Bible Reading
Acts 27:20-44When 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.
[48:17]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.”
[48:25]“Yet now I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship.”
[48:47]“For this very night there stood before me an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I worship.”
[48:47]“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.’”
[48:47]“So take heart, men, for I have faith in God that it will be exactly as I have been told.”
[49:06]“But we must run aground on some island.”
[49:06]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.
[49:12]So they took a sounding and found twenty fathoms. A little farther on they took a sounding again and found fifteen fathoms.
[49:20]And fearing that we might run on the rocks, they let down four anchors from the stern and prayed for day to come.
[49:29]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.”
[49:35]Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the ship's boat and let it go.
[49:43]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.”
[49:53]“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.”
[50:04]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.
[50:06]Then they all were encouraged and ate some food themselves.
[50:15]We were in all 276 persons in the ship.
[50:15]And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, throwing out the wheat into the sea.
[50:21]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.
[50:28]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.
[50:35]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.
[50:36]The soldiers' plan was to kill the prisoners, lest any should swim away and escape.
[50:52]But the centurion, wishing to save Paul, kept them from carrying out their plan.
[50:58]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.
[51:03]And so it was that all were brought safely to land.
[51:06]Acts 26:5-9They have known for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that according to the strictest party of our religion I have lived as a Pharisee.
[39:38]And now I stand here on trial because of my hope in the promise made by God to our fathers, to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly worship night and day.
[39:38]And for this hope I am accused by Jews, O king! Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead?
[39:38]I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
[39:47]2 Corinthians 11:23-28Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one—I am talking like a madman—with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death.
[42:47]Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea.
[43:00]On frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers.
[43:12]In toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure.
[43:24]And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches.
[43:34]Acts 27:3The 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.
[45:32]Observation questions
- What details in Acts 27 show how completely the storm had worn down the people on the ship before Paul spoke?
- What did Paul say would be lost, and what did he say would be preserved? How did that promise shape what happened at the end of the chapter? [48:47]
- What were the sailors trying to do with the lifeboat, and what action did the soldiers take after hearing Paul’s warning? [49:35]
- What kinds of suffering did Paul list in 2 Corinthians 11, and what concern did he carry in addition to his own physical hardships? [43:12]
Interpretation questions
- Paul said, “the God to whom I belong and whom I worship.” What does that statement show about why Paul could speak with courage when everyone else had given up hope? [49:00]
- God promised that everyone would survive, yet Paul still told them to eat, stay on the ship, and follow the centurion’s instructions. What does this show about trusting God while also taking the faithful steps in front of a person?
- The lifeboat looked like the safer choice, but it would have led the sailors away from God’s appointed means of rescue. What kinds of things can look like safety while actually becoming substitutes for trust in God? [54:44]
- Paul’s ship broke apart, but every person reached land safely. How can this help a believer understand the difference between God preserving a plan and God preserving His people? [55:42]
Application questions
- When life feels dark and uncertain like it did for the people who could not see the sun or stars, what usually happens to hope? What would it look like this week to bring that fear honestly to God in prayer rather than giving up? [51:16]
- God’s promises do not change when circumstances become hard. What promise from Scripture does a person in this group need to hold onto right now, and how can the group help one another remember it? [52:09]
- Long storms can teach, prepare, strengthen, and cause God’s people to lean more fully on Him. Is there a hard season that has lasted longer than expected? What might God be growing in that season, even if the reason is not fully clear yet? [52:56]
- Sometimes people leave too quickly because something feels uncomfortable, whether in a job, a relationship, a church, or another responsibility. Is there an area where a person may be tempted to make a quick move mainly to escape discomfort? What wisdom, prayer, and counsel are needed before acting? [47:46]
- The lifeboat can picture old habits, worldly comforts, or backup plans that people run to when life gets hard. What false refuge is most tempting during stress—control, money, distraction, substances, anger, isolation, or something else? What could “cutting the ropes” look like in a real and healthy next step? [55:07]
- God may use unexpected people to provide help and favor, just as He used Julius to treat Paul kindly. Who has God placed around a person in this group to offer care, encouragement, or practical help? Is there a need that should be shared rather than carried alone? [46:08]
- The ship may not remain whole, but those who belong to Jesus have lasting hope beyond this broken world. How does saving faith in Jesus change the way a person faces loss, uncertainty, and the troubles of this world? [56:49]
