4 Strong Anchors for Life’s Stormy Seas
Pastor Jamie Wright * Maranatha Fellowship Church * 06-06-04 POWERPOINT AVALIABLE UPON REQUEST
A man drives to work at 6:30 a.m. as he has for 8 years. He punches in his time-card and is soon confronted by his supervisor. John is berated and humiliated as he has been repeatedly over the years over minor things. This time he quits---STORMS
A strong thunderstorm sweeps through the area and destroys a farmers crops and barns. He is already deep in debt---STORMS
A widow faces an empty house and bed for the first time in 40 years---STORMS
Parents sit on the couch. It is 3:00 a.m. Their sixteen year old son has not come home. They fear he has been drinking. As they wait, Dad has another beer----STORMS
We all face storms. Some are physical-- i.e., tornadoes, floods, earthquakes. Some are personal--- i.e., death, job problems, soured friendships. Storms are a part of life. The right question is not whether they will come, or when , but how we will respond to them. Paul faced a life-threatening storm. He was on his way to Rome to see Caesar, to stand trial. For 14 days the ship was in a raging sea. But Paul never panicked. As the crew panicked, Paul stood and shared the anchors that held his life secure.
TEXT - Acts 27:14-44
Intro-
These brave sailors were in a storm that seemed to be overwhelming. In an effort to save the ship and their lives, they cast four anchors into the sea. Sadly, these anchors proved ineffective against the storm and the ship was ultimately lost.
However, on board that ship was a man named Paul. He was a special man for several reasons: 1. He was a child of God; 2. He was a man on a mission; 3. He was a man of faith; and 4. He was in fellowship with God. Because of who he was Paul was anchored in the midst of that storm, even though the ship wasn’t!
Those sailors threw four anchors into the sea in an attempt to steady that ship. Those anchors failed. As I read this text, I became aware that Paul had four anchors as well. These anchors steadied him during the storm. Even though that ship was shaken and battered, Paul was able to make it because he had STRONG ANCHORS. TOO many people have weak ANCHORS. GOD HAS STRONG ANCHORS
New Living Translation - Hebrews 6:19:
"This confidence is like a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain of heaven into God’s inner sanctuary . . .
God’s Word Translation - Hebrews 6:19:
" We have this confidence as a sure and strong anchor for our lives . . .
New Century Version - Hebrews 6:19:
" We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, sure and strong . . .
The same anchors that kept Paul steady on his stormy seas are available to you and me on our stormy seas.
I. THE STRONG ANCHOR OF GOD’S PRESENCE vs. 23
“For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve.”
Paul found that even in the midst of the raging storm he was not alone. The Lord came to him to minister peace to his heart.
Hebrews 13:5 “…I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Matthew 28:20 “…and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Psalm 23:4 “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil, for thou art with me.”
It would be a blessing if we could enjoy the manifest presence of the Lord as Paul did. But even when you cannot see Him, He is still there: watching, leading, protecting, being God.
Dr. Tony Compolo says that when he was a boy growing up in a congested and bustling city, his mother arranged a teenage girl who lived nearby to walk home with him at the end of the day. For this she was paid a nickel a day. But Tony rebelled in the second grade and told his mother, I’ll walk myself to school and if you give me a nickel a week, I will be extra careful. You can keep the other twenty cents and we’ll be better off.”
After a period of pleading and begging, little Tony finally got his way. For the next two years he walked himself back and forth to school. It was an eight-block walk with many streets to cross, but he was careful and didn’t talk to strangers or get distracted along the way.
Years later at a family party, he bragged about his independence and reminded his family of how he had taken care of himself as a boy. His mother laughed and added the rest of the story. “Did you really think you were alone?” she asked. “Every morning when you left for school, I left with you. I walked behind you all the way. When you got out of school at 3:30 in the afternoon, I was there. I always kept myself hidden, but I was there and I followed you all the way home. I just wanted to be there for you in case you needed me.”
Vs. 25 Paul says, “I believe God.” He knew God was with Him and everything was going to be alright.
This anchor can be yours through a vital relationship with Jesus Christ.
II. THE STRONG ANCHOR OF THE PROMISES OF GOD vs. 24-25
“Saying, ‘Fear not Paul; thou must be brought to Caesar; and lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.’ “…I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told to me.’”
As Paul weathered that long, terrible storm, the Lord came to him with a precious promise. He reminded Paul that he would stand before Caesar, and that all those on the ship were to be spared as well. For Paul, just having a word from God was enough to anchor him and give him blessed assurance. Why? He knew God was a PROMISE KEEPING GOD!
Romans 4:21 “What he promises He is able to perform.”
The Word of God is full of promises. 7,847 promises from God to man.
Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel have over 1,000 promises each. Psalm 37
Practically every verse is a wonderful promise.
Promises from God’s Word that make a strong anchor in the Stormy Seas of Life.
III. THE STRONG ANCHOR OF THE PLAN OF GOD vs. 24
“…fear not Paul thou must be brought before Caesar…”
The angel of the Lord that ministered to Paul told him God’s plan was for
Paul to get to Caesar and to spare everyone on board. Verse 42 says the
soldiers’ plan was to kill the prisoners, because they were afraid they would
swim away and escape. But God’s plan was for everyone to live.
Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you says the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans for hope and a future.”
Paul had a purpose. Even though he was in the storm of his life he knew he
was living for Christ. He was a prisoner yet he had purpose. His purpose was to share the Good News with Caesar. DO you share the Good News?
This anchor of God’s plan includes: protection and prosperity!
How many of us need protection! I do!
Anybody need any prosperity?
IV. THE STRONG ANCHOR OF GOD’S POWER vs. 44
“…and it came to pass that they all escaped safe to land.”
Only the power of God is strong enough to be your anchor in the midst of the storm. Nothing else, no one else is strong enough. If I am in a storm I want to be anchored to the strong power of the one who can calm the winds and the waves.
God is able to work it all out! He will get you through your storm and land you safely beyond it! It may look like your boat is going to sink. It make look like the storms of life are going to prevail. But, when the waves have all settled down, when the wids have ceased their blowing, when the rains have abated, when the storm clouds have moved off fo the horizon; you will see that God was in control all along! I can promise you this, no storm in this life will be able to blow you off course if you are holding on to the strong anchor of God’s power!
Luke 1:37 “For with God nothing shall be impossible.”
Jeremiah 32:17 “…for thou hast made the heavens by thy great power…nothing is too hard for thee.”
Ephesians 3:20 “Now unto Him that is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think according to the power that is at work within us.”
If God has the power to cause an ax head to float
If God can cause a donkey to talk
If He has power to split the Red Sea and the Jordan River
If God can raise the dead
If God can tell the thunder and lighting to cease
He has the POWER to keep me safe through the storm…
