to dock at Cnidus, but the weather prevented them from going there, so they ended up going towards Crete.
3. They continued to struggle through the difficult conditions and ended up going to Fair Havens and waited for the winds to shift.
F. Then Paul tells us, “We had lost a lot of time. The weather was becoming dangerous for sea travel because it was so late in the fall, and Paul spoke to the ship’s officers about it. 10 “Men,” he said, “I believe there is trouble ahead if we go on—shipwreck, loss of cargo, and danger to our lives as well.”
1. The weather kept getting worse and worse. They had lost precious time towards getting to Rome by winter.
2. It was now late in the fall, and it was getting dangerous to travel. So, Paul went to the officers and warned them that he saw great trouble ahead of them.
3. He said they would be shipwrecked, lose all their cargo, and their lives would also be in trouble.
4. Paul knew what he was talking about. He wasn’t a sailor, but in his missionary journey’s he had been shipwrecked three times.
5. In addition, later in the chapter, the Lord had warned him about what laid ahead of them. So, in a way, what Paul was saying was prophetic.
G. But like most men, they wouldn’t listen. Luke tells us, “But the officer in charge of the prisoners listened more to the ship’s captain and the owner than to Paul. 12 And since Fair Havens was an exposed harbor—a poor place to spend the winter—most of the crew wanted to go on to Phoenix, farther up the coast of Crete, and spend the winter there. Phoenix was a good harbor with only a southwest and northwest exposure.”
1. It was clear they weren’t going to make to Rome by winter.
2. Furthermore, not only was they weather not safe for sailing, but the exposed harbor was not good for the ship.
3. So, the captain of the ship didn’t want to stay there for the winter.
4. Since the ship was contracted by the state for grain transport, the Roman officer could have overruled them. But he trusted the captain’s expertise and decided to take a chance, and they headed for Phoenix.
Transition: Here’s a few things for us to take from Paul’s adventure.
II. Trusting God in the Storm
A. We can’t do this alone!
1. “But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. 19 How strange a body would be if it had only one part! 20 Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. 21 The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you.” (1 Cor. 12:18-21).
2. There are two things we cannot do alone; one is to be married. The other is to be a Christian.
3. No truer words have ever been spoken.
4. Yes, we have the Lord always by our side, and the Holy Spirit as our guide.
5. But we also need each other. We need our brothers and sisters in Christ to stand beside us and encourage us as we journey together.
6. There will be storms, difficulties, trials, temptations, and a host of other things to deal with in life.
7. Being a Christian is the best way of life, but it is certainly not the easiest way of life. We need our brothers and sisters to stand beside us and encourage and sustain us along the way.
B. Always remember, in the midst of the storm, God is in control.
1. “Then Jesus got into the boat and started across the lake with his disciples. 24 Suddenly, a fierce storm struck the lake, with waves breaking into the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. 25 The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” 26 Jesus responded, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!” Then he got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm.” (Matt. 8:23-26).
2. When the storms of life blow into your life, remember that Jesus is Lord of the storm.
3. Just as he rebuked the storm and the waves, He can control what ever if causing you pain or troubling you.
4. If Jesus can control the weather, He can control whatever comes your way.
5. Never forget, in the middle of the storm, Jesus is in the boat with you.
6. Feed your faith, and your doubts will starve!
C. God’s ways are better than people’s ways.
1. “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the LORD. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. 9 For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.” (Is. 55:8-9).
2. What if they had listened to Paul’s warning? What if they had stayed put instead of pushing the envelope? We’ll never know!
3. Imagine all the trouble we could have saved ourselves if we had sought the Lord before we decided something we shouldn’t have.
4. Imagine all the trouble we could have saved ourselves if when God said “No!” we went ahead and did it anyway.
5. When God is offering you a GPS route, don’t think you know better.
6. When God puts up a roadblock, don’t try and go around it.
7. God knows what lies ahead, so listen to Him!
Conclusion
What’s the point preacher? Remember, when the storms in your life rock your boat, Jesus is Lord over your storms. Cling to Him and trust Him.
