Acts 27:1-20

                                                                     Acts 27:1-20

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. 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. 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. And putting out to sea from there we sailed under the lee of Cyprus, because the winds were against us. And when we had sailed across the open sea along the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra in Lycia. There the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing for Italy and put us on board. 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. Coasting along it with difficulty, we came to a place called Fair Havens, near which was the city of Lasea. Since much time had passed, and the voyage was now dangerous because even the Fast was already over, 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 pilot and to the owner of the ship than to what Paul said. 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. 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. But soon a tempestuous wind, called the northeaster, struck down from the land. And when the ship was caught and could not face the wind, we gave way to it and were driven along. Running under the lee of a small island called Cauda, we managed with difficulty to secure the ship's boat. 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. Since we were violently storm-tossed, they began the next day to jettison the cargo. And on the third day they threw the ship's tackle overboard with their own hands. 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.

God had promised Paul he would arrive in Rome and testify to the emperor.  God had not promised Paul his trip to Rome would be easy.  We must never forget that there is a spiritual warfare always taking place.  Satan wants Paul destroyed in any way and as soon as possible.  God will use these difficulties for His glory and the advance of the kingdom, but the experience will not be an easy one for Paul or the people around Him.    

 

PAUL’S JOURNEY TO ROME BEGINS WITH DIFFICULTY: As Paul sets said for Rome, the adventure of his life continues to be on display.  There are two things that stand out about this first part of the narrative.  The first is the constant difficulty they faced along the way.  Sailing in those days was always a challenge, but this was even more difficult than usual.  The second is the favor Paul found with the guards and the crew of the ship.  He allowed freedom to be with his traveling companions and has access to talking to the captain of the ship.  Hardship and opportunities are part of what we have come to expect for Paul.  As we go into ministry, we must prepare for the difficulties that will inevitably lie ahead.  Advancing the Gospel is not easy, and we face an enemy that seeks to destroy us.  We must also look for the ministry opportunities we face in the middle of these trials.

 

PAUL’S WARNING TO THE SHIP’S CREW IS DISREGARDED: Paul tries to warn the crew and the captain of the ship that they should wait for the storm season to pass before continuing their journey.  He tells them that he believes there will be great loss if they set sail at this time.  His advice is ignored.  Why would they take advice from a prisoner?  When the expertise of men fails to be attentive to the direction of God; it is a recipe for disaster. As ministers of God’s Word, we should be prepared to be rejected.  The Word of God is almost always at conflict with the will and wisdom of men.  People are more likely to choose what they want above what God says is best.

 

PAUL’S JOURNEY TO ROME BECOMES A DISASTER: As Paul predicted, the storms came, and the ship faced disaster at sea.  They tried to fight against the wind but in the end simply had to let it drive them.  The first thing to go was the cargo, then the ship’s tackle.  They could not see the sun or stars for navigation purposes for many days.  The passengers aboard the ship as well as the crew began to lose hope and were filled with despair.  This is the common result of man following his own will and wisdom as opposed to listening to the Word of God.  Things may be okay for a little while, but they will always end in despair and disaster.

 

APPLICATION: Don’t be surprised by hardships as we seek to serve the Lord and advance the Gospel.  Seek to take advantage of all the opportunities we can in the midst of our struggles.  Share God’s Word with all those around us, and don’t be discouraged by rejection.  Remember that the disaster of ignoring God’s Word is far greater than the difficulties of being rejected by men.