Four Anchors and a Wish
Acts 27: 20-29
I. Introduction
A. There are storms that arise in our lives that cause us to wonder whether we’ll see the rising of the sun ever again. But for the child of GOD, there are certain anchors that we can ground ourselves to, anchors that will keep us through every storm of life.
II. The Setting
A. Throughout this entire chapter, we can see the effects that the storm had upon the ship.
1. “The Perfect Storm”
a. Briefly describe crests and swells; the roll of the boat, etc.
b. Note the different things about the boat in the storm that were made clear by the book, such as “letting her drive” and “undergirding the boat”...
B. There may be storms in your life when you feel that all you can do is just hold on and ride it out, and sometimes that is all we can do!
III. The Anchors
A. The Presence of GOD
1. “For there stood by me this night the angel of GOD...”
a. David said there is “fulness of joy” in the presence of the LORD.
b. Acts 3:19 tells us the “times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the LORD.”
c. Also notice that a guilty party always desired to hide themselves from His Presence!
(1) Adam & Eve
(2) Cain
(3) Jonah
B. The Knowledge of GOD
1. “...whose I am, and whom I serve.”
a. To the child of GOD who understands who his GOD is, however, the very presence of GOD can anchor him in any storm.
b. Matt. 14: Peter dares to get out of the boat and walk on the water to Jesus. Until that time, Peter was the only disciple who recognized who Jesus Christ really was!
C. The Word of GOD
1. “Saying, Fear not Paul...GOD hath given thee all them that sail with thee.”
a. Paul not only had the Presence of GOD and the knowledge of who he served, but he had utter confidence that what GOD had told him would absolutely come to pass! (See vs. 25: “...for I believe GOD...”)
b. If only we can get hold of an anchor like the Word of GOD that we know will never let us down!
(1) Heb 6:17-19 Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;
D. The Will of GOD
1. “Howbeit, we must be cast upon a certain island.”
a. GOD had a purpose in Paul being cast upon the island of Melita; it was there that the viper’s harmless bite on Paul revealed to the barbarians that Paul was no criminal, but a man of GOD, and there was a great outbreak of revival there!
b. GOD always has a purpose in sending us through storms. We may not see the destination that He has in mind for us, but we can rest assured that He knows what and where He is sending us!
c. A total and complete confidence in the Will of GOD also serves as a sure anchor that we can lean on through the darkest of storms.
IV. The Wish
A. A Desire to see GOD
1. Ps 130:6 My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning.
2. Isa 26:8-9 Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O LORD, have we waited for thee; the desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee. With my soul have I desired thee in the night;
V. Conclusion: 4 Anchors & A Wish
A. The Presence of GOD
B. The Knowledge of GOD
C. The Word of GOD
D. The Will of GOD
E. A Desire to see GOD
F. It doesn’t matter what sort of storm you may be going through; if you can throw out these “4 anchors and a wish” you can rest assured you’ll find yourself still afloat when the storm is over!
