Let me give you an overview of Acts 27.
Paul begins his journey to Rome as a prisoner under the care of
a Roman centurion named Julius Aristarchus.
A brother Christian travels with Paul on the voyage along with
Doctor Luke. So Paul is not alone with
Christian brethren on this vessel, this journey.
Julius the centurion shows kindness to Paul by allowing him
on the first visit to stop off at Sidon, and there he meets
with some brothers and sisters in the Lord.
Then they set off. Strong winds and a difficult
sailing conditions slow the journey across the
Mediterranean. A place called Fair Havens on
Crete, the island of Crete. Paul warns the crew not to
continue because danger lies ahead.
He says it's difficult time of the year now.
We shouldn't sail now. The centurion Julius listens to
the ship's captain instead of Paul and the owner of the ship.
And then what happens? They find themselves in a
violent northeast of storm. The ship by the way, is A1
sailed vessel just has a square sail.
And when they sail at this time, they don't sail by the the
charts and the compass and the settings at this time.
They sail in the Mediterranean along the coast.
They just go by the coast and then so they stick by the coast.
And because they have just this one square sail trying to sail
into the wind, it's pretty much impossible.
So a violent storm strikes the ship, drives it just haplessly
out to sea. The crew then begins throwing
cargo and equipment overboard to try and lighten the ship.
They're worried about going aground after many days without
seeing the sun or the stars. That's because it's storm.
It's just black rain, torrential rain, darkness.
They don't know where they're going.
All hope of survival begins to fall upon those on board the
vessel. Then Paul encourages everyone
after receiving a message from an Angel on board the vessel,
assuring him that poor will indeed stand before Caesar.
He'll get to Rome. The angelic messenger also said
no lives will be lost on the ship, but the ship will be
destroyed. It'll be wrecked.
And so the storm after that period continues for another 14
days before they finally see land.
It's it's difficult. Some sailors take it on
themselves to abandoned ship. They're getting out of it.
They see things are going to ship's going to run aground.
But Paul warns them that everyone might stay together.
That's what the Angel said. You got to stay on board,
otherwise lives will be lost. The ship runs ground the shore
and begins to break up soldiers. Then the Roman soldiers on board
plan to kill the prisoners, because under Roman law, if a
prisoner escapes while you're on guard, you're the Roman, you
die. So they set about to kill all
the prisoners to prevent the escaping.
Julius the centurion stops that protects Paul and saves everyone
else. Then everyone aboard safely
reaches shore, just that God promised.
So Paul is finally on his way to Rome.
Paul knows this will be his last port of call.
Back in the book of Acts chapter 19 verse 21, Paul had said to
those in Ephesus, I must see Rome.
I must go to Rome. And Paul has known for some time
now that the city of Rome is God's plan for him.
It's God's will as a prisoner back in Jerusalem when he'd been
set free from the Jewish crowd that were trying to kill him.
He was placed in the barracks, the Antonia Fortress, which is
on the Temple Mount adjacent to the Temple and Acts 2311.
You remember an Angel appears to Paul said you've done a great
job here in Jerusalem. Now you you need now you need to
go and witness for men in Rome. Paul didn't know, however, he
was going to go to Rome as a prisoner paid by Rome.
Paul knows, however, this is important.
He is completely in God's will and under God's protection.
God says Paul, you're going to Rome, God's going to get him to
run. Nothing will stop that.
Paul, as I said, has two brothers on board the vessel
Aristarchus, He's from Thessalonica.
Luke, his faithful companion personal physician.
And Paul at this time is a lot like Daniel and Joseph before
him, How both Daniel and Joseph gained favour with those with
Nebuchadnezzar and Joseph with with the Pharaoh of Egypt gained
favour. Paul had gained favour with
Julius, the centurion on board the vessel, the one in charge of
bringing these prisoners to Rome.
Why is Paul going to Rome? Because there he'll preach the
Gospel of Christ for two years from AD 60 to 62.
And why is Paul going to Rome? The answer is God wants him
there. That's the answer.
You know when a couple looks to get married, You know what?
The answer to the question of why do you want to marry this
person? There's only one answer.
It's not because he's good looking or he's got plenty of
money. I like his car.
There's only one correct answer to why you marry another person.
Because I believe God has chosen this person.
I believe it's God's will. That's the only answer.
The question that I have, however, about this passage, and
I hope you have it too, is why does Doctor Luke, the writer of
Acts under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, give so much detail
in Acts 27 to tell us about this voyage?
Why do we go into all this and the shipwreck?
Why does he tell us the, the, the, the great details of where
each port they went to the storms, the sails, the cargo and
how many passengers are on board?
Couldn't he just given the, the highlights?
I, I did that before we open, I gave you the highlights a whole
chapter because the Holy Spirit knew exactly why this detail is
important for us to know because there's a message in here that
God wants you and I to know to show us.
One, this small individual, Paul is about 5 foot 25 foot three.
He is the servant of God. He's called to be an apostle.
He's on a troubled voyage. And Paul is an example for you
and I to follow. Paul followed Jesus.
We can follow Paul as we follow Jesus.
You see, this is a man of God. Man.
You want to know how to be a man of God, look at the apostle
Paul. It's not about your physicality.
Paul here is courageous, absolutely fearless.
Though not a sailor, Paul was a seasoned traveller.
He was small in stature. Yet in this conflict, and I call
it a conflict, this this storm, Paul takes command in this life
threatening situation. That's what a man of God does.
It's a time of real crisis. Everyone thinks they're going to
die. How does one survive a
shipwreck? How does one survive a
calamitous voyage? Good question.
How does one survive an event that maybe strikes your family,
that brings you, your marriage, yourself, the whole family, all
of you to a typhoon power like situation where you are on the
brink of survival? I think we're going to, I think
this is the end of this. There's 276 passengers on board
this vessel. It's some 45 metres long.
It's 10 metres wide with a draught of some 10 metres.
It's topsailing speed is about 5 knots.
On a good day that's pretty quick.
And it's loaded down to the gunnels with wheat for Rome.
So let's read. And when it was decided that we
should sail to Italy, they delivered Paul and some other
prisoners to one named Julius, a centurion of the Augustan
regiment. So entering a ship of and then
you can pronounce that we put to sea meaning to sail along the
coast of Asia. See, that's how, that's how they
work out where they're going. They they actually track the
coast. Aristarchus, the Macedonian of
Thesalonica was with us. Notice the US.
This is Luke saying, me and Paul.
And the next day we landed. Sidon and Julius treated Paul
kindly, gave him liberty to go to his friends and receive care.
Paul's a prisoner, but he's allowed to have shore leave,
visit with other believers there.
Back on the boat, when we were put out to sea from there, we
sailed under the shelter of Cyprus because the winds were
contrary going against them. They just got the one square
sail when we had sailed over the sea, which is off Silicia
Pamphylia, That's Turkey. We came to Myra, city of Lycia.
There the centurion fell, found an Alexandrian ship sailing to
Italy, and he put us on board. So they changed vessels when we
had sailed slowly many days, and arrived with difficulty of
Nidus, the wind not permitting us to proceed again.
They can only go in One Direction.
We sailed under the shelter of Crete of Salome Salmone.
You can see the map behind me on board.
Passing it with difficulty. We came to a place called
Fairhavens, near the city of Lycia.
Now, when much time and been spent and sailing was now
dangerous, Why? Because the farce was already
over. Paul advised them, saying men, I
perceive that this voyage will end with disaster, much loss not
only of the cargo and ship, but also lives.
Paul said, hey, we sail on. It's, it's dangerous.
Paul, let us remember, is not some unknowing traveller.
Remember he's done 3 missionary journeys.
He's travelled at sea. They believe that they tracked
it some 5600 kilometres. He's done sea voyages.
That's a fair, fair fairway. In Two Corinthians Chapter 11,
verse 25, Paul tells us of what is experienced as a traveller.
Three times I was beaten with rods.
Once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked.
So Paul, shipwrecked, been there, done that three times.
I've, I've had it happen to us once.
And that was bad enough. We got rescued at night,
shipwrecked, he said. And a night and day.
I've been in the deep. I spent a night and a whole day
floating in the ocean, in journeys, often in perils of
waters, in perils of robbers and perils of my own countrymen,
perils of the gentiles and perils of the cities, perils in
the wilderness, in perils in the sea.
So Paul is a seasoned sea Voyager.
Acts 27 would be Paul's 4th shipwreck.
I wouldn't be buying tickets with Paul going on a cruise.
He had a three legged dog called Lucky.
Now Paul says, hey, you got to eat the fast Here.
Paul's referring to is Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.
And in this particular year, the year is 59 AD Yom Kippur
occurred in the middle of October.
This is significant because ships did not attempt to sail on
the open seas after October around that area of the
Mediterranean and the Adriatic. Why?
It's just too dangerous. It's winter.
Paul is respected enough to be part of the discussions about
shall we carry on the decision making process.
And Paul right there and then he gives a warning that if they
continue disaster away to them. He says, hey, if we go, it's
risky, it's dangerous. Paul was overruled by both the
centurion and the captain of the ship and the owner of the ship.
Verse 11. Nevertheless, the centurion was
more persuaded by the helmsman and the owner of the ship then
by the things spoken by Paul. And because the harbour was not
suitable to winter in the majority, advice to set sail
also from there. Also note that the majority,
Here's why church doesn't run on a democracy.
Here's why you don't make decisions just based on, well,
everyone else is doing it. Isn't that what kids say to
parents? Well, dad, mum, everyone else is
going. Everyone else is part of this.
Everyone else is doing this. Democracy doesn't work.
You and I live not under a democracy.
We live under a theocracy. We have a king and it's what God
says goes. Doesn't matter what we all say,
it's what Jesus says, it's what God says.
And that's the way you got to learn to live your life.
Too many people go, well, what do you reckon?
You know people often, and I did that as a young Christian.
I would go to church, then to certain decisions I go, what do
you think I should do about this?
What do you think I should do about this?
And everyone loves to be a counsellor, but what God wanted
to teach me, he says don't start asking everyone else what they
should do about asking me what I think you should do.
Expert advice they went by. They didn't go by God's advice
through Paul majority rule I've found is usually wrong.
It's now hurricane season and this is what they found
themselves in. Let's read on.
When do I get to verse 9/10/11? Nevertheless, it's about 12 now
because the harbour was not suitable to winter in the
majority. Advice to sit sail.
Verse 13 when the South wind blew softly.
Aha, oh look, it's lovely calm day.
Anyone who knows the ocean knows it can change in a matter of
minutes. Supposing that they had obtained
their desire putting out sea, they sailed close by Creek, but
not long after a tempestuous headwind arose called
Euroclydon. So a wind, one square sail
starts blowing against them. Euroclydon.
It's given a name by the sailors because they believe these
storms in this area are sent from Zeus from his mountaintop.
They call it a Euroclydon. We would call it a hurricane.
So when the ship was caught and could not head into the wind
notes, we let her drive. We let her drive.
What else are they going to do? No, no other option.
And running under the shelter of an island called Clauda, we
secured the skiff with difficulty.
Now behind the ship they have a Whaler A1 lifeboat and they
they've got it tied up tracking behind them when they take it on
board. So they lifted on board because
they don't want it to bang into their boat to poke a hole in
their boat during the storm. And they use cables to undergird
the ship. That's called frapping, not
fracking and as in mining, but it's called frapping.
So they actually put cables around the actual hull of the
ship to hold it during the buffening of the waves, fearing
they should run aground on Serta sands.
That's the sands that would the shallow waters of Africa.
So they struck sail and were driven and because we were
exceedingly Tempest tossed the next day they light the ship.
So they start throwing cargo and and and useless things overboard
because they want to keep the ship higher in the water so they
don't bang into a sandbank. On the third day, we threw the
ship's tackle overboard with our own hands.
Now, when neither the sun nor stars appeared for many days, no
small Tempest beat on us. All hope that we should be saved
was finally given up. They said we're we're going to
die. This was Gilligan's 3 hour tour,
but after long abstinence from food.
Then Paul stood in the midst of them, said men, you should have
listened to me and not have sailed from Crete and incurred
the disaster and loss. And now he says, I urge you,
take heart, he's got something important to say.
For there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the
ship. The ship is done for, but will
be saved. For there stood by me this
night. Do you think Paul had been
praying an Angel of the of of the God to whom I belong, whom I
serve, saying, Do not be afraid, Paul, you must be brought before
Caesar, and indeed God has granted you all those who sail
with you. Therefore take heart, man, for I
believe God that it will be just as it was told me.
However, we must run aground on a certain island, down to verse
39 it says. And when it was day they did not
recognise the land, but they observed a Bay with a beach on
to which they plan to run the ship if possible.
And they let go the anchors and left them in the sea, meanwhile
losing the rudder ropes. They hoisted the main sail to
the wind and made for sure. At the height of this struggle,
in the midst of this violent, powerful storm at sea, after 14
nights in the Adriatic Sea, the crew in desperation dropped 4
anchors. I forgot what this is for.
This is my magic act. They dropped 4 anchors to try
and haul the ship from slamming into the shore.
So they got four of these tracking out the back being
dragged and they prayed for daylight as their ship was
heading to destruction. In the book of Hebrews we have
told as believers of our anchor, our hope and storms.
Hebrews 617 says thus God determined to show more
abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of his
counsel, confirmed it by an oath.
In other words, what I say you can believe it's going to happen
that by two immutable things in which it is impossible, one, for
God to lie. God can't lie, it's impossible.
We might have strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay
hold of the hopes set before us. This hope we have as an anchor,
the Bible says, talked about an anchor, an anchor of the soul.
It's sure, it's steadfast and which enters the presence behind
the veil where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus
having become high priest forever according to the order
of Melchizedek. You said, Keith, what are you
talking about? The Bible tells us we have
wonderful hope and security when we face storms, the storms of
life that seek to shipwreck us, slam us, drown us, kill us and
our family. Our blessed hope, our anchor is
not a man made instrument. Our anchor is Christ and God's
promises, His word. In the previous verse to this,
the writer of Hebrews leading on to talking about the anchor is
Speaking of Abraham, who was given a promise by God, and God
swearing by himself on his own name.
He says, Abraham, I'll fulfil this promise, he says in verse
13 in Hebrews 6. For when God made a promise to
Abraham, because he could swear by no one greater God, he he
swore by himself, saying, surely blessing I will bless you, and
multiplying I will multiply you. I guarantee these things.
It goes on to tell us that Abraham waited patiently and he
received what God had promised in verse 15 of Hebrews 6.
And so after Abraham had patiently endured, he obtained
the promise. What is this?
Give us more context, Keith. I'm still a bit misty here.
The promise was given to Abraham back in Genesis chapter 2217.
Most of you would know what happens in Genesis 22.
It's about Abraham offering up Isaac, the very thing that
Abraham thought would never happen.
God said, you know that son I gave you.
You know the seed I want you to sacrifice.
And Abraham, it says back and just got up immediately the next
morning and headed off. He and Isaac to Mount Moriah
there built the altar. Isaac willingly laid down on the
altar. Dad tied him up.
Abraham lifted the knife. You know what happened?
He was about to plunge it into Isaac and God says stop Abraham
and there was a ram caught in a thicket.
They took the ram. God will offer himself as a
sacrifice. They killed the ram and they
left beautiful picture of Jesus being offered by God the Father.
But this time God the Father said his son can die Abraham and
tells us in Hebrews went ahead with this not because it was a
terrible thing to do, but because he believed that the
promise of God through Isaac because he said through Isaac
will come the blessing. In Hebrews 11 it said that
Abraham knew that if he killed Isaac, Isaac would be brought
back from the dead. Beautiful picture of Jesus
Christ. But this is what's behind the
anchor of hope. It has meaning, it has power.
It's not just some hearsay. And Abraham endured and then he
received the promise. When God said to Abraham thought
I know that you love me. It's interesting back Abraham
endured the greatest test in his life at that time and what
happened? He obtained the promise, the
greatest promise. You see, all the blessings were
promised to Abraham. Why?
Because Abraham obeyed God's voice.
Genesis 2218 says that in your seed, Isaac, all the nations of
the earth shall be blessed, leading on to Jesus.
Because you have obeyed my voice.
You know, sometimes people come to church and go.
I don't know why there's no blessings.
Well, God wants us to have an examination of our hearts that
go well. Are we living a life that's
obedient? Because if you're not living a
life that is obeying God, then the blessings of God won't flow
onto you. There are times in my life when,
when things happen to me and God is trying to get me stirred up,
storms hit me. You know what happens when the
storm hits the beach? It stirs up everything and
calves away the sand and things like that.
And things begin to break and, and, and, and, and things that I
trusted on fall apart. God is saying, have a look at
yourself. You're expecting blessing, but
you need obedience through obedience, blessing flows.
The obedience belongs to God. First of all, obedience to God
results in his rich blessings to us.
By the way, back in Genesis 22, because you have obeyed my
voice. It's the first occurrence in the
Bible of the Word. Obey first time.
So few people today have or live in any real hope, true, tangible
hope. Paul says in One Thessalonians
413. I do not want you to be
ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep.
That's Christians who have died. What's happened to them?
Let's choose sorrow as others who have no hope.
Let's choose sorrow as those who aren't believers.
We still have a term. Back when I was a kid, it's an
Australian term, people would say he's a no hopper.
They're a no hopper. Well, the world without Christ
have no hope. I was a no hopper until I found
Christ, but now I have hope. The sailors on board this vessel
with Paul in fear for their lives, looking for hope, trying
to find hope. Drop 4 sea anchors trying to get
hope. I'm going to give you 3 points
to wrap this Acts 27. You see, for you and I to
survive a typhoon, a hurricane, a shipwreck, to save your family
from sinking, man made sinkers of hope will not save you from
destruction. The things that you rely on from
the world won't get you there. One surviving, surviving is
having the assurance of God's presence.
God's presence. How do you and you and I
survive? We're in the middle of a
typhoon. Our hope, our anchor is Christ.
He is the anchor. What for?
For our soul. In the early church, by the way,
the symbol of the Sanka was used as a sign of hope and security
in Christ. The anchor is one of the oldest
and most common Christian symbols found in the Roman
catacombs during the period 2nd and 4th centuries, and they
symbolise unwavering hope in Christ.
He's our anchor. It's symbolise salvation and the
soul secure arrival at port. Port being heaven, they are
often disguised to avoid persecution.
The symbol of the anchor served as a hidden cross shape and
frequently marked early Christian terms.
One Timothy 11 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the
commandment of God our Saviour and Lord Jesus Christ, who is
our hope. You see the hope that you want
to cling to the anchor you want for your family, for your
marriage, for your children, for your own individual life and
walk with God is Christ. But this anchor to our soul is,
is far different from a sea anchor for a vessel.
See anchor. You pull up, you throw the
anchor over and it goes down to the bottom of the ocean.
We're anchored upward. Where is our anchor?
He's seated at the right hand of the Father.
The Bible tells us where he is interceding for us.
We're connected this way. We're anchored.
However, an anchor on a boat makes it stand still.
Our anchor is not to have us stand still to stop us.
No, our anchor is to secure us. It's to protect us so that we
can continue on in the storm. We can continue on and live
victorious because we have this secure hold upon our lives.
It cannot be broken. We live victoriously in the will
of God when facing massive storms in our lives.
Our anchor all by also is is sure ever been in a boat.
They drop the anchor and you just keep drifting.
It just keeps pulling. It can't connect.
Our anchor cannot break. Our anchor is steadfast.
It cannot slip. In Acts 2722 to 26, the Lord
assured Paul that he and all the other passengers in the ship
would be safe and survive even though the boat going to be
wrecked. Do not be afraid Paul.
You must be bought before Caesar.
Indeed, God has granted you all those who sail with you.
There'll be no loss of life among you.
Paul told the rest of the passengers to take heart, to
celebrate. Celebrate.
They're in the middle of a storm like they had, as if they had
already been rescued because the Lord in fact had saved them.
Paul's talking past tense. Do you know that's what we talk
when we talk about the things of the gods promises in our life?
They're all past tense. We have them now.
They're not. Oh, when?
When's that going to happen? In verse 25?
Therefore, take heart man, for I believe God that it will be just
as he told me. However, we must run aground on
a certain island. You know the rapture is going to
happen. Why?
Why do we believe that? Why do we teach that?
Because A it's in the Bible. B God said it's going to happen.
John 14. Let not your heart be troubled.
You believe in God, believe also in me, in my Father's house, on
many mansions. If it were not so, I would have
told you, I go what? To prepare a place for you.
Why that where I am, there you may be also.
Do you believe that? You know I believe it, God said
it and God's word is done. It's happening.
Picture yourself now, after Paul has given you that message.
There's 276 passengers. But now, because what Paul says,
knowing that at the end of the storm, the shipwreck, yeah, the
boat's going to break up, but we're going to be saved.
How would you behave differently to the others?
Yes, you'd still be wet, still cold, still weary no less, but
anxiety would have no effect on your outlook.
That's called Christianity. Because we live now.
We know we're not children of the dark, we're children of the
light. We know what's going to happen.
I know what happens the moment I die.
I know when my nephew was buried and I buried my brother just
this last month. I know exactly where they were
the moment their spirit left their their body.
Why? Because 1 Corinthians 15 tells
me this body translated in the twinkling of an eye.
It can't. It can't.
Our body can't go. This mortal body can't be
immortal. It's got to be changed.
And so it is with circumstances that you and I face today.
Yes, we will have struggles. Yes, we will face difficulties,
but God by His Holy Spirit is with us and in US.
That's what Jesus ascended. I go, but I'm sending you
another, another comforter just like me.
He has promised to save us. For God so loved the world that
he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him
should not What perish, but what have everlasting life is that?
When does that happen? I have it now.
You see, I'm in the storm. I'm living in this world, but
I'm not anxious about it. I don't care what Trump does.
Putin does. Starmer's gone LB mate.
God has promised to save all who trust in Him.
Every cruise, every journey in life, even shipwrecks and storms
will be used for our good. Our first spiritual anchor is
hope. Our second practical
encouragement verse 33 to 38 all the day was about to dawn.
Paul implaud them all to take food.
Today's the 14th day you got to eat.
I urge you to take nourishment. Verse 34 because not a hair will
fall from your hair of any of you.
And when he had given these things, he took bread.
He gave thanks to God on the presence of them all.
Notice he we told this, God said grace is there breaking breath.
Everybody just going to pray. You know what?
No, I'm not. I'm praying.
Not. I'm praying.
Yeah, I'm with you, Paul. And when he had broken it, he
began to eat. They were all noticed that they
were all encouraged. Also took food themselves.
And in all were 276 persons on the ship.
So when they'd eaten enough, they'd lighten the ship
throughout the wheat into the ocean.
Over goes the cargo. After many difficult days at
sea, the crew and the passengers.
However, something happened. When it was day.
They did not recognise the land. They let go of the anchors.
Verse 40. They hoisted the mainsail.
They struck, striking a place, verse 41 where two seas met.
They ran the ship aground. The bow, stuck fast, remained
unmovable. The storm was broken by the
violence of the waves. The soldiers plan was to kill
the prisoners lest any of them should swim away and escape.
But the centurion, wanting to save them, kept them saved.
Paul kept them from their purpose and commanded that those
who could swim should jump overboard first and get to land
and the rest. And I want to tell you now, This
is why surfing is very godly. Well, we have surfboard in the
church here and the rest, some on boards, surfing is first
mentioned, some on parts of the ship and so it was they all
escaped safely to land. Paul said hey, unless the guys
stay on the ship, can't be saved because some of the crew, it's
how quick they forget the promises.
You and I do the same. God makes us a promise.
Three weeks time we start anxious and we get worried.
We start doing things ourselves again, don't we?
Yes we do. We lose patience with God.
We want God to fix it now. God says I'll fix it at the
right time. And they forgot the promises
went to save themselves. God has scores of promises just
like he made with Abraham, of his comfort and care for us in
desperate time. But here's what happens.
But his promises only benefit us if we believe them.
Do you believe God's promises? Really?
Paul says. I urge you to take nourishment.
No hair of your head will be damaged.
Took bread, gave thanks in the presence of them in the storm,
storm still raging, Paul broke the bread.
Gave thanks to the Lord. Paul once again assured them,
God will save you. You need nourishment for what
lays ahead. Paul's encouragement was
physical. Practical.
Words were fine two weeks earlier because that's how much
time has passed since Paul first told them.
But actions made the promises of God concrete.
You see, Paul's calm demeanour, his prayer over the food he's
giving thanks to God, reflected his hope and faith that soon
they'll be safe and on dry land. That made a big difference.
What kind of effect do you have on others?
Oh, no, you know what's happened?
Oh, we prayed and you know what's happened?
Oh, here we go. Look, they're coming here.
We're going to hear about it again.
What kind of effect? Dad?
Mum. In your home, in your family,
when things go awry, what kind of effect do you have?
Do you have a calming effect through the word of God, through
prayer? Because that's your job.
That's your responsibility. When you enter a room, do you
bring a cloud of gloom with you? You know, like in the Peanuts
cartoon when the kid walks around and he's got the cloud
all everywhere he comes. And oh, you ever come across
people like that? I avoid them.
Oh, oh, here we go. Yeah.
I'm feeling terrible now. Yeah, so am I.
I feel terrible, too, you know, Things are going.
Yeah, I know. They're getting worse, aren't
they? Yes.
Well, with me. Or do you bring calm Christians
are to go out in the world or what?
Bring hope, calm, cheeriness, a smile.
Paul says, hey, be glad they're in the storm.
He's breaking bread. They haven't got there yet.
He's saying be glad God's got it all sorted.
You see, hope, practical encouragement, and our last
spiritual anchor is absolute faith.
All through this oceanic turmoil, Paul demonstrated a
calm, assured belief in the promises God had given him.
Oh how good that is how I've learnt that in my life over the
years. Now you know, God's got sorted.
I used to panic, used to start praying.
Oh, praying, Oh Lord. Pray, pray, praying, Lord, now
God says it, let's, let's believe it, let him do it.
Paul's faith became contagious. The soldiers were going to kill
the prisoners, but the centurion, wanting to save Paul,
he kept them from their purpose, commanded that those who could
swim jump, and all the others made their way to the shore.
Five to six months have passed since they first set out for
Italy. This is not just a couple of
weeks on board. Six months they've been at sea.
They left Caesarea in August, shipwrecked in November.
They're still not in Italy. They'll get there in in March.
Julius, because of Paul's impact upon him, stepped in, saved the
prisoners from being killed. He wanted to preserve Paul's
life. And the centurion made these
decisions with confidence. Why?
Because Paul said everyone's going to be saved or will live.
How do you deal with storms when they strike you or your family?
How would you survive a shipwreck?
Perhaps a shipwreck threatening your faith or the faith of your
children? Paul writes in One Timothy 118
about some who've rejected the faith and says notice how he
says this concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck.
He uses that term when healthy personal faith and good
conscience are shaky or even repelled.
The consequences are calamitous. Shipwreck.
You know, there's a lot of families on in storms that go to
church but aren't in the word. They're not in prayer.
They're not serious about. They walk with God.
You know what? They're on a vessel that's
doomed. But you know what the most
terrible thing is? Lives will be lost, lives will
be lost. Shipwreck means personal loss,
tragedy, because the Bible says God wants all people to be saved
and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
You know, as I thought about this passage and I really
wrestled, how do I teach this? We're just going to see the
storm. What's in this Lord?
And as I really took a step back, reading and reading and
reading, I thought, you know what the world is like a giant
vessel. We're all passengers, and we're
heading into a massive storm, the Great tribulation.
And you know what? Things are only growing worse,
aren't they? The passengers, those on Earth,
are abandoning ship. Every man for himself.
This is what I'm going to do. This is what I'm doing.
And people are throwing out anchors of worldly hope.
Well, I'll just make sure I've got this, I've got that, I've
got this. You know, stocks, shares, you
know I've got or I want to be famous.
I'll just live till I'm 130. You've ever seen those?
No, I won't go into that. I want to waste your time.
And all those anchors that they're throwing out, you know
what they do when the storm really hits?
They snap. They break.
They don't hold. When the doctor comes out and
says to you and you're in the intensive care, you're in a
waiting room. We've done all that we can.
Oh, well, what if we give you more money?
No, no, We've done all that we can.
What can we get someone? You know that.
No. We have the best here.
We've done all that we can. The anchors are snapping, the
ropes are breaking. We're drifting.
We're lost. But not if we have an anchor.
And sure and steadfast God, we come to you now.
You see, judgement is coming. The biggest storm.
Jesus said unless the days were shortened, no one would survive
what's coming. But some have heeded the
promises of God. Some have taken like Paul did,
the passengers. Some have taken what God has
said in His word, and they put their faith in him, the anchor
in heaven. He's our hope, and they will be
saved. Why?
God promised not a hair of the head.
We're damaged. Others on board this world with
us. Fellow passengers, they're not
sure as you go out, they need to hear the gospel.
They need to hear the promises of Paul.
Paul didn't say well, good. The Angel appeared to me.
Hey, Aristarchus, Luke, we're good.
We're good. Shared it, told to everyone,
told it to everyone. He could have said no, just us.
We're getting around. Don't worry.
Just hang in there. Now Paul was concerned with the
others. Are you concerned with others?
You see, they need to see the gospel in US, you and I, and the
storms we face. We need to act in a way of
calmness. It's too many people When, when,
when something hits them and they believes, they go to church
and their lives fall apart. We don't see them or what's
going on. Well, they're going through a
difficult time. Well, they should be in church
because this is where you come. This is the House of the Lord in
the presence of God. And there are people here who
can pray for you, encourage you. We'll weep with you, we'll
rejoice with you. Can't do it on your own.
People need to see the good news in effect so we can encourage
others to put their faith in Christ.
You'll hear about the miracles that are occurring in this
church because we pray each Wednesday.
We all want to get to Rome, but God is more interested in how we
get there. You and your family all need
anchors. You need the anchor to be
anchored in God's presence, to know you belong to God.
It's a surety. You can, like Paul, reassure
others. I love going into and I sat with
my nephew. He hadn't gone to church.
He wasn't living for God. I said, Mark, you've got
everything I've told you before. You've got everything sorted.
You've got your superannuation sorted.
You've got that drawn on because your terminal you're going to
die, I said, but you got to get this sorted.
You got to get where you're going to go sorted.
And we prayed, he prayed, he prayed, gave his heart to God.
And his brother heard him, his wife heard him, his daughter,
his granddaughter. You see, there's this
reassurance you and I have the answer to the greatest need of
our lives, fear of death and what lays beyond.
You see, you can be like Paul and you can say, and after we
prayed, I said, Mark, I will see you.
You're going ahead. I'll see you soon.
And these are the people you're going to see when you get there.
It changes everything you see. Tell them to trust and believe
in God and that God will save them.
This is how you survive a shipwreck.
Let's pray, Father, no matter the storm, no matter the wind,
no matter the breaking up of the vessel, the snapping of the
anchor ropes. Lord, our security is in you.
We are safe in your arms, evermore safe am I safe?
Am I in the hollows of your hand, sheltered all, sheltered
all? Lord, I pray for your Holy
Spirit to touch people's hearts here today, to have them know
Your presence, Your hope, and Your anchor.