Grace & Truth Church
Acts of Jesus through the Holy Spirit - wk 26
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  • Acts 27-28:10

    We are approaching the end of the book of Acts, which has been describing the Acts of Jesus through His disciples. Last time we talked about Paul’s encounter with the Agrippa family. Paul has been tossed in prison with the hopes that he would be forgotten about. He has been shaking up the status quo for the Jewish leaders, so they want him dead. The Roman authorities know he is innocent and they can’t simply kill a Roman citizen without a great reason, so they are caught in the middle of this dispute. It appears that the way they intend to deal with the situation is to sweep it all under the rug and hope it goes away. Throw Paul in prison, throw away the key, keep kicking the can down the road, and hope to forget about him.
    The Jewish leaders haven’t forgotten about him, so they keep pushing the issue. What they end up doing is putting Paul in front of more and more people, giving him ample opportunity to prove his innocence to the world. Starting with the local courts, no one finds any wrongdoing deserving of death, so he gets pushed higher and higher up the ladder until he speaks to the Jewish king and is on his way to speak to Caesar.
    That is where we will start with chapter twenty-seven. Paul is boarding a boat for Rome! Let’s pray…
    Pray
    If you haven’t read the last two chapters of Acts, I can’t encourage strongly enough for you to make it a top priority! Many commentators view chapter twenty-seven as “one of the most exciting stories in Acts” and “one of the most vivid pieces of descriptive writing in the whole Bible.” It only takes a few minutes to read, but when you start you will probably not be able to stop until you’ve come to the end of the story. So pick a translation that is easy for you to understand and give it a quick read when you get a chance.
    I think that if this story was published anywhere outside of the Bible, Luke probably would have won awards for his writing. At the very least it would be used to teach something today. In fact, his writing is so precise and accurate that people don’t even dispute that he would have been a passenger or at least had a journal of the voyage. It is detailed enough that naval historians consider it to be one of the finest sources for ancient navigational technique, according to the Holman Concise Bible Commentary.
    So what is the story in chapter twenty-seven about? This is the story, all about how, Paul’s life got flipped, turned upside down. This is the story of Paul’s shipwreck in route to Rome. I’m not going to read the story to you like it’s bedtime, but I do want to dig into some of the deeper connections we can find in this passage so some of the story I will summarize and I’ll leave the rest for you to discover in your time with God and His word.
    Let’s look at a map. Like I said, Paul is on his way to Rome. Paul and some other prisoners were in the custody of a centurion named Julius. Travelling with Paul was Luke and Aristarchus. We know who Luke is. Aristarchus was a church leader who sometimes found himself in prison with Paul. He was one of the people seized by the angry mob in Ephesus (Acts 19:29) and accompanying Paul on the return from his third missionary journey (Acts 20:4). Like many in the early church, he would later become a martyr.
    They left Caesarea and landed in Sidon the next day. Then they sailed to Myra in Lycia, where they changed ships. At this point the sailing was getting pretty tough. The winds were not in their favor and would not allow them to stay on their intended course. So they sailed down to Crete to a place called Fair Havens.
    What was making this trip so tricky was the time of year. There was one period throughout the year that it was safe to travel. That was between the end of May and mid-September. You could sail in the two or so months leading up to and following this safe period, but it was risky. Between mid-November and mid-March you wouldn’t go anywhere on the sea because it was far to dangerous. Their rule is similar to ours. Over there they say not to sail in the winter, here in Oklahoma we say not to fly a kite in the spring. Luke marks this dangerous time by saying that it was already after the Day of Atonement.
    Your bible may translate this as being after the Fast or simply saying that it was late in the fall. The referenced Jewish festival isn’t important to the story beyond marking time, but just so you know what this festival is, it is also called “Yom Kippur.” It is the most important day in the religious calendar of Israel. The observance rituals of the day are very complex, but in short it was the day the high priest entered the Holy of Holies of the temple to atone for the sins of all Israel, and it took place on the tenth day of the seventh month.
    Why was it so dangerous to sail during the winter season? It was dangerous because violent Northern and Eastern winds would blow with hurricane force. Even though it was risky, the decision makers wanted to push on a little further. Apparently the Fair Havens harbor wasn’t a great place to stay all winter, so they decided to go a little further to Phoenix. So when an opportunity presented itself, they took it…
    Acts 27:13–15 NIV
    13 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.
    Were they sailing through Oklahoma or something. Gentle South winds one moment, hurricane force Northeastern winds the next! If you are a “word nerd” you might find this interesting, and if you are reading a NASB translation this explains the different word. Most bible translations call this storm the “Northeaster.” That is because it is named after the winds which come from the Northeast. Hard to believe, right? The sailors used a hybrid compound of Greek and Latin words to name these storms. In the end, it means the same thing, but the word they used was “Euroquilon” (yoo rak ih lon). So if you have an NASB translation, that is why it uses the word “Euraquilo.”
    Acts 27:14 NASB95
    14 But before very long there rushed down from the land a violent wind, called Euraquilo;
    So they are now getting pushed away from Phoenix. Not only that, but the ship is getting battered pretty hard. They are forced to secure the lifeboat, wrap ropes around the ship to hold it together, lower the sea anchor, throw cargo overboard, and even throw the ships tackle overboard, until finally giving up all hope of being saved. After some time Paul stands up and says, “Guys… You should have listened to me!”
    Why would they have listened to him? He is just a prisoner! Why would they be listening to him now at this moment? I mean, we are rooting for Paul, so we are listening and thinking, “Do what Paul says!” But why would these other prisoners and sailors? He is a man of God so that could afford him some ability to speak and opportunity to be heard, but he is also a high value prisoner. He is being delivered to the Emperor!
    That’s possibly what they were thinking when Paul makes this next statement. Pay attention to what Paul says here because he wants his message to reach them clearly. “When you are saved it is because of the God to whom I belong. Not just any god. Not one of your many gods. The one true God!”…
    Acts 27:21–25 NIV
    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.
    Let’s pause here and hang out for just a second. Most of our connections to other scriptures in this story are broad and thematic. For example, the theme of this passage is being in trouble at sea. We see the people on the ship throwing cargo overboard and preparing for death. That sounds very similar to other stories in the bible! Jonah, for one. Paul and Jonah may not be alike, but the motif of their stories are very similar.
    Noah’s Ark is another motif of storm and sea and God’s salvation through it all. Jesus also had an experience on a boat with a storm when He saved His disciples by commanding the storm to quiet. Psalm 107 talks about God’s control over storms at sea…
    Psalm 107:23–30 NIV
    23 Some went out on the sea in ships; they were merchants on the mighty waters. 24 They saw the works of the Lord, his wonderful deeds in the deep. 25 For he spoke and stirred up a tempest that lifted high the waves. 26 They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths; in their peril their courage melted away. 27 They reeled and staggered like drunkards; they were at their wits’ end. 28 Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress. 29 He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. 30 They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them to their desired haven.
    Are there any thematic connections that come to mind before we move on? We will see more themes and connections as we move on. If any grab your attention don’t be afraid to share it with us and help the rest of us in our personal bible studies. To me, this way of studying scripture is one of the most enjoyable.
    Let’s keep going. Paul told everyone that the ship would be completely destroyed, but they will all be fine. Two weeks into this catastrophe they realized they were getting close to land. To prevent crashing into rocks, they dropped four anchors and waited. Some of the sailors began lowering the lifeboat into the sea so they could escape, but Paul warned the centurion that everyone had to remain on the ship if anyone was to be saved. So the soldiers cut the ropes that held the lifeboat and let it drift away.
    Then in the middle of all of this panic, Paul encourages the men to eat and praises God in front of them all.
    Acts 27:33–38 NIV
    33 Just before dawn Paul urged them all to eat. “For the last fourteen days,” he said, “you have been in constant suspense and have gone without food—you haven’t eaten anything. 34 Now I urge you to take some food. You need it to survive. Not one of you will lose a single hair from his head.” 35 After he said this, he took some bread and gave thanks to God in front of them all. Then he broke it and began to eat. 36 They were all encouraged and ate some food themselves. 37 Altogether there were 276 of us on board. 38 When they had eaten as much as they wanted, they lightened the ship by throwing the grain into the sea.
    I want to briefly pause here because there is a thematic connection that stuck out to me in this passage. It’s not a one for one, but it is very similar. Here we have a story of people who are wandering aimlessly in the chaotic waters of the wilderness. Though they have been promised salvation, they fear an immanent death. In this passage we have a picture of them giving thanks to God and eating bread. When they are done, they destroy what they did not eat.
    What story does that sound like? It’s like the Israelites wondering in the desert wilderness and fearing death when God provides bread from heaven for them to eat. What they didn’t eat was destroyed each day and each day God continued to provide their needs. Furthermore, when the sun came up the sailors saw a land that they did not recognize, but it was the land the God promised. They cut the anchors and sailed toward it. They ran aground when they struck a sandbar so they had to swim the rest of the way, but every single one of the men onboard the destroyed ship climbed out of the water onto the beach to safety.
    Turns out they were on Malta. Now they were actually much closer to Rome than they would have been if they made it to Phoenix. Also, and much like Jonah, Paul was able to witness to the people there. He healed many sick people and even experienced another biblical motif moment here…
    Acts 28:3–6 NIV
    3 Paul gathered a pile of brushwood and, as he put it on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand. 4 When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, “This man must be a murderer; for though he escaped from the sea, the goddess Justice has not allowed him to live.” 5 But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. 6 The people expected him to swell up or suddenly fall dead; but after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god.
    The classic human vs snake theme. It starts in Genesis…
    Genesis 3:15 NIV
    15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”
    Obviously we know this is specifically about Jesus, but Paul is living out this biblical motif in this moment.
    Are you ready to see something really interesting? Remember the previous connection to the wilderness. This same exact thing with a fiery serpent happened to Israel as well…
    Numbers 21:4–6 ESV
    4 From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom. And the people became impatient on the way. 5 And the people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this worthless food.” 6 Then the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died.
    And, I didn’t mention it, but there are also connections to Paul healing the sick people on the island. Obvious connections to Jesus that we have seen throughout Acts. Also connections to Old Testament stories like Elijah and the widow’s son in 1 Kings 17:8-24, and Elisha and the Shunamite’s son in 2 Kings 4:18-37. Even when we keep reading the passage in Numbers we just read, there are more connections to healing…
    Numbers 21:7–9 NIV
    7 The people came to Moses and said, “We sinned when we spoke against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord will take the snakes away from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. 8 The Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” 9 So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived.
    It makes me wonder if Paul thought of this passage in Numbers, because he was living it on this island. Through the power and Guidance of Jesus Christ, he literally traveled through the wilderness to get bitten by a snake and bring healing to the people.
    In fact, when you read this part of the story in Acts, when Paul was bit they thought, “This guy must be a bad guy. He survived a shipwreck to die by being bit by a snake!” They thought the goddess Justice came for him. Roman folklore told a story of a fugitive who escaped shipwreck only to be killed soon after by a viper. This moment probably really resonated with the Maltese people! When nothing happened to Paul, they decided he must be a god himself.
    Paul had three months to set things straight and teach them about God, and knowing what we know about Paul that is probably exactly what he did. Only this time he didn’t get chased out of town. Luke says the people honored them and gave them what they needed…
    Acts 28:10 NIV
    10 They honored us in many ways; and when we were ready to sail, they furnished us with the supplies we needed.
    How can I apply this chapter to my life today? I am really surprised at how much the Israelite’s wilderness story stood out to me in this chapter. When I started studying it, I didn’t expect that at all. The Israelite’s didn’t have a great track record during that time. They grumbled and complained a lot. They second guessed Moses and God often. They even took advantage of God’s provision and grace, selfishly trying to get more than they needed and hide it. God can just make bread and quail appear out of thin air and they truly believe they can take extra and hide it from Him!
    In that story, God is really cracking down on them. The extra bread they take gets filled with maggots. They get impatient and complain so God gives them poisonous snakes and many of them die. That sounds rough! I was a pretty impatient kid. Can you imagine going to Disney Land or something and being like, “are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet?” then your dad tosses a snake in your lap!
    Look at that side by side with Paul’s version of the story. He goes through the wilderness. He gets bit by a snake, just like the Israelites. What is the difference? You might say that Paul acted differently than the Israelites, but I don’t know. For the most part, sure, but even the angel had to tell him not to be afraid. So Paul probably shared some of the same insecurities and fears as the Israelites. Is it God? Did God change? No, but there was one massive difference. Jesus.
    The difference between Paul in the wilderness and the Israelites in the wilderness is Jesus. The difference between us when we face the wilderness and the Israelites wondering the wilderness is Jesus. We are no different in that we deserve the same thing the Israelites deserved. We deserve to wonder. We deserve the snake bite. The difference is that Jesus took that wound so that we could be healed!
    The more I sat with these two stories the more convinced I am that, through Paul’s shipwreck, God is giving us a picture of completion of His promise to the Israelites. I find that encouraging and life changing. I also find it comforting. A source of courage. He is in control of the chaotic waters in my life. He is at work deep within and uses the chaotic wilderness to teach me to rely on Him. In His time and in His way He brings me out of distress to whispered waters.
    To close I want to read that Psalm one more time before we pray…
    Psalm 107:23–30 NIV
    23 Some went out on the sea in ships; they were merchants on the mighty waters. 24 They saw the works of the Lord, his wonderful deeds in the deep. 25 For he spoke and stirred up a tempest that lifted high the waves. 26 They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths; in their peril their courage melted away. 27 They reeled and staggered like drunkards; they were at their wits’ end. 28 Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress. 29 He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. 30 They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them to their desired haven.
    Pray

      • Acts 27:13–15NKJV

      • Acts 27:14NKJV

      • Acts 27:21–25NKJV

      • Psalm 107:23–30NKJV

      • Acts 27:33–38NKJV

      • Acts 28:3–6NKJV

      • Genesis 3:15NKJV

      • Numbers 21:4–6NKJV

      • Numbers 21:7–9NKJV

      • Acts 28:10NKJV

      • Psalm 107:23–30NKJV

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