Acts 27
Shipwrecked and Saved: Passing through the Waters with Paul

It is impossible to read the NT gospels or the book of Acts without a tremendous sense that human events are being driven forward by the will of God.
The force of God’s will for humanity is strikingly crystallized in the words which our Lord Jesus spoke to Paul when confronting and converting him in a vision on the Damascus Road – “Saul, Saul, Why are you persecuting me?  It is hard for you to kick against the goads.” 

The image is that of an ox kicking painfully back against pricks on the plow which he is intended to pull forward – the goads or pricks are designed to keep the ox on task and thus the whole ox-train on its course.  Even though Paul should set all of his energy and zeal against the will of God in Jesus Christ, yet he is not his own master, and his own will is overcome as he chosen and finds himself conscripted into the service of the Savior.  

Paul, despite all his passion and zeal, remains yet a pawn in the redemptive work of the Almighty God. 

Again and again, the NT witness demonstrates that what human agents have meant for evil, yet God will use for good – and for the salvation of many.  The crucifixion itself was a moment of terrible human wickedness, and yet (at the same time) it was necessary and glorious and redemptive according to plan of God.

The story we read in Acts demonstrates that the same wicked cosmic forces which were arrayed against Jesus continue to stand up against those (like us) who would follow him in the body of his church.  We’ve seen political and religious, social, spiritual and demonic opposition.  But all these opponents, like Paul himself, will ultimately find themselves advancing the Kingdom of God despite themselves (cf. Gamaliel). 

The will of Christ, it seems, holds mastery over human events – but still there are other types of events and other potential opponents.  What about the wild contingencies of nature herself?  And what if that great beast that is the Sea were to raise up its waves to drown the testimony of Christ’s church?  What then will be the outcome…?
Can the chaotic Sea also be conscripted for the purposes of God?

Let me say that the chapter we are about to read is the locus classicus in all of ancient literature for Mediterranean sea travel:  
“There is no such detailed record on the working of an ancient ship in the whole of classical literature.” 
(Thomas Walker, quoted by John Stott, Acts, 385.)

Scripture Reading
Prayer

Intro:

Sometimes life gets hectic!  
Sometimes our lives are swept up by forces beyond our control – a storm at sea dramatizes this because of how quickly the winds can change, and how perilous the result.  Storms remind us that life is precarious and we are not in control. 

The unruly nature of water has served as a continual reminder of human limitations.  Civil and environmental engineers spend much of their energy in efforts to direct, contain, redirect, and control water courses.

For nearly three weeks now the Indus River has been at the 100 yr. flood stage throughout much of Pakistan – directly affecting some 20 million people.  In some places the river is now 18 miles wide.  (It’s amazing that only ~1600 are reported to have died thus far as a result.)

Water is life-giving, and yet dangerously unpredictable.  No place is this more evident than upon the open sea.  Travel may be swifter upon the waters, but there is a risk that comes together with the opportunity. 

As careful readers and interpreters of scripture, we must ask the question – why should so much literary space be given to the account of this particular sea adventure?  Why, so near to the end of his book about the mission of the early Christian church, should Luke decide to tell us in extensive detail about a shipwreck on the way to Rome.
 Well, one might answer,…because it happened.  If Paul (and all his companions) lived through a shipwreck, that’s a story worth telling.  

But, on the other hand, we have it from Paul himself that he has already lived through at least 3 other shipwrecks before this one, as he mentions in the Corinthian correspondence.  

2 Corinthians 11:25  Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea;

That was written before this journey, and Luke tells us nothing of those adventures.  On the other hand it seems Luke (the author) is present firsthand on this voyage.

Acts 27:7   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.

Well, if you had personally lived through such storm and wreckage, you’d surely want to tell the story.

But then, of course, Luke tells us little out of mere personal interest.  He almost always wants us to see a larger picture it seems.  And he is very selective in what he includes.     So why so much detail here…?

Well, (primarily) it’s b/c there is more to this account that merely wreckage and survival.  There is also a divine promise given:

Acts 27:24  'Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar. And behold, God has granted you all those who sail with you.'

 – in fact, the whole event hinges on this vision of reassurance given to Paul.  The hope of all onboard ship hinges on that vision and promise, but also – as much or more so – (notice) the events hinge on Paul’s faithful response to the vision.

Acts 27:25   25 So take heart, men, for I have faith in God that it will be exactly as I have been told.

It is a tremendous faith in God which enables Paul to lift his head in the face of the raging waters.

This is why we need the details, because not only did it happen, but the whole rescue happens as a result of extraordinary Christian faith in the sovereignty of God.

The God of the church of Jesus Christ is still the God who tames the sea – indeed, he is the One who made the seas and all that is in them.

And, if this God can enable safe passage through the waters – what is there that he cannot do?

If God is sovereign over even the waters, we can confidently set our faith in him.

I think this passage highlights at least three aspects of the character of Christian faith.

1. Faith enables hope.
By the time Paul has his vision, the sailors have already made frantic and heroic efforts to save the ship – at least five actions.
 1. secure lifeboat/ dingy 2. undergird the ship with ropes  3. lower the sea-anchor  4. jettison cargo   5.  jettison tackle

Acts 27:19-20   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.  

It’s only at this juncture of hopelessness when Paul stands up to announce his vision and declare his faith.

Acts 27:22-23   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,

It’s amazing what we can endure when we have assurance on promise that we will survive the affliction – whatever it may be.

Illus}  sickness:  how many have lost hope, until the doctor says – you’re going to make it.

The crew and passengers survive another 11 days together without food after Paul gives them this word.
Paul’s word in faith apparently enables the whole group to hang on – at least enough to take some food after two weeks tossed by the waves.

It’s interesting that not only does faith enable hope, but hope in its turn, enables action.  Even though it seems the ship going down, despite all evidence to the contrary faith in hope takes some food.

App}  Faith does not simply sit about waiting for the miracle.  Christian faith does not deny the use of and the need of ordinary means – like food – for sustaining life.  On the contrary, Christian faith simply embues those ordinary means with hope.

Acts 27:33-36   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. 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.)  

Paul does not despair that the promised salvation is taking a long time.  Nor does he simply go to his knees again to pray for deliverance.  He does pray – but it’s a prayer of thanksgiving, thanksgiving and hope in the midst of the storm.

Where is it in our own lives that this needs to apply?  The passage reminds us that we do have this kind of hope through faith as Christians – that come what may we will pass through the waters.  It’s not a promise that we will always be delivered from death, but it’s actually a deeper promise that even death itself will not have the final word.  And, in the long run, God’s purposes will be fulfilled in the earth, on the seas, and in all of creation. 

(Not a communion service.)  But on a corporate level we enact this kind of faith in hope every time we take the Lord’s supper.  And on an individual level the very thanksgiving to God for our food is an acknowledgment that our hope is alive by faith in Christ.  Every time we eat the food itself we confess that there is reason to live.

2. Faith benefits others.

Acts 27:42-44   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.

Soldiers don’t get it – don’t recognize Paul’s value.
But centurion does get it:  Paul is the preservative salt on this ship.

“If God were concerned only that Paul should reach Rome, it would hardly be necessary to save the lives of all others on board the doomed vessel. In short, there is no necessary connection between saving Paul’s life and the life of everyone else.  The deliverance of all is grounded not in necessity, but in mercy.”
(Chance, Acts, 501)

Apart form Paul’s vision and encouragement there is no great divine intervention.  There is no literal miracle, like Jesus calming the sea.   Paul is not a divine man.

“But the human beings whom God has chosen to accomplish God’s ends have to pass through all the struggles of life, buoyed by hope and faith, but rarely rescued apart from their own efforts to hang on and act prudently”
 (Chance, Acts, 509)

God decides to bless all through the faith of one man.

“The world has no idea how much it owes, in the mercy of God, to the presence in it of righteous men.”  (F. F. Bruce)

App} do not discount the benefit you may give to others, by faith.  It may all seem rather ordinary, but this text reminds us that God is present in the ordinary as much as the extraordinary blessings – and it all matters very much.  Do not let lack of conversion keep you from helping others!  Don’t limit God’s action simply b/c your vision is limited.
It may be that someone’s life is preserved b/c of your faith, it may be that your presence and your word of encouragement and your thanksgiving to God inspire them to take yet another meal.  These things matter in the Kingdom of God.  These things matter in God’s economy.  These are the things which will not be consumed in the fire.  

3. Faith clarifies values.

They have jettisoned cargo, tackle, dingy, and food stores into the sea.  At last the ship itself is destroyed, but the lives of all are washed upon the shores to safety.

Easily cling to the wrong things, try to preserve all of our toys.  I doubt any of those now saved on the shore after fourteen days tossed by storms at sea were sad to see the ship’s cargo lost.  Their values were clarified and oriented through Paul’s faith.

App}  two sisters in the ball pool at SeaWorld
(cf. Max Lucado, The Applause of Heaven, pp.101 – 105.  http://books.google.com/books?id=BrmiDFPcxGoC&printsec=frontcover&dq=max+lucado+applause+of+heaven&source=bl&ots=
Nfrb2XDIhv&sig=A7zC29iG6aQrRkPvmtAeP1bw170&hl=en&ei=BOJuTIaQMcSqlAfs0JiEDQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=
result&resnum=4&ved=0CDkQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=Sea%20World&f=false)

What are you clinging to that’s keeping you from moving to the center of the will of your father – to the center of the mission, the center of the blessing, the center of the fun?

Christian faith should clarify our values.  It should inform us what to cling to and what to let go of.

Conclusion:

Let me be clear, I’m not implying that this passage is merely some kind of a metaphor for hectic, uncontrolled circumstances in life.
No, it is not metaphor.  It is a real story that dramatizes emphatically the sovereignty of God over all circumstances – even the sea itself.

And so (Luke seems to suggest) if God commands the seas, then,  a fortiori, we can have tremendous faith that God has authority over all things.

Faith which engenders hope, which enables action.
Faith which benefits others, as faith is worked out in love.
Faith which clarifies values as it orients us toward God and neighbor.

It’s worth noting (as N. T. Wright has observed) that if you were to set Luke’s two volumes (Luke’s gospel and The Acts of the Apostles)…if you were to set them out side by side as panels in front of you, then the shipwreck in Acts would align closely with the placement of the crucifixion in the gospel narrative.

And why not…?   What a grand picture of sovereign mercy we find in the salvation of every person on the ship, b/c of Paul’s faith.  By faith, Jesus still reigns over the opposing forces of the cosmos, including the seas.

This is, after all, the same God whose Spirit hovered over the face of the deep at the dawning of Creation, bringing order out of chaos. 
This is the same Lord who caused his people to pass through the Sea in delivering them from slavery in Egypt.

This is the God who brought the prophet Jonah through the waters back to the mission of mercy which Jonah had himself abandoned and run away from.  But Paul has not abandoned the mission.  Paul has not been disobedient to his heavenly vision and commission.  Paul is sailing with the wind of God’s mercy mission – and no earthly winds shall prevail against it.  This message will and must go out to Rome and to the ends of the Earth - come Hell or high water, that all kings and kingdoms may know that Jesus is alive.  Though wind and wave would rise against him, yet Jesus’ victory is sure.  And, by faith, His victory will also be ours.