Bible Reading
Acts 27 “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. Since they had been without food for a long time, Paul stood up among them and said, 'Men, you should have listened to me and not have set sail from Crete and incurred this injury and loss. Yet now I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. For this very night there stood before me an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I worship, and he said, 'Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar. And behold, God has granted you all those who sail with you.' So take heart, men, for I have faith in God that it will be exactly as I have been told. But we must run aground on some island.' When the fourteenth night had come, as we were being driven across the Adriatic Sea, about midnight the sailors suspected that they were nearing land. So they took a sounding and found twenty fathoms. A little farther on they took a sounding again and found fifteen fathoms. And fearing that we might run on the rocks, they let down four anchors from the stern and prayed for day to come. And as the sailors were seeking to escape from the ship, and had lowered the ship's boat into the sea under pretense of laying out anchors from the bow, Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, 'Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved.' Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the ship's boat and let it go. As day was about to dawn, Paul urged them all to take some food, saying, 'Today is the fourteenth day that you have continued in suspense and without food, having taken nothing. Therefore I urge you to take some food. For it will give you strength, for not a hair is to perish from the head of any of you.' And when he had said these things, he took bread, and giving thanks to God in the presence of all he broke it and began to eat. Then they all were encouraged and ate some food themselves. (We were in all 276 persons in the ship.) And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, throwing out the wheat into the sea. Now when it was day, they did not recognize the land, but they noticed a bay with a beach, on which they planned if possible to run the ship ashore. So they cast off the anchors and left them in the sea, at the same time loosening the ropes that tied the rudders. Then hoisting the foresail to the wind they made for the beach. But striking a reef, they ran the vessel aground. The bow stuck and remained immovable, and the stern was being broken up by the surf. The soldiers' plan was to kill the prisoners, lest any should swim away and escape. But the centurion, wishing to save Paul, kept them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to throw themselves overboard first and make for the land, and the rest on planks or on pieces of the ship. And so it was that all were brought safely to land.”
[06:51]John 16:33 “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
[45:22]Psalm 93:3-4 “The floods have lifted up, O LORD, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their roaring. Mightier than the thunders of many waters, mightier than the waves of the sea, the LORD on high is mighty!”
[50:34]Observation questions
- In Acts 27:9–20, what influenced the decision to leave Fair Havens, and what signs later showed that the crew had lost control of the voyage? [24:37]
- In Acts 27:21–26, what reasons did Paul give for confidence, and what losses did he still expect? [32:37]
- How did the sailors disguise their escape attempt in Acts 27:30–32, and how did Paul and the soldiers respond? [36:12]
- In Acts 27:33–44, what practical steps did Paul take to care for those aboard, and how did the passengers respond before the ship broke apart? [39:00]
Interpretation questions
- What makes Paul’s confidence in Acts 27:21–26 different from the optimism that encouraged the crew to leave Fair Havens? How could that difference help someone facing a situation that keeps getting worse? [33:53]
- God promised that everyone aboard would survive, yet Paul insisted that the sailors stay and that the passengers eat. What does this show about the relationship between trusting God’s promises and taking practical responsibility? [38:17]
- How does John 16:33 challenge the idea that hardship means God has abandoned a believer? What grounds for peace remain when the hardship does not end? [45:22]
- The sailors presented their escape as useful work for the ship. Why can destructive ways of coping be difficult to recognize, and how can honest relationships help bring them into the open? [37:00]
Application questions
- Where in your life does hope currently depend on circumstances improving? What would it look like to place your confidence in God’s faithfulness without pretending that the possible losses do not matter? [33:20]
- When life feels overwhelming, what do you tend to turn to for escape? How might you recognize when relief is becoming something that pulls you away from God or from people who need you? Share only what you feel comfortable sharing. [36:35]
- Is there a struggle you have been carrying that others might not notice? Who is a trustworthy person you could let into that struggle, and what kind of support would be helpful? [46:52]
- What is one specific example of God’s faithfulness in your past that you need to remember now? How could you record it or share it so that it is not forgotten when another crisis comes? [48:07]
- Paul cared for people whose company he had not chosen. Who has God placed near you—in your family, workplace, or neighborhood—whose needs you could pay closer attention to? What might praying for and caring for that person look like this week? [49:08]
- Paul offered both practical help and reasons for hope while the storm continued. Who around you is running low on hope, and how could you offer concrete care while gently pointing them toward Jesus? [49:36]
