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ACTS 27
- Acts 27:1 And when it was
determined that we should sail into Italy, they delivered Paul
and certain other prisoners unto one named Julius, a centurion
of Augustus' band.
- 2 And entering into
a ship of Adramyttium, we launched, meaning to sail by the
coasts of Asia; one Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica,
being with us.
- 3 And the next
day we touched at Sidon. And Julius courteously entreated Paul,
and gave him liberty to go unto his friends to refresh himself.
This is the mercy and kindness of God
in action. God touches the heart of someone named Julius to treat Paul with
kindness in allowing him refreshment. When we read these accounts in
Acts we sometimes forget that these apostles had needs the same as
most humans do. They needed rest, they needed to eat, drink, sleep
and take a bath like we do everyday without thinking about it. Paul
couldn't jump in a hot shower and change into clean clothes. They
had to go days without a bath.
Also in that day jailers were allowed
to torture and harass prisoners if the authorities ask them to and
probably they often did it without the consent of authorities. It
wasn't like the prisons in the United States where a guard abusing a
criminal would result in the loss of his job and prosecution by the
government.
- Acts 27:4 And when we had
launched from thence, we sailed under Cyprus, because the winds
were contrary.
- 5 And when we had
sailed over the sea of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, a
city of Lycia.
- 6 And there the
centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing into Italy; and he
put us therein.
- 7 And when we had
sailed slowly many days, and scarce were come over against
Cnidus, the wind not suffering us, we sailed under Crete, over
against Salmone;
- 8 And, hardly
passing it, came unto a place which is called The fair havens;
nigh whereunto was the city of Lasea.
- 9 Now when much
time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, because the
fast was now already past, Paul admonished them,
- 10 And said unto
them, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and
much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our
lives.
The spirit of God spoke to Paul. If
Paul had not have been with them, none would have been saved. It
pays to be around a praying person when tragedy strikes.
Sound familiar? The educated world of
today believes the report of evolutionary scientists rather than
those that believe in God and know of His creation. They are blind
to the fact that the Holy Spirit knows all things and will only
reveal the truth to those that have come God's way, the way of Jesus
Christ. I don't care how the politically incorrect that
may sound. I didn't say it, the bible says it: There is no other
name under heaven whereby we must be saved. We can't receive the
Holy Spirit without being saved by faith in Jesus; so if we do not
have the Holy Spirit abiding within us, how can we possibly know
anything worth knowing since He is the spirit of truth.
- Acts 27:12 And because the
haven was not commodious to winter in, the more part advised to
depart thence also, if by any means they might attain to Phenice,
and there to winter; which is an haven of Crete, and lieth
toward the southwest and northwest.
- 13 And when the
south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their
purpose, loosing thence, they sailed close by Crete.
- 14 But not long
after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon.
- 15 And when the
ship was caught, and could not bear up into the wind, we let her
drive.
- 16 And running
under a certain island which is called Clauda, we had much work
to come by the boat:
- 17 Which when they
had taken up, they used helps, undergirding the ship; and,
fearing lest they should fall into the quicksands, struck sail,
and so were driven.
- 18 And we being
exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day they lightened
the ship;
- 19 And the third
day we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship.
- 20 And when neither
sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on
us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away.
- 21 But after long
abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said,
Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from
Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss.
If only people would listen now to
those that warn of trouble ahead and we need to prepare ourselves
and get right with God. There is not a day to lose. Yet many are
laughed at and called names.
Because of Paul God had mercy on them
and still was showing a way of deliverance. We can count it a
privilege when God gives us a second chance to repent from dead
works and live for Him.
I notice that angels usually come in
times of great danger. They never preach false doctrine or change
anything already written.
-
Acts 27:24 Saying, Fear not, Paul;
thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee
all them that sail with thee.
According to the word of God, not one
would die or fall overboard.
- Acts 27:25 Wherefore, sirs,
be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it
was told me.
- 26 Howbeit we must
be cast upon a certain island.
- 27 But when the
fourteenth night was come, as we were driven up and down in Adria, about midnight the shipmen deemed that they drew near to
some country;
- 28 And sounded, and
found it twenty fathoms: and when they had gone a little
further, they sounded again, and found it fifteen fathoms.
- 29 Then fearing
lest we should have fallen upon rocks, they cast four anchors
out of the stern, and wished for the day.
- 30 And as the
shipmen were about to flee out of the ship, when they had let
down the boat into the sea, under color as though they would
have cast anchors out of the foreship,
- 31 Paul said to the
centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship,
ye cannot be saved.
We can say that except we abide in
Christ we cannot be saved.
This time they listened to Paul.
- Acts 27:33 And while the
day was coming on, Paul besought them all to take meat, saying,
This day is the fourteenth day that ye have tarried and
continued fasting, having taken nothing.
- 34 Wherefore I pray
you to take some meat: for this is for your health: for there
shall not an hair fall from the head of any of you.
- 35 And when he had
thus spoken, he took bread, and gave thanks to God in presence
of them all: and when he had broken it, he began to eat.
- 36 Then were they
all of good cheer, and they also took some meat.
- 37 And we were in
all in the ship two hundred threescore and sixteen souls.
- 38 And when they
had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, and cast out the
wheat into the sea.
- 39 And when it was
day, they knew not the land: but they discovered a certain creek
with a shore, into the which they were minded, if it were
possible, to thrust in the ship.
- 40 And when they
had taken up the anchors, they committed themselves unto the
sea, and loosed the rudder bands, and hoisted up the mainsail to
the wind, and made toward shore.
- 41 And falling into
a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground; and the
forepart stuck fast, and remained unmovable, but the hinder part
was broken with the violence of the waves.
- 42 And the
soldiers' counsel was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them
should swim out, and escape.
- 43 But the
centurion, willing to save Paul, kept them from their purpose;
and commanded that they which could swim should cast themselves
first into the sea, and get to land:
- 44 And the rest,
some on boards, and some on broken pieces of the ship. And so it
came to pass, that they escaped all safe to land.
It seems that danger came not only from
the sea and the storms but from the soldiers themselves who would
have killed all prisoners if not for the fact that one valued the
life of Paul and would not consent to such a plan. I don't know
their reasoning for wanting to kill the prisoners. Perhaps if they
let the prisoners escape, they themselves would have to answer to
the authorities. Or maybe the feared the prisoners would turn on
them if given a chance.
There is nothing like reading the book
of Acts to see that when Paul ran into trouble he didn't sit and
pout, whine or complain, he made use of everything that happened and
continued to use those opportunities to preach the gospel. When he
went to prison, he preached to the jailers, when he was shipwrecked,
he preached to the sailors, when he was brought to trial he preached
to the judges.
Why was this so important to him and
others who preach the gospel? Because if no one hears the gospel, no
one can be saved. If no one is saved then all will die and be lost
forever in eternity. So to Paul it was a life or death matter. If he
died (Paul) he would be with Christ but if people die without
Christ, they would be in hell. -DC
Acts 28
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