From Acts to Revelation Part 76 – The Shipwreck

From Acts to Revelation

Part 76  – The Shipwreck

Pastor Bruce A. Shields

House of Faith Church | www.PS127.org | www.TruthDigest.org

INTRODUCTION

Last week we read that Paul began his trip to Rome to appeal to Caesar, which was every accused Roman's right. After pleading his case before King Agrippa, we learn that if Paul had not appealed to Caesar, he could have been released, because there was no evidence that showed he did anything wrong.

However, now that he pleaded, he must travel to Rome. This is what God wanted.

On the way, Paul warned the Centurion who was in charge of taking Paul to Rome, that they should not sail because a Northeastern storm was blowing in. However, the owner of the ship, and the captain decided to travel on.

After being hit by the storm, the crew threw most of the gear and supplies overboard, saving back very little, in hopes of surviving the storm. They cast ropes around the hull to try and hold it together as well.

The men on board had now gone three days without food.

An angel of God appeared to Paul, saying that God would spare him, and all the men on the ship, but the ship would be destroyed.

The angel told Paul they would all be cast upon an island and the ship would be destroyed, but not one man would lose his life.

God showing that He is in complete control.

In today's scripture we will look at;

1. The storm came, and they were doomed

2. God was there, in the middle of their storm, wanting to help

3. Because one man listened to God's instruction, many lived

SCRIPTURE REFERENCE

Acts 27:27-44

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 drift 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.

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 other pieces of the ship. In this way everyone reached land safely.

I.       THE STORM WAS BAD

a.      More than likely, it was a hurricane

b.     276 men aboard the ship

c.      Those who ignored Paul's warnings before sailing, now listened to his every word

i.       He informed them that an angel of the Lord instructed him, they would shipwreck, but God would spare Paul, and everyone who was with him.

ii.    With him was a key...when the men dropped a lifeboat, pretending to drop another anchor, Paul warned them, if they left him, they would die.

iii. Paul had instructed they needed to stay together to live.

iv.   He also instructed them to eat, and when breaking bread, Paul gave thanks to God in front of all of them

d.     When daylight came, they run the ship into a sandbar

i.       The soldiers were planning on killing the prisoners, in fear they may try to escape

ii.    Remember, in this time, if your prisoner escaped, you were killed as punishment.

iii. But the Centurion would not let them, because he wanted to spare Paul's life.

II.   BECAUSE THEY LISTENED TO GODLY INSTRUCTION, THEY SURVIVED THE STORM

a.      They all lived

b.     In the middle of this disaster, God was there

c.      One godly man, hearing and listening to God's instruction, obeyed and saved 276 men that day

III.      HOW ARE YOU DOING TODAY?

a.      Are you in the middle of a storm in your life?

b.     Have you "heard" and "listened" to instruction from God about your situation?

i.       By reading His Word

ii.    By hearing in Spirit

iii. By hearing from a believer, or getting a confirmation

iv.   God is speaking to you about your situation

c.If you hear, and listen, obeying what God is instructing you, you will live through the storm

d.     Because the storms WILL come...

CONCLUSION

1. The storm came, and they were doomed

2. God was there, in the middle of their storm, wanting to help

3. Because one man listened to God's instruction, many lived

Matthew 7:21-27 Jesus says;

²¹ “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. ²² Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ ²³ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

²⁴ “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. ²⁵ The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. ²⁶ But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. ²⁷ The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

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