Shipwreck:Trust in the Storm

Acts 27:13-20, Acts 27:21-44, Acts 28:1-16

In Acts 23, the Lord encouraged Paul by saying "Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome."  Paul understood that it was God's plan to send him to Rome to witness to Caesar and his household about Jesus and the salvation that comes through Him.

 Just because you are inside of God's will for your life, that doesn't mean you may not go through storms!  Those storms, however, may be what you need to strengthen your faith, encourage others going through the same storm, and lead you to unexpected blessings.

Key Points:
1. Being inside of God's will for your life does not mean being outside of life's storms. Acts 27:13-20
2. Sharing with others what God has taught you can help them get through the storm. Acts 27:21-44
3. Your troubles can turn into a surprise blessing for you and  others. Acts 28:1-16

Read Acts 27:13-20
A Centurion was in charge of getting Paul and the other prisoners to Rome.  While on the way to Rome, the Centurion and the ship's captain decided to sail to Phoenix for the winter.  Paul advised against this plan.

What happened as they sailed to Phoenix on their way to Rome?
How did the hurricane like storm affect the people?

Paul was going to Rome as Jesus told him he must.  Why did God let the 'Northeaster' blow into their lives when Paul was just following God's plan? 

What are some times when you felt you were living exactly in the center of God's plan for your life yet troubles came along?  Did you blame yourself and assume you must have done something wrong?  Did you blame God and get mad at God?

Being inside of God's will for your life does not mean being outside of life's storms.

Read Acts 27:21-44
Once again, Paul received encouragement.  This time from an angel.

What does it tell you about Paul's relationship with these people and his relationship with God that he was willing to boldly tell them that
(1) an angel spoke to him
(2) they would all survive?

Paul's bold statement was balanced by the fact that he understood that God's plan would be worked out by the people there.  When the sailors saw an opportunity to abandon ship and attempt to save their own skins, Paul warned the centurion,
“Unless these men stay with the ship, you cannot be saved.” (V.31)

Paul wasn't worried about his own rescue by God; he was worried about the salvation of these others.
John B. Polhill commented that there may have been an intended double meaning.

A literal translation of the latter phrase would be ‘this is necessary for your salvation’ (sōtērias). There may be a veiled symbolism in the use of this word, a reminder to a Christian reader that the same God who delivered the storm-tossed voyagers from physical harm is the God who in Christ brings ultimate salvation and true eternal life. 

What are things you can do to be ready to share salvation with someone in their times of trouble?

Sharing with others what God has taught you can help them get through the storm.

 Read Acts 28:1-16
After God rescued every single person as he promised, the castaways were blessed by the local people with hospitality in their need.  As it turned out, Paul had the opportunity to bless many  sick people by healing them in Jesus' name.  One of the sick people healed was the father of the island's chief official Publius.

According to early church history, Publius became a Christian and was martyred for his faith years later.

What is the blessing of dying for your faith and how does that demonstrate that God fulfills his plan for our lives?

It was better for Publius to be murdered for his faith than to die with his sin in any other way.  Publius no doubt was thankful for the storm that shipwrecked Paul.

Ultimately, Paul arrived in Rome just as God had promised.  While there, people even from Caesar's household became Christians and Paul wrote some of his letters that became part of the New Testament.

Your troubles can turn into a surprise blessing for you and  others.