Introduction
In July 2022, eastern Kentucky faced catastrophic flash floods, with Letcher County hit hardest as 8-10 inches of rain submerged homes, claimed 45 lives, and destroyed over 4,000 properties, including County Line Community Church.
Pastor Anthony Mullins, a third-generation Baptist preacher and pastor of County Line Community Church, lost his own home but became a pillar of hope to the community.
He encouraged people with Scripture passages, such as Isaiah 43:2: “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you.”
Mullins offered survivors raw, biblical wisdom in prayer tents along Highway 7, sharing Scripture to help them voice their grief.
To a widow amid her ruined home, he offered, “Like Noah’s flood, this pain carries God’s promise of renewal.”
His honest faith, rooted in his own losses, drew skeptics and believers alike, guiding them to journal their pain as a step toward healing.
He encouraged resilience through “Holler Hope Hikes,” dawn gatherings where survivors sang hymns and shared stories, inspired by Scripture’s call to comfort others: “He comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God” (2 Corinthians 1:4).
These grew from 20 to 150 participants, uniting diverse groups.
Mullins’ words, like urging a teen orphan to “rise like the Jordan,” sparked purpose in despair.
His hands-on help shone brightest.
Leading Baptist Disaster Relief, Mullins mobilized volunteers to gut 200 homes, distribute 5,000 meals, and secure $500,000 in grants.
He rebuilt a single mom’s home and aided undocumented families.
By 2023, the church reopened and baptized 30 in a once-destructive creek.
Pastor Mullins served other people when they were going through life’s storms.
Today, we are going to learn how the Apostle Paul served others when they went through a storm on the sea, in a sermon I am calling “Travel Dangers.”
Scripture
Let’s read Acts 27:1-44:
1 And when it was decided that we should sail for Italy, they delivered Paul and some other prisoners to a centurion of the Augustan Cohort named Julius. 2 And embarking in a ship of Adramyttium, which was about to sail to the ports along the coast of Asia, we put to sea, accompanied by Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica. 3 The next day we put in at Sidon. And Julius treated Paul kindly and gave him leave to go to his friends and be cared for. 4 And putting out to sea from there we sailed under the lee of Cyprus, because the winds were against us. 5 And when we had sailed across the open sea along the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra in Lycia. 6 There the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing for Italy and put us on board. 7 We sailed slowly for a number of days and arrived with difficulty off Cnidus, and as the wind did not allow us to go farther, we sailed under the lee of Crete off Salmone. 8 Coasting along it with difficulty, we came to a place called Fair Havens, near which was the city of Lasea.
9 Since much time had passed, and the voyage was now dangerous because even the Fast was already over, Paul advised them, 10 saying, “Sirs, I perceive that the voyage will be with injury and much loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives.” 11 But the centurion paid more attention to the pilot and to the owner of the ship than to what Paul said. 12 And because the harbor was not suitable to spend the winter in, the majority decided to put out to sea from there, on the chance that somehow they could reach Phoenix, a harbor of Crete, facing both southwest and northwest, and spend the winter there.
13 Now when the south wind blew gently, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, they weighed anchor and sailed along Crete, close to the shore. 14 But soon a tempestuous wind, called the northeaster, struck down from the land. 15 And when the ship was caught and could not face the wind, we gave way to it and were driven along. 16 Running under the lee of a small island called Cauda, we managed with difficulty to secure the ship’s boat. 17 After hoisting it up, they used supports to undergird the ship. Then, fearing that they would run aground on the Syrtis, they lowered the gear, and thus they were driven along. 18 Since we were violently storm-tossed, they began the next day to jettison the cargo. 19 And on the third day they threw the ship’s tackle overboard with their own hands. 20 When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope of our being saved was at last abandoned.
21 Since they had been without food for a long time, Paul stood up among them and said, “Men, you should have listened to me and not have set sail from Crete and incurred this injury and loss. 22 Yet now I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. 23 For this very night there stood before me an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I worship, 24 and he said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar. And behold, God has granted you all those who sail with you.’ 25 So take heart, men, for I have faith in God that it will be exactly as I have been told. 26 But we must run aground on some island.”
27 When the fourteenth night had come, as we were being driven across the Adriatic Sea, about midnight the sailors suspected that they were nearing land. 28 So they took a sounding and found twenty fathoms. A little farther on they took a sounding again and found fifteen fathoms. 29 And fearing that we might run on the rocks, they let down four anchors from the stern and prayed for day to come. 30 And as the sailors were seeking to escape from the ship, and had lowered the ship’s boat into the sea under pretense of laying out anchors from the bow, 31 Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved.” 32 Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the ship’s boat and let it go.
33 As day was about to dawn, Paul urged them all to take some food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day that you have continued in suspense and without food, having taken nothing. 34 Therefore I urge you to take some food. For it will give you strength, for not a hair is to perish from the head of any of you.” 35 And when he had said these things, he took bread, and giving thanks to God in the presence of all he broke it and began to eat. 36 Then they all were encouraged and ate some food themselves. 37 (We were in all 276 persons in the ship.) 38 And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, throwing out the wheat into the sea.
39 Now when it was day, they did not recognize the land, but they noticed a bay with a beach, on which they planned if possible to run the ship ashore. 40 So they cast off the anchors and left them in the sea, at the same time loosening the ropes that tied the rudders. Then hoisting the foresail to the wind they made for the beach. 41 But striking a reef, they ran the vessel aground. The bow stuck and remained immovable, and the stern was being broken up by the surf. 42 The soldiers’ plan was to kill the prisoners, lest any should swim away and escape. 43 But the centurion, wishing to save Paul, kept them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and make for the land, 44 and the rest on planks or on pieces of the ship. And so it was that all were brought safely to land.
Lesson
Acts 27:1-44 shows how God uses Christians to serve others during life’s storms.
Let’s use the following outline:
1. Christians Serve Others by Advising Them (27:1-20)
2. Christians Serve Others by Sharing God’s Word with Them (27:21-26)
3. Christians Serve Others by Warning Them (27:27-32)
4. Christians Serve Others by Setting a Good Example before Them (27:33-44)
I. Christians Serve Others by Advising Them (27:1-20)
First, Christians serve others by advising them.
Verses 1-8 describe how Paul and other prisoners were assigned to a Roman centurion, Julius, to sail to Italy.
They boarded a ship from Adramyttium heading to Asia's ports, accompanied by Aristarchus from Thessalonica.
The next day, they stopped at Sidon, where Julius kindly permitted Paul to visit friends and receive care.
Leaving Sidon, they sailed close to Cyprus due to unfavorable winds.
After crossing the open sea along Cilicia and Pamphylia, they arrived at Myra in Lycia, where the centurion transferred them to an Alexandrian ship bound for Italy.
The voyage was slow, and they struggled to reach Cnidus, eventually sailing close to Crete near Salmone when the wind hindered further progress.
Despite difficulties coasting along, they finally reached Fair Havens near Lasea on the island of Crete.
Luke said in verse 9a that much time had passed since they started, and “the voyage was now dangerous because even the Fast was already over.”
Luke assumed that his audience knew what “the Fast” was.
It was, in fact, the Day of Atonement, which fell at a different time each year, between late September and early October.
Apparently, it was dangerous to sail in those waters between mid-October and mid-March because of the winter winds.
Because of this, Luke tells us in verses 9b-10, “Paul advised them, saying, ‘Sirs, I perceive that the voyage will be with injury and much loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives.’ ”
But the centurion paid more attention to the ship’s owner and pilot than to Paul.
They must have thought that a tentmaker and former Pharisee did not know much about nautical matters.
However, Paul was an experienced traveler. He had traveled somewhere between 10,000 and 15,000 miles at all times of the year.
Because the harbor was unsuitable for winter, the majority decided to sail to Phoenix, on the western end of Crete.
When the south wind blew gently, they weighed anchor and sailed close to the shore.
Soon, a northeaster storm struck, and the ship was driven along.
They secured the boat under Cauda Island and undergirded the ship. Fearing grounding on the Syrtis, they lowered the gear.
The storm caused them to jettison cargo and later tackle.
For many days, with no sun or stars and a violent tempest, hope of rescue was lost.
Paul served his fellow travelers by advising them not to travel at that time of the year.
He used his sanctified wisdom to know that it was the wrong time of the year to sail in those waters.
When people around you are going through life’s storms, you can use your sanctified wisdom to advise them on what might be best in the situation in which they find themselves.
Sometimes, it is simply being a sounding board to listen to others' concerns or fears.
At other times, it may be advising them about what to do or what not to do.
So, first, Christians serve others by advising them.
II. Christians Serve Others by Sharing God’s Word with Them (27:21-26)
Second, Christians serve others by sharing God’s word with them.
Luke said in verses 21-22, “Since they had been without food for a long time, Paul stood up among them and said, ‘Men, you should have listened to me and not have set sail from Crete and incurred this injury and loss. Yet now I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship.’”
One commentator notes:
“In ancient stories of storm and shipwreck, ‘the usual place for such speeches is at a high point in the storm and a low point in the fortunes of the sea travelers’. However, ‘in those speeches the message is about the danger of the situation and preparation for impending doom. Here the message is one of hope in the midst of despair.’” (David G. Peterson, The Acts of the Apostles, The Pillar New Testament Commentary [Grand Rapids, MI; Nottingham, England: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2009], 689).
The wind was howling.
The waves were crashing against the boat.
The sailors were doing the best they could, but without doing much good.
The soldiers were thinking that they would never see loved ones again.
Amid this terrible storm, Paul shouted to all on board in verses 23-26:
“For this very night there stood before me an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I worship, and he said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar. And behold, God has granted you all those who sail with you.’ So take heart, men, for I have faith in God that it will be exactly as I have been told. But we must run aground on some island.”
I am sure that Paul was greatly encouraged when the angel appeared to him and told him that he would not die and that he would appear before Caesar.
So, he shared that vision with the rest of the people on board the ship.
Interestingly, Luke did not tell us what the others' response was on board the ship.
Did they say, “Oh, we can relax and take a deep breath now. Paul’s god is going to save us”?
Or did they say, “Oh boy! Another nut case! Does Paul’s god even know the predicament we are in”?
I don’t know what they said.
I think they were skeptical.
Nevertheless, Paul served them by sharing God’s word.
When you are serving others who are going through life’s storms, share God’s word with them.
You are not going to have a vision like Paul's.
You do have, however, the written word of God in the Bible.
Point others to truths about God, such as his faithfulness, his power, his love, and his care for those whom he has created.
Serve others by sharing the word of God with them.
III. Christians Serve Others by Warning Them (27:27-32)
Third, Christians serve others by warning them.
In verses 27-30, Luke describes how, on the fourteenth night, while being driven across the Adriatic Sea, sailors suspected land was near around midnight.
They took a sounding and found twenty fathoms; a bit further on, they took another and found fifteen fathoms.
Fearing they might hit rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern and prayed for daylight.
Meanwhile, some sailors tried to escape by lowering the ship’s boat into the sea, pretending to set anchors from the bow.
Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved” (v. 31).
Paul was recalling what the angel had said to him two weeks earlier in verse 24, “God has granted you all those who sail with you.”
He believed the word of God, even if some of the sailors did not.
Their salvation depended on staying on the ship.
Luke tells us in verse 32, “Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the ship’s boat and let it go.”
Sometimes, when people are going through the storms of life, they may want to do harmful things.
Like sailors who think they would be safer on a small boat, people may think they are doing something that will benefit them.
So, we need to warn them, especially regarding spiritual issues.
Many people do whatever they can to prolong life.
In one sense, there is nothing wrong with that.
But we need to warn people of their eternal destiny apart from Jesus.
Only Jesus can save a person from eternal destruction.
Tell people about Jesus, and that “there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
Serve others by warning them.
IV. Christians Serve Others by Setting a Good Example before Them (27:33-44)
And fourth, Christians serve others by setting a good example before them.
Luke said in verses 33-34, “As day was about to dawn, Paul urged them all to take some food, saying, ‘Today is the fourteenth day that you have continued in suspense and without food, having taken nothing. Therefore I urge you to take some food. For it will give you strength, for not a hair is to perish from the head of any of you.’ ”
Paul knew that they were all weak.
He knew that they were all anxious.
So, he encouraged them to eat.
Luke said in verses 35-36, “And when he had said these things, he took bread, and giving thanks to God in the presence of all he broke it and began to eat. Then they all were encouraged and ate some food themselves.”
There were 276 people on the ship.
After eating enough, they threw wheat into the sea to lighten the load.
At daybreak, they saw a bay with a beach but did not recognize the land.
They planned to run the ship ashore, casting off anchors and loosening rudder ropes.
Hoisting the foresail, they aimed for the beach.
However, they hit a reef, ran aground, and the ship's bow stayed stuck while waves broke the stern.
The soldiers intended to kill the prisoners to prevent escape, but the centurion, wanting to save Paul, stopped them.
He ordered swimmers to reach land first, and others used planks or pieces of the ship.
Everyone was safely ashore.
Luke noted at the end of verse 44, “And so it was that all were brought safely to land.”
Paul served others by setting a good example.
He knew that they all needed to eat.
So, he gave thanks to God for the bread, broke it, and ate it.
All on board the ship were encouraged to do the same.
I think of when our children were little.
They did not want to drink medicine when they were sick.
Sometimes we would take a sip to encourage them to do the same.
We always serve others by setting a good example before them.
Conclusion
My dear Christian, God can use you to serve others when they are going through life’s storms.
Serve others by advising them, sharing God’s word, warning them, and setting a good example.
May God use you to bless others as you serve them during life’s storms. Amen.
