Acts 27:13-26 – When a gentle south wind began to blow, they saw their opportunity; so they weighed anchor and sailed along the shore of Crete. 14 Before very long, a wind of hurricane force, called the Northeaster, swept down from the island. 15 The ship was caught by the storm and could not head into the wind; so we gave way to it and were driven along. 16 As we passed to the lee of a small island called Cauda, we were hardly able to make the lifeboat secure, 17 so the men hoisted it aboard. Then they passed ropes under the ship itself to hold it together. Because they were afraid they would run aground on the sandbars of Syrtis, they lowered the sea anchor and let the ship be driven along. 18 We took such a violent battering from the storm that the next day they began to throw the cargo overboard. 19 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 the storm continued raging, we finally gave up all hope of being saved. 21 After they had gone a long time without food, Paul stood up before them and said: “Men, you should have taken my advice not to sail from Crete; then you would have spared yourselves this damage and loss. 22 But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed. 23 Last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me 24 and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.’ 25 So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me. 26 Nevertheless, we must run aground on some island.”
“We took such a violent battering from the storm that the next day they began to throw the cargo overboard. 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 the storm continued raging, we finally gave up all hope of being saved.” It becomes obvious that when they threw their cargo overboard, when they essentially threw their money overboard, that they were seriously afraid. They also threw the ships equipment overboard. Circumstances, even for these experienced sailors were desperate. They were in a frightening situation. But we know who was not afraid. Paul, who was only there because God had guided him there, was not afraid. Paul was not afraid, not because of what He knew, but because of who He knew and what He had said to him. The knowledge and experience of the sailors had been exhausted. Unlike Paul, they were terrified. In fact, they thought they were going to die.
“After they had gone a long time without food, Paul stood up before them and said: “Men, you should have taken my advice not to sail from Crete; then you would have spared yourselves this damage and loss. 22 But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed.” “No-one likes a ‘told-you-so’” Yet it was appropriate this time. Paul was pointing out their error in going with the advice of mere men rather than the advice of someone who had a message from God. He was not doing it to bring himself glory, but to point them to the incomparable, the always right, counsel of God. It was time to testify of God, of Jesus. Paul did not waste opportunities.
Paul was telling them that all this waste, all this danger, all this fear, could have been avoided if only they had harkened to what he had said as guided by God. Yet, Paul sets a good example for all of us, and especially parents. It is not good to merely say “I told you so,” but with the admonition to always have good news following. We should not only point out error but then we should give hope. Paul did that as he told them to not worry because none on board would die. The ship would be lost, but none on board. It reminds us that sin has consequences, but God has provided the remedy. The curse from original sin was that the body and spirit of man would die. The remedy was the person and work of Jesus, to save our souls. Our body, like the ship, must die. The things of this world will still perish. But what is of highest value to God, that being our very souls, are saved. But there is a condition here (we shall see) and the condition for the salvation of our souls is that there is only one way to receive it and that through Jesus our Savior and Lord. (John 14:6, Acts 12) Praise God!
“Last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me 24 and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.’ 25 So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me. 26 Nevertheless, we must run aground on some island.” Now these pagan sailors were probably thinking “Who does this guy think he is? Okay, he said we shouldn’t sail and he got that right, but we can see the danger we are in and so can he. Who is he to say that we all will live?” They got their answer. Paul, as he had been with the initial warning, was speaking not from his own thoughts or wild imagination, but as God, the God of all, had revealed to him. God sent an angel to deliver God’s message. The angel reminded Paul that God had said that Paul would stand before Caesar and so he would. Therefore this danger would not destroy the plans of God. Paul will live and testify before Caesar just as God had said. And the lives of these men are saved for the sake of Paul. We know God does such things just as we read in the exchange between Abraham and the Lord (Genesis 18). I know that the Lord has blessed others because in doing so He was blessing me. They were blessed because I was blessed. God does that for all of us. Those in the same ship with us, have received not “collateral damage” but collateral blessings. God is so good and He loves us!
Paul not only reminded them that the warning he had given to them had come true, but He gave the reason why he knew of the danger coming. And, to further strengthen the truth of his relationship with the Lord, he told them that God had said that He would save their lives. The phrasing, it is thought, implies that Paul was likely praying for his shipmates and so, being gracious to Paul, in answer to his prayers, the Lord would save the lives of his shipmates. Isn’t God so good!
Family, the Holy Spirit could have whisked Paul from the ship and let it, and all aboard perish, but He did not. Yes, God is good all the time! Yet sin and disobedience have a price and it did for them. Not only did they have to throw their profit overboard, but the very ship by which they made their profit would be destroyed. Yet, we can be sure, the sailors were happy that their lives would be spared.
God loves us and protects us. He keeps us from danger, He is with us in dangers, and should it be time to die, He brings us home to Him. Family, we cannot lose. “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” Philippians 1:21 “Death has lost its sting so we need not fear it.” (1 Corinthians 15:55) “If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.” (Romans 5:8) Family we cannot lose. We are in a win-win situation. We serve the Lord while we’re here and are overjoyed to do so. We walk with the Lord here and continue with the Lord into eternity. There is only winning, there is no losing. We above all, have reason to celebrate God in all circumstances. We, above all, are…winning!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown You, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of You but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with Your God.
Numbers 6:24-26 “The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.”