Title: A Gentle Wind
Scripture: Acts 27
As you recall from the previous chapters, Paul appealed to Caesar and that right was given to him. Luke tells us in Acts 27 that the journey to Rome was beginning. A close scrutiny of this journey that is undertaken strongly resembles life’s journey, and our desire to do the will of God in our lives. When we read these verses, it’s amazing to see the parallels. We see a helps ministry and we see evangelism. We observe rebellion, obedience, and we see evidence of the hand of God. Amazing life parallels all contained in one chapter!
Today’s message, “A Gentle Wind,” is directed at God moving in our life. There are gentle winds that we sometimes allow to fill the sails of our purpose, our direction in life. These are winds that are warm and mild. These are winds that are seemingly innocent enough and offer us a false sense of security. These are winds that we come across while we are navigating the vast ocean of life and are winds that we believe can assist our journey. We believe they can fill our sails and take us closer to the spot we believe God wants us to be. When it later turns into a hurricane force and drives us miles and miles away from God, we blame others and we blame God, but not ourselves.
There are many reasons that we first untied those sails and let them fill with that gentle breeze. But, none stand out in our minds as much as these…
-The winds (before this) were against us
-A False Sense of Security
-I need to get back into deep water
-Not knowing God’s will
-Urgency to do something
I. The Winds (before this) Were Against Us
27:1 When it was decided that we would sail for Italy, Paul and some other prisoners were handed over to a centurion named Julius, who belonged to the Imperial Regiment. 2 We boarded a ship from Adramyttium about to sail for ports along the coast of the province of Asia, and we put out to sea. Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica, was with us. 3 The next day we landed at Sidon; and Julius, in kindness to Paul, allowed him to go to his friends so they might provide for his needs. 4 From there we put out to sea again and passed to the lee of Cyprus because the winds were against us. 5 When we had sailed across the open sea off the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we landed at Myra in Lycia. 6 There the centurion found an Alexandrian ship sailing for Italy and put us on board. 7 We made slow headway for many days and had difficulty arriving off Cnidus. When the wind did not allow us to hold our course, we sailed to the lee of Crete, opposite Salmone. 8 We moved along the coast with difficulty and came to a place called Fair Havens, near the town of Lasea. 9 Much time had been lost, and sailing had already become dangerous because by now it was after the Fast. So Paul warned them, 10 "Men, I can see that our voyage is going to be disastrous and bring great loss to ship and cargo, and to our own lives also." 11 But the centurion, instead of listening to what Paul said, followed the advice of the pilot and of the owner of the ship. 12 Since the harbor was unsuitable to winter in, the majority decided that we should sail on, hoping to reach Phoenix and winter there. This was a harbor in Crete, facing both southwest and northwest.
It has never been promised that the Christian life would be an easy one. If you’ve been misinformed about the degree of hardship that you would incur, or the level of perseverance that would be required, well, you can always quit. Can’t you?
Luke tells us in verse four:
4 From there we put out to sea again and passed to the lee of Cyprus because the winds were against us.
The winds were against them!
There are going to be winds that will try to rip apart our families. There is going to be blustery weather that will churn up the mud and sand in the waters of life that we won’t be able to see the bottom. There will be gale-force streams of air that will try to tear your job apart, while driving driftwood and icebergs, and even other people, across our path.
Life, at times will seem unbearable. The winds of spiritual origin will blow. Sometimes they will blow for extended periods, causing havoc in our lives. Sometimes they will blow for extended periods, causing our spiritual skin, so to speak, to toughen up. Sometimes they will blow for extended periods, causing us to turn away and take shelter.
But then, after the extended period, there’ll be a calm. We stood tough during the wind, we didn’t let the storm grab our sails; we didn’t let the wind drive us where God didn’t want us to go. But, now there is a calm, now there is tranquility and maybe silence. It’s all right now, we think. The storm is over. I can convalesce, I can build up my strength, and I can recover. But, what’s that?
A gentle breeze begins to blow from another direction. A slight wind that seems to want to go kind of in the direction that God wants me to go.
II. A False Sense of Security
We sometimes take that gentle wind because, well, it’s because its gentle, and, seems to be going kind of in the direction that God wants us to go. What does Luke say?
Acts 27:13 When a gentle south wind began to blow, they thought they had obtained what they wanted; so they weighed anchor and sailed along the shore of Crete.
They thought they had obtained what they wanted! Here’s a gentle wind, here’s something that can help me along, I think, toward the path that, I think, God wants me to go. So, we weigh anchor. We pull up the anchor and get going. Why did we do that? What was the rush? Because we succumb to pressure.
Under pressure of time, under pressure of authorities or supervisors, under pressure of the world around us, we think we obtain what we wanted. We think this is the direction we should go, yet, our vision, our thinking was clouded by the pressure to get going on the journey.
I need to get going on college, so I take this quick path. I need to get married, so I take this quick path. I need to have transportation, so I buy the car. I need a job, so I take the first one that comes along. I need to finish this report, so I skip some vital items. I need to choose a direction for my life, so I take this gentle south wind, because I think it is what I want. I think it is what I want. I don’t really know for sure, but I think it is what I want.
We succumb to the pressure of family, of friends, of co-workers, and even pastors, to get along in life with the first thing that comes along, because it’s a gentle wind. It doesn’t seem like it will do much damage.
III. -I need to get back into deep water
We succumb to the pressure of not only those things that we mentioned but we also succumb to our own pressure. We begin to think thoughts of inadequacy. We begin to think thoughts of impotence, insufficiency, weakness, and powerlessness. We unduly chastise ourselves for voluntarily staying out of the game and begin to think irrational and unreasonable thoughts.
We begin to think that we’ve been in port a long time and we want to get back into deep water. And, you know, here’s this gentle wind. You know, it’s just the thing I need to easily and safely slip back into the spiritual deep water. It’s just the think I need to easily and safely slip back into the mainstream of God’s will. So, we take that gentle wind. We allow that gentle wind to carry us along. It carries us along the shallow shore, letting us get a feel for service again. It carries us along the coast, people notice us, people wave at us, people nod their heads and wink at us, but it’s not what God intended. God did not intend for us to jump at that gentle wind, because He knew what was coming up.
14 Before very long, a wind of hurricane force, called the "northeaster," swept down from the island. 15 The ship was caught by the storm and could not head into the wind; so we gave way to it and were driven along. 16 As we passed to the lee of a small island called Cauda, we were hardly able to make the lifeboat secure. 17 When the men had hoisted it aboard, they passed ropes under the ship itself to hold it together. Fearing that they would run aground on the sandbars of Syrtis, they lowered the sea anchor and let the ship be driven along. 18 We took such a violent battering from the storm that the next day they began to throw the cargo overboard. 19 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 the storm continued raging, we finally gave up all hope of being saved.
What’s going on? What’s happening to my life? First, the winds (before this) were against us, then this gentle wind comes up, and now this hurricane. What’s wrong?
We begin to lose hope. We let the wind carry us along. We let the job control us, we let the addiction push us, we let the family problem consume us, until, as Luke says:
…we finally give up all hope of being saved.
IV. Not knowing God’s will
We took a gentle wind in the beginning that didn’t work, and then we get pushed along by a harsh wind for so long that we not only don’t know God’s will for our lives, but, we don’t even know ourselves anymore. We need to be broken all over again.
21 After the men had gone a long time without food, Paul stood up before them and said: "Men, you should have taken my advice not to sail from Crete; then you would have spared yourselves this damage and loss. 22 But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed. 23 Last night an angel of the God whose I am and whom I serve stood beside me 24 and said, ’Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.’ 25 So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me. 26 Nevertheless, we must run aground on some island."
The Bible tells us that God is there all the time. The Bible tells us that knowing Him, and His will for our lives doesn’t have to be a mystery, or even a soul-searching event. God’s will is not “lost” and we have to find it. Life isn’t a scavenger hunt.
In Psalms 32:8, it tells us:
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.
His counsel, His advice, His will is there ready and waiting for each one of us. God doesn’t play games with us, because if He did, we would most definitely lose! God has a specific will for each one of us and it can be found three different ways.
Scripture, Prayer, Counsel and Circumstances.
a. Scripture
In seeking and discerning God’s will for our lives, a knowledge of the scriptures important. As an example, suppose someone has asked you to marry them. We first need to look to the scriptures concerning marriage, or dating.
b. Prayer
Secondly, we need to seek the will of the Father through prayer, like Jesus did. We can seek to discern, and conform, to God’s will through prayer.
Matthew 6:8-10
8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 9 "This, then, is how you should pray: "’Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Remember how Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane?
Matthew 26:39
39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will."
c. Counsel
Another step in discerning God’s will for our lives is to seek out mature believers and their spiritual counsel. Other believers help us to sort out the emotional from the real. They help to shore up our lack of experience.
d. Circumstance
Next, God often directs through circumstances. Meaning, God will open the door of opportunity, or close it. But, we must use this final step with extreme caution, and in conjunction with the other three steps, as sometimes circumstances do not always indicate God’s will in a matter. As an example, we begin to experience persecution in a matter and we think that’s God telling us to stop. Or, looking at it from the other direction. The going is smooth in a matter and we think that’s God telling us to keep on going. Circumstances must be balanced with Scripture, Prayer and Counsel.
If you’re in the Word, got an active prayer life, and have the wise counsel of mature believer, and you’ve evaluated the circumstances according to these three and can’t see anything wrong, then:
Psalms 37:4
Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Let me give you an example. Let’s say you have met someone and you’re not sure that God wants you to pursue the relationship.
Well, is he or she okay according to the scriptures? Meaning, are they a Christian? Is their life reflecting good Christian practices? Yes? Then go on to the next step.
Prayer. You pray about this person, but there really is no “yes” or “no” concerning the relationship. Go on to Circumstances! They call you up, they’re nice, they’re, well, they’re okay. Go to the next level:
Psalms 37:4
Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.
And Jeremiah 29:11-13
11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
Do you see those four in the scripture verses?
21 After the men had gone a long time without food, Paul stood up before them and said: "Men, you should have taken my advice not to sail from Crete; then you would have spared yourselves this damage and loss. 22 But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed. 23 Last night an angel of the God whose I am and whom I serve stood beside me 24 and said, ’Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.’ 25 So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me. 26 Nevertheless, we must run aground on some island."
If we are not in the word, or praying, or heeding the advice or counsel of a mature believer, then rest assured, you probably will have to run aground somewhere to be broken by God so that He can start over with you.
V. An Urgency to “Do Something”
27 On the fourteenth night we were still being driven across the Adriatic Sea, when about midnight the sailors sensed they were approaching land. 28 They took soundings and found that the water was a hundred and twenty feet deep. A short time later they took soundings again and found it was ninety feet deep. 29 Fearing that we would be dashed against the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern and prayed for daylight. 30 In an attempt to escape from the ship, the sailors let the lifeboat down into the sea, pretending they were going to lower some anchors from the bow. 31 Then Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, "Unless these men stay with the ship, you cannot be saved." 32 So the soldiers cut the ropes that held the lifeboat and let it fall away. 33 Just before dawn Paul urged them all to eat. "For the last fourteen days," he said, "you have been in constant suspense and have gone without food--you haven’t eaten anything. 34 Now I urge you to take some food. You need it to survive. Not one of you will lose a single hair from his head." 35 After he said this, he took some bread and gave thanks to God in front of them all. Then he broke it and began to eat. 36 They were all encouraged and ate some food themselves. 37 Altogether there were 276 of us on board. 38 When they had eaten as much as they wanted, they lightened the ship by throwing the grain into the sea.
Verse 30 tells us that some of the sailors did not want to follow the advice of Paul. They felt an urgent need to “do something.” They sought to be in control of their own destiny, their own fate. It almost cost them their lives.
We, too, sometimes get unsettled when we are following God’s plan. Many times we get started with God, but we end in our own power. Many times we begin with the Lord, and end with us. And, who gets the credit? That’s right! We puff out our chests and say look what we did.
These men had to run aground. God was about to directly put his hands into the circumstances of Paul and save his life, and the other 275 men aboard that ship. But, they all had to follow God’s plan.
If those men had succeeded in putting out that lifeboat, they would have been swept away. They would have been lost in the ocean.
Too many times we are in a tempest and look to lower the lifeboats, just like those men. Too many times we begin to doubt God and His power over circumstances and our lives.
Those men and women in the circus that perform those actions on the high wire, those “trapeze artists,” use a safety net. Why? Because they know that sooner or later, they will miss that rope or lose that grip, and they will fall.
Many of us live our lives with safety nets! We construct alternate plans, just in case. We build safety nets, a plan B, a parallel plan, just in case. You don’t need a safety net for His will for your life. He is the safety net. And, if it does blow up in your face, then, yep, you weren’t follow His will for your life in the first place!
VI. In This Way
39 When daylight came, they did not recognize the land, but they saw a bay with a sandy beach, where they decided to run the ship aground if they could. 40 Cutting loose the anchors, they left them in the sea and at the same time untied the ropes that held the rudders. Then they hoisted the foresail to the wind and made for the beach. 41 But the ship struck a sandbar and ran aground. The bow stuck fast and would not move, and the stern was broken to pieces by the pounding of the surf. 42 The soldiers planned to kill the prisoners to prevent any of them from swimming away and escaping. 43 But the centurion wanted to spare Paul’s life and kept them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land. 44 The rest were to get there on planks or on pieces of the ship. In this way everyone reached land in safety.
In this way everyone reached land in safety. Did I mention everyone?
-The winds (before this) were against us
-A False Sense of Security
-I need to get back into deep water
-Not knowing God’s will
-Urgency to do something
These are all things that will allow us to be swept out into the open sea of life without any hope of being saved.
God has a plan for each one of us and He takes delight in fulfilling His will through our desires.
Don’t let that gentle wind fool you into thinking that God has a different plan for your life. Don’t let that little puff of positive circumstances ruin your future aspirations and leave you giving up all hope of being saved. God loves you and wants to grant you the desires of your heart.
