Acts Chapter 27

THE OCEANIC GOSPEL MESSAGE

• We are all wandering toward our goal, not God's
• The winds of life blow us wherever they want to at their mercy
• This life is uncertain, very dangerous and unpredictable
• God can choose who will be saved in the boat, and we decide if we want to be saved
• Someone will tell us about the uncomfortable Gospel message, as a warning of death and hell
• People will reject it in favor of "experts" and "authorities"
• God will direct those who He wants to be saved away from safety into more storms of life, so that we need to depend on Him in His Mercy
• Sometimes He will then even leave us to our own comfort zone, or we will think ourselves to be in no need of God, as we are thinking we are OK and in control
• Soon after, as God pursues, we run into an even greater storm
• Once again, we are at God' Mercy-we can live or perish
• We then struggle against God even more, resisting Him
• We then have no choice but to let God speak to us, guide us to Him
• We soon realize we have all of this stuff in the way between us and God we need to get rid of, idols, people, situations, fame, fortune, jobs, addictions, pursuits, possessions, etc.
• We realize we need to be saved
• We realize we cannot save ourselves
• You are told that God will save you
• You are told that God has a plan for your life by the person who tells you that You are told that God will save you
• You merely have to stop what you are doing, trust God, and follow Him
• Some in this life can swim (have a nice life, successful, no problems) others cannot (struggle constantly, hardships, losses, grief), but both need to be saved from this life, in this life, our only life, to eternal life
• We are now in communion with God, have taken the Bread of Life
• Next stop, next step: BAPTISM under the water
• Your old life is gone, the rudder came off, the boat breaks apart, all is lost from that voyage you had, just maybe a few scraps to float along with
• ALL of those promised a place in Heaven are then saved.

(Acts 27:1-2)
And when it was determined that we should sail into Italy, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners unto one named Julius, a centurion of Augustus' band. And entering into a ship of Adramyttium, we launched, meaning to sail by the coasts of Asia; one Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, being with us.

• Westward, ho!
• We are all wandering toward our goal, not God's
• Aristarchus is the only other passenger named here, making him a standout of sorts, since there were 276 prisoners
• One thing of note here is the use of the word, "We...", because Luke is accompanying Paul along the entire journey, recording this all perfectly and in detail after, presumably, because his notes would have been wet from the swim!
• Jesus was found with the prisoners, the outcasts, the refuse, the transgressors
• There is no better place to be in ministry than to be with the lowly, instead of the prideful, arrogant, self-righteous
• Whatever life's journey is for us, we are always accompanied by the LORD and, most often, by others as well

(Isaiah 53:12)
Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

(Mark 15:28)
And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors.

(Luke 22:37)
For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the transgressors: for the things concerning me have an end.

(Acts 27:3)
And the next day we touched at Sidon. And Julius courteously entreated Paul, and gave him liberty to go unto his friends to refresh himself.

• Having favor with those over you is always a good thing, is grace from God, not earned by us, and comes only with humility
• Fellowship with likeminded others is always refreshment, and the fact that Julius allowed Paul to leave and then come back shows a level of trust between prisoner and keeper, God showing favor here
• It is likely that some previous person or group actually first brought the Gospel message here and there was a small congregation of Christians there, just not discipled yet, awaiting someone like Paul.

(Acts 27:4)
And when we had launched from thence, we sailed under Cyprus, because the winds were contrary.

• In life, God may steer us using the winds of change, the winds of circumstances beyond our control, the breath of other people's advice
• We are to be sailboats and not powerboats, allowing ourselves to be veered in any direction by God He chooses
• The winds of life blow us wherever they want to at their mercy

(Acts 27:5)
And when we had sailed over the sea of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, a city of Lycia.

• Cilicia was an isolated small region, by mountains still today, with two passageways through called "The Syrian Gates"
• Saul was from this region, but did not think lightly of it, calling it "no mean city" (Acts 21:39)
• Pamphylia was where Paul had a problem with Barnabas and chose to take Silas thereinafter for the work, and Barnabas went with John Mark

CILICIA

(Acts 6:9)
¶ Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen.

(Acts 15:23)
And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia:

(Acts 15:41)
And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches.

(Acts 21:39)
But Paul said, I am a man which am a Jew of Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city: and, I beseech thee, suffer me to speak unto the people.

(Acts 22:3)
I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day.

(Acts 23:34)
And when the governor had read the letter, he asked of what province he was. And when he understood that he was of Cilicia;

(Acts 27:5)
And when we had sailed over the sea of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, a city of Lycia.

(Galatians 1:21)
Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia;

PAMPHYLIA

(Acts 2:10)
Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,

(Acts 13:13)
Now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia: and John departing from them returned to Jerusalem.

(Acts 14:24)
And after they had passed throughout Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia.

(Acts 15:38)
But Paul thought not good to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work.

(Acts 27:6)
And there the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing into Italy; and he put us therein.

• This is surely God's Providence and Plan for the men

(Acts 27:7)
And when we had sailed slowly many days, and scarce were come over against Cnidus, the wind not suffering us, we sailed under Crete, over against Salmone;

• Sailing slowly, drifting effortlessly through life, not thinking about God and eternity
• Sometimes He will then even leave us to our own comfort zone, or we will think ourselves to be in no need of God, as we are thinking we are OK and in control

(Proverbs 16:9)
A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.

(Acts 27:8)
And, hardly passing it, came unto a place which is called The fair havens; nigh whereunto was the city of Lasea.

• God can often start with a small bump in the road to wake us up from our slumber
• This is the leeward side of the island, so as to avoid the wind. A safe port in a storm
• When just a little trouble comes our way, we do not think of God-we think of how to get out of the trouble

THE FAIR HAVENS
Kali Limenes, the Greek name that translates “Fair Havens,” is situated on the southern coast of Crete. Its position matches the biblical description (Acts 27:7-8, 12): Fair Havens lies under the lee of Crete; it would have been “unsuitable to winter in”; and it is located approximately 1.5 miles (2.4 km) west of Lasea.

(Psalms 107:23)
They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters;

(Acts 27:9)
Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, because the fast was now already past, Paul admonished them,

• Soon after, this life is uncertain, very dangerous, unpredictable and, soon after, as God pursues, we run into an even greater storm
• Winds for our sails is a good thing when it takes us where we want to go, nice and gently
• Wind that is overpowering and loving us out of our comfort zone is not so pleasant!

(Acts 27:10)
And said unto them, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives.

• God can choose who will be saved in the boat, and we decide if we want to be saved
• Someone will tell us about the uncomfortable Gospel message, as a warning of death and hell, and the good news that we can be saved, or rather will, if we trust God alone
• We then have two choices: to let God speak to us, guide us to Him, or perish

(Acts 27:11)
Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things which were spoken by Paul.

• The captain considered Paul a lawyer...what could he possibly know about sailing the open seas?
• Some people will always reject the Gospel in favor of "experts" and "authorities"

(Acts 27:12)
And because the haven was not commodious to winter in, the more part advised to depart thence also, if by any means they might attain to Phenice, and there to winter; which is an haven of Crete, and lieth toward the south west and north west.

• The other things in life we want to use for comfort and shelter when running from God do not work.
• When the storms of life get too hard, Jesus is our only safe harbor

(Acts 27:13-14)
And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, loosing thence, they sailed close by Crete. But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon.

• When we get closer to God, the enemy hates it and "turns up the heat"
• God will use this to direct those who He wants to be saved away from safety into more storms of life, so that we realize the need to depend on Him and His Mercy

(Acts 27:15)
And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up into the wind, we let her drive.

• If we do not resist, we let God guide us through that storm and not try on our own to get out of it
• Whether it is God guiding or our flesh, when we are not anchored, we drift according to the winds-either God's winds or the world's winds

(Ephesians 4:14)
That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

(Acts 27:16)
And running under a certain island which is called Clauda, we had much work to come by the boat:

• When God wants us to do our part, it is never really easy on our own, but we can do it through Christ

(Philippians 4:13)
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

(Acts 27:17)
Which when they had taken up, they used helps, undergirding the ship; and, fearing lest they should fall into the quicksands, strake sail, and so were driven.

• To strike sail means to lower it when the winds are too heavy, strong
• Sometimes He will then even leave us to our own comfort zone, or we will think ourselves to be in no need of God, as we are thinking we are OK and in control
• We then fall into the quicksands of life, struggling more, resisting more, sinking more, helpless, hopeless and against God even more, resisting Him
• When we turn back to God He takes us out of the miry clay, from a place that it is impossible for anyone else to extricate us from
• We, as unbelievers or believers not in the Word, can be blown about by every wind of doctrine also

(Ephesians 4:14)
That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

(Acts 27:18)
And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day they lightened the ship;

• Soon after, as God pursues, we run into an even greater storm
• Once again, we are at God' Mercy-we can try to sail against God's wind and perish on our own, independently, or drift with God

(Acts 27:19)
And the third day we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship.

• We soon realize we have all of this weighty, entangling stuff in the way between us and God we need to get rid of-namely idols, people, situations, fame, fortune, jobs, addictions, pursuits, possessions, etc.

(Hebrews 12:1)
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

(Acts 27:20)
And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away.

• These are the clouds and storms of life which can take us out of this life if we do not trust God
• We realize we need to be saved and we realize we cannot save ourselves
• This then, is when God works. When it is impossible

(Luke 18:27)
And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.

(Acts 27:21)
But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss.

• We are told our own works cannot save us, but we ignore the advice
• We get ourselves into it, on our own, by venturing out against God's will

(Acts 27:22)
And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man's life among you, but of the ship.

• You are told that only God can and will save you
• This is true grace and mercy
• This brings us joy

(Acts 27:23-24)
For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.

• You are told that God has a plan for your life by the person who tells you that You are told that God will save you

(Acts 27:25)
Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.

• You merely have to stop what you are doing, trust God, and follow Him

(Acts 27:26)
Howbeit we must be cast upon a certain island.

• We must be led to the Rock which is higher than us, and the things we depend on must be crushed, removed from us, so that we have nothing left to depend on but God
• We must...not "we might"...not "we could choose to"
• Notice it says "cast upon" instead of "we will softly land at" or "we will drift into" etc.

CAST, v.t. pret. And pp. cast.

1. To throw, fling or send; that is, to drive from, by force, as from the hand, or from an engine. Hagar cast the child under a shrub. Gen 21.
   Uzziah prepared slings to cast stones. 2 Chr 26.
2. To sow; to scatter seed.
   If a man should cast seen into the ground. Mark 4.
3. To drive or impel by violence.
   A mighty west wind cast the locusts into the sea. Exo 10.
4. To shed or throw off; as, trees cast their fruit; a serpent casts his skin.
5. To throw or let fall; as, to cast anchor. Hence, to cast anchor is to moor, as a ship, the effect of casting the anchor.
6. To throw, as dice or lots; as, to cast lots.
7. To throw on the ground, as in wrestling.
8. To throw away, as worthless.
   His carcase was cast in the way. 1 Ki 13.
9. To emit or throw out.
   This casts a sulphurous smell.
10. To throw, to extend, as a trench or rampart, including the sense of digging, raising, or forming.
    Thy enemies shall cast a trench about thee. Luke 19.
11. To thrust; as, to cast into prison.
12. To put, or set, in a particular state.
    Both chariot and horse were cast into a dead sleep. Psa 76.
13. To condemn; to convict; as a criminal. Both tried and both were cast.
14. To overcome in a civil suit, or in any contest of strength or skill; as, to cast the defendant or an antagonist.
15. To cashier or discard.
16. To lay aside, as unfit for use; to reject; as a garment.
17. To make to preponderate; to throw into one scale, for the purpose of giving it superior weight; to decide by a vote that gives a superiority in numbers; as, to cast the balance in ones favor; a casting vote or voice.
18. To throw together several particulars, to find the sum; as, to cast accounts. Hence, to throw together circumstances and facts, to find the result; to compute; to reckon; to calculate; as, to cast the event of war.
    To cast and see how many things there are which a man cannot do himself.
19. To contrive; to plan.
20. To judge, or to consider, in order to judge.
21. To fix, or distribute the parts of a play among the actors.
22. To throw, as the sight; to direct, or turn, as the eye; to glance; as, to cast a look, or glance, or the eye.
23. To found; to form into a particular shape, by pouring liquid metal into a mold; to run; as, to cast cannon. Thou shalt cast four rings of gold for it. Exo 25.
24. Figuratively, to shape; to form by a model.
25. To communicate; to spread over; as, to cast a luster upon posterity; to cast splendor upon actions, or light upon a subject.
26. To cast aside, to dismiss or reject as useless or inconvenient.
27. To cast away, to reject. Lev 26. Isa 5. Rom 11. Also, to throw away; to lavish or waste by profusion; to turn to no use; as, to cast away life.
    Also, to wreck, as a ship.
28. To cast by, to reject; to dismiss or discard with neglect or hate, or as useless.
29. To cast down, to throw down; to deject or depress the mind. Why art thou cast down, O my soul. Psa 42.
30. To cast forth, to throw out, or eject, as from an inclosed place; to emit, or send abroad; to exhale.
31. To cast off, to discard or reject; to drive away; to put off; to put away; to disburden. Among huntsmen, to leave behind, as dogs; to set loose, or free. Among seamen, to loose, or untie.
32. To cast out, to send forth; to reject or turn out; to throw out, as words; to speak or give vent to.
33. To cast up, to compute; to reckon; to calculate; as, to cast up accounts, or the cost. Also, to eject; to vomit.
34. To cast on, to refer or resign to.
35. To cast ones self on, to resign or yield ones self to the disposal of, without reserve.
36. To cast young, to miscarry; to suffer abortion. Gen 32.
37. To cast in the teeth, to upbraid; to charge; to twit. So in Danish, kaster in I noesen, to cast in the nose.

(Acts 27:27)
But when the fourteenth night was come, as we were driven up and down in Adria, about midnight the shipmen deemed that they drew near to some country;

• "Up and down" in the KJV is now "to and fro" in the modern versions. Up and down means rough seas does not mean movement or travel of the vessel, but rather just bouncing up and down with the waves, in place
• Seamen can hear the distant sounds of shore, waves breaking, having finely attuned ears from years on the sea
• We should be able to hear the sound of God saying, "Almost home, keep coming towards the sound of my voice"
• Midnight...the darkest hour...and God's salvation is nearest here

(Acts 27:28)
And sounded, and found it twenty fathoms: and when they had gone a little further, they sounded again, and found it fifteen fathoms.

• The closer we get to God, the shallower our problems become

(Acts 27:29)
Then fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day.

• Sometimes it gets so dark you, for the first time, want to see the light
• God does neither need nor want our boat, our baggage. He wants and needs only us to make it to Him

(Acts 27:30)
And as the shipmen were about to flee out of the ship, when they had let down the boat into the sea, under colour as though they would have cast anchors out of the foreship,

• The phrase "under colour" here simply means a pretence, or making believe you are doing one thing but doing another altogether
• In other words, they were making believe that they were lowering the anchor and, instead, were lowering a safety boat to skidaddle!
• The idea is in the word pretence in Matthew 23:14, Mark 12:40, Luke 20:47, John 15:22, Philippians 1:18, 1 Thessalonians 2;5

(Acts 27:31)
Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved.

• Proof that the above is so, is that Paul is trying to prevent them from leaving the ship in what today we would call a dinghy, rowboat, skiff, etc.
• "Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved"...hmmmmm...I wonder...did Noah say this?
• The only difference is really, "Except ye abide in the ark, ye cannot be saved"

(Acts 27:32)
Then the soldiers cut off the ropes of the boat, and let her fall off.

• God sometimes gets rid of our only worldly escape route so that we have to depend on Him to save us, only
• The soldiers had to do it because, we can be sure, those passengers did not want to, even after being caught

(Acts 27:33)
And while the day was coming on, Paul besought them all to take meat, saying, This day is the fourteenth day that ye have tarried and continued fasting, having taken nothing.

• There is fasting for spiritual reasons and there is wisdom to do what the body needs for physical strength
• God would get them to shore, but they also had to eat to be able to swim
• God will save us by grace, but the choice to walk with Him is our duty

(Acts 27:34)
Wherefore I pray you to take some meat: for this is for your health: for there shall not an hair fall from the head of any of you.

• What this means is that this is a long swim in rough waters, a trial they would get through by God's Grace
• Such are the crises in our own lives
• Meat here apparently means bread, whereas a normal sea journey would have meant food of any type they may have had, from fish they may have caught by fishing pole (angling) or by netting, salted meat, to fruits, vegetables, roots, etc.
• When God saves us from hell, it is to the uttermost, all of us
• Here, God is saving them totally in the flesh from harm-He has a plan for all of them, not just Paul

ANGLING

(Isaiah 19:8)
The fishers also shall mourn, and all they that cast angle into the brooks shall lament, and they that spread nets upon the waters shall languish.

(Habakkuk 1:14-15)
And makest men as the fishes of the sea, as the creeping things, that have no ruler over them? They take up all of them with the angle, they catch them in their net, and gather them in their drag: therefore they rejoice and are glad.

(Acts 27:35)
And when he had thus spoken, he took bread, and gave thanks to God in presence of them all: and when he had broken it, he began to eat.

• God, the Bread of Life, always sustains us through the crisis, not leaving us nor forsaking us
• Communion time, thankfulness, and God has not even brought them safely to shore yet, like us, still on earth, not safely in Heaven yet, but thankful for what He is about to do when we pass from this life

(John 6:35)
And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

(John 6:41)
The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven.

(Acts 27:36)
Then were they all of good cheer, and they also took some meat.

• It seems that they were all of good cheer about the news they would not drown, not about the bread, because it says, "and they also took some meat."
• Or it could be both the meat (bread)

(Luke 10:20)
Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

(Acts 27:37)
And we were in all in the ship two hundred threescore and sixteen souls.

• 276 people, all safely to shore, in a shipwreck, in a storm. Prophecy fulfilled

(Acts 27:38)
And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, and cast out the wheat into the sea.

• It says they ate enough, not everything, with the wheat left over, untouched, tossed
• No matter what it is that gets in the way of salvation, whether it is food we need to eat (gluttony), or the tackle of the ship we are in to sail away from God, when we want to follow God, it has to go overboard from us

(Acts 27:39)
And when it was day, they knew not the land: but they discovered a certain creek with a shore, into the which they were minded, if it were possible, to thrust in the ship.

• In the end, we never really know who or where we are exactly(they knew not the land), we just realize we need a Saviour(discover a certain creek with a shore), we find Him, we have to go to Him to be saved (into the which they were minded) and have to now stop running (thrust in the ship to the shore)

(Acts 27:40)
And when they had taken up the anchors, they committed themselves unto the sea, and loosed the rudder bands, and hoised up the mainsail to the wind, and made toward shore.

• The anchor holds the ship in place, so removing it means to drift at the whim of the waves(if sails are down) and wind (if sails are up)
• The sails were down because the anchor prevented her from drifting aimlessly in the waves.
• Now that the anchor is up, to prevent drifting aimlessly, they put up the sail to sail so that the wind can bring them in, freed the steering rudder to give purpose and direction so as to aim at a target-the shore
• This is us, determined, goal-driven, steering our own lives, letting the winds carry us to and fro, busy, unwittingly going through life with an "I" problem.

(Acts 27:41)
And falling into a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground; and the forepart stuck fast, and remained unmoveable, but the hinder part was broken with the violence of the waves.

• We then run headfirst into a huge problem, inextricably fastened to issues, unable to get out of situations
• We are torn apart by the problem, sometimes emotionally, sometimes literally, whatever we need
• Life (the waves) is merciless, violent, relentless, and then we die

(Acts 27:42)
And the soldiers' counsel was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim out, and escape.

• The enemy you may not even acknowledge is always there, waiting to remove you from this life, God allowing him to send you to eternity forever
• But if we are in Christ, remaining on the ark, no matter the soldiers, the wind wild in the sails, the waves, lack of an anchor down, the rocks, we will be OK and God will get us through it, as He did Noah and his family, the animals in that boat
• This life will kill you

(Acts 27:43)
But the centurion, willing to save Paul, kept them from their purpose; and commanded that they which could swim should cast themselves first into the sea, and get to land:

• The centurion apparently thought that Paul would try to escape, rather than be killed, but Paul was never even afraid of death, knowing God would spare him because of his mission in the near future, so no soldier could kill him

PAUL'S ATTITUDE ON DEATH

(1 Corinthians 15:55)
O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

(2 Timothy 4:6)
For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.

(Philippians 1:20-23)
According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not. For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:

(Acts 27:44)
And the rest, some on boards, and some on broken pieces of the ship. And so it came to pass, that they escaped all safe to land.

• Some in this life can swim (have a nice life, successful, no problems) others cannot (struggle constantly, hardships, losses, grief), but both need to be saved from this life, in this life, our only life, to eternal life
• The greater the shipwreck in our lives, the more God takes us out of, the greater the testimony

Acts Chapter 28