Is There A Purpose In This Storm? (PM Lesson Outline)
GIST: There will be times when all hope seems lost, but God’s purpose is always spreading the amazing grace of the Gospel.
SCRIPTURE: Acts 27:27-28:10
This evening we’re going to pick up where we left off this morning. Paul is on his way to Rome—exactly where God told him he’d be going—and it hasn’t been smooth sailing. Was he in the center of God’s will? Absolutely. However, as we noted, that doesn’t mean life will be easy. It just means you’re where you’re supposed to be! When we left them this morning, Paul had heard directly from God, because he was listening in the middle of the storm, and the crew was encouraged by what he had to say. Now, maybe this was largely because he told them God had promised to keep them all safe, though the ship was a goner ☺️. Either way, it was a high note in the middle of a set of traumatic circumstances and a wonderful reminder of God’s faithfulness regardless of what we’re facing.
Tonight, we’ll see that it gets worse before it gets better. In fact, that hopelessness Luke told us they were feeling comes rushing in in full force. What I want us to focus in on this evening is the “why”. Why is this happening? Paul has been told he’s heading to Rome. Why all the disaster to get him there? This is a question you’ve probably asked at some point or another about the storms you face in life, and we won’t always see those answers this side of Heaven. In the passage this evening, however, by the grace of God, I think we get a glimpse that reminds us of the perspective we should have, as well. Here’s our gist: There will be times when all hope seems lost, but God’s purpose is always spreading the amazing grace of the Gospel.
I. THERE WILL BE TIMES WHEN ALL HOPE SEEMS LOST (27:27-44)
Let’s start walking through the end of chapter 27. “27 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. 28 So they took a sounding and found twenty fathoms. A little farther on they took a sounding again and found fifteen fathoms. 29 And fearing that we might run on the rocks, they let down four anchors from the stern and prayed for day to come.” Paul had given them words of encouragement, but their conditions weren’t any better yet. They still couldn’t see where they were going, and the storms don’t seem to have let up. They’ve just sailed enough to somehow recognize that land might be near. Their testing of the water confirms this, but since they still can’t really see (it’s midnight), they’re afraid they’ll crash into rocks before they make it to a shore. So they put down their anchors to try to prevent this and pray for morning to come. A lot of allegorical messages have been preached about these anchors, but I don’t think that’s the point here. They put those anchors down because they are afraid. What is more interesting is the fact that their praying, but who are they praying to? Their hope is not yet in Jesus, so they were praying empty prayers to hollow deities...because they were afraid, and that’s all they can think to do at this point. Honestly, this is just sad. They’ve been presented with hope but are missing Him.
Then, this happens! “30 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, 31 Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, "Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved."” 32 Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the ship's boat and let it go.” These sailors try to just abandon everyone else and get off on their own. They are probably thinking there is a better chance of survival with just the crew than all 276 of them! But Paul tells them they have to stay if they want everyone to survive. This is actually really interesting. Earlier, Paul had told them that God had promised they would all reach land safely. Now, he’s connecting this to these individuals actually listening to what God said. This is a classic example of that balance portrayed throughout Scripture between God’s Sovereignty and Human Responsibility. Is God sovereign? 100%. Are you still responsible for your individual actions? 100%! How does this work? The designer of the world is God, not you ☺️.
Let’s keep trekking here. “33 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. 34 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." 35 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. 36 Then they all were encouraged and ate some food themselves. 37 (We were in all 276 persons in the ship.)” Notice the encouragement Paul finds from God’s promise even though his circumstances are no different than the rest of the crew. They were worried and panicked, but Paul tells them to eat and trust. Why? Because he knows who’s in control and believes what God told him! Like we noted this morning, however, he didn’t keep that blessing to himself! The fact that he does this in the presence of them all is significant. He wants them to see the peace God is providing.
So, some of them eat. Then, it gets real crazy for a bit. “38 And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, throwing out the wheat into the sea. 39 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. 40 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. 41 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. 42 The soldiers' plan was to kill the prisoners, lest any should swim away and escape. 43 But the centurion, wishing to save Paul, kept them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and make for the land, 44 and the rest on planks or on pieces of the ship. And so it was that all were brought safely to land.” Notice that before they made land, the ship was being busted to pieces, there is a plot to kill some of the passengers, and everyone ends up either swimming through stormy waters or clinging to broken pieces of the ship until they float to shore. This isn’t the happy ending you would expect, and it doesn’t seem necessary for Paul to face if God’s taking him to Rome. →
II. BUT GOD’S PURPOSE IS ALWAYS SPREADING THE GOSPEL! (28:1-10)
Before we even get into what happens when they arrive on shore, think about these 276 people on board the ship. Have they heard the gospel because of this catastrophe? Again and again and again! Not only that, they witnessed the impact the Gospel had on the lives of Paul and his companions. They heard the message, and they saw how it changed people. Would this have happened if it had just been smooth sailing to Rome? I have no doubt in my mind that Paul still would have preached the good news. Nonetheless, these events served as a bit more dramatic of an opportunity and afforded Paul and company very unique opportunities to demonstrate God’s faithfulness.
And it doesn’t stop there. Look at how chapter 28 starts (really, it’s the continuation of this account).“1 After we were brought safely through, we then learned that the island was called Malta. 2 The native people showed us unusual kindness, for they kindled a fire and welcomed us all, because it had begun to rain and was cold.” That’s a nice change of pace, right?
“3 When Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and put them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened on his hand. 4 When the native people saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, "No doubt this man is a murderer. Though he has escaped from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live."” Paul can’t seem to catch a break! He just survived a shipwreck. Now he’s been poisoned. The locals assume it’s divine judgment. Until…→
“5 He, however, shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm. 6 They were waiting for him to swell up or suddenly fall down dead.” The language here makes me chuckle. What did that look like? Were they just staring at him awkwardly? ☺️ “But when they had waited a long time and saw no misfortune come to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god.” Well, that’s a sharp switch in perspective! ☺️ Why did he survive the bite? It wasn’t because Paul was somehow superhuman. It was because God wasn’t done with him yet, and specifically needed these people to take notice. Did it work? Yeah. Now, we don’t see Paul deny the deity claims here or even proclaim the gospel, but Luke has recorded very similar circumstances to this before when Paul and Barnabas were mistaken as gods. How did they react? They pointed people to the truth of Jesus, like Paul always does. We have no reason to even assumed he did anything different here!
And, it keeps going! “7 Now in the neighborhood of that place were lands belonging to the chief man of the island, named Publius, who received us and entertained us hospitably for three days. 8 It happened that the father of Publius lay sick with fever and dysentery. And Paul visited him and prayed, and putting his hands on him healed him. 9 And when this had taken place, the rest of the people on the island who had diseases also came and were cured. 10 They also honored us greatly, and when we were about to sail, they put on board whatever we needed.” We’ve seen this happen before, too. Anytime there are healings recorded in the New Testament they are opportunities to point to the deeper spiritual need of every heart. Luke doesn’t record that here, but Church tradition tells us that Publius became a Christian and a leader in the early church. All of the sudden, this shipwreck starts to make a little more sense. Why didn’t Paul just get to Rome safely? Because Jesus wanted to use him to reach this ship’s passengers and this community of kindly lost people.
Now, let’s just hit two quick takeaways for perspective.
TAKEAWAYS
1. There is no such thing as a hopeless situation for those who belong to Jesus. Romans 8:28 "28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” This morning we noted that Paul claimed to belong to the God whom he worshiped. If we can make the same claim, we can trust that that God who loved us enough to take on Hell in our place, still loves us enough to want to use us in His redemptive purpose. Which is why→
2. Our perspective must be gospel-driven. Why are you facing what you’re facing? I don’t know, but I can trust that God has a plan to use it for His purpose. Will you keep your eyes open for those opportunities? Those shipmates and those Maltans? Or will you let despair blind your eyes to His amazing grace?
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